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

[Sully]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

Blair-Shannon my Freshman year, then moved to a house near the corner of East Monroe and South Kimbrough, just a couple blocks from JQH Arena.

The house and the parties were epic, my grades, however, were not.

Thus, I'm back in school many, many years later.

Good God...
You may very well have "had" my girlfriend at the time. Same dorm, same years, and she did screw around...

You bastard!!!

[Pants]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

And I'll wish ku good luck recruiting Josh Shelby's when they are playing in the MWC and not on national TV weekly...

If we somehow manage to keep the staff, won't be an issue.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Notre Dame will not move until/unless it becomes clear the super conference is coming.

I think the writing is on the wall with that.

My favorite thing in all this... Texas' "Ultimatum" is just going to work in Missouri and Nebraska's favor. Best thing that could happen for those schools:

1) Friday "Ultimatum" deadline comes and goes, and the Texas 6 depart as a result.
2) THOSE schools are the ones that get nailed for leaving the league on short notice. (LOLZ)
3) The Big Ten, in response to the Pac-16, goes to 16 (or possibly even 18). Notre Dame, seeing the super conference movement pick up speed, agrees to join the new Big 16 (rather than get left behind. All that NBC money dwindles if all the rest of the good football schools take their balls to a new league)
4) Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Rutgers and Syracuse join the Big 16.
5) kansas, kansas state, Iowa State and the loser of the Baylor/Colorado feud for the Texas 6's final spot join the MWC (which likely gains BCS status in a year or two... and then sees the BCS disappear when the fourth super conference is formed).

This is extremely beneficial for Missouri and Nebraska recruiting (both in KC, Missouri in St. Louis).

And I'll wish ku good luck recruiting Josh Shelby's when they are playing in the MWC and not on national TV weekly...

I just can't see those 6 going to the Pac-10 for multiple reasons:

1. This hot shot new Pac-10 commish may have bitten off more than than he can chew with his words Sunday. Rumor now is that the Academia wing of the Pac 10 (Cal, Stanford, etc.) are not so sure about schools like Ok St, Texas Tech and Baylor... Athletics do not mean everything to millions of college people in this country.

2. Everyone is ignoring the time difference and travel distance issues. Collegiate athletics is not all about football no matter how much these media talking heads are trying to make it out to be. Washington State to Southern Cal is one thing... Washington State to Texas is another.

3. So Texas is just going to give up all it has to deal with playing Oklahoma every year in a division title game and then having to end up playing USC for the title? I'm not so sure. For what? The prospects of a $20 million share of a TV contract? A lot of which will have to go back into funding the crazy travel and scheduling of the smaller sports? Why not just stay where they are?

I can believe MU wanting to go to the Big 10, the question is whether or not they end up asking. NEB I think will be more likely to be asked, but more unlikely to accept than MU.

If they're both ask, they both go. But I don't think Texas reacts because of those two schools leaving. If they go it will be their own decision.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by billay

He'll be the best AD in the Mountain West.

With doing so much with so little (as you all like to put it) he could be called the best AD in the Big 12.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

I just can't see those 6 going to the Pac-10 for multiple reasons:

1. This hot shot new Pac-10 commish may have bitten off more than than he can chew with his words Sunday. Rumor now is that the Academia wing of the Pac 10 (Cal, Stanford, etc.) are not so sure about schools like Ok St, Texas Tech and Baylor... Athletics do not mean everything to millions of college people in this country.

2. Everyone is ignoring the time difference and travel distance issues. Collegiate athletics is not all about football no matter how much these media talking heads are trying to make it out to be. Washington State to Southern Cal is one thing... Washington State to Texas is another.

3. So Texas is just going to give up all it has to deal with playing Oklahoma every year in a division title game and then having to end up playing USC for the title? I'm not so sure. For what? The prospects of a $20 million share of a TV contract? A lot of which will have to go back into funding the crazy travel and scheduling of the smaller sports? Why not just stay where they are?

I can believe MU wanting to go to the Big 10, the question is whether or not they end up asking. NEB I think will be more likely to be asked, but more unlikely to accept than MU.

If they're both ask, they both go. But I don't think Texas reacts because of those two schools leaving. If they go it will be their own decision.

1) Baylor is not a bad academic school. It actually is pretty good. And Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona State, Arizona, Wazzou are no better academically than Tech or Okie Lite. The Pac-10 academic wing basically is Cal and Stanford, with decent efforts from UCLA, USC and Washington.

2) They will find a scheduling deal that works for Olympic sports. For football, travel won't be a huge issue due to the division alignment.

3) The Big 12 has a shitty TV deal that is already far behind the Big Ten, SEC and ACC. How is it going to improve that without Missouri and Nebraska? If the Texas 6 to the Pac-10 doesn't handle, the league likely WILL grab Colorado and Utah.

The Big 12 HAS to improve the next deal or it's going to die. Ain't going to happen without the markets Missouri and Colorado bring. Lose either, and you're lucky to find a TV deal consistent with inflation. Lose both? YOu're taking a step back.

4) Missouri and Nebraska are both going to get offers. It's highly possible each has at least a verbal offer in place at this point (and has for a while).

[DeezNutz]

UCLA, USC, and Washington are much better than decent efforts.

Academically, those three universities are significantly better than any university in the Big XII not named Texas.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Metrolike

If we somehow manage to keep the staff, won't be an issue.

