re: Does Sumlin need to ban his players from going to Northgate

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finished top 5 in the nation and just 3rd in the SEC West.

if A&M loses just one recruit b/c of this its a problem.

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And if we react too strongly (no pun intended) and take the fun out of our program we might trade losing one recruit that wasn't that tough anyway for 20 SEC-style recruits.

If rules and strictness is what the parents/kids want then that is what Charlie is basing his program on, he should he a hit. His lack of recruiting success tells me more want a lax environment.

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and like I said, this is the kind of stuff that can snowball on you.

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I don't know, it seems like many SEC programs have off the field trouble every year but manage to compete. I think it goes with the territory when you target SEC-style talent.

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most other SEC schools don't deal with a 300 pound gorilla like Texas in their state

the only other SEC school that deals with the same amount of competition in state that we do is Florida.

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I am sorry, but that is just wrong. If nothing else USC has Clemson, UK has Louisville, and even programs like LSU and Georgia that dominate their state have to deal other programs trying to poach recruits. We aren't special, and our instate battle isn't any harder than what a lot of the SEC deals with: ie Notre Dame, tOSU, etc. are always targeting southern recruits.

Heck, Texas isn't even that hard to deal with on this point. With 6th Street in town Charlie has had to take tips from Putin, and Mack had to pretend the campus was in an 80's sitcom bubble, in order to convince parents that trouble wasn't literally down the street. All it takes is a quick comparison of real crime statistics to undo any PR problems with parents.



I think what this REALLY is, deep down, is just part of the transition process from the Big 12 to the SEC. In the Big 12 era we got so caught up on "good kids that want to play for A&M" and laughing at tu's troubles with the law (because that is all we had), that we became disconnected from the realities of running a top football program.

As long as we are the SEC program in Texas, we will be considered the dirtiest program in Texas, the most unlawful program in Texas, and quite possibly the most "thug" program in Texas. That perception comes with the SEC, and the sort of non-preacher's sheets players it takes to win in the SEC.

Honestly right now we are in a very comfortable spot.

If the charges were more severe (aka felony), I would worry about the program's leadership and if their blind eye could lead to sanctions.

If there was no offseason charges, I would worry that we haven't recruited the kind of player that can compete in the SEC. I mean, take a look- almost every TAMU player that has gotten in trouble is a contributor. Turns out Mr. Badass on Saturday afternoon is Mr. Badass on Friday night as well, who would have guessed it?

Mizzou is having the same problem with their SEC-level talent (DGB). It is not just us!

A few arrests of boys being boys is a Goldilocks "just right" kind of situation. I feel like most of the fanbase will come to this conclusion and stop freaking out when we experience the success that these sorts of players bring.