At least the Rice band has a sense of humor. At Saturday's game versus the University of Texas, they of the now "Longhorn Network, the band had a message.
During their show at halftime, they decided to spell out S-E-C...with a dollar sign on the "S". Nobody is really sure if it was a dig at Texas for their greed or at Texas A&M for bailing out of the Big 12...which I'm pretty sure Rice isn't in.
Either way, it's funny, so like everyone else, we'll post it.
Its a forgone conclusion now, Texas A&M will bolt the Big 12 for the SEC.
The powers that be that includes Texas A&M alum Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas, are in full "To Hell With Texas" mode and ready to separate from their rivals in the burnt orange.
All because Texas has gone into bed with ESPN to launch the Longhorn Network in a few weeks.
The Aggie fateful have cited competitive balance in their flirtation with the SEC. You have to think ego plays a role in this.
A&M's biggest rival is guaranteed millions of dollars from their brand new TV network and a recruiting advantage with a 24/7/365 infomercial on cable systems throughout the state of Texas.
How can Texas A&M counter? Join the best conference in college football and enjoy a financial windfall from the SEC's lucrative media deals.
The SEC has been tight lipped saying they have no plans to expand but Texas A&M would be mighty attractive. Arkansas would finally have a natural rival in the league and the SEC would have in-roads in the state of Texas plus inherit the Houston market.
Would this permanently kill the Big 12? I don't think so. Should Oklahoma remain on Texas' side the Big 12 will survive.
The Big 12 could beg and plead TCU to resist their Big East invite and join their league. Houston and SMU have stepped up their football programs and could be targeted to join too.
Before you know it you almost have a reunion of the Southwest Conference.
As for Texas A&M they've got to go, the Aggies have huffed and puffed to much to remain in the Big 12.
Okay, so they held off the propaganda network for a season. We just kind of wonder if any of the teams in the Big 12/10 have some buyers remorse now.
If you are asking about what we are cryptically talking about, it's the University of Texas's attempt at adding money to their coffers: The Longhorn Network.
Monday afternoon, Big 12/10 athletic directors decided to not allow high school games to be shown for at least the 1st season. Something that over the past couple of weeks has become a highly talked about issue. And something that created a rather unecessary pall over the conference's recent football media days week.
Read more from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram RIGHT HERE
No, we aren't sure why they waited this long to voice their concerns over this, the decision to start the Network came months ago when they agreed to allow Texas to do this whole network thing. Yes, we know they did it to keep the Big 12/10 from folding, but in the process have seemingly created a monster.
And the fact that ESPN, the Longhorns partner, talked--no bragged openly about showing high school games with potential recruits, that apparently tipped the barrel so-to-speak.
Supposedly the NCAA is looking into the viability of team specific or conference specific networks airing High School games and they should. While you can say all you want it "Doesn't give an advantage", anyone who follows recruiting knows that is a load of crap. It's all about the advantage. Don't think for a minute having a kid showcased in a "Game of the Week" on the Longhorn network would give them a leg up in recruiting. Of course it would.
Anytime kids can be on TV, they are captivated and by putting them on a team specific or conference specific network, you can brand them early. Think about it. We've got an entire generation of athletes who've be raised on ESPN highlights. Thankfully, ESPN doesn't take up for specific schools (...wink).
Enjoy your Longhorn Network Promo spoof courtesy of The Shick and Nick show:
We wondered the other day about reports Texas A&M was having meetings with their Board of Regents regarding the University of Texas's foray into cable programming with the "Longhorn Network".
Now we have a better idea why.
For those of you new to the story, Texas has a 20-year, $300 million deal in place with ESPN to create their own cable network. And our friends, the pillars of journalistic integrity, at ESPN are trying to come up with ways to program said network. It won't have a lot of Texas football, because most of those games are on the "Mothership" or ABC. It won't have a lot of basketball games, because the Big 12/10 has a deal with Fox Sports for that.
So they've come up with, what appears to be a plan. And that plan is to televise Texas High School sports. And the question the folks at A&M, and now the rest of us want to know: Is that not an NCAA violation? It sure seems like a recruiting advantage.
Gary Blair, the women's basketball coach at A&M tells the San Antonio Express News "If Brittney Griner was coming out of high school today and all of a sudden they decided to televise 8 of her home games, don't you think that would put Texas a leg up in recruiting".
