🏈 New rumors of A&M and the SEC??

[planomateo]

speaking of voting against, 9 of 12 have to approve is my understanding.

that being said, I can see some interesting things happening.

I'm sure other fans will roll their eyes at this, but I'd be willing to be that the 6 teams in the east will think long and hard about adding more competition to their side - meaning, if Bama/Auburn have to move east due to the teams that get invited, you can bet that some schools will think long and hard about this. This will impact which teams make it to the SEC championship game which directly impacts the pocketbook. we saw how generous the rest of the SEC was when it came to us asking for some scheduling relief against the bye week issue, so you can bet they will think long and hard about which teams get invited and how the rest of the SEC has to move from east/west or west/east.

OU is being smart about this, they should stay in the Big XII where the ability to make it to big game becomes easier...not that TAMU has put up a reasonable fight since the Big XII has existed, they won it ONE time since 1996.

 

[bamaupsman]

i have always thought Clemson would be a good fit in the SEC. And I'd love to play A&M yearly.

 

[bamascw]

Well, it has taken on quite a life of its own now. ESPN is running a rather long story on A&M's impending move to the SEC and as someone mentioned in an early post, Missouri, Clemson and FSU are being rumored. Who knows though...it is fun to speculate.

I wonder though, if we are on the verge of 14 team conferences, could we see the end of OOC scheduling? Just a thought

 

[planomateo]

This tweet summarizes it perfectly.

RT @PeteThamelNYT Entire college landscape could shift thx to program that hasn't won league title since 1998 & has one bowl win since 1995.

 

[LBS]

Plano made a good point. If 4 teams out west are brought, the SEC East adds the last two NT winners in a division set up. The Eastern teams get screwed while the Western team benefit from 1) losing those teams, and 2) being closest to the new territory.

Do the six SEC East teams become proactive and push for two teams added to the east, to balance the gains/loses?

Would that split the Bama and Auburn between the East and West?

 

[LBS]

So, we're possibly looking at.....

SEC West
1. Alabama
2. Arkansas
3. Auburn
4. LSU
5. Mississippi
6. Mississippi State
7. Missouri
8. Texas A&M

SEC East
1. Clemson
2. Florida
3. Florida State
4. Georgia
5. Kentucky
6. South Carolina
7. Tennessee
8. Vanderbilt

It will be interesting to see how the schedule would work in that event.

This would leave The BIG 12 with 8 teams (I think), and the ACC with 10. Neither conference would qualify for a conference championship game, and both could in theory operate without divisional play.
QUESTION: Could/would both or either conference NOT make a move to change their numbers?

QUESTION: Noting that the SEC would sitting with 14, how many would they reach for, and who?

QUESTION: If we pull this tread all the way until the dominoes stop falling, is there a chance that the SEC could lose any team to other conferences? (Do Kentucky or Vandy jump to another conference?)

 

[planomateo]

The latest from Texags > http://texags.com/main/forum.reply.asp?topic_id=1888975&forum_id=5


Here are quick notes taken from the Dr. Bowen Loftin press conference. We'll have full transcript and full-length video posted shortly.

* Looking at evaluating where [A&M] is at this time and forwarding this university.

* Has known Slive for quite a while. Talked on July 21 after BOR meeting, discussing where A&M is at. Reached out to Slive.

* No timeline has been given and he feels no specific time pressure to arrive at any conclusion.

* Not ready to answer question as to whether he would accept bid to join SEC. Bid has never been extended. (Me: Yet perhaps?)

* Goal is to be sure that A&M's visibility nationally is enhanced and that they maintain the best resources possible.

* Met with Coach Sherman and other coaches and invited their comments and suggestions.

* Would still like to continue to have a non-conference football contest with Texas if we chose to leave.

* "I'm an Aggie and Aggies aren't always patient."

* Think of this as a very longterm process. Need to take time and think carefully.

* Taking time about this. What they do will be in the best interest of Texas A&M and State of Texas. Also concerned about the Big 12.

