(06-02-2018 02:23 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(06-02-2018 10:37 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  What they really need is to to paired in a bowl game or both invited to a neutral site game to break the ice.

Revenue-wise it makes sense for this game to happen annually because both teams stand to benefit financially with gate receipts and it good for both conference's tv packages.

That could have happened last year at the Texas Bowl. But neither school wanted it so Missouri went to Texas to play the Longhorns while A&M went to Belk Bowl in Charlotte

For a mid-level bowl, that would have been epic.

(06-02-2018 10:31 AM)ken d Wrote:  Most of Texas' future opponents are either home/home (P5) or 2/1 (USF, Rice). But the Horns are scheduled to play @Arkansas in 2021 with no return game shown on future schedules. How did the Razorbacks pull that off?

Pretty sure that’s just a delayed return game for 2008 that was basically a can that kept getting kicked further down the road.

(06-02-2018 02:23 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(06-02-2018 10:37 AM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  What they really need is to to paired in a bowl game or both invited to a neutral site game to break the ice.

Revenue-wise it makes sense for this game to happen annually because both teams stand to benefit financially with gate receipts and it good for both conference's tv packages.

That could have happened last year at the Texas Bowl. But neither school wanted it so Missouri went to Texas to play the Longhorns while A&M went to Belk Bowl in Charlotte

A&M has had three chances to match up with UT or Tech in that bowl game over the past few years- each time the SEC office (who wrote clauses in their bowl contracts to help pick who goes where) sent them somewhere else when a Texas team was available.

So it’s not really A&M or UT ducking it but rather the league office hand picking bowl matchups with win probability, recruiting perceptions, and some finances in mind.

A&M had just been to the Texas Bowl the year before and the SEC prioritizes not sending schools to repeat bowl games.

(06-04-2018 03:18 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  A&M had just been to the Texas Bowl the year before and the SEC prioritizes not sending schools to repeat bowl games.

That might explain 2017 but does nothing to address 2014 or 2015. Either way it’s smart by the SEC office to get that in writing as it lets the league pick favorable situations overall. However it also means they shoulder a good portion of why the Aggies don’t face Texas teams in bowls despite multiple chances so far.

The Big 12 has less say on who goes where and the bowls have more.

Either way the idea that either school is ducking a bowl matchup isn’t supported by evidence that I’ve seen.

(06-02-2018 10:31 AM)ken d Wrote:  Most of Texas' future opponents are either home/home (P5) or 2/1 (USF, Rice). But the Horns are scheduled to play @Arkansas in 2021 with no return game shown on future schedules. How did the Razorbacks pull that off?

It was a home/home series, Texas hosted in 2008, but asked to move the return leg twice due to them scheduling other P5 schools.

(06-04-2018 03:52 PM)1845 Bear Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:18 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  A&M had just been to the Texas Bowl the year before and the SEC prioritizes not sending schools to repeat bowl games.

That might explain 2017 but does nothing to address 2014 or 2015. Either way it’s smart by the SEC office to get that in writing as it lets the league pick favorable situations overall. However it also means they shoulder a good portion of why the Aggies don’t face Texas teams in bowls despite multiple chances so far.

The Big 12 has less say on who goes where and the bowls have more.

Either way the idea that either school is ducking a bowl matchup isn’t supported by evidence that I’ve seen.

The SEC listens to its schools in determining bowl pairings outside of the CFP and top money bowls. They aren't looking for favorable match ups. Most of the time we play up to the next level of competition because the best school or schools are CFP bound.

The Big 12 is great at excuse making for its over all lack of on field success. It's always the SEC's favorable schedule, but yet in the CFP your top entrants have been regularly beaten. I suppose if the SEC wins the Big 12 basketball challenge again this year that Texas will look for a way out of it and it will be blamed on the SEC as well.

The reason I replied is that this story line, and that's what it is, has been rehashed year after year and it just has gotten very old. At least the Big 10 guys don't make excuses when they lose. And while the ACC practices apologetic for their revenue they don't make many excuses for losses either. The PAC folks never have that I can remember going back to the 50's. But Texas particularly has engaged in the "we was robbed or jobbed" garbage. Oklahoma not so much. The Okies do a good job of taking their losses in stride. But as Texas whines, so whines the Big 12.

