Another Big 12 [insert equation numbers operators and “dumpster fire” here lolz] Media Days is in the books, and as usual, some meddlesome reporter unable to let go of the past has to bring up the Texas vs. Texas A&M rivalry.

And of course they’re stirring the pot by asking people who don’t really fully grasp the enormous economical or perceptual ramifications of this football game: the players.

For example:

"I wish I was able to play in that rivalry game," junior offensive lineman Kent Perkins said. "I'm sure it was an exciting experience. I never played in [Kyle Field] before, and I feel like it would have been a good experience."

Oh sure, this all sounds fine and dandy to novice ears. But how many long nights has Kent spent crunching numbers on spreadsheets of his own devising and sharing his findings on a severely isolated online community? Does he even begin to grasp the meaning of such vital aspects as TV revenues, market shares, and demographic footprints? We think not. No, the only real parties with the full panel of relevant background information at their fingertips exist in Internet forums, not locker rooms.

Defensive tackle Paul Boyette also jumped in, reminiscing fondly over the last football game, played nearly five years ago:

"I think for the most part it's going to be a memory that everybody, even kids 20 years from now, are still going to remember and say, 'Hey, Aggies, we beat y'all on a field goal,'" Boyette said.

What Boyette naively fails to acknowledge is that the absence of the game has created a much more tangible and constant measuring stick for each program: recruiting prowess. Fighting over recruits, and the perception surrounding recruiting within the state, is year-round and not hampered by an annual event that would nullify it, like that pesky football game used to do. It’s a much more definitive way to determine which program is superior, as opposed to just playing one game once a a year that might not even reflect the true measures of the teams.

In fact, the only player who seemed to show a glimmer of sense was safety Dylan Haines, although whether his reticence was out of actual business acumen or abject fear of losing remains questionable:

Haines says he grew up rooting for the Longhorns and has plenty of memories of the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry, a game he isn't necessarily anxious to have back on the schedule like some of his teammates.

So nice try, media. Trying to paint this rivalry as a simple football game once again when there are far more complicated considerations beneath the surface. Quit making it seem as though playing this game could possibly be beneficial to both schools. As anyone on the Internet can tell you, only one side can ever possibly benefit from any outcome, and why should we help them we don’t need them they need us more than we need them we left them stop living in the past.

Gig’ Em.