Could Mack Brown Take SMU Job?

((ht: dallasnews.com))

Huh? Sure, $4 million is a lot of money to coach a football team, but SMU? Why would you put yourself through that?

According to a report in Friday mornings Dallas Morning News, SMU is floating a $4 million a year offer to former University of Texas head coach Mack Brown to take over the team.

Brown is currently a College Football analyst/coach-in-waiting at ESPN, where he apparently is enjoying the time away. He's stated that he won't do anything until he finishes the season there.

Read the DallasNews.com report, which includes an awfully optimistic list of potential head coaches RIGHT HERE

Why would you hire a coach like Brown who essentially is going to have to rebuild the entire program? Yeah, sure, the Mustangs had some good years under former coach June Jones who got them to some bowl games. But his best year was an 8-5 season.

Throwing around that kind of money would indicate SMU AD Rick Hart is willing to play with the big boys, sure. We get that.

But that part of this that nobody--at least nobody in Texas is talking about is that this is SMU. The Mustangs are, in every aspect, the WORST team in College Football this season.

Outside of one game where they erupted for 21 points (and they lost), they've not scored more than 6 points in any other game.

Maybe Brown will take the job, find the fountain of youth and return SMU to their 1980's glory. Though according to the story, that wouldn't happen until Brown finishes the season as fired coach/analyst for ESPN.

We wish SMU luck. But remember who you are. There is nothing wrong with shooting high, but remember that you should probably aim low...

((P.M Update--Hart Tweeted out Friday afternoon that to his knowledge, nobody from SMU or the search committee has reached out to Brown or his reps. In some respects it would make sense because this is such a surprising story. But, someone has at least floated the idea--or there wouldn't be people throwing it out there to reporters))

University of Texas to Pay Athletes $10,000

((ht: dallasnews.com))

Oh boy.

Some college athletic director had to break the ice...or at least just come out publicly and say it. And as it turns out, apparently University of Texas AD Steve Patterson is that guy.

Patterson spoke at a Washington D.C panel to discuss the changing landscape of College Sports on Tuesday. He said his school is prepared to pay players $10,000 each per year to cover their daily expenses and to compensate the athlete for use of their image.

Patterson did not say when the Longhorns would begin doing this. He added it would cost the school roughly $6 million a year and it wouldn't be a significant dent in the athletic budget.

Read the story from the Dallas Morning News RIGHT HERE

This all comes on the heels of the Todd Gurley incident, where he is alleged to have taken money for his autograph and allegations Jameis Winston and many other college players have done the same.

The path to this is a long one and ended this past summer when the NCAA essentially allowed the "Power 5" conferences to operate on their own.

While a school that brings in enough money like a Texas won't have issue with this, it's likely that many smaller school's will not be able to keep up. Along with separating the haves and the have nots, it should strengthen the argument that there should be separate levels for each.

Only time will tell who will step up and be the first to actually pay instead of announcing it.

Report: Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith to Consult Charlie Strong on Discipline

Roger Goodell

((ht:texas.247sports.com))

Huh?

According to reports by noted University of Texas insider Chip Brown, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFLPA Head DeMaurice Smith are seeking out Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong about Strong's "Core Values".

Specifically, Brown lists Strong's commitment to having his Longhorns live up to the Core Values, which are 1) Honesty, 2) Treat Women with respect, 3) No Drugs, 4) No Stealing and 5) No Guns.

Anyone on the Texas roster who fails to live up to that gets dropped. And thus far, Strong has dismissed 9 players and suspended 3 more for not living up to them.

Read more from Texas.247sports.com RIGHT HERE

Interesting thought process here. We respect what Charlie Strong is trying to do at Texas win, lose or otherwise. It's the way a College Football program SHOULD be run.

And the "Core Values" are something that should be a given for all athletes and quite honestly, for people in general to emulate. Really, it is.

But for the NFL, the problem runs a bit deeper. We think it would be great if the league adopted this to base there discipline rules on. But how do you enforce it?

The NFL's problem from day 1 is they never seemed to take these problems as seriously as society does. As long as the team gets their player back, nobody seemed to care.

But if Goodell and Smith are indeed serious and looking for opportunities to come up with a better system/program to institute, then by all means--go for it...
char

2 Longhorns Footballers Suspended After Sexual Assault Charges

((HT: KVUE-TV))

The HQ doesn't really post these stories, but the alleged mental slowness angle is the reason we're posting the story.

