Trouble.

Lots of folks looking like they are in trouble today.  Listen to song by Ray LaMontagne by the same name as you make your way through the links:

(1)  Texas is in trouble.  A&M and OU messed with Texas and won, writes Out Kick the Coverage.  If you read nothing else today, read this.  Some quotes: "The Longhorns believe that they are the lone star in a sky devoid of other celestial bodies. The heliocentric theory meets football, Texas as the sun, the moon, and the stars. Finally, Texas A&M had enough."

And: "Suddenly Texas, the school that was going to own the nation, is riding second saddle, clinging to A&M and Oklahoma for dear life. 

Only most Longhorn fans haven't realized it yet. 

Oklahoma and Texas A&M finally stared down Texas, tumbleweeds blowing past, with both schools poised to fire. Texas blinked first.  

Yes, the Big 12 may well survive thanks to the television contracts. And Texas may well make even more money. 

But money without good games is a dangerous place to find yourself in a country that is soon to be over run with mega-conferences."

Finally: "The Longhorn Network may have won Texas the battle, but in the process Texas A&M and Oklahoma have won the war."

(2) The trouble with trouble, though, is that its all relative.  Who's in more trouble than Texas?  Missouri.  The SEC is putting forward some pretty tough talk about having a 13 not 14 league conference next year with a schedule already in the works.  The Pac 12-20 doesn't seem like it will take us as they'll probably go +2 (OU and OK State) or +4 (TX, TX Tech) but not +6 (Mizzou, kU).  And the Big 10?  The silence is deafening. 

(3) Out Kick the Coverage may be right, the Little 9 might turn Little 7 and then grow to the Awful 7-10: (1) Texas, (2) Texas Tech, (3) Missouri, (4) Baylor, (5) Iowa State, (6) Kansas, (7) Kansas State, (8) TCU, and (9) Houston.  That's trouble, if I've ever seen it.  If you aren't freaking out, now is the time to freak out.

(4) Who else is in trouble?  The SEC.  They are in danger of becoming the second best conference in college football.  To who?  The Big 12, of course.  Breaking up this conference makes prefect sense.

(5) Who else is 'fixin to get in trouble if they don't shut their mouth?  Ken Starr.  Yes, that Ken Starr.  Read his exaggerated editorial and then read this brilliant response.  Some money quotes:

(a) "So, Ken Starr, sit down and let’s have a big boy talk. The truth is, Ken, your little school is going to be thrown off the bus because it hasn’t grown its own product. That’s on you and yours, buddy boy. You’ve been last in the Big 12 in football attendance every single year. You’ve won 18 conference games in 15 seasons. Your stadium is a dump."

(b)  "Unfortunately, the breakup of the Big 12 is upon us, and Baylor is about to see how they live on the other side of town. At least, Baylor will see some old friends there.


For instance, TCU. Baylor dumped TCU in the ditch, and then something remarkable happened. TCU started over and built a great program one brick at a time. Instead of suing people, TCU went to work. SMU also built a new stadium, and UH will break ground on one early next year. Baylor has some catching up to do no matter what conference it ends up in.

It’ll be fun for Baylor to catch up with Rice, UH and SMU and see how the last 15 years have gone.

Don’t worry, Ken. They’ll be totally sympathetic to your plight. You should tell them how important it is to respect history and how awful it would be to tear these wonderful traditions and rivalries apart.
Look them right in the eye, Ken, and tell them you just don’t understand why people would throw these things away."

(6) Pre-Snap Read joins in the fun and says they don't buy what Ken Starr is selling.  Does anyone?

(7) Back to Missouri: we had some trouble at ASU.  We also did some things right.  Here's a good post about both from Rock M Nation. 

(8) SHOCKER: a kU football player is in trouble. 

(9) Maryland students are in trouble with their AD after some unruly fan behavior to an 11 year old boy during their win over The u. 

(10) Finally, the Cardinals manager has them in trouble.  After looking out of the race they climbed back in and are only 3.5 game back of the wildcard.  It could have been 2.5 back after last night, but in LaRussa's desire to win, he managed them to a loss. 

Busy day...no summary.  Take the time you would have taken to read the summary and put out some prayers the SEC invites us to join their party. 

Thanks for reading,

Doug