The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[Paperback Writer]

The B12 Missile Crisis: 5 years later

http://www.si.com/college-football/2...ve-years-later

Pay close attention to the "?" in the article's title: The man who helped save the Big 12?
The nugget of truth: "Depending on whom you believe, Texas was either going to stay in the Big 12 all along or Beebe’s 11th-hour wrangling gave the Longhorns the deal they wanted and convinced them to stay. Those in what is now known as the Pac-12 insist Texas officials pulled an okey-doke, negotiating as if they would sign over their rights to the Pac-16 only to pivot at the last minute and ask to keep third-tier rights so they could form what became the Longhorn Network. No matter which side is telling the truth, we know Texas accepted Beebe’s deal, as did everyone else. About 24 hours before the Big 12 would have begun to dissolve, it was saved."

Those PAC-12 sources are correct-Texas was never leaving for the PAC-12. Dan Beebe was an assclown as Big 12 commish. IMO, he could have kept Texas A&M and Missouri in the Big 12 and should have tried to add TCU and BYU.

[TripletDaddy]

Pay close attention to the "?" in the article's title: The man who helped save the Big 12?
The nugget of truth: "Depending on whom you believe, Texas was either going to stay in the Big 12 all along or Beebe’s 11th-hour wrangling gave the Longhorns the deal they wanted and convinced them to stay. Those in what is now known as the Pac-12 insist Texas officials pulled an okey-doke, negotiating as if they would sign over their rights to the Pac-16 only to pivot at the last minute and ask to keep third-tier rights so they could form what became the Longhorn Network. No matter which side is telling the truth, we know Texas accepted Beebe’s deal, as did everyone else. About 24 hours before the Big 12 would have begun to dissolve, it was saved."

Those PAC-12 sources are correct-Texas was never leaving for the PAC-12. Dan Beebe was an assclown as Big 12 commish. IMO, he could have kept Texas A&M and Missouri in the Big 12 and should have tried to add TCU and BYU.

how does he magically do that? by all accounts, texas is a difficult partner and at least partially to blame for some or all the other teams' exits.

[Paperback Writer]

how does he magically do that? by all accounts, texas is a difficult partner and at least partially to blame for some or all the other teams' exits.

Good point about Texas. On one hand, I think that's what can happen when unbalance occurs in a conference and one program like Texas has so much influence. Considering the fate of the SWC, perhaps such departures from the Big 12 were inevitable. My view is that Dan Beebe was too concerned about appeasing Texas and not concerned enough about other name schools that were logical targets for expansion.

[Armenag]

Anyone who thinks Texas was seriously going to give up calling all the shots in exchange for the privilege of traveling to the west coast for games is nuts. Joining the Pac never made enough sense.

I don't think there was anything the Big 12 could have realistically done to keep A&M and Missouri. Jay Nixon made pretty clear how badly Missouri wanted out. For A&M's story I guess I need to pick up a copy of Loftin's book: The 100-Year Decision: Texas A&M and the SEC.

[YOhio]

The Big12 is loaded with strategic genius.

http://www.si.com/college-football/2...orable-stories

No school wandered through the conference hinterlands quite as thoroughly as TCU. Between the dissolution of the Southwest Conference after the 1995-96 school year and the reunion with four former SWC foes in the Big 12 in 2012, the Horned Frogs were members of the WAC, Conference USA, the Mountain West and the Big East (sort of). Why sort of? TCU never played a game of any kind as a Big East school, and the impending collapse of that league in ‘11 forced Frogs athletic director Chris Del Conte to examine other options.

With Texas A&M and Missouri headed out of the Big 12, Del Conte knew that conference needed more members to stabilize. The Big East was an awkward geographic fit for the Frogs; the Big 12 would be perfect. Del Conte heard from Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione that three more schools required convincing if TCU wanted to join the Big 12: Baylor, Texas and Texas Tech. Del Conte figured that if he could swing Bevo’s vote, the rest would fall in line. So, on Oct. 4, 2011, Del Conte drove south on Interstate 35 to Austin to meet then-Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds. He didn’t have an appointment.

