The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[Pheidippides]

I thought Houston and Hell were the same place.

Dante classified us as purgatory. I can't remember which circle you are but it is pretty far down there. Which ever one has to do with vanity.

[Uncle Ted]

I don't have love for Dallas! I think it is a lame city.

Houston has great eats, but of course we have already discussed this.

DFW has 6 Apple Stores and 5 Fry's.

[SteelBlue]

There's only one town in Texas worth a crap and that's Dillon. Go Panthers!

[TripletDaddy]

Mizzou wants B1G, but B1G has "no interest"

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefoot...te-most-100511

[Omaha 680]

That's exactly what I thought of when I typed that.

[Uncle Ted]

Mizzou wants B1G, but B1G has "no interest"

http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefoot...te-most-100511

And it seems that the SEC is losing interest in Mizzou by the minute as well. If this keeps up much longer the Big 12 may have to pay the SEC to take'm.

[OSUCougar]

And it seems that the SEC is losing interest in Mizzou by the minute as well. If this keeps up much longer the Big 12 may have to pay the SEC to take'm.

Didn't see that in the article but if that is the case, GOOD!!!

[Katy Lied]

On the other hand, all these B12 teams "exploring their options" right now is a good thing. After courting other conferences, and being rebuffed like a ginger stepchild, they will now come crawling back to the Big12, content to give up 6 years of media rights, convinced that no one else wants 'em.

Cause nothing says stability like you tried and no one else wanted you.

[TripletDaddy]

Head Maniac goes off on fans for poor turnout against Bowling Green. WVU wound up pounding BG, but the coach was none too pleased about the turnout.

http://network.yardbarker.com/colleg...u_fans/7214527

This guy will be a nice colorful addition to the B12. If he can stop loving LSU for a second, that is.

“You only get seven opportunities a year,” Holgorsen said. “What’s so hard about it? It’s too cold? Wasn’t too cold for our players. Wasn’t too cold for our coaches or managers or trainers; they’re out there. So why did we have 20,000 people less at this one than we did last week?”

“The funny thing about it is we’re all talking two weeks ago about how much difference the fans and the crowd’s going to make to the LSU people. Well, LSU played well in front of 62,000 of our people and then turned around and went home and played a [Ed: 2-2] Kentucky team at noon and [they] have 95,000 people there. You want to talk about an elite program, that’s one of them. I don’t know about this place.”

[Jeff Lebowski]

this seems accurate. at least the visit part.

His point was that considering the low cost of living, low taxes, good schools, lots of jobs, etc, they loved living there, but whenever someone came to visit they always had a tough time figuring out how to entertain them.

[Uncle Ted]

On the other hand, all these B12 teams "exploring their options" right now is a good thing. After courting other conferences, and being rebuffed like a ginger stepchild, they will now come crawling back to the Big12, content to give up 6 years of media rights, convinced that no one else wants 'em.

Cause nothing says stability like you tried and no one else wanted you.

Good point.

On Mizzou and the SEC...

Mizzou and the Sinking Ship

Missouri needs a serious reality check IMO. Although they have been pretty decent in football in recent years, they have been nothing more than average for a long time. The SEC chews up and spits out average.

The Star did a story a week or so ago about where Mizzou would have ranked within the SEC in recent years, but as I recall it was based upon record. If a team doesn’t play other SEC teams, the record doesn’t mean much. I decided the better way to analyze it would be to look at the power ratings (Sagarin) and to see where they would have ranked in SEC football every year over the past dozen years. Here you go.

[See article for table]

Obviously, 2007 was an exceptional year which shows they could possibly compete for the league title on occasion. And, it’s reasonable to think their chances of winning the conference are as good in the SEC as the B12 – slim. But, the bigger point to make is where they average finishing. It’s worse in the SEC than it was in the B12.

Now, if Mizzou were to decide it wanted to go to the SEC for basketball reasons, that would be a little more understandable. MU’s BB team has been better recently just as their FB team. But, that only goes so far. Even though the SEC hasn’t been nearly as good in BB as FB, here is where MU would have ranked within the SEC over the same years.

[See Article for Table]

If anyone wants to make the argument that MU would be better off in the SEC regarding basketball, I’m at least willing to listen. But, keep in mind the Frank Haith situation is anything but resolved – as are the consequences to the program. And, of course, on an immediate basis, Bowers was injured and will miss this season.

Regardless, this isn't about basketball.

----------

Missouri and Texas A&M are going to be outliers to that conference. That means the SEC will not cater to them due to their geography. No conference tournaments will be within many hundreds of miles of their schools.

Additionally, I don’t see how it helps Mizzou recruit. A lot of their success has come from Texas because they could make the case that MU was in the B12 and those players could be seen numerous times a year by friends or family. That’s just malarkey now. Maybe they could be seen when MU plays @ Texas A&M – assuming they do. Maybe Arkansas. But, that’s about it.

If Mizzou thinks they are opening up the recruit rich southeast, they are dreaming. What recruit from Florida to Louisiana is going to decide to go to Missouri instead of any of the top existing SEC schools?

I have no idea what the SEC would see in adding Mizzou.

[Uncle Ted]

His point was that considering the low cost of living, low taxes, good schools, lots of jobs, etc, they loved living there, but whenever someone came to visit they always had a tough time figuring out how to entertain them.

Yep, if they are not interested in football, basketball, baseball, golfing, NASCAR, etc. that can be hard to do. It is not like you can take a drive to mountains and pick wild flowers. I usually take my non-sports guests skeet shooting or dove hunting since I am not much into golf.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Yep, if they are not interested in football, basketball, baseball, golfing, NASCAR, etc. that can be hard to do. It is not like you can take a drive to mountains and pick wild flowers. I usually take my non-sports guests skeet shooting or dove hunting since I am not much into golf.

Hey, don't look at me. I am a big fan of the Big D now.

[pellegrino]

Good point.

On Mizzou and the SEC...



I have no idea what the SEC would see in adding Mizzou.

Are you kidding? They add two new decent sized TV markets and a team that has little to no chance of being anything more than an also ran or the bottom of the barrel. That seems like a decent deal if you're Florida, LSU, Auburn, or Alabama.

[Paperback Writer]

His point was that considering the low cost of living, low taxes, good schools, lots of jobs, etc, they loved living there, but whenever someone came to visit they always had a tough time figuring out how to entertain them.

Very true. DFW doesn't have mountains or beaches and lacks an abundance of museums and the like. But there are plenty of good restaurants, movie theaters, golf courses, and shopping. There's also professional sports.

I have trouble getting my Utah bound extended family to visit Texas - it's like the roads and airways go only on-way: West. And what happens when I visit Utah? My relatives just want to do a cook out on the patio and possibly go to a movie? I can do that in Texas! I found out recently that the only time many of them hike up a canyon or visit Temple Square is because my family has come for a visit and I make the arrangements.

But I'm envious of all the recreational opportunities in Utah. There are many National Parks I want to visit/re-visit and a bucket list of things I want to do while there...and little time to do them because of the distance.