Byrne: Horns decline to play through 2018.

The point on Tech and Baylor was a response. We have beaten Tech the last 3 seasons in football with a significant series advantage and in fact Tech has not won any sporting event or series against Texas A&M since 2009 in any sport. Baylor has beaten A&M twice in the last 25 years and has not won at Kyle since 1984. The point on their stadiums, alumni size, and traveling fan base are simply objective points. They are all small and rate poorly.

Hate on Kyle all you want but it is consistently rated as one of the best game day atmospheres in college football. The list is endless and Kyle is almost always listed ahead of DKR in terms of atmosphere by journalists.

A&M IS a Flagship University in Texas. That's simply a factual statement and how the University system is defined in the state, it's not a matter of opinion. It has a larger undergrad population than Texas and a comparably sized System with about 40 subsidiaries (A&M Galveston, A&M Kingsville, West Texas A&M, Tarleton State, Prairie View A&M, etc.) A&M is also very close academically to Texas by objective measurement and easily the #2 in the Big 12 and arguably #2 or #3 in the SEC depending on how you rate Florida.

The Athletic Department discussion has to do with Sears Cup ratings the last couple of years where A&M has a significant lead. A&M also has 8 NC's in the last 3 years to 1 for Texas to go with far more B12 Titles. In fact, A&M is either ranked or in the "Receiving Votes" category in all 18 sports it participates in. Texas has more money but A&M has had a lot more success.

Of course none of this really matter now anyway, the series is done after this year. That's just unfortunate. It looks increasingly likely A&M will replace Texas with LSU that weekend which is not a bad trade as that is a 112 year rivalry with 50 games played. Still, the Texas game would be more fun but I guess we can just play in Bowl games as I am sure every Bowl will try to make happen for a monster payday. I don't really get the joy of playing TCU or Tech (though I could see the interest in Notre Dame and some of the other names thrown out but they were never realistic). I'm sure their fans will be happy about it though as Tech has been stuck trying to make Baylor a rival and TCU did the same with SMU.

 

a&m is 5 for 15 vs. Texas in big 12 football and about 70 years or so removed from playing for a championship...

has a&m ever been to a final four or even played for a championship in baseball...

finally, the race for total big 12 titles is not even close...i don't think aggy is even in the top 3...

playing this "last 3 years" card is laughable when comparing overall success between the two athletic departments...

and the aggy BOR will be kicking $bill down Highway 6 within a few years if he does not stop engaging in twitter wars using false information...

 

When they start getting all those PQ's in school, that'll help them keep their AAU status.

 

In reply to:

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So, what you are saying is that if you use the aggy claimed start date of 1975(which they use to try and find parity in the UT series), then Texas Tech is leading the series??

 

Hey aggressor, if 37-32-1 is "a significant series advantage", what would you call 75-37-5?

 

Add this to the knowledge base for understanding this entire issue that members of the Big 12 have a position of not wanting to schedule Texas A&M anymore after this season.Until Aggy supporters can face these cold hard facts and deal with them on the same direct logical basis that A&M has expected everyone else to deal with their actions -- then we're all just pissing in the wind.The position is firm: A&M chose to leave, and in doing that said, in effect, "We do not want to play teams in the Big 12. We would rather play all teams in the SEC." You cannot leave the conference with that attitude and turn around to a handful of the Big 12 programs and say, "We do, however, wish to have regularly scheduled competitions with some of you. Of course, where it pleases us the most and makes our life more glorious. Texas -- let's keep the Turkey game. Baylor, let's keep our Ladies Roundball games. Texas -- let's still play basketball. Texas, Baylor... let's keep a baseball series in the mix. Kansas, we'll exchange home venues on alternating years and play you in basketball. Let's see, what else?... Oh, Oklahoma... how about a basketball game from time to time? But anyway, we feel these sporting events will be fun, and will be to our advantage, and should be something in it for you, too. We can't play everyone in the Big 12, as we already had that in place, and we can't play all sports, so we'll work up a plan for the specific sports and teams and make it a big deal that we still want a friendly game, and if you don't then you're the *******."
So here's the magic words that puts it all in perspective. Read it, and heed. The Link: The Link

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as a note: i dont care if A&M plays UT anymore. i think it's better for us if we dont.

but that being said, what's changed in the past year? last summer bill power said this in regards to A&M.

