Monday, June 14, 2010
THIS COULD BE GRIST FOR A WHOLE NEW SERIES OF AGGIE JOKES: This college football realignment just keeps getting messier and more contradictory, with ESPN claiming that that Texas (and much of the rest of the Big 12 South) is headed for the Pac-10 immediately, while Orange Bloods is saying that if Texas A&M resists overtures from the SEC, the Big XII may still live, courtesy of a deal that makes Texas a lot of money.
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I, personally, would love to have A&M in the SEC. The few Aggies I've met are just batshit crazy enough to fit right in in our conference.
ReplyDeleteA&M fits into the SEC well from a cultural standpoint--it is the most "Southern" of the three big Texas public schools--and historically plays on a level commensurate with SEC football (though has not been a power program for the past few years)--it's the other sports (particularly men's basketball) where it's less of a fit, and in terms of rivalry games, the A&M/UT Thanksgiving game is HUGE, and would have to go by the wayside if they went to separate conferences.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, though I think it fits in less well culturally than you and Watts. Yes, Aggies are batshit crazy and A&M is more southern than the other Big XII schools, but it's still more western in character than the SEC schools, at least in my perspective, from having been resident in both conferences within the last 10 years. Mississippi and Louisiana are still very south-east, because very southern, but Texas really does have a different characterstic as a state.
ReplyDeleteYour points are well taken on the bad fit in the other sports and especially the UT/A&M rivalry. I seriously can't believe that means so little to the various people involved. A&M's fight song includes the lines, "Goodbye to Texas University/So long to the orange and white," fer crying out loud. Still, Georgia/Georgia Tech manages a cross-conference rivalry every year.
But it really is all about money. I often think I have reached the limits of my cynicism, but then something will come along to help me sink to new depths.
Couldn't Texas and A&M still play? There's precedent for non-conference rivalry games, like Florida-FSU and Notre Dame's entire schedule. Even in a 16 team SUPERCONFERENCE, there would still be a number of non-conference games, if only so that the big programs can pad their stats by playing Cal Poly or whatever.
ReplyDeleteWhy Kansas not join big 10 if Nebraska and Mizzou do as well? Kansas is a midwestern plains state type entity.
Honestly, I thought A&M might already be in the SEC (shows how much I pay attention to the Johnny-come-latelies outside of Big Ten football).
ReplyDeleteIt's not just the existence of the game, which could certainly continue, but the timing of the game--it's been Thanksgiving weekend for eons as the season capper for both teams, and while some traditions connected with it (most notably Aggie Bonfire) are no more, moving it changes the contour of the game.
ReplyDeleteHere's a question for the business and TV-minded folks here:
ReplyDeleteThe initial reports said that Big Ten teams were getting 22 million each from the Big Ten Network. Now this number has basically been proven false after some people did some further reporting, and apparently also includes some of the ABC/ESPN money, licensing and merchandising. Is that a realistic number? And how much money are they getting back of their own, considering a lot of Big Ten Network advertising is just for Big Ten schools and the Big Ten Network?
I thought they were getting $10 each from the Big 22 Million conference TV contract.
ReplyDeleteHey Alabama's fight song has ridiculously irrelevant lyrics, if you are going to go that road.
ReplyDeleteThey could still play the game on Thanksgiving. The Pac-10 lets USC schedule the Notre Dame game in the middle of the Pac-10 season, if I recall correctly.
ReplyDeleteit's the other sports (particularly men's basketball) where it's less of a fit
ReplyDeleteI dunno. Texas A&M's historical mediocrity in men's basketball would fit very well with the level of SEC basketball typically played outside of Lexington.
Mmm. There are some other strong SEC schools in men's basketball besides Kentucky, but yes, about half of the SEC is pretty damn weak in terms of men's basketball.
ReplyDeleteGeorgia-Georgia Tech is also routinely scheduled during T'giving week, as well.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Texas has decided that it's okay with the "Texas makes a bunch of money" plan offered by the Big 12, and will be convincing its vassals to stick around and keep the league going with ten teams.
ReplyDeleteThe Pac-10 needs a travel partner for Colorado during basketball season.
ReplyDeleteI think that it's hilarious that the Pac-10 is getting dissed by Texas. Heh.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the Big 12 will remain. (Although still mathematically challenged....)
ReplyDeletehttp://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/06/14/done-deal-texas-turns-down-pac-10-invite/
Eh. At the end of the day, we still get to live in California, Oregon, Washington, or the nice parts of Colorado. Texas will always have to be in Texas.
ReplyDeleteSuppose Utah, the most logical choice, doesn't want it. Then who?
ReplyDelete