CESSNA: Time for A&M to control its spending
Published Sunday, June 07, 2009 12:33 AM
By ROBERT CESSNAThe Texas A&M athletics department, like most Americans, has lived well beyond its means. Well, those days are over, at least for the time being.
A struggling economy has everyone pinching pennies, and A&M will be under even more scrutiny because of a $16 million loan that former president Bob Gates gave athletics director Bill Byrne four years ago coming to light recently. The money, for the most part, has been spent. Now it's time to live within the budget and collect from where Byrne saw fit to invest, which was heavily in every sport.
Gates and Byrne came up with a sound plan four years ago. Hire good coaches and build first-class venues, which would attract the best talent and result in victories. That would lead to national exposure, corporate support, donations and more ticket sales. The Aggies, with one of the nation's largest fan bases, eventually would become more than self-supporting, taking their place alongside elite programs like Ohio State and Texas.
Gates and Byrne knew the Aggies needed a stimulus package to get things jump-started. Wally Groff, the money man at A&M for decades before Byrne arrived, had taken the first steps toward bringing the athletic department into the 21st century. The Zone, Reed Arena, the Student Rec Center and the Mitchell Tennis Center were facilities opened under Groff's watch. Byrne kept adding. Traditions Club, the Cox-McFerrin Center for Aggie Basketball, the Gilliam Indoor Track Facility and the indoor football facility all opened under Byrne. He also made some good hires, especially basketball coaches Gary Blair and Billy Gillispie, along with track coach Pat Henry.
The Aggies also started winning in almost everything. A&M finished a school-best 12th last year in the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup (formerly the Sears Cup). That all-around improvement also showed up in the Lone Star Showdown competition. The Aggies beat the Longhorns last year for the first time and tied them this year, allowing A&M to retain the trophy.
Despite all that success, in a recent Internet poll taken by The Eagle, a fifth of more than 2,000 responders gave the Byrne regime a D or F grade. Why? A big reason is the football program.
The Aggies are 36-37 in Byrne's six years. During the same time, Texas is 66-11 with five bowl victories, including a national championship in 2005. Oklahoma is 66-15, playing for the national championship twice.
It's not just that the Aggies aren't winning in football. Byrne gave a raise and extension to former head coach Dennis Franchione, who eventually received a buyout of $4.4 million after the mess of his secret e-mail newsletter and the inability to win. That buyout again will come under scrutiny because of the $16 million loan.
That was a costly and bad hire, especially if the athletic department intends to pay back this loan. Franchione will receive $1.7 million this year, and $1 million more next year. That's going to make it even harder for the Aggies to balance the budget.
Byrne has done a great job giving every sport the resources needed to be successful, but can that continue in these tough times?
Universities all over the nation are cutting expenses to try to avoid dropping sports, but not all have been so lucky. Washington dropped both of its swimming programs. So did Pepperdine, along with men's track and field. Indiana State dropped both tennis programs. And Cincinnati eliminated scholarships for track, cross country and swimming.
No one is immune.
Stanford, which has won the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup 14 years in a row, had to cut $1.8 million from its budget this past year, including cutting 24 non-coaching positions -- remember, A&M will pay Franchione $1.7 million for doing nothing. Stanford has to cut another $3.3 million in the upcoming year after endowments dropped by nearly 20 percent.
Stanford, though, has 35 varsity programs, which is 15 more than the Aggies. The least amount of money Stanford spends on a program is $475,000. Stanford has an annual budget of approximately $75 million, which is comparable to A&M.
Stanford continues to get great value, though. Stanford has almost a 200-point lead on North Carolina in this year's Directors' Cup with 1,258.75 points. A&M, which is in 20th, has 626, but the Aggies should crack the Top 10 by season's end with a strong finish by the spring sports.
A&M's national championship in golf last weekend was a nice return on that $16 million loan. The Aggies could add a national track championship next weekend -- or maybe even two.
