Arizona State's pursuit of Kevin Sumlin had a major obstacle put in front of it last night when Texas A&M fired head coach Mike Sherman.
The move was somewhat surprising, given that the buyout of Sherman's contract was reported to be $6-million. Sherman had also assembled a top 10 recruiting class and how well that remains intact after his firing remains to be seen.
On top of the buyout, A&M also is facing upwards of $14-million in fees due to their move from the Big 12 to the SEC, so their expenses have amassed quickly. However, they are now the primary competition to ASU for Sumlin's highly sought after services, and in fact many have pegged the Aggies as the favorite.
This battle is reminiscent of another great gridiron confrontation.
Spare Tire Dixon, like Texas A&M, was the strong, imposing figure, who seemed to control the prize at hand. Al Bundy--or ASU--on the other hand, was in the familiar role of underdog, has the ball in his hands and needs to dig down deep and find the strength for a strong final push.
Let's rock.
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