A very good question.
Read the entire story from MySanAntonio.com RIGHT HERE
Even more eyebrow raising after our pal Brooks at Sports by Brooks transcribed a radio interview with ESPN Programming VP Dave Brown, who coincidentally will run the new network, done by an Austin, Texas radio station.
In that interview, Brown talked at length about bringing High School games to the network that featured players the Longhorns would be recruiting. Hence, the questions begin. Is the network to help Texas make money or exploit a recruiting advantage?
Read the entire Sports by Brooks story (it's revealing) RIGHT HERE
There are several questions here that we hope are being brought to the attention of the thus-far very quiet NCAA. Yeah, we get the network needs programming. It's hard to program a 24-hour network if you don't have a lot of original programming. We work in the TV business ourselves, we get that.
What we don't get is why this would be allowed. Sure, they are certainly within their rights to do a TV Network. If the 4-letter is willing to pay $300 million for some Longhorn love, they are entitled to do just that. But they need to play by the rules. The same rules everyone else is supposed to.
There is a lot of concern that this will be new ground. That this will set the precedent for the other "Mega-Schools" to do the same thing. And it probably will. If Texas can get that kind of money, think about what, say, Alabama could get. Not only will they get paid, if the precedent is set, they'd get a built in recruiting tool that most of the rest of the conference wouldn't.
Let's hope A&M speaks "Loudly" to the NCAA about this. Especially since Oklahoma, who's also currently in their conference is about to do something similar. The only good thing is having two networks like that so close to each other is they'll cannibalize themselves for programming.
Listen to Matthew McConaughey sound like Darth Vader in the Death Star promo:
Since ESPN and the University of Texas partnered in the "Longhorn Network" cable channel, coming to your cable soon very soon, it was common knowledge that this is all about making Texas' pockets much deeper in cash and solidifying the Texas athletic program as all powerful in the slimmed down Big 12 Conference. (Down to 10 teams.)
Down at Texas A&M, Texas' longtime rival, the new money making cable channel devoted to the Longhorns isn't passing the smell test in Aggieland.
The Texas A&M Board 0f Regents had already scheduled a meeting Thursday and Friday however there will be a closed door session with the agenda item to be discussed is "Big 12 Conference."
The executive session is informative only as the A&M Board of Regents want to explore the competitive advantage Texas will have under the 20 year, $300 million dollar deal with the 4 letter and IMG College which also plans to potentially air high school games.
According to a Houston Chronicle insider no action will be taken.
From the outside looking in this doesn't look good for the long term health of the Big 12 (10) Conference. Texas A&M sees a competitive disadvantage to Texas with ESPN money helping to fund the Longhorn program and their is no sugar daddy with that kind of big bucks ear marked for Texas A&M's athletic department.
This makes you wonder talk will begin to surface in College Station and among the Texas A&M alums that "The Hell With Texas" and begin exploring bolting to the SEC again.
Texas survives as Oakland's losing number ((four)) disturbed a lot of the prop bets on the board... here's Rick Barnes... ((HT: KVUE-TV Austin))
Michigan, probably, put Tennessee fans out of their misery with a 30-point blowout of the Vols. The HQ would only hope AD Mike Hamilton would be closely behind... ((HT: WBIR-TV Knoxville))
The HQ is fairly certain that VCU head coach Shaka Smart got Jay Bilas to watch the upset of Georgetown- especially, when you hit 12 3's in the game as a team... Brandon Rozzell had half of them... Here's some postgame... ((HT: FoxSports))
UGA missed a game-tying three at the buzzer and Washington moves on to Face North Carolina. The Tarheels took care of a pesky LIU-Brooklyn squad... ((HT: KING5- Seattle))
All the tournament Buzz goes to Marquette with their upset of Xavier... Here's the Marquette head coach... ((HT: FoxSports))
And Memphis fans feel jobbed about the Arizona loss... they met the team at the airport... ((HT: MyFoxMemphis))
Won't be Texas since they completely torched a 22-point lead in Boulder against Colorado... here's what it was like to storm the court after the tank job by Rick Barnes' team... ((HT: pauljharris))
Is BYU going to get any run there since they went to San Diego State and took care of them by 13...? Jimmer Fredette led the Cougars with 25... ((HT: CBS/youtube))
Or does it go back to Ohio State and Kansas and take all the imagination out of the process...???
