New Conference re-alignment thread

[Saulbadguy]

The old one has AIDS.

Anyways, Chip Brown from Orangebloods.com reports OU may apply to the Pac-12 by the end of the month.

Oklahoma will apply for membership to the Pac-12 before the end of the month, and Oklahoma State is expected to follow suit, a source close to OU's administration told Orangebloods.com.

Even though Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said Friday the Pac-12 was not interested in expansion at this time, OU's board of regents is fed up with the instability in the Big 12, the source said.

The OU board of regents will meet within two weeks to formalize plans to apply for membership to the Pac-12, the source said.

Messages left Sunday night with OU athletic director Joe Castiglione and Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder were not immediately returned.

If OU follows through with what appears to be a unanimous sentiment on the seven-member Oklahoma board of regents to leave the Big 12, realignment in college athletics could be heating back up. OU's application would be matched by an application from Oklahoma State, the source said, even though OSU president Burns Hargis and mega-booster Boone Pickens both voiced their support for the Big 12 last Thursday.

There is differing sentiment about if the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors are ready to expand again after bringing in Colorado and Utah last year and landing $3 billion TV contracts from Fox and ESPN. Colorado president Bruce Benson told reporters last week CU would be opposed to any expansion that might bring about east and west divisions in the Pac-12.

Currently, there are north and south divisions in the Pac-12. If OU and OSU were to join, Larry Scott would have to get creative.

Scott's orginal plan last summer was to bring in Colorado, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and put them in an eastern division with Arizona and Arizona State. The old Pac-8 schools (USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State) were to be in the west division.

Colorado made the move in June 2010, but when Texas A&M was not on board to go west, the Big 12 came back together with the help of its television partners (ABC/ESPN and Fox).

If Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were accepted into the Pac-12, there would undoubtedly be a hope by Larry Scott that Texas would join the league. But Texas sources have indicated UT is determined to hang onto the Longhorn Network, which would not be permissible in the Pac-12 in its current form.

Texas sources continue to indicate to Orangebloods.com that if the Big 12 falls apart, the Longhorns would consider "all options."

Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe held an emergency conference call 10 days ago with league presidents excluding Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M and asked the other league presidents to "work on Texas" because Beebe didn't think the Pac-12 would take Oklahoma without Texas.

Now, it appears OU is willing to take its chances with the Pac-12 with or without Texas.

There seemed to be a temporary pause in any possible shifting of the college athletics' landscape when Baylor led a charge to tie up Texas A&M's move to the Southeastern Conference in legal red tape. BU refused to waive its right to sue the SEC over A&M's departure from the Big 12, and the SEC said it would not admit Texas A&M until it had been cleared of any potential lawsuits.

Baylor, Kansas and Iowa State have indicated they will not waive their right to sue the SEC.

It's unclear if an application by OU to the Pac-12 would draw the same threats of litigation against the Pac-12 from those Big 12 schools.

Stay tuned.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

This.

It amazes me how MU fans want to bitch about Texas and the deal they have when it was Mizzou who gave them the opportunity to get that deal by starting this whole debacle last year.

Mizzou alone gave UT the power to start LHN? Do tell the details of the latest KSU conspiracy theory.

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by patteeu

I think "going into business with" is a little too strong for what is going on there. I'm not even sure it's a new thing. They're both advisors to someone else's business along with several commissioners, ADs, and other college sports figures. I don't know exactly what the arrangement is, but it looks a little like serving on a Board of Directors more than being a party of a business and sharing the profits.

It would be pretty surprising if the other schools in the conference weren't aware of this when they asked Neinas to act as interim commissioner.

It might be. But considering his predecessor was ousted for being a Texas man, you would think he would want to avoid any perception of that, especially at the beginning of his tenure.

I am ready for Mizzou to leave the Big XII simply because nothing can ever stay concrete. Anytime OU or UT wanna change the rules, they can and do. Alabama may hold the most power in the SEC, but you don't see them jerking everyone else's chains and changing up the rules. In the SEC, the elite rule on the field, but it appears that off the field the schools are on a much more equal footing than in the BIG XII.

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Mizzou alone gave UT the power to start LHN? Do tell the details of the latest KSU conspiracy theory.

Didn't say that. I said they gave them the opportunity to get what ever deal they wanted by shaking up the conference with talk of leaving. Before you know it Nebraska and Colorado are gone and Texas gets the deal they want to play conference "saviour".

But Mizzou set it all into motion.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Would you not agree that even the potential appearance of impropriety is a poor sign given the current Big 12 mess and the common theory that the prior Big 12 Commissioner was a UT puppet?

I don't think the news is a conviction of Neinas, but I do think the timing is terrible for this to make the public rounds.

No, because that is what Neinas does for a living. For some odd reason, he's built this gigantic reputation as a go-to guy if you need to have a national search for an AD or a coach. He has been hired by almost every school in the Big 12 at some point for some reason or another.