Two Texas Longhorns wide receivers, Kendall Sanders and Montrel Meander, are now both charged with sexual assault and out on personal recognizance bonds. Head coach Charlie Strong has suspended the two players pending the resolution of the case.

So, what's the reason we're posting this story...???

Sanders is also facing an improper photography charge.

Translation: The two players allegedly assaulted a campus acquaintance, but one of the two apparently took pictures.

Campus police are investigating the charge that Meander's room was the location of the alleged assault. The report says that Meander and the woman who eventually went to police had consensual sex before Sanders entered the room and allegedly began assaulting her.

Meander, then, allegedly joined in the assault.

Ryan Autullo, Brian Davis and Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman covering the story went to UTPD chief of police David Carter press conference this afternoon. Carter said investigators confiscated Meander's and Sanders' cell phones through a search warrant. Carter didn't say if there was any evidence inside them or not.

Here's the live shot from outside the jail
Texas DB Quandre Diggs on his Twitter account was less than pleased: "It's a shame when people piss away great opportunities, God has given us all tremendous blessings." That seems to be the prevailing opinion among teammates right now... Head coach Charlie Strong released a statement on the arrest: "We've been monitoring and addressing the situation with Kendall (Sanders) and Montrel (Meander) since it was brought to our attention. It's been made clear to everyone on our team that treating women with respect is one of our core values, and I'm extremely disappointed that two young men in our program have been accused of not doing that. With the recent charges against them, they have been suspended indefinitely from our football team and will no longer participate in any team functions."
The on-campus investigation should take a few weeks.

ICYMI: Charlie Strong to Texas is Done: Reaction Runs the Gamut

So, it's been pretty interesting over the past couple of days to see the reaction to first the news Texas wanted to hire now former Louisville football coach Charlie Strong, then the wait while Strong insisted on telling his boss, Louisville Athletic Director Tom Jurich that he was leaving and then the reaction from the folks in Texas.

Actually, it's been kind of funny.

Last night, Louisville confirmed what everyone already knew, Strong would move to Austin and take over the biggest budget football operation in the state (College Level).

Notice, we didn't call them the best, as they've arguably been passed by Texas A&M and by Baylor in recent years.

But the hire of Strong is a good one. He's had a ton of success at Louisville, which strangely was his first head coaching job. He's universally respected and most outside of the crazies in Texas believe he will be wildly successful with the budget he's about to be handed.

That's why this column in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram by Gil Lebreton is pretty funny (not in a good way)

Check it out RIGHT HERE

Lebreton called it "Firing Jay Leno and hiring Aresenio".

Really?

No, Strong may not be a "Type A", Nick Saban/Steve Spurrier type, but anyone who thinks he won't be successful is crazy.

Yes, he's going to have to deal with the apparently omnipresent "Longhorn Network" (which nobody outside Texas cares about) which will intrude into his life and job like nothing he's ever experienced before.

But again, despite the arrogance and perception inside that Texas was the "Job of All Jobs", they actually got this right…they hired the right guy.

Which quite honestly, should scare everyone else.

Expect the official announcement on Sunday afternoon.

WHAS-TV in Louisville gives us their reaction:



And KXAN-TV gives us the Texas reaction:

Mack Brown Does Resign From Texas: "It's Been A Wonderful Ride."

What a crazy, crazy week in Austin, Texas.

The rumors of Mack Brown resigning, Brown denying, Nick Saban taking the Texas head coaching job only to sign a very lucrative contract extension with Alabama then Brown staying at Texas.

What now?

Well one rumor turned out to be true, Mack Brown was resigning as the head coach of the Texas Longhorns.

Here's Mack Brown's statement:

"Sally and I were brought to Texas 16 years ago to pull together a football program that was divided. With a lot of passion, hard work and determination from the kids, coaches and staff, we did that. We built a strong football family, reached great heights and accomplished a lot, and for that, I thank everyone. It's been a wonderful ride. Now, the program is again being pulled in different directions, and I think the time is right for a change. I love The University of Texas, all of its supporters, the great fans and everyone that played and coached here. I can't thank DeLoss Dodds enough for bringing our family here, and Bill Powers and the administration for supporting us at a place where I have made lifelong friendships. It is the best coaching job and the premier football program in America. I sincerely want it to get back to the top and that's why I am stepping down after the bowl game. I hope with some new energy, we can get this thing rolling again."

