Big XII options for sanctioning Texas Tech

[WIBadger]

What's the danger, exactly? If he plays, then there was no real danger. Recall that the scope here for TTU is they believe he's the piece taking them to the Playoff, that's why they paid him so much. How many teams are willing to throw that away with a court ruling already in their favor? I'd bet you it's close to zero for real competitor-level teams.

The danger used to be that the NCAA could compel you to not compete at all. That seems to largely not be the case anymore.

The danger is that the public loses confidence in the integrity of the game. If people think that players are betting on games and are potentially throwing games (or at least are playing in a way that will win their bet even if it hurts their team) they won’t watch. That’s why this is always a redline.

At his position though, barring an injury it was probably a good bet he wasn't playing. I think he only played a little bit in one game. He probably knew the plan was to use the redshirt on that season

Maybe it’s just because I’m a traumatized Wisconsin fan and we’ve had terrible luck with qb injuries the past few years, but if you’re relying on someone not getting injured, that’s not a safe bet to me

 

[MeowingCows]

The danger is that the public loses confidence in the integrity of the game. If people think that players are betting on games and are potentially throwing games (or at least are playing in a way that will win their bet even if it hurts their team) they won’t watch. That’s why this is always a redline.

Maybe it’s just because I’m a traumatized Wisconsin fan and we’ve had terrible luck with qb injuries the past few years, but if you’re relying on someone not getting injured, that’s not a safe bet to me

Are people not already aware that players are betting on games? Sorsby is far from the first and certainly not the last. That's what's being discussed right now, and was excused by a courtroom as acceptable. He's just the latest one we know about. Sportbetting is largely what got us into this mess, I'm not seeing much appetite out there for it to get us back out of it.

 

[WIBadger]

Are people not already aware that players are betting on games? Sorsby is far from the first and certainly not the last. That's what's being discussed right now, and was excused by a courtroom as acceptable. He's just the latest one we know about. Sportbetting is largely what got us into this mess, I'm not seeing much appetite out there for it to get us back out of it.

I think there’s some sense of it, but this is putting it front and center.

And this situation has made the problem so much worse (when it was already bad) because it’s showing that players can bet on games without punishment.

 

[bluestarcyclone]

The danger is that the public loses confidence in the integrity of the game. If people think that players are betting on games and are potentially throwing games (or at least are playing in a way that will win their bet even if it hurts their team) they won’t watch. That’s why this is always a redline.

Maybe it’s just because I’m a traumatized Wisconsin fan and we’ve had terrible luck with qb injuries the past few years, but if you’re relying on someone not getting injured, that’s not a safe bet to me

No bet is 100% safe, but given he didn't play in 92% of games, I'd say probably better odds than any of his other bets.

 

[bluestarcyclone]

I think there’s some sense of it, but this is putting it front and center.

And this situation has made the problem so much worse (when it was already bad) because it’s showing that players can bet on games without punishment.

I personally only tend to see it as a major problem for the integrity of the game if its players betting on things they can directly control.

A player betting on a game they played in? Clearly.

A player betting on a game they never entered? Definitely makes the gambling field unfair given inside information, but that field is not and will never be fair considering how many insiders there are beyond players. The only way to level that out (if it is a concern for the game itself) is to eliminate legalized sports gambling entirely, which probably won't happen, even if it should.

 

[SolterraCyclone]

Are people not already aware that players are betting on games? Sorsby is far from the first and certainly not the last. That's what's being discussed right now, and was excused by a courtroom as acceptable. He's just the latest one we know about. Sportbetting is largely what got us into this mess, I'm not seeing much appetite out there for it to get us back out of it.

I’m aware the people drink and drive. I still have the expectation when I get in my car every day, that I’ll reach my destination unscathed. And I would expect anyone caught under the influence to be appropriately punished.

I don’t expect us to roll back to prohibition to solve the problem. I do expect there to be a severe enough penalty that deters others from drinking and driving on a regular basis.

 

[MeowingCows]

I’m aware the people drink and drive. I still have the expectation when I get in my car every day, that I’ll reach my destination unscathed. And I would expect anyone caught under the influence to be appropriately punished.

I don’t expect us to roll back to prohibition to solve the problem. I do expect there to be a severe enough penalty that deters others from drinking and driving on a regular basis.

Here's the bad news: that's not happening. We're instead shifting towards making this version of drinking and driving unpunishable entirely.