If this was something from out of the blue sure maybe it would raise some eyebrows, but since it has been his profession for decades, it is kinda goofy to read anything sinister into it.

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

Didn't say that. I said they gave them the opportunity to get what ever deal they wanted by shaking up the conference with talk of leaving. Before you know it Nebraska and Colorado are gone and Texas gets the deal they want to play conference "saviour".

But Mizzou set it all into motion.

So Mizzou is responsible because they looked out for their own interest? They should have just kept bending over and taking it just to keep the conference together? (Like Mizzou is soooo important that the BIG XII could not survive without it.)

Can't have it both ways. Either Mizzou is important enough to the conference to keep it together (which means UT and OU need to make relevant concessions to MU needs), or they are not (which means no one should care where Mizzou goes and what Mizzou does.) Which is it?

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

Didn't say that. I said they gave them the opportunity to get what ever deal they wanted by shaking up the conference with talk of leaving. Before you know it Nebraska and Colorado are gone and Texas gets the deal they want to play conference "saviour".

But Mizzou set it all into motion.

Ah, the ole Mizzou ruined the perfect harmony of the Big 12 theory. Gotcha. Carry on.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by alnorth

No, because that is what Neinas does for a living. For some odd reason, he's built this gigantic reputation as a go-to guy if you need to have a national search for an AD or a coach. He has been hired by almost every school in the Big 12 at some point for some reason or another.

If this was something from out of the blue sure maybe it would raise some eyebrows, but since it has been his profession for decades, it is kinda goofy to read anything sinister into it.

But the original concern many had about Neinas was that he was another Deloss Dodds' puppet. Less than a week after he is announced as the new Big 12 Commissioner, he announces a joint venture with - wait for it - Deloss Dodds. Maybe there really is nothing substantive about it, but perception is reality.

[Frazod]

Jesus, at this point I hope we stay in the Big XII just so we get to keep stomping the shit out of the Kansas teams.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

But the original concern many had about Neinas was that he was another Deloss Dodds' puppet. Less than a week after he is announced as the new Big 12 Commissioner, he announces a joint venture with - wait for it - Deloss Dodds. Maybe there really is nothing substantive about it, but perception is reality.

That concern is dumb.

You are starting a company and your business plan is to market yourself as a consultant that provides expert advice to universities for everything related to college athletics, from compliance to coaching searches.

You hire on one of our nation's leading AD and coaching search guys, and the director of the largest athletic department in the country to provide professional advice.

Obviously these aren't going to be the only two experts this firm is retaining, they probably have dozens, but we're going to pick this coincidence nit for all its worth.

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by mnchiefsguy

So Mizzou is responsible because they looked out for their own interest? They should have just kept bending over and taking it just to keep the conference together? (Like Mizzou is soooo important that the BIG XII could not survive without it.)

Can't have it both ways. Either Mizzou is important enough to the conference to keep it together (which means UT and OU need to make relevant concessions to MU needs), or they are not (which means no one should care where Mizzou goes and what Mizzou does.) Which is it?

Didn't say Mizzou was important to the over all viability of the conference. I said they set into motion the departures that have taken place by trying to do the same (and botching it badly I might add).

I don't know why the school thought they were getting ass raped, Texas didn't have this huge deal until last year. I still think it boils down to jealousy. If you can't beat 'em, leave 'em I guess.....

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Ah, the ole Mizzou ruined the perfect harmony of the Big 12 theory. Gotcha. Carry on.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by alnorth

That concern is dumb.

You are starting a company and your business plan is to market yourself as a consultant that provides expert advice to universities for everything related to college athletics, from compliance to coaching searches.

You hire on one of our nation's leading AD and coaching search guys, and the director of the largest athletic department in the country to provide professional advice.

Obviously these aren't going to be the only two experts this firm is retaining, they probably have dozens, but we're going to pick out this coincidence nit for all its worth.

The concern that the Big 12 (Texas) could hire a commissioner that is a Texas puppet - who would replace the prior Texas puppet - is dumb?

Okay al.

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Ah, the ole Mizzou ruined the perfect harmony of the Big 12 theory. Gotcha. Carry on.

Theory? Is it not fact that Mizzou was the first to look into leaving?

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

Theory? Is it not fact that Mizzou was the first to look into leaving?

Is it not fact that there were major structural problems within the Big 12 that created mistrust and selfishness?

If Mizzou was the only one unhappy and everyone else was holding hands and singing Kumbaya, why didn't everyone just kick out Mizzou? Why have three other schools left in the last year? Why were OU and OSU desperately wanting to leave a week ago?

You can't be this stupid, can you?

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Raiderhader

Theory? Is it not fact that Mizzou was the first to look into leaving?

You don't know who initiated it. What if they floated the offer to MU? Was Alden supposed to say "No, we can't do that - somebody in Kansas might get butthurt over it"?