<p>The pod system will keep most non big revenue sports playing teams in the general area. It does not take that much more time to fly a basketball team to Austin than to Columbus or State College from Madison. Even minor sports fly to most games now and it takes less time than the drive to Iowa City or Evanston most of the time.</p>
<p>Do UT alumni want to watch games in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Tucson, Denver (with addition of CU) or Ann Arbor, Happy Valley, Iowa City, Chambana, West Lafayette and Madison?</p>
<p>^Some of my UT friends and I were discussing the other day about how we’d rather have UT move to the Pac 10 than to the Big 10. Basically, we prefer the schools and climate of the Pac 10 conference to the Big 10. Even though we haven’t done a thorough analysis of the situation, we feel that, in general, UT, along with A&M, Tech and OU, might be a better fit in the Pac 10.</p>
<p>^^^You mean games in Corvallis, Pullman, and south central LA instead of Ann Arbor, Madison, or Evanston?</p>
<p>Well, we were mostly thinking along the lines of football and the idea of tailgating in Ann Arbor, Madison and Evanston in the late-fall sounds a little unbearable. They’d be fun as a nice change of pace every few years, but I wouldn’t want to do it every other year. And yeah, I will concede that we probably placed a little too much emphasis on weather compatibility.</p>
<p>^^^Well the thought of sweating like a pig in unbearable heat in early September in humid Austin isn’t exactly my idea of a good time either. Perhaps I’m placing a little too much emphasis on weather compatibility.</p>
<p>Actually Austin might be hot but it’s not generally super humid like Houston. I was just there and it was very much typical mid-summer weather–a month ahead of schedule with temps in the lo 90’s and humidity not bad. At night it gets pretty comfortable. I lived in Austin for 3 years BTW. So long as you bring some shade it’s not that bad. Later Fall is wonderful. With most conf games played in October/November it won’t be that bad. And the food, drink, and music more than compensates. Way better than anything in B10 country. Period. Austin rocks.</p>
<p>A tad defensive there, ehh. Austin’s not that bad. Plus, I’d rather be sweating than freezing my tail off. Plus, you cherrypicked Big 10 destinations. What Texan wants to hang out in Iowa City, East Lansing, West Lafayette? (*I’ve never been to any of these places but they don’t sound particularly fun) Both conferences have their duds. It’s just that the Pac 10s duds aren’t that cold.</p>
<p>Austin is a great town. I was only referring to the weather.</p>
<p>I just have my fingers crossed that Rutgers gets an invitation to the Big 10.</p>
<p>Well, compared to Waco, College Station, Manhatten, wherever OK State is, the B10 towns are not bad–even the bad ones. Iowa City is not a bad one BTW.</p>
<p>I am crossing my fingers that Clemson gets an invite to the SEC. A step down academically but a step up athletically. Besides, we’re not really that great at basketball, football is our better sport and we should focus on that.</p>
<p>Well, I personally prefer California and Arizona over all the states in the Big 12, but that’s just me. I’d venture to say that the majority of Texans would also share my preference.</p>
<p>And yes, Waco most definitely sucks but then again, they aren’t really being courted by any conferences from what I’ve heard. I’m kinda interested to see what happens to the less popular Big 12 teams, like K State, Baylor and Iowa State.</p>
<p>“Any comment on the student-athlete impact?”</p>
<p>Hawkette, whether student athletes fly 1-1.5 hours or 2-3 hours to get to their destination shouldn’t make too much of a difference.</p>
<p>ctyankee: Its over your head, pal. I’m not wasting my time trying to explain to you what makes the ACC and its member teams do what they do, and do it well. You can stick with the Big East and Atlantic 10. More your level. Have a nice day.</p>
<p>“And the food, drink, and music more than compensates. Way better than anything in B10 country.”</p>
<p>The folks in Chicago (Northerstern) may not agree with the food and drink part Barrons, and I am inclined to agree. Austin has no answer for the likes of Alinea, Tru, Everest, Spring etc… </p>
<p>In all fairness, ouside of Chicago, Minneapolis and Columbus, no Big 10 school is located in a city with a population that comes within a third the size of Austin, so the comparison is not really valid. You cannot expect a city with a population of 60,000-220,000 to have a nightlife than can match a city with a population of 750,000 (close to 2 million when you count the metropolitan area).</p>
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<p>Hawkette, Texas is basically like the rest of the US when it comes to politics. The large, urban areas are solidly Democrat/liberal, while the suburbs and rural areas are solidly Republican/conservative. It’s exactly how California looks in county maps of election results. Every major Texas city (and UT itself) voted for Obama in the last election. Houston’s last mayoral race resulted in a runoff between a black male Democrat and a white lesbian Democrat, after the Hispanic Republican and white male Democrat were easily defeated in the first round. Annise Parker won, meaning Houston has had an openly gay mayor before NYC, LA, Chicago, or San Fran. (That doesn’t really fit well with Texas stereotypes!) And Houston’s previous mayor, another white male Democrat, is running for Governor. Houston itself is one of the most racially diverse and balanced cities in America. </p>
<p>And although it fits the populist image he likes to portray well, people tend to forget President Bush was from the North, yet LBJ was home-grown.</p>
<p>Granted, the overall state numbers still tilt in Republican’s favor, but that continues to change with Texas’ ongoing demographic shift and rapid population growth. Texas is already one of a handful of states where whites are a minority. The date is soon coming where Texas won’t be reliably Republican or Democrat (as it shouldn’t be). So the stereotypes of Texas as a white/conservative-reliable state really aren’t that simple in reality…</p>
<p>Brats taste like crap when soaking wet outside Husky Stadium, in Eugene or Corvalis.</p>
<p>Like most of Indiana and Ohio are liberal? Not.</p>
<p>Indiana is not, but Bloomington is.</p>