We have a 10 year head start, we have SEC bodies in the trenches, we have recruiting guru and National Championship head coach.

SEC no longer defending us against EsipN.

Manifest SECinity is here, expansion is inevitable.

Just win.

WC94 said:

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We have a 10 year head start, we have SEC bodies in the trenches, we have recruiting guru and National Championship head coach.

SEC no longer defending us against EsipN.

Manifest SECinity is here, expansion is inevitable.

Just win.

---

Of course. But we need to win in the boardroom too.

Will being in the strongest pod be the key to long term program success? Will recruits want go to the Texas school that plays Alabama and LSU every year? As a consolation for getting screwed by SEC, I'd hope we get preference in picking our pod partners. I want a shot at Bama every year.

An expansion with competent Texas A&M representation would have been OSU or ND and OU on the west with North Carolina and Florida State in the east.

tu absolutely had to have this in order to survive.

Forty Twice said:

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Will being in the strongest pod be the key to long term program success? Will recruits want go to the Texas school that plays Alabama and LSU every year? As a consolation for getting screwed by SEC, I'd hope we get preference in picking our pod partners. I want a shot at Bama every year.

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you get a shot at bama every year in the SEC championship.....Just win

What the "just win" crowd refuses to acknowledge is how much more difficult the SEC has now made recruiting for Jimbo.
You folks saying "just win" apparently don't realize the long-term recruiting advantage the SEC just stripped away SPECIFICALLY from Texas A&M.
It is almost..if you think about it..a plan to cripple A&M intentionally but cowardly hide under the public guise of "well...its good for the SEC in general..so just deal with it A&M".
In plain english...Sankey does not give a damn how badly he cripples the A&M football program as long as the conference makes more money.
I love Jimbo. I...like many here...hope than he can continue to recruit at a high level to counteract a potential direct hit at the A&M program.
This doesn't really affect recruiting for Bama..Florida...Georgia..and some others...so they will HAPPILY VOTE TO CRIPPLE A&M because Jimbo is an IMMEDIATE THREAT THEY MUST STOP NOW.
But IT WILL make Jimbos life tougher....a LOT tougher in recruiting.
The 1 main recruiting advantage we had over t.u and OU is gone like puff of smoke.
It may not show up in 1 or 2 years because Jimbo has recruited well so far.
The difficulty will be long-term.
And the "just-win" crowds just bend over and take it while proclaiming a tough-guy image.
Here's hoping Jimbo can save your tough guy image.
I sincerely hope he does. And i hope he is so great a recruiter that he can overcome this every recruiting cycle.
We shall see.

bv86ag said:

---

What the "just win" crowd refuses to acknowledge is how much more difficult the SEC has now made recruiting for Jimbo.
You folks saying "just win" apparently don't realize the long-term recruiting advantage the SEC just stripped away SPECIFICALLY from Texas A&M.
It is almost..if you think about it..a plan to cripple A&M intentionally but cowardly hide under the public guise of "well...its good for the SEC in general..so just deal with it A&M".
In plain english...Sankey does not give a damn how badly he cripples the A&M football program as long as the conference makes more money.
I love Jimbo. I...like many here...hope than he can continue to recruit at a high level to counteract a potential direct hit at the A&M program.
This doesn't really affect recruiting for Bama..Florida...Georgia..and some others...so they will HAPPILY VOTE TO CRIPPLE A&M because Jimbo is an IMMEDIATE THREAT THEY MUST STOP NOW.
But IT WILL make Jimbos life tougher....a LOT tougher in recruiting.
The 1 main recruiting advantage we had over t.u and OU is gone like puff of smoke.
It may not show up in 1 or 2 years because Jimbo has recruited well so far.
The difficulty will be long-term.
And the "just-win" crowds just bend over and take it while proclaiming a tough-guy image.
Here's hoping Jimbo can save your tough guy image.
I sincerely hope he does. And i hope he is so great a recruiter that he can overcome this every recruiting cycle.
We shall see.

---

Amen.

Just win baby

I have read every issue that has been postulated on this topic for the last few days. I think many that fear this move are not taking into account that Texas will not be the big boy in campus in the sec. they will not control the sec in the same manner that they did the swc and big 12. We have a better program a better coach better facilities a bigger student body so why do people fear a very average program that can barely beat Kansas. If this move had happened at the same time as we went to the sec I could see the fear but we have broken free of the Texas shackles and have forged our own identity. We have a national brand and a national coach. We are better than them and I don't see that changing any time soon. By the time Texas can actually be competitive in the sec no kid that actually plays will remember Texas having a good program. Don't fear Texas kick their ass and we will get the guys we need and want.

Our best SEC games are now getting moved to 11:00 AM while ESiPN schedules every tu game in prime time. Are you OK with that?