J'Covan Brown scored 23 points and helped reverse a 15-point first half deficit, giving 10th-ranked Texas a 74-63 victory over second-ranked Kansas.
Kansas scored the game's first 10 points, but Texas ((now 16-3, 4-0 in the Big 12)) outscored the Jayhawks 36-13 while turning a 12-point halftime deficit into a 59-48 lead on a second-half three by Cory Joseph.
Here's your recap...
The Jayhawks ((now 18-1, and 3-1 in the Big 12)) had not lost at home since February 3rd, 2007. They were 7-0 at home against Texas since the inception of the Big 12 back in 1996.
In the second half, Kansas hit only 8 of 30 shots from the floor... Oops...
The gospel was bored on Friday night so he turned on some NBA basketball and was reminded why it just doesn't show up much on his radar. I'm a college basketball junkie and the thought of a midnight WAC or West Coast Conference game makes me so happy. I still don't understand why ESPN took away my beloved midnight game on Big Monday done by Stephen Bardo and Terry Gannon. It was a rare joy of mine to watch Gonzaga and Santa Clara do battle and have those two gentlemen call the game. I can watch a MAC conference game between the directional Michigan schools. I just can't say the same about a random NBA game.
Back to the NBA though, I just can't get into it. Watching the Lakers and Nuggets, there's so much I find missing in my basketball experience. First off, there's no juice in the stands. College games are littered with high powered alums and drunk college students screaming just because. NBA games are littered with celebrities and college students looking for study hall. The NBA also has a major competition issue with so few teams able to compete with the elite of the Celtics, Heat, Spurs, Lakers etc. College basketball also has their elite and their teams that don't have a chance, but there still isn't this helpless feeling it seems. These kids are playing for their futures while the NBA stars are playing for their next contract. It's easier to identify with a Jimmer Fredette and a Kemba Walker then a Kenyon Martin and an Andre Iguodala.
We move to the grand finale of each sport. In the NBA you get potentially seven matchups between the same two teams and the same stars doing the same things over and over again. Where's the fun in that? In college, you get a tournament with 68 teams and one chance to move on or not. It's that one chance that allows us to crown Cinderella's which are rarely found in the NBA. When's the last time a 6 seed made it to the NBA Finals? When's the last time an NBA team captured the heart of the casual fan like Butler did last year? I'd like to think those answers are close to never.
Finally, let's talk about TV coverage. To the common person, the NBA is filled with 12 teams or so because that's all you see on TV. How many times can I watch the Heat or Lakers without getting bored out of my mind? I realize the true NBA fan has no problem with this, but c'mon there's got to be some variety. The Clippers and T-Wolves aren't too good, but they have players worth watching so put them on TV. There are at least 26 college basketball games on Saturday for the fan. Yes, Duke and Ohio State and Connecticut are pretty much always on too, but there's enough channels with games on to get around them. I fully expect the hate mail from the NBA fan, but it's not going to change my mind. Give me Utah State-New Mexico State over Lakers-Nuggets any day of the week.
The gospel took the night off after another winning day on Thursday night. Saturday's are always difficult as I came up with at least 15 leans. These I feel are the best of that bunch so enjoy.
UCLA -6.5 -- UCLA welcomes a wounded Stanford Cardinal team to Pauley on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinal lost last time out 65-42 at Southern Cal. They had a lot of issues trying to contain the size of the Trojans with Nikola Vucevic and Alex Stepheson doing a lot of the damage in Thursday's loss. UCLA has Joshua Smith, Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt to throw at the undersized Cardinal. Stanford has lost by 33 at Butler, 11 at Oklahoma State and 10 at Arizona. Jeremy Green (14.9 ppg) and Josh Owens (11.7 ppg) are Stanford's main threats. That's not saying much considering they score only 63.8 points per game. The Bruins average more then that at 72.1 points per contest. They are led by Reeves Nelson (14.5 ppg), Tyler Honeycutt (13.5 ppg), Malcolm Lee (12.2 ppg) and Lazeric Jones (11.2 ppg). UCLA has won three straight and has been real tough at home for the most part. They'll triumph in this one as well.