Many Austin, Texas media outlets are reporting that Brown fought like hell to keep his job at Texas. 

A former Texas player who played for Mack Brown attributed the "instant gratification" crowd and the era of social media to Brown's resignation.

Thanks KVUE-TV, Austin, TX



Here's a look back at Mack Brown's career at Texas.

Thanks KXAN-TV, Austin TX

Mack Brown will coach the Alamo Bowl game December 30th against Oregon.

With one of the college football gems now open let the speculation begin as to who will coach Texas next.

You know the list will include Jim Harbaugh, Gus Malzahn, Jimbo Fisher, Art Briles and other big names.

Let the carousel spin.

Reports: Mack Brown Will Stay With Texas After All

What was that famous quote? "Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated?"

That may very well be the them song of University of Texas head coach Mack Brown.

Early this week, it was widely reported (including here at OSG Sports) that Brown was going to be forced to resign his job. And the rumors were that Alabama head coach Nick Saban was being set-up to replace him.



According to a report from Bobby Burton of 247Sports.com, Brown will be on the Longhorns sideline for another year.

BREAKING: Source tells me that Mack Brown, following mtg w school prez and AD, will remain coach of the Longhorns.
— Bobby Burton (@BobbyBurton247) December 14, 2013

Mind you this comes on the heels of an ESPN.com report Friday stating Brown was fighting to keep his job. Their report and others say Brown was ready to step down from the job, but after word leaked out at the beginning of the week, he got mad and changed his mind.

Read the ESPN.com story RIGHT HERE

Brown's contract in Austin runs through the year 2020 and pays him north of $5 million a year. The Longhorn faithful (guys with money) have gotten restless the past few seasons as the team has struggled to be competitive at the highest levels of the BCS and College Football. They seem to be of the impression that Texas A&M has passed them by after moving to the SEC and having lots of success.

Another factor cited by many is that Brown is but 2 wins away from passing Longhorns legend Darrell Royal's record for most wins. (Royal had 160, Brown has 158)

Either way, it appears Mack Brown will probably be back on the Texas sideline in 2014. However….another 8-4 or worse season and, well, we suspect this whole conversation will probably come up yet again….

ICYMI: Saban Speculation Over: Staying at Alabama

If any of you live outside of Alabama, we want to explain to you where…and why the people of Alabama rate football higher than any other thing that happens anywhere else in the world.

The lead story on the late local news last night?

Not the school shooting in Colorado, no, the lead…and breaking news cut-ins were all about one thing: Nick Saban signs a contract extension.

Despite rampant speculation the University of Alabama head coach would take the money from Texas and run, he didn't. And the more the stories began surfacing that he would, the less we really believed them.

Late last night, Saban's people and the University's people agreed to an extension of his current contract, which now runs through the year 2020 at over $7 million a year.

Yes, he's getting paid $7 million-plus to coach a college football team.

In case you don't follow college football, the rampant speculation and belief by many was the University of Texas would ask coach Mack Brown to step aside. That still may happen, but as of the day we write this, Brown is still the coach.

If Brown had stepped aside, the conspiracy theorists all believed Texas, though not the best, but certainly the richest program in the country would send a Brink's truck to the Saban residence and he'd leave.

And maybe 5 or 10 years ago, it might have happened.

But Saban, for all the bridges he burned behind him, is now 62 years old. The end of his career journey is a lot closer than the beginning. And it became obvious, that for all his ladder climbing ways, he didn't want to go somewhere and start all over.

We may never know how close he came to leaving Alabama and heading to Austin, Texas or if it was even an option. Our suspicion, as most people believe, is that his people were contacted to gauge interest. And heck, he may have thought about it for a minute or two.

But no Alabama fan, you have nothing to fear. Your savior is not leaving. Not now, not next year, not until he's good and ready.

God knows how much money he'll be getting at the time that happens. Schools…and the University systems in many states may be one step away from being broke, But the almighty college football coach, he gets to sit in his palatial office waiting for the peasants to bring him offerings, all while he gets to lean back and count his money.

Enjoy the ride Tide fans….just remember eventually it will come to an end.

Reports: Mack Brown to Step Down at Texas or Did He? Updates (And More Updates)

((ht: orangebloods.com))

Update--Brown is quoted by texas.247.sports.com in an updated story. He tells them "I'm in Florida recruiting. If I had decided to step down, I sure wouldn't be killing myself down here. I have not decided to step down."