The message for Texas is pretty clear. If you want a title then go out and win it. If you get your butt kicked you need to take it like men and make sure it doesn't happen again. Texas is the wealthiest athletic program in the nation or close to it just about every year. There are no excuses for their losses in any sport. They have the most money, one of the nations top recruiting areas to dominate, and they still can't get it done.

So Bear 1845 there is no vast conspiracy against the Horns or the Big 12. The on field results says it all. Texas has just spent over a decade in the doldrums and it's nobody's fault but their own. But when one of your top brands doesn't carry the conference flag it affects everyone. That's the long and the short of it. And in the case of Texas playing or not playing A&M it has pretty much been tit for tat between the two of them. The SEC isn't dodging anyone, least of all the danged polled Longhorns.

(06-06-2018 03:50 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:52 PM)1845 Bear Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:18 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  A&M had just been to the Texas Bowl the year before and the SEC prioritizes not sending schools to repeat bowl games.

That might explain 2017 but does nothing to address 2014 or 2015. Either way it’s smart by the SEC office to get that in writing as it lets the league pick favorable situations overall. However it also means they shoulder a good portion of why the Aggies don’t face Texas teams in bowls despite multiple chances so far.

The Big 12 has less say on who goes where and the bowls have more.

Either way the idea that either school is ducking a bowl matchup isn’t supported by evidence that I’ve seen.

The SEC listens to its schools in determining bowl pairings outside of the CFP and top money bowls. They aren't looking for favorable match ups. Most of the time we play up to the next level of competition because the best school or schools are CFP bound.

The Big 12 is great at excuse making for its over all lack of on field success. It's always the SEC's favorable schedule, but yet in the CFP your top entrants have been regularly beaten. I suppose if the SEC wins the Big 12 basketball challenge again this year that Texas will look for a way out of it and it will be blamed on the SEC as well.

The reason I replied is that this story line, and that's what it is, has been rehashed year after year and it just has gotten very old. At least the Big 10 guys don't make excuses when they lose. And while the ACC practices apologetic for their revenue they don't make many excuses for losses either. The PAC folks never have that I can remember going back to the 50's. But Texas particularly has engaged in the "we was robbed or jobbed" garbage. Oklahoma not so much. The Okies do a good job of taking their losses in stride. But as Texas whines, so whines the Big 12.

The message for Texas is pretty clear. If you want a title then go out and win it. If you get your butt kicked you need to take it like men and make sure it doesn't happen again. Texas is the wealthiest athletic program in the nation or close to it just about every year. There are no excuses for their losses in any sport. They have the most money, one of the nations top recruiting areas to dominate, and they still can't get it done.

So Bear 1845 there is no vast conspiracy against the Horns or the Big 12. The on field results says it all. Texas has just spent over a decade in the doldrums and it's nobody's fault but their own. But when one of your top brands doesn't carry the conference flag it affects everyone. That's the long and the short of it. And in the case of Texas playing or not playing A&M it has pretty much been tit for tat between the two of them. The SEC isn't dodging anyone, least of all the danged polled Longhorns.

No clue where you are coming from-conferences with winning records are in bold:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E2%80...bowl_games
Bowl record by conference
Conference Bowls Record Final AP Poll
SEC 11 5–6 (0.455) 5
ACC 10 4–6 (0.400) 4
Conference USA 9 4–5 (0.444) 0
Pac-12 9 1–8 (0.111) 3
Big Ten 8 7–1 (0.875) 5
Big 12 8 5–3 (0.625) 3
American 7 4–3 (0.571) 3
Mountain West 6 3–3 (0.500) 1
MAC 5 1–4 (0.200) 0
Sun Belt 5 4–1 (0.800) 0
Independents 2 2–0 (1.000) 1

(06-06-2018 08:17 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(06-06-2018 03:50 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:52 PM)1845 Bear Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:18 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  A&M had just been to the Texas Bowl the year before and the SEC prioritizes not sending schools to repeat bowl games.

That might explain 2017 but does nothing to address 2014 or 2015. Either way it’s smart by the SEC office to get that in writing as it lets the league pick favorable situations overall. However it also means they shoulder a good portion of why the Aggies don’t face Texas teams in bowls despite multiple chances so far.

The Big 12 has less say on who goes where and the bowls have more.

Either way the idea that either school is ducking a bowl matchup isn’t supported by evidence that I’ve seen.