I don't understand this line of thinking. I've lived in Georgia for years so let's use that as a measuring stick.

So Texas and Oklahoma are joining and you say it will hurt recruiting because we won't be the only SEC team in Texas or vicinity.

My question is this: How does UGA recruit at such a high level? They have more schools to deal with geographically than A&M does in relation to "big time football". Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Knoxville, Clemson, Columbia, Gainesville and Tallahassee are all relatively close to Athens, yet they seem to navigate their way through it. Why can't we?

The answer is they are not relying solely on in-state athletes. This is something that Jimbo has been changing since he got here. Okie and tu got 1 blue-chip from Texas? So what? We got one from Florida and New Jersey. We are going to be ok in the grand scheme of things with Jimbo because let's not forget, he had to recruit well when he was at Florida St. and he had 3 major universities just in his state alone. Not to mention the other schools listed above.

Also remember that coaching is key to all this as well. You can have a bunch of top talent but if you have a crappy coach, it doesn't mean much. How many top recruits have gone to tu the last 10 years and how many of them are in the NFL or won any sort of title?

BigSneezy said:

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WC94 said:

---

We have a 10 year head start, we have SEC bodies in the trenches, we have recruiting guru and National Championship head coach.

SEC no longer defending us against EsipN.

Manifest SECinity is here, expansion is inevitable.

Just win.

---

Of course. But we need to win in the boardroom too.

---

why? they give out trophies for that?

Win At Life said:

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Our best SEC games are now getting moved to 11:00 AM while ESiPN schedules every tu game in prime time. Are you OK with that?

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This is the point. The money and draw Texas has means every other team will play second fiddle to them. It's like having 2 Bamas in the league (just from an eyeballs perspective). We will lose visibility. We will lose influence. It's just going to happen. Not because Texas is actively doing anything. Because of who they are and the draw they have.

I just enjoyed being independent of them for the last 10 years and have no desire to be around them....ever. They are not a good fit for the SEC either imo. I think OU is a good fit, and if we could add NC or even West Virginia, but tu does not fit.

aggie813 said:

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I don't understand this line of thinking. I've lived in Georgia for years so let's use that as a measuring stick.

So Texas and Oklahoma are joining and you say it will hurt recruiting because we won't be the only SEC team in Texas or vicinity.

My question is this: How does UGA recruit at such a high level? They have more schools to deal with geographically than A&M does in relation to "big time football". Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Knoxville, Clemson, Columbia, Gainesville and Tallahassee are all relatively close to Athens, yet they seem to navigate their way through it. Why can't we?

The answer is they are not relying solely on in-state athletes. This is something that Jimbo has been changing since he got here. Okie and tu got 1 blue-chip from Texas? So what? We got one from Florida and New Jersey. We are going to be ok in the grand scheme of things with Jimbo because let's not forget, he had to recruit well when he was at Florida St. and he had 3 major universities just in his state alone. Not to mention the other schools listed above.

Also remember that coaching is key to all this as well. You can have a bunch of top talent but if you have a crappy coach, it doesn't mean much. How many top recruits have gone to tu the last 10 years and how many of them are in the NFL or won any sort of title?

---

While there's truth to what you're saying, I would point out that FSU has attempted to get into the SEC before and been rebuffed - UF wouldn't have it. They're too close to home for them and it would impact UF's recruiting. What would the response be from UGA and UF if Georgia Tech and FSU wanted into the SEC?

A&M will survive and continue to do well no matter how this turns out because Texas (the state, not the school) has great recruits and we have a great coach and great facilities with great funding behind us. We'll continue to do well, but there's no doubt that including TU and OU in the SEC will be a new headwind to recruiting.

Finally someone making grownup sense. I commend you. Whether it's Kyle Field or DKR Field, the whole country will be watching. I'll have my refreshment and chips. I'm betting you whip their arse. You will feel awesome swaying and singing your Fight song afterwards as the horns walk off the field. I can't wait and I'm a Bama fan.

Win At Life said:

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Our best SEC games are now getting moved to 11:00 AM while ESiPN schedules every tu game in prime time. Are you OK with that?

