Meet the Bag Man

[streettopeschel]

Every NCAA program is making its football players live on campus, show up for class on time and sit in the first two rows and every NCAA football program sits starting running backs out of spring practice for "periods of reflection."

While also, every program ignores player arrests, failed drug tests and other character issues to maintain player eligibility. 

How do I know this to be true? 

Because if it happens at one school, it happens at every school. Trust me. I know how things are done. I'm an insider. 

/end sarcasm

i support this post.

I'm sure if the ncaa sent an investigative team to Austin, they'd almost certainly find some sort of rules violation and that WOULD be the case at virtually every school. Not unlike if the IRS audited  a well meaning, basically honest taxpayer's return, they'd likely find some obscure violation.

Perhaps i am 'sadly delusional' but i'd be surprised and dissapointed if the bag-man story illustrated above occurs at UT.

 

[HornNdriftwood]

One of the reasons they're able to get away with this is because fans in the SE truly believe that "everybody's doing it."

And like everything else, they think they're better at it than anybody. It's become another bragging point for them.

It's entrenched deep into their culture.

But, that doesn't mean it the same all over.

If you say something often enough, it doesn't make it true.

 

[bcherry168]

The best way for a coach at Texas to get fired is to tolerate or participate in violations like those that were described.

I have pretty closely watched the program for a very long time and there have not been any bad violations.

We do need to give the kids more money. The scholarships provided to not come near to covering the costs of being a student athlete at Texas.

But it has to be done legally and in the open.

 

[Randolph Duke]

Here is David Ubben's take on why the SEC tactics aren't used in the Big 12.

It's about to get quiet in Big 12 country with basketball season over and spring football winding down.

 


Let's reach into the Mailbag and answer a few questions before the reality of summer sets in.

 


Follow me on Twitter for a chance to make our next edition of the mailbag.

 


Taylor Kohn asks: Do you think that "bag men" are as prevalent in the Big 12 as SEC? Do Texas teams now have to "keep up" since they're in SEC country?

 


David Ubben: It's a valid question. I can assure you it goes on in some capacity at nearly every major university that strives to be nationally competitive in football.

 


Awhile back, I had a lengthy conversation with a Big 12 coach about the issue, and he pointed out one major difference between the SEC and the Big 12.

 


In the Big 12--moreso back when we had that conversation--Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M were largely the only schools competing for nearly every top prospect in the DFW metroplex and surrounding areas.

 


Texas Tech recruits more heavily in West Texas. The Red Raiders, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Missouri at the time and TCU most often recruit a different level of player in the metroplex. Every now and then, all of those schools will bring in a top guy or two, but most of the time, there's not a ton of direct competition for the same guys.

 


The SEC is a very different atmosphere in that regard. Look at the SEC map. You basically have about 10 schools in a big circle. The majority of those 10--Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and perhaps South Carolina excluded--believe they should be competing for national titles on a regular basis. If a coach isn't chasing after as many five stars as possible, he's going to infuriate his fan base. They believe they could (perhaps should) sign those guys. Why wouldn't the ambitious head coach think the same?

 


That leads to a level of competition--some might say desperation--that's not as prevalent in the Big 12. Texas Tech and the other programs I listed are OK with winning 9-10 games a year. That's a good year for most Big 12 programs. It's a great year for some. History has conditioned more fan bases to accept that than to reject it. Texas and Oklahoma are really the only exceptions when you talk about programs who would be displeased with a nine-win season. Plenty of people in and around smaller programs strive for more, but they don't EXPECT it.

 


Meanwhile, try telling Georgia and Tennessee fans some time they shouldn't expect to win national titles. Tell me how that goes.

 


There's your difference in the climate of the Big 12 and the SEC and why, though I bet bag men do show up in this state, they're not quite as ingrained in the culture across Texas as they are in SEC country.

http://msn.foxsports.com/southwest/story/ubben-s-big-12-mailbag-why-the-big-12-isn-t-the-sec-041014

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

I agree with David Ubben's take, but have no doubt that jock-sniffing bag men exist in the Big 12 (and UT), too.  

Colt's wife, Rachel, admitted as much during a radio interview.  To Colt's credit, he didn't accept any under-the-table gratuities...but he's exceptional.  Do I believe it's as pervasive and corrupt as it is in the $EC?  Hell, no.  I doubt the bench-warmers are on the bag men's payroll.  

Funny story about SMU's Ron Meyer back in the "Pony Excess" days.

A prominent TX high school coach with many D1 recruits had a habit of collecting CFB coaches' business cards and pinning them to his board.  On Meyer's way out, the coach asked him for a business card.  Meyer peeled a Benjamin off his money clip and pinned it to his board. "There's my business card!"

 

[Randolph Duke]

I hope Deloss writes a book setting the record straight on the things that happened while he was AD at Texas. The assumption by too many people that each college program is as corrupt as the next needs to be addressed by someone who was on the inside and no longer has anything to lose by telling the back stories on what we know about the history of the SWC and the Big 12.

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

I hope Deloss writes a book setting the record straight on the things that happened while he was AD at Texas. The assumption by too many people that each college program is as corrupt as the next needs to be addressed by someone who was on the inside and no longer has anything to lose by telling the back stories on what we know about the history of the SWC and the Big 12.

If our bag-men are any good, DeLoss would be the last guy to know about improper benefits.  I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for him to write a page-turning memoir either.  

I don't believe that UT "is as corrupt as the next", particularly not as dirty as most $EC schools.  To think none of our players get fringe benefits is naive, though.  Just my opinion.  

