We have the right guy.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47324381/texas-mike-elko-college-football-playoff

Well written. I hope Elko is the first step in treating BAS. It will take more than one or two good seasons to cure many of us...

Highlights the vaginitis that many on here are afflicted with.

"You love Texas A&M, you love Texas A&M football," he said. "Stop being scared to get excited about this program and what this program is doing."

We also have fixed financial support for the program via past direct donations on facilities and external NIL support and are addressing the additional scholarship / internal NIL. Keep in mind that today most of this is at best loosely regulated and staying near the top of the hill means all competitors pouring more mud and money on it…

Best article I have read in a while. Sums it up perfectly.

Some may be too far gone that not even a NC could cure their severe BAS.

Wow. A surprisingly good read from ESPN! So rare I find any of the writing there worth reading.

Thanks OP for linking that here!

Nice write-up.

Unfortunate that he has to come out and say that. BAS was cute for a while and well-deserved but as a fanbase we shouldn't wear that like a weird Boy Scout badge forever. It may be time to grow up.

agree 100%

also feel like next year, going 9-3 is realistic but optimistic.
we've got a lot of talented players thru the depth chart, but we'll be lacking in experience in several positions that will matter.

that's not BAS, that's just reality.
but that said....the future of the program, on the whole, seems to be trending the right way

Commander-In-Beef said:

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Some may be too far gone that not even a NC could cure their severe BAS.

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Yes. I think so too. BAS is an identity now for some of the Aggies I know. I do wonder if a few them will be able to handle the contradiction created if the Aggies do win it all. But I guess if Cubs and Red Sox fans can, maybe Battered Aggies can too?

I hope we get to find out!

A win against Miami will cure a lot of that stuff.

0-2 against tu. Out coached in both of those games.

Hasn't won anything.

Not saying he's not the right guy, but to claim he is the guy is hopeful.at best.

TxAg76 said:

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agree 100%

also feel like next year, going 9-3 is realistic but optimistic.
we've got a lot of talented players thru the depth chart, but we'll be lacking in experience in several positions that will matter.

that's not BAS, that's just reality.
but that said....the future of the program, on the whole, seems to be trending the right way

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This right here is what the writer is talking about.

HarryRocket said:

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0-2 against tu. Out coached in both of those games.

Hasn't won anything.

Not saying he's not the right guy, but to claim he is the guy is hopeful.at best.

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You have no idea what you are talking about.

Thanks for posting this OP. Loved it, and it gave me a much greater appreciation and respect for Mike Elko !

We may win nothing else this year, but I have to say we had maybe our biggest win in selecting Elko.

Gig 'em !!!! and BTHOU

cevans_40 said:

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HarryRocket said:

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0-2 against tu. Out coached in both of those games.

Hasn't won anything.

Not saying he's not the right guy, but to claim he is the guy is hopeful.at best.

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You have no idea what you are talking about.

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I beg to differ with you!!! Anytime A&M lines up against tu, expect a loss!

HarryRocket said:

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0-2 against tu. Out coached in both of those games.

Hasn't won anything.

Not saying he's not the right guy, but to claim he is the guy is hopeful.at best.

---

2-0 vs lsu with 2 blowout wins, Sumlin never beat lsu and Jimbo was 50/50. Elko is the best coach we have ever had. Make him the highest paid coach with a 10 year fully guaranteed contract.

See, I can do it also just picking one opponent / 2 games.

aeon-ag said:

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cevans_40 said:

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HarryRocket said:

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0-2 against tu. Out coached in both of those games.

Hasn't won anything.

Not saying he's not the right guy, but to claim he is the guy is hopeful.at best.

---

You have no idea what you are talking about.

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I beg to differ with you!!! Anytime A&M lines up against tu, expect a loss!

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You sir - and I say this with all due respect - can go **** yourself.

CowDog said:

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Commander-In-Beef said:

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Some may be too far gone that not even a NC could cure their severe BAS.

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Yes. I think so too. BAS is an identity now for some of the Aggies I know. I do wonder if a few them will be able to handle the contradiction created if the Aggies do win it all. But I guess if Cubs and Red Sox fans can, maybe Battered Aggies can too?

I hope we get to find out!

---

It's a learned pattern of behavior based on the experiences over the past 30 years. If a family member doesn't show up for every single family event you've had over 30 years, your best bet is to plan on them not being there to avoid the emotional letdown. If said family member starts showing up on time routinely, you can then adjust your expectations. You don't adjust expectations because the family member showed up once or twice. In fact that enhances the pain when they no-show next time. That's why 2012 and 2020 have ramped the BAS up so high. It's going to take few years of consistency for BAS to go away.

HarryRocket said:

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0-2 against tu. Out coached in both of those games.

Hasn't won anything.

Not saying he's not the right guy, but to claim he is the guy is hopeful.at best.

---

Elko is good enough that he's got people like you trying to explain how 11-1 isn't yet something we can be happy about.

That's pretty impressive.

