Well, you have a point - I just think those who put too much in "tradition" end up unable to accept that the ACC and Big 10 sucked this year and still give them 12 bids to the tourney... and see only 2 of those survive to the Sweet 16.
The landscape of college athletics implies that anyone, anywhere can make something happen because the talent level is so high and the alumni are spending in record numbers. Billy Packer is a relic and Boise State proved perhpas traditional conference thinking is as well. I just thought Billy was one of those guys who felt more about the people than about the dollar. Trust me, we all know Aggie fans and the Atheltic Dept will funnel as much money as it takes to keep A&M on the leading edge... but only if they feel that they'll get respect in return. Everyone would shower the athletic program with a ton of money in the coming years... however, you're correct that a lot of it hinges on the success of the football team and maybe Billy didn't want to wait around for Fran anymore.
Extremely well. Then again, that network will be my friends and I when I'm 34. I've spent plenty of time in the MSC and working with the Development committe to wrassle money away from the rich elders.
Probably not as well as a 5th generation Ag, but I embraced the culture and embrace network about as best as I can coming from the foreign nation of Phoenix.
So far for me - being one of the boys is knowing A&M tradition (check), drinking Shiner Bock (check), and ripping on coach Fran (check).
Those Big 10 teams did well considering they mostly fell to the best teams in the tournament. Purdue to Florida, Indiana to UCLA, Michigan State to UNC. The only dud was Wisconsin, which was taking a dive the weeks before the tournament, anyway. It was a down year for the conference, but every single one of those lower seeds gave a fight to 2 Final Four teams and 1 Elite Eight team. So stop the hate.
Edited to add: Illinois did fall apart, but those other three lower seeds were close but ran out of steam.
Yeah, I know they were close and it was a valient effort... it's more like the committe refused to believe that the ACC was marginal even though the regular season champ (Virginia) had an 11-7 conference record.
While those idiots still exist, most of our students do come from metropolitan areas and the reliance on traditions is beginning to diminish. As most students go from freshmen to seniors, their participation in traditional A&M culture lessens. I can remember being superfan69 when I was a freshman always doing the yells and all that other garbage, but as I got older I could really care less. With a more diverse (not from poodunk, TX) student body the need for a good ole boy system diminishes. Right now A&M is very much involved in sucking up to Old Army Boosters, but more and more young grads are donating money who dont care about Old Army. This new generation of booster recognizes the importance of other major sports outside of football and I think Bill Byrne has listened through his hirings of Billy and Gary Blair. The students care about basketball and I know that is not lost on the administration. Winning also made Older Ags comeback to the sport as I could tell from attending the games and seeing a large contingent of older Ags in attendance enjoying the games.
The most podunk major city I've ever seen in Houston with how they are about the Astros... it's ridiculous - they broadcast spring training games over the radio so we can hear Woody Williams gave up another 3 million runs.
I don't understand how that is podunk. By that definition, Chicago is a gas station and a trailer home in the middle of nowhere.
Because it's all they ever talk about. At least a team from Chicago has won something. This franchise had to release an NLCS Championship DVD because it was the best thing they've produced aside from the Astrodome. We've won a World Series out in Arizona and there is not that kind of obsession with any of it - i.e. they don't cancel radio shows during the day to broadcast meaningless split squad games. They're mostly bandwagon fans pretending to be true baseball fans.
Perhaps it's because Spring Training is in Arizona and you can basically go see the D-Backs if you want, but those people in Chicago and Boston who care will pack up all their stuff and head on down to Florida.
I guess you haven't listened to the BS that Matt Schaub is now the best QB in the AFC and Jason Jennings will win 20 games this year because he's "always pitched well in Houston." Say what you want about people, but at least in Arizona and I'm sure in Chicago the sports guys have an idea what the word "objectivity" means.
ehh, houston's already lost one team. they'd hate to lose another.
Oh, I see, you're listening to John Granato on your way in to work, aren't you?
