I don't think people fully appreciate the Texas ego and worldview. (Bohles has become their Henderson now, fwiw.)
What they believe:
- The state of Texas has, by far, the best high school football in the nation
- The state of Texas has, by far, the best football fans in the nation
- The state of Texas has, by far, the best universities in the nation
- The state of Texas has, by far, the best governmental policies in the nation
- The state of Texas has, by far, the best business environment in the nation
- The state of Texas has, by far, the best looking women in the nation
- The state of Texas has, by far, the best food and beer in the nation
- The state of Texas has, by far, the best music and culture in the nation
On top of that, they believe that anyone who doesn't see this is delusional and that every real American wishes he/she was a Texan.
Given the above, they can't imagine a college football landscape where the state of Texas isn't the foundation of the top football conference.
And since UT is the flagship university, they can't imagine that this conference shouldn't be led by UT.
The idea of UT being part of a conference that has offices in California, has more conference members from California than from Texas, and doesn't give UT special status seems absolutely crazy to them. California is one of the states they ridicule the most (close competition with New York for the top spot).
The idea that programs like Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and others from outside Texas wouldn't be happy to live in the shadow of the conference's Texas schools doesn't make sense to them. Texas knows better, does it better and its rightful place is to make the decisions. It simply makes sense that UT would be the leader.
Oklahoma is somewhat a special case because they see that as a satellite Texas state - in the shadow, but sort of Texan. Arkansas is looked at in the same way. They believe them to be part of the family (kind of like younger cousins). It's why Texans are having so much trouble understanding why OU and OSU would consider leaving the current situation. It's why they think that Arkansas would consider leaving the SEC to get back into a conference with UT.
Beyond all this, Texans would not be offended to read the above. They'd wonder what my point is. They don't get that Colorado and Nebraska and Arkansas haven't all left them simply because they had opportunities that would make them more money. They don't understand the truth of things. We all start by looking at UT and the Texas market from a distance and thinking that there are a lot of advantages to being in a conference together (big market, lots of recruiting talent, strong athletic programs, solid academics/research partnership). But what happens is that we end up absolutely hating UT and its little brother Texas university playmates.
In the end, what's really going on is that the Texas family is completely dysfunctional. Those that marry in (CU, NU, KU, MU, KSU, ISU) aren't treated like part of the family. The cousins (OU, OSU, Arky) aren't given equal treatment in the family. And the brothers (UT, aTm, BU, TTU, TCU, UH) absolutely hate each other despite their bonds. Brother #2 (aTm) is sick of living in the shadow of brother #1 (UT) and wants to leave. Brother #3 (TTU) wants so badly to leave the shadow of its big brothers but can't because no one wants them on their own. Brother #6 (BU) is desperate to hold onto what it gained 15 years ago when it succeeded in a power coup to usurp the places of brothers #4 (TCU) and #5 (UH) when the family last had to find a new home and only 4 of the brothers could go.
What I truly believe is that Texans are their own worst enemy. The state of Texas should be the foundation of a power conference. Logically, if we have 4 superconferences in college football the hubs should be California, Florida, Texas and Ohio. Instead, because the Texas family is so dysfunctional, we're going to see the state split up and scattered. All of the cousins and little brothers will join other conferences. Some will find homes in major conferences and some won't. UT will either swallow its pride and be just another member of the Pac-16 while bringing TTU along for the ride, or UT will end up serving its ego instead of making the right business decision. We'll either see an independent UT or a UT that tries to have a viable conference without its little cousins, brother #2, and likely without some of the family that had married in and now leaves them for someone else (KU & MU, especially).
The funny thing in all of this is that it's history repeating itself. These are the same reasons that the SWC broke up and Arkansas left - the UT arrogance and the in-fighting among the brothers.
Screw them, though.
I'm focused on the Pac-12. Hopefully 12-team conferences stays as the norm for a long time. But it doesn't look like that's going to happen. It seems that 14-team conferences is the next step. If so, give me Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in the Pac-14. We move Utah to the North and it changes very little. If we then go to 16, either UT falls into line as just another conference member and brings TTU with them, or we take Kansas along with MU or KSU as its travel partner. We'd just do the pod alignment and go on just fine without the Texas headache.
