Big 10 Report: Conference Realignment

[Mr. Laz]

A source in St. Louis familiar with the situation told NewsCenter 16 Thursday afternoon that Missouri will leave the Big XII and soon join the Big 10. Other schools expected to follow the Tigers are Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers and Nebraska.

Many have speculated that such an expansion would include Notre Dame but ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick told me today that the Irish prefer to stay independent in football and in the Big East for other sports. Swarbrick said maintaining football Independence is such a part of what Notre Dame is.

He went on to say the Big East is a great partner for the University in other sports.

"We do have to monitor what is going on," Swarbrick said. "There will be significant shifts. "Hopefully we can navigate them by keeping our football independent and keeping our Big East affiliation because that is what we care about."

The move of Syracuse, Pitt and Rutgers to the Big Ten from the Big East could categorically change the landscape of the Big East itself. Thus, what Swarbrick is referring to when stating the University must continue to monitor what is going on.

The interview with Swarbrick was done before the late afternoon announcement.

http://www.wndu.com/sports/headlines/92447574.html

[Crush]

No refunds, if repost.

http://barkingcarnival.fantake.com/2...g-court-order/

Through the Freedom of Information Act, Barking Carnival has acquired some damning cell phone transcripts from a protective legal action filed against Baylor from the Pac 10 Conference. The contents are worrying.

7:57pm PST, Saturday, June 5, 2010
Hi, Pac 10? This is Baylor! Remember me? Voted Good Housekeeping’s 2nd Most Judgemental American University.

So, I met you briefly at Todd’s party. I was wearing a sweater vest and chinos. Remember, we talked about Baylor’s exchange program with Pakistani madrasas? Anywhooooo…scored tickets to an Amy Grant concert – want to come with? I’m at 254-555-5555. Call me back!

9:13pm PST, Saturday, June 5, 2010
Pac 10! Baylor here. How are you? Just had an awesome dinner at Cheese Fac – that’s what I call Cheesecake Factory. Yes, we have one.
I didn’t hear back yet.

But I know Saturdays are busy, busy, busy. I left my number, but I realized you may prefer e-mail. West Coast. Internet! Silicon Valley. Edgy! Ha ha! Oh my goodness. So, I’m at bears4ever@aol.com. Or just call me at 254-555-5555. Whatever you like! Blessings!

7:51 am PST, Sunday, June 6, 2010
Oh hey, it’s me! My phone rang. Thought it might be you. You showed up on my caller ID as a telemarketer. Is that you? Ha ha. Oh my gosh, you make me laugh. We have so much fun, the two of us! Just laughing and laughing and laughing. Being together forever! Happy Sunday!

1:27 pm PST, Sunday, June 6, 2010
Pac 10, it’s Baylor. Listen, my phone is CRAZY unreliable. Goshdarn, Cricket wireless. So if you’re calling and it’s not working, just text me. Please text me. I stay up late! YOU WILL NOT WAKE ME! Goodness, was I shouting there? Ha ha. I think it’s the volume control on my phone.

1:40 pm PST, Sunday, June 6, 2010
Hey! Just a quick note: a common mistake when trying to e-mail is that people can transpose numbers or letters, or add in an extra w to the www. Are you doing this? You’d better check! OK, bye! But seriously, check…Bless you!

1:41 pm PST, Sunday, June 6, 2010
TXT MSG: r u there? it’s baylor! i am just texting u in case u are shy to call

1:43 pm PST, Sunday, June 6, 2010
TXT MSG: it is ok if you are shy, i am very patient, like a hunter

2:24 pm PST, Sunday, June 6, 2010
TXT MSG: some think Man is the most dangerous game of all ha ha crazy talk

2:26 pm PST, Sunday, June 6, 2010
Hello? Hello! (inaudible) Oh, dadgummit! I accidentally dialed you. Oh my goodness. How are things? Hello? Hello? I thought you just picked up. If you did pick up, just say hi. Hello! Helllloooooo! Hellllloooooo! Or make a sound. No? No. OK, you didn’t pick up. That was my car radio. Bye.

