statsman

Bohls had lost meaningful contacts in the UT AD by the ‘00s. He made it clear that Bill Byrne was his primary source for Big XII reporting, while Byrne was AD at TAMU. I think it’s clear now that his primary source for UT news is his old AAS coworker, Olin Buchanan.

I misstated this. Every fanbase “hopes” their noise can make a difference. The Ags have it as a key strategy, 40 years past its usefulness.

You know, the “12th Man” really can be ultra loud. That made a big difference back in the ‘80s. Their home crowd would be so loud, and then the Ag defense would shift, and the opposing QB would try to call out an audible, but his team couldn’t hear him. That was 40 years ago. Shortly after, teams developed visual signals for audibling in noisy environments. Since that innovation, home crowds can make noise, but they just can’t rattle and disrupt an offense like before. 40 years. The Ags are still hopeful they can make a difference with their yelling.

If FSU and Clemson are not additive to the SEC, they’re sure as hell not additive to the B1G, who makes about 25% more per year, per school (pending renegotiation to 9 SEC league game schedules). Plus, squeezing two teams in plays hell with schedules. SEC fans are already bitching about losing favorite games. A year ago, I couldn’t figure out why FSU and Clemson were trying to hard to break the GoR unless they had a guaranteed landing spot. It still doesn’t make sense. Did they think that it was enough to make themselves available, and then wait for the offers to roll in? Bad idea.

Somebody got their feelings hurt at the 2012 Fiesta Bowl.

That’s one metric of watchability, not the only one. I’m sure the B12 will have games of interest (Sanders and Rising are both legit Heisman candidates). Yormark is an ass, but he is a huckster, and I’d be surprised if he didn’t view the pageantry and excitement at the TT game and B12CG, and think to himself, “You Big 12 Lilliputian schools are some real dumbasses for having this asset in your conference and fucking it up”. Weiser is just a Texas-hating ass from Kansas. He’s too dumb to think anything other than he’s happy Texas is gone.

It is a fascinating dynamic. There have probably been a lot of coaches at TAMU that decided, after a short period there, that they made a mistake and need to get out of the crazy cult school (Sherrill was the exception. He realized he could use the cult for his own fucked up reasons). Problem is, you want to leave in a position of strength, and if you’re winning big, it’s hard to leave something going well. Schlossnagle, Bible and Bryant are the exceptions. They built elite programs with solid foundations and got the hell out when a nice opening reached out to them. It’s crazy to realize that Schlossnagle was leaving even if the Ags had won the CWS. The Ags just can’t handle it. It’s part of the cult to believe that they have a special bond that is unlike other schools or programs, and that bond gives them a competitive advantage to build championships on. Schlossnagle, and staff, leaving calls all of that into question. It would be as if the Pope stood up in front of St. Peter’s square and announced he was switching to Satan’s side, and although he wished the Roman Catholics well, he had to leave to go lead a black mass. (To a normal program, it’s like an executive VP leaving your company and joining a competitor. Ok, I wonder which asshole they’re hiring to replace him?). Yeah, no Ag players can transfer to Texas without their phones blowing up like Schlossnagle’s did. They know they’re persona non grata in a way they wouldn’t be if they just transferred to LSU.

The Universal is a redial, but it’s legit. It was awarded to the guy that recovered the fumble that sealed the win for Texas. I’m also very fond of the Bulova; it’s a rare bowl game dial that is solid gold-ish (10k). I really like the art deco face.

I was replying to Al, once again, bemoaning that the IR8 had the rotten luck of not getting to be in the B1G or SEC, as the reason they have to sweat major conference membership. I know that nobody in the IR8 wants to ever reflect that their marginal position may be due to decisions they made, and not just pure bad luck. But, this is a Texas board, so I won’t apologize for not sharing the IR8 perspective. So, in arguing for the B12 and its continued relevance, you’re going with stadiums. Uh-huh. First, OSU’s stadium, may be “updated”, but while putting in boxes, they forgot to fix its biggest flaw- the ridiculously unsafe sidelines. That’s not an endearing trait, like a beauty flaw. It’s a cleft palate that has horribly not been repaired. Oh, and Baylor. That’s a new stadium, built on the heels of the Briles run. They can’t fill the upper deck against anyone but Texas or OU, and those teams are not on the schedule anymore. (Did I mention that Baylor games were on streaming five weeks in a row last year?) Funny thing about those stadiums- they’re not that big. They don’t need to be. The PAC refugees will be bringing in the league’s biggest stadiums. Shoot, right now UTSA plays in a stadium larger than any IR8 team. Those SEC and B1G bottom dwellers all have bigger stadiums than the biggest B12 stadiums. It’s ok. You matter. You’re a big deal. It’s just bad luck that you’re not pulling $60M or $100M per year like an SEC or B1G team.

