So I'm reading Ketch's 10 Thoughts and I see the stat. It's a simple yet powerful one. Texas is the first SEC team to win the Directors Cup. It got me wondering if any other SEC program has been close. The list...is not long. We'll get there. But first, the recap.
The Director's Cup was started in 1993 to find out whose athletic program was the best. They've got one for D2, D3, and so on. In D1, it's based on 19 sports results. Everybody has to count baseball, men's and women's hoops, and women's volleyball. After that, each school's next highest finishing 15 sports are counted. North Carolina won the first one in D1. Then Stanford took over and most sports fans forgot about it. Stanford won 25 in a row. You read that right. 25 straight. The only thing that stopped them was COVID. And once COVID forced Stanford to remove some sports, something happened. Texas happened. UT has now won 4 of the last 5 Director's Cups (Stanford's 26th happened in 2023). And, of course, this last one is in the first year of SEC play. So I guess The Horns can hang after all.
Now I know the SEC can pretend it only cares about football and baseball, but you know if Bama, LSU, OU, or A&M won this thing, you'd never hear the end of it. So how close has the SEC come? Let's take a look.
All current SEC members will be considered.
How many have had top 10 finishes? In the first 30 Director's Cups, OU has had 1 top 10 finish. Yup, just one. Bama, Arkansas, and KY have 2 each. Tennessee has 4, and LSU and A&M each have 7 top 10 finishes. Georgia has 12. Texas has 25. In fact, there is only one SEC school with more top 10 finishes than Texas. Florida.
They have 30. In fact, if you can find the full top 10 from this year and they're on it, they'll have 31. That's every year in the top 10. Pretty impressive. But they never won it. The Gators do have 11 top 3 finishes, also tops among SEC schools. Georgia has 2. Tennessee has 1. Texas has 9 top 3's and those 4 wins.
And before this season, I guess the folks in Athens, Gainesville, T- Town, and elsewhere could say "well that's in the Big 12. Just wait until they face SEC competition". The '25 Director's Cup puts everyone on notice. Texas just did THAT...in the SEC. In fact, Texas won 8 SEC tourney or regular season titles across all sports. The next closest team was South Carolina with 4. Wow. They're doing what Florida has done, but finishing the job. And no other SEC program is even within discussion distance. Oh, and Arch Manning hasn't even taken a snap as QB1 yet. How could the SEC not be freaked out? Maybe just a little? In a conference with a few brands that cast a shadow, CDC and Texas feel different than the rest. Now imagine if Sean Miller is decent and Sark figures out the red zone.
* A Reminder to Music Fans...
I just saw Metallica and Heart on back to back nights in 2025 and something stuck out. Guitars and drums can last a long time, but the vocal instrument is a fragile one. If you love an artist known for a big voice of some kind, see them while you can. See them in their prime if possible. But the clock is ticking with every song delivered.
Ann Wilson of Heart is a legend. It was an honor to see her. She has fought through weight issues in the past and cancer in the last year. She bravely got on that stage in Cedar Park and gave us a taste of the magic at age 74. I felt it in bursts during "Magic Man", "Crazy on You", and "Barracuda". Was it full power? No. But did she fire a few fast balls to remind you who the hell she is? Yes. Thank you Ann. I wish I could go back and catch the "Bad Animals" tour and really hear you scream it out.
I used to just wish for the past in those situations. Now that I am older too, I appreciate the journey and the effort as well.
Y'all keep on rockin' in the free world and, if it's your thing, find a concert that moves you. It's one of my favorite things in the world.
* - Sinus & Snoring Specialists
They've added a new physician at S&S, Dr. Ryan Salvador.
He's got over a decade of experience in California and brings incredible knowledge and energy to the practice. With Dr. Salvador on board, they’re now able to offer even more new patient availability, plus early morning and late afternoon appointments to better fit people’s busy schedules. They also just added MODA insurance to their list of accepted insurances.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, allergies, sinus issues, or all of the above, check out Sinus & Snoring.
