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.

[beer bacon]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Well, yesterday was interesting. Second straight year the PAC steps back from the ledge JUST in time to keep from really blowing things up.

I am actually fine with staying in the Big 12 for a few more years, biding time for the eventual collapse, and reaping some benefits. I think some concessions need to be made re: the Longhorn network - mostly that no high school games/highlights are shown on it, and that they are limited in the number of Big 12 games that can be shown on it.

The revenue sharing piece doesn't really bother me. Texas already has way more money than anyone else (Same with OU). And Missouri actually shakes out towards the top in the unequal distribution. So no real problems for me there. Plus, with the TV rights staying where they are (unless there's a renegotiation if BYU/Louisville/etc join), the money will be competitive for the next few years (basically, the same amount of time that UT and OU have committed to).

There are some real positives to staying in the Big 12, if it survives.

1) Being No. 3 in the pecking order behind OU and UT. This is not a bad place to be from a money standpoint, or a competition standpoint. Football will have a great chance to win 9-10 games a year in this conference.

2) Texas recruiting. Go ask Arkansas - a school that is closer to Texas, has more history in Texas, and used to recruit Texas like crazy - how much they like recruiting Texas from the SEC, while the Big 12 puts a dome around the state. It would fall off - perhaps significantly - if Missouri goes to the SEC while the Big 12 still exists.

3) Missouri can improve its attractiveness. Look at what has happened and how the perception of Missouri football has changed in the past five years. What would another five years of Pinkel-led 9-10 win seasons do for program prestige?

The main things that make Mizzou attractive to other conferences - population, TV markets, single state-level school, research university - aren't going anywhere.

Missouri will have the same - if not better - options when this does finally blow up. Until then, I've got no problem sitting tight, watching the Tigers challenge a lot in football, and waiting for conference armageddon to revisit the scene.

There are only a certain number of spots available in other conferences. We can't assume that we will have a spot in one, two, five, or ten years.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

You're insane. Moving to the SEC gives A&M a much greater shot at competing with UT and OU for Texas recruits. The SEC gets more players drafted than any other conference. They have the best coaches, facilities, and level of competition. A&M will benefit from being out of Texas' shadow and in the SEC.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

The world doesn't just "make" more 5 star players because A&M decided to move to another conference.

UT and OU will always be the number 1 choice for Texas recruits.

Just a quick look at the 2012 and 2011 recruiting classes:

Alabama: 1 Texas recruit

Auburn: 1 Texas recruit (Scam Newton)

Florida: 0 Texas recruits

LSU: 5 Texas recruits

IF more players from Texas start going to the SEC it will be to play for these bigger teams and not A&M. I know this is the SEC's goal by letting the Aggies in. They are getting used.

A&M is just replacing 2 daddies with about 6...

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by Bo's Pelini

Meh the kid is def a 5 star talent. If we go by Rivals we have one starting on the defensive line: Baker Steinkuhler. So once again Wickedson is wrong go get in line for late night bruh.

Your last 5 star player is from the '08 class.

talk when you lock one down this decade.

[LiveSteam]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

Your last 5 star player is from the '08 class.

talk when you lock one down this decade.

bundle of sticks

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

Your last 5 star player is from the '08 class.

talk when you lock one down this decade.

No conference wanted your school.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by Bo's Pelini

No conference wanted your school.

hahahaha.

We'll never know.

Kansas has class.

Nebraska runs and then talks shit about allies they've had for 100 years.

But you clap for the other team when they come play.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

hahahaha.

We'll never know.

Kansas has class.

Nebraska runs and then talks shit about allies they've had for 100 years.

But you clap for the other team when they come play.

Perkins said they had 0 interest when all this started. You actually think this has changed?

[eazyb81]

What 3 realistic schools would you add to the Big 12 right now?

I think West Virginia, BYU, and Louisville make the most sense and actually provide some value.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

The world doesn't just "make" more 5 star players because A&M decided to move to another conference.

UT and OU will always be the number 1 choice for Texas recruits.

Just a quick look at the 2012 and 2011 recruiting classes:

Alabama: 1 Texas recruit

Auburn: 1 Texas recruit (Scam Newton)

Florida: 0 Texas recruits

LSU: 5 Texas recruits

IF more players from Texas start going to the SEC it will be to play for these bigger teams and not A&M. I know this is the SEC's goal by letting the Aggies in. They are getting used.

A&M is just replacing 2 daddies with about 6...

Playing a Texas school will open up that line more for the SEC schools, but it also helps aTm because they get to continue living close to home while playing in the SEC helping their draft status.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by penguinz

Perkins said they had 0 interest when all this started. You actually think this has changed?

Actually he said something along the lines of "How do you know we haven't been called?" Kansas leadership will never tell the media what they're thinking, but more then that they knew the conference wasn't going to break up.

Everyone at Kansas knew that. That's why no one ever started actin all crazy there.

But it has all worked out and I think everyone there is happy that the old Big 8 is pretty much intact.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by RustShack

Playing a Texas school will open up that line more for the SEC schools, but it also helps aTm because they get to continue living close to home while playing in the SEC helping their draft status.

only if A&M wins

If they become the little bitch of the SEC then it won't do much for them. Imo

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

hahahaha.

We'll never know.

Kansas has class.

Nebraska runs and then talks shit about allies they've had for 100 years.

But you clap for the other team when they come play.

Allies? What ****ing dream world do you live in where that souless goggle-eyed one who sucks the penis Osbourne was anybody's friend outside of Nebraska? The closest thing KU has to an ally as KSU, and they hate your guts, too.

Good lord.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Laz

only if A&M wins

If they become the little bitch of the SEC then it won't do much for them. Imo

Only 2 SEC teams had a 2011 recruiting class whose average star rank was less than 3.0 (Kentucky & Vandy). By comparison, the Big XII had 6 schools whose average star rank was less than 3.0, the Big X had 5, and the Pac-12 had 6. A&M will do ok in recruiting, even if they finish towards the middle or bottom half of the league most years. They shouldn't finish worst than Vandy or Kentucky any year.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Only 2 SEC teams had a 2011 recruiting class whose average star rank was less than 3.0 (Kentucky & Vandy). By comparison, the Big XII had 6 schools whose average star rank was less than 3.0, the Big X had 5, and the Pac-12 had 6. A&M will do ok in recruiting, even if they finish towards the middle or bottom half of the league most years. They shouldn't finish worst than Vandy or Kentucky any year.

yes, everyone knows that the SEC is 'awesome'.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

Actually he said something along the lines of "How do you know we haven't been called?" Kansas leadership will never tell the media what they're thinking, but more then that they knew the conference wasn't going to break up.

Everyone at Kansas knew that. That's why no one ever started actin all crazy there.

But it has all worked out and I think everyone there is happy that the old Big 8 is pretty much intact.

Actually you are completely wrong. It was more on the line of he was surprised no one called. He thought that BB would have more influence. That it just shows how important football is.