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.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by Pants

I'm curious. Were you saying you'd rather go to the SEC when you thought there was a Big 10 invite on the table?

You know the answer to that. MU was the sleazy chick at the bar looking to go home with anyone but the guys she came with. She was sitting there..... staring at the Big 10, dress on, panties off, legs spread.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by Pants

I don't know how to break this to you, but I think UT considers Oklahoma their rival. I think they even have a name for that rivalry.

It's been declared. Completely out of my hands. Just accept it Pants.

[mnchiefsguy]

Just noticed it is after 2 o'clock. KK had his daily meltdown yet?

[baitism]

Originally Posted by Pants

I'm curious. Were you saying you'd rather go to the SEC when you thought there was a Big 10 invite on the table?

I wouldn't have said that last year, but it really seems like Big 10 football is going downhill. So many of their traditional powers (Michigan, Penn State, Purdue) have been bad for many years that you can't really consider them powers anymore.

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by Pants

I don't know how to break this to you, but I think UT considers Oklahoma their rival. I think they even have a name for that rivalry.

You've never heard of the Chisolm Trail Rivalry? Man, you are a bigger dumbass than I thought.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by Pants

I'm curious. Were you saying you'd rather go to the SEC when you thought there was a Big 10 invite on the table?

I wanted the Big 10 because of the academic affiliations. When they added Nebraska, however, it was clear that academics mean very, very, very little in terms of conference realignment.

So, since it's all about football, bring on the SEC. Mizzou will have to be savvy to get to a point of being a threat in this league, but it will make for some fun Saturdays of watching great football/teams/players.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

It's been declared. Completely out of my hands. Just accept it Pants.

I accept it.

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

It's been declared. Completely out of my hands. Just accept it Pants.

I will say this, not sure you can say KSU-Texas is a rivalry, especially considering Texas is K-State's bitch on the field most of the time. Got to give KSU credit for that.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Pants

I'm curious. Were you saying you'd rather go to the SEC when you thought there was a Big 10 invite on the table?

Hell no. I didn't mention a move to the SEC at all when it wasn't on the table. Applebee's may not be Capital Grill, but some boneless buffalo wings and a Brewtis look pretty good, when you've been eating McRibs for the past 15 years.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

You know the answer to that. MU was the sleazy chick at the bar looking to go home with anyone but the guys she came with. She was sitting there..... staring at the Big 10, dress on, panties off, legs spread.

New analogy is new.

Or could it be that a conference is trying to improve their footprint and increase television markets. Mizzou obviously lacks the football tradition of a place like Nebraska, which thus swings a heavier financial hammer in terms of that sport, but it does bring with it a host of other attributes (including a much stronger academic CV, which as I've already noted is nothing but a nicety).

[evenfall]

Originally Posted by Pants

I'm curious. Were you saying you'd rather go to the SEC when you thought there was a Big 10 invite on the table?

I was in favor of the prospective Big 10 move because it would be an upgrade over the Big 12 and because I live in Big 10 country. I am in favor of the SEC move because its an upgrade over the Big 12. The Big 10 would have been better for me geographically, and they already have a tv network I could watch everything on. But I'm sure the SEC will have one too when the dust settles. The SEC is probably better for our football program anyway.

As far as I am concerned either would have been great. If you are in the #4 (and falling) conference and someone asks if you'd like to be in #1 or #2 your answer should be "yes."

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by Pants

Analogy fail.

MU is your relative/friend that always wants to borrow money because they have a "sure thing" going down, and they are "good for it".

Then they disappear for 5 years, and come back with a couple missing fingers and walk with a limp.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I'd much rather play at Minnesota than LSU.

These are always great... you pick the most boring from one side and the best from the SEC.

In restaurant terms: I'd much rather lick the filth off the floor of the kitchen at OK Joe's than eat the prime rib at the Majestic Steakhouse.

In dating terms: I'd much rather date the ugliest girl on eHarmony than the most beautiful lady in the bar.

In dancing terms: I'd much rather dance with the one legged woman on America's Got Talent than Anna Trebunskaya* on Dancing with the Stars.

In employment terms: I'd much rather be a security guard at Google than CEO of Apple.


*I Googled that...

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

New analogy is new.

Or could it be that a conference is trying to improve their footprint and increase television markets. Mizzou obviously lacks the football tradition of a place like Nebraska, which thus swings a heavier financial hammer in terms of that sport, but it does bring with it a host of other attributes (including a much stronger academic CV, which as I've already noted is nothing but a nicety).

So, what you're saying is the sleazy chick has some nice tits.

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

The Big 10 is Applebee's... a lot of people love it, and I still haven't figured out why. The SEC is like Gates... you could nitpick, but it's pretty darn good, and I wonder how some people can hate it.

Playing in the Big 10 is like eating at a crappy chinese buffet. It's bland, boring, and things tend to slowwwwwwwwwww down after a few plates.