Yesterday, it was announced that The University of Texas and ESPN have joined unholy forces for the much-anticipated Longhorn TV network.The deal will net UT $300 million on a 20-year deal.
As expected, there's criticism. Hell. UT could dissolve all of its athletic program and give all money to handicapped students for a free education, and people from Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma or wherever would bitch that UT was being too philanthropic.
UT not starting its own network, if it can get away with it, is like UT intentionally not recruiting the best players just to let Baylor, Kansas State or Colorado catch up.
That's ridiculous. Any program that can have its own network -- or recruit a five-star kid -- should do it.
Why? Because its awesome. For one.
Two, that $300 million will be used to buy some rowing oars, some cleats, football pads, baseballs, eye black, tackling dummies, batting cages, towels and Gatorade.
However, never could you spend $300 million on athletics. The dirty little secret in college sports is that these institutions are very much involved in ... WAIT FOR IT! ... education.
It sounds naive, but it's the truth. Don't get me wrong. I'm not dumb enough to think UT doesn't care about its football program. Nor that K-State doesn't care about basketball or TCU, baseball.
But these colleges and universities are really into education. The amount of money that they pour into research, equipment, updating technology and supplying certain services for an expanding study body is astonishing.
In fact, if you went to the heart of what UT was all about, football is probably No. 1. Research is probably No. 2.
The football team makes up 50-100 members of the student body, which totals 51,000 students. The handful of football players that go into the pros are a pleasant byproduct. However, the other 50,990 students that will enter the workforce, make a ton of cash and then send copious amounts back to their alma mater means even more.
That $300 million will go more into computers, beakers, petri dishes, incredibly expensive biology instruments, books, software and all that bookish shit.
