End of the BIG XII - THREAD FOR ALL REALIGNMENT DISCUSSION

[Sooner98]

THE BIG 12 IS NOW EVEN STRONGER AND MORE VIABLE THAN EVER WITH OUR NEW EIGHT-TEAM ARRANGEMENT, AND THE TEXAS LONGHORNS LEADING THE WAY FOR US TO THE PROMISED LAND! ALL IS WELL!!! YEE-HAW!!!!

[mightysooner]

The PAC 12 has already expressed interest in OU Texas T-Tech and OSU and they left the offer open.

[soonerboomer93]

SoonerMom,

Evidently the phrase 'cesspool' was used by someone high up in the university, not necessarily President Boren himself. I apologize and am glad to set the record straight. Nonetheless, this does seem to accurately reflect the mindset of the university administration as a whole toward the SEC, if the following report is to be believed...
UPDATE: Future of the Big 12
Reply
By Chris Level, Aaron Dickens

* All signs point to Texas A&M becoming the 13th member of the Southeastern Conference. It likely won't be official on the A&M side of things until the university's Board of Regents meet on Aug. 22, but everything we have heard from our own sources indicates that the train is on the tracks and moving very fast. We would be surprised at this point if it didn't happen.

* Level spoke with Robert Cessna of the Bryan-College Station Eagle today about A&M's potential timetable and he said if the Aggies did move, they would want to announce the move to the SEC very quickly and get that process started. They saw how Nebraska was treated last year by the Big 12, how TCU has been treated by the Mountain West, and want to get the process over and done with as soon as possible.

* The SEC will try to lure Oklahoma and Oklahoma State as well, but our SoonerScoop.com colleague Carey Murdock is reporting that OU isn't and hasn't been receptive to overtures from the SEC mainly due to academic reasons.

"OU won't go the SEC," Murdock wrote. "(Oklahoma president David) Boren doesn't want any part of the SEC. He has spent a major part of his life building up Oklahoma's academic reputation and if OU went to the SEC, the perception might be that OU is nothing more than a football school. That would pretty much destroy every mention you've heard about OU having more national merit scholars per capita than any other public institution in the country."

* Murdock is also reporting that the SEC came after Oklahoma twice last year, but "OU rebuffed those overtures both times."

* Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are still very much tied together and it's hard to imagine many circumstances where they don't end up in the same conference -- whether that be the Big 12 or another conference.

* Level had two sources close to the situation in Norman -- Murdock is not one of them -- who referred to the SEC as a "cesspool" in terms of academics, recruiting practices and the like.

* In the near future, you should expect to read and hear a lot of talk about the remaining nine schools focusing on keeping the Big 12 together. Theoretically, assuming that ABC/ESPN and Fox don't try and force the issue, a nine-team Big 12 would remain viable until the league's current first-tier rights agreement expire in 2014-15.

* Texas Tech does not have a stand-alone invitation to the Pac-12, and did not have one last summer to the Pac-10. Tech's invite was always tied to Texas and that is almost certainly still the case, although there is a growing feeling that Tech would land in the Pac regardless of what Texas does if the dominos start to fall in favor of 16-team super conferences.

* The idea of Texas going independent sounds a lot easier than it would be in reality. UT would have to find a landing spot for all of its athletic teams outside of football, and then there could be potential Title IX issues if they were forced to cut sports.

* If there is any other additional move beyond A&M moving to the SEC -- i.e. Missouri to the Big Ten or Kansas to the Big East -- you would see the Big 12 fall apart very quickly. In that instance, Texas' hand would be forced and they would head west with Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Tech.

* If you're a Tech fan, you should feel good about the fact that the university's leadership has great relationships with principal parties at both Texas and Oklahoma. President Guy Bailey has a great relationship with his counterpart at Texas, Bill Powers. Chancellor Kent Hance has a great relationship with Powers and Texas A.D. DeLoss Dodds. Oklahoma A.D. Joe Castiglione is Kirby Hocutt's mentor. Hocutt's right-hand man, Joe Parker, has a very good relationship with Castiglione and is also connected at Texas.

* Bailey and Powers were both at the NCAA meetings earlier this week.

* Finally, this won't wrap up quickly. There are a lot of moving parts, and you're going to hear a lot of speculation in the coming weeks about School X talking to Conference Y -- just prepare yourself for that.
This post was edited on 8/11 8:54 PM by A. Dickens



Posted on 8/12 9:25 AM | IP: Logged





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I wonder if those "cesspool" are refering to the overall academics, or the academic requirements for atheletes? Maybe it was a reference to the oversigning and taking of partial qualifiers, etc that the SEC is known for.

[JLEW1818]

where the mack brown we suck photo dammit?

[Brophog]

What does Beebe have over everyone to keep them to stay?

[TIMB0B]

What does Beebe have over everyone to keep them to stay?

The TV money will now be split 9 ways, plus A&M will have to pay several million for leaving without 2 years notice???

