The date was October 3, 2015.
Moments after the Texas Longhorns had been humiliated to the tune of 50-7 by Gary Patterson's TCU Horned Frogs, I found myself on the phone with a high-ranking Texas administrator. The bowl game against Arkansas had happened. So did the disaster in South Bend. Then you had the missed PAT against Cal. Now this had happened to leave Charlie Strong 7-11 in his first 18 games as the Texas head coach.
This particular person I was on the phone with was beside himself. As someone who had watched from afar as the hiring of Strong had been made, he had previously been 100-percent all-in on Strong ... even when the cracks in the foundation had become obvious. With the Orangebloods message board resembling an out of control wildfire, hope had turned to despair.
"He's not going anywhere," the official said with the sound of defeat hanging onto every single word.
After a brief back and forth about where the Texas program was headed in its current state, a remark came out of his mouth that I've thought about every day of this current men's basketball season when Shaka Smart has looked like the wrong man for the job.
"We can't become the school that keeps having to buy its way out of its mistakes."
In this person's mind, buying out nearly 15 million of the remaining dollars on Strong's contract was completely off the table, if for no other reason than Strong's buyout itself would be just the beginning. After that huge sum of dead money was compiled, the school would need to payout remaining dollars on Strong's staff, perhaps a buyout to the school of the new coach and then a completely new contract with even more money attached to it.
"We are not made of money," he said rather sharply. "It's not 15 million. It's 20 million. Then it's 25 million. The athletic department cannot run itself as if financial responsibility doesn't matter."
A year later, when the school was in a position where it had to take action with the removal of Strong, I knew that swallowing 8 figures worth of dead money to make it happen wouldn't be taken lightly. I also knew that every single person who was involved in that situation would vow to never let that kind of financial disaster happen again.
Less than three years later, here we are again.
The Texas basketball program is floundering, the thirst for change is in the air and yet because of internal mistakes at the highest levels of the university between an acting athletic director and new school president, the Longhorns find themselves staring at at least $12 million wasted dollars. In order to possibly go out and fire the replacement that it might want (*cough* Chris Beard *cough*), the amount of money needed to make it happen will start to creep closely to 20 million, and that doesn't include the new amount of guaranteed money that arrives when that new contract is signed.
In conversations with a variety of people in places to have a pulse of the situation, buying out Smart's contract has been an absolute non-starter. Right or wrong, The University of Texas resides in a strange gray area, one that's obsessed with winning, but probably not obsessed enough to want to give the appearance that it is dangerously out of control to the academic watch-dog eyes that never taker its eyes off the Texas athletic department to watch something else.
Could not making the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons change the mood of the rooms that Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte operates in? Sure. Could it change it enough for change to occur in the next few weeks when it goes against what is supposed to be a re-commitment to financial responsibility in the department, especially when Del Conte is already involved in the single biggest fund-raising project in the history of the department?
I've still not had one person associated with the school suggest that the answer is yes.
Perhaps the more realistic change would involve Shaka Smart wanting to take another job in the off-season should a desirable opportunity become available. Smart has given no indications that he wants to leave Austin, but he has to know that he's skating on thin ice entering next season. If the right job popped up and he wanted to take it, I can't imagine anyone at Texas would block his departure.
Beyond that, it's just hard to see a change occurring after this season.
Perhaps a win-at-all-costs type of action would represent exactly what you want the decision-makers at Texas to display in this situation, but from my perspective it's the last type of message and decision-making they personally want to represent.
No. 2 - Unintended positive consequences ...
With all due respect to the discussion centering around the idea that incoming transfer Parker Braun could redshirt this season, I'm going to assume that the one of the two best players in the program for the 2019 season is actually going to play for the Longhorns.
Silly me, I know.
Therefore, with the knowledge that Sam Cosmi and Zach Shackelford are almost certainly going to be on the field as well at left tackle and center, respectively, Texas offensive line coach Herb Hand has something at his disposal this spring that is worth its weight in gold ... urgency.
Whether we're talking Denzel Okafor or Derek Kerstetter or Junior Angilau or Tope Imade or Tyler Johnson or anyone else on that line getting reps in the spring, they will know the score that exists - tons of bodies for two spots.
In order for any of those guys to move into the starting line-up in the fall, they better make sure that they are somewhere in the top two of that group. Period.
This Texas offensive line has a chance to be really good this year, but it's only going to be as good as its weakest and second-weakest links. The sense of urgency that suddenly exists for most of the offensive linemen in the program could help ensure that those weak links aren't so weak after all.
No. 3 - Vince Young will be 36 years old in May ...
Look, it's not my job to tell Vince Young to grow up.
Frankly, if he doesn't want to work a gimmie-job that pays him nearly six figures per year, that's on him. Maybe he has so much money saved up from his 20s that he doesn't need the hassle of a job, even one that would see him make a salary that would be the envy of many. Maybe not, but maybe this is the way it is and he's just too busy, even for an alma mater that dearly wanted to take care of him.
However, there's no looking past the fact that The University of Texas just fired the greatest player in school history
“for not demonstrating significant and sustained improvement in the performance of (his) job responsibilities and failing to maintain standards of conduct suitable and acceptable to the university.”
That's just not just embarrassing, it's sloppy.
On the heels of yet another alleged drunk-driving incident, I'm not sure what to think other than he's in complete denial if his tweets and re-tweets over the weekend mean anything at all.
Yup, don't believe those arrest reports. Don't believe the numerous job warnings in his personal file. Don't believe the no-shows on the job. Don't believe anything except that everyone continues to be against him all the time, apparently even the school that worships him to such a degree that it created his ridiculous job position in the first place.