3:18 pm PST, Sunday, June 6, 2010
Soooooo….(long pause) it’s Baylor. hi. (long pause) I just feel like we need to talk. Golly, I hope everything is OK. Is your family good? Can’t wait to meet them! Au revoir!

4:41 pm PST, Sunday, June 6th, 2010
Hi, it’s Baylor. (icily) I was talking to Todd and he thinks you may have gone home with Texas after that party. That’s interesting information. I don’t believe it. Or should I? Sinners go to Hell. And are sodomized by demons. For eternity. Bye.

12:18 am PST, Monday, June 7th, 2010
Pac Ten, it’s me! Happy Monday! Is it Monday or is it Wednesday that’s hump day? For you, it seems like it’s every day, given the information Todd gave me. Ha ha. Oh my gosh, I’m so kidding you. I just happened to be on the West Coast and I saw your car at the gym (I got your gym from your Facebook profile) and I decided to watch it for a few hours.

I saw you give Colorado a ride to a legalized marijuana dispensary. How do you know CU? Weird. Was that you? Your hair looked different? I just want to hold you in my arms and squeeze you. Until you do exactly as I say. Goodbye!

12:58 am PST, Monday, June 7th, 2010
Hey, it’s Baylor. I read a study that said that conferences that go around with lots of big teams willy-nilly are at a much higher risk of STD than ones who commit to just one small faithful and loyal partner. Anyway. That has nothing to do with you. Or does it, fornicating whore?

1:14 am PST, Monday, June 7th, 2010
It’s me. Kidding on the fornicating whore thing. I hate when we fight. Hey, I lost you driving in traffic yesterday. Where do you live? Thought I’d drop by and say hello.

3:19 am PST, Monday, June 7th, 2010
TXT MSG: this whole thing is so us, we will laugh about this with our grandkids

7:14 am PST, Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
So I went by your work! Your security guard is a wet blanket. I sort of jumped the security gate and he tackled me and took away my taser and duct tape. How are you? I wish I could smell your hair.

8:19 am PST, Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Hey, cutie! It’s Baylor. Listen: has anyone in your family ever had an allergic reaction to chloroform? And do you ever park in Lot 3, near the culvert? Quiet over there.

9:28 am PST, Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Well, helllloooo! It’s #107 in football, but #1 in your heart. Did you know that you can learn a lot about someone by going through their trash? Like, you love to eat organic hummus, you drink too much red wine – which tells me that there’s a hole in your life you’re trying to fill – and you recycle. I also found a condom. Whose is it? I’d love to shake that answer out of you.

10:48 am PST, Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
It’s B. Just thinking about you. I made us a picnic lunch. Cod is perishable, so you’d better get back to me soon.

12:49 PST TXT MSG: RETURNED FROM BLOCKED ADDRESS
12:50 PST TXT MSG RETURNED FROM BLOCKED ADDRESS
12:51 PST TXT MSG RETURNED FROM BLOCKED ADDRESS

12:51 pm PST, Tuesday June 8th, 2010
Hi, guess your phone is blocked. Which explains why you’re not getting back to me! So I’m calling your folks’ answering machine. Hello, future parents-in-law! My, my, my. (chuckles) Well, now you’ve gone and done it. A restraining order. This is silly. Bye.

12:57 pm PST, Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
IT’S ME! HELLO! It was very embarrassing to be served at my work. What does it mean that I can’t be within 90 feet of you? Future Mom and Dad – I love calling you that – please pass this on. And sidenote: maybe you should try to raise a more polite child, One that returns phone calls. And doesn’t do everything through lawyers.

1:09 pm PST, Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
It’s me. On the 90 feet thing. Is that an average? Like I spend several hours two hundred feet from you, watching you, and then a few hours six inches away. That averages out to 90 feet away from you. OH MY GOSH YOU PLAY SO HARD TO GET AND I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1:49 pm PST, Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
It’s B. Hey, I think you may have some of my mail, accidentally. The postal service confuses Waco and Santa Monica. Just shoot me your alarm code real quick, OK?