Del Conte came that afternoon armed with binders full of information explaining why TCU would fit so well into the Big 12, but Dodds kept him waiting. At 3:30 p.m., Del Conte found himself face to face with the man who held TCU’s conference fate in his hands. Del Conte stuck out a hand. “Chris Del Conte,” he said. “Texas Christian U!” Dodds shook Del Conte’s hand, but something had been lost in the exchange. “He doesn’t hear Chris,” Del Conte said. “He just hears Del. He says, ‘Del, let’s go get ourselves a drink and discuss this.’”

Happy hour stretched past dark as the two men talked. Del Conte kept trying to bring out his binders so he could shoehorn in some information about TCU. All Dodds wanted to do was ask about Del Conte. Dodds obviously has a nose for a story, because Del Conte’s personal tale is fascinating. His parents were Italian immigrants who met while doing mission work in Mexico. They moved to Taos, N.M., and founded a home for foster children on a 147-acre ranch. Chris and his two biological siblings grew up alongside hundreds of foster brothers and sisters.

After telling his life story, Del Conte figured he’d have a chance to talk about the Frogs. Dodds had other ideas. “He said, ‘I’ve heard enough, Del,’” Del Conte said. “And he just walked away.”

The next morning, Del Conte got a call from his confidant, Castiglione. Del Conte remembers the call this way: “Joe goes, ‘I don’t know what you did, but you’ve got the vote. The Frogs are in.’” The morning after, at 7:42 a.m. central time, Del Conte was backing out of his driveway when he received a call from Big 12 interim commissioner Chuck Neinas letting him know TCU had an invitation to join the league.

He still isn’t sure exactly what he said to sway Dodds, but Del got the job done.

[YOhio]

In retrospect I think Tom Holmoe should have pulled a later night with Deloss and shared some childhood stories.

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[Paperback Writer]

Anyone who thinks Texas was seriously going to give up calling all the shots in exchange for the privilege of traveling to the west coast for games is nuts. Joining the Pac never made enough sense.

I don't think there was anything the Big 12 could have realistically done to keep A&M and Missouri. Jay Nixon made pretty clear how badly Missouri wanted out. For A&M's story I guess I need to pick up a copy of Loftin's book: The 100-Year Decision: Texas A&M and the SEC.

I think Missouri didn't want out of the Big 12 as much as they wanted to be part of the Big Ten. When that didn't happen and only Nebraska got invited, Colorado was gone, and A&M started discussion in earnest with the SEC; Missouri decided to piggy back with A&M and join the SEC. I wonder if Missouri had waited, if they would have gotten the Big Ten invite they wanted rather than Rutgers or Maryland. I'll have to read Loftin's book as well. Living in the Dallas area and having a kid attend Texas A&M, I was really surprised when the Aggies left the Longhorns and the Big 12.

[Eddie]

In retrospect I think Tom Holmoe should have pulled a later night with Deloss and shared some childhood stories.

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He needed to get a word of wisdom waiver too, so that he could stick around through happy hour and keep on telling those stories!

[Eddie]

The Big12 is loaded with strategic genius.

http://www.si.com/college-football/2...orable-stories

That really does tell you how little they actually look at fit, team performance, or anything really.

Like a kid picking a topping for ice cream. Here's a whole list of them, you get 10. You've already got 9, just pick one more already. Doesn't even really matter which one you pick - the ice cream is already awesome. This is just something to throw on top.

[Paperback Writer]

That really does tell you how little they actually look at fit, team performance, or anything really.

Like a kid picking a topping for ice cream. Here's a whole list of them, you get 10. You've already got 9, just pick one more already. Doesn't even really matter which one you pick - the ice cream is already awesome. This is just something to throw on top.

Odds are that TCU was already decided upon by UT and OU and DeLoss Dodds just wanted the TCU AD to kiss his ring. I guess he settled for a personal story. The only fit that UT and OU cared about was that TCU was located in Fort Worth, Texas and would make a loyal ally. That would give the Sooner Longhorns six reliable votes and they could continue to control the conference.

[YOhio]

Chip Brown turns on Texas AD.

http://www.scout.com/college/texas/s...on-facing-heat

[Lost Student]

Chip Brown turns on Texas AD.

That's hought.

[TripletDaddy]

Chip Brown turns on Texas AD.

http://www.scout.com/college/texas/s...on-facing-heat

Texas still hasnt recovered from that trip to provo.

[kccougar]

I've never read such a long and detailed hit piece. Sucks that Patterson and Larry Scott are buddies.

[BigFatMeanie]

What is a "quality control coach"?