No. 4 - Something for all of us to bird-dog ...
Kudos to Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte for being willing to tackle any subject on Twitter. Here's hoping he finds a way to make this happen.
No. 5 - Humbled ...
After an emphatic sweep over LSU last weekend, the Texas baseball team learned how the other half lives in the final three games of its series against No. 6 Stanford.
As if getting outscored 12-3 over the course of the next 22 innings of baseball and losing two games wasn't bad enough, then the fourth inning on Sunday happened. I'm not sure how long the damn thing officially lasted, but I feel like it must have been an hour, as Stanford dropped a snowman on the Longhorns.
Momma always said there would be days like this, but surely she didn't mean this, right?
What remained after the Longhorns dropped three out of four on the road in Cali this weekend is a team that learned it can't operate at 50-percent if it wants to realize the results from last week every single week. There's no reason for panic or road rage, but it's a reminder that in a long season, highs and lows will exist. This was a low.
With conference play beginning next week, Texas merely needs to dust itself off and move on. Bigger games await.
No. 6 - Almost two weeks to regroup ...
If I'm Karen Aston, I might give my team the next week off to completely recharge before going into the NCAA Tournament.
After losing to Iowa State on Sunday for the second time in a week, the Longhorns just look like a team that has hit the wall with its fourth loss in the last seven games. The Longhorns didn't always play well on Sunday, but they battled all the way until the bitter end, only to get slightly out-executed in the final six minutes of the game.
Go enjoy some SXSW, maybe go home for some love from the family and just forget about basketball for the next week. That should be the memo to the players from Aston because when the NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed next week, this team will have one four-team tournament remaining in an effort to salvage a season that has felt like a lost one of sorts.
However, back to back wins would put this team in the Sweet 16, which would suddenly change some of the value of this season. While it won't be easy (and will almost certainly have to take place away from home), it's not impossible ... just improbable.
No. 7 – BUY or SELL …
BUY or SELL: Texas signs a grad transfer RB between now and the summer?
(Sell) I'm leaning towards the unlikelihood that someone that both becomes available and choses Texas over the rest of the field ... oh ... and they'd also have to be better than what Texas already has.
BUY or SELL: Casey Thompson has to start 1 game and play in at least 2 games due to an injury to Sam?
(Sell) I think it might be safe to say he'll need to make a start at some point in 2019, but I'm not sure Thompson will be asked to win three games for the Longhorns.
BUY or SELL: Mookie Cooper realizes he made a mistake and at some point he recommits to the good guys?
(Sell) These situations rarely work out that way.
BUY or SELL: Chris Beard is the next hoops basketball coach?
(Buy) 2020.
BUY or SELL: We are sitting at 2 DL and 4 OL commits by the end of July. Dorbah, Broughton and Lindberg commit to Texas to reach those numbers?
(Buy) Sure, why not? I think Texas gets all three, so it's only a matter of when.
BUY or SELL: Sam’s tweets last week mean he will go pro after 2019, assuming he has a good junior season? He’s tired of being exploited.
(Sell) He might not believe in the feel-good propaganda that the NCAA pushes as it relates to this discussion, but I don't see the decision after this season impacted greatly by a rush to get away from a system he thinks needs changes.
BUY or SELL: Texas wins the Big 12 and is in the playoffs this year?
(Sell) I can see Texas winning the Big 12, but I'm not sure it means a trip to the playoffs. Texas might still need another year of evolving before that happens.
BUY or SELL: LJH is not going to get drafted, but will sign with Dallas and will replace Cole Beasley?
(Sell) He's going to get drafted in the fifth round.
BUY or SELL: At the end of the epic battle of Winterfell, Jon, Danny, Brienne, Arya, Tormund, Bran, Podrick and Jamie are all dead.
(Sell) Jon lives, Danny dies in child-birth, Brienne lives, Arya dies, Tormund dies, Bran lives, Podrick lives and Jamie dies.
No. 8 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
... Spring is here!
... Ja Morant in the NCAA Tournament has a chance to be a lot of fun.
... It's good to be Antonio Brown, huh? It just goes to show that if you are elite of the elite, you can pretty much do whatever the hell you please and someone will still willingly give you $30 million. Don't hate the playa, hate the game.
... NFL Player Tweet of the Weekend
... A-Rod and J-Low are engaged. Good for them.
... Bryce Harper went to the Mick Foley School of Cutting a Promo...
... I'll take "Things That Would Never Happen in American Football", Alex...
... The final eight weeks worth of Premier League games are going to bananas. Just keep grinding, Reds.
... I didn't know Junior dos Santos still had that in him.
No. 9 - The List: Top 10 UT buzz-names for the spring ...
Here's a look at the names on the Texas roster that I'm predicting will generate the most positive buzz for the next month during spring drills (not including starters from last season):
10. Josh Moore
9. Denzel Okafor
8. Casey Thompson
7. Bru McCoy
6. DeMarvion Overshown
5. Taquan Graham
4. Brennan Eagles
3. Cade Brewer
2. Jalen Green
1. Joseph Ossai
No. 10 – And Finally ...
The Longhorns lost one of their own this weekend with word that former school president Bill Powers passed away at the age of 72.
In a touching note to all Longhorns, current president Greg Fenves wrote, "Bill quoted Margaret Mead, 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” In many ways, that sentence defines Bill Powers. He was one of those thoughtful, committed citizens. He changed UT. He changed Texas. He changed the world.'"
Powerful words.
Rest in peace, Bill.
