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.

[Saulbadguy]

Tulsa World guy...

DaveSittler Dave Sittler
Source: On the Big 12- "Be on your toes ALL MORNING. Two separate announcements, probably within hours."

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by mnchiefsguy

Sorry, I did read that, but was focusing more on the OU/Texas part. The MWC part seemed so far out of left field that I did not give it any consideration.

LOL.

Take a break from all of this. It's rotting your brain.

BTW, GregSwine said, MVC, not MWC. An even bigger WTF

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

mnchiefsguy has outed himself as a dumbass. He can join Stewie and HHG at the back of the room.

Just focused on the part of the quote that was in the realm of possibility. Chitown did not specify that he was laughing at that particular part, and I was curious if he actually thought Texas would give up Tier 3 rights to another conference where it would tougher for them to get to the national championship game, when they won't do that for the conference that they are in.

You can join Stewie and HHG at the back of the room, you ****ing dumbass.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Mengus22 Mark Ennis
by PJ_BOTC
Oh boy. RT @DaveSittler: Source: Big 12 will have two separate announcements today, perhaps late morning. Let the guessing begin.

OU announces it is a "proud member of the Big 12".

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

LOL.

Take a break from all of this. It's rotting your brain.

BTW, GregSwine said, MVC, not MWC. An even bigger WTF

Holy shit. I think my brain just automatically assumed that was a typo.

[Saulbadguy]

Boom, ROASTED.

ChipBrownOB Chip Brown
Sources tell OB Big 12 presidents voted this morning to invite TCU and have formally agreed to grant rights on Tier 1 and 2 TV for 6 yrs.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

OU announces it is a "proud member of the Big 12..........FOR NOW".

FYP

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by Saulbadguy

Boom, ROASTED.

ChipBrownOB Chip Brown
Sources tell OB Big 12 presidents voted this morning to invite TCU and have formally agreed to grant rights on Tier 1 and 2 TV for 6 yrs.

What exactly does this roast? TCU was on the list of schools to potentially be invited. As to the granting of the rights, I thought all of the schools were different, as in some schools had to have their curators formally vote to grant rights, while some schools allowed their Presidents autonomy to do so.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Mizzou fans are too close to the situation right now. I think the whole lot of them could use a timeout.

Please. There's enough butthurt flowing out of Kansas to keep Preparation H in business for next 1,000 years.

[Saulbadguy]

HE KNOWS WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

[DaKCMan AP]

LOL @ TCU potentially leaving the Big East and paying a $5 million exit fee before officially playing a game while in the conference.

[eazyb81]

Originally Posted by frazod

Please. There's enough butthurt flowing out of Kansas to keep Preparation H in business for next 1,000 years.

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

LOL @ TCU potentially leaving the Big East and paying a $5 million exit fee before officially playing a game while in the conference.

I could understand them doing it. TCU's top priority is getting into a conference that is a BCS AQ. Long term it would be worth the cost, if the BIG XII stays together.

And since the Big East will probably lose AQ status if things keep up, this would be a positive move for them. Plus travel would be easier too.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by mnchiefsguy

I could understand them doing it. TCU's top priority is getting into a conference that is a BCS AQ. Long term it would be worth the cost, if the BIG XII stays together.

I get it, but it's still funny.

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

I get it, but it's still funny.

It is ironic. Although I am sure there is some rich booster down there that will pony up the pocket change.