New Conference re-alignment thread

[Saulbadguy]

The old one has AIDS.

Anyways, Chip Brown from Orangebloods.com reports OU may apply to the Pac-12 by the end of the month.

Oklahoma will apply for membership to the Pac-12 before the end of the month, and Oklahoma State is expected to follow suit, a source close to OU's administration told Orangebloods.com.

Even though Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said Friday the Pac-12 was not interested in expansion at this time, OU's board of regents is fed up with the instability in the Big 12, the source said.

The OU board of regents will meet within two weeks to formalize plans to apply for membership to the Pac-12, the source said.

Messages left Sunday night with OU athletic director Joe Castiglione and Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder were not immediately returned.

If OU follows through with what appears to be a unanimous sentiment on the seven-member Oklahoma board of regents to leave the Big 12, realignment in college athletics could be heating back up. OU's application would be matched by an application from Oklahoma State, the source said, even though OSU president Burns Hargis and mega-booster Boone Pickens both voiced their support for the Big 12 last Thursday.

There is differing sentiment about if the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors are ready to expand again after bringing in Colorado and Utah last year and landing $3 billion TV contracts from Fox and ESPN. Colorado president Bruce Benson told reporters last week CU would be opposed to any expansion that might bring about east and west divisions in the Pac-12.

Currently, there are north and south divisions in the Pac-12. If OU and OSU were to join, Larry Scott would have to get creative.

Scott's orginal plan last summer was to bring in Colorado, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and put them in an eastern division with Arizona and Arizona State. The old Pac-8 schools (USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State) were to be in the west division.

Colorado made the move in June 2010, but when Texas A&M was not on board to go west, the Big 12 came back together with the help of its television partners (ABC/ESPN and Fox).

If Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were accepted into the Pac-12, there would undoubtedly be a hope by Larry Scott that Texas would join the league. But Texas sources have indicated UT is determined to hang onto the Longhorn Network, which would not be permissible in the Pac-12 in its current form.

Texas sources continue to indicate to Orangebloods.com that if the Big 12 falls apart, the Longhorns would consider "all options."

Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe held an emergency conference call 10 days ago with league presidents excluding Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M and asked the other league presidents to "work on Texas" because Beebe didn't think the Pac-12 would take Oklahoma without Texas.

Now, it appears OU is willing to take its chances with the Pac-12 with or without Texas.

There seemed to be a temporary pause in any possible shifting of the college athletics' landscape when Baylor led a charge to tie up Texas A&M's move to the Southeastern Conference in legal red tape. BU refused to waive its right to sue the SEC over A&M's departure from the Big 12, and the SEC said it would not admit Texas A&M until it had been cleared of any potential lawsuits.

Baylor, Kansas and Iowa State have indicated they will not waive their right to sue the SEC.

It's unclear if an application by OU to the Pac-12 would draw the same threats of litigation against the Pac-12 from those Big 12 schools.

Stay tuned.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by frazod

Like I actually watched it.

Hooked two so far.....

I get it why you show such disdain for college basketball, similar to the reason why my dog is finally starting to learn to avoid skunks. He doesn't like the outcome.

But looking at the Mizzou football accomplishments, makes me wonder why you are so pro NCAA Football?

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

I get it why you show such disdain for college basketball, similar to the reason why my dog is finally starting to learn to avoid skunks. He doesn't like the outcome.

But looking at the Mizzou football accomplishments, makes me wonder why you are so pro NCAA Football?

Jesus, Ed, lighten up. It was a joke.

I don't like basketball because I don't like basketball. I don't give a **** who's playing it.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

I get it why you show such disdain for college basketball, similar to the reason why my dog is finally starting to learn to avoid skunks. He doesn't like the outcome.

But looking at the Mizzou football accomplishments, makes me wonder why you are so pro NCAA Football?

I still like college hoops better than pro but I used to absolutely LOVE college hoops back when teams stayed together for 3 or 4 years. Ever since the revolving door of players started happening where it has lost continuity and a lot of appeal for me.

Has any of that affected how you view college bball?

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Baylor threatened to sue if the Big 12 collapsed due to aTm's move, because it looked like that would cause the complete destruction of the league.

In this case, if OU and UT are committed to the Big 12 (and where else are they going to go at this point?) and it survives, there are no grounds for a lawsuit.

If Missouri leaves before signing the new agreements, they wouldn't be in violation of any league bylaws. They wouldn't have broken any TV contracts or caused any long-term problems.

Basically, UT and OU are staying, so the league will survive. And ESPN has already stated it won't alter the tv deal. They really can't, or risk being sued as well.

