Aggie Hoops Starts Final Big 12 Drive

Aggies Ready To Roll In Big 12 and Later


With the start of the basketball season for Big 12 teams the fact that the end is coming closer for the Texas A&M Aggies participation in that league is brought more to light. After all basketball is the last of the sports that get heavy attention. Sure, track and field, baseball, tennis, golf and the other spring sports still have to be played and football still has a few weeks to go, but when the last game of the Big 12 post season basketball tournament is played many will really feel the end is at hand.

Having just ventured to Aggieland for the first time in awhile to do the play by play for the men’s basketball opener on Wednesday I had a chance to get the feel of some on the campus about the upcoming move to the SEC. No one I talked with—fan or school official had any misgivings. As one Astro fan—also an Aggie—told me. “Hey, they use the same rules in the SEC. It is hardly as bad as what the Astros would face if pushed in the AL.” After a chuckle I pointed out that may be true, but distances between schools are further than in the Big 12 and the depth of strength at the top—particularly in football—will make it rough to succeed. The fan agreed, but added ruefully that the Aggie football team has not exactly been the power of the Big 12 or the SWC before that since the Jackie Sherrill, R.C. Slocum era.

Athletic Director Bill Byrne in a halftime interview pointed out that he has no doubts the Aggies will compete well in the SEC—as they have in the Big 12 in every sport. Last school year A&M won three national titles (women’s basketball and two in track and field) and nine Big 12 conference championships. That kind of success will play anywhere. To think anything else would be giving the Big 12 an undeserved slap in the face. The Big 12 Conference takes a back seat to no one with or without the Aggies. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas certainly more than hold their own in the “big” sports. Baylor is a basketball threat and better than most know in the non revenue sports. Texas Tech is hanging in there and has a bright future in football and basketball. Oh yes, you have heard of Kansas and Kansas State basketball?
Sure, long time rivalries with the nucleus of the old SWC will be lost with the Aggies moving East. In time some of them will be resurrected in non conference battles especially in the non revenue sports. In football fans are upset the Aggie-Longhorn game will take at least a hiatus. As a baseball guy I don’t want to see the match up in baseball pass. Common sense will ultimately prevail (plus the realization that playing games within a geographic region make sense financially and for the fans.)
A.D. Bill Byrne is not the only Aggie of note looking forward to the SEC move. Football coach Mike Sherman finally made some comments on Wednesday. It has been a disappointing season for his team at just 5-4 with as many as three of those losses preventable. The SEC is loaded at the top as usual. Sherman says he is looking to the challenge, but right now more concerned about the here and now.
The same goes with Aggie men’s basketball, but for a different reason. Their new head coach Billy Kennedy is not able to run the team. Only a few days before the season the neck and back pain he had been experiencing since returning from Europe, where he took his team on a late summer tour, was diagnosed as the early stages of Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s disease is a nerve disorder that is incurable and progressive. However, it is treatable and far more controllable that ever before. While the team was run by top assistant Glynn Cyprien on Wednesday the prognosis is for Kennedy to return and coach his first Aggie game sooner rather than later. It all depends on how well he can adjust to the medication and treatment. Kennedy is involved in game prep and practices. He was not on the bench for the season opener.

Parkinson’s does not affect intellectual ability, but does affect the ability to speak and often includes tremors and mobility. Muhammed Ali is the best known example of a long time sufferer who contracted the disease before many of the current controlling medications had been developed. Actor Michael J. Fox who also is under treatment has shown great improvement thanks to modern methods. It is hoped and expected that by catching the development of Parkinsons very early with Billy Kennedy his progression can be held in check and can return to a nearly normal life including coaching the Aggies full time.
Kennedy has a top 20 team ready to be guided. While the opposition on Wednesday, Liberty University, was not a deep or big team and the win for Texas A&M looked easy, it was really a result of a talented team that played every possession.
The Aggies play a very hard and relentless defense that leads to some early offense baskets. This year they have both an inside and outside presence to make it work. They also have great athleticism and depth with players who can be comfortable anywhere on the court.
Elston Turner, Jr.-a transfer from Washington- and freshman guards Jordan Green and Jamal Branch have brought shooting ability and real talent to join returning point Dash Harris and a front court of David Lobeau, Khris Middleton, Ray Turner and Kourtney Roberson. This team is deep.
The Aggies want to depart the Big 12 on a strong note. If basketball is the last sport of major attention they have a very good chance to do just that.