Kansas/Texas Over 143 -- Arguably, the two top teams in the Big 12 hit the court in Kansas on Saturday. The Jayhawks are one of the few unbeatens so far this season. They do it with an offense that averages 83.2 points per game while giving up only 61.1. This is a DEEP team with six guys averaging at least eight points per game. They've gotten even better since adding Josh Selby who has played nine games and averaged 12.1 points per game. They've scored at least 80 points in five of their last seven contests. The Longhorns are no slouch either offensively. They put up 78.2 points per game and have five players who average at least nine points per game. Texas has scored 83, 67 and 78 in their last three road games. This series has produced 10 overs in their last 15 matchups including five straight at Kansas. We think this will go over the total as well.
North Texas -8 -- We faded Arkansas State in their last road game against Denver and came up a winner so why not do it again. ASU lost 74-36 to a Denver team that is talented, but nowhere near as good as North Texas. They are now 1-10 on the road which is not a good number for a team that averages just below 70 points per game. Martavius Adams (12.6 ppg) and Donald Boone (10.2 ppg) are the Red Wolves main threats. The Mean Green put up 79.1 points per game this season. They are led by Tristan Thompson (18.1 ppg), Josh White (13.8 ppg), George Odufuwa (11.3 ppg) and Dominique Johnson (10.4 ppg). The Mean Green have lost four games this season and all came on the road. They have pounded each of their home Sun Belt opponents by 10 points or more. They won by 17 last time out at woeful Louisiana Monroe and can be a handful when they are running and gunning. Arkansas State will be in for a long evening on Saturday.
Idaho +1.5 -- The Vandals have won six straight contests and are alone in 2nd place of the WAC entering this home game against Boise State. Idaho is 3-1 against Boise under coach Don Verlin. The team has the conference's 2nd best defense and six players averaging between seven and 11 points per game. The best part of this win streak is that four of the games came on the road. They've used the 74-69 home loss to New Mexico State as motivation and have played great basketball since then. Boise State is 11-7 having lost two straight contests. They are led by Robert Arnold's 15.5 points per game. Boise's losses the last two games have come at home to Utah State and Nevada. They lost at Portland, Utah, Drake and UNLV on the road. Idaho's the better team so we'll take the points and the outright win in this one.
The University of Texas has reached a 20-year, $300 million deal with ESPN for the long-thought-about "Longhorn Sports Network"- like television network.
A news conference to formally announce the contract was scheduled for this afternoon. University spokesman Don Hale was able to confirm the contract details and dollars.
The deal includes Texas' licensing and marketing partner IMG, with more than 80 percent of revenue set to go to the university.
George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN Inc. and ABC Sports, called the network in a standard release "a testament to the school's remarkable, tradition-rich success and widespread, devoted fan base."
Here's coverage from our friends at KXAN-TV in Austin...
Today we can add three Alabama players- Alabama running back Mark Ingram, defensive lineman Marcell Dareus and wide receiver Julio Jones say they're entering the NFL draft.
Linebacker Dont'a Hightower says he is returning to school. Coach Nick Saban says each player made the right decision.
This adds to the total of: Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett ((HT: KTHV-TV Little Rock))
UCLA's Rahim Moore, and according to FOSG Kelin Johnson, the HQ is supposed to keep an eye on three UGA players- AJ Green, Justin Houston, and Brandon Boykin...
Oklahoma's Ryan Broyles is staying... which means the Sooners will, probably, be ranked Pre-season Number One
Newsok.com's Jenni Carlson and FOSG Berry Tramel discuss Monday's game for us instead... ((HT: Newsok.com))
The University of Texas are getting their own cable channel, Oklahoma wants one too.
Sports Business Journal is reporting that the University of Oklahoma is working with Learfield Sports, OU's multimedia rights holder, and an outside media adviser on the channel. OU has discussed this with Cox Communications, Fox Sports and ESPN about partnership deal.
Cox Communications, which is the dominant cable provider in Oklahoma, and Fox are considered the front runners according to SBJ.
“We are encouraged by the interest we have received and we’re making good progress,” said Oklahoma Athletic Director Joe Castiglione told Sports Business Journal. “We’re being diligent so that we can develop a product that can be sustained for the long term.”
