Simple actually. In the end of the Royal era Coach Royal didn't project the image the university wanted. Akers was hired in part because he looked like he stepped out of a Neiman Marcus catalog compared to Royal.
When the Akers era ended Royal tabbed McWilliams and that blew up in our face and not only did football not perform, it embarrassed the University with abysmal graduation rates and drug/crime scandals.
The powers that be that consider UT to be pursuing ivy league status were terrified we were going to become a football factory. So football was deemphasized by hiring Mackovic, Royal was ostracized/exiled/put out to pasture, telling high school coaches they weren't welcome, refusing to host high school playoff games, and promoting football as a place to be seen rather than the outcome of the game. And the donations kept coming in so no one cared.....
https://www.si.com/college/tamu/news/desperate-texas-ou-learn-they-need-aggies-sec-path?fbclid=IwAR2HMVd96zr_psIlkA5CZ3lC3L-Bh1-AH_kCN4lw9BMwyub4sfFqotVCQUE
Look at that. A&M has decided to stop whining and try to shape the narrative.
From SEC network article....if this is what they put out....I don't know that CTJ should be so excited...
"They were angry Darlington Raceway was empty on Labor Day weekend. Just as college sports fans in Oklahoma and Texas will be angry when they don't see "Cowboys" on the football schedule or "Jayhawks" on the basketball calendar."
No they won't....
This. The Big 12 was arguably 1b to the SEC's 1a when Nebraska ran away. If they had stayed put we never flirt with the PAC, A&M probably never goes to the SEC, Bowlsby never get brought in as a brain dead corpse, and who knows maybe we are currently raiding the pac to get to 16.....
Counterpoint- in the decade he's been chancellor A&M has basically gotten whatever they wanted out of the legislature. The system as a whole, not just the university. Their appropriations from the lege have been ridiculous to see come through and as I said he has even assisted us a time or 2...
I mean the things at the state level that have been moved under the A&M system umbrella that used to be standalone agencies is impressive under Sharp. I keep waiting to see the lege move TDA under A&M just to get rid of the assat that is currently running it.
As I understand it we like Sharp. He is a good operator in the legislature and has been a good ally in funding battles.
The truly connected aggies that see more than a rivalry in all this love him and value his ability to make the legislature play ball.
I can't imagine he didn't know about this. Nor do I think there is a chance in hell they remove him over it. Senator Kolkhorst got on his bad side about not fighting hard enough for A&M initiatives a few years ago and he completely black balled her, no A&M program invites, no extension programs, heck she didn't even get an invite to the Washington County 4-H banquet. Lois got the message before the next session.
Who knows Bjork might get canned as a sacrificial offering to the mob, but I genuinely believe he was clueless.
Loftin is a joke. He was a joke at A&M which is why Sharp ran him out of town and he was an even bigger joke at Missouri. He is the epitome of a jock sniffer. Now he is in some kind of partnership with Texags or whatever but is considered a valid source on merger talk...