The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[Viking]

this seems like an insurmountable issue for each B12 school to play two Thurs-Fri-Sat series a year. Add to that the fact that no other conference has ever agreed to accomodate a No Sunday play rule before and that pretty much kills the BYU to B12 rumors.

The no Sunday play, oddly enough, is a philosophical asset to most B12 supporters, even if the logistics are a liability.

[Viking]

BYU not even on this guys list. That's a first.


Oh, and many of the insiders on CB are saying that BYU will most definitely turn down an invite to the Big 12 if it does indeed ever come. Too much goodwill with the WCC and catholic church, or some such nonsense.

Insiders on CB = guys who guess, lie or exaggerate their connections and post

[BlueHair]

There is no way BYU turns down a GOOD offer from the Big 12. The terms of the invitation will be worked out prior to an invitation. The Big 12 isn't going to invite BYU without knowing they will accept. Their image is too important to them to just dangle an offer out there and have BYU reject it.

[Viking]

39 percent of idiot fans want the Arizona schools. That means nothing.

The AZ schools will trade the Pac for the B12 when hell freezes over (I was going to say when Tempe freezes over; does it ever freeze there?).

There are good reasons whey Colorado wanted to be in the Pac instead of the B12. They apply to the AZ schools. So would TX rather be in the Pac if it didn't have so many commitments and dependents tied to the B12.

Right, what kind of moron would want to be connected with UA/ASU? What's next, the same dumbfuck wanting to be affiliated with the Washington schools?? I mean, the next thing you'll tell me is the same idiot wants to connect with Oregon State!

Thank god we have you here

[Paperback Writer]

Babs, don't lead them along. You know the problem. Tell them: Texas is just Cal Berkely wearing a long horn head dress.

Not Babs, but I'm wondering what is a long horn head dress. Cal Berkeley wearing a 10 gallon hat and cowboy boots..maybe.

Besides, Texas has a long tradition with Texas A&M. And BYU has the Aggies to thank for not only opening up a vacancy in the Big 12 but BYU can seem "normal" when compared to the Aggie "cult".

Posted by Uncle Ted earlier in this thread but re-posted for the sake of comparison. If the Longhorns can deal with Texas A&M culture, they can deal with BYU culture.

Texas A&M


BYU

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Babs, don't lead them along. You know the problem. Tell them: Texas is just Cal Berkely wearing a long horn head dress.

I'm afraid BYU will be out of luck if Texas follows Berkeley and chooses an open admission commuter school that doesn't bring any money to the table.

[BemidjiCoug]

I'm afraid BYU will be out of luck if Texas follows Berkeley and chooses an open admission commuter school that doesn't bring any money to the table.

Berkeley took one look at Jordan Wynn and decided that Utah would fit right in.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Berkeley took one look at Jordan Wynn and decided that Utah would fit right in.

I object to your characterization. Jordan Wynn does not appear to me to be a Maoist, anti-capitalist, anti-Semite.

[BemidjiCoug]

I object to your characterization. Jordan Wynn does not appear to me to be a Maoist, anti-capitalist, anti-Semite.

He probably smells like one though.

[Uncle Ted]

Why the SEC wants TAMU...

The current nine-state SEC footprint contains 58.6 million people and has one top-10 TV market (Atlanta), according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The state of Texas has 24.8 million people and two top-10 TV markets (Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth).

Not only that, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth had the greatest population growths in the U.S. between 2000 and 2010, according to a Rice University study. Austin and San Antonio give Texas four of the top 13 metropolitan areas that have grown the most.

Think potentially adding 42 percent more viewers in a growing state might help the SEC in renegotiations?

[...]

Recruiting also explains the SEC's interest in Texas A&M. Some SEC coaches are already salivating at the thought of getting into Texas.

Nick Saban told a story last week about doubters when Penn State joined the Big Ten while he coached at Michigan State. Saban said adding Penn State opened up the East Coast to players Saban never got.

Les Miles was more specific, saying of Texas A&M: "They have a real nice talent base to choose from."

[Uncle Ted]

The LHN denied again, no high school highlights...

An NCAA spokesman said Monday after a summit meeting on youth sports coverage that “nothing has changed” regarding high school content on university- and conference-affiliated networks. The NCAA’s board of directors is expected to issue a final ruling on the topic in six to nine months, but in the meantime, the ban on youth sports content stands.

