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.

[kstater]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Of course not. Four terrible universities bailing from a conference has no effect on said conference's integrity or national perception and thus has no possible effect on K-State or any other team in the league.

The SEC has an STD. /KK (What he really said: I think Missouri has fallen in love with a girl and hasn't had her tested yet.)

I wouldn't call Nebraska terrible.

[Reerun_KC]

So when does MU make it official and when do they start playing in the SEC?

[kstater]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I think it could be a disaster. When looking at that conference realignment tool, I didn't see a single plausible scenario involving KSU going to a superconference. The most likely scenario involved Texas and Tech going to the B1G and KU going to the PAC with KSU. In other words, not likely at all. Short of that, it would require the B1G taking 2 Kansas teams.

You do realize 4 super conferences is just a talking head creation?

[veist]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

WHAT A CRAAAAAAZY IDEA!

It sure ain't a game changer though. You're still going to have a lot more in common with Miss St, Ole Miss and Vandy than LSU, Florida and Bama.

[allen_kcCard]

Originally Posted by veist

It sure ain't a game changer though. You're still going to have a lot more in common with Miss St, Ole Miss and Vandy than LSU, Florida and Bama.

Yup, millions of things in common with all of them, and one more with the the first three in having the bar set higher to strive for greater things.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by kstater

You do realize 4 super conferences is just a talking head creation?

Yep. Its just a myth. Never mind the fact that the 4 supposed superconferences have all added teams in the past 18 months.

Never mind the fact that both of the other BCS conferences have lost members.

Never mind the fact that 4 of the remaining schools in the Big IIX just tried to bolt to the PAC.

Never mind the fact that WVU and Rutgers are actively shopping themselves to the superconferences.

Never mind the fact that the MWC and CUSA decided they had to merge into a 40 team conference in a desperate attempt to remain viable.

Those 4 conferences would hate to create a playoff that would crowd out the have-nots in order to divvy up billions amongst themselves. Its all good in the 'hood.

[evenfall]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I think it could be a disaster. When looking at that conference realignment tool, I didn't see a single plausible scenario involving KSU going to a superconference. The most likely scenario involved Texas and Tech going to the B1G and KU going to the PAC with KSU. In other words, not likely at all. Short of that, it would require the B1G taking 2 Kansas teams.

I doubt any disaster is pending. But you have a conference that lost two members last year, two this year, and there are two others that were actively shopping themselves to the PAC-whatever. This Big 12 isn't going to be around 5 years from now. Something probably will be. Will it have Texas or OU, will it get an automatic bid, you can't say those things for sure. You are counting on Texas and OU to still be around when they have demostrated a clear desire to leave.

I think this just leaves bystanders wondering if the Big 12 has crossed the event horizon now, but without anything to do but watch

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by veist

It sure ain't a game changer though. You're still going to have a lot more in common with Miss St, Ole Miss and Vandy than LSU, Florida and Bama.

Why don't Miss, Miss St, and Vandy try to move to the Big IIX?

[kstater]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Yep. Its just a myth. Never mind the fact that the 4 supposed superconferences have all added teams in the past 18 months.

Never mind the fact that both of the other BCS conferences have lost members.

Never mind the fact that 4 of the remaining schools in the Big IIX just tried to bolt to the PAC.

Never mind the fact that WVU and Rutgers are actively shopping themselves to the superconferences.

Never mind the fact that the MWC and CUSA decided they had to merge into a 40 team conference in a desperate attempt to remain viable.

Those 4 conferences would hate to create a playoff that would crowd out the have-nots in order to divvy up billions amongst themselves. Its all good in the 'hood.

So, we're going to 4 conferences and Missouri is leaving because Texas is gonna go independent eventually? I have that correct?

Pac would have had their 16 if it was gonna go to 16.

There won't ever be a 4 conference playoff because of antitrust lawsuits.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by evenfall

I doubt any disaster is pending. But you have a conference that lost two members last year, two this year, and there are two others that were actively shopping themselves to the PAC-whatever. This Big 12 isn't going to be around 5 years from now. Something probably will be. Will it have Texas or OU, will it get an automatic bid, you can't say those things for sure. You are counting on Texas and OU to still be around when they have demostrated a clear desire to leave.

I think this just leaves bystanders wondering if the Big 12 has crossed the event horizon now, but without anything to do but watch

I think the SEC goes after NC State. If they get them, WVU will round out the conference. If that happens, its on. The ACC has to fill a spot (possibly 3) to replace State, and nobody decent is choosing the Big IIX over the ACC.

This thing is more likely going to happen within 18 months than not IMO.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by kstater

So, we're going to 4 conferences and Missouri is leaving because Texas is gonna go independent eventually? I have that correct?

Pac would have had their 16 if it was gonna go to 16.

There won't ever be a 4 conference playoff because of antitrust lawsuits.

This entire post is fail.

[Braincase]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1Gn0e7kvTA

[kstater]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

This entire post is fail.

Great rebuttal.

You've spent the entire last month saying Missouri should leave because Texas is just sticking around long enough to build the LHN and then they're gonna go independent.

So now suddenly you're saying that they're gonna belong to a superconference?

[allen_kcCard]

Originally Posted by kstater

You've spent the entire last month saying Missouri should leave because Texas is just sticking around long enough to build the LHN and then they're gonna go independent.

So now suddenly you're saying that they're gonna belong to a superconference?

Yes, because it is impossible for that to be their intention, and at the same time impossible that they end up not being able to do so and end up having to go to a superconference instead. In both of those scenarios, MU going to the SEC is the right move if they have the opportunity.

[veist]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Why don't Miss, Miss St, and Vandy try to move to the Big IIX?

They're happy to be well compensated for mediocrity?