The Big XII that’s really the BIG X

“X” sometimes marks the spot, and sometimes it misses the mark by a mile!

In this case, the Big XII Conference is made up of 10 teams, since both The University of Colorado and Nebraska have jumped the conference and made their way to be a part of two other conferences. 

By now you know the story, but for those of you that need a refresher course, here is the “Readers Digest” condense version.

Both of those aforementioned schools left the “12” to join, in Colorado’s case, the Pacific Athletic Conference—also known as the PAC 10 and now is the PAC 12… Nebraska joined the BIG 10 which really is the Big 12, but since that name was already taken—they will keep the title of “10” and let the BIG XII keep the “12” even though neither conference can count—AND this is suppose to represent the HIGHER education system of our country! REALLY? They can’t even count! How would “THE COUNT” of

Sesame Street

feel about that??? HMMMM????

Alright enough of the sarcasm…. The truth is, this is the time of year that coaches, and players, all gather in one location, and become a part of the circus that the media creates for two days in a hotel in Dallas.

All 10 teams come here with a choice players, and their head coach, their Sports Information Director (also known as a “SID”), and an entourage of people to handle their people! WHEW!

Each coach and player all say the same thing, because the same innate question gets asked to every single person that sits in front of the camera or microphone. And the same answer pretty much is given verbatim!

“How do you feel about the conference schedule, where you play everybody in the conference?”  REALLY? That’s the best you can come up with? This is what you got your degree in, and this is the best you can ask? TWELVE players and coaches stepped in front of the same group of cameramen and reporters and that question was asked to each and everyone one of them! That was original… or the other favorite one was asked to every University of Texas player..” Which is a bigger rivalry—The Red River Shootout (Texas vs. Oklahoma) or the Thanksgiving game with A&M (Texas A&M)?” Are you serious man????? Please.. any person who has stepped inside the Cotton Bowl on the second Saturday of October, and stood in the tunnel before they run you out onto the field, there you are standing shoulder to shoulder with the person you’re about to go into battle against, for the next three hours, 90 thousand people, screaming at the top of their lungs, half bathed in Crimson and Cream, the other half in Burnt Orange and White and right down the middle of the 50 yard line is the RED RIVER (metaphorically speaking)… the hair on your arms and the back of your neck just stood up because of the chills of this football tradition! No where can you match that intensity, maybe Army vs Navy, maybe Michigan and Ohio State, but truly…. Seriously… TEXAS v OU! Nuff said!

Then there’s the other game, the one that was brought on because of a land deal, the burning desire deep with in those who wear Maroon and White, the one’s that, once upon a time ago, showed that burning desire, by burning a Bonfire to prove that hatred! The Fightin’ Farmers, the Aggies of A&M! Now this game is based on pure, un-adulterated HATE!

Texas vs Texas A&M, the only two schools, who’s fight songs actually make reference to each other with in the lyrics, the rivalry is so rich in tradition, that when the tragedy of 1999, the fall of bonfire, and 12 Texas A&M Students were killed, the half time show alone, there was not a dry eye in the house, when the University of Texas marching band, showed that its one thing for the two schools to talk trash, but when it comes right down to it, the brotherhood of those two schools reaches well beyond the hatred.  The Longhorn band played Amazing Grace, they lowered their flags in homage, and a collective, wrapping their arms around their rival to let them know that they were there to help them heal when it counted most.

The RIVALRY—THE GAME! Texas vs A&M, whether its in Kyle Field or Darryl Royal Memorial Stadium, the sounds, the decibel level, the color—the tradition!

Now after reading all of that, which game is bigger???? REALLY? That’s the best you can come up with, with all the degrees of journalism in one room—those were the best questions to come up with?

You really have to wonder, why our youth, the future of our world, have no clue how to do communicate-  I was watching more people texting each other, while they stood no more than 10 feet from one another, we have lost the art of talking to one another, that’s for sure, and the best questions they could come up with were about the conference schedule and which was a bigger rivalry!

As for the real answer to the best question, which was fired off to Mac Brown the head coach of Texas, when he was asked about last years 5 and 7 season, Coach Brown looked right into the eyes of the person who asked the question, and informed him, that it was his “responsibility to prepare his team to win, and when they lose, it is his responsibility for not giving them the tools or the opportunity to win”… WOW! Taking on responsibility, what a refreshing idea, no blaming, no finger pointing, just flat out, its accountability!

Players all back their coach, and they will say the same thing, but for one young man—Senior Wide Receiver Jeff Fuller out of Texas A&M stated that he grew more mature with surrounding himself with people on the Aggie Team that were older, and able to teach him how to behave, and to keep his head about him, even when everyone was telling Fuller to for go his senior year, and jump to the Pros. I would bet, that his father, Jeff Fuller Sr, might have had something to say about that, the former All Pro Defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers and former Aggie, might have had a long talk with his son, about getting more seasoning, and that the NFL isn’t going anywhere.

Every one of these men, who play in this conference all believe that the 10 team schedule will work to their advantage and the best team coming out of the conference will play in a BCS Bowl, and possibly for the National Championship if they can run the table.

For now, the press conferences continue, and the questions are the same to each player and coach, and the answers are contrived and clichéd, but all in all—Every team is optimistic, and looking forward to a fun year of college football.

It’s just a thought!