I have read how great the Conference Formerly Known As The Big 12 will be, as though the defection of Nebraska and Colorado has cleared the way for the league to ascend to its rightful place in college football. But I'm not so optimistic.
Why is fewer suddenly better? Why is the loss of a conference championship playoff suddenly a bonanza?
I just can't fathom SEC commissioner Mike Slive gleefully skipping to a lectern to inform the world: "Great news. We got rid of Auburn and South Carolina today. Better yet, we're dropping that December game in the Georgia Dome."
The SEC would drop Vanderbilt before it dropped its championship game, which has become one of college football featured attractions. But it's probably unfair to compare any other conference to the SEC, particularly one as lopsided as the Big Whatever has become.
The SEC's greatest strength is its balance. That doesn't mean all of its members are capable of winning the championship, although three different teams have won national titles in the last four years. It does mean the SEC doesn't play favorites for the most part, even if Arkansas fans would argue otherwise after last year's controversial officiating call temporarily saved Florida's quest for back-to-back national championships.
At least the Gators aren't planning their own network with the league's blessing. When the SEC divvies up its TV revenue, Vanderbilt gets as much as Florida or Alabama.
Can you imagine if the SEC started catering to its super powers? The conference office would get bomb threats.
Pride is as conspicuous as barbecue in the SEC. And even defeats by outrageous margins barely put a dent in it.
But how proud can the rank-and-file members of the Texas Lapdog Conference be? If Texas wants to join the Pac-10, everybody else in the league latches on to its burnt-orange coattails faster than you can flash a hook 'em horns sign. If Texas wants its own network, the Big Leftover League shouts, "Hail, Bevo."
You can't blame Texas for dropping a big Stetson over its competition. Its rise in prominence goes with the territory.
"Friday Night Lights" isn't about a high school football program in Missouri. "America's Team" isn't in Seattle. From middle school to the NFL, Texas is football through and through. Why shouldn't the state's marquee college program rule over its conference subjects?
And now that Texas has saved the Hooked on Horns Conference by its mere presence, why shouldn't it flex its newfound muscle? I wouldn't be surprised if:
n The Texas-Oklahoma game is moved from Dallas to Austin every other year.
n The Longhorns refuse to make road trips to Ames, Iowa.
n Missouri apologizes for signing Chase Daniel and agrees never to recruit another Texas high school quarterback.
n Oklahoma renames its schooner ponies (Boomer and Sooner) "Earl" and "Campbell."
n The Aggies' "12th Man" sits down for Texas games.
n All members of the Lone Star League play "Texas Fight" before every game.
Those are just my ideas. I'm sure Texas will come up with a lot more, which its fawning conference opponents will accept in less time than it took Texas-Ex Vince Young to make a first down in the national championship game against Southern California.
It's obvious where this league is headed. The only question: What do you call it now that the Big 12 has become a numerical misnomer?
Answer: Whatever Texas wants to call it.
John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 38
msghoops writes:
Great read!
http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010...
tnvoice#278189 writes:
John Adams, never knew you had it in you. This is one of the best "Tongue in Cheek" pieces I"ve ever read.
thomastruxtun writes:
John, I was also wondering what the new conference would be called. Can't be Big 12, nix on Big 10 also. You hit the nail on the head; Big Leftover League. Beats my suggestion of the Texas' ten conference.
Texassean writes:
As a current Texan living 30 minutes from Austin, I'd say this piece is spot on. WELL SAID, SIR.
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
So true, if one of the SEC charter members were to leave...The SEC would replace them with another school and say: Next business..Remember this actually happened with GT and Tulane, did the SEC panic and write a blank check to Bammer or UT, heck no, they continued to grow and prosper without them..Today the SEC has grown to 12 teams and is probably the greatest sports conference(men & women) ever assembled..I hope Texas will be happy in their little pond being the only large predator, the SEC is an ocean with many large sharks lurking and preying on smaller fish...
mercuryvol writes:
I said the same earlier;the Big 12(-2) has shot itself in the foot.It's a matter of time before OU and the others get fed up with UTw's special status and that conference unravels like a cheap pair of socks on a 50 mile march.
UTGAMER writes:
everytime I post it's gone when I return........
TheOneVolFanInHawaii writes:
well written mr adams! the bottom line is that the "big 12" continues to exist simply because of texas, and will exist as long as texas decides to stay in it.
ClassicVol writes:
Good article John.
I look for them to rename it the Southwest Conference again.
CadmiumOchre (Inactive) writes:
Just call it the Texas league as it is and will further be overloaded with Texas universities as it is.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Corched by a Tenn boy.
DarthVol writes:
Texas has a huge sector of the market...just like ND and USC. From their perspective they are doing what's best for them. They are in a conference that WAS, not too long ago, the SWC. They have a situation and a lack of conference pride that they can take advantage of that we cannot relate to.