Ooh,…and that’s a sick burn, I guess?

He famously suggested a Big XII conference for tier 3 rights. It was voted down, because it would have required every school to wire (this was the mid-00’s) their sports facilities (not just football and basketball) for broadcast, something Texas had already decided to do. Texas was going to throw its tier 3 content into the pool with everyone else’s. Dodds thought it would raise the conference’s profile as well as bring in cash. The other schools didn’t want to spend the money. Also, he shared his disdain for FCS scheduling, and showed how even a down Texas could give the conference some tentpole games by scheduling high profile opponents, OOC (with a real risk of losing). The IR8 made an art out of free riding, until there was no one left to free ride on.

Let’s look at it another way. If Texas and OU were in the B1G for the last 110 years, and were pulling down that sweet $100 M per year in B1G revenue, and Michigan and tOSU were in the B12, taking in its $32 M per year, do you think that the Wolverines and Buckeyes would be content? That ISU wouldn’t be in peril of the big fish leaving for a bigger pond? The revenue disparity did not occur overnight. If ISU (and the rest of the IR8) want to stay in the big leagues, they’re going to have to get more revenue. They really have never concerned themselves before, happy as they were with the old status quo (Dodds even suggested a couple of ideas, that were voted down). I suggest they start thinking about how to market their league and games better now, while they’re still reaping the ESPN payout for letting OU/T out early.

It may not be any better after you factor in the ACC network. https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/40210153/acc-revenue-14-2022-23-trails-big-ten-sec

I can see why the B12 would be interested in FSU and Clemson (although I’m not so sure it’s a great idea; are they just recreating the UT/OU dynamic- Gulliver and the Lilliputians?). Why would FSU and Clemson be interested in the B12? Sure, it’s better than the ACC,…if the ACC doesn’t have FSU and Clemson. Are they talking to the B12, hoping to elicit interest from the SEC and B1G? Because, if they had interest from the SEC or B1G, they sure wouldn't be talking to the B12. I had my doubts already that FSU and Clemson had a landing spot all worked out should they break out of the ACC…

Politics aside, Harris should be already sworn in as president, and sending a VP name to be confirmed in Congress.

Indiana can hate Michigan, but if they decide they need to win so much that they have to start buying players (like SMU), it won’t detract from Michigan’s recruiting.

I know KD has to fight through his calf injury now, but I just want to express appreciation for his love of this game. He is about to get his fourth gold medal because Olympics after Olympics, he wants to play. The dude lives to play basketball. Other stars want to take the summer off, recover from the playoffs, get their bodies right for the coming season and KD just wants to play in the best games he can scramble into. It’s too bad they didn’t let him go in 2008, after his rookie year. In three Olympics, and one World Cup, he is averaging 48.8% from 3PL. Check out the roster he led to the 2010 title, and how he dominated- https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/teams/united-states/2010.html

Michigan is the closest analog to us, culturally, academically and competitively, including having an analog rival (tOSU to OU). They have an advantage in that they were never forced by geographic constraints to join a league with a bunch of nearby schools that simultaneously hated and free rided them. We have an advantage in that we are located in a more talent rich region.

Even for Jason White?

I’m disappointed Jarrod Huffer (back for another season!) isn’t joining them.

I never thought I’d see NBA all stars looking to a guy to take over and win the game, but that’s exactly what I saw in 2021.

2021 was headed to a 1988 or 2004 finish, but KD took over. It was incredible. KD is the best FIBA player ever. It’s as if they let him draw the three point line, and he said- “Let’s put it here, where I’m two steps from the rim but also where I can pull up for my mid-range shot”.

I take it you didn’t watch the 2021 Olympics? Team had Tatum, Booker, Lillard, Draymond, and they spent the medal rounds looking to KD to win the game.

I still believe that the “TAMU to the B1G” talk is based on the B1G wanting into Texas (the assumption is that their revenue model still rewards adding a big state full of subscriber; I could be wrong) and the Ags wanting the SEC to feel “jealous” and throw the Ags a bone. However, I am coming around to thinking the SEC could drive the Ags away with a couple of well timed snubs and insults.

Thanks. And the coach goes along with it? 🙄 How ridiculous