I hope OU decides to join the PAC-12 and take Oklahoma State with them. Then the SEC would be free to add Missouri and put an end to this pitiful conference once and for all. I'm sick about hearing about why the Big-12 should be saved. UT is going to have to choose between the Big Ten and the PAC-12 whether they like it or not. Going independent in football is not an option because that would present huge scheduling problems for our other sports.
It could take years for the LHN to achieve nationwide coverage. That's fine, I can accept not seeing one or two games a year because my local provider hasn't picked it up. What I don't want to happen is Dodd's fixation with money possibly ruining our ability to join a good conference with marquee games. PS On a totally separate note, when I went off to grad school in the ACC it was surprising to me to see people root for their conferences (ACC, Big 10, Pac 10) during games. I always rooted against our SWC foes. Maybe it's a state of Texas thing where allegiance to the conference doesn't mean much....
Zona, With all due respect, you are a small mind and don't know what the hell you are talking about. I, for one, am glad that our AD isn't run by dimwits like you.
I tend to differ with Bohls and his assessment… Perhaps we have been arrogant, and that arrogance now has us in jeopardy. But, I wonder. How can Dodds and Texas be legitimately criticized for exploiting the most valuable brand in college football? To have not taken full advantage of the opportunity would have been a dereliction of duty, would it not? While it is human nature for others to be jealous and critical, that does not means that those of whom they are envious are necessary culpable. In other words, has Texas really done anything wrong or thumbed their noses at ATM, OU or anyone else? Further, had Agricultural, OU or any other school been presented with the opportunity placed before Texas, would they have hesitated? I doubt it. I do agree that Texas “could” find itself in an unenviable position, but probably through no fault of its own. At the end of the day, I believe that this will work out just fine for us.
I have a lot of mixed feelings about the LHN. I like the increased exposure it would offer for the University, assuming all the major cable/satellite TV providers picked it up. However, to be honest, I am probably in the minority who don't care much about the NFL at all. I like following the careers of former Longhorn players in the NFL, but it makes no difference to me at the end of the day whether Dallas wins another Super Bowl. They're all just a bunch of paid (arguably overpaid) professionals doing a job. I have no illusion of team unity, legacy, or tradition in the NFL. If a player can get more money playing for some other team in the NFL, he almost always will. This is why I have enjoyed college football more - well, up to now, anyway. With all the billions of dollars infesting college football, and discussion of paying student-athletes (rightly or wrongly), I see it becoming just another version of the NFL. I don't know that I like that. Traditions are being cast aside in favor of the almighty dollar. Texas definitely has the Midas Touch right now, but we all know how that story ends. Do we want to be left alone on an island by ourselves, with nobody willing to play us? Or do we give up (or at least diminish) our Midas Touch? At some point, we will have to make a choice.
Ditto! WashU! The defeatism being expressed here is truly astounding. Zona sounds like an aggy crying about what a shame the LHN is. Ideally Texas must never compromise on the LHN. It's a non-negotiable item. But i accept that in any business deal compromises must be negotiated.The Big-12 schools must offer Texas some serious concessions if they want Texas to give up the LHN to the conference. Same holds true of any other conference that wants Texas.
Funny....nothing in here about Texas or Dodds being "arrogant" or the LHN being a "problem". And this was written in April 2011. After the LHN/ESPN Contract was announced. Hmmmmmm......what has changed since then? In reply to:
Totally agree with Dukesteer. And more. T. Boone Pickens said, "you should always do what's in your own interest" last night during the Okie Lite v. Arizona game. I agree. It's not easy to strike out on your own, but it will be for the best in the long run. I truly hope we will go independent. It's the beginning of that trend for the powerhouses of football. We don't need to have somebody's hand to hold. Do It! As for the fans crying, "What about the fans?", - it's time to grow up and embark on a new mission. This is a business. Get on board and support the best university in the world. It's about to get better. And no, - absolutely no way in hell, do we even consider giving up the LHN. We don't need to be like everybody else (in a conference) to be successful. We're Texas.
Zona's right...time to shut down the LHN. We took a shot, everybody got mad, and nobody wants it. Just refund ESPN all their money and setup a webcam on the 50 yard line. Maybe UT can get a place in the Mountain West after this whole thing shakes out.
I am tired of hearing that this is about uneven revenue sharing. The Aggies are on the good end of the inequality (deserved or not). How has the revenue model caused any problems?
The only conference that has in Zona's & wadster's definition of compelling games every week is the SEC. The Big XII has never had games every week that would be compelling to Zona or wadster. Baylor, Iowa St., Kansas St., Kansas were never compelling games. Going to he PAC-12 would still have games against the likes of Wash. St., Oregon St., Washington (a team that has not been competitive since the 90s), Stanford (a team that has put together 2 good seasons but is usually not good). These games are not compelling. No team in the country plays marque games every week. The SEC is he only conference that matches strong opponents most weeks. I don't think Zona and wadster want us in the SEC.
