I get how Texas Tech is not all that happy with OU/Texas and the SEC. However, let us be honest.
UT does not consider Tech a "rival."
"And the Red Raiders maintained an annual rivalry with Texas — and, through 2011, with Texas A&M. Those were and are needed. Anyone who tells you otherwise is clueless."
UTerus is not one bit concerned about losing a "rival" in Texas Tech. I think there is degree of concern among the OU faithful about losing OSU, which is really not a "rivalry" as far as overall record but a game we all look forward to - admit it.
I, for one, will miss Bedlam - if it comes to that.
Still, an interesting perspective from Lubbock. (And you welcome for getting you past the paywall.)
www.lubbockonline.com
On a wall here next to the sports department hangs a framed, under-glass copy of the A-J's May 13, 1956, front page with the all-caps banner headline "RED RAIDERS IN!" — white letters over a big red rectangle across the top of the page.
The day before in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Southwest Conference leadership offered Texas Tech an invitation to the Southwest Conference, ending the school's three-decade quest. Two front-page stories flanked a picture of Tech President E.N. Jones speaking to a throng of students and townsfolk at a downtown rally.
"Saturday's action by the SWC Faculty committee put Texas Tech into the big leagues, athletically; solidified its position academically," an editorial said.
The Red Raiders have remained in college sports' big leagues ever since, in conferences that made sense athletically and geographically and benefited the university exponentially. Since those days preceding 1956, I can't think of a time Tech has been in a more uncertain position than now, put there along with eight other members of the Big 12 by Texas' and Oklahoma's threats to exit.
If UT and OU join the Southeastern Conference — as a Houston Chronicle report shined a light on their attempts to do — Tech, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State and West Virginia will be plunged into a period of unease with no assurances, no two ways around it.
Let me quickly add Tech has the résumé to find a landing spot in some configuration of other power-five schools, and that's what will happen. But still ... .
Inarguably, Tech's best place to be is in the Big 12 as currently constituted. Since being a charter member of the conference in the mid-1990s, Tech's annual athletic budget, pre-pandemic at least, had increased tenfold. SWC and Big 8 people speak a similar language. And the Red Raiders maintained an annual rivalry with Texas — and, through 2011, with Texas A&M. Those were and are needed. Anyone who tells you otherwise is clueless.
The harsh reality is no alternative is going to beat what the Red Raiders and Lady Raiders have enjoyed over the past 25 years. The Big 8 and the Southwest Conference formed a shotgun marriage that worked until egos and misplaced priorities — more on that in a moment — pushed the Big 12 to the position it's in today, possibly on the brink of extinction.
Perhaps the Pac-12 and some of the remaining members of the Big 12 could give it a go in a 16-team conference that includes Texas Tech. Neither the geography, nor the increased travel, nor the cultural fits — there is no cultural fit — make sense.
Alas, college sports leaders long ago shirked their duty to make logical decisions. That some of these buffoons broke up rivalries such as Oklahoma-Nebraska, Texas A&M-Texas, Texas A&M-other old SWC rivals, Arkansas-old SWC rivals and Kansas-Missouri proves they are not about serving their fan bases' best interests.
From a competition standpoint, teams such as Tech's and Oklahoma State's jumping into a pool with the likes of Washington, Oregon, Southern Cal, UCLA and Arizona State holds some appeal. The Pac-12 from a football standpoint has a lot of competitive programs who tend to take turns having their day. Upward mobility is achievable.
Probably, that's preferable to eight Big 12 survivors trying to hang tight and add lesser members from the group of five.
Again, there's no option for Tech that trumps what it has in the Big 12, even the 10-member Big 12.
Realignment and Tech's positioning for the next time there's a seismic shift is always on the minds of people like Tech President Lawrence Schovanec and AD Kirby Hocutt. Schovanec, a sports-savvy guy, is always in touch with other university leaders, within the Big 12 and across the country. The possibility of what's going down this week and plotting next steps in advance has never been far from his mind.
In light of the news Wednesday and reports Thursday that UT and OU presidents declined to join a conference call with their Big 12 colleagues, Tech Chancellor Tedd Mitchell issued a statement:
"Like many across our state and within the footprint of our league, I’ve been extremely disappointed by the actions and intentions of our friends in Austin and Norman," Mitchell wrote. "From day one of the Big 12 Conference’s existence, Texas Tech has been a proud and trustworthy partner.
"As the landscape of collegiate athletics shifts, I can promise Red Raider Nation that our leadership will diligently pursue all options to best position Texas Tech for long-term success."
Some wondered why no one from Tech spoke up sooner. But let's be real. There's little Tech and the other seven can say or do to to stem the tide. That would involve reasonable discussions with other reasonable people, the supply of which keeps dwindling.
For some in college sports, winning games is now less important than bragging about budgets. That was true of Texas A&M when it made its move nine years ago and apparently is now the case with Texas and Oklahoma.
The Sooners have won six consecutive Big 12 championships, made the College Football Playoff four of the past six years. Anyone believe they'll repeat that as SEC members? I don't, not even with a 12-team playoff.
And Texas. Will the forever-underachieving Longhorns finally find their footing knocking heads with Alabama and LSU — oh, and the Jimbo-led Aggies — every year?
Again, in some circles, hard as it might be to believe, bragging about your billfold has become the most important thing. Winning is no longer what matters most.
