[August 25, 2011] More rumors, no facts, but at least it rained Tweet Aug 25, 2011 (The Eagle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Facts in regards to Texas A&M's possible move to the Southeastern Conference are scarce but not the rumors. There was so much speculation that A&M would call a press conference Wednesday that Jason Cook, A&M chief communications spokesman, asked athletics spokesman counterpart Alan Cannon to help squelch it. Great. The day's breaking news was that there wasn't any news. That rumor, though, was just updated. If not Wednesday, then Thursday. Or how about Friday at, say, 4 p.m. a couple of hours before the Longhorn Network launches? And the speculation isn't going to end until A&M does hold a press conference -- or sends out a release -- and states its intentions. That doesn't mean it has to be soon. Yes, it would be great if there's a decision before the football team's season opener against SMU on Sept. 4. Remember what A&M President R. Bowen Loftin said less than two weeks ago after being given the power to do what's best for the program when it comes to conference affiliation: "We really want to take our time and think about this very carefully and listen to internal voices and external voices." The only thing we know for sure is that A&M is 12 days closer to making a decision than it was since the last press conference when Loftin was given autonomy. We're not even sure who or how many folks are involved in this day-to-day process other than Loftin and SEC commissioner Mike Slive. Probably A&M Regents' chairman Richard Box and Cook know what's unfolding, and they update those who need to know on a need-to-know basis. That's not the media. It's interesting that there have been virtually no leaks from the SEC schools. That tells me Slive runs a tight ship, much like former commisioner Roy Kramer who brought in Arkansas and South Carolina 20 years ago. There's plenty of reasons why the SEC is the nation's best football conference. Knowing when to keep your mouth shut might not be high on the list, but people in the SEC apparently do what they're told. On this end, many people are talking, but it's not coming from A&M. That's made facts scarcer than 80-degree afternoons. We do know this: A&M has to leave the Big 12 before it can apply to the SEC for membership. And the Big 12 Board of Directors have a conference call scheduled for Saturday. The board includes all member school presidents, and Cook said that Loftin will participate. It's interesting how many have concluded A&M will inform the Big 12 that the Aggies indeed are leaving before that call. Some thought it would happen Wednesday, but as of late Wednesday night, A&M remained a member of the Big 12. No one knows how long it will last. There was good news Wednesday for all Aggies living in the Bryan-College Station area: It rained. Unfortunately there wasn't one drop for every A&M-to-the-SEC rumor we've heard in the last two weeks, so the drought remains. As for some honest daylight breaking on this A&M-to-the-SEC saga, who knows? Maybe Thursday. ------ ___ (c)2011 The Eagle (Bryan, Texas) Visit The Eagle (Bryan, Texas) at www.theeagle.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]