The SEC listens to its schools in determining bowl pairings outside of the CFP and top money bowls. They aren't looking for favorable match ups. Most of the time we play up to the next level of competition because the best school or schools are CFP bound.

The Big 12 is great at excuse making for its over all lack of on field success. It's always the SEC's favorable schedule, but yet in the CFP your top entrants have been regularly beaten. I suppose if the SEC wins the Big 12 basketball challenge again this year that Texas will look for a way out of it and it will be blamed on the SEC as well.

The reason I replied is that this story line, and that's what it is, has been rehashed year after year and it just has gotten very old. At least the Big 10 guys don't make excuses when they lose. And while the ACC practices apologetic for their revenue they don't make many excuses for losses either. The PAC folks never have that I can remember going back to the 50's. But Texas particularly has engaged in the "we was robbed or jobbed" garbage. Oklahoma not so much. The Okies do a good job of taking their losses in stride. But as Texas whines, so whines the Big 12.

The message for Texas is pretty clear. If you want a title then go out and win it. If you get your butt kicked you need to take it like men and make sure it doesn't happen again. Texas is the wealthiest athletic program in the nation or close to it just about every year. There are no excuses for their losses in any sport. They have the most money, one of the nations top recruiting areas to dominate, and they still can't get it done.

So Bear 1845 there is no vast conspiracy against the Horns or the Big 12. The on field results says it all. Texas has just spent over a decade in the doldrums and it's nobody's fault but their own. But when one of your top brands doesn't carry the conference flag it affects everyone. That's the long and the short of it. And in the case of Texas playing or not playing A&M it has pretty much been tit for tat between the two of them. The SEC isn't dodging anyone, least of all the danged polled Longhorns.

No clue where you are coming from-conferences with winning records are in bold:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E2%80...bowl_games
Bowl record by conference
Conference Bowls Record Final AP Poll
SEC 11 5–6 (0.455) 5
ACC 10 4–6 (0.400) 4
Conference USA 9 4–5 (0.444) 0
Pac-12 9 1–8 (0.111) 3
Big Ten 8 7–1 (0.875) 5
Big 12 8 5–3 (0.625) 3
American 7 4–3 (0.571) 3
Mountain West 6 3–3 (0.500) 1
MAC 5 1–4 (0.200) 0
Sun Belt 5 4–1 (0.800) 0
Independents 2 2–0 (1.000) 1

I'm speaking of championships Bullet, not participation prizes. Who gives a hoot about the non championship bowls except for the individual school. Those are the meaningless statistics that those who lose the ultimate prize clamor to illustrate proving over and over that statistics are for losers. Those bowl records never record how many schools were playing without key coaches, after a debilitating season ending loss, playing without key players who are protecting their draft status against injuries, or teams that playing depleted of their starters due to injuries accumulated during the regular season, or a playing some opponent they just don't give a rip about and the coaches have made the bowl trip to give the kids a vacation in a nice location. In the BCS era all that mattered was the crystal football. In the CFP era all that matters is winning it all. Do you think the Washington Huskies Softball team is basking in the overall success of the PAC 12 in the WCWS tournament this year? Hell no! The only thing that mattered was won by Florida State.

Texas has hurt the Big 12 in multiple ways. By having the LHN they limit the exposure of the other schools compared to that exposure gleaned on the BTN or SECN or even PACN. And by being an underachiever they have robbed some excellent T.C.U. and even Baylor squads of due consideration and even taken away from the luster of some stellar Oklahoma runs.

Nobody who ever played the game and lost out on a championship will ever brag about their stats. It's laughable. They'll talk about what might have been and great plays they were involved in. But they won't say, "Well Clemson beat the crap out of us but really we were the best team because Kansas State beat the also ran from the SEC and our lower placing teams finished with a better bowl record."

You should be ashamed for even putting forth that lame argument.

The long and the short of this thread is that Texas didn't want to play A&M while they were down, and A&M didn't want to dispel their perceived SEC advantage in recruiting by risking a loss to Texas. So it was a Texican stand off for all of the worst reasons. And unfortunately the real losers of these to massive egos is that the people of Texas lost a game they loved. Texas will want to play this game again when they think they are likely to win it. A&M will play it again when they are forced to. Texans! Always looking to job the system. That's why I took umbrage to Bear's remarks. It isn't about the SEC office. We would all make more money if the danged game was played, even as a bowl. But we are all stuck with two massive egos who afraid of being bruised, so no game.