2:11 pm PST, Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Hi, there. Are your parents even passing on these messages to you? I feel as if they’re not! Also, for a boy, I love the name Tristan. For a girl, Kaitlin. Toodle–ooo!

2:45 pm PST, Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
It’s Bay-Dawg. Did you know I own a police scanner? I feel like we got off on the wrong foot. Can we just meet? Talk? Like a romantic remote wooded area. Shall we say midnight, tonight? I will wear gloves because of my eczema. Just step out at the road flares I set up and walk into the woods. Don’t tell any of your snooping friends!

I’ll find you.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by ChiefsNWildcats

Hey you KU and MU fans take it outside. haha!

So does it sound to anyone else think ND holds all the cards in college football right now?

If they choose to join the Big 10 and say they will only join under the condition that they stop with that one invite, then NU and MU could be stuck with the Big 12?

Gotta admit as a KSU fan, I am really pulling for that to happen. You know since all of our eggs are in the Big 12 basket. Go Irish!!!!

Best post in the thread, and makes the most sense.

[kepp]

Originally Posted by ChiefsNWildcats

Hey you KU and MU fans take it outside. haha!

So does it sound to anyone else think ND holds all the cards in college football right now?

If they choose to join the Big 10 and say they will only join under the condition that they stop with that one invite, then NU and MU could be stuck with the Big 12?

Gotta admit as a KSU fan, I am really pulling for that to happen. You know since all of our eggs are in the Big 12 basket. Go Irish!!!!

I really don't think Notre Dame would give up their independence just to join another 12 team league. The only way they do it, IMO, is if they see that everyone is moving to super-conferences and that this is their last chance to get on the wagon. But you're right in that they do hold a lot of power right now.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by kepp

I really don't think Notre Dame would give up their independence just to join another 12 team league. The only way they do it, IMO, is if they see that everyone is moving to super-conferences and that this is their last chance to get on the wagon. But you're right in that they do hold a lot of power right now.

I think you're right - but I read somewhere that the Big 10 is kind of threatening ND with the whole "16 team super conference" deal....trying to force their hand. Which would in turn create more "super conferences" which would leave their scheduling more and more difficult, loss of money, etc.

[kepp]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

I think you're right - but I read somewhere that the Big 10 is kind of threatening ND with the whole "16 team super conference" deal....trying to force their hand. Which would in turn create more "super conferences" which would leave their scheduling more and more difficult, loss of money, etc.

And if these Nebraska rumors are true, that probably means that Notre Dame is holding fast and the proverbial ball is starting to roll.

[healthpellets]

Originally Posted by kepp

And if these Nebraska rumors are true, that probably means that Notre Dame is holding fast and the proverbial ball is starting to roll.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by kepp

And if these Nebraska rumors are true, that probably means that Notre Dame is holding fast and the proverbial ball is starting to roll.

I think the thought is the Big 10 convinces the Irish that ND to the Big 10 is a given. That Notre Dame will really have no choice, they either come willingly, or they come crawling after the Big East is destroyed.

If Notre Dame is convinced that they will have no choice, they would probably rather be in a 12-team conference than a 16-team conference. What no one knows is will Notre Dame pragmatically come to that conclusion, or will they cross their arms and say "prove it, kill the Big East first, then we might come".

[siberian khatru]

From Tigerboard (http://www.tigerboard.com/boards/mis...essage=7631170), a guy who CLAIMS to have sources. Whatever ... this is the Internet, he can claim to be Julius Caesar.

But it sure sounds intriguing:

Here is the latest, and very distrubing, news on the Big 10 front. NU has received an offer from the Big 10, and will accept the invitation over the objection of Osborne who has described himslef as getting "cold feet" recently over the move. However, others "above his pay-grade" have already made the call, and Nebraska is going to the Big 10.

MU has not received an offer, and likely will not for the foreseeable future. Although we had reached an "understanding" with the Big 10, Notre Dame has since reentered the picture and has "refused to be put on a clock" concerning their decision for membership in the Big 10. Thus, the Big 10 is now making the decision to offer only Nebraska and take a wait-and-see approach on further offers for now until the Notre Dame issue is resolved.