[StoopTroup]

An Eight Team Conference was awesome back in the day but if A&M wanted to go we could court Notre Dame to help keep Academic Standards higher in the Conference. I'm not real keen on the Idea but Notre Dame suffers IMO by not finding a Conference to work out of.

I can see Boren really salivating at the thought of ND in our Conference but I do see OU and ND Fans rioting over having to be considered as league leaders or even equals. It would probably cause mass hysteria.

[brainpimp]

The TV money will now be split 9 ways, plus A&M will have to pay several million for leaving without 2 years notice???

Yea, until it dies and goes to zero.

and ND ain't riding in on their magical flying unicorn and spreading fairy dust on this dead man walking conference.

[Muno]

The TV money will now be split 9 ways, plus A&M will have to pay several million for leaving without 2 years notice???

It's unlikely A&M will pay much back to the Big 12. Where is all that money that Colorado and Nebraska was supposed to owe?

[Sooner Eclipse]

The TV money will now be split 9 ways, plus A&M will have to pay several million for leaving without 2 years notice???
Until FOX calls Beebe next week to renegotiate the tier 2 contract. OU/ut eat up a lot of the tier 1 airtime. Fox was counting on aTm to fill a lot of that tier 2 airtime. Look for this contract to be worth a lot less. Also aTms departure fee will be negotiated down.

[Keller Sooner]

Pin all your hopes on Dan Bebee and Delost Odds. I KNOW I'M EXCITED!!!!!!

[Sooner Eclipse]

BYU, TCU.

It's a crazy time we live in.

BYU - fine. TCU, F that. The SWC died for a reason. That reason was texas inbreeding. 4 texas schools was too many in 1 conf to begin with. Ut has been trying to teabag everyone in the big12 since its inception. **** texass.

[Veritas]

The SEC *is* a cesspool of academics and recruiting, period, full stop.

[Lott's Bandana]

Brainstorming:

If I was an ESPN executive, and I'm not, but if I was I would be intrigued...

The West Coast is not, and never has been a hotbed of college athletics' television viewership. Just because the Universities out there participate in all the fringe sports like Water Polo and Skiing doesn't mean anyone cares.
In fact, the West Coast has never really been a hotbed of Sports, period. Sure, you have your old-school 49er dynasty and Raider Excellence...yes, the Dodgers had their run and the Giants are defending WS champions. But after living on the West Coast for many, many years, sports are but a flashbulb on the culture.

Case in point: The NFL is trying desperately to get a team into the largest metropolitan area in the country. That is still an amazing sentence to me.

College football out west has meant almost exclusively SUC. Lately, Oregon and Stanford have had their moments, and UCLA/Cal/Arizona share the stage from time to time. SUC literally plays Notre Dame each year just so the national media pays attention.

Fast forward to a time when the early game on ESPN/ABC would be something like FSU/Tennessee, followed by the second game in the evening between OU/Stanford, or Whorn/USC. These games would bring in tons of west coast viewers, and keep a great deal of the die-hard NCAAF viewers in the east.

I've listened to enough KNBR (SF, The Sports Leader) to know that bringing in a tradition-rich program like OU to play teams the Bay Area would create an incredible amount of interest to what is typically a 49ers-dominated fall conversation.

Having these traditional Heartland power programs rotate games in the LA area would give ESPN a market-share boost they simply don't have when SUC plays Cal. Whorn has the viewers and OU has the tradition that brings eyeballs to the games they play in.

This also plays out the same when SUC/Oregon/Cal travels to Norman, etc.

Again, just brainstorming. I'll admit, not too many peeps will be watching when OU plays in Pullman.

The return of a CCG is interesting, but I have never liked rematches and wish there was a way to eliminate them. A PAC-16 would HAVE to have a rotation, it would be moronic not to have all the teams play each other over time, but CCG rematches seem diluted to me, especially for the team that won the first meeting.

Again, I'll admit I have a west coast outlook and when OU played in the Rose Bowl and also in Seattle, those were two of the most enjoyable away-games I have ever attended.

Sure, the geography really doesn't make that much sense, but if we want to keep playing for the MNC we need to keep winning in a conference that gives us a computer advantage in the BCS formula. A watered-down BigXII does not do this...just ask undefeated TCU or Potato State.

[Scotty]

I would like to hear the argument from a fanbase standpoint about moving west instead of a move to the SEC. SEC makes more sense to me from a competitive standpoint and also our fanbase seems like it would be a better fit with the bamas, arkansas, and georgias of the world instead of the oregon, washington, and ucla's. While the pac 12 would be a lucrative option, SEC is just a better fit in my opinion.

[silverwheels]

At some point, hopefully soon, Texas is going to have to put their humongous ego aside and admit that they've blown up two conferences and need to tone it down. Get rid of the LHN or re-work it into a regional network with Texas Tech, and head west to the Pac-number with OU and OSU, and keep their traps shut for at least a while.

