The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[lambdacoug]

I just hate this. And I think it's true.

I wish I could go back and like some other team. I'm so tired of our weirdness.

I find this funny...

[LiveCoug]

Because we don't play nice; because we're a pain in the ass scheduling-wise; because our administration wants to be independent; because we come with religious baggage.

All I heard on the radio this morning is how tough BYU is to work with and how they don't play nice. Honest question: where is the concrete proof of this? When has BYU done something that is not playing nice (something that any other team would not have done)? What have they truly done that proves they are hard to work with?

Other than Sunday play, I can't think of anything (except the rumors of demanding all tv rights, or whatever)

[The_Douger]

I find this funny...

It probably is. I'm pretty emo about it.

[Paperback Writer]

It absolutely is. It now has incredible basketball schools (many of which are not premiere football schools), and football schools with great tradition/history (many of which do not have storied basketball programs). IMO, this sort of diversity makes them extremely solid. Of the BCS conferences, the B12 is looking more and more like the sick calf who is about to be devoured by the other Big 4. People will rant about TV rights, etc., but I'm not buying it. There's always a way out.

I have a very different viewpoint. I've looked at the data and I don't think a good argument can be made that the ACC is a better football conference than the Big 12. What has hurt ACC football are the recent struggles of traditional powers Miami and FSU. Virginia Tech has come closest to filling that void but the Hokies have yet to make a BCS championship game. In contrast, the Big 12 has traditional powers OU and Texas. I think the middle tier of both conferences are similar - I don't see a lot of difference between Clemson, GT, BC, Maryland Virginia, and NC St from TCU, West Virginia, OK St, KSU, and Texas Tech.

The ACC has always been a very good basketball conference and has population demographics on its side outside of Texas. But I think the ACC has a lot to prove before it can claim to be better, or even equal, to the Big 12 in football.

Having stated that, I don't see why any program would leave the ACC to go to the Big 12. And I don't think the Big Ten will expand further - the North is not going to invade the South.

[Goatnapper'96]

lol. You poor thing.

Goatnapper, can you give this kid a little encouragement?

Douger wants to be cool and loved by the world. I can't help those who sacrifice their independent thought for slapping hands with the Muddog's qb!

[Goatnapper'96]

All I heard on the radio this morning is how tough BYU is to work with and how they don't play nice. Honest question: where is the concrete proof of this? When has BYU done something that is not playing nice (something that any other team would not have done)? What have they truly done that proves they are hard to work with?

Other than Sunday play, I can't think of anything (except the rumors of demanding all tv rights, or whatever)

You don't think most people find BYU's staunch stand on sunday play to be annoying and inflexible?

[LiveCoug]

You don't think most people find BYU's staunch stand on sunday play to be annoying and inflexible?

Sure, but is THAT it? Is that all there is that make people so pissed at BYU and claiming that they are the worst and so difficult to deal with?

Makes no sense.

[YOhio]

You don't think most people find BYU's staunch stand on sunday play to be annoying and inflexible?

Exactly. Maybe if they began to live God's commandment's they'd be less resentful of BYU and their commitment to living in righteous ways.

[Goatnapper'96]

Sure, but is THAT it? Is that all there is that make people so pissed at BYU and claiming that they are the worst and so difficult to deal with?

Makes no sense.

Here is the deal the Big-12 gives BYU the opportunity to improve itself. BYU says "we don't play on sunday and we want very strong legal assurances that we will not be negatively impacted by this stance." The Big-12 tries to work it out, likely not really believing anyone would be stupid enough to say no to improving their situation over sunday play, but is unable to provide the assurances to BYU's satisfaction. Rational people who believe BYU's policy is fundamentally ridiculous in the first place come away having their perspective that BYU is inflexible reinforced. From their perspective BYU is too entrenched about an issue every other religious institution came to terms with many years ago and doesn't understand how little leverage it has.

[Goatnapper'96]

Exactly. Maybe if they began to live God's commandment's they'd be less resentful of BYU and their commitment to living in righteous ways.

There is no question that this is true, but the reality is they are not and Douger is sick of being weird dammit!

[LiveCoug]

Here is the deal the Big-12 gives BYU the opportunity to improve itself. BYU says "we don't play on sunday and we want very strong legal assurances that we will not be negatively impacted by this stance." The Big-12 tries to work it out, likely not really believing anyone would be stupid enough to say no to improving their situation over sunday play, but is unable to provide the assurances to BYU's satisfaction. Rational people who believe BYU's policy is fundamentally ridiculous in the first place come away having their perspective that BYU is inflexible reinforced. From their perspective BYU is too entrenched about an issue every other religious institution came to terms with many years ago and doesn't understand how little leverage it has.

I'm not talking about just B12 negotiations. It's been claimed for years. SDSU assistant AD comments come to mind...

[myboynoah]

I'm not talking about just B12 negotiations. It's been claimed for years. SDSU assistant AD comments come to mind...

SDSU has always found BYU hard to deal with.

[LiveCoug]

SDSU has always found BYU hard to deal with.

But why?

[Goatnapper'96]

I'm not talking about just B12 negotiations. It's been claimed for years. SDSU assistant AD comments come to mind...

Because we pushed those teams around with our negotiating power. We bitched about the revenue from the mtn and they didn't like hearing about it. We also have been uniquely blessed to be the bully who routinely kicks SDSU off of their perch whenever they are on the verge of making a national splash. In fact the fact that we get to play SDSU in a bowl game and might be able to do it again makes the bowl game interesting to me. If God loves me it will be close so fans can bitch about Mendenhall and Doman, include a dodgy call that goes BYU's way so the SDSU fans can pull string about anything BYU or mormon and Riley Nelson will win it on a gritty play that will mean nothing!

[Goatnapper'96]

But why?

How much do you know about SDSU versus BYU over the years? Go search out what happend the first time SDSU got ranked in their tortured history, well here is the boxscore.

http://cougarstats.com/games.php?sho...ls&game_id=411

I still recall my favorite sports message board post by an Aztec fan in the aftermath of Chuck Abouo's one great offensive hoop game of his BYU career after Chuck, Jax and Jimmer beat the Aztecs in San Diego that blessed saturday afternoon and three days before our balls were once again ripped through our throats. The dude wrote something along the lines that with that loss he was done hating BYU. They won and he lost but he could not longer emotionally handle hating BYU because every time State was on the verge of something good it was always BYU there to kick them in the teethe. Leave the MWC and never play us again...the Y wins and he lost. It brought tears of joy to my eyes.