The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[Omaha 680]

I hate this. We are in the middle of a season and I am more focussed on this thread than any of the actual game threads. I really just want this to all end so I can focus on football again.

End rant.

I know! If it wasn't for all this expansion talk, I'd be devoting more time to breaking down San Jose State special teams this week.

[New Mexican Disaster]

I really don't like the idea of Cincinnati in the Big 12. They suck at everything and they don't even have a statewide presence, much less a national one. Though I'd love to see BYU regularly play football/basketball a mere 45 minutes from my front door, I can't get beyond the reality that the Bearcats are merely a throw-in and they add little value to the conference.

Skyline chili!!!! And you get road games on your doorstep. Get with the program. Also, they have been better than Louisville the last 5 years in football.

[Uncle Ted]

Is Mizzou going to the SEC?

The Board Chairman...

The most fervent opposition to Missouri joining the SEC originates from Kansas City. Board Chairman Warren Erdman, the only curator from Kansas City, is “sympathetic” to the concerns of city leaders over the potential economic impact of MU’s exit from the Big 12, a source said. Kansas City would no longer be a Big 12 hub and could lose the lucrative conference basketball tournament, which is under contract with the city through 2014.

The Gov and fans...

Sources told the Tribune that Missouri athletic officials and Gov. Jay Nixon, who appointed five of the seven voting curators, are on board with a move to the SEC. So, too, are many fans, some of whom have threatened to stop donating to MU if the school bypasses the SEC and grants its primary television rights for the next six years to the Big 12.

“If the University of Missouri does not end up in the SEC, you will never see another dime from me again,” one fan wrote to the curators.

Through an open-records request, the Tribune obtained hundreds of emails sent to the curators on Sept. 21. Nearly all contained a plea for MU to leave the Big 12.

“For once in my life,” one fan wrote in a message sent to the curators, Deaton and Alden, “I would love to see The University of Missouri, the school that I have loved since the day I was born, come out and give everyone else in the Big 12 the 1 finger salute & do what’s best for this University.”

Columbia attorney Clark Jones pledged to increase his annual donation to the Tiger Scholarship Fund from $3,000 to $12,000 if MU moved to the SEC.

[Omaha 680]

Is Mizzou going to the SEC?

The Board Chairman...



The Gov and fans...

And that is the kind of irrational thinking that is born from being a whipping boy for decades on end. Missouri is a program for whom 8 wins was a great year in the old Big 8. Much of the time they were cellar dwellars and considered one of the easy wins that Oklahoma and Nebraska feasted on. Before their recent success under Pinkel, the glory years were back in the late 60s with Dan Devine. And now that they have started to build a somewhat respectable program with the aid of Big 12 recruiting, they want to cut off their nose to spite their face and run to the SEC. Nice job, guys.

[New Mexican Disaster]

And that is the kind of irrational thinking that is born from being a whipping boy for decades on end. Missouri is a program for whom 8 wins was a great year in the old Big 8. Much of the time they were cellar dwellars and considered one of the easy wins that Oklahoma and Nebraska feasted on. Before their recent success under Pinkel, the glory years were back in the late 60s with Dan Devine. And now that they have started to build a somewhat respectable program with the aid of Big 12 recruiting, they want to cut off their nose to spite their face and run to the SEC. Nice job, guys.

Missouri to the SEC makes less sense to me than TAM. They really will have problems with recruiting.

[SteelBlue]

Is Mizzou going to the SEC?

The Board Chairman...



The Gov and fans...

It'd be funny if the Daily Herald could get ahold of all the emails sent to the BYU AD. I'm sure the tone would be very similar. I'll bet we even have a high powered attorney or two who promised to go from 3k to 12k on his donations. I'm also sure that those fans would have very little effect on the actual decision.

[dabrockster]

Is Mizzou going to the SEC?

The Board Chairman...



The Gov and fans...

Interesting the pressure they are getting. Will be interesting day today...

[TheBYUGuy]

“For once in my life,” one fan wrote in a message sent to the curators, Deaton and Alden, “I would love to see The University of Missouri, the school that I have loved since the day I was born, come out and give everyone else in the Big 12 the 1 finger salute & do what’s best for this University.”

LOL. Very persuasive. If I were a curator, I definitely would leave the Big 12 just so some random fan could flip them off.

[Omaha 680]

LOL. Very persuasive. If I were a curator, I definitely would leave the Big 12 just so some random fan could flip them off.

I really want Missouri to stay. That kind of bitterness makes for great conference rivalries.

[TripletDaddy]

If Mizzou is still contemplating a move to the SEC, that means that West Virginia is still on the table. Come on West Virginia!

[kccougar]

If Mizzou is still contemplating a move to the SEC, that means that West Virginia is still on the table. Come on West Virginia!

Oh man. BYU and WVU in the same conference - I can imagine the T-shirts being printed already.

[YOhio]

I know it's been said here a number of times, but I'll repeat. Missouri would be insane to jump the Big 12 ship. Absolutely stupid. It devastates them financially and athletically. After reading the VF article posted by CMBF that recognizes the very difficult financial problems states will be dealing with in the near future, I think it would be immoral for a state institution to burn the B12 exit fee money for no justifiable purpose. This saga has been disgusting.

Now on to the SEC. What could they possibly want with the addition of Missouri? I guess the St. Louis and KC tv markets would be nice, but outside of that I see no benefit to that conference. Though they're the top dog now, a continued dilution of their product will hurt them in the long run.

[Uncle Ted]

I really want Missouri to stay. That kind of bitterness makes for great conference rivalries.

But if Mizzou goes to the SEC then the aggies will have someone they can beat so they won't be always sitting at the bottom of the division. Oh wait, maybe not...

http://www.big12sports.com/standings...bml?SPID=13139

[TripletDaddy]

I know it's been said here a number of times, but I'll repeat. Missouri would be insane to jump the Big 12 ship. Absolutely stupid. It devastates them financially and athletically. After reading the VF article posted by CMBF that recognizes the very difficult financial problems states will be dealing with in the near future, I think it would be immoral for a state institution to burn the B12 exit fee money for no justifiable purpose. This saga has been disgusting.

Now on to the SEC. What could they possibly want with the addition of Missouri? I guess the St. Louis and KC tv markets would be nice, but outside of that I see no benefit to that conference. Though they're the top dog now, a continued dilution of their product will hurt them in the long run.

The one thing that puzzles me in all of this is the legal aspect. If aTm was held hostage by a threat of lawsuit, why wouldn't Mizzou be subjected to the same? If the schools have not signed their TV rights away yet, then the conference is still at risk of implosion. all of the financial commitments made while relying on statements made last summer by aTm and Mizzou would still be potential damages, no?

[Uncle Ted]

I know it's been said here a number of times, but I'll repeat. Missouri would be insane to jump the Big 12 ship. Absolutely stupid. It devastates them financially and athletically. After reading the VF article posted by CMBF that recognizes the very difficult financial problems states will be dealing with in the near future, I think it would be immoral for a state institution to burn the B12 exit fee money for no justifiable purpose. This saga has been disgusting.

Now on to the SEC. What could they possibly want with the addition of Missouri? I guess the St. Louis and KC tv markets would be nice, but outside of that I see no benefit to that conference. Though they're the top dog now, a continued dilution of their product will hurt them in the long run.

You overestimate the intelligence of the average mizzou fan and apparently their governor.