Horns247 Board

T. Boone Pickens was once quoted as saying, "Dodds "is a friend of mine, but DeLoss had too many cards and he played every damn one of them. I think that's too bad. You get tired of saying 'aaah' while you get something shoved down your throat." This may come across as being negative, cynnical, not so nice, however I believe the University of Texas' arrogance from its AD/Administration have led us to this point.

The AD/Administration talks about having programs with similar academics backgrounds/requirements in their conference yet allows WVU in?

The AD/Administration chides the SEC for academics yet on last count the SEC had 4 AAU schools and the Big 12 has 2.

The AD/Administration chides the SEC for recruiting practices yet seems to have forgotten the misdeeds that OU, Okie State have done in the pastand has turned a blind-eye to what Baylor is doing in basketball AND football today because it is convenient?

The facts are:

1. There is a reason schools like Nebraska, Colorado, Mizzou, & Texas A&M are no longer in the Big 12. It's not because they are idiotic or morons or meanies- it is because the Big 12 is severely flawed.

2. UT & OU want the easiest path to a National Championship game at the expense of making the conference more competitve and actually killing it.

3. People are not stupid- they see what UT & OU are trying to do here and will punish accordingly. Not withstanding out of conference scheduling, whichever team that does come out of the Big 12 undefeated will certainly be punished by a selection committee for a playoff by being given a lesser seed or ignored altogether from a playoff.

4. The fans are the ones being screwed here. Would you rather watch UT play Iowa State or Tennessee? Would you rather watch UT play K-State or Florida? Would you rather watch UT play Baylor or Georgia? Would you rather watch UT play Tech or LSU? Pretty much a no-brainer here. BTW, to avoid there being SEC bias you could substitue Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, & LSU with Oregon, USC, UCLA, & ASU OR Florida State, Virginia Tech, UNC, & Clemson OR Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, & Wisconsin. The takeaway is the Big 12 and its destinations flat-out suck.

5. You know what made the Dallas Cowboys "America's Team" back in the good old days? TV Exposure. Sure UT is winning in the boardroom with the LHN and all but what do I as a fan have to show for it? I STILL don't have the LHN which means there are now 3 games a season I don't get to see. Guess what? That means there are 3 games a season where a perspective recruit doesn't get to see "Texas' Team" play football. In the meantime, Johnny "Football" is a Heisman front-runner at a school that is now getting a 2nd look with a Head Coach that High School Football Players can more closely identify with than an aging Mack Brown. It is "arrogant" of this AD/Administration to think that sports fans across the country will clamour for a Network that shows underperforming, underachieving football and basketball programs. Here's a novel idea: WIN ON FOOTBALL FIELD, BASKETBALL COURT, & BASEBALL DIAMOND INSTEAD OF WINNING IN THE BOARD ROOM!! UT has better businessmen and acumen than other schools? Great! Unfortunately there are NO spectator, collegiate sports that include those categories.

6. Speaking of winning in the boardroom, looks like Swarbrick threw his old buddy Deloss a big curve by taking all of the non-football sports to the ACC. Wow, who DIDN'T see this one coming? The Academics of the ACC vs the Academics of the Big 12. NEVER saw that one coming at all.. Perhaps Swarbrick is forcing Dodds hand to have Texas leave the Big 12 sooner than later? dunno..

The bottom line is the University of Texas AD/Administration has outsmarted itself. Its arrogance has led to the break-up of a once proud conference with the only remaining members being Texas, OU and the have nots. That is not exciting for fans nor is it exciting for HS players to commit to playing in for 4-5 years. Kids want to play against the best. The Big 12 Conference does not represent the best. The University of Texas prides itself on being the "Jones". It is time for the "Jones" to quit avoiding the big boys and go play with the big boys AND WIN! Competition is a GOOD thing. It forces us to go further than we thought we could. The University of Texas did it in the Big 12 back when Nebraska was still Nebraska & Colorado was somewhat strong. With our resources and facilities we can do it in ANY Conference we choose. The time for laziness is over. If Deloss and Powers don't have the stomach for everything that needs to be done (including adressing Mack's AND Barnes' future) then it is time for them to be shown the door.

SG