Powerful Baylor booster confirms 'we'd like to see' Art Briles come back

Published Jun. 13, 2016 12:25 p.m. ET

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Bob Simpson graduated from Baylor in 1970, got his MBA at the school in '71 and then went on to make a fortune in the Texas oil and gas business.

He's a co-owner of the Texas Rangers.

He's given so much money to the school that his name is on the building that houses the Baylor football locker room, weight room and other support facilities for Baylor student-athletes.

So yeah, you can imagine the amount of weight his words carry around Waco, which makes his comments Monday saying "we would like" to bring Art Briles back as head coach of Baylor football interesting:

Briles was fired last month after the findings came in from a sexual assault investigation that has tainted his program. Reports of sexual assaults involving Baylor football players date back to 2009, and the investigation by law firm Pepper Hamilton concluded that Briles and his program didn't come remotely close to appropriately handling allegations of sexual assault.

Simpson's comments aren't necessarily reflective of Baylor or all boosters, but it's not in the least surprising that some big-money influences want to keep the football train rolling in Waco that their millions helped get started.

The reaction, of course, to any notion of giving Art Briles his old job back -- after a suspension or not -- is pretty well summed up with this:

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