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.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Hey! They're going to have to get better in all sports because the Gators have a kick-ass softball team and there are several awesome baseball teams in the SEC!

Agreed, getting in is one thing, competing is another. But, for their sake, hopefully this will help their recruiting enough to compete. Softball is a year around sport down south, is it not?

[eazyb81]

Looks like Petro is getting fired.

[Dayze]

lol. Petro going against the company line.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Looks like Petro is getting fired.

Huh?

Petro's knocking it out of the park right now, IMO.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by frazod

Just letting you know that your passive-aggressive idiocy continues to irritate members of all fan bases, including your own.

Carry on.

Passive Agressive? Not at all.

Kansas is/was way too comfortable with the situation that is the Big 12.

That is their problem and they need to correct it.

The LHN is worth more than what KU is bringing in 3rd tier so its all out in the open now.

KU is to blame in losing MU as their rival just as much as it is blame MU for not standing by their conference allies of 100 years.

That's the point.

He wants to call me a tool over it then I don't give a ****. I'm here and willing to talk about how it can work out. For those not interested I couldn't care less.

[Dayze]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Huh?

Petro's knocking it out of the park right now, IMO.

I think because KK has the exact opposite take; and KK is his boss (I think)

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Huh?

Petro's knocking it out of the park right now, IMO.

KK is going to fire him for not toting the company motto that Mizzou is crazy for going to the SEC and is going to get crushed.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Dayze

I think because KK has the exact opposite take; and KK is his boss (I think)

Really? I never thought KK had any direct authority over Petro.

That would suck - Petro's a much MUCH better radio guy than KK.

[Dayze]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Really? I never thought KK had any direct authority over Petro.

That would suck - Petro's a much MUCH better radio guy than KK.

yeah, that's just my wild-assed guess. I thought KK was the main guy there etc.

but again, WAG on my part.

[Dayze]

if/when that SEC network deal comes through, I'm totally getting it.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by Dayze

I think because KK has the exact opposite take; and KK is his boss (I think)

KK is a co-owner. But he's been pretty consistent on saying that radio personalities on 810 have complete control over what they talk about.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Agreed, getting in is one thing, competing is another. But, for their sake, hopefully this will help their recruiting enough to compete. Softball is a year around sport down south, is it not?

They're going to have to spend more $$ to compete.

Rank School Athletic Expenses ’09-’10 (Millions)
1 Florida 105.2
2 LSU 102.2
3 Tennessee 96.6
4 Auburn 90.8
5 Alabama 85.3
6 S. Carolina 78.2
7t Georgia 76.2
7t Kentucky 76.2
9 Arkansas 71.8
X Missouri 53.1
10 Vanderbilt 45.7
11 Ole Miss 43.9
12 Miss. State 36.2

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by frazod

Well, if we shed some Kansas types in the process, it will be worth it.

I agree. Losing any KU folks is a net +.

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

I agree. Losing any KU folks is a net +.

Feeling is mutual Bill...

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

KK is going to fire him for not toting the company motto that Mizzou is crazy for going to the SEC and is going to get crushed.

This is why KK is the best in the biz. He talks and people listen. Just to disagree or speculate. As if the guy would fire Petro for anything said on the air.

Petro quit to take a competing job at the old 980 during PM drive time. Petro lost his ass in the ratings and walked right back in the door to 810.

KK would never fire him.