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.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Setsuna

Big 12 can have 20 teams, they will never return to elite status.

Lol. They were up there this year. SEC was more top heavy, but Big12 was better across the board. Still BS that OKST wasn't in the NC either, but it was mostly SEC biased people in the voting so of course.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

I'd take North Carolina, Duke and Virginia Tech. Georgia Tech maybe too...

Where are they in this scenario?

According to the scenario, the "football schools" are dissatisfied with the way Duke and UNC run the conference with their basketball first mentalities. I don't know how much stock I would put into that. The ACC is a media darling for ESPN. The only reason this story would get any actual legs would depend on the seriousness of NBC as a player in collegiate football. If they offer ridiculous cash to push this move, then who knows.

[kepp]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Lol. They were up there this year. SEC was more top heavy, but Big12 was better across the board. Still BS that OKST wasn't in the NC either, but it was mostly SEC biased people in the voting so of course.

BS? Both OKST and Alabama had one loss. Who had the "better" loss?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Lol. They were up there this year. SEC was more top heavy, but Big12 was better across the board. Still BS that OKST wasn't in the NC either, but it was mostly SEC biased people in the voting so of course.

Just keep cupping those balls, Rusty. You need the IIX to stay nice and content lest you end up in the Missouri Valley.

[Infidel Goat]

The ACC's hope is that they can get Notre Dame and UConn. They'll probably wait for Notre Dame to make a move before finishing up their conference with 16 teams.

If Notre Dame says no, I expect UConn and Rutgers to be the final two teams.

No ACC team will be joining the Big 12 despite the pablum noted by Rustsack.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Infidel Goat

The ACC's hope is that they can get Notre Dame and UConn. They'll probably wait for Notre Dame to make a move before finishing up their conference with 16 teams.

If Notre Dame says no, I expect UConn and Rutgers to be the final two teams.

No ACC team will be joining the Big 12 despite the pablum noted by Rustsack.

The only way ACC teams would consider moving to the Big XII would be if the ACC took a big hit. The obvious scenario would be something along the lines of Virginia Tech and NC State joining the SEC.

I don't think that alone would be enough to push teams to the Big XII, but it could start a chain of events that might work in the Big XII's favor. Pretty much any other reasonable scenario involves the Big XII losing teams.

Notre Dame will join the Big XII right after Indiana becomes the 32nd state in Mexico.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Sources are reporting that football schools in the ACC have contacted the Big 12 about possible affiliation, and the Big 12 is interested.
Here are possible additions to get to 16.

Option 1: Notre Dame (would come along with rivals included), Pitt, BC, Maryland, Clemson, Florida State

Option 2: Pitt, BC, Maryland, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech

TV will drive this, and with bidding coming soon, this is a package the networks would drool over. This would put the Big 12 in a position to compete as the elite conference with the SEC.

Here is the link:
Big 12 to Target ACC | January

[Mr. Plow]

I wish I had a blog so that I could spout off any stupid idea I have as fact.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by Setsuna

Big 12 can have 20 teams, they will never return to elite status.

Why, because Nebraska left? The 2 teams that make the conference elite are still there.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

I wish I had a blog so that I could spout off any stupid idea I have as fact.

And have Rust "hey you guys, this is the year ISU is gonna be good" Shack post it.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

I wish I had a blog so that I could spout off any stupid idea I have as fact.

If you get one, make sure to only view things from "does it benefit me" perspective when determining if its a good move. For example, if Notre Dame joining your conference benefits you, its going to happen even though there is nothing in it for Notre Dame.

[Mr. Plow]

First blog entry....

"All BCS conferences to sign over TV rights & profits to KU"

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

First blog entry....

"All BCS conferences to sign over TV rights & profits to KU"

Work "sources are reporting" in there, and you're cooking with gas.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Work "sources are reporting" in there, and you're cooking with gas.

Got it....


"Sources reporting all BCS conferences to sign over TV rights & profits to KU"


Now, I just need someone to tweet it and we're rolling.

[baitism]

I accidentally had the radio on 810 when I started my car this morning and heard about 30 seconds of KK before I wanted to puke and changed it to 610. Dude really believes Clemson is going to come to the Big 12. LOL.