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Posted
On 8/9/2025 at 11:51 AM, BurntEyes said:

Well @closetojumping perhaps Tarp has found LDS and is of the position that Reed will find his long game in a magic hat. 

As for Steele and over rating, he's not alone in the media and it just boggles my mind. This year aggie along with PSU and the other love fest media frequently for no good reason Miami are all the WTFs. At least PSU has a track record, granted its choking all big games where talent is equal or greater, but the same can't be said for Miami and certainly not aggie.

I'm late to this thread. Skimming some great stuff. Compliments to @closetojumping

I wonder if A&M making themselves largely unignorable despite nobody much caring about their football program places them in a unique position to be over-rated just about every year.

I think they are likely the only team of some prominence in college ball to have alumni constantly touting themselves as the next blue blood. They mantra the sleeping giant/all the advantages line until the notion finds footing in some minds of the national CFB media. At one time or another, just about all of those sports pundits pick A&M to surprise the world. At no time do the Aggies deliver more than a big upset win en route to their traditional ocho-cuatro.

Now, they have established the pitiful narrative of "is this year finally the year the Aggies break through?" Nobody really wants to spend any more time on A&M than they do Michigan State or Pitt, but the annual question, just as the annual failure, remains: is this the year?

They get an obligatory and cursory look flavored by the Aggie hard sell leading to this notion that they will be better than they are. The reasoning is usually applicable to all above average schools: if their QB breaks out, if the OL finally gels, if linebackers can stay healthy...

Other than OU's aging MNC, I don't think the breaks have ever gone well enough for the miracle to happen.

The Aggies just set themselves up, unfailingly, as a November punchline. The wages of self-promoting a self that sucks.

  • Hook 'Em 2
Posted
5 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

I'm late to this thread. Skimming some great stuff. Compliments to @closetojumping

I wonder if A&M making themselves largely unignorable despite nobody much caring about their football program places them in a unique position to be over-rated just about every year.

I think they are likely the only team of some prominence in college ball to have alumni constantly touting themselves as the next blue blood. They mantra the sleeping giant/all the advantages line until the notion finds footing in some minds of the national CFB media. At one time or another, just about all of those sports pundits pick A&M to surprise the world. At no time do the Aggies deliver more than a big upset win en route to their traditional ocho-cuatro.

Now, they have established the pitiful narrative of "is this year finally the year the Aggies break through?" Nobody really wants to spend any more time on A&M than they do Michigan State or Pitt, but the annual question, just as the annual failure, remains: is this the year?

They get an obligatory and cursory look flavored by the Aggie hard sell leading to this notion that they will be better than they are. The reasoning is usually applicable to all above average schools: if their QB breaks out, if the OL finally gels, if linebackers can stay healthy...

Other than OU's aging MNC, I don't think the breaks have ever gone well enough for the miracle to happen.

The Aggies just set themselves up, unfailingly, as a November punchline. The wages of self-promoting a self that sucks.

Except in November nobody really digs in on a who is a failure. It focuses on who is playing for it all. 
it’s a smart way to do it. You get to enjoy the shine for 6 months in anticipation and few care enough to autopsy the teams that failed when the season is still going on and there is a chase for playoffs and a title. 
after the season memories fade and they play bullshit games like “we were one play away from beating evil TU, Whoop!” And forget that they we dominated like they had a tennis ball gag stuffed down their mouth. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted (edited)
34 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

I'm late to this thread. Skimming some great stuff. Compliments to @closetojumping

I wonder if A&M making themselves largely unignorable despite nobody much caring about their football program places them in a unique position to be over-rated just about every year.

I think they are likely the only team of some prominence in college ball to have alumni constantly touting themselves as the next blue blood. They mantra the sleeping giant/all the advantages line until the notion finds footing in some minds of the national CFB media. At one time or another, just about all of those sports pundits pick A&M to surprise the world. At no time do the Aggies deliver more than a big upset win en route to their traditional ocho-cuatro.

