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.

[Brianfo]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

I just keep hearing about how we can't compete with all these other teams. We have beat 2 of them in bowls...swept a home & home with Ol' Miss. But the legend around the hater campfire is that we will be in the basement with Vandy.

Swept a home & home with Ole Miss. Rock on!!! You going to base your agrument on Ole Miss! Argument fail. Look forward to you being bottom third in SEC if you're lucky.

[veist]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

I just keep hearing about how we can't compete with all these other teams. We have beat 2 of them in bowls...swept a home & home with Ol' Miss. But the legend around the hater campfire is that we will be in the basement with Vandy.

I think the more telling statistic about where Mizzou football is going to be in the SEC long term is the fact that in the history of the program between the Big 8 and Big 12 you haven't won a conference championship since 1969 and not outright since 1960. That doesn't happen by accident. I've already mentioned the money thing before in here, so I'm going to skip over that. Then there is the fact that you guys are fairly dependent on Texas for players and are moving from having guaranteed games in Texas to a game in Texas like once a decade. Going to be a lot harder to sell those kids and their families on playing for you in that scenario regardless of what conference you play it.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by veist

I think the more telling statistic about where Mizzou football is going to be in the SEC long term is the fact that in the history of the program between the Big 8 and Big 12 you haven't won a conference championship since 1969 and not outright since 1960. That doesn't happen by accident. I've already mentioned the money thing before in here, so I'm going to skip over that. Then there is the fact that you guys are fairly dependent on Texas for players and are moving from having guaranteed games in Texas to a game in Texas like once a decade. Going to be a lot harder to sell those kids and their families on playing for you in that scenario regardless of what conference you play it.

There are many here who have dealt with the myth of Texas players going the way of the dodo bird for Missouri. Duncan's posts explain it quite well.

There are only 3 teams that Missouri will have trouble year in and year out competing with. I know it is fun to hope that we fall in our faces but there a lot of guys playing great football on Sundays who did so by going to Mizzou. We are not strangers to big football.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Brianfo

Swept a home & home with Ole Miss. Rock on!!! You going to base your agrument on Ole Miss! Argument fail. Look forward to you being bottom third in SEC if you're lucky.

No I am not basing it on that only.

Are you reeruned?

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

Hey. This is a great take. You really had a good feel for this stuff after all...

Ahh, I see you are from the camp in opposition to Heraclitus. Very well then, sir.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

No I am not basing it on that only.

Are you reeruned?

Yes, he is.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

No I am not basing it on that only.

Are you reeruned?

We don't play the SEC that often...but when we do it has gone well. I don't know why an apples to apples comparison is deemed completely unworthy info. Nobody is saying we are going to go into the SEC and win the title game next year...but compete? Yes, Mizzou will compete and hold its own.

Bowl game win against Arkansas
Bowl game win against South Carolina
Home and home sweep of Ol' Miss
Pinkel is 4-1 against our fellow SEC newcomers A&M

If you wanna really go back to stuff that is ancient history dating back to the 19th century Missouri is 20-8-1.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

Ahh, I see you are from the camp in opposition to Heraclitus. Very well then, sir.

Whatever camp that is in opposition to hacks wearing Kansas goggles is the one I align myself with.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

Pay no attention, I've been assured there are no scheduling deadlines and it is a simple exercise of "insert Missouri here".

(sigh)

It's like some of you folks ignore every post in the thread but your own.

As has been explained already - SEC scheduling has nothing to do with this. The IIX needs 10 teams to avoid breaching its television deal and WVU can't come onboard until 2013

The IIX is keeping MU in the conference for another season, the SEC is not keeping them out.

Just keep patting yourself on the back; you'll stumble into a win one of these days.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

(sigh)

It's like some of you folks ignore every post in the thread but your own.

As has been explained already - SEC scheduling has nothing to do with this. The IIX needs 10 teams to avoid breaching its television deal and WVU can't come onboard until 2013

The IIX is keeping MU in the conference for another season, the SEC is not keeping them out.

Just keep patting yourself on the back; you'll stumble into a win one of these days.

[veist]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

There are many here who have dealt with the myth of Texas players going the way of the dodo bird for Missouri. Duncan's posts explain it quite well.

There are only 3 teams that Missouri will have trouble year in and year out competing with. I know it is fun to hope that we fall in our faces but there a lot of guys playing great football on Sundays who did so by going to Mizzou. We are not strangers to big football.

At this point I doubt anyone could say anything at all to change your mind. I still say the biggest single issue you're going to face in the SEC to be competitive is that you are going to in all likelyhood be firmly entrenched in the bottom quarter or third in terms of athletics money.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

(sigh)

It's like some of you folks ignore every post in the thread but your own.

As has been explained already - SEC scheduling has nothing to do with this. The IIX needs 10 teams to avoid breaching its television deal and WVU can't come onboard until 2013

The IIX is keeping MU in the conference for another season, the SEC is not keeping them out.

Just keep patting yourself on the back; you'll stumble into a win one of these days.

I don't believe that to be entirely accurate. Mizzou is trying to avoid the largest of exit fees in delaying, the Big XII can't "keep" someone in. MU could go tomorrow if they wanted to.

My initial statement was that scheduling is not a simple matter of "insert team here". There are deadlines for numerous things, MU does not have free reign if it wants to compete in the SEC next year.

Going below the 10 team quota COULD trigger a breach, it doesn't necessarily have to. If the networks are satisfied with the direction the conference is going, the conference could operate as a nine team league without penalty if there is a delay in bringing in a new member. Network contracts are written to the benefit of the network and they don't have to declare a breach if they don't want to.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

We don't play the SEC that often...but when we do it has gone well. I don't know why an apples to apples comparison is deemed completely unworthy info. Nobody is saying we are going to go into the SEC and win the title game next year...but compete? Yes, Mizzou will compete and hold its own.

Bowl game win against Arkansas
Bowl game win against South Carolina
Home and home sweep of Ol' Miss
Pinkel is 4-1 against our fellow SEC newcomers A&M

If you wanna really go back to stuff that is ancient history dating back to the 19th century Missouri is 20-8-1.

That is why I do not understand why people think Mizzou would struggle in the SEC. Granted they will not win it for a few years as they are clearly not on the level of an Alabama or LSU, or in most years a Florida. But they are good enough to be mid to upper tier (except this year which is a down year) there. The biggest myth of the SEC is that it is tough from top to bottom. That is not the case at all. The top teams are clearly elite, but there are plenty of average to below average teams in the conference as well. As long as Missouri keeps its Texas pipeline open then they should be alright. If they lose it then it could be a few years before the rebuild it elsewhere in SEC country.

[tk13]

ESPN was saying tonight that the Big East/MWC/C-USA were going to at least discuss creating a 28-32 team super conference. Yikes.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by tk13

ESPN was saying tonight that the Big East/MWC/C-USA were going to at least discuss creating a 28-32 team super conference. Yikes.

It's the WAC all over again, except this time on 'roids. This is a sad and ultimately desperate move to try and hold on to the BE's AQ bid. I hope they don't get it. It is that AQ bid that has allowed for a crappy, unranked, and frankly undeserving UConn team to play in and ulitmately get destroyed in a BCS bowl game. It wont get any better with this uber conference. Worthy teams will miss out on BCS bowl games because they play in a tougher conference while a garbage team gets one because they play in this crap 28-32 team frankenstein conference.