ADVERTISEMENT

So much for a "gentlemen's agreement" in the SEC.

Freddie.B.Cocky

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2002
46,532
11,493
113
When A&M joined the SEC there was supposedly a "gentlemen's agreement" that the Aggies would have sole veto power to block any Texas University from joining the SEC. See Link Below.

Well so much for the word of a athletic conference. This saddens me the SEC would renege on such an agreement. The Aggies should have gotten the agreement in writing.

 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Horseshoe 04
If it was important to A&M then they should have gotten it in writing. If a party is unwilling to sign a firm agreement then you shouldn't count on it down the road.
 
How does anyone know if such a gentleman's agreement ever existed? I'm not sure why people are getting excited about something that that very well may be pure fiction.
Well, in the 5th paragraph of the above article it clearly states there was some type of agreement that would give A&M full veto power relative to adding another Texas program to the SEC.
 
If it was important to A&M then they should have gotten it in writing. If a party is unwilling to sign a firm agreement then you shouldn't count on it down the road.

That is where they are stuck. The contracts with the SEC they did sign had parol evidence clauses. If you don't know what a parol evidence clause is, here is a definition:

Legal provision in the contract that the executed contract supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties; the contract itself should be the final source of all information regarding the terms of the transaction and the parties should not be able to use other documents, correspondence, or notes of discussions to interpret the terms of the contract.

In other words if something was said or implied in the negotiations prior to the contract that didn't make it into writing in the contract, then it is superseded and not a part of the contractual terms.
 
They need to get over their hate or inferiority complex. Why should they care if it means more dollars and a stronger conference. Alabama doesn't care about Auburn, Tennessee about Vandy, or even Georgia about Georgia Tech., when they were in the SEC. I wouldn't care if they let Clemson in, what's the big deal? We play them every year anyway. Is aTm just afraid of the rivalry? It could be set up so they didn't have to play every year if that's the case
 
I agree, people talk about integrity. Well if true then the SEC suit and ties have none.
That is not true. A&M doesn't read contracts very well and signed away any claim to an unwritten gentlemen's agreement when they signed the written contracts with the SEC. It is A&M without integrity. they knowingly or unknowingly by bad legal representation, signed away any right to enforce that gentlemen's agreement.
 
They need to get over their hate or inferiority complex. Why should they care if it means more dollars and a stronger conference. Alabama doesn't care about Auburn, Tennessee about Vandy, or even Georgia about Georgia Tech., when they were in the SEC. I wouldn't care if they let Clemson in, what's the big deal? We play them every year anyway. Is aTm just afraid of the rivalry? It could be set up so they didn't have to play every year if that's the case

They wind up voting for it, in a 14-0 vote. They are getting too much derision in Texas for cowardice. The only bone that will be thrown them is being in a different "pod" than OU and Texas.
 
Exactly.

I don't know about anyone else but, when someone tells me that their "word is their bond", I want to know if that bond is redeemable.
Yeah well my Ex-BFH wife's word sure as hail wasn't her bond per se.

Specifically in regards to her verbal concession vow of "in sickness and in health". =;-p
 
Someone explain to me why A&M opposes Texas, or would want to be in a different pod. As I see it, Texas should be afraid of A&M. Would you rather play Texas or Alabama, or even Auburn every year.
 
Someone explain to me why A&M opposes Texas, or would want to be in a different pod. As I see it, Texas should be afraid of A&M. Would you rather play Texas or Alabama, or even Auburn every year.
They are going to be in a pod with LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State every year. While LSU has been good, that looks clearly like the weakest pod of the 4 pods.
 
Am looking forward to the first Texas/A&M game. With all that hatred, it may rival the intensity of MBB games in the ACC when FM1 was coach.

A&M is being a baby about this and needs to shutup. These two additions are great for our conference.

Used to hate Texas as much as ND but they will soon be SEC bros so will grow to love them. As has been said, he may be a SOB but he's our SOB. If Texas/Ok had said yes to the SEC earlier in the 90s, Ark and USC might be on the outside looking in and begging the SEC/ACC/B10 to take them.
 