With Texas talking exclusively in partnering their cable channel with ESPN and now Oklahoma pursuing the same channel negotiating the next Big 12 TV deal is going to be very interesting. Those of us at the OSG HQ think Texas and Oklahoma holds all the cards in that negotiation, the other eight will be seen but not heard.
Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis has resigned and two other assistant coaches are leaving after the Longhorns' first losing season since 1997.
Davis, who has been with head coach Mack Brown for 13 seasons at Texas, had been under fire all season as Texas finished 5-7 and didn't qualify for a bowl. It was Brown's first losing season since 1989.
Offensive line coach Mac McWhorter and defensive line coach Mike Tolleson also are leaving Austin.
Texas spokesman John Bianco is saying that Brown was not likely to announce replacements until after the bowl season.
The season from hell is officially over for the Texas Longhorns. Texas A&M's 24-17 win over the 'Horns assured a 5-7 season for the boys in burnt orange and won't be playing in some kind of corporate sponsored bowl this December or January.
"It's not our standard at all." Texas head coach Mack Brown said.
No it's not the Texas way. The last time the Longhorns had a losing season John Mackavic was run out of Austin and Mack Brown was brought in.
"I've learned I don't like losing." Brown said. "It's been 20 years since I haven't been to a bowl.
Meanwhile Texas A&M are relevant again.
"You don't want to be irrelevant, we have had some tough seasons the last couple of years and it kind of puts you out of things." Aggie quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "We have been focused on winning the whole time and this year we were able to turn it around and this is exciting for our program." The 'Horns couldn't stop Cyrus Gray who gained 223 yards and two touchdowns. That performance was the best by an Aggie running back against Texas in the long history of the rivalry.
"I can't say enough about him." Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman said. "It is fun to watch him because he does things he has never done before each time he steps out on the field. He has tremendous humility and respect for his teammates in spite of his own tremendous talents."
Texas A&M has a chance to go to a BCS bowl but its a long shot. Should Oklahoma defeat Oklahoma State in the Bedlam game then the Aggies would share the Big 12 South title but the tiebreaking system is based on BCS standings and that might do the Aggies in.
Here's a game report from John Hygh of My Fox Austin. (Thanks KTBC-TV Austin)
Photos Courtesy: AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Karen Warren and AP Photo/Eric Gay
Remember the thoughts we had below about the Big 12/11/10 South...???
Here's your proof...
Who in the blue hell are these Texas Longhorns...??? Garrett Gilbert is having to run for his life- and do it on a weekly basis. There's no offensive firepower and the defense under DC/CIW Will Muschamp is having to rebuild on the fly...
OSU QB Brandon Weeden threw for 409 yards, OSU tailback Kendall Hunter ran for 116 and the Cowboys totaled 532 yards, virtually double what Texas had been allowing in conference play.
The Cowboys win for the first time in Austin since 1944 and hadn't beaten them, in general, since 1997.
You know Baylor is still bowl eligible before Texas is at 4-6...
Berry Tramel and Brandon Chatmon discuss...
Dana Holgorsen had them guessing all day...
Flip side now...
Ryan Broyles caught three of Landry Jones' five TD passes leading the 19th-ranked Sooners to a 45-7 victory against Texas Tech.
Broyles caught eight passes for 119 yards and broke Mark Clayton's career records for receptions and touchdown catches at Oklahoma- now 8-2/4-2 in the Big 12/11/10. He broke his own mark for catches in a season and now holds, pretty much, every receiving record at the school.
Texas Tech, now 5-5/3-5, scored on Detron Lewis' touchdown pass to Darrin Moore out of the "wildcat" formation but then gave up 38 straight.
Jones surpassed 300 yards passing for the seventh time this season, completing 22 of 29 passes for 317 yards.
Jenni Carlson and Jake Trotter discuss... Look at what was spelled out over their heads...
Collin Klein got the start at quarterback in the place of Carson Coffman for Kansas State. The Wildcats stuck with the ground game and wore down Texas 39-14.
Amazingly, Klein only completed 2-of-4 passes on the day for nine yards. Klein rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Daniel Thomas added 106 yards and two scores on 18 carries.
When the Longhorns defense can't stop your running, why pass right...???
