The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[SeattleUte]

Any excuse to use your new toy I see.

[Jarid in Cedar]

Is it? Link?

I think that is his question, if an invite is not contingent on aTm leaving, why the wait?

[SeattleUte]

I think that's a good question. As I recall, for a number of reasons, the B-12 decided to stay 10 schools after Nebraska and Colorado left. I suspect if aTm wasn't leaving, the B-12 would have stayed at 10 schools for a few more years to see how that worked, and then probably considered further expansion. With aTm leaving, the conference needs to do something to get back to at least 10 schools, if not to expand beyond that.

Solon is too much of a gentleman to be explicit about the point of his post. His point his that if BYU weren't a complicated Big 12 prospect because of academic/cultural issues (why else?) why wouldn't the Big 12 have snapped it up by now? I mean, the Big 12 decided to stay at 10 wholly because it wasn't excited about any available candidate, wasn't it?

So your post doesn't really address Solon's actual point.

[YOhio]

I don't mean this to sound trollish, and I think this is a thread for the byu-fans, but I'm genuinely curious why the Big-12 doesn't just invite the byu regardless of aTm's decision.

As many have pointed out, there are some good arguments for putting the byu into the Big-12. If I'm the byu, I'm pissed that somehow membership is contingent on whether or not another team bolts, like it's some kind of nightclub with a velvet rope across the entrance.

I know we like these things to be in nice even numbers, but the Big 10 had 11 teams for 20 years.

That's why I think we're missing the bus a bit in speculating about who's leaving, staying, package-deals, etc. If negotiations and conversations between the byu and the Big-12 are going on, I think they should be headed along those lines.

At any rate, I wish the least amount of anxiety with maximum hope to my amigos that are byu fans.

[smokymountainrain]

I think that is his question, if an invite is not contingent on aTm leaving, why the wait?

Why the wait? There could be several reasons why a conference might wait a few years before adding teams. My guess is this isn't decision to be made hastily. Colorado and Nebraska haven't even played a game yet in their new conferences.

I ask the question because I have yet to read any reliable report saying the BYU invite is contingent on aTm leaving. I see a lot of speculation to that end, but that is it - just speculation.

[LA Ute]

Any excuse to use your new toy I see.

And he's never thanked me for the cool emoticon.

I had no idea there were students of LA Ute's posts.

My disciples are legion. They've been pretty much under the radar until now, but it's getting harder and harder to keep it that way. Major social movements are like that.

[myboynoah]

Solon is too much of a gentleman to be explicit about the point of his post. His point his that if BYU weren't a complicated Big 12 prospect because of academic/cultural issues (why else?) why wouldn't the Big 12 have snapped it up by now? I mean, the Big 12 decided to stay at 10 wholly because it wasn't excited about any available candidate, wasn't it?

So your post doesn't really address Solon's actual point.

I'll give Solon the benefit of the doubt and stick with my answer. If indeed his motives weren't as pure, then I'll let you offer up your wild-ass speculations on the matter, because frankly, they're just about as good as anything else out there when it comes to trying to divine why the B-12 didin't immediately go to 10+ teams a year ago.

Or someone could ask Commissioner Beebe.

[TripletDaddy]

I don't mean this to sound trollish, and I think this is a thread for the byu-fans, but I'm genuinely curious why the Big-12 doesn't just invite the byu regardless of aTm's decision.

Solon for POTUS.

[TripletDaddy]

And he's never thanked me for the cool emoticon.

You are more wrong than you are right, but that isn't important now.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I'll give Solon the benefit of the doubt and stick with my answer. If indeed his motives weren't as pure, then I'll let you offer up your wild-ass speculations on the matter, because frankly, they're just about as good as anything else out there when it comes to trying to divine why the B-12 didin't immediately go to 10+ teams a year ago.

Or someone could ask Commissioner Beebe.

SU is treating us to a nice exhibition of logic with this line of reasoning.

Of course, it begs the question: why did the PAC-10 wait so many years to invite Utah? If it was the right choice, why not do it ten years ago?

[SeattleUte]

SU is treating us to a nice exhibition of logic with this line of reasoning.

Of course, it begs the question: why did the PAC-10 wait so many years to invite Utah? If it was the right choice, why not do it ten years ago?

Because they didn't have any available candidates attractive enough to make them want to expand? (Duh. Precisely my point.)

[myboynoah]

Because they didn't have any available candidates attractive enough to make them want to expand? (Duh. Precisely my point.)

Oh but they did, for many years, and almost had a deal with nice doilied invitations and all on a plane that went to Texas and Oklahama but came home empty.

[Uncle Ted]

Solon is too much of a gentleman to be explicit about the point of his post. His point his that if BYU weren't a complicated Big 12 prospect because of academic/cultural issues (why else?) why wouldn't the Big 12 have snapped it up by now? I mean, the Big 12 decided to stay at 10 wholly because it wasn't excited about any available candidate, wasn't it?

The Big 12 didn't want make the same mistake as the Pac-10 and add two teams that may not pull their weight in the conference. The Big 12 knows what it is like to have deadweight putting up with Colorado all these years. BYU going independent is part of the Big 12 expansion plan to help ND buy some time with their current TV contract and so they can come in together with BYU to form the most valuable college football conference in the country. For this BYU will be rewarded a honored seat at the conference "big table" with UT, ND, and OU.

[Jeff Lebowski]

The Big 12 didn't want make the same mistake as the Pac-10 and add two teams that may not pull their weight in the conference. The Big 12 knows what it is like to have deadweight putting up with Colorado all these years. BYU going independent is part of the Big 12 expansion plan to help ND buy some time with their current TV contract and so they can come in together with BYU to form the most valuable college football conference in the country. For this BYU will be rewarded a honored seat at the conference "big table" with UT, ND, and OU.

Triplet Daddy, allow me:

[SeattleUte]

The Big 12 didn't want make the same mistake as the Pac-10 and add two teams that may not pull their weight in the conference. The Big 12 knows what it is like to have deadweight putting up with Colorado all these years. BYU going independent is part of the Big 12 expansion plan to help ND buy some time with their current TV contract and so they can come in together with BYU to form the most valuable college football conference in the country. For this BYU will be rewarded a honored seat at the conference "big table" with UT, ND, and OU.

--signed Orson Scott Card