This all makes sense. As long as the two main goons stay the conference will survive. And, ironically, could once again call itself the Big 8.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Interesting take from an OU guy:

http://blog.newsok.com/berrytramel/2...ad_story_title

At the same time David Boren and OU were proclaiming the stability of the Big 12, Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton was saying he hopes the conference can stabilize. The vaunted granting of rights? Which theoretically “handcuffs” schools to their league? Deaton made no mention of it.

So something’s up and maybe rotten.

Here’s the good theory: Missouri has assumed the role of tough guy. Mizzou, with apparent interest from the SEC to be its 14th member, has a little leverage. Missouri leaving wouldn’t kill the Big 12; as I wrote the other day, I’m convinced nothing can kill this league, with the exception of an Obama jobs bill (that’s a shoutout to my pal Ross, who supplied me with that line too late to use in the paper).

But Missouri leaving would signal to the world that Big 12 stability is a joke. It would signal to prospective members that stability is all hat, no cattle. Just Longhorns in this league.

Anyway, maybe Missouri is the school now holding Texas’ feet to the fire, and Mizzou just might be the school fired up enough to do it. You know who’s been overlooked in all this stuff? Gary Pinkel. The Mizzou football coach twice has spoken up about the problems in this conference. He hasn’t called Texas by name, but everyone knows who he’s talking about.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Pinkel said Wednesday on St. Louis radio station KFNS . “Next year is it going to start brewing up again? I don’t know. It’s unbelievable. We’ve got problems in our league. OK? And we all know what most of them are. But we don’t solve them. We’ve lost three really good members in a year and a half and we think we’d maybe wake up and try and fix the problems so we can have a great league. Because until the problems are fixed, this stuff’s going to be happening and it’s going to go on and on. And it’s not a whole lot of fun to be a part of.”

Pinkel is not all that fun in a press conference. He’s not witty. He’s not gregarious. He’s not charming. But if you need someone to talk straight, he seems like your guy. Those comments mirrored something Pinkel said a few weeks ago. Sounds like he — and thus Missouri — are fed up.

So maybe OU stepped aside and Missouri assumed the mantle of telling Texas how the Longhorn ate the cabbage.
OK, now here’s the bad theory. Boren and OU jumped the gun, trying to save its own face. Not its skin. Its face. The Sooners come out looking bad this week. Let’s review:

1. Monday, OU empowers Boren to decide upon conference membership, and all signs point to the Pac-12.
2. Tuesday, an OU source tells me the requirements for OU to stay in the Big 12, including the removal of commissioner Dan Beebe and some Texas concessions, else the Sooners will go West.
3. Tuesday night, the Pac-12 says it’s not expanding.
4. Wednesday, OU says it decided not to go to the Pac and believes concessions are forthcoming.
5. Thursday, OU announces the league has signed over its first born and will be handcuffed together, concessions to be named later.
6. Simultaneous Thursday, Missouri says the league might stabilize.

So who knows? What a mess. Maybe Missouri told OU, you guys have run the relay this far, let us take it home. Or maybe Missouri said, uh, let’s not dismiss the SEC quite just yet.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by frazod

Jesus, Ed, lighten up. It was a joke.

I don't like basketball because I don't like basketball. I don't give a **** who's playing it.

Just having fun right back with you Tim.

The Mizzou, "we are too good for you" attitude is something thick in this thread.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Just having fun right back with you Tim.

The Mizzou, "we are too good for you" attitude is something thick in this thread.

Well, that's not coming from me. I learned my lesson last year.

I think it would be best for Missouri to move on to (hopefully) greener pastures. What becomes of the Big Texas League afterward doesn't really concern me.

If Missouri and Kansas do find themselves in separate conferences I'm sure they'll work something out to continue to play the Border War game at Arrowhead - it'll just start the season as a non-conference game instead of end it. Same with basketball, for those who care.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by vailpass

I still like college hoops better than pro but I used to absolutely LOVE college hoops back when teams stayed together for 3 or 4 years. Ever since the revolving door of players started happening where it has lost continuity and a lot of appeal for me.

Has any of that affected how you view college bball?

I still love College hoops, but do not like the "one and done" players at all. Kansas had one last year in Josh Selby, good luck to him.

This is where I think the NBA is wrong, and NFL is right.

I much prefer to watch College Hoops than College Football, but that may be due to the fact that Kansas teams haven't had as much success as you would like to see in football.

The K-State run was fun, and the short KU run was fun. I went to a few WSU football games before they quit, eeewwwwwwwwww. But the Shocker BB games at the roundhouse rock!