(06-06-2018 03:50 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:52 PM)1845 Bear Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:18 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  A&M had just been to the Texas Bowl the year before and the SEC prioritizes not sending schools to repeat bowl games.

That might explain 2017 but does nothing to address 2014 or 2015. Either way it’s smart by the SEC office to get that in writing as it lets the league pick favorable situations overall. However it also means they shoulder a good portion of why the Aggies don’t face Texas teams in bowls despite multiple chances so far.

The Big 12 has less say on who goes where and the bowls have more.

Either way the idea that either school is ducking a bowl matchup isn’t supported by evidence that I’ve seen.

The SEC listens to its schools in determining bowl pairings outside of the CFP and top money bowls. They aren't looking for favorable match ups. Most of the time we play up to the next level of competition because the best school or schools are CFP bound.

The Big 12 is great at excuse making for its over all lack of on field success. It's always the SEC's favorable schedule, but yet in the CFP your top entrants have been regularly beaten. I suppose if the SEC wins the Big 12 basketball challenge again this year that Texas will look for a way out of it and it will be blamed on the SEC as well.

The reason I replied is that this story line, and that's what it is, has been rehashed year after year and it just has gotten very old. At least the Big 10 guys don't make excuses when they lose. And while the ACC practices apologetic for their revenue they don't make many excuses for losses either. The PAC folks never have that I can remember going back to the 50's. But Texas particularly has engaged in the "we was robbed or jobbed" garbage. Oklahoma not so much. The Okies do a good job of taking their losses in stride. But as Texas whines, so whines the Big 12.

The message for Texas is pretty clear. If you want a title then go out and win it. If you get your butt kicked you need to take it like men and make sure it doesn't happen again. Texas is the wealthiest athletic program in the nation or close to it just about every year. There are no excuses for their losses in any sport. They have the most money, one of the nations top recruiting areas to dominate, and they still can't get it done.

So Bear 1845 there is no vast conspiracy against the Horns or the Big 12. The on field results says it all. Texas has just spent over a decade in the doldrums and it's nobody's fault but their own. But when one of your top brands doesn't carry the conference flag it affects everyone. That's the long and the short of it. And in the case of Texas playing or not playing A&M it has pretty much been tit for tat between the two of them. The SEC isn't dodging anyone, least of all the danged polled Longhorns.

I’m not arguing conspiracy, I’m simply saying the SEC has say in who goes where and has repeatedly avoided placing A&M against other Texas teams despite at least three reasonable chances.

(06-07-2018 07:32 PM)1845 Bear Wrote:  

(06-06-2018 03:50 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:52 PM)1845 Bear Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:18 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  A&M had just been to the Texas Bowl the year before and the SEC prioritizes not sending schools to repeat bowl games.

That might explain 2017 but does nothing to address 2014 or 2015. Either way it’s smart by the SEC office to get that in writing as it lets the league pick favorable situations overall. However it also means they shoulder a good portion of why the Aggies don’t face Texas teams in bowls despite multiple chances so far.

The Big 12 has less say on who goes where and the bowls have more.

Either way the idea that either school is ducking a bowl matchup isn’t supported by evidence that I’ve seen.

The SEC listens to its schools in determining bowl pairings outside of the CFP and top money bowls. They aren't looking for favorable match ups. Most of the time we play up to the next level of competition because the best school or schools are CFP bound.

The Big 12 is great at excuse making for its over all lack of on field success. It's always the SEC's favorable schedule, but yet in the CFP your top entrants have been regularly beaten. I suppose if the SEC wins the Big 12 basketball challenge again this year that Texas will look for a way out of it and it will be blamed on the SEC as well.

The reason I replied is that this story line, and that's what it is, has been rehashed year after year and it just has gotten very old. At least the Big 10 guys don't make excuses when they lose. And while the ACC practices apologetic for their revenue they don't make many excuses for losses either. The PAC folks never have that I can remember going back to the 50's. But Texas particularly has engaged in the "we was robbed or jobbed" garbage. Oklahoma not so much. The Okies do a good job of taking their losses in stride. But as Texas whines, so whines the Big 12.

