This is tough. This sucks and its going to hurt. Period. But, this is it.
This is the end folks. At least for us, Texas Tech, it is the end of the athletic world that we knew. Southwest Conference Days. The Big 12 days. The rivalries. The tradition.
Nothing mattered all along. Nothing was real. Tradition, rivalries, loyalty, comradery, you name it. The writing has been on the wall the whole time too. This is always where it was headed. The "Elite", the big money brands, ESPN...it was always headed this way. A "Super League". NFL Jr.
ESPN has already been talking this up for years. It was easy to think that ESPN was just blowing smoke with stupid "what if" articles and opinions. But, in hindsight these were forecasts, these were even threats. Just look at this from April of this year, only around 3 months prior to this OU/UT news being leaked. Super League
Hell, there is even a Wikipedia page now. Here, fire not smoke
We were never going to be apart of things in the long term. In fact, most of the schools in the country were not going to be apart of things long term. Once those dollar signs started soaring with TV deals and the arms race that ensued. The recruiting world going bananas. The transfer market becoming free agency. Now the NIL stuff. The separation of "elite" and the others became more and more solidified.
The only step left was to leave us all in the dust and burn down the NCAA entirely.
We probably should have seen it coming. Especially when Texas created the LHN and didnt care at all that the Ags left. Didnt care at all to lose Nebraska, Colorado, Mizzou. Even brought in TCU just to keep things sustainable until they could make the jump to do what they really wanted. Until the path was clear. In hindsight, the signs have been there for decades.
And now OU...following along because they know they cant stop what is about to happen. Do you guys understand how big of a deal it is that they turned there back on Okie State? That is monumental considering the historical relationship between the two institutions. But, OU knows what is coming.
I dont know what this means long term. I know within the next decade nothing will be as it currently stands. I dont think it matters if we go to the Pac 12, the Big 10 or even the SEC. Maybe Im wrong, but I dont think any of those conferences will exist in a decade. I dont. The money here, the politics, ESPN, the "elite" schools have all the cards and this will become whatever they want it to be.
For OU and Texas to leave like they were trying to do? It was like the Colts leaving Baltimore. Packing up trucks in the middle of the night. It was Beard leaving Tech. Get out before anyone knows whats going on and before they can stop it.
I am not being pessimistic here, L-O-L, this is just the reality of the situation. This whole thing is dirty AS F*CK. This whole thing is ESPN, big dollar signs and crooked politics. It's astounding. It is historic in the worst kind of way. I know we are all trying to barter and find the positive move. I am still hoping that I am wrong on this and that there is a silver lining where we are playing west coast games and forming new rivalries or some other scenario where we are not about to get zapped in the worst way....
...But, this is the Titanic sinking. There arent enough lifeboats and we are looking for doors to float on in freezing waters. Forgive the pessimism. The more I read about this and the more that comes out, this is no bueno. This is no bueno.
Im going to enjoy this year coming of athletics and hope we win every title we can. Hope we beat Texas in every way possible. I hope there is still March Madness and the CWS, maybe we can keep that momentum. Just surreal times but Wreck'em.
This is the end folks. At least for us, Texas Tech, it is the end of the athletic world that we knew. Southwest Conference Days. The Big 12 days. The rivalries. The tradition.
Nothing mattered all along. Nothing was real. Tradition, rivalries, loyalty, comradery, you name it. The writing has been on the wall the whole time too. This is always where it was headed. The "Elite", the big money brands, ESPN...it was always headed this way. A "Super League". NFL Jr.
ESPN has already been talking this up for years. It was easy to think that ESPN was just blowing smoke with stupid "what if" articles and opinions. But, in hindsight these were forecasts, these were even threats. Just look at this from April of this year, only around 3 months prior to this OU/UT news being leaked. Super League
Hell, there is even a Wikipedia page now. Here, fire not smoke
We were never going to be apart of things in the long term. In fact, most of the schools in the country were not going to be apart of things long term. Once those dollar signs started soaring with TV deals and the arms race that ensued. The recruiting world going bananas. The transfer market becoming free agency. Now the NIL stuff. The separation of "elite" and the others became more and more solidified.
The only step left was to leave us all in the dust and burn down the NCAA entirely.
We probably should have seen it coming. Especially when Texas created the LHN and didnt care at all that the Ags left. Didnt care at all to lose Nebraska, Colorado, Mizzou. Even brought in TCU just to keep things sustainable until they could make the jump to do what they really wanted. Until the path was clear. In hindsight, the signs have been there for decades.
And now OU...following along because they know they cant stop what is about to happen. Do you guys understand how big of a deal it is that they turned there back on Okie State? That is monumental considering the historical relationship between the two institutions. But, OU knows what is coming.
I dont know what this means long term. I know within the next decade nothing will be as it currently stands. I dont think it matters if we go to the Pac 12, the Big 10 or even the SEC. Maybe Im wrong, but I dont think any of those conferences will exist in a decade. I dont. The money here, the politics, ESPN, the "elite" schools have all the cards and this will become whatever they want it to be.
For OU and Texas to leave like they were trying to do? It was like the Colts leaving Baltimore. Packing up trucks in the middle of the night. It was Beard leaving Tech. Get out before anyone knows whats going on and before they can stop it.
I am not being pessimistic here, L-O-L, this is just the reality of the situation. This whole thing is dirty AS F*CK. This whole thing is ESPN, big dollar signs and crooked politics. It's astounding. It is historic in the worst kind of way. I know we are all trying to barter and find the positive move. I am still hoping that I am wrong on this and that there is a silver lining where we are playing west coast games and forming new rivalries or some other scenario where we are not about to get zapped in the worst way....
...But, this is the Titanic sinking. There arent enough lifeboats and we are looking for doors to float on in freezing waters. Forgive the pessimism. The more I read about this and the more that comes out, this is no bueno. This is no bueno.
Im going to enjoy this year coming of athletics and hope we win every title we can. Hope we beat Texas in every way possible. I hope there is still March Madness and the CWS, maybe we can keep that momentum. Just surreal times but Wreck'em.