But that $16 million loan isn't going to be considered paid in full until the baseball team makes the College World Series, the basketball teams make the Final Four and, of course, the football team wins the Big 12. Some will say it's already been too long since 1998, which was A&M's lone Big 12 football title.
Gates and Byrne knew Oklahoma and Texas were football programs that were going to continue winning, which took a lot of pressure off those schools' other programs. The Aggies had to elevate their football program, which Gates and Byrne had to think was happening with Franchione's 7-5 turnaround season in 2004. They, along with the Aggie nation, were sadly disappointed. It also was a wasted opportunity.
A&M's football program has been stuck in neutral or in transition for years. That's been bad enough, but Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech have all gotten better, compounding A&M's $16 million problem.
A Top 10 finish in the Directors' Cup, even with a national championship or two, doesn't balance out a 4-8 football season in many people's eyes. If A&M had been 9-4 with a bowl win, there probably would be a movement to lend the athletic department another $16 million, which would be good business.
But until A&M starts winning in football, Gates' loan will be questioned as the Aggies watch their pennies.
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42 comment(s) found!
Posted by: jay On: 7/2/2009
Comment Title: Re: Street Lawyer Posse
Taken and thanks mr. street lawyer. You gotta pickup new label dude. You are so corny. Street Lawyer my aggie a**! Get a life mr. lawyer. Check your myspace account as well. gig 'em p.s. the streets are: 1.yo mama's road 2.yo mama's corner 3.yo mama's ditch 4.yo mama's drive 5.yo mama's kicked yo mama's a** Ave. Gig 'em
Posted by: On: 6/15/2009
Comment Title: re- posse
So judging by your post you agree it is a small town. Because there was no other disclaimer I assume you agree with the small mind statement as well. LawyerStreetPosse; pretty much describes it all.
Posted by: Lawyer Street Posse On: 6/15/2009
Comment Title:
Hey Miller, what is 2+1+2? I count 5. How many players can be on the court at one time? And to the idiot that wants me to get out of the small town, I do not live there anymore. I moved back to Texas from new orleans after Katrina. Also, lived out of the Country for a while. How about you and miller go out to wellborn and count stars tonight!
Posted by: miller58 On: 6/14/2009
Comment Title: TURGEON NEEDS TO SIGN 3 TO 5 DIFFERENCE MAKERS EVERY YEAR TO COMPETE FOR THE BIG 12 AND NCAA!
My personal opinions:_____Very Flawed thinking Tampa Ag, on your part, unless you don't want to win the Big 12 and the ncaa?____If you followed Turgeon, He signed only 2 difference makers in '08, 1 in '09, and 2 in the current class so far, which gives him a bare cupboard of 4 difference makers in 3 signing classes, so far?_____Just poor coaching and even worse recruiting; only the Aggie Spin Machine says different?_____miller58
Posted by: Tampa Ag On: 6/13/2009
Comment Title: National Champs
Ags have won three national titles this school year. But have you even heard one peep out of miller58 even acknowledging their accomplishments. Sports like golf, tennis, and track wil never, ever reach the importance of football, but if miller58's going to viciously attack Sherman, Turgeon, and the football and basketball teams, the least he could do is publicly congratulate, at least once, those other three teams on their national titles. I still can't figure out his hang up with Turgeon. He's only been at A&M two years and yet he's taken A&M to the NCAA tournament each season and won a game each time. What the Heck?? Not only that, under miller's recruiting star-system, four of the eight players who've signed with him have been rated 4*. And both of next years commit are rated 4*. Six out of ten players rated above 3* - pretty good in my book.
Posted by: On: 6/13/2009
Comment Title:
You define the reason for your misery. There are people OTHER THAN "aggies" who read the eagle and follow the football team. There ARE other cities besides college station. You cannot even escape your own small mind much less your small city.
