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.

[HolyHandgernade]

There was another rumor being floated on the KUSports thread, and maybe some of you K-Staties can weigh in on it, I'll pull it verbatim:

I know I'm going to get blasted but here is the scoop as I've been told. B1G waiting to see what happens w/the B12...Not going to tip their hat. If the B12 emplodes, KU and KSU have spots. Why? Research and local. Been told by a Fed that directs the transition between Plum Island and NBAF that the B1G would take KSU and the $1 bill that goes w/them. The State & Fed knows this and won't let the two seperate and the State will intervene if any other scenario should happen. Another spot is always open to ND and the other will be decided between MU or ISU depending on what should happen.

I know Pac or Bust doesn't like this, but it will be a Bust. The B1G has been in contact w/KSU and there is already a plan in place to satisfy the acedemics over a period and the arangement that we go w/them. It's either ND, MU, or ISU that's going too. I understand that it isn't so, until it happens, but just want you to know that you heard it here first. Freakin' Awsome, but I do hope the B12 stays.

So, has anyone heard anything about that angle. If it is true, it could explain why MU has hardly made a peep about realignment, really ditto for KU and KSU as well. Of course, that same silence could be explained by an absolute helpless feeling as well!

[DeezNutz]

Research and local? Local what? . Please want us, please want us, please want us.

At this point, boys, all of the major three local schools are in some trouble.

[LiveSteam]

When Tom Osborne talks the Big 10 listens. KU & KSU should kiss his feet

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

There was another rumor being floated on the KUSports thread, and maybe some of you K-Staties can weigh in on it, I'll pull it verbatim:



So, has anyone heard anything about that angle. If it is true, it could explain why MU has hardly made a peep about realignment, really ditto for KU and KSU as well. Of course, that same silence could be explained by an absolute helpless feeling as well!

A few days ago I was hearing a lot of Texas, ND, ISU, and Mizzou to the B1G. But it would be nice if ND still decides to stay out, and ISU, Mizzou, KU, and KSU go instead.

Would Mizzou to the Pac with Texas, Oklahoma, and OSU make any sense?

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Research and local? Local what? . Please want us, please want us, please want us.

At this point, boys, all of the major three local schools are in some trouble.

I think what this poster was trying to say is that the State of Kansas (local) won't let the two schools be separated and the B1G wants to be associated with that billion dollar grant (research) going to KSU.

I don't know the guy, I imagine he is a KSU fan and looking for the KSU saves KU (and possibly MU) angle from conference oblivion. Apparently the grant is a huge animal research project, and since KSU has one of the top veterinarian colleges in the nation, they got the grant.

[RustShack]

Oh and blah blah blah I know TV sets are the main thing driving this(even though the B1G hasn't acted that way whatsoever), but ISU is the best fit of any school in this for the B1G in terms of everything they look for and want in a school.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

I think what this poster was trying to say is that the State of Kansas (local) won't let the two schools be separated and the B1G wants to be associated with that billion dollar grant (research) going to KSU.

I don't know the guy, I imagine he is a KSU fan and looking for the KSU saves KU (and possibly MU) angle from conference oblivion. Apparently the grant is a huge animal research project, and since KSU has one of the top veterinarian colleges in the nation, they got the grant.

Hasn't it already been said several times that KU and KSU don't have to stay together in this?

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by RustShack

A few days ago I was hearing a lot of Texas, ND, ISU, and Mizzou to the B1G. But it would be nice if ND still decides to stay out, and ISU, Mizzou, KU, and KSU go instead.

Would Mizzou to the Pac with Texas, Oklahoma, and OSU make any sense?

Most of the PAC chatter about excluding Tech was about replacing them with KU actually. The ideal situation for the PAC was UT-OU-KU-MU, but OU and UT are sticking up for their in state neighbors.

Does this mean the PAC doesn't go through? It could, but it wouldn't necessarily be the saving grace for the Big XII as the SEC would surely try to get involved.

According to this poster (and I am not vouching for any credibility) ISU's best shot is if MU jumps to the SEC.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

I think what this poster was trying to say is that the State of Kansas (local) won't let the two schools be separated and the B1G wants to be associated with that billion dollar grant (research) going to KSU.

I don't know the guy, I imagine he is a KSU fan and looking for the KSU saves KU (and possibly MU) angle from conference oblivion. Apparently the grant is a huge animal research project, and since KSU has one of the top veterinarian colleges in the nation, they got the grant.

I don't believe that KSU is coveted as an academic institution by an "elite" conference for any reason. I know that sounds like I'm blasting KSU, but I'm not. I'd gladly send a child there--good place.

But we have to be realistic about this whole thing, too.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Hasn't it already been said several times that KU and KSU don't have to stay together in this?

That's correct. But, you'll notice that KU hasn't been out actively campaigning itself, neither has MU for that matter.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

I don't believe that KSU is coveted as an academic institution by an "elite" conference for any reason. I know that sounds like I'm blasting KSU, but I'm not. I'd gladly send a child there--good place.

But we have to be realistic about this whole thing, too.

I would agree with you, unless this billion dollar grant gives KSU at least the appearance of an AAU university even if it hasn't received the title yet. Remember, the CIC amount the B1G gets is 6 billion a year. I know that's an annual amount, but you can see how large this grant is to KSU.

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Oh and blah blah blah I know TV sets are the main thing driving this(even though the B1G hasn't acted that way whatsoever), but ISU is the best fit of any school in this for the B1G in terms of everything they look for and want in a school.

Please, MU, KU, KSU are all better fits for the B1G than ISU. Of those four, MU is the best fit, and I would put KU a distant second, with KSU and ISU way behind both of them.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

That's correct. But, you'll notice that KU hasn't been out actively campaigning itself, neither has MU for that matter.

Neither has Syracuse or Pitt. OU and UT can be confident, but for most teams there is no reason to be seen publicly whoring yourself out. Everyone's burning the phone lines in the background.

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Much earlier in the thread, I posed a question about researching funding for state universities. Where does this money come from? State appropriations? Part of the larger tuition pie?

All of this was based on the ruse that academics matter in any of this.

Utah: shit
OU: shit (but a better smelling pile than some of the other shit)
OSU: shit
TT: shit

No, all of your nonsense was based on the report from my source (who's reports appear to be confirmed by other reporting today) that people in the Pac-1x office had interest in Rice being paired with Texas because of their academic rankings and their presence in Houston.

But you make it into whatever you want. You have no idea what you are talking about.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Neither has Syracuse or Pitt. OU and UT can be confident, but for most teams there is no reason to be seen publicly whoring yourself out. Everyone's burning the phone lines in the background.

Yes, but Syracuse and Pitt had something that KU and KSU didn't: large TV markets. It wasn't likely those two schools were going to be without a spot at the dinner table. They could afford to keep a low profile.