Or maybe Mark Vandermeer on the way home? Those are two of the most shameless, blow-sunshine-up-everybody's-butt homers on earth.
But no, actually caring about their baseball team, in spite of not winning, does not make Astros fans podunk. It means that, after decades of being typical Sunbelt bandwagonners, they actually are starting to turn into baseball fans.
But that has nothing to do with Billy Gillespie I guess.
Coaching Arkansas basketball is the 2nd best job in the SEC. Few NCAA schools can compete with our facilities and basketball tradition meaning nobody is untouchable.
There has been confirmed rumors that a plan left for Searcy, Arkansas that was owned Arkansas boosters. Who was on it is a mystery and where exactly in Texas it came from is too because the rest is just speculation.
If anyone thinks Bill will not consider this job you are an idiot. Arkansas is now on the lookout for a BB coach and AD. Open market on the hill.... will attract big names.
I don't know what's going on, but Broyles has a big calling list and connections and probably has already talked to Bill Self (turned down) and Bill obviously.
Just don't be shocked if Bill jumps ship. Better facilities, arena and larger fan base cannot be overlooked.
Actually, it does because it's possible Billy is leaving because he's afraid our Aggie basketball fans will be equally bandwagon.
I don't even know who I listen to: I don't care about the Astros and I really don't like any of the guys that are on the radio here, but sometimes I get drawn into their BS on the way home from work... I do root for the Texans though, so sometimes I like to listen to the football debates... can't stand the homerism on the Rockets, though - and especially not any of the UT or A&M guys.
I don't know - I have yet to consider them legit fans based on the vast amount of them that came out of the woodwork. I could probably name more Astros players in 2005 than all those s who ran out of their apartments screaming "Go 'Stros" when I was in College Station.
Coaching Texas A&M Basketball is the 2nd best job in the Big 12... mainly because no hot seat exists yet and everyone thinks you can outcoach your rival (Rick Barnes).
According to Arkansas Sports radio A&M is prepared to offer 10yrs 25 million. Arkansas doesn't want to pay that, but is hoping that the lure of being a god in one of the worst states in the union can hook'em. Apparently Stan Heath wouldn't have been fired unless they knew they had someone ready and that worries me. But the whole ideology that the University of Arkansas is 'god's gift to man' makes me sick. The facilities are a wash. Reed Arena is brand new and has received approval to be upgraded. The new practice facility has already broke ground, so if he's leaving it's because he wants to be king of the master race of rednecks. I swear every morning when I drive to work seeing HOGS!!!! on every license plate it makes me want to go on a shooting spree. Granted A&M has its fair share of this type of stupidity but nowhere near this magnitude. The only thing this entire state has is the damn Hogs. If Billy really wants to be a king amongst rednecked men, Arkansas is the place to be.
Well said, Doug Collins... you think A&M could lure you back into the coaching ring if necessary?
That's more than Tubby was making at UK (and more than Coach K, Pitino, or Donovan), or put another way, more than Franchione's current salary.According to Arkansas Sports radio A&M is prepared to offer 10yrs 25 million.
Just passing on what was reported. And Billy is worth more than those 2 to A&M.
Maybe we could pay OJ Mayo to coach
I hope you're not counting the millions of illegitimate children conceived daily in Arkansas. Just because redneck parents want to make baby's first onesy a razorback one, doesn't make said baby part of the fanbase. I've seen first hand the amount of children these people can pump out each time I go to Walmart in Bentonville, so if you count those babies than yes Arkansas has a larger fanbase. But if you count fans as a whole (older than 2 yrs old), I think more people have graduated from A&M than there are people in Arkansas.
But I think Billy is as good as gone
Speaking of twos, 2.5 million a year is more than Steve Alford plus Tubby Smith are earning a year from their new schools, New Mexico and Minnesota respectively.
