said on here before that Ziggy was the only one i have read/heard here or elsewhere that wasn't linking this entire decision back to LHN. i don't recall reading your posts here.
The funny thing is that I believe he is essentially saying the same thing most have said, and I'm not sure where you see the difference. He talked about the Big XII being weak because one school is allowed to run the show and that A&M is going elsewhere as a result. Ziggy, am I interpreting this wrong? This is the exact same thing. The LHN is only the most recent example and the tipping point.
But they sing the song when playing Nebraska or ULaLa or anyone else too. That's no different than singing it against LSU or Florida, though maybe even more relevant since they'd be singing about actually saying goodbye to Texas. I don't think it's ever been just about playing Texas on the field, or they wouldn't sing it against random schools. Texas is still going to be their biggest rival - for state students, for funding, for recruits, within alumni, etc.
Not surprising, but still bittersweet... From a tradition standpoint, it sux, but given the longhorn network, etc., I'm sure ego has to do a little with it... They will be the SEC's punching bag in Football, especially the big schools, but not the Vanderbuilts, etc..I think they'll be ok in basketball (incl. womens) and possibly baseball...
if they stop playing one another, they won't be....and other than football where they MIGHT find a way to play one another, they won't be in any other sport. TX and A&M have played each other for years as conference rivals. They are no longer. I don't know what that will do to the rivalry, ultimately. Let's find out if they're actually gonna play each other first. Again, any other school and it wouldn't be so funny...but there's no school in America that has another school so deeply rooted in its own tradition as A&M...and few schools, if any, where tradition is so revered. I'm not saying it's really meaningful or impactful outside of it just being funny.
When the LHN was originally discussed, I don't think anyone publicly discussed high school games. But the bigger issue is conference games. It's one thing to televise UT vs. Rice on it - that game is one that would have often been on PPV in the past. But I believe every Texas conference game has been on TV for the last decade or so. So when LHN/ESPN tries to tell Tech they'll only televise their game if its on LHN, it rings hollow. They tried to screw over Tech fans, then moved on to K-State fans, now the goal is Kansas fans. If ESPN fails to screw over their partners in the Bi12, they are next going after the BYU game. They will try to screw over BYU fans all around the country as well as Texas fans all over the country that won't have access to LHN. The LHN was supposed to be secondary to the Big12's TV partnerships, but that's not how it's playing out. Much of this is a powerplay by ESPN, to try to strongarm cable companies into carrying the LHN - imagine the pressure from Texas fans if their first two games can't be watched anywhere. But ESPN has partnerships with the Big12 and BYU, and is prioritizing the LHN over those relationships. Those schools have every reason to be upset and wonder what exactly is next, and why they should be associated with it.
LHN and programming is an NCAA issue...and the NCAA has slapped TX back quite a bit. There won't be HS games for instance. We'll see what happens with the rest. But the Ags never were in danger of having their game vs. UT shown only on the Longhorn Network. It's ridiculous to suggest otherwise, honestly.
And I believe you are the only one wanting us to CHANGE the song, It is not that it doesn't matter it just is not relevant to the topic at hand. You are just reading what you want to read. Please tell me what TAMU to SEC has to do with the TAMU fight song? That will be my last comment about the song because it generates exactly 0 revenue. Therefore it is a non factor in this topic
"ok" in basketball? They've just added some much needed credibility to a joke of a basketball conference.
without getting personal, i think there is a pretty substantial distinction between what Josh is saying in framing this and what you're saying. you've already said to me that you know full well that you're different than most Ags and that most Ags you read/heard were blaming this all on LHN and Texas, generally. i don't have a problem with the decision in and of itself...i'm bothered a bit by the whole, "blame UT!!!" response.
The two schools will still compete for the same kids, families all throughout the state are supporters of one or the other, etc. Not playing each other won't change the rivalry for the hundreds of thousands of alumni from each school. Besides which, they'll be playing each other again soon enough, as soon as the wealthy alumni have their say. I don't think there's any doubt about that. I think Mack Brown not toeing the party line was a hint at that. Both sides are simply trying to make the other look like the bad guy here, and these threats are all part of that. In the end, both schools have a lot to gain by playing this game, and they'll do it. I agree that its funny to sing a song about Texas all the time - but it's been ridiculous forever when they were singing it against Baylor or Nebraska or whomever else too. It only made sense in 1 out of 12 games per year; now it will make sense 0 out of 12 games per year.
you're taking it all way too seriously. i think it's funny...that's all i've said. i think it's funny that a school sooooo steeped in tradition now has its alumni here telling me that tradition really doesn't matter to them. i think it's funny that more than half of your fight song is about another university that you might not be playing at all now. obviously that doesn't change A&M's mind with respect to the SEC...nor should it...i just find it amusing. i haven't convened the legislature over the issue....not yet, anyway. stay tuned.
Almost forgot about Tennessee. They're decent, despite their cheater coach and his horrid fashion sense.
UT vs A&M wasn't the issue - it was that the LHN was slowly trying to creep into more and more stuff. It was that UT and ESPN were clearly prioritizing that relationship over the B12's interests. If LHN broadcasts 1 conference game now, what's to say they don't try for 2 or 3 or 5 in 5 years? A&M saw the writing on the wall - that this was not a healthy conference or a healthy situation for them - and walked away when they had a perfect opportunity available to them. Why wait to see what the NCAA does or what the LHN does when you have the perfect opportunity for yourself sitting in front of you now? You never know whether you'll have the same opportunity down the line.
