I am very, VERY concerned

[doc longhorn]

Slive and the SEC have scheduled aggy and LSU for the Thanksgiving game this year.  We are playing TCU.

Which game do you think the nation and the recruits will be the most interested in?

I posted this on another board, but I am putting it on this one because I think the posters are more UT orientated and because I am so concerned.

The SEC's primary weapon is scheduling and it is a mighty weapon.  Because it is the money weapon and that is all that counts in coillege sports.

If Slive can reduce UT to a state mid-level team then that opens up aggy to being the dominant state team and gives the SEC a recruiting playground.

It was stated that aggy's W/L record will even the playing field.  I say BS.  It won't matter what aggys W/L record is because the SEC will rotate the Florida's, Alabama's, LSU's, Georgia's, etc. through collie station and the recruits will eat it up.  They want to play these kinds of teams and they could care less about Iowa State or Kansas.

Friends, this is serious and UT and the Big 12 better find a way to counteract it.

The writing is on the wall and you would have to be blind not to see it.

I say, screw the NCAA and let the LHN start televising high school games in the SEC.

 

[86MEHorn]

My biggest concern is that ESPN will be televising the Aggie-LSU game, and Fox Sports 1 is televising the Horns. I heard on the news they will both air at 7:00. Last year, I missed several of the FS1 games since I did not have the 250+ or whatever package on Dish. I suspect others are in the same situation.

IMO ESPN >> FS1. I share your concern. Unless LSU kicks the crap out of the Aggies on primetime...then all is well.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

Slive and the SEC have scheduled aggy and LSU for the Thanksgiving game this year.  We are playing TCU.

Which game do you think the nation and the recruits will be the most interested in?

I posted this on another board, but I am putting it on this one because I think the posters are more UT orientated and because I am so concerned.

The SEC's primary weapon is scheduling and it is a mighty weapon.  Because it is the money weapon and that is all that counts in coillege sports.

If Slive can reduce UT to a state mid-level team then that opens up aggy to being the dominant state team and gives the SEC a recruiting playground.

It was stated that aggy's W/L record will even the playing field.  I say BS.  It won't matter what aggys W/L record is because the SEC will rotate the Florida's, Alabama's, LSU's, Georgia's, etc. through collie station and the recruits will eat it up.  They want to play these kinds of teams and they could care less about Iowa State or Kansas.

Friends, this is serious and UT and the Big 12 better find a way to counteract it.

The writing is on the wall and you would have to be blind not to see it.

I say, screw the NCAA and let the LHN start televising high school games in the SEC.

What is it you're trying to say?

TX recruits probably don't care about Miss State or Arky much, either.  The SEC won't be "rotating UF and UGA through Collie Station" because they've only got 8 SEC games - 6 of them are SEC West divisional games, crossover with South Carolina every year, leaving only ONE flex game with SEC East foes.  Aggie will see UF and UGA at home every 12 years.

Your concern about UT-TCU going head to head with LSU-aggie is legitimate, though.  Unless, of course, both UT and TCU are in the hunt for a Big12 championship.  Otherwise, we'll probably lose that ratings battle.  But, look at it this way - aggie got worked the past two years against LSU with "the greatest player in aggie history" at QB.  May not be a positive for them.

Perhaps the days of scheduling a Thanksgiving game are over for UT anyway, unless we can get Notre Dame.  The NFL has taken over that day.  Nationally, both CFB games will probably get killed.

 

[Randolph Duke]

Slive and the SEC have scheduled aggy and LSU for the Thanksgiving game this year.  We are playing TCU.

Which game do you think the nation and the recruits will be the most interested in?

I posted this on another board, but I am putting it on this one because I think the posters are more UT orientated and because I am so concerned.

The SEC's primary weapon is scheduling and it is a mighty weapon.  Because it is the money weapon and that is all that counts in coillege sports.

If Slive can reduce UT to a state mid-level team then that opens up aggy to being the dominant state team and gives the SEC a recruiting playground.

It was stated that aggy's W/L record will even the playing field.  I say BS.  It won't matter what aggys W/L record is because the SEC will rotate the Florida's, Alabama's, LSU's, Georgia's, etc. through collie station and the recruits will eat it up.  They want to play these kinds of teams and they could care less about Iowa State or Kansas.

Friends, this is serious and UT and the Big 12 better find a way to counteract it.

The writing is on the wall and you would have to be blind not to see it.

I say, screw the NCAA and let the LHN start televising high school games in the SEC.