 

[cyclones122]

I wonder if one of the schools, like Iowa State, that is in a state that has legal sports betting, would consider going to court to get a court order that someone who has been banned by the NCAA for gambling is not eligible to participate in collegiate athletics in that state due to integrity issues with the states sports betting laws. This order is from a Texas state court, so they have zero jurisdiction over Iowa law. That may be a way for schools in states that have sports betting to force Tech to sit him.

States that have sports gambling in the Big 12: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, West Virginia, Florida (heavily restricted), West Virginia.

Looks like Oklahoma, Texas (obviously), and Utah would not be able to do that as they do not have sports betting.

 

[FinalFourCy]

Here's the bad news: that's not happening. We're instead shifting towards making this version of drinking and driving unpunishable entirely.

Contacts in which players make more for winning would help offset this risk players are betting on their games

Tangential, but players not really caring about winning isn’t just from betting. Opt outs for example, before season is over, or prioritizing stats over winning, so they can get better offers after the season

Sure, he shouldn’t play, you have to at least have deterrence, but wishful thinking it does much to solve the problem imo.

 

[besserheimerphat]

Regarding Big 12 vs NCAA punishment, the Big 12 could suspend him and claim that he can just transfer so no real losses to Sorsby. The NCAA suspension would have prevented him from transferring and playing elsewhere.

 

[Paz23]

Regarding Paxton's threat to sue on the grounds that it will injure Tech, can't the Big XII also argue that allowing Sorsby to play will damage the league's brand? The TRO does not force Texas Tech University to play Brendan Sorsby at quarterback.

I still think at some point, someone in power will realize there are 3 outcomes if Sorsby plays:

1. Tech goes 12-1 or 13-0 AND wins the B12 CGG. They are in the playoff and the committee does everything in their power to screw them in the bracket. Throughout this "magical" regular season, they are absolutely hammered by every opposing fanbase during road games. Every week, the national media takes shots at them. If their one loss is in a game they are favored to win and Sorsby has an off game...well, you know where that goes.

2. Tech goes 10-2 or 11-1 and doesn't win the conference's automatic bid. The committee flips them the bird, they go to the Alamo bowl and Sorsby opts out to prepare for the draft. They have basically dropped a deuce on their own brand for 10 wins and a bowl trip 200 miles to the east.

3. Tech goes 9-3 or worse. I actually think this is the best case if Sorsby plays. After the second loss, public opinion will A) forget about it to some degree and B) start to tick back towards sympathy for that scrappy little underdog from West Texas.

We're not talking about Peyton Manning. He's a good quarterback, but the risk he brings is massive and even if everything goes exactly as Cody Campbell dreams it will go when he lays his head down on his pillow every night, it will be remembered as a tainted championship.

 

[RustShack]

He won the NCAA suspension case, I say the Big12 just suspends him after he serves his two week suspension so there isn’t time for a judge to overturn it.

 

[Gorm]

He won the NCAA suspension case, I say the Big12 just suspends him after he serves his two week suspension so there isn’t time for a judge to overturn it.

RIP to the Big 12 lawyer who has to explain to a judge how the Big 12 did an end-around on a lawful court order when the Big 12 gets sued on that.

 

[IceCyIce]

Assuming Sorsby plays, move all their games to ESPN+

 

[Revolution]

I’ll play devils advocate. I believe the injunction only holds until the case comes back before the courts on appeal. If this is true and they rule against Soresby at that time doesn’t tech run the risk of vacating every win that he participated in?

 

[Cyclone Pfan]

I’ll play devils advocate. I believe the injunction only holds until the case comes back before the courts on appeal. If this is true and they rule against Soresby at that time doesn’t tech run the risk of vacating every win that he participated in?

Does the TRO say only that he cannot be removed from the team, or does it say that he's eligible to play in contests? Maybe there's not a difference?

But if there is a difference, could the conference simply litigate, "we're not saying he has to be kicked off the team, but we are saying he's ineligible for big 12 contests."?

 

[CloneJD]

I heard that the appeal is set for Feb, 2027. GREAT . . . . . . . Just in time to matter.

That’s the trial date, not the appeal

 

[hoosman]

Big12 should remove all texan officials from all TTU games. Pay B12 officials to call extra Holding and PI penalties against TTU every game. Fight fire with fire.

 

[Pope]

Tech's offense is not that they have a player with evidence of gambling on games while he was on the team. It's that they will not abide the NCAA's ruling that is clear from the bylaws of the organization, of which they are a member, that such a player is not eligible to participate.

This should have been over 20 minutes after the NCAA made their ruling.

Hunter Dekkers agrees with you.

 

[Pope]

Assuming Sorsby plays, move all their games to ESPN+

With 11am kickoffs!