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Your admin tried to paint Texas as a greedy, untrustworthy, bully, all while simultaneously conspiring with the SEC and signing contracts with the Big 12 they had no intention of honoring. That's what changed in a year.

 

The Link

Here is a quote from Robert M. Berdahl (Chancellor of the U.California System) from a speech on "The Future of Flagship Universities":

.......................................................

"What do we mean by the term "flagship" universities? The term applies, in all the cases I can think of, to the fully mature public universities serving most of states. In most cases, these institutions were the first public universities to be established in their states. Many of what we now call the flagship campuses were established in the extraordinary period of university building that took place in the United States in the roughly three decades from the mid-1850s to the mid-1880s. Many came into being after the Morrill Act of 1863 provided the federal grants of land to the states to establish public universities. Some states built two institutions, a land-grant college focused on agriculture and the "mechanical arts" as well as general education, and another more directed at classical education and the other professions. For example, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Washington, and Texas, among others, built separate institutions, while Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, and California combined the land-grant and liberal arts function on a single campus."
..........................................................................

A "flagship" is a naval term denoting the ship of the commanding officer in a naval floatila or group. There can be only one flagship in such a group, and most states have only one "flagship" university. In states like Texas, however, where the systems were split between "agricultural" and "classical/professional" systems, each system has a "flagship".

That said, the term is an elitist one, and most "one-system" states would view claims by "agricultural" schools of fellow-flagship status with mocking and derision. "Agriculture, mechanical arts and general education" are not the same as "classical education, liberal arts and the professions", afterall. Those in ivory towers do not view the pedestrian workings of animal husbandy as being on the same level as mastery of Classical Greek Philosphy or English Literature. In short, is it really "higher learning" if it involves washing manure off your boots?

That is why "land grant university" is considered a pejoritive term in many circles.

So yes, aTm is a "flaghip" university, in that its the leading school in the agricultural/mechanical system. In other words, its "sort of" a flagship school. Its perception and academic reputation will not be enhanced over time by joining the SEC either. And while some might find it off-puttingly snobbish for the "classical" flagships to look down on the "aggie" flagships, in this instance its rather fitting since (1) "flagship" itself is an elitist term, and (2) it is an aggie who insists on using it to distinguish his school from the rest of his system. In short, aggressor can't exactly complain of degrees of elitism when employing such a term himself, at least without looking foolishly hypocritical.

As Chancellor Berdahl himself explained:

"This is not an easy topic to talk about for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that those of us in "systems" of higher education are frequently actively discouraged from using the term "flagship" to refer to our campuses because it is seen as hurtful to the self-esteem of colleagues at other institutions in our systems. The use of the term is seen by some as elitist and boastful. It is viewed by many, in the context of the politics of higher education, as "politically incorrect."

So perhaps we should not use this term "flagship", at least in mixed company. But if one person insists on using it to puff himself up, its certainly fair play to point out that all "flagships" are not created equal.

 

Hey Aggresor, it is knd of hard taking someone seriously when they talk stadium smack when they use picnic chairs as part of their stadium seating and permanent aluminium bleachers in an endzone to boot.

 

permanent aluminium bleachers in an endzone to boot that were sized narrower than your average butt just to increase the overall stadium capacity to a number slightly greater than that of 'big brother', aka THE flagship university.

Apologies to the grammar police for the terribly run-on sentence.

 

Aggressor,

You are not going to win this one. Might as well stop. Nebraska, A&M, Colorado, Missouri (on Sunday) have all left the Big 12 for the same reason. OU and Tech would love to leave if they had a place to go. OSU probably too. The rest don't really have a place to go, so they are stuck with the situation. None of them like it, but it is what it is.

 

i like reading aggy blanket statements like pyle is consistently rated by journalists as a top game day atmosphere while DKR is not. and like almost everybody across the nation hates Texas. i'm still googling to find references for that stupidity.

h8ting aggy and wish they would leave NOW.

 

^^^
Add the fact that $Bill gave the impression to Aggy fan base, and the rest of the sports world, that he hadn't a clue about the LHN deal.
When in fact, that was misleading, to put it kindly.

And lets not forget that Aggy wants to "go play with the big boys."
The Big 12 is basically giving Aggy what they want.

 

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what the previous two said

 

My guess is envy of the male genitalia.

 

I know what it originally meant, and it does seem to apply here.

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maybe Powers had his fingers crossed behind his back like aggy did. hahaha

 

We were misquoted. What we actually said was we decline to play A&M until 3018.