Good take on Texas and the Longhorn Network.

[corvt2000]

OU, OK State, K State, TCU, WVU have all been top 10 at some point during the last 3 seasons. To saythey don't play games that matter is wrong. TX is bad because Mack Brown has lost his touch IMO.

This section of the article, to me, reflects what a lot of us pro-VT to the SEC people have been saying:

"Recruits don't come to Texas because the athletic department has great facilities or because their games are on a special network, they come because they want to play in games that matter, in front of large national television audiences. Other than the Oklahoma game Dodds might as well be pitching horseshoes in an empty stadium. Dodds forgot the cardinal lesson of athletics, you're only as strong as your weakest link. And the Big 12 is mostly made up of weak links right now. That failure is all the more amazing because all he had to do was look to the NFL. The NFL brand is so valuable because all 32 teams have strength, each game has value, any team can win.

Texas A&M saw that the SEC was recreating the NFL and jumped on board, Dodds was so arrogant he tried to build his own football network and went it alone.

But one-way football dominance doesn't work, you have to have rivals, games that people care about watching."

[Freddyburg Hokie]

You can continue with your strong academic sentiments. I feel equally as strong about the football.

That may be, but it's not folks like you that are making the decisions re: conference realignment. It's the university presidents, who care a whole heck of a lot more about academics than athletics.

That's why the academic argument is important when considering conference affiliations. The B1G has a pretty big carrot (CIC) to dangle in front of the university presidents.

[Calamitous]

http://outkickthecoverage.com/texass...ing-legacy.php

aTm is somewhat of an aberition IMHO. They are akin to Tech during the Vick years. Manziel IS aTm much the way Vick WAS Virginia Tech. Yes, aTm and Tech have/had great supporting casts, but there will be a gigantic hangover after Manziel leaves. And if Manziel gets injured next year???? Sure, aTm could reel off some good seasons after Manziel's departure, but expect LSU and Bama not to take a back seat to aTm.

I loathe Texas, but I fully expect them to rise ahead of aTm again. Both Texas and aTm have tons of cash in their athletic departments, but the Horns have more. Unfortunately, that money will keep Texas over aTm in the end. I would love to be wrong and see aTm take it to the Horns over the next 2 decades, but I don't think that will happen. The SEC is cut-throat and brutal. LSU and Bama will take control of the West Division again very soon... probably next year. Even though Bama plays at College Station next year, Saban has that game circled and I doubt Manziel pulls off a second miracle.

One thing I've learned over the past 40+ years, storied football programs like Bama, ND, Michigan, USC, Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Miami will ALWAYS come back. Every now and then, a BYU, FSU or PSU will get lucky and win it all. Our only hope is to enjoy their down years and take jabs at them when we can. And unfortunately, teams like aTm, Tech, Oregon and Kansas State have their moments in the sun, but eventually get burned by staying out in the sun too long.

[WarHog38]

[QUOTE=Freddyburg Hokie;685473]That may be, but it's not folks like you that are making the decisions re: conference realignment.

I know I have nothing to do with decisions concerning this expansion! If I did, this crap would be settled or put to rest next monday morning. When are you going to take care of all of it?

I do not know what will happen on this expansion? However in listening closely to these conference commissioners (they do play a big part in decisions concerning expansion). I would bet the farm more is coming! From all I have ever read from people who will not be making the decisions as I. Slive wants a school in NC & VA. That will put the ball in the court of your VT president (let me be perfectly clear on that for you). He will make the decision for VT. He says no! As does the presidents at UVA, UNC and NCST. Maybe Slive will then take FSU and Clemson, my favorites anyhow. You AAU dreamers are not hurting me or the SEC. Only possibly yourselves!