The Cats picked off Garrett Gilbert five times in the game. Kansas State led 39-0 before the Horns even scored.
Texas is now 4-5 overall, 2-4 in Big 12/11/10 play.
Kansas State improved to 6-3 overall. They are 3-3 in the conference, and they're now bowl eligible...
Here's some low-angle highlights, thanks to the Collegian... Call your own play-by-play of Garrett Gilbert making a lot of mistakes...
Money explains everything, doesn't it. Why else would have Texas decided to shun overtures from the Pac 10--soon to be 12 and stayed with the remnants of the Big 12--soon to be 10.
The explanation. A not small increase in rights fees, no, a humongous increase in rights fees...on top of their share of conference money. Apparently, our friends at the 4-Letter word (espn) are going to be paying them another...$12 million a year to market and run the soon to be called--Longhorn Network.
Read Chip Brown's detailed account of what will happen from Orangebloods.com RIGHT HERE
While we can't criticize Texas for living the Steve Miller band song "Take the money and run", we are stunned at the amounts of money being thrown around here. Sure, we get that Texas is a major player on the college football scene, but we are pretty sure they aren't the biggest. In fact, we'd argue they aren't in the Top 3.
However, they are getting paid a lot of money. Between conference and 4-letter money...they'll bring in somewhere near $32 million a year. On one hand, good for them for getting as much as they can from the people willing to pay them. However, if they got that much money, can you imagine what the SEC power teams are going to start demanding?
Since we referenced it earlier and there aren't any TV versions of this story, we'll settle for the music video. Enjoy your Steve Miller Band...it fits. Thanks YouTube:
Art Briles has revived the Baylor football program from the dead. The Bears pulse became officially strong Saturday when Baylor defeated the Texas Longhorns in Austin 30-22. Baylor hadn't won at Austin since 1991 when both were in the long departed Southwest Conference.
"I am really proud of our football team, our players, our staff, our fans because it has been a while since we have given any proof to believe and people have really taken to it and supported in a tremendous fashion." Baylor head coach Art Briles said. "As a part of the football team, hats off to the people who are supporting us and to our players. I think they are a resilient bunch and have great leadership in general and great senior leadership, and the guys always believe something good is going to happen."
Robert Griffin III was his spectacular self against the Horns. Griffin threw for 219yards and 2 touchdowns. He also rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown. Beating Texas was a big deal for the Bears but Griffin took it in stride, their's bigger goals to accomplish.
"Not until the end of the game guys were talking about how we haven't beat Texas in a while." Griffin said. "For us, it was another win. The tide has changed this year. We are the team to beat and we are just going to keep rolling with that."
Texas is in a total free fall. The Longhorns have lost four of their last 5 games.
"I told the kids in the dressing room if they played this hard against Iowa State and UCLA, they'd have won both games." Texas head coach Mack Brown said. "That's kind of the sad thing about where we are."
Brown added, "We played this hard at Nebraska. We played this way at Tech. We played the second half of Oklahoma this way. The rest of the year we haven't played this hard. Hopefully they can build on that. That will help them at least finish strong."
Those of us in the OSG HQ are beginning to think that Nebraska win was a fluke.
By the way, Texas retired the jersey of Colt McCoy during the Baylor game. Timing is everything.
Click on the link for the highlights of the game. (Thanks Bears All Access)
((ht: various))
Since ESPN and the University of Texas partnered in the "Longhorn Network" cable channel, coming to your cable soon very soon, it was common knowledge that this is all about making Texas' pockets much deeper in cash and solidifying the Texas athletic program as all powerful in the slimmed down Big 12 Conference. (Down to 10 teams.)
[HT: Sports Business Journal]
The season from hell is officially over for the Texas Longhorns. Texas A&M's 24-17 win over the 'Horns assured a 5-7 season for the boys in burnt orange and won't be playing in some kind of corporate sponsored bowl this December or January.
Art Briles has revived the Baylor football program from the dead. The Bears pulse became officially strong Saturday when Baylor defeated the Texas Longhorns in Austin 30-22. Baylor hadn't won at Austin since 1991 when both were in the long departed Southwest Conference.
"I told the kids in the dressing room if they played this hard against Iowa State and UCLA, they'd have won both games." Texas head coach Mack Brown said. "That's kind of the sad thing about where we are."