I say "bully" for them. You keep doing what you do and we'll keep doing what we do. And as the rest of the country keeps trying to remake itself in order to compete with the SEC, we'll keep playing a game in a league where where we're going is no more important than where we are or where we've been.
"In all these years I've been carrying it and reading it every day, I got so caught up in keeping it safe that I forgot to live by what I learned from it." - Eli
DRAGA writes:
DRAGA SAYS TO UTGAMER
NOT SURE WHY THAT HAPPENS UNLESS YA ARE SAYING THINGS THAT MAKE THE HIGHER POWERS UPSET OR,ITS ON PAGE 2
JUST A THOUGHT
THIS IS WHAT I SAY
DRAGA
douglasawilliams#582863 writes:
The Texas Lapdog Conference. That was good.
TommyJack writes:
Caps lock key. Find it.
aggiefan writes:
Send help!!!! We are being held hostage by the Texas Governor, Texas politics, the Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Board of Regents.
We want to join the SEC.
Your friends, Texas A&M.
Ringside writes:
Good article Mr Adams. Happy Fathers Day to all.
crimsonviper writes:
Cap lock violation.
You are fired.
DRAGA writes:
DRAGA SAYS
BUT IT GOT U R ATTENTION DIDNT IT?? THIS IS WHAT I SAY
DRAGA
BIVOLAR_BEAR writes:
Nice try, Ken..This Draga aka is lame..
I'm embarrassed for you...
TommyJack writes:
Draga, schmaga
volover writes:
hang your head in shame... that is what volover says.
dont copy to be cool, I tell my kid that too
DRAGA writes:
DRAGA SAYS:
I AM TRULY AMAZED THAT THOSE THAT SENT ME THEIR OPINION ,FIND ME WORTHY TO COMMENT lol IN FACT ,I WAS ANSWERING THE QUESTION UTGAMER HAD ASKED. TO BE COOL?? SURELY U JEST , YALL HAVE TRULY MADE THIS A SPECIAL FATHERS DAY FOR ME HA HA ,
GBO
THIS IS WHAT I SAY
DRAGA
Ps
R WE HAVING FUN YET??
murrayvol writes:
Not yet.
murrayvol writes:
Well, at least we know why Muschamp didn't want to leave Texas. Man's got some serious vision.
brauhuff#295403 writes:
The only disagreement is it is not fair for Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Mississippi State to get 1/12 th of the pie
ALL_VOL75 writes:
EXACTLY what I was thinking! Southwest Conference is back on the map!
AtLeastMyTeamHasPerfectSeasons writes:
Has Texas become more powerful than ND??
Seems so.
Well, we know who was the 1st UT.
vol4gzus writes:
Draga=Okemo.......new name same stuff ya'll
on topic, it's texxus and I'm a VOL fan. Scan and move on .
DannyVol writes:
"Good read, Adams." "Well written, John."
Don't get carried away, folks. This is the same story that has been circulating throughout the sports world for almost two weeks, only not nearly as well written. As is so often the case, Adams is a day late and dollar short on this one...just like he is when he writes the occasional UT story.
rocky_topper writes:
The current inequality in the Big 12 will eventually be its downfall. The lesser teams will like it for right now, but eventually, they will become tired of it being known as the "University of Texas and its Little Bi***es Conference!
cloudodust writes:
Expansion reminds me of high school football when schools move up or down in class depending on student population, only this baby's on a dollar scale.
blazeglory07 writes:
I wished texas,texas a&m,okla,and ok st. would join the SEC but they would be just like miami and fla st. when they were invited to join. CHICKEN SHIIIIIT!!!!
blazeglory07 writes:
i concur danny.
PoochPuntOn3rdDown writes:
DRAGA QUEEN....
See what I did there? It works on a couple of different levels....
cooper65#432178 writes:
Big 12 finances may be lopsided in the shorthorns favor, but I don't think it is so lopsided on the field. Ok has its share of wins against the horns. Okie State and TX Tech play good football. Nebraska gave the horns whatfor in the championship game. A&M is a rivalry game that doesn't always go as expected. Texas doesn't do what they should with their highly rated recruiting classes. If Bill Schneider hangs around at K State they could have a resurgenge ( I was at the Cotton Bowl on that cold, icy day, they whupped us bad). However, the Big 12 needs to add a couple of teams or it will eventually fall apart. I think adding TCU and Boise State would make it a very tough conference(much tougher than the Sorry midwest 10).
cooper65#432178 writes:
Are you kidding? Nebraska and especially Colorado are not hated rivals. A&M and Oklahoma are hated rivals; there were (are) no hated rivals in the Big 12 North.
RockyTopRenegade writes:
Nice.
"Ant-stomp of the Day" award.
Save your tickets, we will be drawing for prizes.
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