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

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Metrolike

You obviously have no idea what you're talking about. UK has been pretty much IRRELEVANT for the last 12 years. They hired Calipari and came back to prominence last year. UNC just got done playing in the ****ing NIT (yes, they have 2 NC's in the past 5 years, talk to me in 2013 to see if KU will have matched that). Duke has been pretty solid but was also teetering on the edge of obscurity until this year.

You don't see coaches leave North Carolina, Duke, or Kentucky for greener pastures in college basketball.

[Brock]

You'd think a big bad football power like Mizzou would have better luck against KU than a coin flip.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Metrolike

It's not going to be televised in Texas you stupid ****ing monkey. Where do you think the Big 10 Network is shown?

You can purchase the Big 10 Network in any market in the country. Gary Pinkel can walk into the living room of any player in Texas and tell them that their parents can watch every game they play in HD. EVERY GAME

If MU wants to get exposure by physically playing in the state of Texas, they can schedule games there in the non-conference. As it is, North schools only play in Texas about once or twice a year anyway. That shouldn't be too hard to replicate.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

You don't see coaches leave North Carolina, Duke, or Kentucky for greener pastures in college basketball.

Oh goodness, what a low blow. A KU coach went home and now all of a sudden KU is not a basketball blue blood. You realize you sound like a complete ****ing dumbass in your every post, right?

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Notre Dame is a national team. They have a following all over the country plus they are a great academic institution. This isn't all about market share, but it's at least 50% of the equation. That's why you get teams like Rutgers tossed around.

Meh, a national following doesn't matter that much if you're not broadcasting on a national basis like NBC, but at least you are admitting there's more to the equation than TV markets. And there will still be interest in the Big XII in the KC area with KU and KSU right there as well, I don't see that as a complete loss.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

"all about...and nothing else" - no, of course not.

But let's face it, Mizzou is the only major school in Missouri, a state with a top 20 population base and 2 major metropolitan areas (with a combined 6 major leage sports teams between them).

Very few schools can claim that kind of market saturation in a relatively major state.

Combine that with the #1 journalism school in the country (not altogether unimportant when you're looking for media exposure; program directors are still loyal to their schools) and things like the nuclear reactor and MU has an incredibly strong argument for inclusion and a whole lot to offer the Big 10.

And the Big XII will absolutely miss Mizzou if it walks. Stiff upper lip and all that, but losing MU (as well as most of the Big XII's motivation for holding any major conference events in KC) will absolutely leave a mark.

I completely agree, and I never said they wouldn't miss them. But it won't screw them, it will take a defection from second north team for that to happen. That's when shit hits the fan.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Metrolike

You do realize that you will lose pretty much all exposure to Texas kids who happen to be your driving force, right?

Yup, they'll probably take a step backward.

At the same time, they'll have an absolute stranglehold on the KC area and get an even bigger leg up in STL.

Pinkel built his programs around TX kids when he was getting his feet under him, but lets not ignore how many major recruits he's scored from MO recently.

Maclin was a MO kid, Washington is, Christopher, Coffman, Ricks, Rucker, Franklin, Moore, Kemp, Aldon Smith -- all Missouri guys.

Weatherspoon and Alexander were from Texas, but they were two-star guys. You really think MU couldn't go keep going into Texas and grabbing 2-star guys to play for a Big-10 squad? Of course Daniel and Franklin are from Texas, but Pinkel now has a national rep for a QB friendly offense -- Pinkel will still be fine at QB.

They may take a short step back, but it's overblown. MU isn't anywhere near as dependant on TX talent as the KC heads claim.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

You can purchase the Big 10 Network in any market in the country. Gary Pinkel can walk into the living room of any player in Texas and tell them that their parents can watch every game they play in HD. EVERY GAME

Well sure. And then there's the real world.

[DeezNutz]

Keep the positive vibes going, KU fans. You're better than us in every. single. way. Really.

[KcMizzou]

Two quotes from billay (of all people) summed things up pretty nicely.

When it was just Mizzou being mentioned, he said, "See ya, bundle of stickss."

Then when it was Nebraska and Mizzou, it was, "See ya Big XII bundle of stickss."

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Brock

You'd think a big bad football power like Mizzou would have better luck against KU than a coin flip.

Scoreboard

I love how KU fans are lining up to talk about the move that is rocking the entire college sports world and trying to say that Mizzou isn't desirable.

The future of Kansas athletics over at least the next decade will have more to do with what MU does than what KU does. I guess I'd be bitter too if the shoe was on the other foot.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Metrolike

Oh goodness, what a low blow. A KU coach went home and now all of a sudden KU is not a basketball blue blood. You realize you sound like a complete ****ing dumbass in your every post, right?

You're free to talk about Kansas in any thread you please. There's got to be one about your one win in the Big XII in last year's football season. Oh wait. You're a basketball school. Isn't there a thread where you can discuss your one win in the tournament last year?

[Pants]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yup, they'll probably take a step backward.

At the same time, they'll have an absolute stranglehold on the KC area and get an even bigger leg up in STL.

Pinkel built his programs around TX kids when he was getting his feet under him, but lets not ignore how many major recruits he's scored from MO recently.

Maclin was a MO kid, Washington is, Christopher, Coffman, Ricks, Rucker, Franklin, Moore, Kemp, Aldon Smith -- all Missouri guys.

Weatherspoon and Alexander were from Texas, but they were two-star guys. You really think MU couldn't go keep going into Texas and grabbing 2-star guys to play for a Big-10 squad? Of course Daniel and Franklin are from Texas, but Pinkel now has a national rep for a QB friendly offense -- Pinkel will still be fine at QB.

They may take a short step back, but it's overblown. MU isn't anywhere near as dependant on TX talent as the KC heads claim.

I can agree with all that to an extent. Texas still produces the most talent in the country and even after the Longhorns are done picking the creme de la creme, there's probably more talent left over than in any other state to begin with. I agree that MU will have complete dominance of their state, but think Pinkel has already achieved all that. Another beneficial thing is that MU can easily hang with everyone except for tOSU (and maybe Michigan) in that conference.

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Yup, they'll probably take a step backward.

At the same time, they'll have an absolute stranglehold on the KC area and get an even bigger leg up in STL.

Pinkel built his programs around TX kids when he was getting his feet under him, but lets not ignore how many major recruits he's scored from MO recently.

Maclin was a MO kid, Washington is, Christopher, Coffman, Ricks, Rucker, Franklin, Moore, Kemp, Aldon Smith -- all Missouri guys.

Weatherspoon and Alexander were from Texas, but they were two-star guys. You really think MU couldn't go keep going into Texas and grabbing 2-star guys to play for a Big-10 squad? Of course Daniel and Franklin are from Texas, but Pinkel now has a national rep for a QB friendly offense -- Pinkel will still be fine at QB.

They may take a short step back, but it's overblown. MU isn't anywhere near as dependant on TX talent as the KC heads claim.

And Pinkel's roots are in Ohio, IIRC.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Keep the positive vibes going, KU fans. You're better than us in every. single. way. Really.

No, I would say you have bigger TV markets and your football program is in a much better shape even though you don't have anything to show for it quite yet. You will, though.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Scoreboard

I love how KU fans are lining up to talk about the move that is rocking the entire college sports world and trying to say that Mizzou isn't desirable.

The future of Kansas athletics over at least the next decade will have more to do with what MU does than what KU does. I guess I'd be bitter too if the shoe was on the other foot.

I feel pretty certain KU will be just fine whether MU stays or goes. I care a whole lot more about losing Nebraska.