They wind up voting for it, in a 14-0 vote. They are getting too much derision in Texas for cowardice. The only bone that will be thrown them is being in a different "pod" than OU and Texas.
This is very true. Living in Dallas, UT people are calling TAM fans and alums cowards. TAM will vote to let them in. A local politician in Plano is filing legislation to keep Ut in Big 12 but it won’t make it out of committee. The pols that matter were already consulted and on board.
 
When A&M joined the SEC there was supposedly a "gentlemen's agreement" that the Aggies would have sole veto power to block any Texas University from joining the SEC. See Link Below.

Well so much for the word of a athletic conference. This saddens me the SEC would renege on such an agreement. The Aggies should have gotten the agreement in writing.

See the gentleman's agreement decades ago between USC and Clemson to both leave the ACC as proof to never trust a spoken agreement in big business.
 
They are going to be in a pod with LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State every year. While LSU has been good, that looks clearly like the weakest pod of the 4 pods.
I think it would be a golden assignment for them, and I think they ought to have it. But they'll still be playing those bad-@$$ schools pretty often.
 
  • Like
Reactions: caughtlookin
See the gentleman's agreement decades ago between USC and Clemson to both leave the ACC as proof to never trust a spoken agreement in big business.
That "agreement" ended when Clemson learned it was going to win its lawsuit against the ACC on the athletic admissions issue. They supposedly let us know, but we decided to proceed with leaving. The decision against the ACC was released within a few months of us leaving.
 
I want to know Bad Seed's opinion on this. 😄
Simple. None of these people are "gentlemen." They are callous, narrow minded cads that don't mind destroying something good. And the carnival barkers that go along with them, many on this board, that say this is a good thing are not far behind them.
 
Last edited:
Well, in the 5th paragraph of the above article it clearly states there was some type of agreement that would give A&M full veto power relative to adding another Texas program to the SEC.

That is per a former TAMU president, which still proves nothing. I find it very hard to believe that a single SEC school would be given full veto power over any conference-wide decisions. If he can't provide evidence of this agreement, it's kinda hard to insist that there actually is one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: USC2USC
I believe A&M has every right to have the hatred and hostility they have toward Texas without being called cowardly. Besides, they held their own against UT.

The Big XII used to be a bad ass conference rivaling the SEC, but the UT/OU ignorance and arrogance obviously ruined that. They simply cast aside 2 former national champs in Colorado and Nebraska while holding the rest hostage until A&M and Missouri had had enough and gave them the big middle finger.

If this is all true, Birmingham had best keep those two in check, or there may be some current SEC members heading out soon. We would without a doubt be one of the first.

I absolutely despise UT and OU, and would love to see them, along with Ohio State and Clemson all approaching a 4-way stop at high speeds thinking they each have the right away, only to collide into one massive douchery fireball!! 🔥
 
When A&M joined the SEC there was supposedly a "gentlemen's agreement" that the Aggies would have sole veto power to block any Texas University from joining the SEC. See Link Below.

Well so much for the word of a athletic conference. This saddens me the SEC would renege on such an agreement. The Aggies should have gotten the agreement in writing.

If true, do two people need to draw pistols at dawn and settle a gentleman's dispute?
 
Agreement or not, still a sorry azz thing to do having secret meetings with a team from a state where an SEC member already exists imo.
Not sure which is worse tho, that or Texas already getting preferential treatment... because you know if they were any other Texan team, the SEC would have probably checked with A&M.
 
  • Like
Reactions: caughtlookin
If true, do two people need to draw pistols at dawn and settle a gentleman's dispute?
I think that is carrying it a little too far. But, an agreement is an agreement. If you and I agree to meet each other at Joe's for a cup of coffee do we need to sign an agreement?
 
When A&M joined the SEC there was supposedly a "gentlemen's agreement" that the Aggies would have sole veto power to block any Texas University from joining the SEC. See Link Below.

Well so much for the word of a athletic conference. This saddens me the SEC would renege on such an agreement. The Aggies should have gotten the agreement in writing.

The SEC has been in talks with Clemson for years. If you don’t believe that, you are an idiot.
 
I would be surprised if the SEC would cave in to one teams wishes, especially a new one coming in to the conference. Heck they ought to thank the SEC for the opportunity to be part of a gold mine.