He's good enough that people like you don't think clearing out LSU int he 3rd quarter on the road and getting their coach fired is "anything".
He's good enough that people like you don't think going on the road and winning at MU, which we've always struggled to do is "anything".
He's good enough that people like you don't think that going on the road and beating ND is "anything".

His list of things that have gone from "we're going to lose like we always do" before the game to "nothing" after is very impressive, indeed.

Agwinner03 said:

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Well written. I hope Elko is the first step in treating BAS. It will take more than one or two good seasons to cure many of us...

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very sad post

BAS is what you want it to be

This sums it up for me:

"We always believe. But we can't voice it too much, because then it might jinx it. So I'm staying quiet."

The Banned said:

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CowDog said:

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Commander-In-Beef said:

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Some may be too far gone that not even a NC could cure their severe BAS.

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Yes. I think so too. BAS is an identity now for some of the Aggies I know. I do wonder if a few them will be able to handle the contradiction created if the Aggies do win it all. But I guess if Cubs and Red Sox fans can, maybe Battered Aggies can too?

I hope we get to find out!

---

It's a learned pattern of behavior based on the experiences over the past 30 years. If a family member doesn't show up for every single family event you've had over 30 years, your best bet is to plan on them not being there to avoid the emotional letdown. If said family member starts showing up on time routinely, you can then adjust your expectations. You don't adjust expectations because the family member showed up once or twice. In fact that enhances the pain when they no-show next time. That's why 2012 and 2020 have ramped the BAS up so high. It's going to take few years of consistency for BAS to go away.

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No, I don't think this is quite right.

I agree with you that BAS is learned over time. We Aggies have seen a lot of decades where the it feels like we wait for the other shoe to fall. But I disagree with your analogy here. A football program is not a family member who has constantly let you down because that is who they are.

This team is not doomed because past teams didn't get it done in 2012 or 2020. Or anything that happened in previous seasons. The writer used the word 'mawkish.' Good word. This mawkishness is tiresome. Its a funny bit on SEC shorts. But the "cure" if there is one, is to have the confidence in the idea that if the program keeps trying to change for the better, it can get to where we all want it.

cevans_40 said:

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HarryRocket said:

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0-2 against tu. Out coached in both of those games.

Hasn't won anything.

Not saying he's not the right guy, but to claim he is the guy is hopeful.at best.

---

You have no idea what you are talking about.

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End of thread. Two years ago we fired Jimbo and owed him around 80 large. We played OSU in a bowl game with legion of walkons and non-starters. Today, we are prepping for a home playoff game. We averaged around 107k for home games and have done very well recruiting. Our portal talent acquisition has been particularly good. Two first team AAs this year are portal additions. Second team AA a portal addition. Still, we have what I call 'Aggie Bots' hitting the negatives. "If Owens falls down one time, but him on the bench." Both humorous and ignorant.

CowDog said:

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No, I don't think this is quite right.

I agree with you that BAS is learned over time. We Aggies have seen a lot of decades where the it feels like we wait for the other shoe to fall. But I disagree with your analogy here. A football program is not a family member who has constantly let you down because that is who they are.

This team is not doomed because past teams didn't get it done in 2012 or 2020. Or anything that happened in previous seasons. The writer used the word 'mawkish.' Good word. This mawkishness is tiresome. Its a funny bit on SEC shorts. But the "cure" if there is one, is to have the confidence in the idea that if the program keeps trying to change for the better, it can get to where we all want it.

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The emotional attachment some people have to the university and/or this team is certainly as strong or stronger than a familial attachment. I'm not saying it's right, because it objectively isn't. But that doesn't make it untrue. You're objectively correct when you say there is new data to consider (new coaches, new players) but that has already been witnessed in their last 30 years of experience, so it doesn't feel like new data.

ETA: and I don't think CFB makes half of the money it does if that attachment wasn't there.

The Banned said:

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CowDog said:

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Commander-In-Beef said:

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Some may be too far gone that not even a NC could cure their severe BAS.

---

Yes. I think so too. BAS is an identity now for some of the Aggies I know. I do wonder if a few them will be able to handle the contradiction created if the Aggies do win it all. But I guess if Cubs and Red Sox fans can, maybe Battered Aggies can too?

I hope we get to find out!

---

It's a learned pattern of behavior based on the experiences over the past 30 years. If a family member doesn't show up for every single family event you've had over 30 years, your best bet is to plan on them not being there to avoid the emotional letdown. If said family member starts showing up on time routinely, you can then adjust your expectations. You don't adjust expectations because the family member showed up once or twice. In fact that enhances the pain when they no-show next time. That's why 2012 and 2020 have ramped the BAS up so high. It's going to take few years of consistency for BAS to go away.

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What's interesting is the ones that say they expect these bad things to happen are the same ones that melt the hardest when they do.

What's the point of invoking pre-cynicism if you are also going to lose it when it comes true.

It's always funny to me that those that are more optimistic seem to handle losses better as well.