Now, they have established the pitiful narrative of "is this year finally the year the Aggies break through?" Nobody really wants to spend any more time on A&M than they do Michigan State or Pitt, but the annual question, just as the annual failure, remains: is this the year?

They get an obligatory and cursory look flavored by the Aggie hard sell leading to this notion that they will be better than they are. The reasoning is usually applicable to all above average schools: if their QB breaks out, if the OL finally gels, if linebackers can stay healthy...

Other than OU's aging MNC, I don't think the breaks have ever gone well enough for the miracle to happen.

The Aggies just set themselves up, unfailingly, as a November punchline. The wages of self-promoting a self that sucks.

Well, in pure speculation I think all this combined @Wulaw Horn point plus 5 other items potentially play into this never ending narrative.

First, aggie goes has hired HCs that for various reasons get the attention of media. 

Next, they are always, constantly spewing propaganda about how much money they have and this appears to be supported by some of the coaching hires. Reporters mostly suck today and they aren't digging into the aggie budget. Also, they do actually have some money just none they can spend elsewhere due to the coaching choices.

Third, they rarely dip into a losing record. They are know for 8-4 for a reason. A big part of it is 3 of their 4 OOC are nobodies at their stadium, but again this takes looking at the receipts and sports Reporters are lazy.

Fourth, Texas is a football state, and I firmly believe writers will generate a rivalry/heel for plot when one may or may not exist in a competitive aspect. Perhaps a similar reality is true for Miami in football for Florida. 

Finally, reporting sucks for the most part these days. If it isn't sponsored by someone, it's written to generate rage. Hate sells, it sells really well. So does envy. Social media influencers make billions off showing their great looks and "amazing life" and/or telling everyone why their lives suck.

Edited by BurntEyes
Posted (edited)
On 8/15/2025 at 5:16 PM, Vertigo said:

The mental gymnastics Pate does in this is truly astounding. My favorite piece is him calling Casius Howell potentially one of the best edge players in the country after a 3rd team all MAC season in 2023.

 

 

I just about never watch this stuff. It's a patience issue when it comes to listening to sports guys talk. 

I watched this, and it prompted a consideration of the difference between blather and bloviation. Is the difference merely philosophical? I'll get back to you on that.

"Elko and his staff are going to ask this team to do something most teams can't do. Prepare and play really hard in each game. There, I said it. Most teams don't do this, because they don't have a genius like Mike Elko working magic and exerting a gravitational field. 

"Here's another keen point: Notre Dame is a big game for them. If they go to Notre Dame and win there, that will tell you something about this team. I follow sports closely and have my own show. I go to the gym and can keep a white shirt unstained. Winning a big away game will be a big deal for A&M."

Profound. Ask your team to win all year. Then win big games.

Okay, I took liberties with the language but not the spirit. There is only spirit in Pate's bloviation: the blather of school spirit for the dear old Texas Aggies.

ETA: @BurntEyes reminds of Pate's opening: A&M's season last year was a success because they entered the Texas game needing only that win to go to the SEC Championship Game. As y'all say, that fact is doing a lot of heavy lifting in rating the Aggies as contenders.

Edited by RomaVicta
  • Like 1
Posted
2 minutes ago, RomaVicta said:

Prepare and play really hard in each game

Wow they solved the Rubik’s cube of sports 

  • Haha 1
Posted
1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

IMG_5476.png

thank you ctj for posting this - it has a critical data point - i've been running with the 2014 win at #9 south carolina as the last true road win

the google AI search results often return incomplete or totally incorrect results and this is such a case as the win at #3 barn was 8 games after the south carolina win

we have a new date

the last aggy true road win over a ranked opponent was 9 november 2014 at jordan-hare

3934 days ago

Posted

Pathetic quibble of the day:

image.thumb.png.11a09b55c2e55918db83bad48d5b8e53.png

There are several posts about whether this historic Colorado game should count as non-neutral. 

It says so much about how desperate they can get to identify some meaningless detail as evidence that futililty is not the way of the Aggie.

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