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Texas A&M Football

Sumlin, Strong both want A&M-Texas game back

April 14, 2015
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In a clever move sure to keep you huddled around the water cooler at work arguing for hours, A&M coach Kevin Sumlin and Texas' Charlie Strong have both expressed a desire to renew the rivalry, ESPN.com reported Tuesday morning.

"Now, moving into Year 4 and listening to our former students and our alumni base and knowing a lot of Texas alums, it's important that we play again," Sumlin said. "I think it will happen somewhere down the road. The tough part for both parties, when we moved, was scheduling. The first two years we scrambled just to get anybody to play, and the SEC hadn't solidified their schedule until last year. We were at the mercy of whoever would play us.

"Now that we've solidified what the SEC's scheduling theory is going to be, you've seen us become more aggressive with our nonconference schedule, and that was the knock on us early on. People sometimes take scheduling for granted and say, 'Play this team.' They don't know the process. But I think the Texas series will happen. I just don't know when."

The article later quotes Sumlin as reinforcing that he was never against continuing the series and saying that the game's importance to the alumni of both schools is what should dictate whether it resumes.

His counterpart in Austin seems to concur.

"That game is so much a part of this state," said Strong, who it's fair to note is from Arkansas. "Over 100 years, we've played that game. Why stop it now because we're in different conferences? At some point, when it's right for everybody with the different schedules, I would love to play Texas A&M again.

"Let me win some games first," he added. "Then I can push it. I don't know if I want to go walking into College Station right now."

(Smart, though in that case we may be waiting a while.)

Regimes at both schools have undergone complete overhauls since the series, which began in 1894 and has been played 118 times, went on hiatus.

Author Chris Low does well to note that, despite that, new Texas Athletic Director Steve Patterson adopted predecessor DeLoss Dodds' trademark hauteur about the series immediately after his arrival and A&M Senior Associate AD Jason Cook had previously implied the teams' only meeting would be in a bowl or playoff game.

Yet, the quotes from Sumlin and Strong come on the heels of the Monday revelation that the Aggies and Longhorns will meet again in baseball in 2016 and 2017, seemingly opening a floodgate of dialogue about the two arch-rivals who have repeatedly attempted to distance themselves from each other since 2012.

See the full article here:

Charlie Strong, Kevin Sumlin both want Texas Longhorns-Texas A&M Aggies rivalry back

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Sumlin, Strong both want A&M-Texas game back

46,233 Views | 126 Replies | Last: 8 yr ago by ckwarren33
Beau Holder
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Sumlin, Strong both want A&M-Texas game back
DayAg!
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S
Here we go again. The media at it's best. This will only benefit Texas and they know it. That's why all the push has been from their side. The media has their instructions. EsipN needs the game with them more than we do. They need to generate publicity for the sips so the LHN can have some help, nothing less. Whether we play them ever again or not , we will continue to fare well in the SEC without that game. Them.. not so much.
greg.w.h
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I'm not sure why Sumlin is bringing this up. Doesn't he have a national championship to work on?
hunter2012
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I posted this in the other thread, enjoy:

ESPN is just pushing for relevancy for the school that they invested in. The sip leadership will use the game as a political chip against us because they don't see us as a rival but rather a entity that they lost "control" of. They are also beginning to see how much damage it is beginning to cause them because their only nationally relevant game is stuck in Dallas. Someone needs to post their home schedule because it is laughable for a venue that holds 100k.

On the other side I really don't get the attachment and relevancy that some Ags give them. Our value does not derive from beating the sips, but many Ags believe this even after all the crap they drug us through.

Everyone needs to wake up and realize that once the game is established, it becomes something that can be taken away, which in turn can be used to force more concessions out of us. Given this opportunity do you really believe the sips won't use this to their advantage?

The scorpion and the frog is the best analogy for our relationship with the sips, they want a ride across the river to relevancy and they promise not to sting us. So you really trust the sips won't do what is in their nature?

I say the best insult we can throw at them is to ignore them. If post season fate tells us to play them then sure beat the hell out of them, but don't give them relevancy back simply because we miss bragging to our nieghbors.
The Collective
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While Sumlin said he'd like to play it - he also said that it should be up to the students and former students. So, I say no. Who is in his ear about getting this game back?
lonestarofdavid
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Beside according some comments on the story (from Yahoo! not ESPN) the Longhorns don't need us because we were a rivalry game but not a NATIONAL rivalry game. The only rivalry game that matters (according to them) is OU.