“Youth programming, which would include highlights, is not allowed,” the NCAA’s Erik Christianson wrote in an email to the San Antonio Express-News.

[GrizzledVeteran]

The LHN denied again, no high school highlights...

LHN needs to wise up and supplement their coverage with programs about cross-stitching, cooking and Bible sermons.

[Marvelous]

LHN needs to wise up and supplement their coverage with programs about cross-stitching, cooking and Bible sermons.

Now that's just plain funny. Well played!

[Uncle Ted]

Jesus at the Barking Carnival talks to "Big Cigar" about conference realignment...

The Big Cigar tells us that indeed Texas A&M is looking to leave, and fast. For an undisclosed reason, the Aggies seem to think that they can minimize the penalty of leaving the Big 12 if they do so before September 1st, so don’t be surprised if something goes down by the end of the week.

But here’s where it gets interesting for the Aggies, Longhorns, and the rest of the Texas schools. The Cigar tells us that Baylor has a war chest of funding along with the political will to do everything in their power to keep TAMU in the Big 12. They’ll sue the SEC, they’ll sue Texas A&M, and they’ll grease the palm of every relevant state legislator to prevent the Aggies from leaving. The good news for fans that wouldn’t mind seeing the Aggies go and Baylor as well, is that Big Brother has some serious contingency plans in the works which might be a better deal for everyone that stays—especially Texas. In fact, the Longhorns are doing everything in their power to help the Aggies leave, short of packing the farmers’ camouflaged Samsonite two-suit rollers.

Why?

The Cigar explained that talks with Notre Dame and BYU are at a fevered pitch and both could slide right into the Big 12 next season without the conference missing a beat. Yes, that means Texas vs. Notre Dame on Thanksgiving Day is not only a possibility but a probability if everything goes down as Texas plans.

Why not the Big 10 for Notre Dame?

The sticking point with the Irish getting into the Big 10 Conference is their NBC deal. The Big 10 is asking UND to either alter its agreement with NBC or scrap it altogether in favor of the Big 10 Network. With the Big 12, that’s not the case. We like Networks. Hell we’d like to have a plethora of Networks. Networks are fun, and it’s another reason the BYU talks are going swimmingly as well. So adding these two like minded, high caliber academic programs with a penchant for free enterprise is a win-win for the Longhorns.

What about Aggies, Farmers Fight, Fight Songs About Texas, and tradition?

We’re going to let A&M cut off their nose to spite their face, says the Cigar. We’d rather play Notre Dame anyway and that sentiment is prevalent throughout the power structure in and around the program. It’s f’n Notre Dame for crying out loud.

What’s the Catch?

Well there are a few landmines to navigate in this grand plan. First, Baylor has a real hard-on for sticking it to the Aggies but Texas will try to placate them with the aforementioned scenario or cold hard cash if need be. The Cigar tells us that the power brokers of the University want this to happen.

Second, Notre Dame could opt to stay independent or accept a counter offer from the Big 10 if they’re worried about long term viability. If Texas can sell them on forming our own super conference or a spot in the PAC 16 at some point down the road then the landmine is avoided.

The final landmine is the Oklahoma dynamic. Mizzou can leave if it wants to, but if the Sooners depart then Texas will be forced to head west.

“But OU has been a solid ally through all of this?”

Yes, and the main reason is Joe Castiglione. He’s been in talks with DeLoss about the direction of the conference every step of the way and it’s the main reason OU hasn’t looked seriously at their SEC option. The problem is the Longhorn Network has made JC look weak to the powers in the OU program including University President David Boren and Bob Stoops. Stoops and JC’s relationship was already a bit stressed due to annual contract renegotiations, and the Longhorn Network may be the straw that forces Boren to give JC his walking papers. If that happens, UT loses an important connection to OU and the SEC might become more attractive to the Sooners overnight. The Cigar says to keep your ear to the ground for noise out of Norman.

As you see, there a lot of ins, a lotta outs, a lot of what-have-yous–but the Longhorns hold most of the cards. If we can sell OU along with Baylor and Tech on a new improved Big 12 short term, and a PAC 16 super conference in the long run, start reserving your tickets to South Bend. Just wanted to share this certain information that has come to light.

[falafel]

Who is the Big Cigar?