Posted by: LAWYER STREET POSSE! On: 6/13/2009
Comment Title:
If you do not know lawyer street, then you are not from CS. I guess many "aggies" spend 4 years at A@M and only know kyle field and northgate. I am not miller 58, he lives in a trailer park out on 21 and frequents lonesome dove. Jay, there were many good posts on this link and all you had to add was we are all the same? It looks like you and miller are the same. Same tired theory. If you are true CS, then you would know that the 5 streets around south knoll school (example: lawyer, haines,etc.) produced many athletes like: A@M kicker (kb), running back (cg) DB (jw)QB (tp) baylor QB (jw) Lamar track (sm) and many more.
Posted by: Pablo On: 6/12/2009
Comment Title: Jay..
no connection to any of those mofos -:)
Posted by: Pablo On: 6/12/2009
Comment Title: Chin up Homer
Things have a way of changing faster than you think. If Sherman can't right the ship (although I hope he can) Byrne will clean house and the fun begins all over again! Seems like coaches get less time to prove themselves these days, but that is the nature of the beast and I think that A&M is the type of school to want to pay top $$ for it's football program.. we are in a rebuilding phase right now, IMO.
Posted by: Objective_Homer On: 6/12/2009
Comment Title: SWC
Winning the SWC is not impressive. TX was the ONLY team we had to worry about. Getting 9 or 10 wins a year is skued vs the same record in the B12. Our record in the B12 proves this point. Ya'll need to forget all about the SWC cause we have to play for real now. Every week is like playing a TX calibur team. The funny thing is even if you could go back to the SWC TCU, Baylor and Tech and maybe even Rice would whip us. proof that all of those teams have done better things than A&M in advancing their programs in the right direction. It is VERY transparant that the good ol boy network really has things bogged down. Nothing will change until a new generation of booster takes their place. Sad thing is, why would a new gen booster even be inspired to donate? The program is ranked around 100th. It's going to be a long season boys.
Posted by: '89 On: 6/12/2009
Comment Title: I read in Houston Chronicle that we are broke
What the hell is going on
Posted by: jay On: 6/12/2009
Comment Title: RE: Pablo, Crocker R.A.B., Lawyer Street Posse, vmfa-314
He is also Miller58...lol
Posted by: On: 6/11/2009
Comment Title: Pablo, Crocker R.A.B., Lawyer Street Posse, vmfa-314
All one and the same person.
Posted by: miller58 On: 6/11/2009
Comment Title: MIKE SHERMAN JUST LOST HIS 13 OFFER IN RECENT WEEKS TO TCU?
My personal opinions:_____Proving for the 13th time in recent weeks, that he can't even recruit tu's leftovers, Sherman's poor coaching and even worse recruiting, has Mike with his own personally signed and committed 71 player almost bare cupboard?_____Losing 13 commits in recent weeks, only adds to the almost bare cupboard, with the 71 players already signed and committed in Mikes 3 signing classes?_____Recruiting is so terrible, We have not committed even a single player on defense in this class, with 4 star speed, athleticism and size?____We need defense help badly, and this just means more multiple 40+ point blow out losses in future seasons!_____Turning down the last place Sherman coached Aggies , was San Antonio Cornerback John Jay 5-10 175 4.4, to commit to tcu?_____Mike Sherman may be McKinney's and RC's friend, but This is just the poorest coaching and even worse recruiting, that I ever can remember?_____A&M signed classes of 6 and 7 difference makers in RC's last two years, before RC was fired!_____Today, Sherman has signed and committed only 5 and 3 difference makers in his last two signing classes, even less than RC, and I can only hope that McKinney and RC won't be able to stop Sherman from being immediately fired?_____A&M has lost more than 4 games out of every 10 played, against Big 12 teams, since we joined the Big 12 in the mid 90's: and not ever won or even played in an mnc under the poor coaching and recruiting of RC, Fran Or Sherman?_____These losses don't even count the losses against ranked teams and ranked bowl opponents since the mid 90's?_____Hiring a good coach today, would solve these problems of poor coaching and even worse recruiting in the future!_____miller58
Posted by: LAWYER STREET POSSE! On: 6/10/2009
Comment Title:
miller, you never answered crocker's ?, so when you get time this week, pull your head out of fran's rear end and state if you think fran was successful or not? We all have to read your garbage every week and you could at least do us a favor and answer the question. I guess you are too busy counting stars and washing fran's new maroon porche in horshoe bay. As far as $bill is concerned, I think it is funny that he hired a FB coach with the criteria of "understands A@M" instead of understands how to WIN. Also, $bill has no clue about a@M and shows that daily. I guess if you look at college sports from the "who cares about football" side, then $bill has done well. Tell me what sport compares to FB in generating $'s. $bill can put together a great chess team! Hey $bill, when you shine up that national champ golf ring and put it in your display case in your house (yes, the one that I saw, also includes your neb crap), just remember that there has never been 80,000 fans standing on the fairway at traditions!
