Mike Gundy tells CBS Sports ending Longhorn Network is key to Big 12's future

[Plainosooner]

UT has thrown its weight around to the level that it is the primary reason why four schools left the conference. If Texas wants to do what it wants to do, for its own benefit, without any consideration about what it good for the conference as a whole, then it is acting like an independent.

Everyone acts in their own interests. I get that. But most successful institutions understand that if your conference suffers, you suffer also. Being part of any conference means some sort of loyalty. Hard to find much of that coming from Austin.

You've already lost your most important overall historical rivalry with that attitude.

 

[Plainosooner]

The LHN came with a lot of risks, but also was a no brainer for Texas.

Risk - LHN network pisses off other big schools who leave and hurt the BIG12. Result for Texas, milions of incremental dollars.

Risk - LHN network doesn't take off and has trouble with distribution. Result for Texas, millions of incremental dollars.

Risk - Programming is bad, other Schools make fun of LHN. Result for Texas, millions of incremental dollars.

Basically the LHN has been pretty bad in a lot of ways (bad for ESPN, not Texas). But as long as the checks keep coming, it is a huge win for Texas. End of story.

It's not about the dollars. It's about the future of the sport. The elite conferences will have conference networks which will create major added visibility. Without Texas as part of the paradigm, a Big XII Network isn't viable. So ultimately, if the status quo continues, UT will be part of a conference that is using word processors in a personal computer world.

Texas has never shown a particularly good attitude toward the Big XII. But long term, if your conference sucks, it will cost you final fours in football, and NCAA bids in men's basketball. The squawking around here will get pretty loud when that happens.

 

[mm42]

UT has thrown its weight around to the level that it is the primary reason why four schools left the conference. If Texas wants to do what it wants to do, for its own benefit, without any consideration about what it good for the conference as a whole, then it is acting like an independent.

Everyone acts in their own interests. I get that. But most successful institutions understand that if your conference suffers, you suffer also. Being part of any conference means some sort of loyalty. Hard to find much of that coming from Austin.

You've already lost your most important overall historical rivalry with that attitude.

Why should they care? Follow the money. It was a trade off. Texas football has to pay for a lot of other things. I hate Texas as much as you do, but I can't blame them for taking the money. If the Big12 implodes, they will be fine. Why not take the reward now and let the other schools live with the risk. The only reason OU is complaining is that they have options, I don't ever hear of Iowa St. or Kansas St complaining, they know their role. Zero options makes the status quo ok.

 

[Scholz]

Doesn't make Texas wrong, but I think it was obviously a risk.

Again, it wasn't Texas' move. It wasn't Texas' unilateral decision. It was a group decision for members to own their 3rd tier media rights.

 

[mm42]

It's not about the dollars. It's about the future of the sport. The elite conferences will have conference networks which will create major added visibility. Without Texas as part of the paradigm, a Big XII Network isn't viable. So ultimately, if the status quo continues, UT will be part of a conference that is using word processors in a personal computer world.

Texas has never shown a particularly good attitude toward the Big XII. But long term, if your conference sucks, it will cost you final fours in football, and NCAA bids in men's basketball. The squawking around here will get pretty loud when that happens.

Could not disagree more. It is 100% all about the money. And if the Big12 gets too bad, Texas will just leave. They win either way.

 

[Scholz]

UT has thrown its weight around to the level that it is the primary reason why four schools left the conference. If Texas wants to do what it wants to do, for its own benefit, without any consideration about what it good for the conference as a whole, then it is acting like an independent..

Just dishonest and retarded, sorry. Texas doesn't do what it wants without consideration of others. ou has voted the way Texas has every single time too. Just completely uninformed and dishonest statements.

 

[Scholz]

Texas has never shown a particularly good attitude toward the Big XII. But long term, if your conference sucks, it will cost you final fours in football, and NCAA bids in men's basketball. The squawking around here will get pretty loud when that happens.

More dishonest $ooner propaganda. Why because your fat queen of a president doesn't get everything he wants? And you guys just got into the 4-team football playoffs with a loss on your record so the conference is just fine.

