Smoke your cigars and enjoy the band while you can....

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

I think OU will be the next to put in their letter of resignation.  OU, OSU, Texas and TT? on their way to the PAC16.   MO will be on their way to SEC.

We'll be fine in the Big East.......

OU's AD is in charge of the committee to find replacement for A&M.  Use common sense....he's not going to take the time out of his day to do that if he's packing up and leaving.   

They don't seem to be working very hard right now to quell our anxiety. I bet he's spending more time talking to the PAC 16.

[steve dave]

Big 12 football: A&M turned down offer to partner with Texas?
Posted by berrytramel on September 1, 2011M at 5:04 pm
Interesting story from The Associated Press today. Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds says that Texas A&M could have partnered with UT on a regional network, “but the Aggies weren’t interested in the early planning stages,” the report said. Dodds told the AP he talked with A&M athletic director Bill Byrne about a partnership about four years ago and Byrne wasn’t interested.
Dodds says Byrne tried to re-open discussions about a year ago, but by then it was too late. Texas had decided to create a network on its own. The Longhorns eventually signed a $300 million, 20-year deal with ESPN.
This is fascinating on several fronts, if true. (And I believe it. Whatever you want to say about Dodds, I’ve never heard anyone say he doesn’t speak straight).
1. What a colossal blunder by A&M. A chance to get equal footing in the regional network business with UT? I asked OU officials a couple of years ago about the possibility of a Bedlam network — OU and OSU collaborating on a state-wide channel — and the Sooners weren’t interested. You can understand why. OU is the dominant brand in the relationship. OSU would have (or at least should have) jumped at the chance to partner with OU.
Same as A&M should have jumped at the chance, since UT is the dominant brand in the state of Texas. For the Longhorns to be initially interested in going into business with A&M was a huge step. Very poor play by the Aggies.
2. The Pac-12 Network model is exactly what Dodds, with A&M, and myself, with the Bedlam Network, have talked about. The Pac-12 Network model is for two schools to share a regional network. Washington and Washington State in their state. Oregon and Oregon State, Arizona State and Arizona, same. USC and UCLA together. Stanford and Cal together. Colorado and Utah together.
In a proposed Pac-16,  the model would continue. OU and OSU together. Texas Tech and Texas together, so long as UT agrees to compromise with its Longhorn Network.
Clearly, the situation is different today. Four years ago, so far as I know, ESPN wasn’t on UT’s door, talking $300 million and 20 years. But if Texas was at least open to the idea of a shared network with A&M four years ago, UT would seem to be at least open to the idea of a shared network with Tech now, if it meant a solid conference home.

[WillieWatanabe]

rough ridin' Tech

If they woulda got roped into that. my god.

[WildcatNation]

Our future conference partners Louisville, are playing on ESPN U right now, looking pretty good against Southwestern Kentucky A&M State. New conference is gonna be awesome  

[ew2x4]

Big 12 football: A&M turned down offer to partner with Texas?
Posted by berrytramel on September 1, 2011M at 5:04 pm
Interesting story from The Associated Press today. Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds says that Texas A&M could have partnered with UT on a regional network, “but the Aggies weren’t interested in the early planning stages,” the report said. Dodds told the AP he talked with A&M athletic director Bill Byrne about a partnership about four years ago and Byrne wasn’t interested.
Dodds says Byrne tried to re-open discussions about a year ago, but by then it was too late. Texas had decided to create a network on its own. The Longhorns eventually signed a $300 million, 20-year deal with ESPN.
This is fascinating on several fronts, if true. (And I believe it. Whatever you want to say about Dodds, I’ve never heard anyone say he doesn’t speak straight).
1. What a colossal blunder by A&M. A chance to get equal footing in the regional network business with UT? I asked OU officials a couple of years ago about the possibility of a Bedlam network — OU and OSU collaborating on a state-wide channel — and the Sooners weren’t interested. You can understand why. OU is the dominant brand in the relationship. OSU would have (or at least should have) jumped at the chance to partner with OU.
Same as A&M should have jumped at the chance, since UT is the dominant brand in the state of Texas. For the Longhorns to be initially interested in going into business with A&M was a huge step. Very poor play by the Aggies.
2. The Pac-12 Network model is exactly what Dodds, with A&M, and myself, with the Bedlam Network, have talked about. The Pac-12 Network model is for two schools to share a regional network. Washington and Washington State in their state. Oregon and Oregon State, Arizona State and Arizona, same. USC and UCLA together. Stanford and Cal together. Colorado and Utah together.
In a proposed Pac-16,  the model would continue. OU and OSU together. Texas Tech and Texas together, so long as UT agrees to compromise with its Longhorn Network.
Clearly, the situation is different today. Four years ago, so far as I know, ESPN wasn’t on UT’s door, talking $300 million and 20 years. But if Texas was at least open to the idea of a shared network with A&M four years ago, UT would seem to be at least open to the idea of a shared network with Tech now, if it meant a solid conference home.