Now, this is where it has gotten very scary for us: Texas has made it very clear to all involved that they have 5 other institutions waiting to, in their words, "bolt for the Pac 10" the moment Nebraska announces its agreement with the Big 10. This, according to them, is a "done deal" with the Pac 10 (As a parentthetical, it appears that Baylor, not CU will be part of that move, given Texas' insistence to the Pac 10, but I did not verify that fact for certain).

Thus, here is the position we are now in. Texas' (and other's) lawyers have concluded that it takes a simple majority to dissolve the Big 12. After Nebrasksa announces, the gang of six, either with or without Nebraska, can vote to dissolve the Big 12 as a conference (which they would all have a massive vested financial interest in doing). This would have the legal effect of, among other things, removing the financial penalties for withdrawl from the conference (estimted at almost $15 million per leaving institution, or roughly $105 million in total), as well as removing us as a BCS conference and dissolving our TV contract. In essence, we are about to be left holding an empty bag with very little recourse if any.

Why would the Big 10 do this to us? Jim delany is a shark, and he gets/understands all of the above. By simply bringing in one big 12 school (Nebraska, not MU), he can destroy the Big 12 as a conference (his major competitor for the midwest market) and still leave himself up to 5 slots to play with (Delaney, as he should be, cares only about what is best for his employer. This is business to him). He can then offer MU at his leisure at a later date, or not, as they see fit. Furthermore, Delaney gets that MU has some bargaining leverage at the moment as a member of the Big 12. Remove that membership (which everyone now gets will follow with certitude), and MU will clearly be willing to entertain a future Big 10 offer at a much better price for the Big 10 than what we would take toady. So even if the Big 10 ultimately wants MU, they still can get us but at a price that saves their membership millions fo dollars (i.e. - We, unlike Nebraska, will not be given full equity partnership for several years at a minimum - Or would need to buy our way in).

I wish it were not so. But I am certain that what I just wrote is about to befall us. Ugh.

[Tiger's Fan]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Always won WHAT?

Regular season games? Conference championships? Last I checked, Duke is less than 100 wins behind KU in program wins, yet KU has an advantage of 7 or 8 seasons played. Is it really that unreasonable to think that they wouldn't/couldn't have won 12 or 13 wins a year had they started pre-1900 like KU?

KU has a 20 year head start on UCLA, and yet UCLA is only approximately 400 wins behind. Is it really that unreasonable to think that they wouldn't/couldn't have won 16 games a year had they started pre-1900 like KU?

Is it still hard to win championships, or not?

I guess you forgot about winning %'s. KU is 3rd, BTW.

Yes, you and your unbiased opinion of anything.

You're just bitter about your junior college AS degree.

Just put your MUron t-shirt on and get over yourself.

[healthpellets]

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_...th-realignment

Congress to get involved with realignment?
By David Ubben
ESPN.com

Consider college football a bunch of kids playing in the backyard during a grown-ups party, until things get a little too rowdy and the little kids get hurt. Then the parents come out back and yell, "Hey! Knock that off!"

Playing the role of angry parents claiming to hold a trump card: Congress.

Kansas lawmakers and Nebraska lawmakers are feuding in the Senate over exactly the same issues as the fans, athletic directors and presidents.

From the Omaha World-Herald:
On Tuesday, Sen. Pat Roberts, Wildcat Republican, buttonholed Sen. Ben Nelson, Husker Democrat, addressing him in a hallway just off the Senate floor.

“Don't be the domino that blows college football up into four major conferences and gets rid of the NCAA,” a World-Herald reporter heard the Kansas senator tell Nelson. “It isn't going to do anybody any good when those dominoes start falling.”

Roberts added, in apparent reference to Nebraska Athletic Director Tom Osborne: “He doesn't want on his tombstone ‘He ruined the Big 12.'”