The aggy./LSU game is a one-off to make aggy happy. LSU fans are not pleased about it. There are not enough hotels/ restaurants, etc to handle the crowds in aggy on a normal home game weekend. There certainly aren't going to be enough to handle the LSU fans that come out on Thanksgiving. One of the things that made the UT/aggy game work was the fans could day trip from Dallas/Hou/Aus/ San Antonio and still get Thanksgiving in. Most LSU fans are going to be staying in Houston and the evening drive after the game back to Houston isn't going to be the highlight of the trip. 

On the flip side, aggy/LSU at Baton Rouge isn't happening. That weekend in New Orleans is booked for the Grambling/Southern "Bayou Classic/Black Super Bowl" game that is a HUGE tradition with those fanbases. The ags who stay in New Orleans will be in for quite a culture shock and a lot of the hotels are booked way in advance for the weekend. It will be as if The Dukes of Hazard walked into the Dexter Lake Club. (On a side note, can you imagine a three way "Battle of the Bands" in the middle of Bourbon Street between "The World Famed" Grambling band, the "Human Jukebox" Southern band and Marching Hitler Youth of tamu?)

If there is one thing LSU fans love, it is their food. They have their thanksgiving traditions they aren't going to give up just to make the aggys happy. the LSU fans will play on Tday weekend, but the game will be on Fri or Sat so they can have their holiday with family and to make the ags have to deal with the Grambling/Southern fans in New Orleans. 

And neither of the college games will be much watched. Have you seen the NFL night game this year? The real 12th Man is going to far outdraw the redneck 12th Man.

aggy/LSU in Craphole Station on Tday is only going to piss off LSU fans and aggy/LSU in Baton Rouge isnt going to be played on Tday, plus it will be a nightmare for the ags. Let them do it. Encourage it. 

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

I'm watching Seahawks vs 49ers Thanksgiving night.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

I'm watching Seahawks vs 49ers Thanksgiving night.

For shame!

At least have UT vs TCU on your PIP!

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

For shame!

At least have UT vs TCU on your PIP!

I'm sure I'll switch back and forth or at least playing on a second device.  But definitely will DVR the game.

 

[streettopeschel]

I'm watching Seahawks vs 49ers Thanksgiving night.

So will every fan who doesn't have an emotional attachement to UT, lsu, tcu or a&m. That's a sexy matchup and the nfl ratings will likely swamp the two college games combined.
Once upon a time, playing the ags had history and tradition. with that being over, the time for UT to ditch the T/Giving game has come. Play the next day or on that Saturday. Going head-to-head with the NFL is a loser and as a fan who doesn't live in Austin, Fri/Sat makes it easier on me too. And isn't that what it's all about ?

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

...can you imagine a three way "Battle of the Bands" in the middle of Bourbon Street between "The World Famed" Grambling band, the "Human Jukebox" Southern band and Marching Hitler Youth of tamu?

LOL!  Whoop!  That there's funny.....I don't care who you are!   :lol:

 

[echeese]

I'm watching Seahawks vs 49ers Thanksgiving night.

The NFL is football without a soul . . ..  .

 

[SFlonghorngirl]

The NFL is football without a soul . . ..  .

Honestly probably be too stressed out to watch the 49ers.  Maybe I'll attend the Texas game Thanksgiving night.

 

[uttailgaters]

Texas should immediately kill the Thanksgiving night game. 

The TCU/Tech fanbases have never played in these games and they have no idea how to deal with it. Texas fans don't care as much because the matchup isn't sexy.  Most importantly, the NFL has completely taken over Thanksgiving from 11:30am - 10:00pm.

It's not worth the trouble.

 

[MBHORNSFAN]

Slive and the SEC have scheduled aggy and LSU for the Thanksgiving game this year.  We are playing TCU.

Which game do you think the nation and the recruits will be the most interested in?

I posted this on another board, but I am putting it on this one because I think the posters are more UT orientated and because I am so concerned.

The SEC's primary weapon is scheduling and it is a mighty weapon.  Because it is the money weapon and that is all that counts in coillege sports.

If Slive can reduce UT to a state mid-level team then that opens up aggy to being the dominant state team and gives the SEC a recruiting playground.

It was stated that aggy's W/L record will even the playing field.  I say BS.  It won't matter what aggys W/L record is because the SEC will rotate the Florida's, Alabama's, LSU's, Georgia's, etc. through collie station and the recruits will eat it up.  They want to play these kinds of teams and they could care less about Iowa State or Kansas.

