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"It's hard to be humble when God has shined upon you, but it's even harder to win friends."

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[Texas Is Boss

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of baylor, maybe

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Texas has built one of the nation's most profitable athletic departments despite claiming one football national championship over the last four decades.

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Irk 'em, 'Horns: Texas is boss, like it or not
Posted Wednesday, Oct. 05, 2011
BY ART GARCIA
Special to the Star-Telegram

Burnt orange hatred? Burnt orange envy?

When it comes to the institutions of higher football in the Big 12 -- past, present and soon-to-be past -- you'll find plenty of both. No matter what is said publically by chancellors or presidents or ADs, few are happy with Texas these days.

The Sooners couldn't book voyage to the Pac-X without Texas. The Red Raiders can't ride off into the sunset alone. The Bears won't sue, so long as Texas keeps feeding them from the BCS trough.

"I think Bevo is hated because of envy," Oklahoman columnist Berry Tramel said. "OU fans feel like they're more than Texas' equal in football, yet the Longhorns call the shots. For all their success, the Sooners don't call the shots, nationally or regionally."

Examining the turmoil, defections and instability of the last 18 months, just about everyone outside of Austin screams Texas is to blame. Conferences with the might of the Big 12, on the field and at the negotiating table, don't lose brands like Nebraska and Texas A&M without deep-seated problems.

The Big 12 could be that super-conference that schools are scurrying to join. Instead, these strained bedfellows from the old Southwest Conference and Big 8 have barely survived two rounds of CPR... so far. Missouri could be the latest to bolt.

The Cornhuskers and Aggies had enough of the 'Horns' influence/bullying over all things Big 12. Nebraska was tired of the political kowtowing, while the Longhorn Network proved the last straw in College Station.

Texas knows it has built-in advantages that are too easy to flaunt.

"The network deal, $300 million for 20 years, is unheard of and a first for an individual school," said Peter Gardere, the former Texas quarterback who went undefeated (4-0) against Oklahoma. "We're No. 1 in merchandizing. Texas is one of the best places to recruit. It's just things like that."

Where some schools have choices, others don't.

"The frustrating thing for Texas Tech fans in this expansion deal was at the end of the day they realized they had no options," said Chris Level, an ESPN radio host in Lubbock who also covers Tech for RedRaiderSports.com. "Their option was to do whatever Texas did."

Not too long ago, T. Boone Pickens predicted his beloved Oklahoma State Cowboys, along with OU and Texas Tech, would follow UT out west. Texas' reluctance to alter the LHN pulled everyone's toes out of cool Pacific waters.

"Texas has what everyone fantasizes about: money, power, influence," Tramel said. "Sometimes the 'Horns handle that blessing with grace, sometimes not, but it doesn't really matter. It's hard to be humble when God has shined upon you, but it's even harder to win friends."

Texas has built one of the nation's most profitable athletic departments despite claiming one football national championship over the last four decades.

"Part of me wonders if it's a lot of hate for Texas or it's mostly jealousy," Level said. "You want what you can't have. You want what they have, which are options, facilities, great coaches and great recruiting classes."

If Texas acts as though it doesn't need anyone else, well, that's a prerogative of the Joneses. What's shaken the college football world is some of Texas' neighbors moved away.

Nebraska and Colorado began the exodus before Texas A&M turned to the SEC. Now there's talk that Texas doesn't have room for the Aggies on Turkey Day.

"It'll be a shame if it goes away," Gardere said, "but it's what happens in business. College football has become big business."

Bob Stoops shocked many when he said Texas-OU may go the way of the leather helmet should the Red River rivals split into new leagues. Of course, such soothsaying is moot now that the Big 12 lives for another year or six, depending on TV contracts.

TCU's long-shot move into the Big 12 is being opposed, according to some in the know, by Texas. Granting admittance to the Horned Frogs, apparently, acknowledges they exist.

"We don't trust Texas," a TCU official said.

Is looking down their horns on the huddled masses the Texas way?

"We are who we are," Texas men's athletics director DeLoss Dodds said recently.

"People say what they say. The outcome is the outcome. We're proud of ourselves."

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Texas Is Boss

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TCU's long-shot move into the Big 12 is being opposed, according to some in the know, by Texas. Granting admittance to the Horned Frogs, apparently, acknowledges they exist.

"We don't trust Texas," a TCU official said.

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