Go find the posters that irritate everyone pre-game and they're always the worst during the in and post game threads as well, even if we win.

JDCAG (NOT Colin) said:

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What's interesting is the ones that say they expect these bad things to happen are the same ones that melt the hardest when they do.

What's the point of invoking pre-cynicism if you are also going to lose it when it comes true.

It's always funny to me that those that are more optimistic seem to handle losses better as well.

Go find the posters that irritate everyone pre-game and they're always the worst during the in and post game threads as well, even if we win.

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It helps them "prove" that they were right all along and that makes them feel good.

Yup. That just about covers it.

Quote:

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2-0 vs lsu with 2 blowout wins, Sumlin never beat lsu and Jimbo was 50/50. Elko is the best coach we have ever had. Make him the highest paid coach with a 10 year fully guaranteed contract.

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I mean, LSU isn't exactly good, these days. Jimbo faced maybe the best LSUI team ever. He also finsished in the top 4. Elko is probably not in the playoff with any of Jimbo's schedules. 10 year contract is stupid, and partly why we have been a joke.

CowDog said:

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Commander-In-Beef said:

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Some may be too far gone that not even a NC could cure their severe BAS.

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Yes. I think so too. BAS is an identity now for some of the Aggies I know. I do wonder if a few them will be able to handle the contradiction created if the Aggies do win it all. But I guess if Cubs and Red Sox fans can, maybe Battered Aggies can too?

I hope we get to find out!

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People with BAS are the type of people who would purposely let you down when you need them the most because they are too chicken **** to step up when the going gets tough.

He's in the playoff and you're in a meaningless bowl against a shell of a Michigan team. When you win, I'm sure we'll hear that Tessus is back! So it's all relative, isn't it?

The Banned said:

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CowDog said:

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Commander-In-Beef said:

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Some may be too far gone that not even a NC could cure their severe BAS.

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Yes. I think so too. BAS is an identity now for some of the Aggies I know. I do wonder if a few them will be able to handle the contradiction created if the Aggies do win it all. But I guess if Cubs and Red Sox fans can, maybe Battered Aggies can too?

I hope we get to find out!

---

It's a learned pattern of behavior based on the experiences over the past 30 years. If a family member doesn't show up for every single family event you've had over 30 years, your best bet is to plan on them not being there to avoid the emotional letdown. If said family member starts showing up on time routinely, you can then adjust your expectations. You don't adjust expectations because the family member showed up once or twice. In fact that enhances the pain when they no-show next time. That's why 2012 and 2020 have ramped the BAS up so high. It's going to take few years of consistency for BAS to go away.

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No, not really. You are an adult. You regulate your own emotions. You can choose to be excited or not. You can choose to be pessimistic. It isn't a "learned behavior", it's a choice.

Let's be completely honest here…being excited for a college football team isn't some deep-seated psychological issue. You decide how much it affects you.

If you choose to be a sad-sack, pessimistic, and crap all over message boards crying about your "fears", that's all on you. Not some learned behavior. You are choosing to act that way.

Want to know how to fix it?

Don't act that way.

Gaius Rufus said:

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The Banned said:

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CowDog said:

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Commander-In-Beef said:

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Some may be too far gone that not even a NC could cure their severe BAS.

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Yes. I think so too. BAS is an identity now for some of the Aggies I know. I do wonder if a few them will be able to handle the contradiction created if the Aggies do win it all. But I guess if Cubs and Red Sox fans can, maybe Battered Aggies can too?

I hope we get to find out!

---

It's a learned pattern of behavior based on the experiences over the past 30 years. If a family member doesn't show up for every single family event you've had over 30 years, your best bet is to plan on them not being there to avoid the emotional letdown. If said family member starts showing up on time routinely, you can then adjust your expectations. You don't adjust expectations because the family member showed up once or twice. In fact that enhances the pain when they no-show next time. That's why 2012 and 2020 have ramped the BAS up so high. It's going to take few years of consistency for BAS to go away.

---

No, not really. You are an adult. You regulate your own emotions. You can choose to be excited or not. You can choose to be pessimistic. It isn't a "learned behavior", it's a choice.

Let's be completely honest here…being excited for a college football team isn't some deep-seated psychological issue. You decide how much it affects you.

If you choose to be a sad-sack, pessimistic, and crap all over message boards crying about your "fears", that's all on you. Not some learned behavior. You are choosing to act that way.

Want to know how to fix it?

Don't act that way.

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Who you trying to make an adult?!?!

cevans_40 said:

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TxAg76 said:

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agree 100%

also feel like next year, going 9-3 is realistic but optimistic.
we've got a lot of talented players thru the depth chart, but we'll be lacking in experience in several positions that will matter.

that's not BAS, that's just reality.
but that said....the future of the program, on the whole, seems to be trending the right way

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This right here is what the writer is talking about.

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Yep, I expect to be in the CFP next year. Look at Howell, Concepcion, and Craver. 3 grand slams. I expect more.