---

That's just silly conspiracy theory. Win and we keep the prime time slots. Simple as that.

bv86ag said:

---

What the "just win" crowd refuses to acknowledge is how much more difficult the SEC has now made recruiting for Jimbo.
You folks saying "just win" apparently don't realize the long-term recruiting advantage the SEC just stripped away SPECIFICALLY from Texas A&M.
It is almost..if you think about it..a plan to cripple A&M intentionally but cowardly hide under the public guise of "well...its good for the SEC in general..so just deal with it A&M".
In plain english...Sankey does not give a damn how badly he cripples the A&M football program as long as the conference makes more money.
I love Jimbo. I...like many here...hope than he can continue to recruit at a high level to counteract a potential direct hit at the A&M program.
This doesn't really affect recruiting for Bama..Florida...Georgia..and some others...so they will HAPPILY VOTE TO CRIPPLE A&M because Jimbo is an IMMEDIATE THREAT THEY MUST STOP NOW.
But IT WILL make Jimbos life tougher....a LOT tougher in recruiting.
The 1 main recruiting advantage we had over t.u and OU is gone like puff of smoke.
It may not show up in 1 or 2 years because Jimbo has recruited well so far.
The difficulty will be long-term.
And the "just-win" crowds just bend over and take it while proclaiming a tough-guy image.
Here's hoping Jimbo can save your tough guy image.
I sincerely hope he does. And i hope he is so great a recruiter that he can overcome this every recruiting cycle.
We shall see.

---

this sounds extremely whiny

jdowney said:

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I just enjoyed being independent of them for the last 10 years and have no desire to be around them....ever. They are not a good fit for the SEC either imo. I think OU is a good fit, and if we could add NC or even West Virginia, but tu does not fit.

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If this is going to happen and it probably will, the best thing for A&M would be to be in a separate pod (4 teams per pod) than tu and Oklahoma. LSU, both Mississippi schools and Texas A&M works for me. Put tu and Oklahoma with Arkansas and Missouri. I don't really care how the remaining 8 schools are aligned. We probably don't have enough votes to keep tu out of the SEC but we should demand this kind of pod alignment.

Win At Life said:

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Our best SEC games are now getting moved to 11:00 AM while ESiPN schedules every tu game in prime time. Are you OK with that?

---

ESPN is not going to put #5 Ags vs #1 bama at 11. Your delusional if you think top 5 games are going to be scheduled that early because it's the Ags. I anticipate us being in the top 5 a lot under jimbo so this will not happen.

Also Texas will not wield the same power in the sec as they have previously. Texas is at best thr 6th or 7 th best program in the sec. bama , Florida , Georgia, LSU, Ags , and OU are all superior programs. Quit living in the past and enjoy the present. We are not their little brother anymore and they are not the big boy on the block. We need to focus on bama and the rest takes care of itself.

I don't understand the fascination with "the only SEC school" within the boarder of a state in regards to recruiting.

Texas is huge, way bigger than Georgia. This means more high schools, means more top recruits. Now, if you're selling a recruit on SEC football only, the border of a state has nothing to do with whether or not a recruit will go to a school.

Imagine you placed Texas where Georgia is currently. Remove the fact that Clemson,SC is only 75 miles from Athens, GA since conference and borders seem to be such a big deal.

That would make 1 SEC school (Columbia, SC) 163 miles from Athens. 1 SEC school (Auburn, AL) 174 miles from Athens. Another SEC school (Knoxville, TN) 235 miles from Athens. They have 3 SEC schools that close to them and seem to make it work.

If you drove 235 miles in any direction from College Station, would you be outside the state of Texas? What's the difference then?

A&M sold recruits on "only team in Texas" for 10 years. It's time to evolve and move forward. Other teams don't make the excuse about other SEC teams being so close to them, why should we?

I can't stand tu. I hate the fact that we will be in the same conference as that cancer and wish we never played them again. But, at the end of the day, it's obviously gonna happen, A&M needs to focus on being better instead of complaining "what might happen".

aggie813 said:

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I don't understand the fascination with "the only SEC school" within the boarder of a state in regards to recruiting.

Texas is huge, way bigger than Georgia. This means more high schools, means more top recruits. Now, if you're selling a recruit on SEC football only, the border of a state has nothing to do with whether or not a recruit will go to a school.

Imagine you placed Texas where Georgia is currently. Remove the fact that Clemson,SC is only 75 miles from Athens, GA since conference and borders seem to be such a big deal.

That would make 1 SEC school (Columbia, SC) 163 miles from Athens. 1 SEC school (Auburn, AL) 174 miles from Athens. Another SEC school (Knoxville, TN) 235 miles from Athens. They have 3 SEC schools that close to them and seem to make it work.

If you drove 235 miles in any direction from College Station, would you be outside the state of Texas? What's the difference then?

A&M sold recruits on "only team in Texas" for 10 years. It's time to evolve and move forward. Other teams don't make the excuse about other SEC teams being so close to them, why should we?

I can't stand tu. I hate the fact that we will be in the same conference as that cancer and wish we never played them again. But, at the end of the day, it's obviously gonna happen, A&M needs to focus on being better instead of complaining "what might happen".

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Agreed and I hate Texas as much as you. But if we do Have to play them because they just can't live without us then let's curb stomp their asses.