As was pointed out the context was "rent a win." I'm confident the quotes are real. While it's no longer out there (at least I can't find it), this came from the A&M athletics site. It was posted as an official response to a question as to if and when could the LSU series be reinstituted. I think I found this back in 03 and it was a few years old then, so I'm not surprised that it's not there.
I have no detailed knowledge regarding the contracts. What I wrote here is just what I've picked up over the years, and since a good bit of it is from a memory exposed to what seems like a thousand different stories, I don't completely trust this even. None of the stories seem to hang completely together. Perhaps there are skeletons in both closets. I'm just curious why a simple straightforward explanation isn't available.
Agreed. "Terrible" isn't a strong enough word for this idea. Ugh. How about a home and home against Okie St.? That'd be interesting and more respectable than LSU/Tulane.
mcmickel: Thanks for the insight, but I do have a couple of questions to confirm my understanding. The A&M series started up again in 86 and ended in 95, a ten year run. Are you saying the the series should have started in 85, but A&M requested it to be delayed 1 year (i.e. start it in 86)? If the series would have started in 85 and was supposed to be 12 yrs, we would have ended it after 11 and we would have owed A&M for the 1 game as mentioned in Grof's statement. Do you have any idea why Grof stated that he had a 10 yr contract, signed in 85 slated to commence in 88? Are you also saying that SOS was the motivating factor and not financial concerns caused by the expansion of the SEC?
Alabama and a$m were able to start a two-game series if the aggies could open up a date in 1985. LSU couldn't stand in the way of that Bear Bryant love-in, so LSU picked up ECU or some such team to fill-in the lost game. a$m is looking at a long-term deal with Rice, as well. The frightened farmers need to play in Houston without losing Kyle Field revenue. Texas has a nice deal with the Owls and the aggies want part of the action! Likewise, Texas is looking at SMU provided the games are not at Ford Stadium. UT wants a non-OU Metroplex game.
The sandaggies are the mischievous runt of Texas college football. They'll always be an also-ran for a reason. Lubbock. Sure, they'll hide behind the bushes and jump out and suckerpunch somebody once in a while but for the long haul, they are what they are. Little brothers always wanting to play with the big boys and usually getting their noses bloodied. Their gimmick offense is fun to watch once in a while but they are mostly big on show, short on substance. I wouldn't mind playing them in Dallas. Say "no" to Lubbock. Nothing to be gained by going there. :dis:
Money is the only reason to play Tulane. If the objective is to make money, all the games should be in Tiger Stadium or there has to be one hell of a money-friendly deal for LSU to play in the dome. There is nothing else to gain from playing Tulane. Nationally, they're largely ignored and beating them raises no eyebrows. The "we need exposure in NOLa" argument is absurd. Any prospective LSU student or athlete in NOLa who is unaware of the flagship university up the river probably needs to matriculate elsewhere anyway. Years ago, this was probably true but with accessibility to information that kids have now, it just doesn't wash. The "we need to play before our NOLa alumni" argument doesn't make much sense to me either. I suspect most NOLa LSU grads who are true fans of the Tigers make the journey to Baton Rouge to see 'em once in a while. Tulane is an ugly woman waiting to be picked up. Leave her at the bar for someone else to wake up with tomorrow. :yelwink2:
The traffic returning from Tiger Stadium to metro New Orleans on both I-10 and I-12 proves your points. I'd say that the vast majority of GNO LSU fans would rather make the trip to Tigertown to play the Scum, rather than hook up in the Dome. The 2001 opener with Toolame was not a sell out and their following at the game was pitiful, even by their low standards. In fact, the only in-state school with a following to play at LSU was Tech. OoLaLa and OoLaMm drew nothing from their repective fan bases. RE: Texas Tech. Since I grew up in Houston, anyone who messes with a$m and their forced traditions is OK by me. Throwing tortillas and goal posts at the pompous brown shirts takes cajones, then to follow it up with wins on the football field! My aggie brother-in-law, during a rare lucid moment, admits that Tech has the marooned faithful more upset than the teasippers. Yeah, Leach is Hal Mummy and their fans are roaches, but they do gig the aggies bad!
