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.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Raiderhater

Those dates confirm what I said. Thank you.




Just as states, Texas and Oklahoma hate each other, their universities are no different, constantly bickering like jilted lovers. In fact, it is only fitting that in this mutually abusive relationship UT and OU are going hand in hand to the SEC.

UT was basically the kingpin. OU was only reluctant to do so because of the $, at least that is my understanding.

Either way, both of them are going to be gone anyways, and the SEC can try to handle that Texas Sized Ego Home Wrecker.

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by Coach

I think Cal and Stanford are going to have to either go independent (very unlikely because they are in the red) or have to drop some sports and join a different lower tier G5 conference to help themselves to get their fiscal issues resolved.

B1G doesn't really see the value Cal or Stanford bring to the table, IMHO.

Stanford has had to cut sports in the past few years. They also play by a different set of rules because since they're private vs being apart of the UC system.

Cal's being bailed out by UCLA and is ****ed if an earthquake happens (their football stadium is built on a fault line).

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by Raiderhater

Those dates confirm what I said. Thank you.


Just as states, Texas and Oklahoma hate each other, their universities are no different, constantly bickering like jilted lovers. In fact, it is only fitting that in this mutually abusive relationship UT and OU are going hand in hand to the SEC.

Oklahoma's and Texas' relationship is symbiotic.

Originally Posted by Coach

UT was basically the kingpin. OU was only reluctant to do so because of the $, at least that is my understanding.

Either way, both of them are going to be gone anyways, and the SEC can try to handle that Texas Sized Ego Home Wrecker.

LHN is being absorbed by the SECN in 2024 and won't exist moving forward.

The shit the B12 let fly won't happen in the SEC.

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

Oklahoma's and Texas' relationship is symbiotic.

Is that not for all intents and purposes what I said? Obviously I used a more colorful description, but the essence was there.

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by Coach

I think Cal and Stanford are going to have to either go independent (very unlikely because they are in the red) or have to drop some sports and join a different lower tier G5 conference to help themselves to get their fiscal issues resolved.

B1G doesn't really see the value Cal or Stanford bring to the table, IMHO.

only, maybe, from a research perspective, and womens Bball for Stanford

but not athletics as a whole

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

Stanford has had to cut sports in the past few years. They also play by a different set of rules because since they're private vs being apart of the UC system.

Cal's being bailed out by UCLA and is ****ed if an earthquake happens (their football stadium is built on a fault line).

Cal can say it has been fixed, but, um, yeah, sure.

[Sassy Squatch]

we really gonna relitigate this shit almost 15 years later?

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by Raiderhater

Is that not for all intents and purposes what I said? Obviously I used a more colorful description, but the essence was there.

It was.

Point being whatever Texas does or gets, Oklahoma has to do. Or vice versa.

Similar to how UCLA/USC are tied at the hip. Auburn/Alabama, Florida/Georgia, Michigan/Ohio St., etc.

Will be curious to see what happens to the ACC whenever their media rights deal is over. I think a decent amount of the league will join the SEC (FSU, Miami, Clemson, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech), while the rest join the B1G.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by Coach

I think Cal and Stanford are going to have to either go independent (very unlikely because they are in the red) or have to drop some sports and join a different lower tier G5 conference to help themselves to get their fiscal issues resolved.

B1G doesn't really see the value Cal or Stanford bring to the table, IMHO.

Cal and Stanford would discontinue athletics before they ever dropped to the MWC. They would commit suicide before having to share a conference with Fresno State.

I think the Big 10 wants Cal and Stanford because the university presidents would make them. There is room for those two schools in the 24 or 32 team conference model. Which is the ultimate endgame.

Washington State and Oregon State are out of luck.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by MarkDavis'Haircut

Culturally, Colorado and Boulder are California based. It is why they left in the first place. But when the Pac 12 is negotiating with the CW, culture suddenly doesn't matter as much moolah.

Correct, but CU has history with the Big 12 dating back to just after WWII. Cal doesn’t and I doubt they want anything to do with the Big 12, nor do I think the Big 12 wants them. I really only see four possible schools for the Big 12 outside of Colorado and those are Arizona, ASU, Oregon, and Washington. If not for BYU I would think Utah would have a very good shot.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Sassy Snatch

we really gonna relitigate this shit almost 15 years later?

Big 12's going to dissolve any day now...

[Raiderhater]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

It was.

Point being whatever Texas does or gets, Oklahoma has to do. Or vice versa.

Similar to how UCLA/USC are tied at the hip. Auburn/Alabama, Florida/Georgia, Michigan/Ohio St., etc.

Will be curious to see what happens to the ACC whenever their media rights deal is over. I think a decent amount of the league will join the SEC (FSU, Miami, Clemson, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech), while the rest join the B1G.

I know what the point was because I’m the one that made it.

Seriously, you UK fans give a bad name to Wildcat fans.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Correct, but CU has history with the Big 12 dating back to just after WWII. Cal doesn’t and I doubt they want anything to do with the Big 12, nor do I think the Big 12 wants them. I really only see four possible schools for the Big 12 outside of Colorado and those are Arizona, ASU, Oregon, and Washington. If not for BYU I would think Utah would have a very good shot.

No doubt. Cal would sooner die than hobnob with the Great Plains schools and UCF.

Oh yeah, BYU holds a grudge with Utah. Understandably so. Utah would be a great get for the PAC 12. Bring back the Holy War!

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by Sassy Snatch

we really gonna relitigate this shit almost 15 years later?

"There is nothing new under the sun."

[Rams Fan]

Originally Posted by Raiderhater

I know what the point was because I’m the one that made it.

Seriously, you UK fans give a bad name to Wildcat fans.

I respect a first year coach saying this.