Posted by: Pablo On: 6/9/2009
Comment Title: Don't care about UT, OU or any of the other B12
The focus needs to be on winning it all, talking National Champs in whatever sport we compete in. How we do this ($$wise or coachwise) is up to Byrne. The other programs are not our benchmark, but can give us an idea if we are headed in the right direction. But if I'm Byrne, I tell my coaches to focus on your job (while you have it). Do you compare yourself to other UT alums? Didn't think so, so why should we treat our teams that way? Comparisons, do not mean as much as results. If Sherman wins it all in year 3, do you really care how he did in years 1 & 2? I don't, just care that he wins it ALL. Who cares that the Buffalo Bills dominated the AFC in the warly 90's?? All we know is that my Cowboys whipped their butts in the game that mattered the most. my .02
Posted by: miller58 On: 6/9/2009
Comment Title: RE; CROCK O.F. SPIN
My personal opinions_____CROCK, as I remember it, RC inherited 5 future seasons of "JACKIES" players, "JACKIES" coaches, and "JACKIES" previous bowl winning prestige; and "JACKIEs" players, and "JACKIES" coaches won for 5 years, in a SWC so weak, that A&M even when they won, was never even one of the two teams in the mnc?_____RC did a good job of getting us through a bad time after Jackie, though!_____ That covers the first 5 years, then RC got his own players and coaches, and soon after, we joined the Big 12; and RC's record of what he did in the Big 12 is history!_____Even the one Big 12 we won, in a thrilling upset overtime 26 yard Sirr Parker touchdown, on fourth down, was marred by a lackluster loss in the Sugar bowl, where A&M's only highlite I remember, was Lechler's first ever blocked punt._____RC's record with his own players and coaches, against other Big 12 teams on the record books was 35-23; while by comparison, stoops is 73-14 and mac is 73-18?_____Again A&M never a sniff to even play, let alone win a mnc!_____A&M's record against out of conference ranked teams and ranked bowl opponents was also lousy!_____CROCK, even the Aggie Spin Machine can't spin those records, but you'll try?_____miller58
Posted by: class 89 On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: Re: Pablo On: 6/8/2009
Wiki it and compare how many national championship texas has and also their big 12 title is even annoying. They are our rival. Yeah we won the golf lately. But that'll make it our what 7th or 6th national title. Our school is older than any other school. And we should have more. I'm still proud to be an aggie. I'm just annoyed that some aggies are just ignoring these inconsistencies. Pablo come on. Less than 10 national championship. Now there is something wrong with our program. Fire Bill coz he is a piece of bevo dunk.
Posted by: Crocker R.A.B. On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: Re: miller58
Hey Pablo, notice how miller leaves out Fran's record! Talk about showing only one side of the story. Not only that, he leaves out RC's SWC record. If he included RC's entire conference record it would be something like 110-30-1. The truth sometimes hurts, doesn't it miller58.
Posted by: Eduardo On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: THE "SECRET NEWSLETTER/LOAN"
Was this a "secret" loan made by a small group to further their agenda like the "secret" newsletter of franchione. Just depends who is in the network and where the money is going doesnt it "Ags". Still waiting for sherman to pony up a million like fran did to help with the indoor practice facility. At least he gave something back.
