The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[myboynoah]

Dave Sittler: Texas A&M's absurdity casts big shadow on Big 12

If the latter scenario is accurate, Pittsburgh became the latest name yesterday to surface as a potential Big 12 replacement for A&M.

Sources confirmed the Big 12 has formed a five-member committee to study alternatives if A&M departs. OU and OSU are represented on committee with Sooners' athletic director Joe Castiglione and OSU president Burns Hargis.

One league spokesman agreed that Pitt would be a more attractive addition than other schools mentioned like BYU.

There also have been reports the Big 12 might return to 12 teams by adding some combination of Notre Dame, Pitt, West Virginia and BYU.

Texas Tech president Kent Hance became the latest conference official to strongly hint the Big 12 has some exciting options.

"We're going to come out OK," Hance said Saturday during an interview with Lubbock radio station KTTU. "I hope the Aggies don't leave. But if they do, it's not the end of the world.

"They will be replaced by at least one and maybe three excellent teams. And it would be a bigger story if we get what we're asking for than the Aggies leaving."

Informed of Hance's comments, a source with first-hand knowledge of the Big 12's future plans said, "All of that has been discussed as options. But having 10 teams instead of 12 remains the preferable option.

"And it would be tougher to get Pitt than BYU."

The addition of Pitt would be mutually beneficial for the league and the Panthers. It would help Pitt recruit in Texas, and allow the Big 12 to extend its footprint into the northeastern part of the country.

So, as of now, toss Pitt and West Virginia as new entries into this realignment contest that nobody but A&M wanted to play.

[Viking]

A&M presser or BYU or both.

both

[oxcoug]

both

Viking if there is a presser formalizing it in the next week I'll change my pic to this in your honor:

[All-American]

both

Before September 1, I presume.

[Green Monstah]

Dave Sittler: Texas A&M's absurdity casts big shadow on Big 12

I dont understand allure of Pitt. They seem like chronic underachievers.

[KillerDog]

I dont understand allure of Pitt. They seem like chronic underachievers.

I think the belief is that Pitt is underachieving because it is in the wrong place and they could return to the glory of their history if they were playing legit competition in conference and better able to recruit the fertile Texas HSs. I think the thought is also that getting Pitt could get ND and getting ND is the Holy Grail.

[SeattleUte]

I'm not being an asshole, just rational. Pitt is more attractive than BYU in any way you could imagine, including academics. Pitt is a powerhouse, a sleeping giant in football.

The academic piece is what you're all overlooking. Again, the football revenue is laughably small compared to what these schools receive in academic grants and contracts, etc., and tuition from smart ambitious kids. Indeed, the academic piece is the only reason BYU is not presently in a BCS conference.

Pitt is higher than BYU even under U.S. News' COLLEGE rankings that are highly biased in favor of private universities:

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandre...ittsburgh-3379

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandre...leges/byu-3670

Pitt has a legendary med school, as it was the site of the original polio vaccine developments, which has enriched its endowment.

But Pitt is no slouch in sports.

Pitt's admission to the Big 12 would though lead to geographic absurdities. Notre Dame and Pitt, culturally and geographically, belong in the Big East; ND should stop the arrogance and join the Big East in all respects; it's a perfect fit. TCU belongs in the Big 12. BYU belongs where it is.

[CJF]

The academic piece is what you're all overlooking. Again, the football revenue is laughably small compared to what these schools receive in academic grants and contracts, etc., and tuition from smart ambitious kids. Indeed, the academic piece is the only reason BYU is not presently in a BCS conference.

Sincere question. How does acedemic grant and contract money benefit other schools in a conference?

[Maximus]

I'm not being an asshole, just rational. Pitt is more attractive than BYU in any way you could imagine, including academics. Pitt is a powerhouse, a sleeping giant in football.

The academic piece is what you're all overlooking. Again, the football revenue is laughably small compared to what these schools receive in academic grants and contracts, etc., and tuition from smart ambitious kids. Indeed, the academic piece is the only reason BYU is not presently in a BCS conference.

Pitt is higher than BYU even under U.S. News' COLLEGE rankings that are highly biased in favor of private universities:

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandre...ittsburgh-3379
Kg
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandre...leges/byu-3670

Pitt has a legendary med school, as it was the site of the original polio vaccine developments, which has enriched its endowment.

But Pitt is no slouch in sports.

Pitt's admission to the Big 12 would though lead to geographic absurdities. Notre Dame and Pitt, culturally and geographically, belong in the Big East; ND should stop the arrogance and join the Big East in all respects; it's a perfect fit. TCU belongs in the Big 12. BYU belongs where it is.

Academic smack from a Utah fan.... Nice

[SeattleUte]

Sincere question. How does acedemic grant and contract money benefit other schools in a conference?

2 points: The universities jealously guard their academic reputations regardless of cause and effect or context. Reputation is something inscrutible and in the atmosphere. It's the most valuable asset, but hard to evaluate or deliberately affect. So there is a visceral concern for not ever putting it at risk in even the smallest or most tangential way.

Also, culturally the academic side of a university mostly hates DI sports and what they feel is the corrosive environment in a university. This is why coaches are usually given no room for moral error. That's why universities created the NCAA and run it the way they do, and why most sports people feel the NCAA is oppressive, etc.

[EuropeanFootballMale]

Academic smack from a Utah fan.... Nice

Don't be obtuse. The #1 criteria for any athletic conference looking to expand is quality of medical school. Everyone knows this.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Why do I have the feeling that SU would be making a passionate argument like this no matter which BYU-alternate school we were discussing?

[Maximus]

Why do I have the feeling that SU would be making a passionate argument like this no matter which BYU-alternate school we were discussing?

I'm sure hed fine some way to say unm is a more attractive option

[Color Me Badd Fan]

2 points: The universities jealously guard their academic reputations regardless of cause and effect or context. Reputation is something inscrutible and in the atmosphere. It's the most valuable asset, but hard to evaluate or deliberately affect. So there is a visceral concern for not ever putting it at risk in even the smallest or most tangential way.

Also, culturally the academic side of a university mostly hates DI sports and what they feel is the corrosive environment in a university. This is why coaches are usually given no room for moral error. That's why universities created the NCAA and run it the way they do, and why most sports people feel the NCAA is oppressive, etc.

If academics really mattered, Utah would never have made it in into the Pac10. You're comparable to a bottom tier SEC school. As a Utah alum and fan you're not arguing from a position of strength in regard to academics. In the eyes of people from Stanford and Berkeley you're the equivalent of UC Riverside with a much better athletic program.

[SeattleUte]

If academics really mattered, Utah would never have made it in into the Pac10. You're comparable to a bottom tier SEC school. As a Utah alum and fan you're not arguing from a position of strength in regard to academics. In the eyes of people from Stanford and Berkeley you're the equivalent of UC Riverside with a much better athletic program.

So you say. You are just exposing your own ignorance. Utah in the Pac 12 proves otherwise.

Let me ask you this, why didn't the Pac invite BYU?

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7...versities.html