Have any of the folks on this board who strongly argued for weeks that the AAC was in the position of power — and, as such, would be able to absorb the eight Big 12 programs — posted: "I was wrong." ????

they shouldn't because it was quite possible.

(09-10-2021 11:36 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Have any of the folks on this board who strongly argued for weeks that the AAC was in the position of power — and, as such, would be able to absorb the eight Big 12 programs — posted: "I was wrong." ????

Has anyone ever said you are a gigantic douchebag? If not they have now.

I suggest anyone who posts with signatures that are overly large should apologize.

C’mon Bill, you’re better than that.

(09-10-2021 11:36 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Have any of the folks on this board who strongly argued for weeks that the AAC was in the position of power — and, as such, would be able to absorb the eight Big 12 programs — posted: "I was wrong." ????

As a fan of half the teams in division 1 you must have mixed emotions, but it seems a little petty to kick someone when their down. The commissioner of the Big 12 thought it was plausible enough that he accused ESPN of interfering on the AACs behalf. Although, the minute that the PAC-12 passed on taking any of the Big 12 teams this seemed like the inevitable outcome.

the strongest advocate for that movement hasn't posted in "forever"

(09-10-2021 12:02 PM)gulfcoastgal Wrote:  C’mon Bill, you’re better than that.

As a Memphis fan, I felt some of the posters contending this would happen were, unwittingly, giving some other posters false hope. That is why I posted this, GCGal.

If anyone is getting hope from a message board, they’ve got bigger issues.

(09-10-2021 12:05 PM)UpStreamRedTeam Wrote:  

(09-10-2021 11:36 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Have any of the folks on this board who strongly argued for weeks that the AAC was in the position of power — and, as such, would be able to absorb the eight Big 12 programs — posted: "I was wrong." ????

As a fan of half the teams in division 1 you must have mixed emotions, but it seems a little petty to kick someone when their down. The commissioner of the Big 12 thought it was plausible enough that he accused ESPN of interfering on the AACs behalf. Although, the minute that the PAC-12 passed on taking any of the Big 12 teams this seemed like the inevitable outcome.

My intent clearly was not to "kick down" the fans of AAC schools that remain in the league. As a Memphis fan, that would be odd of me.

See my response to Gulfcoastgal.

(09-10-2021 12:07 PM)pesik Wrote:  the strongest advocate for that movement hasn't posted in "forever"

You are correct.

Absolutely agree with ya. There were plenty of people who adamantly argued that the AAC would take the L8.
Even though many of us posted every reason why that wasn’t true, many continued… and some had the audacity to be arrogant and rude about it.

So ya, this is a great space for all that were wrong to admit it.

(09-10-2021 11:58 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(09-10-2021 11:36 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Have any of the folks on this board who strongly argued for weeks that the AAC was in the position of power — and, as such, would be able to absorb the eight Big 12 programs — posted: "I was wrong." ????

Has anyone ever said you are a gigantic douchebag? If not they have now.

You could have posted "That was a douchebag-esque approach to take with the post" instead of calling me a "gigantic douchebag."

But I've been called worse, so I'll be fine.

See my response to Gulfcoastgal.

(09-10-2021 11:59 AM)maybeimhere Wrote:  I suggest anyone who posts with signatures that are overly large should apologize.

...and anyone who says they root for a dozen or so schools. Ridiculous.

(09-10-2021 11:58 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(09-10-2021 11:36 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Have any of the folks on this board who strongly argued for weeks that the AAC was in the position of power — and, as such, would be able to absorb the eight Big 12 programs — posted: "I was wrong." ????

Has anyone ever said you are a gigantic douchebag? If not they have now.

Bill, you are on thin ice on this board

(09-10-2021 12:15 PM)mtmedlin Wrote:  Absolutely agree with ya. There were plenty of people who adamantly argued that the AAC would take the L8.
Even though many of us posted every reason why that wasn’t true, many continued… and some had the audacity to be arrogant and rude about it.

So ya, this is a great space for all that were wrong to admit it.

Well said. And with their contention the AAC would take the R8, they unwittingly (I feel) provided some posters of AAC programs a certain "false hope." Though perhaps unintentional, it simply seemed unfair and thus worthy of a polite and mature admission of being wrong.

(09-10-2021 12:18 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(09-10-2021 11:58 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(09-10-2021 11:36 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  Have any of the folks on this board who strongly argued for weeks that the AAC was in the position of power — and, as such, would be able to absorb the eight Big 12 programs — posted: "I was wrong." ????

Has anyone ever said you are a gigantic douchebag? If not they have now.

Bill, you are on thin ice on this board

Pony94,

As I just posted: With their contention the AAC would take the R8, some posters unwittingly (I feel) provided various supporters of AAC programs a certain "false hope." Though perhaps unintentional, it simply seemed unfair and thus worthy of a polite and mature admission of being wrong.

I'm a Memphis fan who always tries to be respectful of the AAC programs. My team got "left behind" too.

I did not post to flame or "rub salt into the wounds."

My apologies if I did not frame my point accurately.

(09-10-2021 11:55 AM)Agust Wrote:  they shouldn't because it was quite possible.

It wasn't remotely close to being possible.

Are you looking for some kind of confessional thread?