Friends, this is serious and UT and the Big 12 better find a way to counteract it.

The writing is on the wall and you would have to be blind not to see it.

I say, screw the NCAA and let the LHN start televising high school games in the 

Doc you didn't get the memo? Everything is fine, the SEC has no impact, recruiting is going fine, Aggy sucks, college station sucks, Austin is better, The UT brand will recruit itself, We have LHN the ultimate game changer... etc etc.

 

[Lord Vader]

For a group that wants bang for the buck from massive investment in the LHN, they sure have a funny way of showcasing it.  

 

[86MEHorn]

Texas should immediately kill the Thanksgiving night game. 

The TCU/Tech fanbases have never played in these games and they have no idea how to deal with it. Texas fans don't care as much because the matchup isn't sexy.  Most importantly, the NFL has completely taken over Thanksgiving from 11:30am - 10:00pm.

It's not worth the trouble.

Agree. Adding the night game was a game changer. Fox Sports 1 + TCU adds insult to injury.

 

[Randolph Duke]

Texas should immediately kill the Thanksgiving night game. 

The TCU/Tech fanbases have never played in these games and they have no idea how to deal with it. Texas fans don't care as much because the matchup isn't sexy.  Most importantly, the NFL has completely taken over Thanksgiving from 11:30am - 10:00pm.

It's not worth the trouble.

The lack of a clue about what to do with the Thanksgiving game is part of a broader problem. The sclerosis that defines Bellmont has lead to the marketing of the program lacking any creativity. No one can explain how our playing TCU on Thanksgiving at 7pm is important to the overall management of the UT brand. Patterson can talk for hours about why a game in Mexico City or the OU game in Dallas fit into the overall strategy, but how does the Thanksgiving game factor into any strategic plan? It doesn't. It used to be part of a traditional rivalry, but as things stand, the game subtracts from the best interests of the program because we effectively lose a game on what is a big football weekend. By going head to head against Seattle/ San Fran we will ensure we will not be seen by most football fans on what is a nationally a big weekend for casual watchers of college football. 

The missteps by those responsible for managing the UT brand are starting to become increasingly obvious even to casual observers. To some of us who follow the program more closely, they have been obvious for some time. What aggy is doing is bashing our brains in when it comes to marketing their overall program and that success is starting to have profound effects on recruiting. College football is an entertainment product. One aspect of the entertainment is the game day atmosphere for fans with tickets. Supposedly Disney is working on that (and I am half expecting them to create a new song by changing the words to "It's a Small World" with "We're the Longhorns"). The other part of the entertainment business is what we do with the media (radio/television) content we produce. Putting a meaningless game (Texas/TCU) head to head against a nationally significant game (SanFran/Seattle) of the nation's most popular sports entertainment product (the NFL) is beyond stupid.

Move the game to the leadoff slot on Saturday and make it the weekend we induct former players into the Hall of Honor. Create something akin to Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Bring all the sports hardware we have into public view during that weekend. Hammer home the history of UT football on a weekend when casual college football fans are flipping through channels and the broadcasts are crying for content to help make their broadcasts more interesting to casual fans. Develop a five minute media package of why UT football matters and deliver it on a platter for ESPN/Fox or whoever carries the broadcast.

But no. Instead, we essentially lose a game by tucking it carefully under a beheamouth of an NFL game and become less significant on the national landscape just when positioning for late season ranking and consideration for national player awards are becoming most important. It amazes me how fu@king stupid Bellmont has become. And if you wonder how stupid they are, just let it sink in that Texas is getting beaten to a bloody pulp by the media idiots over at the cow college and it isn't even close. The gang who can't shoot straight, dressed in their finest overalls are beating us in almost every single aspect of how they are running their program.

 

[BudreauReye]

" ... Move the game to the leadoff slot on Saturday and make it the weekend we induct former players into the Hall of Honor. Create something akin to Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Bring all the sports hardware we have into public view during that weekend. Hammer home the history of UT football on a weekend when casual college football fans are flipping through channels and the broadcasts are crying for content to help make their broadcasts more interesting to casual fans. Develop a five minute media package of why UT football matters and deliver it on a platter for ESPN/Fox or whoever carries the broadcast. ... "

This IS probably the best idea to come out of this entire discussion.

 

[killrjoe]

This IS probably the best idea to come out of this entire discussion.

That's a good idea regardless of whether the 'the sky is falling' scenario is true or not.

 

[Randolph Duke]