Texas AD wants to take football south of the border

By Kevin McGuireJan 29, 2014, 12:31 PM EDT

Texas athletics director Steve Patterson has grand plans for the future of Texas Longhorn football. Aside from winning championships, Patterson wants to grow and expand the Texas football program beyond the borders of not only Texas, but also the country.

According to Austin American Statesman, Patterson has interest in Texas football playing a game in Mexico City.

Putting together a game in Mexico City would likely require moving a Texas road game to a neutral site in Mexico City, which means getting an opponent to agree to such a move. This is because it would be unlikely Texas would give up a home date for such a game. And you can forget moving the Oklahoma game out of the Cotton Bowl.

The idea of playing a game outside of the United States is certainly nothing new. Penn State and UCF will open the 2014 season in Ireland. Notre Dame and Navy did so to open the 2012 season and future game sin Ireland are already being lined up as well. College football has been played in Mexico on a regular basis for decades as well, although not quite on the same level of play that Texas would bring to the table. The Aztec Bowl has featured a number of all-star players from the Division 2 and Division 3 schools in a game against a team of Mexican all-stars. The game was first played in 1950 and was played most years through 2011, and it has featured an NCAA-sanctioned team since 1973.

Patterson’s view is not limited to the nation to the south of the Texas border though. A vision to grow the Texas brand across the Pacific Ocean is also on the table.

Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott has previously expressed interest in growing the conference brand across the Pacific Ocean as well, making note of an increasing Asian influence through the conference’s membership and the connections that could be put in place to help grow the Pac 12 Network and conference branding. Patterson seems to have a similar desire for Texas, although how easily that vision can be put in to focus at Texas remains to be seen. For now, Patterson has smaller goals to keep him busy, such as increasing annual revenue and the search for more television partners to carry The Longhorn Network.

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LISTEN: Steve Spurrier left Dabo Swinney the quintessential HBC voicemail

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By John TaylorSep 30, 2016, 10:53 AM EDT

And we come to Reason No. 1,844 why college football is a lesser sport without Steve Spurrier in it.

As the head coaches at South Carolina and Clemson, Spurrier and Dabo Swinney traded their fair share of public barbs on more than one occasion, admittedly more so the former than the latter. Hell, on individual even suggested a rasslin’ match pitting the two coaches against other. There was also, though, a deep and mutual respect between the two, as evidenced by a voicemail Spurrier left for Swinney in 2014 after both the Tigers and Gamecocks lost their opener.

And, of course, he left the message for the rival coach in the most HBC way possible. From James Bates (follow him on Twitter HERE):

As always, pitch perfect, Coach Spurrier.

Nick Saban’s dad ‘would’ve kicked me out of the house’ if he quit team

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By John TaylorSep 30, 2016, 9:21 AM EDT

In Nick Saban‘s official response to quarterback Blake Barnett‘s abrupt departure from Alabama, the head coach described the program as “disappointed” in the impending transfer.

Unofficially? The Nicktator appears to be somewhat agitated by not only the move itself but the overall transfer climate in the sport.

Shortly after releasing the statement on Barnett, Saban appeared on his weekly radio show. While the quarterback’s name wasn’t specifically mentioned, it wasn’t hard to crack the code Saban was using in dropping pearls of wisdom from the lessons his West Virginia-born father had taught him.

From al.com‘s transcription of the interview:

It’s one of those things where I think the culture has changed a little bit,” Saban said. “I think there’s a certain pride people have in competition. There’s certain things that I was taught growing up about not quitting and seeing things through. I think if I would have come home and told my dad that I was going to quit the team, I think he would have kicked me out of the house. I don’t think I’d have a place to stay.

…

“My dad used to always say ‘The grass is always greener on top of the septic tank,'” Saban said. “So it always looks better someplace else. So you think, instead of facing your fears and really overcoming adversity and making yourself better through the competition, you go someplace else thinking it will be better there. But until you face your fears, you’re always going to have some of those issues or problems.

Exactly what Saban’s father would’ve thought of his son leaving the Miami Dolphins after just two years and his first losing season as a head coach to make the move to Alabama is unknown.