Of course, then someone said we could play them again when we come back to the Big 12 with our tails between our legs but until then to have fun playing in Starkville and other backwater SEC schools. My first thought was this as compared to metropolitan Waco, Manhattan, Kansas, Ames, Iowa, and LUBBOCK! Give me a break. Good riddance to t.u.
Aggielandma12
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Pro Sandy
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Bring the game back! A&M football has been missig something since the series was ended. Bringing the game back restores tradition and returns A&M to where it belongs, beating thebhell outta t.u.
jimscott85
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quote:
While Sumlin said he'd like to play it - he also said that it should be up to the students and former students. So, I say no. Who is in his ear about getting this game back?

This may just be his own opinion and no one in his ear. These coaches have an "I'm not scared" mentality that they try to share with their players (although Strong's "we aren't ready for College Station" comment goes against that). It may just be Sumlin saying he's willing to play whoever is on his schedule while recognizing that this game has a history. He's coached in College Station and at other Big 12 rivals over the years. He wants to be the best in the area...on the recruiting trail and on the field.

His deferral to the former students is simply recognition that we have skin in the game.
letters at random
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I think we should play them.
1996OlAg
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There is no upside for us
A is A
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I'll pass.
MallalieuAg
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t$ip$ don't deserve to play the Aggies. They need A&M now not the other way around.
Sex Panther
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All of you against this surely realize this game is coming back eventually right?
tjack16
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quote:
There is no upside for us
and where is the upside for us playing teams like Ball State, Lamar, Lafayette, New Mexico State, Nevada and Western Carolina?
P.C. Principal
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quote:
quote:
There is no upside for us
and where is the upside for us playing teams like Ball State, Lamar, Lafayette, New Mexico State, Nevada and Western Carolina?
Playing an SEC West schedule + annual game with t.u. + another P5 opponent will be tough.

That said, we'd still have 2 cupcake games and SCar/UF/UGA seem to do just fine with a similar schedule. I just know t.u. would only have TWO games for leeway if they had an annual game with us (9 B12 games + A&M). Not much flexibility. Which is why the B12 needs to expand.
The Collective
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quote:
and where is the upside for us playing teams like Ball State, Lamar, Lafayette, New Mexico State, Nevada and Western Carolina?


Playing small teams that do not require losing a home game in College Station as part of the series.... You really don't see the upside for A&M in this? There is a reason every big school plays these teams, and it's not just because it's an "easy" win.
The Collective
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The Texas schedule is indeed a bigger challenge for them than our current situation (from a fan value perspective). They have 9 conference games and their biggest one is a neutral site game. Essentially, they need to play big market teams OOC for the sake of their home schedule, but it gets real dicey when they play a big team on the road. Check out their home schedule this year.
tjack16
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quote:
quote:
and where is the upside for us playing teams like Ball State, Lamar, Lafayette, New Mexico State, Nevada and Western Carolina?


Playing small teams that do not require losing a home game in College Station as part of the series.... You really don't see the upside for A&M in this? There is a reason every big school plays these teams, and it's not just because it's an "easy" win.
I would rather lose a home game and play 6 at home if it meant getting to play our biggest rival again. Our fight song is literally all about Texas University, "Saw em Off" shirts are everywhere in college station. I'd rather play Texas at Kyle Field every other year than play teams that I have to google just to find out their mascots.
Bottlehead90
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No
Let them wait
The Collective
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You asked about the upside on playing crappy, directional schools, but there is an economic reality at play here for both A&M and Texas. If it returns - it will need to make economic sense, like ESPN ponies up some cash.
SEC Champs
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Why does this have to be so political? This is a GREAT rivalry that trancends conference affiliations. The two flagship universities of the best state for football need to play each other!
PLUM LOCO
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Move on nothing to see here. Let the media have their fun.

The only team that gains from this is tu.

JMHO
PanhandleSlim
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The horns made a 100-year decision with the LHNetwork which catapulted us into the welcoming arms of the SEC. I just checked and they still have 97 years to go. Though I would love to play those guys anytime anywhere, I think the only time we should take the field against them is the same way OU happened -- in a bowl game.

redd38
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from texagsnorth.com:

quote:
I'd be interested to hear from their fans. I'm sure some will want to play and some won't, but I'm sure they are sick of hearing about Baylor & TCU.


what??? I guess I don't watch enough FSSW2 to hear much about Baylor & TCU. I think I hear more about the tu/A&M rivalry that isn't even played anymore than I hear about a Baylor/TCU rivalry except for the day that game is played.
ABATTBQ87
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quote:
"Let me win some games first," he added. "Then I can push it. I don't know if I want to go walking into College Station right now."
I thought it was the Aggies who were afraid of and dodged the mighty tea sippers in the Texas Bowl?
Backcountry Wanderer
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quote:
Everyone needs to wake up and realize that once the game is established, it becomes something that can be taken away, which in turn can be used to force more concessions out of us. Given this opportunity do you really believe the sips won't use this to their advantage?