Will Self stick around, though? Somehow, I think he wants to do more than beat the sh*t out of Wyoming and Colorado State and co.

Anyway, I know Memphis recruits at a huge level despite the CUSA affiliation, but that's with huge regional recruiting advantages, entrance requirements that basically amount to: "Can you spell your name" and an AD that has been tied pretty strongly to blatant cheating (Derrick Rose, anyone?). Would ku eventually have to resort to similar tactics to stay where it is?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

UCLA, USC, and Washington are much better than decent efforts.

Academically, those three universities are significantly better than any university in the Big XII not named Texas.

Just saying... Texas Tech and Okie Lite (and OU, too, I guess) would fit OK into the 'academic dead weight' category with Arizona State, Wazzou, Oregon, Oregon State, etc.

The Pac-10 is very top heavy with strong academic institutions... but the bottom of the conference isn't much different than what the Texas 6 would bring (outside CU, aTm and UT)....

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Will Self stick around, though? Somehow, I think he wants to do more than beat the sh*t out of Wyoming and Colorado State and co.

Anyway, I know Memphis recruits at a huge level despite the CUSA affiliation, but that's with huge regional recruiting advantages, entrance requirements that basically amount to: "Can you spell your name" and an AD that has been tied pretty strongly to blatant cheating (Derrick Rose, anyone?). Would ku eventually have to resort to similar tactics to stay where it is?

Well Kansas has been the only viable basketball program in the Big 12 (maybe Texas) and they haven't had any trouble recruiting with the best, sending players to the NBA, making Final Fours and winning a title.

So no, moving to the MWC won't hurt Kansas basketball that much imo. They'll soon be setting the all time record for consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and I don't think that's in jeporday either.

But I don't think the Big 12's breaking up so what does it matter?

[DJ's left nut]

Regarding the 'massive' Big 12 TV deal - it's a pipe dream.

Texas is going to insist on its own TV network as a condition to keeping the Big 12 alive. It's going to tell Big 12 leadership that it's only going to decline the Pac-10 deal if the B12 consents to the UT network with UT keeping the revenue. If Texas has it's own Network, the Big 12 TV deal is worth about a buck fiddy.

The Big 12 is dead. Be it this year or in 3 years -- it's ****ing dead. By whoring out to Texas, the Big 12 has ensured that it's little more than UT's bitch.

You simply cannot allow one school to control a conference like this. Beebe was too damn stupid to realize it.

It's over. If they want to limp along for another year or two, maybe they can. But the Big 12 as a legitimate major conference is done.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Just saying... Texas Tech and Okie Lite (and OU, too, I guess) would fit OK into the 'academic dead weight' category with Arizona State, Wazzou, Oregon, Oregon State, etc.

The Pac-10 is very top heavy with strong academic institutions... but the bottom of the conference isn't much different than what the Texas 6 would bring (outside CU, aTm and UT)....

Agreed.

[CrazyPhuD]

here's an interesting study from the 07-8 school year on total athletic revenue for FBS schools...

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/spo...-tell-you.html

1st Texas $120,288,370 Big 12
10th Oklahoma State $88,554,438 Big 12
11th Kansas $86,009,257 Big 12
17th Oklahoma $77,098,009 Big 12
20th Nebraska $75,492,884 Big 12
21st Texas A&M $74,781,640 Big 12
43rd Colorado $52,631,896 Big 12
46th Missouri $49,113,786 Big 12
47th Kansas State $48,160,113 Big 12
56th Baylor $44,151,763 Big 12
58th Texas Tech $42,844,855 Big 12
63rd Iowa State $38,642,013 Big 12

The inequity is pretty shocking....but I will say I doubt KU would have a hard time landing in a major, even if they are straddled with KSU.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by CrazyPhuD

here's an interesting study from the 07-8 school year on total athletic revenue for FBS schools...

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/spo...-tell-you.html



The inequity is pretty shocking....but I will say I doubt KU would have a hard time landing in a major, even if they are straddled with KSU.

To be fair Kansas won a BCS Bowl game that year giving them a decent spike but no, it's not that far off.

Kansas brings in a tremendous amount of money for ITSELF. The worry is does it make a TV cable subscriber deal better to sell?

KU has a huge national following but that doesn't neccessarily translate to cable subscriptions at home, where there just aren't that many people.

I agree, the athletic achievement that KU has is going to be hard to ignore if any of this movement ever happens.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

Well Kansas has been the only viable basketball program in the Big 12 (maybe Texas) and they haven't had any trouble recruiting with the best, sending players to the NBA, making Final Fours and winning a title.

So no, moving to the MWC won't hurt Kansas basketball that much imo. They'll soon be setting the all time record for consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and I don't think that's in jeporday either.

But I don't think the Big 12's breaking up so what does it matter?

I think I've reached the point where I can only admire your optimism. 'Quixotic' does't even do you justice.

I think you're completely delusional, but I'll be damned if you aren't doing a fine job of keeping a stiff upper lip.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I think I've reached the point where I can only admire your optimism. 'Quixotic' does't even do you justice.

I think you're completely delusional, but I'll be damned if you aren't doing a fine job of keeping a stiff upper lip.

If delusional keeps winning Kansas titles then that's quite fine with me.

Nice car by the way. Looks like you've compensated well.