I'll start years ago.
I've been saying for a while "Don't think realignment in 2025, think RESTRUCTURE of the playoff." The 2016 BigXII expansion traveshamockery was the precipitating event for the AAC Strategic Plan and the kickoff of P6 as a campaign (on yard markers, helmet stickers, etc even though it had been alluded to prior). And at the same time, I said that the one thing that would derail "restructure" and instigate "realignment" was Texas and/or Oklahoma moving...and I said I just didn't see it - I thought they'd prefer to be the biggest of dogs in the XII even if it meant a few million less.
So there are two wrongs I will own.

At the same time, I also said that if I was wrong and UT/OU moved it would have such tectonic shift implications that it wasn't worth too much planning time and energy -- in military planning, the adversary's nuclear option might be there, but it's a rabbit hole to spend too much time doing detailed planning on it.

And then for a wonderful month or two, things looked good for the theory of Restructure and P6 success. 6+6 CFP looked like a done deal, even if it had to wait for 2026. NCAA Constitutional Convention looked like it might lessen the "autonomy" divide, and Aresco had already made the AAC's play.
Then the Longhorns and Sooners dropped the big one.

I don't know if you noticed, but there were a lot of media reports that the AAC had the initiative and the BigXII and Bowlsby were on their heels. Possible? Sure for a little time.
As for myself, I think my point was always that there was a lot still to happen. I wasn't a believer in taking 8, but if Kansas (the third highest valuation of the BigXII) left -- optimistic about AAC having the upper hand over a R5 or R6 or even R7. And what happened was the Alliance threw the BigXII a lifeline; the PAC12 publicly said they wouldn't expand. Bowlsby and the BigXII regained the initiative.
I know I posted that retrospectively the cease and desist letter - initially seeming like a desperation move or a tantrum - did what it had to. The spotlight was on any further weakening of the BigXII. The Alliance saying "we didn't invite the BigXII, but we don't mind them being a weak fifth P5" was the decider.

Saying I didn't see UT/OU moving was wrong.
Saying that the '20s would be about restructure rather than realignment was wrong (because of that first wrong).

Saying that AAC coming out on top was possible even though there was still a lot to happen? Not wrong - that was clearly possible.

So now we move on to the future.

(09-10-2021 07:23 PM)slhNavy91 Wrote:  Are you looking for some kind of confessional thread?

I'll start years ago.
I've been saying for a while "Don't think realignment in 2025, think RESTRUCTURE of the playoff." The 2016 BigXII expansion traveshamockery was the precipitating event for the AAC Strategic Plan and the kickoff of P6 as a campaign (on yard markers, helmet stickers, etc even though it had been alluded to prior). And at the same time, I said that the one thing that would derail "restructure" and instigate "realignment" was Texas and/or Oklahoma moving...and I said I just didn't see it - I thought they'd prefer to be the biggest of dogs in the XII even if it meant a few million less.
So there are two wrongs I will own.

At the same time, I also said that if I was wrong and UT/OU moved it would have such tectonic shift implications that it wasn't worth too much planning time and energy -- in military planning, the adversary's nuclear option might be there, but it's a rabbit hole to spend too much time doing detailed planning on it.

And then for a wonderful month or two, things looked good for the theory of Restructure and P6 success. 6+6 CFP looked like a done deal, even if it had to wait for 2026. NCAA Constitutional Convention looked like it might lessen the "autonomy" divide, and Aresco had already made the AAC's play.
Then the Longhorns and Sooners dropped the big one.

I don't know if you noticed, but there were a lot of media reports that the AAC had the initiative and the BigXII and Bowlsby were on their heels. Possible? Sure for a little time.
As for myself, I think my point was always that there was a lot still to happen. I wasn't a believer in taking 8, but if Kansas (the third highest valuation of the BigXII) left -- optimistic about AAC having the upper hand over a R5 or R6 or even R7. And what happened was the Alliance threw the BigXII a lifeline; the PAC12 publicly said they wouldn't expand. Bowlsby and the BigXII regained the initiative.
I know I posted that retrospectively the cease and desist letter - initially seeming like a desperation move or a tantrum - did what it had to. The spotlight was on any further weakening of the BigXII. The Alliance saying "we didn't invite the BigXII, but we don't mind them being a weak fifth P5" was the decider.

Saying I didn't see UT/OU moving was wrong.
Saying that the '20s would be about restructure rather than realignment was wrong (because of that first wrong).

Saying that AAC coming out on top was possible even though there was still a lot to happen? Not wrong - that was clearly possible.

So now we move on to the future.

I don't recall reading your posting in an adamant manner that the AAC would end up (due to a position of strength) being able to lure the R8. But I do recall one poster (a Tulsa fan) who often hammered on this theme — and was sometimes dismissive in tone and word choice toward those who politely disagreed.

I sometimes felt this poster (and some others who took a similar approach but with less "bombast" than the Tulsa fan) perhaps unwittingly did a disservice to some on the board who 1. knew their university would not be invited to the Big 12 and 2. were hoping for a full merger of the AAC and Big 12. This poster and some of the others could have given those folks a false sense of hope as the situation played out. And if so, I feel that is unfortunate.

And that is why I asked those posters if they had considered admitting their prediction was proved wrong.

Worth noting: I did post a few times that I felt it was possible (though very unlikely) the AAC would end up with the upper hand and absorb the eight leftovers from the Big 12. I had some hope too, because that was my preferred scenario.

I'm a Memphis fan, so I know what it's like to be jilted. I hate that UM and Cincinnati will be separated once again. There are some hurt feelings from many on the AAC board. And there is great concern about the future. I can't even fathom how Temple fans, for example, feel at this point.

I appreciate your taking the time to respond to this thread, slhNavy91.