Read the entire story RIGHT HERE

Hmmm....can I get a "Not so Fast My Friends"?---That includes us...

Though we might add, much of the speculation on Brown's status hinges on a UT Trustees board meeting set for Thursday. The belief is the official word will come then.

Unless it's leaked out

-------------------------------------------------------------------

((Original Post))

So, it looks like it really wasn't hype. The speculation was true.

The ever impressive Chip Brown of Orangebloods.com reports that University of Texas head coach Mack Brown will resign from his job after 16 years of leading the Longhorns.

High-level sources tell http://t.co/Pb827xg41z Mack Brown will step down as coach at Texas after 16 years.
— Chip Brown (@ChipBrownOB) December 10, 2013

Chip says that Mack Brown will get every bit of the $2.75 million buyout written into his contract. And Brown, who will leave just 2 wins short of being Texas's all-time wins leader, will be honored at his teams season ending banquet next week.

Read the entire story from Orangebloods RIGHT HERE

There had been numerous rumors this season and last that Brown's days were numbered. The Longhorns, arguably the nation's richest, most well supported program had been struggling since really 2005, when they lost the National Championship game to USC.

Speculation has been rampant most of the season the Longhorns were trying to woo Alabama coach Nick Saban. Saban, through channels has denied and in fact laughed off that speculation.

But a story surfaced last week claiming Saban has had a deal in place all along this season. And that he was just waiting for the right time to announce it.

Stay tuned, we should find out in the next few days if that's the trick new athletic director Steve Patterson has up his sleeve.

PM UPDATE: The Orangebloods story has Brown stepping down after the Alamo Bowl...

Naturally, Brown's lawyer has told the Associated Press that it isn't happening...

ICYMI: Texas Handles Texas Tech on Thanksgiving Night

Somehow, someway, the Texas Longhorns are trying to salvage what many outside the program consider a bad season.

But Thursday night's 41-16 win versus Texas Tech puts the Longhorns at 8-3, 7-1 in the Big 12 this season. And if Oklahoma State loses to Oklahoma, the Longhorns will win the Big 12.

Texas ran for 282 yards and QB Case McCoy threw for 2 TD's, which more than offset the Red Raiders who shot themselves in their own feet by collecting 11 penalties on the night.

For Tech, it was their 5th straight loss after starting the season 7-0.

FOX Sports provides the highlights:

Report: Texas AD DeLoss Dodds to Retire

((ht:mystatesman.com/bohls)

Hmmm...so perhaps reports the past couple of weeks that Texas Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds retiring weren't so incorrect after all....

An explanation RIGHT HERE

According to a report by Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman, the Longhorns 76-year old AD will announce on Tuesday that he's retiring at the end of the season. (A polite way, we're guessing of asking him to leave)

And the countdown clock on Texas football coach Mack Brown has picked up speed.

Dodds, who has run the schools athletic department for 32-years hired Brown and has been in front of the schools exponential growth in the world of Sports.

Bohls says the University's president wants a replacement in place by December 1st. Interesting.

Read more from Bohls RIGHT HERE

This folks is the beginning of change for the once-mighty Longhorns. Over the past couple of seasons, despite the "Longhorn Network" funded by ESPN and lining the athletic department coffers, the football team has been an abject failure.

Really they haven't been relevant since the departure of Vince Young in 2005-06.

In that time, they've seen arch-rival Texas A&M not only leave the Big 12, but become wildly successful as a member of the SEC. They've seen their other arch-rival, Oklahoma continue a consistent  run of BCS appearances.

But the Longhorns, not so much.

There's already been talk they will and have reached out to Alabama coach Nick Saban, the biggest fish in all the land. We'd be mildly surprised if that happened.

The new AD, whomever it is, will have their hands full trying to quell a restless donor base not fond of being a less big fish in a really big pond. Combine the action in Austin with the Lane Kiffin firing at USC, just 5 weeks in and, well, we can't wait for The Coaching Carousel to begin this December...

((Note--Reports already are circulating this move is to get the process started on a coaching search. Texas appears to have become concerned USC will have a large advantage and early start before Carousel begins))

Here's Dodds, just two weeks ago, denying this would happen: (Thanks KXAN-TV)

ICYMI: Because It's Johnny Football Making Headlines (again)

Bwahahaha!

Sorry, this isn't really that newsworthy, but we just kind of found it amusing in a funny sort of way.