I don't think Gillespie can outcoach Barnes.Coaching Texas A&M Basketball is the 2nd best job in the Big 12... mainly because no hot seat exists yet and everyone thinks you can outcoach your rival (Rick Barnes).
I know it.
I dont think you realize how desperate A&M is to have a winning anything. I mean, we keep paying Fran for nothing. Why not actually pay a coach who deserves it? We have the money to spend.
Aren't A&M's hoop facilities fairly new?Just don't be shocked if Bill jumps ship. Better facilities, arena and larger fan base cannot be overlooked.
Well, j-6, I have a feeling that A&M thinks Billy can bring some glory to this program... and apparently, so does Arkansas. Just because Alford and Smith jumped ship for less pay and maybe a more inviting fanbase doesn't mean you have to rip on A&M and Gillespie and act like that's a ridiculous amount of money.
Man you have some sort of physco-babble mixed with deep love for ATM.
I won't go off on that simply because you seem to love your school like I mine and see your coach is being considered only you are close to the wrong scool. I would physco mute the world too..
Anyways. You have to understand Arkansas politics before you make rash judgements on it's school. No matter what magni ued your state is to us you can't base your facts off assumptions. This state is like one huge city. We have crackheads and crackhouses like everyone else but people here are true to their roots. Not like 'sippi where they bread with it. Johnny Cash said Arkansas is a family, and if you're not in it you don't get it (born here) but my point is we have a world dominating booster in Walmart, beautiful facilities, tradional deep rooted fans and loads of respect in the south. Only one things matters in this type of situation and that's A&M vs UA sports programs. History we have had more success in a wider span and both suffer from 2nd place diseases under Texas. We basically came from the same exsistance, fought many similiar wars on the field but we have more on the court, by far. And specifically Bud Walton Arena, 40 mintues of , although dead still stand head and shoulders above anything A&M basketball has accomplished on the court. Point is you guys are good now, but haven't 'been there' before. We offer more of everything for the most part for Billy Gilly in the basketball ranks and no matter how corrups or biased our school is currently money talks louder than rumors and ultimately it doesn't matter what he chooses, it's the fact Arkansas does have the power to come in and take him.
From my perspective we will not get Bill. He is as subject as A&M basketball itself. The fans of their basketball program have been around how long? I mean I understand there's dedication but a lot of it might be a cover and bandwagon like in basketball since it hasn't exsisted long. Law should be in the NBA just like Brewer did, Johnson, Williamson, Moncrief, Brewer Sr. My thoughts are we can land a top name with what we offer no matter what.
People have to understand though right now, even names like Nolan Richardson and Roy Williams are rumored. The whole thing is ludacris and most of it is a laugh or a dream. Bill is something like the median, Arkansas is simply extended the tenticles it has in landing who they want cause ultimately, no matter what the majority of Arkansas fans want the university will get who THEY want, period. After Nolan, taking Heath was like a snap decision to me, he just put Kent State in the final four off of pure lucky March crap when he hadn't proven any consistancy at all. Given he is young and needs time we should have let him stay at Kent or whatever smaller school to build a better resume cause despite how good he talks and our recruiting classes kicking ass, he cannot bench coach. And that's what you're getting paid to do right?
Arkansas is indefinetly corrupt until Broyles is gone. Right now I think he is trying to produce a good thing for us by obviously talking to Bill about the job. Cause that has happened. Before Frank leaves on Dec. 31st and 50 years in cardinal red and white, he is leaving. He wants to do something good for us, and firing Heath was a start, and he will do everything he can to land a big time coach for us before he leaves to win back the fans. It has a good chance of not even happening, but he is trying at least. He could go further by firing Nutt but you don't mix stories like basketball in football, that's why there's different coaches and players obviously. Boosters are biased, they like who they like and sometimes not what the fans agree with either.
Right now anything is possible to be honest, you don't know what to expect from the UA right now other than traditionalism hahahahahaha til Frank is gone.
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