Who'd have thought it would ever come to that?
UT does not consider Tech a "rival."
"And the Red Raiders maintained an annual rivalry with Texas — and, through 2011, with Texas A&M. Those were and are needed. Anyone who tells you otherwise is clueless."
UTerus is not one bit concerned about losing a "rival" in Texas Tech. I think there is degree of concern among the OU faithful about losing OSU, which is really not a "rivalry" as far as overall record but a game we all look forward to - admit it.
I, for one, will miss Bedlam - if it comes to that.
Still, an interesting perspective from Lubbock. (And you welcome for getting you past the paywall.)
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
www.lubbockonline.com
On a wall here next to the sports department hangs a framed, under-glass copy of the A-J's May 13, 1956, front page with the all-caps banner headline "RED RAIDERS IN!" — white letters over a big red rectangle across the top of the page.
The day before in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Southwest Conference leadership offered Texas Tech an invitation to the Southwest Conference, ending the school's three-decade quest. Two front-page stories flanked a picture of Tech President E.N. Jones speaking to a throng of students and townsfolk at a downtown rally.
"Saturday's action by the SWC Faculty committee put Texas Tech into the big leagues, athletically; solidified its position academically," an editorial said.
The Red Raiders have remained in college sports' big leagues ever since, in conferences that made sense athletically and geographically and benefited the university exponentially. Since those days preceding 1956, I can't think of a time Tech has been in a more uncertain position than now, put there along with eight other members of the Big 12 by Texas' and Oklahoma's threats to exit.
If UT and OU join the Southeastern Conference — as a Houston Chronicle report shined a light on their attempts to do — Tech, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State and West Virginia will be plunged into a period of unease with no assurances, no two ways around it.
Let me quickly add Tech has the résumé to find a landing spot in some configuration of other power-five schools, and that's what will happen. But still ... .
Inarguably, Tech's best place to be is in the Big 12 as currently constituted. Since being a charter member of the conference in the mid-1990s, Tech's annual athletic budget, pre-pandemic at least, had increased tenfold. SWC and Big 8 people speak a similar language. And the Red Raiders maintained an annual rivalry with Texas — and, through 2011, with Texas A&M. Those were and are needed. Anyone who tells you otherwise is clueless.
The harsh reality is no alternative is going to beat what the Red Raiders and Lady Raiders have enjoyed over the past 25 years. The Big 8 and the Southwest Conference formed a shotgun marriage that worked until egos and misplaced priorities — more on that in a moment — pushed the Big 12 to the position it's in today, possibly on the brink of extinction.
Perhaps the Pac-12 and some of the remaining members of the Big 12 could give it a go in a 16-team conference that includes Texas Tech. Neither the geography, nor the increased travel, nor the cultural fits — there is no cultural fit — make sense.
Alas, college sports leaders long ago shirked their duty to make logical decisions. That some of these buffoons broke up rivalries such as Oklahoma-Nebraska, Texas A&M-Texas, Texas A&M-other old SWC rivals, Arkansas-old SWC rivals and Kansas-Missouri proves they are not about serving their fan bases' best interests.
From a competition standpoint, teams such as Tech's and Oklahoma State's jumping into a pool with the likes of Washington, Oregon, Southern Cal, UCLA and Arizona State holds some appeal. The Pac-12 from a football standpoint has a lot of competitive programs who tend to take turns having their day. Upward mobility is achievable.
Probably, that's preferable to eight Big 12 survivors trying to hang tight and add lesser members from the group of five.
Again, there's no option for Tech that trumps what it has in the Big 12, even the 10-member Big 12.
Realignment and Tech's positioning for the next time there's a seismic shift is always on the minds of people like Tech President Lawrence Schovanec and AD Kirby Hocutt. Schovanec, a sports-savvy guy, is always in touch with other university leaders, within the Big 12 and across the country. The possibility of what's going down this week and plotting next steps in advance has never been far from his mind.
In light of the news Wednesday and reports Thursday that UT and OU presidents declined to join a conference call with their Big 12 colleagues, Tech Chancellor Tedd Mitchell issued a statement:
"Like many across our state and within the footprint of our league, I’ve been extremely disappointed by the actions and intentions of our friends in Austin and Norman," Mitchell wrote. "From day one of the Big 12 Conference’s existence, Texas Tech has been a proud and trustworthy partner.
"As the landscape of collegiate athletics shifts, I can promise Red Raider Nation that our leadership will diligently pursue all options to best position Texas Tech for long-term success."
Some wondered why no one from Tech spoke up sooner. But let's be real. There's little Tech and the other seven can say or do to to stem the tide. That would involve reasonable discussions with other reasonable people, the supply of which keeps dwindling.
For some in college sports, winning games is now less important than bragging about budgets. That was true of Texas A&M when it made its move nine years ago and apparently is now the case with Texas and Oklahoma.
The Sooners have won six consecutive Big 12 championships, made the College Football Playoff four of the past six years. Anyone believe they'll repeat that as SEC members? I don't, not even with a 12-team playoff.
And Texas. Will the forever-underachieving Longhorns finally find their footing knocking heads with Alabama and LSU — oh, and the Jimbo-led Aggies — every year?
Again, in some circles, hard as it might be to believe, bragging about your billfold has become the most important thing. Winning is no longer what matters most.
Who'd have thought it would ever come to that?