 

[Randolph Duke]

If our bag-men are any good, DeLoss would be the last guy to know about improper benefits.  I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for him to write a page-turning memoir either.  

I don't believe that UT "is as corrupt as the next", particularly not as dirty as most $EC schools.  To think none of our players get fringe benefits is naive, though.  Just my opinion.  

One of the problems being Texas is our program has such a large target on its back. There are a lot of people who would LOVE to be able to have evidence of wrongdoing by one of the UT athletes. I think a lot less of the corrupt stuff goes on than people would expect for that very reason. 

What I would love to hear from Deloss is his comments on how aggy managed to avoid the death penalty in the early 90s, comments regarding Nebraska and aggy's input during the forming of the Big 12, various attempts to get Texas to the PAC, SEC, etc, what really was discussed between himself and Bill Byrne regarding what became LHN and his comments about when aggy left for the SEC. There are so many stories floating around about those subjects and in each and every instance, Texas has allowed itself to be painted in a less than favorable light. I would love to have Deloss give a first person view of what he remembers about those subjects. 

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

One of the problems being Texas is our program has such a large target on its back. There are a lot of people who would LOVE to be able to have evidence of wrongdoing by one of the UT athletes. I think a lot less of the corrupt stuff goes on than people would expect for that very reason. 

What I would love to hear from Deloss is his comments on how aggy managed to avoid the death penalty in the early 90s, comments regarding Nebraska and aggy's input during the forming of the Big 12, various attempts to get Texas to the PAC, SEC, etc, what really was discussed between himself and Bill Byrne regarding what became LHN and his comments about when aggy left for the SEC. There are so many stories floating around about those subjects and in each and every instance, Texas has allowed itself to be painted in a less than favorable light. I would love to have Deloss give a first person view of what he remembers about those subjects. 

I would love for DeLoss to write a memoir about the topics that you've outlined above!

That would make for a scintillating read.  Do you know of any plans for this to happen?  Does DeLoss have a book deal lined up?  He just doesn't seem like the kinda guy who would spill his guts.  

 

[java]

Look fellows, I don't claim to be an insider, and I'm not. Not anymore. However, at one time I knew a number of people who were insiders-players, coaches, and donors. Everyone in our neighborhood is gunning for UT, everyone. When the Southwest Conference was imploding, and the rats were turning, they tried to implicate UT. They did their worst.

The best they could come up with was ticket money. That's what the guys called it anyway-their ticket money. If you aren't familiar with the story, the school would give the players a specified number of tickets for each game for family, girlfriends, whoever. The players would only retain a few and have a local gentleman (think name revealed by NCAA) sell the balance. Thus, ticket money.

Anyway, that's why UT served 2 years probation way back when, and that is why we now have a strict will call policy for complementary tickets. Put your rose-colored glasses back on. If we sneeze, we will be reported.

 

[Randolph Duke]

I would love for DeLoss to write a memoir about the topics that you've outlined above!

That would make for a scintillating read. Do you know of any plans for this to happen? Does DeLoss have a book deal lined up? He just doesn't seem like the kinda guy who would spill his guts.

I haven't heard of any such book in the works and I agree he seems like the kind of guy who prefers to remain quiet, but we all knows how much he loves to torch certain people who get caught in his gunsights. His "we are the Joneses" line still has Bill Byrne's blood pressure 20 points higher than it was.

I have no doubt if he set the record straight on Nebraska and aggy, I have no doubt it would be widely talked about. One of the few things gs Delos's did that royally p!ssed me off to was allowing crap assed stories by Neb and aggy go unchallenged.

 

[drgilbert]

A guy that I work with went to high school with Jamarcus McFarland who was a stud dt in high school. JM said when he visited UT took him to a party and basically offered him alcohol and women. No mention of money though.

 

[HornNdriftwood]

A guy that I work with went to high school with Jamarcus McFarland who was a stud dt in high school. JM said when he visited UT took him to a party and basically offered him alcohol and women. No mention of money though.

You work with Thayer Evans?

 

[J.B. TexasEx]

I haven't heard of any such book in the works and I agree he seems like the kind of guy who prefers to remain quiet, but we all knows how much he loves to torch certain people who get caught in his gunsights. His "we are the Joneses" line still has Bill Byrne's blood pressure 20 points higher than it was.

I have no doubt if he set the record straight on Nebraska and aggy, I have no doubt it would be widely talked about. One of the few things gs Delos's did that royally p!ssed me off to was allowing crap assed stories by Neb and aggy go unchallenged.

I agree.

The lamestream media can't wait to get their hands on a "greedy capitalists" story.  I get a perverse pleasure out of reminding aggy and cornholers that UT didn't break any Big 12 rules by launching LHN.  Start your own damn network.

Maybe DeLoss will step up and write his story.  I'd recommend CFB and SWC historian, Dan Jenkins, as his ghost writer but he likes aggy too much.  Old-timer remembers when the farmers were really army.

 

[drgilbert]

You work with Thayer Evans?

 

[drgilbert]

No I don't. Who is Thayer Evans? I work with someone who played football with him in Lufkin.

 

[Sejjr]

That was a very good read, though none of it is surprising. Fact is, the State of Texas cares just as strongly as the SEC about football, and yes, the Big 12 does this type of thing as well. To think different is just naive. 

 

[Juan]

nm

 

[Topstarr]

I just do not believe that "Bag Men" give dollars to recruits................... h34r:

 

[bcherry168]

I just do not believe that "Bag Men" give dollars to recruits................... h34r:

They did at OU back in the day.