Sometimes, it's just not a good day to be a Texas Longhorn.

We've done a very good job of documenting how, mostly, it's sucked to be a Bulldog over the past 2 years.  Today, however we've discovered that, at least for February 11, 2010, it also sucks to be a Texas Longhorn.

First, the NCAA approved a role today that says if you are going to designate a head coach-in-waiting in any athletics program, the NCAA will take you at your word and treat them like a head coach for a recruiting purposes.  Your first reaction to this bit of news might be "so what?" If you examine the linked article further, it points out that the only two schools directly affected by this ruling are Maryland and Texas.  Since Rich Brooks retired and Bobby Bowden "retired" at the end of last season, those are the only two schools that have head coaches-in-waiting any more.  Also, for those of you uninitiated to the many vagaries of NCAA recruiting law, head coaches are allowed to have much less direct contact with recruits than assistant coaches are.  

 

So, the net of this decision is that the NCAA is saying that if a school is going to try to gain a competitive advantage and retain a top assistant by naming him "head-coach-in-waiting," The Powers That Be are going to partially nullify that advantage by taking away his ability to recruit as vociferously as he most likely had done on his way towards getting named head-coach-in-waiting.

The Georgia fan in me that dislikes Texas and has a good friend who is an Aggie thinks this is just fine (What time is it in Texas?).  The laissez-faire capitalist (that would be "Libertarian," for you political types... or "Ferengi" for you Star Trek types) in me, however, despises the NCAA for urinating in football's sandbox once again.  Either way, though, this can't be good for the Orange and the White, since Will Muschamp was known as one of the best and most relentless recruiters on the t.u. staff.  (Also, when he sings that song he sings so well, it sounds like hell.)

 

Uh oh... the 'Champ doesn't look very happy.  Or is he really ecstatic?  Shoot, I can't tell.

via alt.coxnewsweb.com

 

The second reason that it sucks to be a Longhorn today is that Orson ƒwindle ƒpencer Hall is passing along a report that the Big 10+1 has officially made preliminary overtures to Texas about becoming its big twelfth member.  Really, do I need to explain that one?  I mean, I would think that there is zero chance that the 'Horns would even entertain this offer... but still, even to be associated with the Big 10+1...  (shudder)

 

Welcome to the pessimism party, Longhorn fans.