People are dense. LHN wasn't a beast of a network. It was an obstacle that prevented the creation of the Big XII network. If we were working towards that, this would never have happened.

That sounds awfully charitable of them.

Don't be so dense yourself. Do you actually think that having the tournament in KC increases Mizzou's funding? If the tournament leaves, is Mizzou's funding level going to be cut? I don't think so. Most of that tax money stays locally and you know it.

Link

Missouri’s exit would be no great loss for the Big 12


Aside from the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and its retail members, who really cares if Missouri leaves the Big 12 Conference for the Southeast Conference?


It is known that, years ago, University of Missouri officials tried to gain membership in the Big Ten Conference, but they were rejected. They tried again within the past year or so and once again were denied admission.


Now, MU officials have knocked on the door of the Southeast Conference, asking to be admitted. Initial reports indicated that not enough SEC presidents were in favor of accepting a new member, but, apparently, there has been sufficient arm-twisting that the Tigers have been accepted by the membership committee.
Again, who really cares?


Granted, this writer is a lifelong fan and supporter of Kansas University, and his thoughts about MU may be based on individual actions and incidents, so it is wrong to generalize about the entire MU family. However, for whatever reason, Missouri is a different university and is in a different environment than the other Big 12 schools. Their fans are different; their alumni are different; their behavior is different; and they really don’t fit in with the other Big 12 schools.


It’s obvious football and money are the driving forces at MU. The university is not shifting to the SEC for academic reasons because the Big 12 has had far more schools in the American Association of Universities, the nation’s most prestigious association of research universities. Prior to Texas A&M’s move to the SEC, the conference had only two AAU schools: the University of Florida and Vanderbilt University.


The Big 12 would have the opportunity to invite one, two or three new members to join the conference if Missouri bolts. Chances are, whatever schools are invited, they will strengthen the excellence of the overall conference rather than merely add another football school.


If MU leaves, the annual Big 12 postseason basketball tournament might be moved, probably to Oklahoma City. Likewise, the so-called “Border War” football game between KU and MU, held at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium in recent years, would come to an end, and any replacement game for KU would be played on the campuses of KU and its opponent — where they belong.


Some in Kansas City are trying to dream up other athletic events in their city to replace the dollars that would be lost by the demise of the traditional basketball tournament and the KU-MU football game. All this is based on dollars and cents and has nothing to do with school ties, history or geography.


Some have asked whether, even if Missouri is no longer a member of the Big 12, KU would agree to play the Tigers in some kind of annual football or basketball game in Kansas City. Based on KU basketball coach Bill Self’s reply to such a suggestion, the chances of such a game are slight.


A Baylor University coach recently was asked a similar question about continuing to play Texas A&M teams now that A&M is joining the SEC. She likened the situation to a nasty divorce. After all the fights and accusations and after the divorce has been granted, the husband acknowledges the divorce but asks his former wife if he might be able to occasionally sleep with her. The coach answered this hypothetical question with a resounding “NO.”


With MU officials and the thousands of MU fans urging the university to thumb its nose at the Big 12 and jump to the SEC, KU officials and fans should make it clear they have no desire to continue any athletic events with Missouri.


MU officials have made it clear they think playing football games in sold-out stadiums and the money attached to such games is the most important yardstick in determining their future intercollegiate athletic and academic relationships.
Once again, who’s sorry to see them leave?

Texas is not giving up the LHN, and ESPN is locked into it for 20 years. They are going nowhere. OU is also going nowhere, especially after the new Tier 1 deal results in per-school payments close to every other major conference.

Link

Realignment Today: 4:17 - KU AD Zenger releases statement as all signs point to Mizzou exit from Big 12

4:17 p.m. Update:
The following statement from KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger was released a few minutes ago.



“KU-Missouri is a great rivalry. The University of Kansas is a great Midwestern school, loyal to our Midwestern conference and to our Midwestern roots. The KU-Missouri rivalry belongs in the Big 12 Conference. Should Missouri decide to leave the Big 12, we would wish them well.”

Couple of things:

1. Notice there's nothing in there about continuing to play the Tigers. In fact, if you read into it you'll see that his stance that the KU-MU rivalry belongs in the Big 12 could mean this: You leave, we're done.
2. Notice that Zenger continues to push the Big 12 and KU's place in it. The guy and this university have been loyal to the league from minute one. They'll continue to be loyal from here on out.
3. Notice the emphasis on the Midwest. Missouri is not south or east.