I now get the Big Ten network in the Cayman freaking Islands. Remember when everyone said that network couldnt be done and would be dead in a year. Its only been three weeks for the LHN, give it some time. The LHN isnt going anywhere. Texas will go independent in football before giving it up. So lets talk reality, you dont walk away from a 300 million dollar deal unless you are aggy and you strive for mediocrity and economic fail.
The LHN isn't going anywhere and anyone who thinks it is the cause of anything is an idiot. The LHN is ESPN paying to televise Texas' tier 3 sports availabilities. That is tier 3 - what the regular networks will not show (i.e. a wasteland). It has noting to do with the equal distribution of ANY conference funds. Any school can do this and any school who allows streaming is already doing it. Following the logic of anyone who thinks otherwise Texas will soon be criticized because it doesn't share in it merchandise sales since it dwarfs the other Big 12 schools. Finally, AggieEric it is time for you to move your act on down the road (assuming of course Baylor doesn't own the road).
Damn. Is this what we have to look forward to? Mizzou is kicking off at ASU tonight at 10 fricken pm. Booooooo. That's 11pm in EDT and limited news coverage although I'll give you most people probably get up to date on the internet - if they haven't fallen asleep.
Stay classy WashU. Rather than return your personal attacks, let me suggest we bet 1000 bucks on the intelligence test of your choosing. PM me to name your terms, or stfu.
What Hu said... I still contend that in the long run it won't be a big deal. For aggy it was just the excuse. I do think the High School games pissed a couple of schools of because it probably wasn't discussed and caught them by surprise which they hate to be. Of course the dollars were bigger than everyone anticipated. Fans that are pissed off because they don't have it will eventually get it and not be pissed off. Fans of other schools will eventually have something like it and won't be watching it and will largely forget about it. So far, I have been very much been enjoying it. It is filling a consumer need. I am getting info I wasn't getting before. Why would I want to get rid of it. The only problem I see with it is the timing. It does create leverage for the other schools/conferences in any negotiation at the moment. I think part of Texas's clearly wants to maximize leverage during any conversation and would probably prefer this mess wasn't going on until the LHN had settled in a bit. In the end, it will be an excellent asset to the University and the fans. And a big yawn to most everyone else.
I, for one, can't wait to join the weak as **** pac-12. i wonder who is going to win the conference this year....USC who sqeaked by Minnesota last week? Oregon who got their asses handed to them by LSU? Arizona who got their asses kicked by Okie St.? UCLA who lost to cougar high?...Oregon St.? Who did they lose to...Sacramento St. or something?...Stanford? Well, we will always have academics....how fun.... Oh my, I cant wait to go to Stanford games where we will get the halftime shows with the west coast version of the MOB. It's going to be fun........
classic example of fans being reactionary 2 year olds because they missed one frigging game against rice. With the pac-12 you'll miss about 5-6 games a year that start at 9:35 pm central. (Those are just OUR games) THE LHN will not only show us 1-2 irrelevant football games a year, but also will show us tons of Bball games and soccer/volleyball baseball etc. Probably about 100 games a year. You guys that think Colorado and Utah are better than Iowa State and Kansas State are wrong. Marginally better at best. Classic case of grass is greener. The devil you know versus the devil you don't know. Stop whining because you missed one game, people.
I have several thoughts right now but the prevailing ones are that I don't give a **** about conferences, and Zona has been hell bent on telling us how silly the LHN is for weeks now. I couldn't disagree more and tire of these threads as much as his tidbits in various threads attempting to convince all who will listen that Gideon is a good player and is not overrated.
Oh, and one more thought...why would we ever let other schools dictate what we do? To join a conference? To share revenue equally? f**k that. I'm certainly not in favor of capitulating to a band of goofy ******** like Byrne and Loftin and their ilk. Or Nebraska. Or Boone Pickens. Or any other ding dong school in the Big 12. Even OU. If they want to run off to the Pac 12, then great for them. If we choose not to go because it'd require conversion of LHN to a regional network, then I have full confidence that Dodds knows what he's doing in going Indy or joining another viable conference. I'll have faith in Dodds long before I ever listen to guys like Bohls or Zona. We are not only independent thinking Texans, but we're Texas. We have the brand and capability to do it the way we want to. The imposition of demands to weaken what we've created is simply noise. We don't need to capitulate to anyone, except the NCAA to ensure our BCS tie in, and to remain compliant to their rules. I don't give a **** if we never play Arky or A&M ever again. We have dominated those series. I'd like to play OU every year, but Stoops is right. Things change, both schools would create new rivalries, and both would be fine.
