There is way more stuff on our side but my first post was already way too long so I left a lot out. If it becomes relevant, I'll post but most of it is just speculation and chatter.
As for the Aggies, according to them they don't care about us 'sips anymore, and they are focusing on the SEC heavy hitters. i.e. Alabama My dad and sister went to A&M and all I hear about is Alabama this, that. So now you guys get two little brothers. Congrats!
For starters, welcome here to TideFans (although it appears your visit may be short). Do know that you are welcome here and you don't have to be a Tide fan - you're just expected to behave yourself and you're part of the family. Your first post exhibits a lot of class and sober thought. I do have one thing I want to address, however, in concrete terms so that you understand what we in Alabama mean by arrogance in Texas. Your points are spot on for the most part but I want to show you the difference in what we're talking about.
In 1990, Bill Curry left. Our first interview was with FSU head coach Bobby Bowden. Bowden made the mistake of thinking he could come in like a king without interviewing for it and some things were said - and he went out and signed a lifetime contract with FSU. We hired Gene Stallings.
We did NOT rush out into the newspaper and tell the whole world - in the middle of a football season with an incumbent coach - "We're hiring Bobby Bowden."
In 2000, the Internet was now alive, and we were looking for a coach. The late Mal Moore was in charge of the hiring and on that year's LSU game he steadfastly refused to give names as to who was under consideration. Whatever happened, we wound up with Dennis Franchione.
We did NOT have multiple "sources" putting up posts within seconds saying that "We're hiring (fill-in-the-blank)."
In 2006, the popular choices here were Steve Spurrier and Nick Saban (with apologies to Paul Johnson's agent, dabaxter). Not only did we not put out stories "we're hiring Saban," but we took Saban at his word and hired Rich Rodriguez (or something like that, who really cares?).
And that gets to my point. There are multiple dozens of folks who claim to be connected in Longhorn-land who FOR THREE YEARS now have spouted about how "Saban is coming." Note that there is no hedging there, no "we're gonna try and get," just a dogmatic "we throw open the wallet and get what we want." I've yet to meet a soul - and I've been in Dallas nearly nine years - who ever hedges. No, Saban is coming and you're gonna show those Alabama rednecks how it's done in the "real" world.
There is not another state/fanbase in America who talks like that. And to be fair - I don't just put it on UT. In October 2002, I was in med school and one day the guy behind me (an Aggie) was talking football with somebody else. He said - in a defiant, calm tone - "We're gonna fire R.C. Slocum and go get Dennis Franchione from Alabama." Just like that. No, "that's who we want," or "that's who we'd like." Just a snotty and arrogant, "He's coming."
We've heard this now for three solid years. And as I noted - you won't find another group of people in the USA who will talk this way about hiring coaches. Not Notre Dame, not Ohio State, not USC. And that is the basic point I'm saying.
And btw - you want another manifestation? Just wait until Texas hires somebody else and these same people who have put their reps on the line with "Saban is coming" won't admit they got snookered by a source, hoodwinked, or lied to. No, they'll come right out and say, "Saban was just a smokescreen to get who we really wanted and everyone fell for it." Like I said - arrogance.
Now - I'll leave it at that, I just wanted to point out to you the "why." Every fanbase has got its bad apples like the David Puddy face-painter and Harvey Updyke (and the tea bagger guy). Most of us (just like most of yours) are not like that.
Again - welcome and I look forward to it.