If you haven't seen it already, there's video circulating this weekend on the Interwebs of Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel getting tossed out of a University of Texas frat party.

Apparently, he tried to cross the streams:



We might add here (see photo), he apparently made Interweb headlines for wearing the Tim Tebow Jets jersey. Why that matters, we don't know. However, the ironic humor in said gesture is quite rich.

And yes, we are officially weary of Mr. Football, but we decided to post this more because it gave us an excuse to use the Ghostbusters video and that joke.

Manziel and his teammates should be taking the field any day now and with it, we hope, comes the end of his galavanting ways, at least for a couple of months. It's time to see if he can back up the hype and live up to where the bar was set, last season.

Here's your Frat Party video (Manziel is in the pink):

Texas Trouble: WR Facing Felony Assault Charges

((ht: cbssports.com))

It must suck to be a college football coach during the late winter/early spring, when you don't totally have control over where your players are and what they are doing.

The Texas Longhorns are again dealing with trouble after rising sophomore Cayleb Jones was charged with felony assault after supposedly punching a Texas Tennis Player and breaking his jaw on Feb. 22.

Jones, who was expected to compete for a starting job this upcoming season has been, according to coach Mack Brown, "Been suspended from team activities pending the outcome of the investigation".

Texas is coming off a couple of disappointing seasons, at least to their standards. There was some hullabaloo during their Alamo Bowl game back in January, when QB Case McCoy and LB Jordan Hicks were "suspended" for a violation of team rules. That investigation has since been closed.

Those two players have since been reinstated.

UT student goes Taylor Swift on Texas A&M

Ohhh....it's on now.

Nothing says insult like singing a Taylor Swift breakup song to a former rival to say you are done.

That is apparently what appears to be a Texas fan does to someone dressed in a Texas A&M jersey. The girl, who actually doesn't have a bad voice, tells Mr. A&M they are "Never Getting Back Together". Of course it all has to do with A&M now being in the SEC while Texas flounders in the middle of the Big 12 pack.

Best we can tell (forgive our un-hipness) this is a twist on a popular song by the aforementioned Ms. Swift. We're guessing her record company may not be so thrilled about it.

Maybe this made her feel better or it was a chance to go viral and get some attention for her semi-decent singing voice, but this is really kind of lame. Maybe Texas feels spurned out of this "Breakup", we don't know since we don't live there.

But...we are reasonably certain that A&M has no regrets about the break-up...what so ever.

Here's the video:

Texas A&M blackballed by soon to be former Big 12 opponents

((ht: chron.com))

Kyle Field at Texas A&M

This isn't a total surprise, though Texas A&M seems to be a bit taken aback by their soon to be former Big 12 brethren.

A&M's rival, and cause of much of the Big 12's change, Texas, has already made it clear they won't be available to play in football until at least 2018. They say there is no room in their non-conference schedule for the former rivals to play.

Granted, they haven't updated the schedule's, because if you go to the UT Football website, A&M is still listed in there as the final game of the season.

You can check that out by following the link HERE

And surprisingly (not), the other schools in the Big 12/10/9 have already started trash talking A&M telling recruits. A&M Athletic Director Bill Byrne is saying recruits are being told if they go to College Station,  "They'll never get to play in Texas again".


Read the original story from Chron.com RIGHT HERE

None of this is surprising and we aren't sure why they are going public with it now. Sure, we get that A&M pissed off the rest of the Big 12. And they had to realize that the move to the SEC is going to be held against them.

And we know how important the "Rivalry" with the University of Texas is in Texas. We are quite sure that was taken into consideration before the move was made.

We also looked at the Texas schedule and AD DeLoss Dodds is right. Whomever replaces A&M will undoubtedly take over their slot on the schedule. And there is no "TBA" game until 2018. To the Longhorns credit, it isn't like the "Non-conference" schedule is littered with the type of teams the Big 10 plays early in the year.

Once the egos recover from the bruising, we are quite sure both sides will adjust. Sure, it will be weird for A&M until they find another rivalry, but they will. The Big 12/10/9 will also move on--unless the league implodes. It is just going to take a little time

Galactic Realignment Update: Pac 12 Not expanding

Well, so much for our "Galactic Realignment" theory. Though we did say Tuesday we weren't so sure the Pac 12 would follow through on expansion.

They didn't.

