The PAC 10 expansion groundswell

[Hot Lunch]

looks like we may be here a while,

http://twitter.com/chipbrownob




Which sounds like worst case scenario for BYU and good for Utah.

I am not sure I can take another week of this stuff. Craziest week in College Football in a long time.

[myboynoah]

This is a nice synopsis. Nothing really new, except for the note that Missouri officials said today that they did not receive the Big Ten invitation that they wanted. It looks like for now much will turn on aTm's decision on SEC membership. In the end I think it will be too difficult for them to separate from Texas and they will join the Pac-16.

This isn't fun to think about:

IS A WORLD OF 16-TEAM SUPER CONFERENCES LIKELY? It certainly looks that way. South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier pointed out Thursday that this situation is sad because fewer teams will have a shot at winning the national title with only four big leagues. Not to mention the abandonment of tradition, rivalries and logical travel schedules.

“I see this thing coming down to four major conferences, if things go the way that they appear to be going,” said Jake Crouthamel, the former Syracuse athletic director. “Someone has to start the process. It seems like Colorado has started that process, along with Nebraska.”

The super conferences could cut out the N.C.A.A., form their own division of college sports and start their own basketball tournament. The N.C.A.A. has been quiet on the expansion topic, but there are probably some sweaty palms at the organization’s headquarters in Indianapolis.

Few people inside college sports saw the Pac-10 making such a bold move. The unexpected is likely to keep happening.

New York Times: Uncertainty Marks Start of College Conference Realignment

[Uncle Ted]

The following was posted on the Orangebloods board by one of the mods that knows what he is talking about. It seems that A&M's push for the SEC is raising some real hell in Texas.

The buzz has been loud over the course of the last few hours after our report regarding Texas A&M’s interest in joining the SEC.

First, before we do anything else, let’s make one thing clear - we’re not at DEFCON 1 here. Probably more like a DEFCON 2 ½... Although there’s a lot of rhetoric flying around in a lot of different directions, there aren’t any weapons pointing at each other from Austin to College Station.

Oh, the possibility exists that we could get to a DEFCON 1 level, but we’re not there yet. There’s still a feeling that when the dust settles over the course of the next week, the Aggies will join the four other members of the Big 12 South block that is expected to land in an expanded version of the Pac-10 Conference.

More than any tense feelings between the Longhorns and the Aggies, it seems like the real battle that’s brewing in-state is an in-house test of wills between two different factions within the Aggie family.

The general thinking around the state has always been that Texas governor Rick Perry has been the real powerbroker in every move that is made by the school, but it’s quite possible that he’s created a situation where two of his most trusted allies are suddenly fighting him on the direction of this debate.

According to sources we’ve spoken with, the trio of A&M regent Gene Stallings, A&M system chancellor Mike McKinney and most recently R.C. Slocum are really pushing hard for the Aggies to move to the SEC and they’ve reportedly found an open ear in new A&M president R. Bowen Loftin, who is brand new to the post.

While those three are pushing the SEC hard, Perry is not for any move that separates Texas and Texas A&M, and make no mistake about it - A&M heading to the SEC would create a two-mile gap of separation. Where this thing really starts to get interesting is when you break down the relationship between powerbrokers that are at odds.

McKinney and Perry are boys and there’s no question that McKinney wouldn’t be in his current position of A&M system president without the support of Perry. At some point, it’s inconceivable that McKinney wouldn’t back Perry when pushes comes to shove.

Meanwhile, Stallings was appointed to his position by Perry, although his run as a regent is about to end (2/1/2011).

If McKinney has a reason to be loyal to Perry, Stallings really doesn’t and it’s one of the reasons why the former Alabama coach has been making a public airwaves crusade throughout Thursday’s chaos in an effort move momentum to his side.

For a guy that has a foot out the door in his current position, Stallings is making some real problems for those that would have to clean up his mess.

If Perry can get his house in order, this thing will be up to DEFCON 5 pretty quickly and A&M will join the other Big 12 South schools in the new Pac-10 Conference. The feeling from those that Orangebloods.com has spoken with tonight is that all of this public posturing by Stallings today will become moot when it’s time for a decision to be made.

However, if Stallings can continue to crack away at the consensus opinion that A&M needs to be attached to UT’s hip, and if Perry struggles to regain control of this entire discussion, all bets could be off next week.

Two sources told me late Thursday afternoon that it has been expressed to the Aggies that a move to the SEC would be viewed as an athletics act of war because it is important to the other schools involved to keep the SEC out of this state as a major presence - both in recruiting and in terms of market reach. Although there haven’t been any hard line threats, there’s a feeling from all of the schools from the Big 12 South that A&M would become dead to them as an athletics partner and it’s very likely that they wouldn’t be scheduled by Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in any sport… for a very, very long time.

