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.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Stewie

This travel stuff cracks me up.

If there are 12 teams in two divisions BYU and WVU would make the trip once every four years since they'd be in different divisions.

And sitting in a plane an extra hour is not a deal breaker.

I agree that it's not a deal breaker and not nearly as big a deal as some would make out of it, but to be fair, football isn't the only sport that would be affected by the travel issues.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Stewie

This travel stuff cracks me up.

If there are 12 teams in two divisions BYU and WVU would make the trip once every four years since they'd be in different divisions.

And sitting in a plane an extra hour is not a deal breaker.

No kidding.

We're talking an hour, maybe 2, in additional travel time on any given weekend.

The travel tripe means nothing.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

They aren't.

There are way WAY too many things that would have to fall into place, most of which are very much opposite of the character of the parties involved, for me to believe this will actually happen.

But if it does, I'm convinced it's because Gary Pinkel's open frustration has the fanbase riled up and the BOC has taken notice. Like I said when I first heard him say it a month or so ago - Gary Pinkel is not one to launch shots across the bow. If he's saying this, he's very VERY angry about it.

And Pinkel holds a hell of a lot of sway right now.

As he should, he has delivered, and improved that program dramatically. If he could just figure out how to beat the Sooners, there would be no stopping them.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

As he should, he has delivered, and improved that program dramatically. If he could just figure out how to beat the Sooners, there would be no stopping them.

Did it last year.

They just have to keep improving and putting themselves in cyclical positions to be contenders.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by mnchiefsguy

And apparently twitter is all abuzz now because the Mizzou Lacrosse coach was fired. I have to admit, I don't recall knowing that Mizzou had a Lacrosse team.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Stewie

This travel stuff cracks me up.

If there are 12 teams in two divisions BYU and WVU would make the trip once every four years since they'd be in different divisions.

And sitting in a plane an extra hour is not a deal breaker.

Say what you will but geographic proximity makes for stronger ties and fiercer rivalries in college ball.

An extra hour on the plane you say? What about the swim teams and lacrosse teams and all the other teams that don't have that kind of air travel budget?

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

Did it last year.

They just have to keep improving and putting themselves in cyclical positions to be contenders.

I missed that, kudos to him. Then he lost to the Huskers and TT on the road, but a very good season.

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Say what you will but geographic proximity makes for stronger ties and fiercer rivalries in college ball.

An extra hour on the plane you say? What about the swim teams and lacrosse teams and all the other teams that don't have that kind of air travel budget?

It's no longer about rivalries. It's about going somewhere that seems stable.

As for the other sports travel, they already travel 1000s of miles. I'm not an expert, but I'd imagine that Iowa State women's softball flies to Lubbock every once in a while and vice versa.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Stewie

It's no longer about rivalries. It's about going somewhere that seems stable.

As for the other sports travel, they already travel 1000s of miles. I'm not an expert, but I'd imagine that Iowa State women's softball flies to Lubbock every once in a while and vice versa.

So glad I'm B10 where we don't have to say shit like that.
SEC might not agree with it either.

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by vailpass

So glad I'm B10 where we don't have to say shit like that.
SEC might not agree with it either.

The old rivalries die, but Nebraska moving to the Big 10 and aTm to the SEC doesn't create any great rivalry interest. Colorado to the PAC is really boring. It's money for money's sake.

I was listening to an interesting point on the radio today that said this isn't over. The small guys in the big conferences will feel the heat. That is, why would Northwestern or Miss. State remain parts of those conferences? Tradition is no longer an issue. It's TV contracts that's the end game.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Stewie

The old rivalries die, but Nebraska moving to the Big 10 and aTm to the SEC doesn't create any great rivalry interest. Colorado to the PAC is really boring. It's money for money's sake.

I was listening to an interesting point on the radio today that said this isn't over. The small guys in the big conferences will feel the heat. That is, why would Northwestern or Miss. State remain parts of those conferences? Tradition is no longer an issue. It's TV contracts that's the end game.

You mean the old Big8 rivalries die and I think that sucks. The rest of the country still has their tradition.
Why wouldn't Northwestern remain B10? Whoever asked that is a dumbass.

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by Stewie

The old rivalries die, but Nebraska moving to the Big 10 and aTm to the SEC doesn't create any great rivalry interest. Colorado to the PAC is really boring. It's money for money's sake.

I was listening to an interesting point on the radio today that said this isn't over. The small guys in the big conferences will feel the heat. That is, why would Northwestern or Miss. State remain parts of those conferences? Tradition is no longer an issue. It's TV contracts that's the end game.

Where is Northwestern or Miss. State going to go to get a better TV deal than what they have now?

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by vailpass

You mean the old Big8 rivalries die and I think that sucks. The rest of the country still has their tradition.
Why wouldn't Northwestern remain B10? Whoever asked that is a dumbass.

It was strictly a financial question about small schools in big conferences that aren't successful in athletics, but are protected by being a part of the conference. Would the Big 10 dump Northwestern if they could get Notre Dame? Would the SEC dump Miss. State if they could get Texas?

The point being made was if it's all about TV, why would these conferences bat an eye at dumping irrelevant programs?

[Saulbadguy]

The University of Chicago has a standing invite to the Big 10.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Stewie

The old rivalries die, but Nebraska moving to the Big 10 and aTm to the SEC doesn't create any great rivalry interest. Colorado to the PAC is really boring. It's money for money's sake.

I was listening to an interesting point on the radio today that said this isn't over. The small guys in the big conferences will feel the heat. That is, why would Northwestern or Miss. State remain parts of those conferences? Tradition is no longer an issue. It's TV contracts that's the end game.

You don't think Nebraska/Iowa, Nebraska/OSU could be good?