[HwoodHokie]

aTm is somewhat of an aberition IMHO. They are akin to Tech during the Vick years. Manziel IS aTm much the way Vick WAS Virginia Tech. Yes, aTm and Tech have/had great supporting casts, but there will be a gigantic hangover after Manziel leaves. And if Manziel gets injured next year???? Sure, aTm could reel off some good seasons after Manziel's departure, but expect LSU and Bama not to take a back seat to aTm.

I loathe Texas, but I fully expect them to rise ahead of aTm again. Both Texas and aTm have tons of cash in their athletic departments, but the Horns have more. Unfortunately, that money will keep Texas over aTm in the end. I would love to be wrong and see aTm take it to the Horns over the next 2 decades, but I don't think that will happen. The SEC is cut-throat and brutal. LSU and Bama will take control of the West Division again very soon... probably next year. Even though Bama plays at College Station next year, Saban has that game circled and I doubt Manziel pulls off a second miracle.

One thing I've learned over the past 40+ years, storied football programs like Bama, ND, Michigan, USC, Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Miami will ALWAYS come back. Every now and then, a BYU, FSU or PSU will get lucky and win it all. Our only hope is to enjoy their down years and take jabs at them when we can. And unfortunately, teams like aTm, Tech, Oregon and Kansas State have their moments in the sun, but eventually get burned by staying out in the sun too long.

I disagree. I see A&M in the SEC being able to take over recruiting in the state of Texas which is one of the top 3 states for football talent. A&M has made a program changing move that also hurts their in-state rival.

[Stech]

First of all VT was going to BCS games before Vick and after Vick. So to act like we had two good years is ignoring a lot of top 10 finishing teams. Second almost all teams build their championships around catching lightening in a bottle called a QB. The miracle of Bama to me is that NFL teams have not gotten McCarron to come out. The last Miami team to win had a ton of players that were supposed to go Pro come back...including an all American QB. LSU had a great run at the QB position when they won NCs. So VT is no different than the rest, we have to get that once every several years QB to compete for the National Championship. However that is not an abberation it is a reality for all programs.

Third, are you kidding me PSU and FSU was luck, but ND who took a 20 year hiatus is not (and got torched by Bama as they have always done in the BCS level games for the last 20 years). Bama that had one good year from Bear to Saban over again about 20 years, but they will bounce back but FSU and PSU won't?

WADR I hear what you are selling, but I am not buying it? Something tells me you have some heavy bias towards some schools and against others when looking at the overall facts.

[WarHog38]

The primary purpose of a university is research and academics ... period. There is no argument. And that's your answer to why VT isn't interested in the SEC. As for your earlier statements, well, schools (including VT) regularly and routinely charge an athletics fee. While not technically tuition, it is funded via the same mechanism (i.e., student loans can be used to cover the fees). Far from being illegal, federal education policy actually thus supports shifting money originally intended for academic purposes to athletic purposes.

The big money, even in the SEC, athletics. Granted, a handful of schools (notably Arkansas and Bama) spend almost as much on athletics as on academics (see the link I provided), but most schools spend about four times as much on instruction as on athletics and far, far more on research than on athletics. Tech has a $400 billion research budget and a $70 million athletics budget. Guess which means more to VT?

You are 100% correct about the "monetary plane" -- and outside of the SEC, that means athletics sucks hind teat. If the B1G offered Mizzou or TAMU a spot, the SEC would be searching for new members.

You intellectuals or whatever, do a real good analytic job of just ripping the athletic minded SEC to shreds!

You ask the Blacksburg Chamber of Commerce. Would they rather have VT host 4 or 5 SEC games yearly or have the same number of research conventions? This would apply to the entire Blacksburg business community!

These athletic events are huge draws in the mostly small towns around the SEC. I know as fact that Fayetteville, Arkansas, has benefitted to an extreme degree from the SEC sports experience.

You sell everything short but your own intellectual agenda. There are a lot of other very strong angles that someone as smart as you think you are must and will consider.

The B1G is not presently the Sports draw of the SEC. Population changes, the projections I have seen are not good for the B1G's future. However you can be closed minded about all this!