 

[mm42]

Again, it wasn't Texas' move. It wasn't Texas' unilateral decision. It was a group decision for members to own their 3rd tier media rights.

Maybe other schools didn't have a conference call with Texas saying this is a great idea, this gives us cover to leave. Maybe they just realized it, and voted in their own interest. The vote might have had a lot more to do with what helped their school, and they didn't really care what Texas did. Again, Texas did nothing wrong.

The little schools were probably thrilled, as it kept daddy around to pay the bills.

 

[Scholz]

Maybe other schools didn't have a conference call with Texas saying this is a great idea, this gives us cover to leave. Maybe they just realized it, and voted in their own interest. The vote might have had a lot more to do with what helped their school, and they didn't really care what Texas did. Again, Texas did nothing wrong.

Maybe you guys. Your president and chancellor certainly used this dishonest line while exiting. aggys were offered a joint tv channel with us too and turned it down. So that's dishonest on your part.

 

[mm42]

More dishonest $ooner propaganda. Why because your fat queen of a president doesn't get everything he wants? And you guys just got into the 4-team football playoffs with a loss on your record so the conference is just fine.

Is this a gay joke? I thought you were pretty PC. Is Boren actually gay?

 

[Scholz]

Is this a gay joke? I thought you were pretty PC. Is Boren actually gay?

Yeah. He is. Male interns.

 

[mm42]

Maybe you guys. Your president and chancellor certainly used this dishonest line while exiting. aggys were offered a joint tv channel with us too and turned it down. So that's dishonest on your part.

Grown ups don't put all their cards on the table before they have to. Do you work in the private sector? No business tells the competition what they want, when the other guy is about to give it to them for free. We had no obligation to tell you not to do this or we will use it as a reason to leave. Texas has done a wonderful job using leverage over the years, that is all that happened in this case.

 

[Scholz]

Our actions? What does that mean? The entire conference voted on the things we do. And ou has voted in lock step with Texas each time. Please expound on this baseless criticism if you can.

Still waiting, Plaino. Saying Texas is mean and throws its weight around doesn't suffice. What specific actions has Texas taken to show it wants to be independent per your statement?

Because ou has voted with UT on every single issue.

 

[mm42]

Yeah. He is. Male interns.

Wow! Learn something every day. I guess boomer sooner doesn't mean what I thought.

 

[Scholz]

Grown ups don't put all their cards on the table before they have to. Do you work in the private sector? No business tells the competition what they want, when the other guy is about to give it to them for free. We had no obligation to tell you not to do this or we will use it as a reason to leave. Texas has done a wonderful job using leverage over the years, that is all that happened in this case.

So when you were taking millions in lopsided payments from the likes of ISU and KU to stay and you were promising them you were going to stay and keep the Big XII together all the while knowing you were leaving, you were secretly planning to blame your underhanded dealing on Texas with a reason you knew wasn't actually the reason? Yes, very adult. And bowtie Bowen and fanboy Sharp were knowing liars about why you were leaving? Yes, that's the way adults should act.

 

[mm42]

So when you were taking millions in lopsided payments from the likes of ISU and KU to stay and you were promising them you were going to stay and keep the Big XII together all the while knowing you were leaving, you were secretly planning to blame your underhanded dealing on Texas with a reason you knew wasn't actually the reason? Yes, very adult. And bowtie Bowen and fanboy Sharp were knowing liars about why you were leaving? Yes, that's the way adults should act.

So I assume the lopsided payments have stopped? I know we all care deeply about ISU and KSU being treated fairly, conference economic equality is obviously very important to both texas and a&m.

 

[Scholz]

No, unequal revenue share still happens. That too was voted on by conference members. I'm talking about those extra million dollar shares of tv money a&m was afforded in 2010 while you were here at the end while you were promising to stay. Payoffs that you took saying you would stay. Knowing you were leaving. That's dishonest.

Yes, we care about the Big XII. We stayed and kept it together.

 

[cwillfromdatx]

UT has thrown its weight around to the level that it is the primary reason why four schools left the conference. If Texas wants to do what it wants to do, for its own benefit, without any consideration about what it good for the conference as a whole, then it is acting like an independent.

