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.

[Jerm]

Originally Posted by KC native

And love idiots like you that think TCU is going to get smashed. We've beat the big teams and our recruiting classes keep getting better.

You beat Wisconsin...stop it.

[evenfall]

Originally Posted by notorious

Good luck. You guys will need it.

It will be a huge, difficult, long term challenge but we the fans are looking forward to it for those same reasons.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by evenfall

It will be a huge, difficult, long term challenge but we the fans are looking forward to it for those same reasons.

I hope you succeed. And yes, it will be tough as hell.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Serious question, no BS or shit slinging intended.

Are the mass of MU fans glad to be leaving because of the angst over the Texas schools running the conference, or are they just wanting a fresh start in the SEC?

For me, mostly the former. There is no security with Texas holding all the cards here in the long term. There just isn't. It will be fun playing new teams and venues, kinda like watch Nebraska go against teams in the B1G.

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by Jerm

LOOK AT WHERE THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING..of course the path to the BCS is a lot easier.

TCU is the flavor of the month...you really think they're going to be able to consistently recruit in the Big XII and compete? Come on now.

They're in Texas. They'll get all the recruits that MU and aTm won't get anymore.

This is going to turn into a cluster**** for aTm and MU.

[KC native]

Originally Posted by Jerm

LOOK AT WHERE THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING..of course the path to the BCS is a lot easier.

TCU is the flavor of the month...you really think they're going to be able to consistently recruit in the Big XII and compete? Come on now.

Basically, you're saying is that you don't pay attention to college football.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Pants

Sources say the money is already in the banking collecting interest. Zenger gets the authority to fire folks on Jan. 1.

wrong, and wrong. you haven't even paid off mangino, and nothing in zengers contract prohibits him from firing anyone.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Stewie

They're in Texas. They'll get all the recruits that MU and aTm won't get anymore.

This is going to turn into a cluster**** for aTm and MU.

Yes, because Texas is THE end all to recruiting. There are no good college players anywhere else but Texas. And really, what Texas kid would want to play outside the Big XII, right?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by notorious

Mizzou fans are just upset that there is already a team of their equal sitting in their still warm chair.


And the talk that Mizzou will maintain a consistant Texas recruiting pipeline makes me .

Just a question...

Do you follow college football recruiting closely? Have you read interviews with recruits from Texas about Missouri in the Big 12 vs. Missouri in the SEC?

And I'm not upset about WVU. Good for them. And good for the Big 12.

I just think many are vastly overselling the Big East as a football conference. It has been pretty weak since losing Miami and Va. Tech to the ACC.

[Stewie]

I can't wait for the Huggy Bear/Martin reunion!

[Jerm]

Originally Posted by KC native

Basically, you're saying is that you don't pay attention to college football.

No you're right...I forgot all the "big teams" TCU has pounded...

UNLV, Wyoming, New Mexico, etc.

Hell you probably didn't even know those were MWC members so **** off.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Serious question, no BS or shit slinging intended.

Are the mass of MU fans glad to be leaving because of the angst over the Texas schools running the conference, or are they just wanting a fresh start in the SEC?

Increased revenue, increased facilities, and the adrenaline that the move will inject into the fanbase, the boosters and the program at large.

This is an opportunity to really improve the program a great deal. It might backfire, we might get destroyed - shit could happen.

But you can't pass on the opportunity to greatly improve the University here.

[evenfall]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Serious question, no BS or shit slinging intended.

Are the mass of MU fans glad to be leaving because of the angst over the Texas schools running the conference, or are they just wanting a fresh start in the SEC?

We are glad to be leaving because in the long term this will make the football program better. Recruiting will be better, the infusion of money will help the program, and we expect 10 years and farther down the road Missouri will rank higher on the national stage because of it. It gives the school a better chance to build something national championship caliber.

Of course its a long way to the top, this will be the football equivalent of the Manhattan project for Missouri. But its awesome to see the school welcoming that challenge. We are excited because we look down the road at things like playing an exciting conference schedule and playing with those teams each year. Maybe a stadium expansion. Bowl respect. Being title contenders one day. There is really no down side. This is a promising new era.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by Stewie

Texas and TCU were in the SW conference together. TCU being left out was political, much like TT being admitted.

I believe you mean Baylor......

[notorious]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Just a question...

Do you follow college football recruiting closely? Have you read interviews with recruits from Texas about Missouri in the Big 12 vs. Missouri in the SEC?

And I'm not upset about WVU. Good for them. And good for the Big 12.

I just think many are vastly overselling the Big East as a football conference. It has been pretty weak since losing Miami and Va. Tech to the ACC.

We will see how it turns out in the long-term with recruiting.


Big East sucks, and WVU is doing the same thing Mizzou is doing: Trading in their chance at a BCS game for more stability.

Mizzou won't sniff a BCS game playing in the SEC. WVU probably won't sniff one in the Big 12 unless they have a KSU-esc run and play amazing when it counts.