Blue Horse

Then pray they don't fire Seth mid-season. If that happens, PB is your defacto interim head coach, and if he accidentally wins some games, your boosters might take a liking to him.

Please. Southern Money-based-whitecollar-crime University.

But you won't tell me how much they'd make as independents.

Congratulations! You've created your own worst case scenario! If the Big 12 expands by 4-6 and SMU isn't among them, the AAC will backfill with cusa teams not named North Texas.

Okay, so let's say they don't join such a conference. Who do they schedule? To maintain Texas recruiting, which is what they thrive on, they're just going to have to schedule the schools you say they don't want to be in a conference with anyway. A&m and Texas didn't leave the big 12 so they could keep scheduling Oklahoma State. Oh, and I'm not trying to strengthen the SMU brand. Truth be told, what you're suggesting is a suicide pill for Oklahoma State. I'm actually okay with that.

My gosh, can you guys make a single post without mentioning SMU? And someone beat you to this joke, albeit worded slightly different. Also, SMU going independent would be idiotic. I'm not arguing for that. I'm asking about Texas tech.

Okay, now we're making some progress. 1. Let's say Oklahoma State goes independent. Where are they putting their basketball? The only conference that would accept them for basketball only could potentially be the mountain West conference, and that would likely require them to engage in a scheduling alliance with teams that are far worse than the ones in the AAC. 2. Oklahoma State needs to win a championship game to have the best shot they can have at making the playoff. Removing themselves from a conference at this juncture would require them to be something around top six to make the playoff. If Oklahoma State is that much better than everybody else, all the more reason to stick around a couple years, own the whole conference, and after five consecutive playoff appearances get taken by someone else. Going to the AAC provides a future elsewhere. 3. Money. Right now the American conference makes around $7 million a year per school. Yes, that is a big hit. However you cannot just not be on television. To say that a TV contract doesn't matter and Oklahoma State will just have to be principled and not joining with certain schools is misreading the situation. 4. Scheduling as an independent is actually very challenging. Look at the schools that last is independents. They either have limitless money or a national following. Oklahoma State does have certain boosters, but without a national following it decreases the likelihood that they are going to play marquee programs in Stillwater through an independent schedule that you say isn't even on television 5. Recruiting is last. If Texas tech and Oklahoma State were not members of a conference, they would not be playing the games in the larger Texas areas that produce talent. Without consistent games being played in these areas they would not be as relevant they would be in a conference. The best evidence I can give in this regard is Arkansas. When Arkansas left the Southwest conference they believed they would continue to get Texas recruiting while not playing Texas games due to their brand. That never worked out.

You didn't answer my question. What kind of TV deal can a regional school in Lubbock, Texas expect? Give me a number.

Okay, I'll try one more time. Is this secret plan that is both complex and all encompassing actually in effect at North Texas through your contacts if you have any, or is it something you are waiting to share and assume North Texas is simply aware of the plan because it is so obvious? And ( I don't think this would give anything away ) when should I expect the potential results of this plan to be evident?

So you're telling me they shouldn't go independent. Thanks for the agreement.

What kind of TV deal can a regional school in Lubbock, Texas expect?

Good luck with your secret plan. Although I confess it's hard to say having literally no idea what it is. Say what you will about the Unabomber, but he shared his manifesto.

Okay, so they don't join to avoid a revolt. Now what?

So I know what to look for, what might such a situation look like?

It's on the sign... Truth be told, I know a bit of history about the name. Pretty much everything they wanted was already taken (university of Dallas?). And they got stuck with an acronym right away that the first president hated. More to your point, however, smu is trying to divorce the Methodist church, so possiblity not a church school for long.