The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[Uncle Ted]

http://twitter.com/#!/petethamelnyt

PeteThamelNYT Pete Thamel
RT @JimVertuno: Big 12 source tells AP #Texas and OU officials to meet in next few days to negotiate deal that keeps both in league 5 years.
10 minutes ago

[Omaha 680]

I haven't read them much, so tell me are the DSOB guys credible?

BYU to Big 12 Rumors

I found this the most interesting:

The source says that university and Big 12 officials were close to making an announcement of the addition of BYU to the conference following the loss of Texas A&M, but those plans were put on hold when Oklahoma president David Boren made it known that the Sooners were exploring their options with the PAC-12. That same source informed Deep Shades of Blue last year of BYU's intent to become a football independent weeks before its official announcement.

The source also informed DSB that prior to the Sooners courting of the PAC-12, the BYU Board of Trustees had authorized President Cecil O. Samuelson to move all of the school's athletic programs into the Big 12.

That authorization was granted despite concerns from high-ranking officials of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who are sensitive to relationships between the Church and the faith-based institutions of the West Coast Conference, which provided a home just last year for most of BYU's athletic teams.

If we were poised to move all our sports that makes me happy. Like I said before, I think I'd be more excited about Big 12 hoops than football.

[CardiacCoug]

From a super-conference strategic standpoint, the Big-12 would be smart to grab both BYU and BSU, if only to ensure nobody viable is left for the Pac-12.

These avatars are messing me up. I thought SU was making some cruel, sarcastic comment about the PAC-10 hating BYU.

Yeah that makes sense. Plus I think if you just look at regional demographic trends over the next 20 years, the population in places like Idaho and Utah is going to continue to boom compared to the rest of the country.

[PolyCougar]

Geeze. It looks like the content in here might finally be back on track with the title of the thread. My neuroticism now switches from BYU being left out because of an expanding anti-BYU PAC to BYU being left out with the BIG-12 expansion because they bring in the best of the Big East.

PolyCougar, I think I have an appetite for cottage cheese and a corner as well.

There's plenty of us Cougar fans with shot nerves over here man.

[TripletDaddy]

Athens, GA to Atlanta, GA is 70 miles. Louisville to Lexington is 75. There are a few at 100 miles apart. But yeah, assuming no other changes, BYU and Utah would be the two closest schools that don't share a conference.

Who is in Atlanta. Tech?

The interesting thing about Utah is that in 2 years it might go from mid major HQ to BCS crossroads. A very interesting situation to see such match ups on any given Saturday.

Many bridges to cross first, but interesting hypothetical.

[Uncle Ted]

3D, I think mizzu still moves to the sec. I think the sec's statement is still covering for possible litigation. The big 12 can add Louisville, wvu or Cincy from the east and BYU and tcu/smu from the Midwest to fill the league back to 12.

ESPN Dallas has been reporting all afternoon that the SEC and Mizzu do not have a deal on the table. The SEC made that clear. Also, Ken Starr and the Baylor lawyers say they are not backing down from suing if the Big 12 falls apart. I really don't think the SEC will make a move on Mizzu just given the potential legal costs.

[PolyCougar]

I haven't read them much, so tell me are the DSOB guys credible?

BYU to Big 12 Rumors

I found this the most interesting:



If we were poised to move all our sports that makes me happy. Like I said before, I think I'd be more excited about Big 12 hoops than football.

Are those the same guys that said BYU said "no" to the Big East? If so, then they might be the Enquirer of Cougarnews.

[il Padrino Ute]

Who is in Atlanta. Tech?

The interesting thing about Utah is that in 2 years it might go from mid major HQ to BCS crossroads. A very interesting situation to see such match ups on any given Saturday.

Many bridges to cross first, but interesting hypothetical.

Yep, Tech is in ATL.

Having the Wasatch Front be the home to an inter-BCS conference rivalry in the same media market would be fun. Depending on how scheduling works out, there could be big games pretty much each week in this area.