When we talk about the loss of tradition in this move for A&M, we’re not talking about the school song or the bonfire. We’re talking about the ability to pursue any existing competition in any sport - not in football, basketball, baseball, poker, lawn darts… nothing.

No more Lone Star State Showdown.

Also, my sources indicate that this is not a UT-led initiative and that all of the schools are in firm agreement that an A&M move to the SEC would need to be met with pretty stiff repercussions.

The bottom line is that there will be a lot of political jostling over the course of the next few days and into early next week. Look for the other four schools to sit back, watch and wait for Texas A&M to figure out who they are.

Texas wants A&M sitting shotgun on the ride to the Pac-10. If A&M wants out of the car, they won’t be let back in.

Again, it’s not DEFCON 1, but it’s not DEFCON 5, either.

[Flystripper]

Texas and Oklahoma were in fact separated until 1996. Oklahoma was thriving until the mid 80s without having Texas in the same conference. Though I do agree that Oklahoma desperately wants to hang with Texas, I don't necessarily think that Texas feels the same way. No matter what, Oklahoma will land on its feet and potentially in a better place. Competitively speaking, I think Oklahoma could have a leg up on Texas if it ends up in the SEC and Texas is in the Big 10. I think a lot of recruits will listen more to Oklahoma when it talks about playing in the SEC as opposed to the Big 10, which is perceived as more or less a joke in SEC country, which Texas is really close to.

The the Big 10 is a joke and Texas will dominate. They won't lose out to OK in the SEC 'cause Texas recruits will still pick the Longhorns.

[Uncle Ted]

Question for some of you guys in the know. If only NU and CU end up leaving, they'll each have to pay $10 million to the Big XII right? Would CU have made the move to the PAC-10 if they thought there was a legit chance the Big XII would remain solvent? I'm wondering if their jumping gives us a clue as to their certainty of the Big XII dissolving? Or is $10 million just chump change in all of this?

This is a question for the lawyers but it seems that if the Big 12 remains solvent (at least six teams stay) then NU, CU and any others that jump will have to pony up the $10M each. NU most likely has the money but I think CU will have to write an IOU.

[byu71]

a Why aren't national sports people and journalists howling about this.

There is a program out there who has won a National Championship.

They have a heisman Trophy winner.

They have a stadium that is full with 65,000 fans.

They take fans in large numbers to away games.

They have a national following.

One of their alums is the best qualified person to be President of the U.S.

They are a clean program that puts honor and integrity above winning and still win.

They have beaten Oklahoma, Texas, Penn. State, Notre Dame and Alabama.

What gives. At a time when expansion is being talked about at a fevered pitch this program has no national sports journalist screaming, this is unfair.

[Babs]

One of their alums is the best qualified person to be President of the U.S.

Hillary went to BYU???

[Uncle Ted]

It seems that Baylor is now playing its political card.

[byu71]

Hillary went to BYU???

I should have said, "best qualified male person to be President".

[LA Ute]

The following was posted on the Orangebloods board by one of the mods that knows what he is talking about. It seems that A&M's push for the SEC is raising some real hell in Texas.

It reads like it was written by some UT homers trying very hard not to reveal their clenched teeth.

[Uncle Ted]

I should have said, "best qualified male person to be President".

Ron Paul went to Duke.

[byu71]

Ron Paul went to Duke.

good one!

[Hot Lunch]

So Mack Brown wants to stay in the Big 12 as well.

According to a source, Texas President Bill Powers wants to go to the Pac-10, but Longhorns coach Mack Brown wants to stay in the Big 12. Texas A&M's first choice is to stay in the Big 12; its second choice is to go to the Southeastern Conference, the source said.

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/breakin...onference.html

[CJF]

a Why aren't national sports people and journalists howling about this.

There is a program out there who has won a National Championship.

They have a heisman Trophy winner.

They have a stadium that is full with 65,000 fans.

They take fans in large numbers to away games.

They have a national following.

One of their alums is the best qualified person to be President of the U.S.

They are a clean program that puts honor and integrity above winning and still win.

They have beaten Oklahoma, Texas, Penn. State, Notre Dame and Alabama.

What gives. At a time when expansion is being talked about at a fevered pitch this program has no national sports journalist screaming, this is unfair.

When did BYU beat Alabama?

[byu71]

When did BYU beat Alabama?

80% of the nation thinks it was BYU who beat Alabama in 2008.