This seems like extreme BAS to me. We're in different conferences, what type of concessions are you suggesting they'll want to "force out of us"? Why can't we bring the game back, and if they want some stupid concessions, just let them walk? We'll be no worse off then than we are now (as far as missing out on a great rivalry game), and we'll get to have a few games in the meantime.

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/slippery-slope
The Chicken Ranch
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quote:
All of you against this surely realize this game is coming back eventually right?


This is exactly correct. And this garbage about how it only benefits them is BS. Does Florida not benefit from playing FSU? Or UGA playing GT? Etc.

Especially now, playing them as a SEC team would be wildly beneficial to TAMU. We would skull f/k them for the foreseeable future and they would finally realize their biggest nightmare: TAMU in the SEC and whipping their a$$es annually on Thanksgiving OOC.
P.C. Principal
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quote:
All of you against this surely realize this game is coming back eventually right?


This is exactly correct. And this garbage about how it only benefits them is BS. Does Florida not benefit from playing FSU? Or UGA playing GT? Etc.

Especially now, playing them as a SEC team would be wildly beneficial to TAMU. We would skull f/k them for the foreseeable future and they would finally realize their biggest nightmare: TAMU in the SEC and whipping their a$es annually on Thanksgiving OOC.
Exactly. I don't get the logic behind the idea that only tu benefits from it. Everyone benefits. It's one of the oldest rivalries ever and people miss the game. The state of Texas benefits from the game coming back.

I honestly think people who still say this are just being stubborn and are holding on to the bad blood from when we left the B12. DeLoss and $Bill are gone and most people are over it now. I'd love for the game to come back. Same with Mizzou-KU. Then there would be 6 SEC schools with permanent OOC rivalries (A&M, Miz, UF, UGA, SCar, UK)
Frederick Palowaski
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quote:
The horns made a 100-year decision with the LHNetwork which catapulted us into the welcoming arms of the SEC. I just checked and they still have 97 years to go. Though I would love to play those guys anytime anywhere, I think the only time we should take the field against them is the same way OU happened -- in a bowl game.


92_Ag
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+1 for PHS.
hunter2012
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quote:
quote:
Everyone needs to wake up and realize that once the game is established, it becomes something that can be taken away, which in turn can be used to force more concessions out of us. Given this opportunity do you really believe the sips won't use this to their advantage?

This seems like extreme BAS to me. We're in different conferences, what type of concessions are you suggesting they'll want to "force out of us"? Why can't we bring the game back, and if they want some stupid concessions, just let them walk? We'll be no worse off then than we are now (as far as missing out on a great rivalry game), and we'll get to have a few games in the meantime.

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/slippery-slope


Slippery slope isn't always a fallacy because every big time decision has unintended consequences. The last time the sips stopped playing us they made us fire the best coach we had to resume play. They used the game as a means to get what they want.


Here is a simple question that every Ag needs to answer, will the tsip administration ever be happy JUST playing the game? If you even hesitate to answer yes then we shouldn't play them.

So let's say we start the game, and after a decade the next round of conference realignment starts up and they decide they want the big time because they are stuck in the BDF. Can you honestly say that they would never consider using the game as a hostage to get into the SEC?

Why resume bad relationships/partnerships? I'm sorry you can't talk smack at the watercooler, and I'm even more sorry that so many Ags derive their value from playing the sips.

Scorpion and the frog you guys. Until they change their nature, we should never play them outside of postseason.
up-n-aTm
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"I don't know if I want to go walking into College Station right now."

A non-delusional horn.....refreshing!
jimscott85
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I think there is some perception that we will somehow bring tu back from the dead by allowing them to play us. That argument sounds just like the arrogance that some of their fans would spout off. If they win, maybe they gain some recruiting traction...but Sumlin doesn't seem to have any fear there. Plus, recruits still have to weigh playing in the dumpster fire vs. the SEC regardless of who wins.

The real risk I see if they win is some bruised egoes from our fan base and having to listen to them spouting off for another 12 months. Well, boohoo. That's the way rivalries work. If they lose, well, there you have it. End of story. Done. On to the next game.

They will have ZERO leverage over us, win or lose. They aren't going to somehow suck us back in to the dumpster fire. So long as we negotiate a deal that equally benefits the schools, nobody wins anything. If you can't get that negotiated, then keep negotiating.

Will they gain additional exposure? Absolutely! They will be playing a serious rival again other than their game in Dallas.

Will we gain additional exposure? Absolutely! We're playing or former rival again (one of the top 10 most played rivalries in history...used to be top 2). We're also getting a net gain in television exposure. Would the LSU game draw more on or around Turkey day...ok, let's say it does. The net gain over our other nonconference opponent is significant.
Kemo Sabe
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It's been so nice without them. But go ahead and bring those vermin back into the house.
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