We've been talking about this agreement for years...especially when there was talk of FSU or Clemson being added to the SEC a decade ago. No additional instate schools in the SEC (Clemson, GT, FSU, Louisville) or the other schools with instate schools will vote in a block. If Texas can get in then Clemson can get in and we don't want that.
 
Well, in the 5th paragraph of the above article it clearly states there was some type of agreement that would give A&M full veto power relative to adding another Texas program to the SEC.
Sorry, but I don't think that is what it says at all...the 5th paragraph

While the specific details of those issues aren't exactly known, it is clear that A&M had a "gentleman's agreement" with other SEC schools that gave them "absolute veto power" over adding another school to the conference, according to R. Bowen Loftin, Texas A&M's president emeritus.

That was ambiguously written. But, I KNOW that the SEC has NEVER given any member "SOLE" veto rights preventing any other university from joining the SEC. Knowing that. If you reread the paragraph as...

While the specific details of those issues aren't exactly known, it is clear that A&M had a "gentleman's agreement" with other SEC schools that gave them (A&M and those other SEC schools) "absolute veto power" over adding another school to the conference, according to R. Bowen Loftin, Texas A&M's president emeritus.

If you read that quote in that manner the entire situation makes much more sense.

IOW, A&M believed they had a "Gentlemen's Agreement" with UK, SC, UGa and UF, that they would as a bloc, veto any instate rivals from entering the SEC.

What can I say? Situations change.
 
Last edited:
I believe A&M has every right to have the hatred and hostility they have toward Texas without being called cowardly. Besides, they held their own against UT.
We hope they hate us. We hate OU, but we are hardly going to run away from playing them every year. That is why we want them accompanying us to the SEC, to maintain the rivalry. Some Arkansas fan put it best when asked why they wanted to be in the pod with OU and Texas. He said "so we can show them every year how much we hate them." It is fine for A&M to hate us, but if they pull shenanigans to avoid playing us it is fair to call that cowardly. If they hate us and aren't cowards, why wouldn't they want to play and take it out on us?
 
Texas A&M shouldn't be in the SEC anyway. They belong in a conference with Texas. But they are not scared to play anyone. They willingly joined the SEC, so they're not scared. They just think being the only SEC school in Texas benefits them. The thing A&M should hang their heads in shame over is discontinuing one of the great rivalries in college football.
 
Last edited:
We hope they hate us. We hate OU, but we are hardly going to run away from playing them every year. That is why we want them accompanying us to the SEC, to maintain the rivalry. Some Arkansas fan put it best when asked why they wanted to be in the pod with OU and Texas. He said "so we can show them every year how much we hate them." It is fine for A&M to hate us, but if they pull shenanigans to avoid playing us it is fair to call that cowardly. If they hate us and aren't cowards, why wouldn't they want to play and take it out on us?

They’re not afraid to play you. They just aren’t gonna give you the respect to even play. That’s how much disdain they have for you.

Much like I feel for Clemson. Don’t care if we even play them although we’d likely lose anyway.
 
They’re not afraid to play you. They just aren’t gonna give you the respect to even play. That’s how much disdain they have for you.

Much like I feel for Clemson. Don’t care if we even play them although we’d likely lose anyway.
Both takes seem cowardly to me. I can't imagine many SC fans say "let's not play Clemson because we can't win". There is just no way not to portray that as cowardly. Play em, do your best, if you lose, get better.
 
I believe A&M has every right to have the hatred and hostility they have toward Texas without being called cowardly. Besides, they held their own against UT.

The Big XII used to be a bad ass conference rivaling the SEC, but the UT/OU ignorance and arrogance obviously ruined that. They simply cast aside 2 former national champs in Colorado and Nebraska while holding the rest hostage until A&M and Missouri had had enough and gave them the big middle finger.

If this is all true, Birmingham had best keep those two in check, or there may be some current SEC members heading out soon. We would without a doubt be one of the first.

I absolutely despise UT and OU, and would love to see them, along with Ohio State and Clemson all approaching a 4-way stop at high speeds thinking they each have the right away, only to collide into one massive douchery fireball!! 🔥
Not sure A&M held its own against the Longhorns as you say. UT leads the series 76-37-5 and won 12 of the last 17 games they played.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BattleshipTexas
ADVERTISEMENT