Posted by: Pablo On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: CompTROLLer
.... wait for it ..... DUHH!!
Posted by: Pablo On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: Miller...
Are you suggesting Sherman gets another 80 shots to make such a comparison more relative? Please explain logic.. or is there any?_____
Posted by: miller58 On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: ____Big 12 Coaching Records Against Other Big 12 Teams?
My personal opinions:_____Bob Stoops 73-14;_____ Mac Brown 73-18;_____ R.C. 35-23;_____ mike Sherman 2-6 ?_____miller58
Posted by: Crocker R.A.B. On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: Re: Class 89
Where were you during your years at A&M? Confined to your dorm? If you're class of '89, your first three years in Aggieland produced three conference championships. Those championships continued once Slocum was promoted to Head Coach - he won four or five SWC titles and one Big 12 title. Did you go to sleep in 1984 and just wake up? He won more conference championships than any other football coach at Texas A&M.
Posted by: comptroller On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: re- pablo
Other than football and maybe mens basketball no other sport makes money so you better be very concerned about it unless you want to be a real second tier school that cannot fund its other sports due to revenue failure of the top two.
Posted by: Pablo On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: Championships.. Class '89
Well, a quick glance at the athletic website shows us at the top in many sports and I recall the women's soccer team wining like 4 in a row (Big 12 titles). We know how good the Softball team was last year and the Golf team won it all in 2009. Like the article says, unless we do something as spectacular in Football, Baseball and Basketball, most Aggies will not even care how many titles we have in the other sports, sounds like they have you & many of us pegged, huh?
Posted by: class 89 On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: Re: Crocker R.A.B. On: 6/8/2009
What championship and how many? For a huge institution such as our school, we should do better than that. Sorry man. But i think you have been wearing our alum ring too much.
Posted by: SSister On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: To the below poster (no name)
Lots of conclusions made by you it seems. So we can ALL better understand, can you give the specific details of the "slow read and react defense" compared to the "attacking style defense of Kines". These players did not just start playing football the day before Kines got here. If it is as yiou say then educate us please. What are the differences?
Posted by: Sister On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: For those who can't read
Slocum was "a good coach in his era but the game and the league became too much for him". In case that's too much too handle, let me say it another way. Slocum did a very good job in his time and helped us to a level of respectability IN THE SWC. After joining the Big-12 where the competition and game changed significantly, he became challenged to keep up and was replaced. He had taken A&M to a new level however there was another level to be attained and he was not the answer. Staying with him would have produced failure, a fact recognized by many. Hence he was replaced. What a great coach in his day though.
Posted by: On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: Re: Jay Goode
Bill Byrne's done a great job. He didn't have an input into the Fran hire - he was brought in only a couple of weeks before Fran and Fran's hire was basically a done deal at that point. Then he stuck with Fran for five years - the minimum time you should give a coach to develop a program. Bill Byrne's responsible for turning men's basketball into a winning program. After going 0-16 in Big 12 competition, A&M has been to four NCAA tournaments the last five years and won at least one game in each one of them. He's elevated the entire athletic program. Last year's football team was going to be a disaster no matter who the head coach was. Knute Rockne would've had trouble playing .500 ball. The season started with only 6 scholarship non-freshman OLinemen. Senior QB gets knocked out for the season half way through the second game. Four of your South opponents spent time in the Top 10 last year. Defensive personnel were geared to a slow read-and-react scheme, not the attacking sytle that Joe Kines runs. So should A&M fire Sherman, Mr. Goode? Should A&M fire Byrne, Mr. Goode? If they fire Byrne, who will they replace him with? Any suggestions?
Posted by: Crocker R.A.B. On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title:
Don't see how anyone could label RC's tenure a failure. It comes across as an ignorant statement at best considering the numerous championships he won.
