When are the greedy people at Texas, who probably would like to have the color of money changed from green to burnt orange, going to stop this public spectacle known as expansion waffling and make a decision?

It’s simple: If the Longhorns want to have their fried cake (they fry everything in Texas) and eat it, too, try to make a go of it as an independent.

Then they can keep their Longhorn Network, try to salvage their relationship with Oklahoma and see if there’s a conference that will take their non-revenue sports. Good luck with the last two.

Or, they can join the Pac-12 but they will have to make concessions regarding their beloved cash cow — the Longhorn Network.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, who has emerged as the most forward-thinking man in his position, won’t let Texas get a better deal than the other schools in his league.

Neither will commissioners Jim Delaney in the Big Ten and John Swofford in the ACC nor Mike Slive in the SEC.

Or, Texas can stay in the Big 12 and agree to share all TV monies in a reasonably equal formula. Texas can talk all it wants about its desire to save the Big 12, but it’s just talk unless they’re willing to share the wealth.

“I don’t think that you ever say never about anything these days, but that has been a very strong principle in our league since the middle ’80’s,” Swofford said of equal sharing of TV monies. “I think that it’s one that has a lot to do with the stability of conferences.”

The instability of the Big 12, caused by its ridiculously uneven revenue which benefits Texas most, is what pushed Texas A&M to the SEC. The SEC yesterday announced it has invited the Aggies, thus gaining a TV presence in Texas.

Oklahoma, led by the classy Joe Castiglione, has tried to remain quiet, and the Sooners’ commitment to the Big 12 is noble. But football coach Bob Stoops said the other day that Oklahoma and Texas don’t have to play each other forever.

Unless Texas is willing to change its stance, the Big 12 could crumble by the end of the week, with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and the Longhorns going to the Pac-12.

We don’t blame the Longhorns for trying to get and keep as much as they can. Greed is good, as Gordon Gecko so famously said.

We have seen consolidation in many industries — banking, automobile, airlines. It was just a matter of time before the spiraling cost of college sports was going to have a significant impact on that business as well.

Texas is lucky. It has options. But trying to come across as the peacemakers while it keeps one finger on the launch button isn’t one of them.