The Texas A&M Board of Regents "will meet on August 22 to deliberate and likely vote on an application to join" the SEC as early as '12, according to sources cited by Chip Brown of ORANGEBLOODS.com. Two sources also indicated that SEC presidents are "being gathered Saturday in an emergency meeting to address the possible addition of Texas A&M." Texas A&M Chief Communications Officer Jason Cook "denied reports that A&M has already agreed to join the SEC." However, Brown reported there is "growing concern in the Big 12 that A&M is already well down the road toward joining the SEC." Sources said that Texas A&M President Bowen Loftin "met with SEC officials prior to an Aug. 1 meeting among Big 12 athletic directors in Dallas to discuss how to co-exist" with the Univ. of Texas and its forthcoming Longhorn Network. One of A&M's concerns "was eliminated on Thursday when the NCAA ruled no high school games would be allowed to be shown on school or conference networks." But sources indicated that it "didn't appear the NCAA's ruling would have much bearing on A&M's momentum toward the SEC." An A&M source said that university officials are "having their lawyers look at everything, including the exit fees A&M would have to pay to leave the Big 12." Sources said that the SEC "would be interested in adding Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech in addition to Texas A&M to form a 16-team super conference." Two Big 12 sources, however, said that OU and OSU "would stay in the Big 12 as long as the other schools were willing to stay together." A separate Big 12 official said the remaining nine schools were "solid" (ORANGEBLOODS.com, 8/11). In Dallas, Chuck Carlton notes while the "upcoming budget is the lone agenda item" for the Board of Regents meeting on Aug. 22, "additional items can be added up until 72 hours before the meeting." Based on the "last 72 hours, fully expect conference membership to be discussed in a big way" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 8/12).
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? In Houston, Richard Justice writes, "Texas A&M has to go this time. Whether it's a smart move is another conversation. Credibility is an even bigger issue. ... They almost left last summer, and this time they have no choice. Otherwise, they become a laughingstock. To stay would mean taking a vow of silence. It would also mean they were never serious about leaving in the first place, and who'll pay attention to anything they say down the road?" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/12). In Austin, Kirk Bohls writes, "There is a tremendous upside for our friends from College Station if their school links up with the premier football conference in the nation. ... The Aggies would be better by association, and they share a similar culture with schools that aren't exactly in metro areas and have fan bases that are more college-oriented." Also in Austin, Cedric Golden writes, "They could shed the tag of being the little brother to Texas and make more money" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 8/12). L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke said, "The Big 12 is going down. I think they’re getting out while the getting’s good. They’re going to the best conference in the land” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 8/11). But in K.C., Sam Mellinger wrote, "A&M won't be in a better situation if they leave for the SEC. A lot of these screw-you feelings they’re having right now toward the Big 12 figure to be washed away once they start losing by three touchdowns against Alabama. ... In the SEC, they'll be closer to Ole Miss than Alabama" (KANSASCITY.com, 8/11). ESPN’s Michael Wilbon said A&M is “whining essentially because they don’t have a shiny new ESPN-aided contract cable deal that’s going to bring gazillions of dollars.” Wilbon: “They have zero brand identity outside the state of Texas” (“PTI,” ESPN, 8/11). Meanwhile, SPORTING NEWS' Matt Hayes writes, "In three weeks, the Big 12 has gone from a rebranded conference with renewed confidence, to plugging leaks all over the good ship" (SPORTING NEWS TODAY, 8/12).