* Money is important and he's read bi-laws of Big 12. They're confusing. Haven't begun process [of looking at exit fees].

* This is a 100-year decision. There is still a chance that they stay in the Big 12. They have made no decisions at this point.

 

[TheVolBuster]

They need to keep the Southeast Conference.... Southeast teams. FSU, yes. Clemson, yes. Texas A&M? No..... Missouri? No...

There's a reason why the SEC grows the best players in the world.

Lets not have to rename our conference due to false advertisement

 

[planomateo]

good read on why the SEC needs to expand, I don't want to expand, but I admit that this article has flipped me - whats interesting is the link to leatherhelmetblog, where they break down the TV markets and which is better, etc and then compare against the other conferences.

well worth the read.

http://www.ibleedcrimsonred.com/2011/08/sec-expansion-new-world-of-college.html

 

[planomateo]

came across this article today - http://www.iamthe12thman.com/2011/8...-texas-a-m-realignment-big-everyone-gets-rich

The Texas A&M athletic department recently announced that they have sold out of football season tickets for the first time in the program's history.

surely Texas A&M has sold out of their season tickets before - I would have thought for sure they did this back in the late 80's/90's under Sherrill or Slocum.

29k student tickets - bet that changes now that they start selling out. How many does Bama have....17k?

 

[jdpas29]

this is the pair i would most like to see added as well.

I love the idea.

It'll be a great match-up to see A&M play LSU every year.

There's a reason Jerry Jones brought the A&M in his stadium besides ticket sales, the fact he went to Arkansas, etc. Arkansas' connection to that conference makes another great matchup.

To say the least, I love A&M being in the SEC.

For the east I'd love to see Clemson in...they've got some history playing Georgia and we already have their annual game with USC.

 

[planomateo]

Texas A&M makes it official - http://www.aggieathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205264085&DB_OEM_ID=27300

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Texas A&M University today officially notified the Big 12 Conference that the institution will submit an application to join another athletic conference. Should this application be accepted, Texas A&M will end its membership in the Big 12 Conference effective June 30, 2012.

 

[psychojoe]

It's getting more official all the time. Dang, that's a big endowment.

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<o></o>​

NEWS RELEASE – August 31, 2011<o></o>​

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TEXAS A&M TO SEEK AFFILIATION WITH ANOTHER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE<o></o>​

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[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M University today officially notified the Big 12 Conference that the institution will submit an application to join another athletic conference. Should this application be accepted, Texas A&M will end its membership in the Big 12 Conference effective June 30, 2012.<o></o>“After much thought and consideration, and pursuant to the action of the (Texas A&M University System) Board of Regents authorizing me to take action related to Texas A&M University’s athletic conference alignment, I have determined it is in the best interest of Texas A&M to make application to join another athletic conference,” President R. Bowen Loftin wrote to Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe in the letter dated August 31, 2011.<o></o>“We appreciate the Big 12’s willingness to engage in a dialogue to end our relationship through a mutually agreeable settlement,” Loftin added. “We, too, desire that this process be as amicable and prompt as possible and result in a resolution of all outstanding issues, including mutual waivers by Texas A&M and the conference on behalf of all the remaining members.”<o></o>Texas A&M has participated in intercollegiate athletics as a member of the Big 12 since the conference’s founding 16 years ago. Last season, the Aggies claimed nine Big 12 championships and four national team titles, both of which were school-bests. Since joining the Big 12 prior to the 1996-97 athletic season, Texas A&M has won 55 conference championships, including 32 in the last five years.<o></o>Texas A&M finished eighth in the prestigious Director’s Cup all-sport rankings a year ago, tallying its most points ever and leading all Big 12 schools. In the inaugural Capital One Cup, which rates teams’ final rankings, the Aggies were the top-ranking university from the Big 12. The Aggie women finished second with five top-10 finishes, while the Aggie men finished tied for third with five top-10 finishes.<o></o>“As I have indicated throughout this process, we are seeking to generate greater visibility nationwide for Texas A&M and our championship-caliber student-athletes, as well as secure the necessary and stable financial resources to support our athletic and academic programs,” Loftin said. “This is a 100-year decision that we have addressed carefully and methodically. Texas A&M is an extraordinary institution, and we look forward to what the future may hold for Aggies worldwide.”<o></o>While Loftin did not specify an application timeline in his letter to the Big 12, he previously indicated that he does not intend to prolong the application process for an extended period of time.<o></o>Texas A&M at a glance:<o></o>