Everyone acts in their own interests. I get that. But most successful institutions understand that if your conference suffers, you suffer also. Being part of any conference means some sort of loyalty. Hard to find much of that coming from Austin.

You've already lost your most important overall historical rivalry with that attitude.

Let's get this clear. You guys voted for it but now you don't agree with it? Hmmm, weird. Do you guys share your little network profits with other schools? I don't hear no other schools complaining. I want everyone to know that this conference will not have a network, Period. There is no major markets except for Texas and the OKC. If the Big 12 took FSU, Mia, Clem and VT. You could see a network get formed. More eyes on the product. We don't have that with a ISU, KU, KSU and even WV, TT, TCU and Bay doesn't bring much. Have to get some big fish first

 

[mm42]

No, unequal revenue share still happens. That too was voted on by conference members. I'm talking about those extra million dollar shares of tv money a&m was afforded in 2010 while you were here at the end while you were promising to stay. Payoffs that you took saying you would stay. Knowing you were leaving. That's dishonest.

Yes, we care about the Big XII. We stayed and kept it together.

I'd be impressed if we actually knew we were leaving. Maybe we were that strategic, but I'm not so sure. We were either less than honest or less than smart. I could be convinced of either. Maybe we just lucked out, that seems the most likely to me.
If we were dishonest , we were really smart about it. I can live with it either way. We follow the money like everyone else.

 

[Scholz]

You were dishonest. Bowen's and Byrne's meetings with Mike Slive came to light well before you dishonestly took the money promising to stay, knowing you were leaving.

"Following the money" does not excuse being bald faced liars about it. It's not THAT you left, it's HOW you left. And lying to business partners is not "smart" or "adult". It's just dishonest dealings with other people.

 

[Scholz]

And, dude, you've as much as admitted that TLN wasn't the real reason a&m left anyway, just a dishonest cover story your fans and administration still use.

 

[Plainosooner]

Let's get this clear. You guys voted for it but now you don't agree with it? Hmmm, weird. Do you guys share your little network profits with other schools? I don't hear no other schools complaining. I want everyone to know that this conference will not have a network, Period. There is no major markets except for Texas and the OKC. If the Big 12 took FSU, Mia, Clem and VT. You could see a network get formed. More eyes on the product. We don't have that with a ISU, KU, KSU and even WV, TT, TCU and Bay doesn't bring much. Have to get some big fish first

OU is doing just fine, thank you. I saw some online list of last year's income for athletic departments. Now it only included state schools, but we were 7th. Not too bad for a state with a lower census than just DFW. Texas made more, but that is not the point. Both schools benefit from a stronger conference.

I think it shows a lot that OU is leading the way in finding a way for a XII Network happen for the good of all.

And UT is fighting it. That old parable from WWII about when the Nazis came for others, and I did nothing is worth considering. Standing togethet is an important ideal.

And no. I am not calling u nazis.

 

[Plainosooner]

You were dishonest. Bowen's and Byrne's meetings with Mike Slive came to light well before you dishonestly took the money promising to stay, knowing you were leaving.

"Following the money" does not excuse being bald faced liars about it. It's not THAT you left, it's HOW you left. And lying to business partners is not "smart" or "adult". It's just dishonest dealings with other people.

I didn't leave. Neither did my school. I am in crimson, not maroon.

 

[Scholz]

I didn't leave. Neither did my school. I am in crimson, not maroon.

I realize that. I wasn't talking to you. That post was directed at MM who is an aggy.

 

[Scholz]

I think it shows a lot that OU is leading the way in finding a way for a XII Network happen for the good of all.

Now I'm talking to you. You mean like when you guys voted against having a Big XII network happen? So you could do your own deal? Like that?

And UT is fighting it.

UT is living up to the rules the conference put in place. Boren is just mad that we came out a lot better in the respective deals we made with our 3rd tier rights and now he wants a do over. That's really what's going on here, not some ou altruism for the good of the conference.