Posted by: Sister On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: re- Crocker R.A.B., et al
Slocum needed to be replaced. A good coach in his era but the game and the league became too much for him. Fran was probably an OK coach but didn't fit in with the good ol boys and their agenda so his job became more difficult. Sherman was the wrong choice from the start. A bandaid for a large wound that needs major sugery but temporarily keeps the bood off the floor. He is in the process of failing as well. You want to keep talking about who was the better of the three failures. Let us begin talks of how to move forward with our program. We should be better at it than anyone else in the country because we have a LOT of "lessons learned" with the last three. You will never have a vision of where you want to go when you constantly face the other direction and compare past failures amongst themselves.
Posted by: Jay Goode, Aggie class of '70 On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: Aggie sports paraphernalia all but gone in DFW
My observation here in North Texas is that Aggie sports paraphernalia such as caps, coffee cups, and jackets are all but gone from retailer's shelves. Who has taken the Aggies' place? It looks like Texas Tech. I rarely ever see an Aggie bumper or window sticker, too. Texas A&M sports is all but forgotten here. The media is so negative that I have stopped listening/watching local sports programs. So if anyone believe the "loan" or whatever it is called helped the Aggie football program, think again. "Dollar" Bill Byrne's tenure has been a disaster!
Posted by: CLASS OF '05 On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: THIS IS THE TIME WE NEEDED OUR TSHIRT FANS
TITLE SAYS IT ALL! SINCE TU IS MAKING A DROOLIN' ON ROYALTIES. BUT THEN AGAIN WE HAVE TO BE CONVINCING BY WINNING PRESTIGIOUS SPORTS OTHER THAN GOLF AND HORSIE-RIDING SPORTS -NO OFFENSE EQUESTRIAN TEAM.
Posted by: Bill Burn Rocks! On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title: Bill Burn is Baylor's Hero!!!
Without him Baylor and Tech will not get attention -nationally. Bill ROCKS!!!THANKS BILL...THANKS
Posted by: Crocker R.A.B. On: 6/8/2009
Comment Title:
Still waiting for you answer miller58. Do you think Fran's tenure at A&M was a success? All of your posts suggest you think it was. I just want to clarify that. Obviously Fantastic thanks you for your continued support of Aggie Athletics, miller58. Donations to the 12th Man Foundation and Athletic Department are welcomed. (How about that mens golf team!!)
Posted by: Crocker R.A.B. On: 6/7/2009
Comment Title: Re: Stormy Kirmey '58
You're absolutely rigth Kirmey '58. Bill Byrne has done a great job elevating the athletic programs here at A&M. He got such with Fran, from what I understand, and has brought in coaches who've done a fanastic job. Gillispie and Turgeon in mens basketball, Blair in womens basketball, Pat Henry in track and field, Rod Childress is baseball. Agman and miller58 are the ones sounding like the old guard - focused only on the football team and none of the other programs. It's great to see A&M competing for and winning titles in so many sports.
Posted by: On: 6/7/2009
Comment Title: re: agman
There was a newsletter. Starting with the two high officials of the 12th man foundation it was hardly "secretive". Matter of fact, it wasn't even an ncaa violation (which would have got fran fired with cause and we would not still be paying him).
Posted by: agman On: 6/7/2009
Comment Title: It the same old people complaining about the old guard
Type Stormy Kimrey's name into Google and you will find he was one of those folks who got Fran's old newsletter. After 6 years and $16 million in debt, Slocum and Groff don't look so bad. It was time for RC and Wally to go, but we were salivating so much to have success, we lost sight of hiring good replacements. The football program, the main breadwinner of the athletic department, has become a nationwide joke. Byrne needs to go, and the Wallyhaters like Kimrey are the ones who need to go on record as the ones fessing up to this debacle.
Posted by: miller58 On: 6/7/2009
Comment Title: RE: Stormy Kimrey '58 - "We would still be on top"?
