espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7063633/missouri-tigers-hope-join-sec-had-wanted-big-ten-invite-most Key quote from ESPN article above: "The source said that Tulane would become a viable option for the Big 12 if it were to grab four schools to beef up the membership to 12.... Tulane is interesting to the Big 12 because of its location in New Orleans and in a state, Louisiana, where the Big 12 is absent, as well as the school's renewed commitment to sports and facilities after Hurricane Katrina." Here is a picture of a Tulane home game in the Superdome that a smartass LSU buddy of mine sent me to mock the Big 12's replacement options (which all seem to be mid-majors that average less than 30,000 home fans). Tulane is up 24-21 with 2 minutes to go in the game at the time of this picture. There are, apparently, about as many fans as there were at my son's t-ball game last night. Awesome:
Zona, Did your son's t-ball team play the University of Texas? If that other team on the field was wearing burnt orange, I'll bet the stands would be filled.
Tommy G, Yeah, well, maybe you are right. I have a lot of SEC buddies that like to haze the Big 12 and UT, and have spent the last decade debating the relative merits of the SEC with them. That job has become a lot tougher the last few years, and now appears hopeless. C'est la vie. My biggest issue is I'd like to watch compelling football and get excitied for big games throughout the season (or at least competitive games). College Football is the only sport I really have time to follow anymore, and if we only have 2-3 decent games a year with a bunch of "no-win" games mixed in (i.e. we get no credit for winning but get ripped for losing), its going to greatly diminish the enjoyment I and a lot of fans get from following the Horns. I hope DeLoss has a master plan up his sleeve that has not been revealed, but it looks like his plan is LHN + watered-down Big 12. Here was the quote my LSU buddy sent along with the picture above: "There are less than 20 people in that picture. There are more folks in the stands of our high school games at the end (even the ones where there is a blow out, in the pouring rain, the temperature is below freezing, and the local sewer plant is overflowing). In other words, this will be exhibit A that Texas has sold it soul for money (I.e., the LHN). I would frankly become a fan of another school if LSU did that (and I am not kidding)." I'd love to push back on that, but if we do add a bunch of mid-majors, my heart won't be in it any longer. I have traveled to Columbus, Boulder (three times), Pasadena (twice), College Station (countless times), Dallas (ditto), etc to support this team, but if we intentionally choose to play inferior competition with better options on the table (i.e. B1G, Pac 12, even ACC), I suspect I will become a TiVo fan, if that. Sucks.
Louisiana fans support no team, high school or college not named LSU. I get the Shreveport area and the East Texas area high school games on the sports news on Friday Night. The TV stations are so embarrassed by the turnout for the Shreveport-Bossier City area teams they won't show shots of the stands. Even the AA or AAA schools in East Texas put the 5A Louisiana schools to shame. Tulane supposedly is putting additional funds into their athletic department to try to be more competitive. With their market size it is not hard to imagine them becoming fairly competitive along the lines of Vanderbilt or Kentucky. With their academic rating and location they could pull their weight. Every school cannot be an Oklahoma or Texas. I remember as a SEC member they were usually not an embarrassment. I also remember they were our only win in 1956, 7-6.
NO to Tulane. Lets just schedule them every 3 years or so. Great road trip. Went there last time we played them there. But sorry Zona you are dead wrong. The fans will not leave when the score is 50-0. Why?? They sell alcohol at the stadium. No need to leave.
Frankly, I would prefer Tulane to TCU. And I'm not believing the conference actually invited TCU. Do you think TCU is OU's idea of keeping a significant Texas presence other than RRR and Baylor, now that A&M's gone?
Zona, you are the only one obsessed with the LHN. As long as the Big-12 remains and AQ conference (which it will as long as OU and Texas remain part of it), who cares about what schools are in the conference? I will make a prediction aggy will regret moving to the SEC far more than Texas will ever regret not yielding on the LHN. The LHN is reality. Texas will not compromise on it. The sooner people accept that fact and move on, the sooner a proper agreement and settlement can be reached using other negotiable items.
Tulane is a joke. Hell, all of Lousiana is a joke. I'd rather have Univ of Houston than Tulane, and I don't want UH.
