u/Wyo11

Basically each state has scenic areas (usually) and not so scenic areas.

What are the bleakest, hardest to drive through section of states you have been to? I'll put some from out west where I'm from along with a bleak drive that I've done to exemplify it:

California: southeastern CA (Coachella to Blythe on I-10).

Arizona: southwestern AZ (Yuma to Gila Bend on I-8)

Colorado: eastern plains (I-70 from Limon to KS state line)

Wyoming: central (Shoshoni to Casper on US-26)

Utah: northwestern (NV state line to the Great Salt Lake)

(Refer to posts on Big XII Sports Talk for timeline)

Kerr called the university president when Lloyd threatened to leave Indianapolis for Chapel Hill and the pres was going to accept an immediate resignation because he was not on board with Lloyd reporting directly to him.

Kerr allegedly rallied a booster pool for roster cash which was allegedly one of Lloyd's other demands. The president flew to Indianapolis and the deal was worked out Thursday night.

So Lloyd strongarmed his bag but where's the cash? 2 of the guys that declared wanted to work out a deal to stay and run it back but Lloyd wanted to pursue Europe and encouraged them to declare.

It was just reported today that U of A is $10 mil behind Kentucky in roster cash.

Where's the cash?

Just saw on Big XII Sports Talk FB page an insider account of how much went down during the Final 4 that was NOT game prep for Michigan.

1. Lloyd was ready to accept the UNC position unless he no longer reported to his rightful supervisor.

2. The president scoffed at this and was going to decline until Steve Kerr called him and called boosters to apply pressure. This is completely unprecedented in college sports to bypass the AD.

3. The president FLEW TO INDIANAPOLIS to hold several discussions with Lloyd. Lloyd also was on several calls with UNC and almost flew to Chapel Hill until the president showed up.

4. M

Jedd Fisch left the U of A football program in shards with his charade during the holidays of 2023.

Desiree Francois Reed flipped a massive budget deficit at the U of A and has gotten both football and men's basketball solvent and in the top 25 despite numerous challenges. One of her key decisions was bringing in Brent Brennan.

Many doubted his hiring and his first season was not great but they collaborated and made decisions to work out a better staff and football was back to the heights of the Fisch era at its end.

Being a longtime U of A fan, it's so exciting to see football no longer on the back burner to other sports. Football is the king of brand and revenue generation and I'm so excited for our future. Brennan and DRF are doing great things for Tucson and southern Arizona.

Jedd Fisch left the U of A football program in shards with his charade during the holidays of 2023.

Desiree Francois Reed flipped a massive budget deficit at the U of A and has gotten both football and men's basketball solvent and in the top 25 despite numerous challenges. One of her key decisions was bringing in Brent Brennan.

Many doubted his hiring and his first season was not great but they collaborated and made decisions to work out a better staff and football was back to the heights of the Fisch era at its end.

Being a longtime U of A fan, it's so exciting to see football no longer on the back burner to other sports. Football is the king of brand and revenue generation and I'm so excited for our future. Brennan and DRF are doing great things for Tucson and southern Arizona.

​

TUCSON, AZ - The Arizona Wildcats’ national title hopes unraveled dramatically in their Final Four loss to Michigan, as frustration boiled over on the court and questions about leadership surfaced afterward.

Multiple Arizona players showed visible signs of emotional exhaustion during the second half, with heated exchanges, missed defensive assignments, and body language that reflected a team struggling to stay composed under pressure. Michigan capitalized immediately, turning Arizona’s mistakes into a decisive run that effectively ended the Wildcats’ season.

In the aftermath, frustration reportedly extended beyond the game itself. Several players were allegedly feeling disconnected from head coach Tommy Lloyd during the pressure-filled stretch of the tournament, believing the program lacked the support and direction needed when adversity hit hardest. While no player publicly criticized Lloyd directly, sources around the program described a growing sense that some athletes felt they were navigating the moment on their own.

That disappointment allegedly played a role in several draft declarations that followed the season. For some players, the decision to leave early was about more than basketball opportunity — it was about seeking a fresh start and a more stable environment as they prepared for the next level.

Despite another deep tournament run, the loss to Michigan left lingering questions about Arizona’s ability to handle high-pressure moments emotionally and whether stronger leadership could have kept the Wildcats together for another championship push.

My source is saying on the inside tension is a lot more than it seems, especially on the basketball front. I guess not everyone is particularly thrilled with the amount of money coming out of the boosters coffers only to not have retained as much roster as expected. The lingering sour taste from Michigan hasn't helped.

First I love the Big XII and I love that it's a competitive home for a bunch of misfits with no big bullies calling shots or pulling big purse strings.

As I see it the Big XII is fighting an uphill battle of perception where the Big Dog conferences, media, and pollsters are just waiting for the shoe to drop and proclaim us a weak conference worthy of less bids.

As much as I detest and defend against the negative bias against the conference it is a tough pill to swallow to see Texas Tech get absolutely shellacked and their vaunted offense score 0 against Oregon in the Orange Bowl and my own Arizona Wildcats suffer pure humiliation against Michigan in one of the most lopsided Final 4s in history?

How and when can the Big XII pull through in the big sports and get some hardware?

It is truly remarkable to see the strides the athletics department has made in supporting football as a workable product that is nationally relevant.

Despite a massive budget deficit and Jedd Fisch fiasco, The U of A has finished the season ranked TWICE out of the last 3 years with wins over AsSU.

Huge kudos to Brent Brennan too for his hard work and making the right choices at the right time and to our entire athletics department and leadership for committing to putting football at the forefront, which should be the path forward as it is the way of the future.

Bear Down!