The message for Texas is pretty clear. If you want a title then go out and win it. If you get your butt kicked you need to take it like men and make sure it doesn't happen again. Texas is the wealthiest athletic program in the nation or close to it just about every year. There are no excuses for their losses in any sport. They have the most money, one of the nations top recruiting areas to dominate, and they still can't get it done.

So Bear 1845 there is no vast conspiracy against the Horns or the Big 12. The on field results says it all. Texas has just spent over a decade in the doldrums and it's nobody's fault but their own. But when one of your top brands doesn't carry the conference flag it affects everyone. That's the long and the short of it. And in the case of Texas playing or not playing A&M it has pretty much been tit for tat between the two of them. The SEC isn't dodging anyone, least of all the danged polled Longhorns.

I’m not arguing conspiracy, I’m simply saying the SEC has say in who goes where and has repeatedly avoided placing A&M against other Texas teams despite at least three reasonable chances.

And I'm saying the SEC has more to gain by A&M playing those games and that it is likely A&M's disinclination that has led to the decisions.

(06-06-2018 11:31 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(06-06-2018 08:17 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(06-06-2018 03:50 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:52 PM)1845 Bear Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:18 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  A&M had just been to the Texas Bowl the year before and the SEC prioritizes not sending schools to repeat bowl games.

That might explain 2017 but does nothing to address 2014 or 2015. Either way it’s smart by the SEC office to get that in writing as it lets the league pick favorable situations overall. However it also means they shoulder a good portion of why the Aggies don’t face Texas teams in bowls despite multiple chances so far.

The Big 12 has less say on who goes where and the bowls have more.

Either way the idea that either school is ducking a bowl matchup isn’t supported by evidence that I’ve seen.

The SEC listens to its schools in determining bowl pairings outside of the CFP and top money bowls. They aren't looking for favorable match ups. Most of the time we play up to the next level of competition because the best school or schools are CFP bound.

The Big 12 is great at excuse making for its over all lack of on field success. It's always the SEC's favorable schedule, but yet in the CFP your top entrants have been regularly beaten. I suppose if the SEC wins the Big 12 basketball challenge again this year that Texas will look for a way out of it and it will be blamed on the SEC as well.

The reason I replied is that this story line, and that's what it is, has been rehashed year after year and it just has gotten very old. At least the Big 10 guys don't make excuses when they lose. And while the ACC practices apologetic for their revenue they don't make many excuses for losses either. The PAC folks never have that I can remember going back to the 50's. But Texas particularly has engaged in the "we was robbed or jobbed" garbage. Oklahoma not so much. The Okies do a good job of taking their losses in stride. But as Texas whines, so whines the Big 12.

The message for Texas is pretty clear. If you want a title then go out and win it. If you get your butt kicked you need to take it like men and make sure it doesn't happen again. Texas is the wealthiest athletic program in the nation or close to it just about every year. There are no excuses for their losses in any sport. They have the most money, one of the nations top recruiting areas to dominate, and they still can't get it done.

So Bear 1845 there is no vast conspiracy against the Horns or the Big 12. The on field results says it all. Texas has just spent over a decade in the doldrums and it's nobody's fault but their own. But when one of your top brands doesn't carry the conference flag it affects everyone. That's the long and the short of it. And in the case of Texas playing or not playing A&M it has pretty much been tit for tat between the two of them. The SEC isn't dodging anyone, least of all the danged polled Longhorns.

No clue where you are coming from-conferences with winning records are in bold:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E2%80...bowl_games
Bowl record by conference
Conference Bowls Record Final AP Poll
SEC 11 5–6 (0.455) 5
ACC 10 4–6 (0.400) 4
Conference USA 9 4–5 (0.444) 0
Pac-12 9 1–8 (0.111) 3
Big Ten 8 7–1 (0.875) 5
Big 12 8 5–3 (0.625) 3
American 7 4–3 (0.571) 3
Mountain West 6 3–3 (0.500) 1
MAC 5 1–4 (0.200) 0
Sun Belt 5 4–1 (0.800) 0
Independents 2 2–0 (1.000) 1

I'm speaking of championships Bullet, not participation prizes. Who gives a hoot about the non championship bowls except for the individual school. Those are the meaningless statistics that those who lose the ultimate prize clamor to illustrate proving over and over that statistics are for losers. Those bowl records never record how many schools were playing without key coaches, after a debilitating season ending loss, playing without key players who are protecting their draft status against injuries, or teams that playing depleted of their starters due to injuries accumulated during the regular season, or a playing some opponent they just don't give a rip about and the coaches have made the bowl trip to give the kids a vacation in a nice location. In the BCS era all that mattered was the crystal football. In the CFP era all that matters is winning it all. Do you think the Washington Huskies Softball team is basking in the overall success of the PAC 12 in the WCWS tournament this year? Hell no! The only thing that mattered was won by Florida State.