[YOhio]

The interesting thing about Utah is that in 2 years it might go from mid major HQ to BCS crossroads. A very interesting situation to see such match ups on any given Saturday.

It would be especially noteworthy for such a low-population state. If both BYU and WVU were added to the B12, the conference ties would be nearly coast-to-coast. Then we could ditch the Deseret Duel nonsense and have the Golden Spike trophy.

[TripletDaddy]

ESPN Dallas has been reporting all afternoon that the SEC and Mizzu do not have a deal on the table. The SEC made that clear. Also, Ken Starr and the Baylor lawyers say they are not backing down from suing if the Big 12 falls apart. I really don't think the SEC will make a move on Mizzu just given the potential legal costs.

Right. My thought as well. That the SEC still has not officially made the move on aTm shows that little Baylor has some real teeth.

When all is said and done, it isn't unreasonable to say that everyone owes Baylor a free round of drinks. They stood toe to toe with the Giant and played a huge role in saving the conference.

[CardiacCoug]

Reminds me of a decent college football trivia question:

Which 2 FBS football schools are located closest together?

Spoiler for Answer::

Rice and Houston. About 6 miles apart. That's obviously a tough questions mainly because of the utter lack of relevance of either program.

[PolyCougar]

ESPN Dallas has been reporting all afternoon that the SEC and Mizzu do not have a deal on the table. The SEC made that clear. Also, Ken Starr and the Baylor lawyers say they are not backing down from suing if the Big 12 falls apart. I really don't think the SEC will make a move on Mizzu just given the potential legal costs.

Yeah, I figure after what Texas A&M has been going through, there's gotta be no way the SEC wants to mess with that again, especially behind everybody's back. I think Baylor is a little Pit-bull that has no issue going for blood.

[Uncle Ted]

Chip Brown...

11:30 PM - The Big 12 is Glenn Close in "Fatal Attraction" - rising up out of the bathtub.

Multiple sources confirm to Orangebloods.com that the Pac-12 notified key members of the Big 12 early Tuesday that it would not expand, causing the nine remaining members of the Big 12 to begin working feverishly to iron out differences.

No one expects Texas A&M to remain in the Big 12. A&M officials declared again Tuesday they plan leaving the Big 12 after this season (for the Southeastern Conference).

One of the first steps the nine-member Big 12 took was to notify Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe the league members want a change in leadership, sources said.

Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton led the charge on Tuesday after the Pac-12 notified Oklahoma that its members would not accept OU and Oklahoma State without Texas, sources said.

The Longhorns, who had been hoping the Big 12 could stay alive from the beginning, got the news early Tuesday from Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott that he didn't have the votes to expand.

Sources told Orangebloods.com at least six Pac-12 presidents opposed further expansion, and Larry Scott needed nine of 12 votes to approve any new additions.

Sources say Texas and Oklahoma must work out their differences, including Texas possibly making some concessions on Longhorn Network content (such as no high school highlights and possibly no conference games). Texas might even need to share some revenue from its Longhorn Network with the Sooners, sources said.

Sources said after it became clear the Pac-12 didn't have the votes to admit Oklahoma and Oklahoma State without Texas, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Texas House Speaker Joe Straus contacted UT regents and urged them not leave the Big 12 for the Pac-12.

Texas officials couldn't immediately be reached for comment Tuesday night.

There will obviously be much more to come on this one.

Stay tuned.

[CJF]

Who is in Atlanta. Tech?

The interesting thing about Utah is that in 2 years it might go from mid major HQ to BCS crossroads. A very interesting situation to see such match ups on any given Saturday.

Many bridges to cross first, but interesting hypothetical.

Next year Texas could have three schools in three different BCS conferences.

[CJF]

Reminds me of a decent college football trivia question:

Which 2 FBS football schools are located closest together?

Spoiler for Answer::

Rice and Houston. About 6 miles apart. That's obviously a tough questions mainly because of the utter lack of relevance of either program.

I would have guessed UNC and Duke. Interesting.