[tcc_dc]

You intellectuals or whatever, do a real good analytic job of just ripping the athletic minded SEC to shreds!

You ask the Blacksburg Chamber of Commerce. Would they rather have VT host 4 or 5 SEC games yearly or have the same number of research conventions? This would apply to the entire Blacksburg business community!

These athletic events are huge draws in the mostly small towns around the SEC. I know as fact that Fayetteville, Arkansas, has benefitted to an extreme degree from the SEC sports experience.

You sell everything short but your own intellectual agenda. There are a lot of other very strong angles that someone as smart as you think you are must and will consider.

The B1G is not presently the Sports draw of the SEC. Population changes, the projections I have seen are not good for the B1G's future. However you can be closed minded about all this!

Believe me, I wish we were in the SEC.

But, I hate the Big 10 as the next person, but those fans travel very well. Heck in New Orleans, Michigan fans far outnumbered the VT fans, and that was a 1st in New Orleans for me.

Either conference would be bigger draws to VT and Blacksburg overall.

[WarHog38]

aTm is somewhat of an aberition IMHO. They are akin to Tech during the Vick years. Manziel IS aTm much the way Vick WAS Virginia Tech. Yes, aTm and Tech have/had great supporting casts, but there will be a gigantic hangover after Manziel leaves. And if Manziel gets injured next year???? Sure, aTm could reel off some good seasons after Manziel's departure, but expect LSU and Bama not to take a back seat to aTm.

I loathe Texas, but I fully expect them to rise ahead of aTm again. Both Texas and aTm have tons of cash in their athletic departments, but the Horns have more. Unfortunately, that money will keep Texas over aTm in the end. I would love to be wrong and see aTm take it to the Horns over the next 2 decades, but I don't think that will happen. The SEC is cut-throat and brutal. LSU and Bama will take control of the West Division again very soon... probably next year. Even though Bama plays at College Station next year, Saban has that game circled and I doubt Manziel pulls off a second miracle.

One thing I've learned over the past 40+ years, storied football programs like Bama, ND, Michigan, USC, Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Miami will ALWAYS come back. Every now and then, a BYU, FSU or PSU will get lucky and win it all. Our only hope is to enjoy their down years and take jabs at them when we can. And unfortunately, teams like aTm, Tech, Oregon and Kansas State have their moments in the sun, but eventually get burned by staying out in the sun too long.

I have followed college football for over 50 years and my father was an even bigger fan for 40 years before that. He use to talk to me about driving to all those Texas games in his flivver. As old long deceased dad use to always say to me, "It's the coaching, Boy!"

Coaching is what attributes to these teams and winning cycles you make reference to. It is not just destiny or being in some hotbed of recruits.

Any college you want to pick? ALABAMA - Bear Bryant, Nick Saban. Gene Stallings to a slightly lesser degree. The rest of the Alabama head coaches have sucked the last 50 years and the Alabama football has sucked right along with them.

[TDVick]

Couple of points:
(1) aTm made a GREAT move by joining the SEC. If they had stayed in the Big12 they would have ALWAYS been UT's red headed step child and by moving to the SEC they got out of the shadow of UT.
(2) All is not that bleak for UT. If they make the right hire after Mac Brown they are right back at the top. UT is one of those few programs (Ala, USC, Mich, Ohio St) that even if they have a few tough years they can bounce back VERY quickly.
(3) The SEC and Big12 may not be in lock step. The only reason why the SEC is "propping up" the Big12 is to harm the ACC. The SEC wants some ACC properties and that is only going to happen if the ACC fails. So the SEC, knowing that probably only one of the ACC and Big12 will be a part of the bg4 conferences, they are trying to stabilize the Big12. There is no love between the SEC and the Big12, but they are willing to work together for now.

Yes. Compare the energy at the when VT played LSU, UGA or Bama. Nothing on our current schedule remotely compares.