1) Bowlsby is typically very measured and diplomatic. He had built personal relationships with the TX and OU presidents and ADs. He trusted them. He catered to them. The rest of us in the Big 12 recognized this, and understood to an extent - they were the bell-cows of the conference. Texas and OU, especially Texas, must have pulled some pretty egregious stunts, and are still doing it, to elicit this level of animosity from Bowlsby.
2) Texas is more arrogant and entitled than any institution in the country, along with their fan base. BYU was gracious to the WCC, and Cincy and UCF to the AAC, when their realignment to the Big 12 was announced. And I believe it was sincere. When a reporter asked a Texas official if they had considered what impact their departure would have to the remaining Big 12 schools. The response, “Ultimately, we just really don’t care.”
3) The UT and OU departure announcement was leaked early. Bowlsby has direct evidence that UT and OU, along with ESPN, were working behind the scenes to break up the remaining Big 12 schools to avoid paying the exit fees. Now, they are still balking on the fees. UT was the driving force behind the Big 12 agreements in place to begin with, to make it punitive to leave. Now, they are trying to worm out of their own net.
4) Finally, as a Baylor fan, I know my comments above may sound like sour grapes 🙂. However, I think they put some context around Bowlsby’s comments, and why we’re so glad to now have schools such as BYU in the Big 12.