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.

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

This one might of been posted already - I just saw it and I'm not going back through the thread.


http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebaske...ourney-no-lock


3-point shots: Mizzou tourney no lock


By Andy Katz


1. Missouri’s promise of putting on a college basketball tournament in December in Kansas City if it were to leave for the SEC won’t be such an easy outcome. Team-oriented invitational tournaments are dying in the sport. Few power-six schools play in these non-exempt two-game tournaments anymore. According to a tournament organizer, Missouri’s best option would be to play a semi-neutral series at the Sprint Center, like facing Gonzaga in year one and then playing the Zags in Seattle in year two. Play Connecticut in Boston in year one and UConn in KC in year two. Most non-elite tournaments have shut down because of the difficulty of scheduling these games.

2. The Big 12 tournament is in Kansas City in 2012, 2013 and 2014, rounding out the five-year run at the Sprint Center that began with the 2010 tournament. But any fear that attendance could drop significantly without Mizzou in possibly 2013 and 2014 shouldn’t be an issue for the league. Kansas City is a Kansas and Kansas State city first, as evidenced by the crowd at the championship game in 2010. I was there. I saw. The atmosphere was terrific for the two Kansas schools. Losing Mizzou takes away one of the local schools, but if other schools like Iowa State or Oklahoma State – two conference schools in hoops that have the potential to draw well – continue on an upward trajectory, the loss of Mizzou can be muted. And as long as Kansas and Kansas State are playing well, attendance won’t be an issue. If this tourney was in St. Louis, that could be a different matter. But it’s not.

If Andy Katz thinks KC is more of a KSU town than a Mizzou town....that is just a stupid statement. Basing that opinion on one game at the Sprint Center is equally short sighted.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by mnchiefsguy

If Andy Katz thinks KC is more of a KSU town than a Mizzou town....that is just a stupid statement. Basing that opinion on one game at the Sprint Center is equally short sighted.

I think the point that he is trying to make is that MU isn't much of a loss to the Big 12 basketball tournament fanwise...meaning it will still fill up with or without MU.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by mnchiefsguy

If Andy Katz thinks KC is more of a KSU town than a Mizzou town....that is just a stupid statement. Basing that opinion on one game at the Sprint Center is equally short sighted.

The Big 12 tournament attendance won't be affected in the slightest with MU leaving.

Especially with the prospect of Pitino coming in.

That is his point. imho

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

Hey Rust...


.....is next year gonna be the year Iowa St. brings it? I look forward to your annual saber rattling.

This is the best team talent wise they have had in years. It's just too bad that they don't have a cupcake schedule like a let's say Iowa to reflect it.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by notorious

Saul Good, why are you bashing on the Big 12 so much?

Because they're holding Mizzou hostage. Let us go on our way, and I'll pull for the Big IIX to succeed.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Because they're holding Mizzou hostage. Let us go on our way, and I'll pull for the Big IIX to succeed.

As I remember, you guys were gloating about how you were holding the Big 12 hostage just a few days ago.

Really though, all MU has to do is say "We are leaving the Big 12".

[mnchiefsguy]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

I think the point that he is trying to make is that MU isn't much of a loss to the Big 12 basketball tournament fanwise...meaning it will still fill up with or without MU.

That may be his point, but her articulated it very poorly and did not back his point up with pertinent facts.

I hope attendance for the tourney stays at a high level. That is the only chance KC has to keep it is to continue to sell the place out and provide a great atmosphere for the tourney.

[evenfall]

Originally Posted by Laz

also there were rumors awhile back that Arkansas is not very happy in the SEC. Would they be a good market to add? At this point, would they even consider leaving the SEC?

[Pants]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

As I remember, you guys were gloating about how you were holding the Big 12 hostage just a few days ago.

Really though, all MU has to do is say "We are leaving the Big 12".

And pay us the fees. I think Saul is confused about the definition of that word. He seems to think it's synonymous with ransom, but it's not.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

People still say deuces? lol

just MU fans apparently.

cool beans, bro.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Because they're holding Mizzou hostage. Let us go on our way, and I'll pull for the Big IIX to succeed.

Missouri isn't being "held hostage". They are being told that their agreements must be honored like any other organization or person that enters into a contract with another.

Can that be negotiated out? Most likely.

We live in a society with agreements that bind factions together for a million different reasons.

You can't just up and decide that "I'm done with this and move on."

please

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

The Big 12 tournament attendance won't be affected in the slightest with MU leaving.

Especially with the prospect of Pitino coming in.

That is his point. imho

So the Sprint Center will be filled for a tournament that isn't played there? I mean, Mizzou doesn't even matter. Us leaving only means the Big XII tourney moves, WU and Louisville battle for entrance, the Big East collapses...

[duncan_idaho]

In a piece of actual news...

The LHN isn't on life support yet, but things look bad.

Anyone want to take bets on how long Texas sticks around if/when the LHN fails?

Dangerous spot for ISU, KU, KSU, etc. If the LHN is a roaring success, Texas has the ammo to pull a ND and go independent for football only. If the LHN is a huge failure, ESPN and UT fold up shop, and UT has nothing to keep it from being an attractive partner for the PAC or B1G.

I feel like Wildcats, Jayhawks, Cyclones and Bears should be rooting for the LHN to be a break-even type deal for Texas.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Because they're holding Mizzou hostage. Let us go on our way, and I'll pull for the Big IIX to succeed.

I agree, it would be better for both of them.


The Big 12 doesn't want Mizzou around to remind everyone that they are leaving, and Mizzou wants to move on.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Petro has just obliterated KK's position today. It has been very impressive. Him and the beaker Harlan were even mocking the planted caller from Mississippi yesterday.

Did it drive you nuts that college football insider Todd Christensen kept referring to "the two primary sports"?