Unless you have a definition of "earning" other than operating revenue, aggy didn' "out earn" UT during Charlie's tenure. The entire boost in aggy finances has been driven by their capital campaign that people are claiming to be revenue. If you have ever invested in a company, you should be able to understand the difference between operating revenue and capital contributions. A lot of sportswriters don't understand the difference. Which is why articles such as the Forbes article get published.
In 2011, A&M had no outdoor track facility because theirs had been condemned in 2004 as a safety hazard. Their football stadium, built the same year as The Big House, was in such a dilapidated state that the fire marshal had declared the electrical a safety hazard, the plumbing was barely functional and they couldn't light the sign on the exterior that said "Kyle Field."
They borrowed $350 million, and had alumni donate $285 million to finally, at long last, do something about their infrastructure. Programs such as Michigan and Texas have consistent revenue to maintain facilities. Second tier programs, such as Texas A&M, have to let their facilities degrade to the point of being condemned, and then cash in on their once-in-20-year "resurgence" to generate money to catch up. The ability to maintain facilities at a high level, and the inability to keep facilities from being condemned differentiates top tier and second tier programs. Think back to when any UT athletics facility has ever been condemned as a safety hazard. Imagine have multiple facilities on campus condemned as safety hazards. In that thought, you will understand the difference between UT and A&M.
As an aside, their new outdoor track facility has a maximum capacity of 3,500. The state high school track meet regularly draws 20,000. It is held at UT because UT is the only school in the state with the finances to afford facilities sufficient to host the meet.
Yes, aggy has finally done something about their dilapidated facilities. They have borrowed a lot of money to do it. From their alumni they raised less than Oregon or Oklahoma State did for their facilities projects. aggy spent so much on their football project, they were left without funds to build a proper track facility. They still can't afford to repay the loans they have owed their academic side since 2006. They didn't generate enough operating revenue to cover expenses in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 or 2017. Ask aggy about considering sending an 8-figure check from athletics to academics even once, let alone every year, and they will cough up a badly squeezed testicle.
And they call that "redneck riches."
Congratulations, aggy. You have reached the pinnacle.
Maybe now they will start trying to find the money to get their indoor plumbing fully functional. Because, you know, indoor plumbing isn't something everyone is used to, but must of us who aren't aggy are kind of used to it.