My personal opinions:_____Stormy, I do not consider RC's Big 12 record, starting back in the mid 90's of 35-23 as being on top._____Especially, when you add in the almost guaranteed loses, almost every year to any other ranked teams or ranked bowl game opponents?_____A&M BEING ON TOP IS COMPETING FOR THE BIG 12 AND THE MNC EVERY YEAR, just unhappily like, only stoops and mac do now?_____RC inherited 5 future years worth of Jackies players, Jackies coaches, and Jackies Prestige of great bowl wins! I appreciate RC getting us through a difficult time after Jackie, but we have always been second fiddle in the Big 12!_____Stoops 73-14 Big 12 record and Mac's 73-18 record are what being on top is about, not 35-23?_____We lost 10's of $millions of dollars since we joined the Big 12 with losing coaching and worse recruiting; losing more than 4 out of every 10 games against Big 12 teams._____We could immediately be financially stable, if only we started winning!_____the support of another 30, 000 fans for huge game income, plus donations going up in multiples would be almost instant!_____It just happened like that at 'bama when they started winning again (public record)!_____A top winning coach that comes in today, signs 22 four and five star difference makers in Feb'11; and competes for the big 12 in the fall of '11. would create unbridled excitement, a huge instant jump in season ticket sales in all sports, and a multiple jump in generous donations by 2012!_____It happened just that way at 'bama!!!!!!!!!!_____miller58
Posted by: Stormy Kimrey '58 On: 6/7/2009
Comment Title: Stormy Kimrey '58
You have given Wally Groff to much credit for things that he might not have accomplished or wanted had it not been for other pushing him to get it done. Yes, Wally kept us in the black but he also kept us in the bottom of most sports. Any one in business know that you have to spend money to make money and Bill Byrne has spent, but we have also reaped the benefits across the board in all programs without near spending what our friends in Austin have done. And I really don't feel that Bill should have been blamed for the hiring of Coach Fran, even though probably 75% of the A&M family was ready for change. Should you allow Byrne to give RC all that has been given to the last coaches, we would still be at the top. Joe at Penn State is a classic example of not listening to the soreheads and keeping a winner. Please don't ask Bill to step backward, as I like where we are today and we will survive the money crunch. Bill Byrne is still the best thing that ever happened to our program and he will take us to the top as we are already insight of it. Even with a few good hires by Wally, Bill has given them the tools and facilities to win that they would not have had under Wally. Gig'em! Stormy Kimrey '58 San Angelo, Texas
Posted by: miller58 On: 6/7/2009
Comment Title: A LOSING A&M HAS LOST UP TO 10,000, 20,000, 30,000 PAYING FANS SINCE WE JOINED THE BIG12?
My personal opinions:_____Poor losing coaching and worse recruiting, since we joined the Big 12, has resulted in us losing more than 4 out of every 10 games played against big 12 teams; and up to 10's of millions of dollars every year?_____And this doesn't even count, the almost guaranteed additional loses to ranked out of Big 12 teams and bowl games every year since the mid 90's!_____I am so po'd about losing, that I will not ever consider buying a ticket to any A&M sporting event until after a new coach signs 14 four and five star difference makers some future(?) February!_____Do the quick math?_____Add up a season ticket cost, donation, parking, concessions, liscensing income, generous large donations; and multiply that times up to 30,000 fans and we are talking up to 10's of millions of dollars this program has lost each and every year(times 13 years)by losing poor coaching and worse recruiting?_____We can solve this "long term created problem" by hiring a good winning college head coach now, that can sign 10 to 22 difference makers in Feb'11 and compete for the Big 12 in the fall'11._____The excitement created by winning resulted in 'bama reclaiming multiple fan support and donations took a huge jump; A&M would be financially sound again by 2012 if we start winning; and we wouldn't be paying Sherman almost $5000 per day every day for doing almost nothing, after a settlement.____Other schools are cutting back ladies' and mens' secondary sports, due to the current economy!_____I'm not for that, when this losing problem has been with us since the mid 90's, and we can be financially sound by 2012, just by winning in football; and baskatball must start carrying their weight, insted of just being a weight on finances!_____miller58
CU fans not excited about A&M; Remember that bad CU team in 2000? McFerrin thoughts