[DJay23]

I'm no Missouri fan, but if I were I'd be rooting hard for a move to the SEC.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by frazod

Well, that's not coming from me. I learned my lesson last year.

I think it would be best for Missouri to move on to (hopefully) greener pastures. What becomes of the Big Texas League afterward doesn't really concern me.

If Missouri and Kansas do find themselves in separate conferences I'm sure they'll work something out to continue to play the Border War game at Arrowhead - it'll just start the season as a non-conference game instead of end it. Same with basketball, for those who care.

Not necessarily. Florida-Florida St., Georgia-Georgia Tech, and South Carolina-Clemson all end the regular season.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

I still love College hoops, but do not like the "one and done" players at all. Kansas had one last year in Josh Selby, good luck to him.

This is where I think the NBA is wrong, and NFL is right.

I much prefer to watch College Hoops than College Football, but that may be due to the fact that Kansas teams haven't had as much success as you would like to see in football.

The K-State run was fun, and the short KU run was fun. I went to a few WSU football games before they quit, eeewwwwwwwwww. But the Shocker BB games at the roundhouse rock!

Wow, you are in the heart of some great college bball.

I remember as a little kid I learned college hoops going to Iowa bball games when Lute Olson was our coach and watching us play Indiana with Bobby Knight, Michigan State with Judd Heathcote, Purdue with Gene Keady, Illinois with Lou Henson, Michigan with Johnny Orr, etc.

We are in agreement on one-and-done players. I too would like to see it more like the NFL than current NBA policy.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Just having fun right back with you Tim.

The Mizzou, "we are too good for you" attitude is something thick in this thread.

If you are referring to me....I didn't really have that type of feeling until a few of the Wildcat, Jayhawk and Cyclone fans started acting like we were prima donas for not wanting to hang around and be the b**** for OU and UT.

If you can guarantee that we won't be looking at status quo, I might listen. But too much of what I am seeing now makes me nervouse that Texas has let OU look under her skirt in return for being an accomplice.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Wow, you are in the heart of some great college bball.

I remember as a little kid I learned college hoops going to Iowa bball games when Lute Olson was our coach and watching us play Indiana with Bobby Knight, Michigan State with Judd Heathcote, Purdue with Gene Keady, Illinois with Lou Henson, Michigan with Johnny Orr, etc.

We are in agreement on one-and-done players. I too would like to see it more like the NFL than current NBA policy.

Iowa had some good teams back then, and those Coaches all were special. I was one that HATED Bobby Knight, but have learned to like him as time has passed.

Got to see your Coach, Lute Olsen bring his Iowa team to WSU against the Shockers at the 1981 regional. That was a very special day, as I had honestly found the ticket on the floor at Dillards an hour before the game started. NO ****ing way could I have afforded to gone, especially those seats.
Carr and the Shockers came back from 15 down at half to win. The Jayhawk game was second, and anti-climatic, many of us left, we were worn out.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by DJay23

I'm no Missouri fan, but if I were I'd be rooting hard for a move to the SEC.

I wouldn't, even if the SEC held a press conference to announce they are ready to accept. That is not to say Mizzou shouldn't play poker, if they have some cards to play to make sure Tier 1/2 is shared, force the Big 12 to put up rules on showing tier 3 conference games and make sure the LHN doesn't show high school, then by all means, play those cards. More power to MU if they can get those reforms.

However, if we all get that, then there's not much of a reason, other than emotion, to leave the conference for the SEC. The Big 12 TV contracts are temporarily low and will be comparable to everyone else in a few years. Tier 3 money isn't enough to complain about and the SEC also does not share Tier 3 money anyway, so you gain nothing there. "stability" is an artificial fake complaint since you can force stability if everyone really wants it, and once we get a new contract in 2015 there wont be any financial reason to leave anyway.

All you really get is long pain-in-the-ass road trips, and a smaller chance of ever making it into a BCS bowl. Its a somewhat more realistic option for Texas schools due to geography and culture.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

If you are referring to me....I didn't really have that type of feeling until a few of the Wildcat, Jayhawk and Cyclone fans started acting like we were prima donas for not wanting to hang around and be the b**** for OU and UT.

If you can guarantee that we won't be looking at status quo, I might listen. But too much of what I am seeing now makes me nervouse that Texas has let OU look under her skirt in return for being an accomplice.

I guarantee it!

Nah, the error was made clear back when they brought those Texas teams into the Big 8/12. Losing Nebraska sucked the big one, and Oklahoma would be the only other one that would hurt that bad.

I am probably one of the least informed posters in this thread on this subject, but I get the impression that doom is lurking for the conference, no matter what happens short term.