Texas has hurt the Big 12 in multiple ways. By having the LHN they limit the exposure of the other schools compared to that exposure gleaned on the BTN or SECN or even PACN. And by being an underachiever they have robbed some excellent T.C.U. and even Baylor squads of due consideration and even taken away from the luster of some stellar Oklahoma runs.

Nobody who ever played the game and lost out on a championship will ever brag about their stats. It's laughable. They'll talk about what might have been and great plays they were involved in. But they won't say, "Well Clemson beat the crap out of us but really we were the best team because Kansas State beat the also ran from the SEC and our lower placing teams finished with a better bowl record."

You should be ashamed for even putting forth that lame argument.

The long and the short of this thread is that Texas didn't want to play A&M while they were down, and A&M didn't want to dispel their perceived SEC advantage in recruiting by risking a loss to Texas. So it was a Texican stand off for all of the worst reasons. And unfortunately the real losers of these to massive egos is that the people of Texas lost a game they loved. Texas will want to play this game again when they think they are likely to win it. A&M will play it again when they are forced to. Texans! Always looking to job the system. That's why I took umbrage to Bear's remarks. It isn't about the SEC office. We would all make more money if the danged game was played, even as a bowl. But we are all stuck with two massive egos who afraid of being bruised, so no game.

You still don't seem to have a point. Who has been "making excuses" about the BCS title? The topic was bowls and you went on a rant about "making excuses" for losing bowls. Texas was in their first bowl in 4 years, so I don't know why you bring Texas up with regard to bowl losses. And Texas lost a half dozen starters due to the draft and still won this year.

(06-08-2018 03:01 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(06-06-2018 11:31 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(06-06-2018 08:17 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(06-06-2018 03:50 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 03:52 PM)1845 Bear Wrote:  That might explain 2017 but does nothing to address 2014 or 2015. Either way it’s smart by the SEC office to get that in writing as it lets the league pick favorable situations overall. However it also means they shoulder a good portion of why the Aggies don’t face Texas teams in bowls despite multiple chances so far.

The Big 12 has less say on who goes where and the bowls have more.

Either way the idea that either school is ducking a bowl matchup isn’t supported by evidence that I’ve seen.

The SEC listens to its schools in determining bowl pairings outside of the CFP and top money bowls. They aren't looking for favorable match ups. Most of the time we play up to the next level of competition because the best school or schools are CFP bound.

The Big 12 is great at excuse making for its over all lack of on field success. It's always the SEC's favorable schedule, but yet in the CFP your top entrants have been regularly beaten. I suppose if the SEC wins the Big 12 basketball challenge again this year that Texas will look for a way out of it and it will be blamed on the SEC as well.

The reason I replied is that this story line, and that's what it is, has been rehashed year after year and it just has gotten very old. At least the Big 10 guys don't make excuses when they lose. And while the ACC practices apologetic for their revenue they don't make many excuses for losses either. The PAC folks never have that I can remember going back to the 50's. But Texas particularly has engaged in the "we was robbed or jobbed" garbage. Oklahoma not so much. The Okies do a good job of taking their losses in stride. But as Texas whines, so whines the Big 12.

The message for Texas is pretty clear. If you want a title then go out and win it. If you get your butt kicked you need to take it like men and make sure it doesn't happen again. Texas is the wealthiest athletic program in the nation or close to it just about every year. There are no excuses for their losses in any sport. They have the most money, one of the nations top recruiting areas to dominate, and they still can't get it done.

So Bear 1845 there is no vast conspiracy against the Horns or the Big 12. The on field results says it all. Texas has just spent over a decade in the doldrums and it's nobody's fault but their own. But when one of your top brands doesn't carry the conference flag it affects everyone. That's the long and the short of it. And in the case of Texas playing or not playing A&M it has pretty much been tit for tat between the two of them. The SEC isn't dodging anyone, least of all the danged polled Longhorns.

