Looks like A&M will continue to be

This thread is full of useful information.

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Chip Brown.

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did you hear him this morning?

He reported that the BoR meeting last nite wasn't that heated and that there really was little to no talk of jumping ship.

I agree, the ball is squarely in UT's court, it remains to see how they will handle it. Ketch is such a little bitch, but as much as he was playing up A&M as the bitter bridesmaid, he did admit that if UT does move forward, nobody should be surprised if A&M bolts, and to some degree, he doesnt blame them. As much as a homer as he is, even he can see just how pompous UT's attitude is (if they blaze forward with total disregard for the rest of the conference)

Chip made a comment this morning that no matter how much you may hate the SEC (speaking directly to the Longhorn faithful) you had to admit, they so stick together, he did paint the Horns as being very divisive right now.

sorry, forgot to include the Chip Brown snippet in his main article...

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ESPN will argue that high school programming was never the primary component of LHN's content. And ESPN has said it had nothing to hide about LHN's plans (including the desire to air high school games) and was open since January about what it had planned.

Any time you are in unchartered waters, it's bound to get choppy. This week was certainly choppy. UT's BIg 12 brethren are already on heightened awareness about LHN because it's only giving Texas $15 million more per year in TV revenue than any other school. So communication going forward will probably much better, including a planned meeting of Big 12 athletic directors in August.

After all the speculation about Texas A&M and OU possibly looking for a new home (SEC) to get away from Texas' money generated by the Longhorn Network, my sources tell me OU is in no hurry to talk to the SEC.

But no one seems to be able to read Texas A&M. And when reporters talked to SEC commissioner Mike Slive at SEC Media Days on Thursday about Texas A&M, Slive avoided the subject and ended up smiling while looking down at his feet.

Not exactly a strong denial. (And remember, Slive was in College Station last June feeling like he let one slip away.

Stay tuned.

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DeLoss Dodds said fine, we will do that *for now*, but something tells me ESPN won't let that happen, simply because of the huge investment they have made.

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Exactly, it is just "for now". I think the LHN will have High School football this season because:

- Beebe and the Big12 have already signed off on the LHN contract
- Beebe has no authority over ESPN who owns 100% of the LHN
- Beebe has no authority over Texas high school football

Just a few points to keep in mind during all of this LHN panic:
- Aggie is all flustered but they could have started their own network BUT their AD insisted that it was impossible for one school to have its own network. Texas shouldn't be punished because the Aggie AD doesn't now what the frick he is doing.
- Last year, OU announced they would have their own network kicking off this fall. Now that they are completely incapable of pulling it off, OU is joining the Aggie bitch session. Texas shouldn't be punished because OU doesn't know what the frick they are doing.
- Aggie can bitch & moan all they want but the state politicians will never let them leave the Big 12 without a solid plan in place to make sure that Baylor & Texas Tech have a permanent home in a BCS conference. If A&M bails to the SEC, Texas goes indy and Baylor is screwed. Not going to happen.
- No matter what happens with LHN programming, even if the network has dead air or 24 hour Love Boat reruns, Texas still gets its $300 million.......and that absolutely kills the Aggies.

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- Aggie can bitch & moan all they want but the state politicians will never let them leave the Big 12 without a solid plan in place to make sure that Baylor & Texas Tech have a permanent home in a BCS conference. If A&M bails to the SEC, Texas goes indy and Baylor is screwed. Not going to happen.
- No matter what happens with LHN programming, even if the network has dead air or 24 hour Love Boat reruns, Texas still gets its $300 million.......and that absolutely kills the Aggies.

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I've already addressed these points with you. Baylor and Tech have their contingency plans covered (see my Buddy Jones/Kent Hance comment the other day). But lets say they didn't... There are NO state legislators that would stop A&M from moving in the name of athletics. First off, they'd have to call a special session to do so, and you and I both know that isn't happening, and secondly, these state legislators would have such backlash from the Aggies in their district, it would do them wise to not do anything.

As for Texas getting their $300 Million. You're right, and I wasn't blaming Texas for anything. It's ESPN that's getting screwed here if they can't show high school games or more conference games.... and you and I both know that ESPN will either a) sue the Big 12 or b) push Texas to go Independent to make sure the network is profitable.

This point has nothing to do with DeLoss, Texas or anyone making decisions for Texas. It specifically has to do with one of the nation's most successful for profit companies.

There's a reason why everyone and their dog, including Ketch, Chip and every other burnt orange slant are tweeting and posting that this conference doesn't make it past 2013.

The political card is a much lesser issue than people are making it to be (even last year), but people will stick by their talking points even if they have no clue with what is going on.

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There are NO state legislators that would stop A&M from moving in the name of athletics

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You couldn't be more wrong. It has happened twice. When the SWC blew up Texas and A&M both tried to abandon Baylor. Last summer, when it looked lie Baylor would be left out of the Pac 16. Somehow, Baylor flexes INSANE political muscle. It will happen again.

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First off, they'd have to call a special session

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No they wouldn't. This isn't part of a formal process. It is backroom meetings and threatening phone calls.

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these state legislators would have such backlash from the Aggies in their district, it would do them wise to not do anything.

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Twice, in the instances I mention above, Texas and A&M's interests have lost out in a pissing contest to Baylor. It is hard to believe but it is true.

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you and I both know that ESPN will either a) sue the Big 12 or b) push Texas to go Independent to make sure the network is profitable.

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I don't think either needs to happen. Unless the NCAA rules "NO", the LHN will just broadcast high school football. Beebe is powerless to stop it. If the NCAA rules "NO", then ESPN will take the NCAA to court.

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There's a reason why everyone and their dog, including Ketch, Chip and every other burnt orange slant are tweeting and posting that this conference doesn't make it past 2013.

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I still say Texas and A&M are prisoners unless:

1. Baylor & Tech are guaranteed a slot in another BCS conference like the Big East

or

2. Someone like Mizzou or OU leaves the Big 12, the conference blows up, and both Texas & A&M can say "it wasn't our fault" and do what they want without regard to Baylor.

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If they show games on the LHN featuring UT recruits the NCAA could step in

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Various ESPN networks have been showing HS football for years. Te NCAA is fine with it. The LHN is completely owned by ESPN.

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Link? I know this logical sound CW is viewed by many as fact, but since when do Baylor and TT control 51% of the Texas Leg?

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In all fairness, if you are questioning this, you don't know the facts. You need to spend some time on Google.

When you say Baylor, you mean Buddy Jones, who donates insane money to Rick Perry.

Slick Rick is out of this picture this year, and Buddy has warmed up to the idea and embracing the fact that Tech and Baylor can achieve "pioneer" status in the MWC. They would be the bellcows.

I'm telling you. Give me an email sometime. I'm not going to let out who I am on here, but I have direct lines to a few lobbyists and several Deans across the state (A&M, UT and the rest).

Fair enough. Agree to disagree.

I'll just leave this with you. From what I've been told and what I've read in emails, both Tech and Baylor don't have issues with the breakup, because they have formed marketing and committee teams to follow the TCU model of success.

Both schools have really put their ducks in a row, and have been assured that the MWC would achieve BCS status should they bail for there.

How would they know that? TV Executives at IMG and FOX have guaranteed it.

Politics isn't the driving force here.... TV and TV money is.