• Located in College Station, Texas.<o></o>
• Home to more than 49,000 students, ranking as the sixth-largest university in the country, with more than 360,000 former students worldwide.<o></o>
• Holds membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities, one of only 63 institutions with this distinction.<o></o>
• Has an endowment valued at more than $5 billion, which ranks fourth among U.S. public universities and 10th overall.<o></o>
• Conducts research valued at more than $630 million annually, placing it among the top 20 universities nationally and third behind only MIT and the University of California at Berkeley for universities without medical schools.<o></o>
• Recognized as Home of the 12th Man, where students stand during football games to show support for the team – and for fellow Aggies – a personification of the Aggie Spirit.<o></o>
• Corps of Cadets is recognized among the nation’s largest uniformed student bodies at more than 2,000 strong. Texas A&M commissions more officers than any other institution outside of the nation’s service academies.<o></o>

Named second in the nation by The Wall Street Journal among all universities, public and private, in a survey of top U.S. corporations, non-profits and government agencies, based on graduates that recruiters prefer to hire.<o></o>[/TD]
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[XXL TideFan]

I heard about (can't bethink, may accept been the guy on Finebaum) that if charge be we would go a year or two with 13 teams. afresh, yield that for what it's account.

I am not familiar with this particular dialect of engarish.

 

[kc]

I heard about (can't bethink, may accept been the guy on Finebaum) that if charge be we would go a year or two with 13 teams. afresh, yield that for what it's account.

Grady's been drinkin' Fred's ripple.

 

[LBS]

ESPN.com has an interview iwth Oklahoma State super-booster T. Boone Pickens (FWIW). Therein Boone says that he thinks that this will prove to be a mistake for Texas A&M, citing that former SWC staple Arkansas now only has 3-4 kids on their roster from the state of Texas.
Horrible reasoning for two reasons:
1) Arkansas was in a BCS bowl last season and is ranked in the preseason polls. That ain't bad, Texas-boys or no.
2) There is a huge difference between Arkansas drawing Texas players out of Texas and to a conference that has not presence in Texas vs. drawing players to a state of Texas University to play in a conference that is a presence in the state. A&M will have a much easier road to success in Texas than Arkansas has.

Boone did acknowledge that A&M would be better off financially, and later hinted that following the money may be a necessary evil in this environment.

BTW, he voiced his opinion that the B12 should go after TCU to replace A&M.

 

['65 Cobra]

I am not familiar with this particular dialect of engarish.

How could you tell what language it was?!?!? Must be an Auburn grad!!:rofl::rofl:

 

[LBS]

OKLAHOMA talking possible move...to somewhere.

Oklahoma president commented that there were internal (to OU) meetings underway to discuss the long-term conference location of the Sooners. There were the usual/expected "we're happy where we are" and "we want to make a go of the B12" comments, but I can't think of a good reason to air out that these kinds of talks were happening at all unless the president was seeking to get a feel for how the masses felt, via their response to the comments.

He did say that they wanted to ensure that they were in a stable conference, which I think was a back-handed call out and warning of Texas for starting all this. Also, he made the expected comment that they continue to want to be associated with schools with both elite levels of athletic programs and academic programs, which could be a message to non-SEC conferences to jump into the mix as well (as academic is the only angle anyone ever seems to use in putting the SEC down).

Pointed also was a comment that shaded toward being critical of A&M for bolting to the SEC, which I saw as exposing him to the Hypocrit tag should OU eventually side with the SEC.