Sinus & Snoring Specialists
512-601-0303 (secure calls and texts)
www.sinussnoringent.com
Tell 'em you heard about it on OB.com or OB Live, or mention my name.
The Director's Cup was started in 1993 to find out whose athletic program was the best. They've got one for D2, D3, and so on. In D1, it's based on 19 sports results. Everybody has to count baseball, men's and women's hoops, and women's volleyball. After that, each school's next highest finishing 15 sports are counted. North Carolina won the first one in D1. Then Stanford took over and most sports fans forgot about it. Stanford won 25 in a row. You read that right. 25 straight. The only thing that stopped them was COVID. And once COVID forced Stanford to remove some sports, something happened. Texas happened. UT has now won 4 of the last 5 Director's Cups (Stanford's 26th happened in 2023). And, of course, this last one is in the first year of SEC play. So I guess The Horns can hang after all.
Now I know the SEC can pretend it only cares about football and baseball, but you know if Bama, LSU, OU, or A&M won this thing, you'd never hear the end of it. So how close has the SEC come? Let's take a look.
All current SEC members will be considered.
How many have had top 10 finishes? In the first 30 Director's Cups, OU has had 1 top 10 finish. Yup, just one. Bama, Arkansas, and KY have 2 each. Tennessee has 4, and LSU and A&M each have 7 top 10 finishes. Georgia has 12. Texas has 25. In fact, there is only one SEC school with more top 10 finishes than Texas. Florida.
They have 30. In fact, if you can find the full top 10 from this year and they're on it, they'll have 31. That's every year in the top 10. Pretty impressive. But they never won it. The Gators do have 11 top 3 finishes, also tops among SEC schools. Georgia has 2. Tennessee has 1. Texas has 9 top 3's and those 4 wins.
And before this season, I guess the folks in Athens, Gainesville, T- Town, and elsewhere could say "well that's in the Big 12. Just wait until they face SEC competition". The '25 Director's Cup puts everyone on notice. Texas just did THAT...in the SEC. In fact, Texas won 8 SEC tourney or regular season titles across all sports. The next closest team was South Carolina with 4. Wow. They're doing what Florida has done, but finishing the job. And no other SEC program is even within discussion distance. Oh, and Arch Manning hasn't even taken a snap as QB1 yet. How could the SEC not be freaked out? Maybe just a little? In a conference with a few brands that cast a shadow, CDC and Texas feel different than the rest. Now imagine if Sean Miller is decent and Sark figures out the red zone.
* A Reminder to Music Fans...
I just saw Metallica and Heart on back to back nights in 2025 and something stuck out. Guitars and drums can last a long time, but the vocal instrument is a fragile one. If you love an artist known for a big voice of some kind, see them while you can. See them in their prime if possible. But the clock is ticking with every song delivered.
Ann Wilson of Heart is a legend. It was an honor to see her. She has fought through weight issues in the past and cancer in the last year. She bravely got on that stage in Cedar Park and gave us a taste of the magic at age 74. I felt it in bursts during "Magic Man", "Crazy on You", and "Barracuda". Was it full power? No. But did she fire a few fast balls to remind you who the hell she is? Yes. Thank you Ann. I wish I could go back and catch the "Bad Animals" tour and really hear you scream it out.
I used to just wish for the past in those situations. Now that I am older too, I appreciate the journey and the effort as well.
Y'all keep on rockin' in the free world and, if it's your thing, find a concert that moves you. It's one of my favorite things in the world.
* - Sinus & Snoring Specialists
They've added a new physician at S&S, Dr. Ryan Salvador.
He's got over a decade of experience in California and brings incredible knowledge and energy to the practice. With Dr. Salvador on board, they’re now able to offer even more new patient availability, plus early morning and late afternoon appointments to better fit people’s busy schedules. They also just added MODA insurance to their list of accepted insurances.
If you suffer from sleep apnea, allergies, sinus issues, or all of the above, check out Sinus & Snoring.
Sinus & Snoring Specialists
512-601-0303 (secure calls and texts)
www.sinussnoringent.com
Tell 'em you heard about it on OB.com or OB Live, or mention my name.
