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.

[LiveSteam]

DAM! Its just like the day the Japs surrendered in here

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

Frazod...I know you are in here. I want you to do me a favor.

Next time I look like I am happy that maybe MU might do something smart and get into a real conference, pretend I am your old refrigerator and put me out of my misery.

You should have known better.....

[alnorth]

Here's a thought. If the PAC 12 would have made up their damned minds a week ago and a consensus was reached that the Big 12 would not collapse... Would Syracuse have decided to leave if conference apocalypse was no longer upon them? does the ACC still go after Syracuse and Pitt?

They are now in an awkward situation where they grabbed two schools who they may not now need, and it is awkward to schedule for 14.

[|Zach|]

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Positives from this:

-At least MU will keep the Texas pipeline open
-Texas might actually cost itself power by overplaying its hand and leaving itself no other option but the ind. route
-Adding a team like USF could open another pipeline for Mizzou
-Should the conference return to a two division format, Mizzou probably plays in the title game nearly every year, provided OU stays south.

This is the only thing that's keeping me from weeping.

But you know they'll just move OU and OSU to the North and add a couple more South schools - right?

Such is the way of it for Mizzou.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Here's a thought. If the PAC 12 would have made up their damned minds a week ago and a consensus was reached that the Big 12 would not collapse... Would Syracuse have decided to leave if conference apocalypse was no longer upon them? does the ACC still go after Syracuse and Pitt?

They are now in an awkward situation where they grabbed two schools who they may not now need, and it is awkward to schedule for 14.

Or why couldn't A&M have walked their baby nuts around the block 9 months ago.

[HolyHandgernade]

Big XII REBRANDED: The Lazarus Conference

Our motto is Samuel L. Jackson near the end of "Long Kiss Goodnight" yelling:

"You can't kill me M#^@f^#ers!"

I think we should stand at 10 for a bit with BYU. Otherwise, we're just diluting the 2nd tier contract. If they want to go to 12, my votes are for Louisville and South Florida.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by frazod

You should have known better.....

I'm just Charlie Brown and MU is my Lucy.

[beer bacon]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Positives from this:

-At least MU will keep the Texas pipeline open
-Texas might actually cost itself power by overplaying its hand and leaving itself no other option but the ind. route
-Adding a team like USF could open another pipeline for Mizzou
-Should the conference return to a two division format, Mizzou probably plays in the title game nearly every year, provided OU stays south.

All Texas is going to do is get rid of Beebe and cut OU in on some of the LHN revenue. The rest of the conference isn't invited to OU's and UT's discussions on the future of our conference.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by beer bacon

All Texas is going to do is get rid of Beebe and cut OU in on some of the LHN revenue. The rest of the conference isn't invited to OU's and UT's discussions on the future of our conference.

Pretty much this, except Beebe will somehow manage to keep his job.

I'm just so excited to stay in the "Dan HOOK Beebe EM is HORNS #1! HOOK EM HORNS" conference.

[kstater]

Morning fellas. How we doing today?

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by beer bacon

All Texas is going to do is get rid of Beebe and cut OU in on some of the LHN revenue. The rest of the conference isn't invited to OU's and UT's discussions on the future of our conference.

Exactly. Give 'em a cut and agree to televise Oklahoma high school football games.

Visual representation of MU, KU, and KSU (note how the latter two are tied together):

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Dante84

There we go.

Add BYU, we are at 10. Fires out. House is in order.

Add 2 quality, balanced programs in the next two weeks. Now we are in business, and not going anywhere for a while.

Then add an additional 5, and we are the first to 16, and everyone else can eat a dick.

Like the other conferences would care if the Big XII goes to 16 teams. They'd still be weaker in football than the SEC, weaker in basketball than the ACC, and get less viewership and $$ than the Big X.

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Positives from this:

-At least MU will keep the Texas pipeline open
-Texas might actually cost itself power by overplaying its hand and leaving itself no other option but the ind. route
-Adding a team like USF could open another pipeline for Mizzou
-Should the conference return to a two division format, Mizzou probably plays in the title game nearly every year, provided OU stays south.

Why the hell would USF join the Big XII? Unless the Big East implodes, they're staying. Although it makes zero geographic sense, you'd have a better shot at trying to pick up UCF.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by Dante84

I don't know why the Big 12 is getting picked apart. We are(were) a stronger conference than the ACC, Big East, etc... Why aren't those getting blown up?

Obviously the ego of UT has been a turn off. It is in the best interest for UT to concede an inch and retain power in the Big 12, than to concede a mile to join another conference and be an equal player in another conference.

All OU is asking for is that High School games/highlights not be shown on LHN. All the remaining teams want is a more equal slice of the pie.

If UT can concede an inch, which they eventually will, IMO, since its the best option for them at this point, then everyone in the Big 12 should breathe a sigh of relief....

And then go ****ing rape some other conference/s out of 3-7 teams.

Exactly.

UT will always have more than everyone else. It's like the Yankees. Sure it sucks but that's life.

The Big 12 is too good of an athletic conference to not stay together. I've been saying this for a year now but I admit all the speculation has been fun.

Now it's over.

The 2nd best football conf. The 3rd best bball conf.....(maybe the best when you combine the two) Not to mention track, baseball, etc... Why let these inferior groups try and pick you apart? It doesn't make sense.

The funniest thing about all this is that the conference looking to break apart is the Big East. The Basketball conference where the big move made so far has been by Syracuse and Pitt (basketball schools)...Pitt is kinda both I suppose.

Now it's the Big East FOOTBALL schools that are scrambling to find a home (USF, Cincy).

How ironic.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Like the other conferences would care if the Big XII goes to 16 teams. They'd still be weaker in football than the SEC, weaker in basketball than the ACC, and get less viewership and $$ than the Big X.

Why the fuck would we care what other conferences care about? If we get paid comparably and can compete comparably and get to maintain sensible geographic proximity, why do we care who's winning a mythical conference popularity contest. By the way, the latest ESPN conference power poll says the Big XII is #1 this week. I could care less is the conference is #1 or not. All I care about is if the are an AQ conference and if they have a big time national prominence. The rest of that stuff is beyond our control. Sports conferences don't dictate the population and migration patterns of people. The midwest is one of the least populous areas of the country. Proportionately, the Big XII probably out performs those very conferences.

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Why the hell would USF join the Big XII? Unless the Big East implodes, they're staying. Although it makes zero geographic sense, you'd have a better shot at trying to pick up UCF.

Here's why (and I'm not even saying they'll get an invite), the Big East chose not to renegotiate last year when it had Syracuse and Pitt, thinking they would have something better to sell this coming year. The Big XII already has its huge 2nd tier deal with the prospects of its 1st tier on the way as long as they can show some stability until that time. That's a ton more money that USF is going to make than in the Big East. Who they gonna add? East Carolina?

Personally, I hope we stop at 10 and then look at 12 a couple, three years down the line. Then yes, if we offer Louisville and South Florida, they will come.