I was fine with everything in this write up until the end. No way their network gets touched. Did you see the ad with Matthew McConaughey?? My word.

[Trim]

It must be "Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!) Call in Day" regarding Conference realignment on BITB today, jeez...

His kid called him at work?

[pike]

It must be "Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!) Call in Day" regarding Conference realignment on BITB today, jeez...

His kid called him at work?

I didn't say racist Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!) day

[Panjandrum]

Pan, if this continues (and I speak for most of us here) I am going to have to ask you to return from where you came from.

 

 

But I like it here.

 

[sonofdaxjones]

 

[ew2x4]

Get off my lawn!

[Panjandrum]

 

[nicname]

Dear KU Athletics Department,
 
I hope this note finds you well.  As a devoted and passionate KU Alumnus and Williams Fund Member I am writing this note to all of you.
 
I, as well as many other KU fans, are extremely nervous about the current conference realignment situation.  Even though it is nobody’s fault at KU, we are all concerned that KU may end up in a non BCS or unstable BCS conference once everything is said and done with realignment.  As we all know, KU has a major national following and is a school for all of us to be proud of.  On top of that, our academic and athletic standings are top notch versus a lot of our competitor institutions.  It is a brand that should appeal greatly to the Big 12 as well as other BCS Conferences.
 
I am writing this as I trust you are probably already executing on my wishes.  My wishes are this: Can we please be proactive and aggressive to sell ourselves to the likes of the PAC 12, Big 10, ACC, or SEC.  I know we want to pledge to the Big 12 and I think it is in the best interest of everyone that the Big 12 survive this mess.  The reality is that the Big 12 could be a slight wind from falling like a house of cards and we deserve to be on the inside looking out versus the other way around.  Look where that got Utah a year ago, a 100 year safety net.  I know that conferences like the PAC 12 and Big 10 would value our national brand and our academia.  Not to mention our long term success in basketball and some our most recent successes in football.  Heck, I excitedly sat behind Gale Sayers just three and a half years ago on the charter jet to the Orange Bowl.
 
I love what AD Zenger has brought to the table in terms of enthusiasm and accountability.  I trust that he is ahead of the curve on this realignment subject and has already started putting our chess pieces in place to make sure KU lands on its feet for the next 100 years.  Be steady but bold sir, bold being the key word.
 
My children already love going to Memorial and Allen, we just ran the field on family day just two weeks ago.  I want them to be able to have the chance to experience an Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, or even a Fiesta Bowl someday – as well as follow the team through March Madness coming out of a major conference as a 1 seed.  I want their kids to have the same.
 
I wish you all luck and I am praying for you and our wonderful University that belongs in a conference that is one of the top 4 in the country, whether that be the PAC 12, Big 10, ACC, etc.
 
Here is to your efforts, be steady but bold gentlemen.  We fully support you and know you will show us the way.     -Sincerely

[jtksu]

If I was writing a letter to an AD I would have someone proofread it for me before I sent it.  Especially if I actually lauded the academic prowess of the school in the letter. 

[WildCatzPhreak]

Goodnight, Sweet Prince.

[username]

Goodnight, Sweet Prince.

[theymightbegiants]

lol at our little brother if they think they will turn out better than us in this. It will either turn out we our both in the same conference or the original land grant will win out. Abe brought us in we just need another abe to save us. A be g east

[nicname]

You know what eff Texas.  The Big 12 should have told them to fit in or fit the eff out in the beginning.  Either they would have caved or we would have been fine without them. 

[nicname]

Also eff us and the rest of the Big 12 schools for being little pussies and not telling UT what was what in the beginning.

[deputy dawg]

It must be "respect Call in Day" regarding Conference realignment on BITB today, jeez...

The highlight was Arkansas State.