Nelson, for his part, deferred: “I just have a lot of confidence in Coach Osborne to make the right decision, ultimately.

[...] Roberts later told The World-Herald that if the Big 12 falls apart, Congress could act.

“There's going to be a lot of litigation, and then Congress will probably try to stick its nose into it,” Roberts said. “I would prefer that that not be the case, but there have always been antitrust concerns.”

Can I get a minute to compose myself? I've been flatlined by the idea that lawmakers might actually get involved with (gasp!) college football.

Especially if it means their home state will suffer.

Jokes aside, there's plenty of precedent for this, and there's serious financial loss around the corner if teams like Kansas and Kansas State get relegated to a second-rate league, the likeliest scenario if the Big 12 dissolves. Fighting to do what they can to prevent that is the most sensible move and it's also one that may earn politicians like Roberts votes in the future.

Finally, I'm no mortician, but I've seen plenty of "Six Feet Under." And I don't think the family would sign off on "He ruined the Big 12" on Osborne's tombstone. Of course, that's assuming he dies. There's some debate in Nebraska about whether that's possible.

[ChiefsNWildcats]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

From Tigerboard (http://www.tigerboard.com/boards/mis...essage=7631170), a guy who CLAIMS to have sources. Whatever ... this is the Internet, he can claim to be Julius Caesar.

But it sure sounds intriguing:

Here is the latest, and very distrubing, news on the Big 10 front. NU has received an offer from the Big 10, and will accept the invitation over the objection of Osborne who has described himslef as getting "cold feet" recently over the move. However, others "above his pay-grade" have already made the call, and Nebraska is going to the Big 10.

MU has not received an offer, and likely will not for the foreseeable future. Although we had reached an "understanding" with the Big 10, Notre Dame has since reentered the picture and has "refused to be put on a clock" concerning their decision for membership in the Big 10. Thus, the Big 10 is now making the decision to offer only Nebraska and take a wait-and-see approach on further offers for now until the Notre Dame issue is resolved.

Now, this is where it has gotten very scary for us: Texas has made it very clear to all involved that they have 5 other institutions waiting to, in their words, "bolt for the Pac 10" the moment Nebraska announces its agreement with the Big 10. This, according to them, is a "done deal" with the Pac 10 (As a parentthetical, it appears that Baylor, not CU will be part of that move, given Texas' insistence to the Pac 10, but I did not verify that fact for certain).

Thus, here is the position we are now in. Texas' (and other's) lawyers have concluded that it takes a simple majority to dissolve the Big 12. After Nebrasksa announces, the gang of six, either with or without Nebraska, can vote to dissolve the Big 12 as a conference (which they would all have a massive vested financial interest in doing). This would have the legal effect of, among other things, removing the financial penalties for withdrawl from the conference (estimted at almost $15 million per leaving institution, or roughly $105 million in total), as well as removing us as a BCS conference and dissolving our TV contract. In essence, we are about to be left holding an empty bag with very little recourse if any.

Why would the Big 10 do this to us? Jim delany is a shark, and he gets/understands all of the above. By simply bringing in one big 12 school (Nebraska, not MU), he can destroy the Big 12 as a conference (his major competitor for the midwest market) and still leave himself up to 5 slots to play with (Delaney, as he should be, cares only about what is best for his employer. This is business to him). He can then offer MU at his leisure at a later date, or not, as they see fit. Furthermore, Delaney gets that MU has some bargaining leverage at the moment as a member of the Big 12. Remove that membership (which everyone now gets will follow with certitude), and MU will clearly be willing to entertain a future Big 10 offer at a much better price for the Big 10 than what we would take toady. So even if the Big 10 ultimately wants MU, they still can get us but at a price that saves their membership millions fo dollars (i.e. - We, unlike Nebraska, will not be given full equity partnership for several years at a minimum - Or would need to buy our way in).

I wish it were not so. But I am certain that what I just wrote is about to befall us. Ugh.

Wow, that would be insane. Tigers go from a position of power to one of us have-nots in a hurry if that turns out to be true.