To the mild dismay of the University of Oklahoma, the Pac 12 Presidents and Chancellors have decided they are happy where they are. They don't want to expand. At least not in the near future.

Their statement (from commish Larry Scott):

"After a careful review, we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference. While we have great respect for all of the institutions that have contacted us, and certain expansion proposals were financially attractive, we have a strong conference structure and culture of equality that we are committed to preserve. With new landmark TV agreements and plans to launch our innovative television networks, we are going to focus solely on these great assets, our strong heritage and the bright future in front of us."


Let's read between the lines, shall we...

What Scott is essentially saying is, they were interested but they weren't taking Texas as long as the Longhorn Network exists in its current form. According to multiple reports, Texas wasn't willing to make concessions there. So that means nobody comes.

Oklahoma, well, they sort of get screwed. They lose whatever negotiating room they had. We reported yesterday on Chancellor David Boren's list of demands form them to stay in the Big 12. Well, now they are staying. And the Big 12 doesn't need to do anything because Oklahoma now has nowhere to go.

We can't wait to hear the next conversation between Boren and commissioner Dan Beebe.

Texas gets to keep their beloved Longhorn Network and will be hated on every level by just about everyone in college football. The Longhorn Network has been the impetus for almost all the proposed changes and UT comes across like the evil heel here in all scenarios.

The SEC is kind of hosed. They'll get Texas A&M, but that may be it. Their options are now limited. Unless they can convince somebody to bail on the ACC, they'll be stuck at 13 teams for a bit.

Yes, we know they "Offered" Missouri. That won't happen now we believe. Missouri will stay where they are.

The Big East is still on the fence. They've been injured by the ACC, and if Rutgers and UConn go, they are done and their members will have to find somewhere to call home. We don't think that will happen now either.

So there you have it. The Pac 12 and Texas have pretty much killed the rest of this story. And we for one, are damn happy about that. No, it doesn't mean that change won't happen in the future, it just means it isn't going to happen right now. (Though we could be wrong)

Oklahoma makes demands and other conference change news

((ht: newsok.com))

Dan Beebe

((ht: kcstar.com))

My, my, my...we've got schools making demands, boosters making claims and one conference not so sure they want to go to oblivion.

We'll start in Oklahoma, where the highly connected Berry Trammel of NewsOK.com reports that Oklahoma has let the Big 12 know what it will take to keep them around. And yes, you could consider it a form of ransom.

Among their requirements to stay: Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe must go. The other, The Longhorn Network must be watered down.

Wow!

Read Trammel's full story from NewsOK RIGHT HERE

While not saying they'll stay with these moves, the implication is, they would. The biggest hangup in all of this is that they perceive Beebe is in Texas's hip pocket.

Interesting stuff.

In other "Galactic Realignment" news, Mike DeArmond of the Kansas City Star reports that he's been told by a close associate of a prominent Missouri booster that they have an offer to join from the SEC. But, much like the Texas A&M invitation, it's conditional.

Charles Bloom, the communications director for the SEC denied that report to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. And an Associate Athletic Director from the school denied it too.

Read the story from the KC Star RIGHT HERE

While we don't know what has or hasn't been offered here, this report does not come as a shocker. There has been no secret of the mutual interest between the two parties here. However, given the current climate, we are not surprised that nobody is willing to give it any credence.

There are also multiple reports tonight saying the Pac 12 isn't so sure they want to expand. In order for the league to extend an offer to anyone, they need at least 9 out of the 12 school presidents to agree. And according to those reports, they don't necessarily have it.

What does this all mean: Nothing. As we've said repeatedly, Galactic Realignment is coming, we just don't know the form it will take. Nobody really does. The Pitt and Syracuse move to the ACC, if nothing changes, that won't happen for 2-years.

Yeah, 2-years. An eternity the way things are currently moving.

The biggest thing that we are seeing here and these reports back it up is, everyone is trying to cover their ass. They want options in hand so if (A) happens, they can move one way, if (B) happens they can move another. The possibility of this being a whole lot of nothing exists too, but we think with the money involved, that isn't likely.

The elephant in the room here seems to be Texas. They seem to have pissed off everyone in their conference and are the primary reason so many of them want to leave. We get that. That's why everyone is trying to protect their own interests. If Texas gives in to Oklahoma's demands, don't be surprised if the Big 12, by and large stays intact. Texas A&M is gone either way. If they are the only loss, the conference will survive. And be just fine.