I mean, hey, why not?

It's hard to decide between that guy, and the guy that said we needed to expand to 20 teams.  Or are they the same guy, scraping up Arkansas State as a means of getting to 20 teams?  No, I think they were separate respects.

[steve dave]

Also eff us and the rest of the Big 12 schools for being little pussies and not telling UT what was what in the beginning.

I don't think you have a real strong grasp on how the conf. was formed.

[sonofdaxjones]

Did read somewhere else that Blair Kirkhoff (sp??) is saying that the plan is to share the next new Tier 1 TV contract equally.   Like I said earlier, the new Fox deal starting next year will be shared equally. 

The revenue sharing is one of the biggest strawman arguments I've ever seen, the current formula rewards teams for playing better OOC games that get televised.

[pissclams]

Did read somewhere else that Blair Kirkhoff (sp??) is saying that the plan is to share the next new Tier 1 TV contract equally.   Like I said earlier, the new Fox deal starting next year will be shared equally. 

The revenue sharing is one of the biggest strawman arguments I've ever seen, the current formula rewards teams for playing better OOC games that get televised.

The plan is to share the Fox TV contract equally is what I thought he said. 

The current formula rewards teams for playing better OOC games (in order to get televised), unless you're a big name school who will be televised regardless. 

[steve dave]

When we are in the Mt. West I hope we vote for unequal revenue sharing first day

[Clevey 2 Times]

Big 12 football: A&M turned down offer to partner with Texas?
Posted by berrytramel on September 1, 2011M at 5:04 pm
Interesting story from The Associated Press today. Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds says that Texas A&M could have partnered with UT on a regional network, “but the Aggies weren’t interested in the early planning stages,” the report said. Dodds told the AP he talked with A&M athletic director Bill Byrne about a partnership about four years ago and Byrne wasn’t interested.
Dodds says Byrne tried to re-open discussions about a year ago, but by then it was too late. Texas had decided to create a network on its own. The Longhorns eventually signed a $300 million, 20-year deal with ESPN.
This is fascinating on several fronts, if true. (And I believe it. Whatever you want to say about Dodds, I’ve never heard anyone say he doesn’t speak straight).
1. What a colossal blunder by A&M. A chance to get equal footing in the regional network business with UT? I asked OU officials a couple of years ago about the possibility of a Bedlam network — OU and OSU collaborating on a state-wide channel — and the Sooners weren’t interested. You can understand why. OU is the dominant brand in the relationship. OSU would have (or at least should have) jumped at the chance to partner with OU.
Same as A&M should have jumped at the chance, since UT is the dominant brand in the state of Texas. For the Longhorns to be initially interested in going into business with A&M was a huge step. Very poor play by the Aggies.
2. The Pac-12 Network model is exactly what Dodds, with A&M, and myself, with the Bedlam Network, have talked about. The Pac-12 Network model is for two schools to share a regional network. Washington and Washington State in their state. Oregon and Oregon State, Arizona State and Arizona, same. USC and UCLA together. Stanford and Cal together. Colorado and Utah together.
In a proposed Pac-16,  the model would continue. OU and OSU together. Texas Tech and Texas together, so long as UT agrees to compromise with its Longhorn Network.
Clearly, the situation is different today. Four years ago, so far as I know, ESPN wasn’t on UT’s door, talking $300 million and 20 years. But if Texas was at least open to the idea of a shared network with A&M four years ago, UT would seem to be at least open to the idea of a shared network with Tech now, if it meant a solid conference home.

Seriously how far was their head up their ass to say no to that deal with UT? Seems, as some have speculated, the A&M situation is mainly about their arrogance and inflated sense of self worth.

Dodds comes out of this looking good - whether the conference disbands or not -  even in the enviable (and hated by some) situation of most powerful AD in the conference his perception is that of a straight shooter, rather than a filthy greedy bastard. Now if OU makes the first move to leave the conference, Dodds and UT look even more like saints when they can play the "we tried our best to keep the ship afloat". Whether true or not, they did it once. I'm beginning to think Dodds is an evil genius or should at least consider a career in politics. He's like the Charlie Wilson of athletic directors.

[wabash909]

Gotta admit, I'm feeling pretty good about things this morning.  The new Kansas City Star article combined with super K-State insider FITZ's, Alfred E. Newman "What, Me Worry?" take on the whole matter has my confidence level rising.