[Pants]

Good article, except it's not up to Big O to make the decision for Nebraska.

[ArrowheadHawk]

http://cfn.scout.com/2/975972.html

6) In the Big Ten’s perfect world, what does it want?

At this point, the most realistic scenario has Nebraska, Missouri, and Rutgers joining the Big Ten as soon as possible to create a 14-team league for now, with Notre Dame signing on in either in 2015 after the NBC deal is up, or earlier if there’s a buyout either from NBC (the ratings haven’t been stellar) or from the Big Ten (who’ll pay ANY sort of a fine if it means getting the Irish). The dream would be to bring in Texas as the 16th team, but that’s not going to happen without Texas A&M coming along. More realistically, the Big Ten will get hit with a major lobbying effort from Kansas, or it’ll end up continuing the expansion east by bringing in Pitt.

Kansas may not be dead yet.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by ArrowheadHawk

http://cfn.scout.com/2/975972.html

Kansas may not be dead yet.

Dude, KU is not going to the Big 10. EVER.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

From Tigerboard (http://www.tigerboard.com/boards/mis...essage=7631170), a guy who CLAIMS to have sources. Whatever ... this is the Internet, he can claim to be Julius Caesar.

But it sure sounds intriguing:

Here is the latest, and very distrubing, news on the Big 10 front. NU has received an offer from the Big 10, and will accept the invitation over the objection of Osborne who has described himslef as getting "cold feet" recently over the move. However, others "above his pay-grade" have already made the call, and Nebraska is going to the Big 10.

MU has not received an offer, and likely will not for the foreseeable future. Although we had reached an "understanding" with the Big 10, Notre Dame has since reentered the picture and has "refused to be put on a clock" concerning their decision for membership in the Big 10. Thus, the Big 10 is now making the decision to offer only Nebraska and take a wait-and-see approach on further offers for now until the Notre Dame issue is resolved.

Now, this is where it has gotten very scary for us: Texas has made it very clear to all involved that they have 5 other institutions waiting to, in their words, "bolt for the Pac 10" the moment Nebraska announces its agreement with the Big 10. This, according to them, is a "done deal" with the Pac 10 (As a parentthetical, it appears that Baylor, not CU will be part of that move, given Texas' insistence to the Pac 10, but I did not verify that fact for certain).

Thus, here is the position we are now in. Texas' (and other's) lawyers have concluded that it takes a simple majority to dissolve the Big 12. After Nebrasksa announces, the gang of six, either with or without Nebraska, can vote to dissolve the Big 12 as a conference (which they would all have a massive vested financial interest in doing). This would have the legal effect of, among other things, removing the financial penalties for withdrawl from the conference (estimted at almost $15 million per leaving institution, or roughly $105 million in total), as well as removing us as a BCS conference and dissolving our TV contract. In essence, we are about to be left holding an empty bag with very little recourse if any.

Why would the Big 10 do this to us? Jim delany is a shark, and he gets/understands all of the above. By simply bringing in one big 12 school (Nebraska, not MU), he can destroy the Big 12 as a conference (his major competitor for the midwest market) and still leave himself up to 5 slots to play with (Delaney, as he should be, cares only about what is best for his employer. This is business to him). He can then offer MU at his leisure at a later date, or not, as they see fit. Furthermore, Delaney gets that MU has some bargaining leverage at the moment as a member of the Big 12. Remove that membership (which everyone now gets will follow with certitude), and MU will clearly be willing to entertain a future Big 10 offer at a much better price for the Big 10 than what we would take toady. So even if the Big 10 ultimately wants MU, they still can get us but at a price that saves their membership millions fo dollars (i.e. - We, unlike Nebraska, will not be given full equity partnership for several years at a minimum - Or would need to buy our way in).

I wish it were not so. But I am certain that what I just wrote is about to befall us. Ugh.

Well, that sucks. So we'd probably get in eventually, just at a discount rate, and go from being a second tier team in the Big XII to being a second tier team in the Big 10.

Oh well. No matter what happens, at least we'll be rid of Texas.