No clue where you are coming from-conferences with winning records are in bold:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E2%80...bowl_games
Bowl record by conference
Conference Bowls Record Final AP Poll
SEC 11 5–6 (0.455) 5
ACC 10 4–6 (0.400) 4
Conference USA 9 4–5 (0.444) 0
Pac-12 9 1–8 (0.111) 3
Big Ten 8 7–1 (0.875) 5
Big 12 8 5–3 (0.625) 3
American 7 4–3 (0.571) 3
Mountain West 6 3–3 (0.500) 1
MAC 5 1–4 (0.200) 0
Sun Belt 5 4–1 (0.800) 0
Independents 2 2–0 (1.000) 1

I'm speaking of championships Bullet, not participation prizes. Who gives a hoot about the non championship bowls except for the individual school. Those are the meaningless statistics that those who lose the ultimate prize clamor to illustrate proving over and over that statistics are for losers. Those bowl records never record how many schools were playing without key coaches, after a debilitating season ending loss, playing without key players who are protecting their draft status against injuries, or teams that playing depleted of their starters due to injuries accumulated during the regular season, or a playing some opponent they just don't give a rip about and the coaches have made the bowl trip to give the kids a vacation in a nice location. In the BCS era all that mattered was the crystal football. In the CFP era all that matters is winning it all. Do you think the Washington Huskies Softball team is basking in the overall success of the PAC 12 in the WCWS tournament this year? Hell no! The only thing that mattered was won by Florida State.

Texas has hurt the Big 12 in multiple ways. By having the LHN they limit the exposure of the other schools compared to that exposure gleaned on the BTN or SECN or even PACN. And by being an underachiever they have robbed some excellent T.C.U. and even Baylor squads of due consideration and even taken away from the luster of some stellar Oklahoma runs.

Nobody who ever played the game and lost out on a championship will ever brag about their stats. It's laughable. They'll talk about what might have been and great plays they were involved in. But they won't say, "Well Clemson beat the crap out of us but really we were the best team because Kansas State beat the also ran from the SEC and our lower placing teams finished with a better bowl record."

You should be ashamed for even putting forth that lame argument.

The long and the short of this thread is that Texas didn't want to play A&M while they were down, and A&M didn't want to dispel their perceived SEC advantage in recruiting by risking a loss to Texas. So it was a Texican stand off for all of the worst reasons. And unfortunately the real losers of these to massive egos is that the people of Texas lost a game they loved. Texas will want to play this game again when they think they are likely to win it. A&M will play it again when they are forced to. Texans! Always looking to job the system. That's why I took umbrage to Bear's remarks. It isn't about the SEC office. We would all make more money if the danged game was played, even as a bowl. But we are all stuck with two massive egos who afraid of being bruised, so no game.

You still don't seem to have a point. Who has been "making excuses" about the BCS title? The topic was bowls and you went on a rant about "making excuses" for losing bowls. Texas was in their first bowl in 4 years, so I don't know why you bring Texas up with regard to bowl losses. And Texas lost a half dozen starters due to the draft and still won this year.

Yeah I do. The bowls that are not called CFP bowls don't matter. They aren't an indicator of conference strength. The conferences playing in the CFP bowls bump up their bowl eligible schools who then play above their rank quite often and that doesn't even take into account players that refuse to play because of the risk of injury before the draft, coaches that are serving as interims, coaches that are lame ducks, and games treated as vacations. So my point Bullet is that there is only one indicator of strength and that one is still imperfect, but much better than the also ran bowls and that is the CFP. The supposed strongest of the strongest is the only real measure we have.

The stupid bowl records got tossed out there by you guys. I merely responded to the fact that they aren't indicative of anything.

The point of the OP is what I returned to. And did so because Bear suggested that it was the SEC office that was dodging a Texas vs A&M match up. It's not. It's the damned schools and for various reasons. Texas doesn't want to play until they like their odds and A&M doesn't want to risk pulling an Aggie and losing their perception of brand strength (if indeed they even really have one). It's clearly between both schools and both of them are dodgy for different reasons. The SEC would stand to make more from said match up, especially if they had the rights to that game every other year.