All subtle statements, for sure, but it's clear that there will be no love lost between KU and MU if the Tigers leave.



That said, some sources continue to suggest that the Tigers did what they did to day in an attempt to get a better offer from the Big 12 Conference. It's not a bad move, but if they think for a second that the league is going to treat them the way it treated Texas, and to a lesser extent OU, when they threatened to leave, the folks at MU are kidding themselves.
Stay tuned...


3:17 p.m. Update:
Here's a good recap of what went on today from Dave Matter of the Columbia Tribune.



http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/...12/?tigerextra


Still working the phones to get more reaction, statements, if anyone else is interested in speaking today.
Stay tuned...



2:24 p.m. Update:
Big 12 interim commissioner Chuck Neinas released the following statement regarding Mizzou's "action" today:



"We look forward to discussing Missouri's future with the Big 12 Conference. The school has been involved with the Big 12 and its predecessor conferences since 1907. It is propitious that the Big 12 Board of Directors has a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday. Obviously, Conference membership will be thoroughly discussed at that time."

For those, like me, who aren't sure what propitious means, here's the first definition from dictionary.com: [pruh-Pish-uhs] adj., presenting favorable conditions; favorable.

Sounds like Neinas believes the meeting comes at a good time.
Stay tuned...



2:03 p.m. Update:
Before I jump in, here's a quick recap from the Associated Press regarding Missouri's startling announcement today that sounded an awful lot like the one they made a couple of weeks ago.



This is what the realignment saga has become in the Big 12. Everyone else is all-in and on board, but the Tigers continue to drag their feet. I'm sure they have their reasons. Again, moving to a different conference is not something that should be done overnight or without serious thought. But this is bordering on the ridiculous now.



Since the announcement, which came around 12:30 p.m. today, I've tried to track down some reaction from around the Big 12. The general consensus among those I've talked to is this: We're tired of Missouri's drama and we're ready for them to make a decision. If that means they're gone, we'll live.



Here's the AP report:
Kansas City, Mo. — The governing board of the University of Missouri has given its chancellor the authority to move the school out of the Big 12 Conference if that's what the school decides to do.
Chancellor Brady Deaton was given the authority following a two-day Board of Curators meeting that wrapped up Friday.
Missouri remains in the Big 12 and Deaton said discussions about alignment are ongoing. He says a "decision will be undertaken expeditiously."

Missouri is believed to want to leave for the Southeastern Conference. The Big 12 already has lost Nebraska and Colorado and will lose Texas A&M next year when TCU joins.

That's not all that was said today, though. And it's the other language that seems to indicate the Tigers just tipped their hand.
In addition to giving Deaton the authority to act — again — MU's curators announced that they have given Deaton the authority to explore the idea of playing a mid-season college basketball tournament to be played in Kansas City and an annual football game at Arrowhead Stadium against a regional rival.



Sounds an awful lot like the Tigers trying to save face with the folks in KC on their way out the door to me. Also sounds like that "regional rival" reference points to KU. Just as KU men's basketball coach Bill Self said a couple of weeks ago, sources have told me that if MU leaves the Border War rivalry would likely be dead. At least for a while.
More reaction to come throughout the day.


Stay tuned...

All of the bold made me laugh because these comments are either outlandish, misguided, or flat out wrong.

Yes, from the Lawrence Journal World.

For Kansas fans not caring about Mizzou leaving they sure do act awful bitter about it.

Personally, I just want the whole debacle to be over. If they want to leave, then leave. But take a stance and stick to it so the conference can move on.

FFS, go listen to sherrie. Mizzou is taking their time because it'll have more than a couple years effect on the university. It is a decision that effects the entire future of Mizzou. Once, or if, they (Deaton) finds out the SEC would be a better decision, it will happen. Right now we're just going through the steps of switching conferences. Deal with it.


500th post btw.:mizzou:

Based on the fact that Neinas used the word propitious incorrectly, maybe he should read the definition.

My favorite toilet paper.

Pretty obvious huh?

The decision has been made, they are not still trying to decide. This is their third effort to try and find some other conference that wants them.
They are milking this, keeping everyone else hanging.

Like the article said, they are neither South, nor East. But good luck to them, now get going please.