 

[BringBackRoyal]

Maybe it was just the media/political cover others were looking for. Doesn't make Texas wrong, but I think it was obviously a risk.

Now you're getting it.

 

[Scholz]

Still waiting, Plaino. Saying Texas is mean and throws its weight around doesn't suffice. What specific actions has Texas taken to show it wants to be independent per your statement?

Because ou has voted with UT on every single issue.

Still waiting, Plaino.

 

[BringBackRoyal]

UT has thrown its weight around to the level that it is the primary reason why four schools left the conference.

This is so, so far from reality. Please inform yourself rather than be a dupe that slurps up the self-serving narrative offered up by schools who made perfectly rational decisions to chase more money in demographically much more well-endowed conferences. Any intelligent person who understands the forces at work in conference realignment over the last quarter century would not entertain this laughable bullsh*t for even a second.

You've already lost your most important overall historical rivalry with that attitude.

Our most important historical rivalry is not with aggy. And we could have continued playing those turds if we had wanted to anyway. We didn't lose anything.

 

[outhereincali]

UT has thrown its weight around to the level that it is the primary reason why four schools left the conference. If Texas wants to do what it wants to do, for its own benefit, without any consideration about what it good for the conference as a whole, then it is acting like an independent.

Everyone acts in their own interests. I get that. But most successful institutions understand that if your conference suffers, you suffer also. Being part of any conference means some sort of loyalty. Hard to find much of that coming from Austin.

You've already lost your most important overall historical rivalry with that attitude.

I renspect your op except for the last sentence. In comparison to the RRR, a&m game was a red head step child kind of rivalry. Cmon you're a sooner, you especially should know this.

 

[Scholz]

Please inform yourself rather than be a dupe...

Way too many of these incurious, gullible types in this country.

 

[Plainosooner]

Now I'm talking to you. You mean like when you guys voted against having a Big XII network happen? So you could do your own deal? Like that?


UT is living up to the rules the conference put in place. Boren is just mad that we came out a lot better in the respective deals we made with our 3rd tier rights and now he wants a do over. That's really what's going on here, not some ou altruism for the good of the conference.

I don't believe that is true. I also see that getting Orangebloods to consider what might be the best thing for the conference is a dead end argument.

But that makes it the right argument for why UT should be an independent.

 

[Scholz]

I don't believe that is true. I also see that getting Orangebloods to consider what might be the best thing for the conference is a dead end argument.

But that makes it the right argument for why UT should be an independent.

What's not true? That ou voted against a network tv deal? You're welcome to your own opinion just not your own set of facts.

I guess I'll give up asking you to back up your statements since you obviously won't. Guess that's the new America. Facts are meaningless.

 

[mm42]

And, dude, you've as much as admitted that TLN wasn't the real reason a&m left anyway, just a dishonest cover story your fans and administration still use.

I have no inside info, but that is what I think. If not, we were just incredibly stupid and lucky.

I believe we signed up with the 3rd tier rights agreement guessing it would give us political/media cover to get out of dodge. I don't believe we could have separated from you guys without the LHN. We played along as if we were staying, to prevent others from spinning the story first. Then after you guys announced the LHN, we had our out. It seems pretty obvious to me, but I'm just guessing.

 

[Scholz]

You don't think it would've been possible for a&m to go to the $EC honestly? To just say "best interests, more money, 100-year plan" etc...? Why not? Why be complete lying dicks on the way out of the door?

 

[mm42]

You don't think it would've been possible for a&m to go to the $EC honestly? To just say "best interests, more money, 100-year plan" etc...? Why not? Why be complete lying dicks on the way out of the door?

They would have let us go with other state schools, but not alone.
State universities receive money from the state. The state legislature has a lot of horns, bears, and red raiders. I believe that many were smart enough to understand A&M leaving the Big12 for the SEC would be a huge blow to the state's conference. The SEC recruits high end Texas talent as well if not better than the big12 now.
This 6 page thread 4 years later shows that the Big12 is in trouble. I don't think they would have just let us go. See OU and OSU.

And best of all, everyone blames UT. Seems reasonable to me. Or again, maybe we were just lucky.