. . . because it appears to be done. (Hat tip: SG Standard.)
ESPN reports that Texas has announced its intention to remain in the Big 12, and school sources at Texas A&M are offering a similar indication. Gene Stallings certainly has backed off of his hardline stance in favor of the Aggies moving to the SEC.
Frankly, I don't get it. I don't see how the Big 12 can negotiate a better television deal after losing the marquee program in the Big 12 North, the Denver media market, and the right to host a conference championship game. If, however, that is what has happened---and it certainly appears that it has---we all owe Dan Beebe a huge apology.
After getting so psyched up over the ostensibly impending arrival of Texas A&M, I am disappointed at the loss of the opportunity to see the Bulldogs play a conference road game at what is (in my humble opinion) the most well-named college stadium in the country.
At the end of the day, though, the twelve-team SEC has been an enormous success, and the prospect of twelve teams in the Big Ten and the Pac-10 does not threaten the long-term viability of the league. With neither the Big Ten nor the Pac-10 gaining a toehold in the Lone Star State, the SEC is not imperiled by failing to make such inroads.
In the end, it looks like initial projections were correct, and we all got caught up in the excitement of what turned out to be much ado about not very much.
Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted.
Go 'Dawgs!