[silverwheels]

I would like to hear the argument from a fanbase standpoint about moving west instead of a move to the SEC. SEC makes more sense to me from a competitive standpoint and also our fanbase seems like it would be a better fit with the bamas, arkansas, and georgias of the world instead of the oregon, washington, and ucla's. While the pac 12 would be a lucrative option, SEC is just a better fit in my opinion.

We'd have to cheat so much harder to be able to stay an elite team in the SEC. Our rebuilding years here have been tough for the fanbase to take, and it would get worse when we don't get to play Iowa State or Kansas State or Baylor anymore.

[mightysooner]

I think if we moved Big XII south teams to the PAC 12, our tradition, rabid fanbase, and on field bullyness would have a positive, overall net effect on the interest in college football out west. It would transform their entire football culture. Do you really think the addition of BIG XII south teams to their league wouldn't get their neck hairs up across the board and give them an immediate boost in conference pride against the SEC dominance? Don't underestimate the impact we'd have on their entire conference.

[Muno]

At some point, hopefully soon, Texas is going to have to put their humongous ego aside and admit that they've blown up two conferences and need to tone it down. Get rid of the LHN or re-work it into a regional network with Texas Tech, and head west to the Pac-number with OU and OSU, and keep their traps shut for at least a while.

I agree but I'm just not sure they can comprehend the trouble they are causing. This is why I'd like to see OU take the lead and tell Texas it's time to go. The Big 12 can't exist without OU and I'd like to see us continue to partner with Texas but let them know that it's time to join hands and join another conference.

[Lott's Bandana]

I would like to hear the argument from a fanbase standpoint about moving west instead of a move to the SEC. SEC makes more sense to me from a competitive standpoint and also our fanbase seems like it would be a better fit with the bamas, arkansas, and georgias of the world instead of the oregon, washington, and ucla's. While the pac 12 would be a lucrative option, SEC is just a better fit in my opinion.


Ok:

1. We can wear Thunder t-shirts in Seattle on Friday night.

2. We can asswhomp Lane Kiffen.

3. We can asswhomp Oregon.

4. Mike Stoops again on the sideline of Owen Field.

5. Red State fanbase invading Berkeley.

6. I like Boulder. Hate their fans, but like the place...admittedly, I miss it.

7. Palo Alto is teh allsome.

8. Utah away games means Park City fun.

SEC?

Night games in Red Stick. No thanks.

[northspeter]

as much problems as the LHN has caused already... it still doesnt have a single national carrier...


i have no idea what's gonna happen with this conference... but the longer this stuff goes on... the tighter UT, OU and OSU seem to become... as they say... keep your friends close... and your enemies closer...

[SoonerofAlabama]

Sorry to post Tejas Fight lyrics here, but they are just so fitting.

tejas Fight, tejas Fight,
And it's goodbye to A&M.
tejas Fight, tejas Fight,
And we'll put over one more win.

[Lott's Bandana]

We'd have to cheat so much harder to be able to stay an elite team in the SEC. Our rebuilding years here have been tough for the fanbase to take, and it would get worse when we don't get to play Iowa State or Kansas State or Baylor anymore.


heh.

[silverwheels]

SEC?

Night games in Red Stick. No thanks.

TIGAH BAIT! TIGAH BAIT!

[sooneredaco]

At some point, hopefully soon, Texas is going to have to put their humongous ego aside and admit that they've blown up two conferences and need to tone it down. Get rid of the LHN or re-work it into a regional network with Texas Tech, and head west to the Pac-number with OU and OSU, and keep their traps shut for at least a while.

While that should be done, they really do think their sh!t smells like roses.

[SweetheartSooner]

Houston???? Really??? We can't do better than Houston? Smh. We need off this sinking ship.

[mgsooner]

I would like to hear the argument from a fanbase standpoint about moving west instead of a move to the SEC. SEC makes more sense to me from a competitive standpoint and also our fanbase seems like it would be a better fit with the bamas, arkansas, and georgias of the world instead of the oregon, washington, and ucla's. While the pac 12 would be a lucrative option, SEC is just a better fit in my opinion.

Believe it or not this is about more than just who you want to play in football. Boren has spent mucho time, effort and resources trying to build OU into a "brand" from an academic standpoint. That is why the Pac whatever would be a much more appealing option to those that actually have the decision making power.

[brainpimp]

TIGAH BAIT! TIGAH BAIT!

Imagine the reverse of that and how much they would love coming into a rabid Owen field. Trust me it's no pick-nick coming into Norman.

[silverwheels]

Imagine the reverse of that and how much they would love coming into a rabid Owen field. Trust me it's no pick-nick coming into Norman.

No purple and gold corndog scrotum would be safe.

[SoonerMom2]

I agree but I'm just not sure they can comprehend the trouble they are causing. This is why I'd like to see OU take the lead and tell Texas it's time to go. The Big 12 can't exist without OU and I'd like to see us continue to partner with Texas but let them know that it's time to join hands and join another conference.

You are correct. Last night on the CBS Sports message boards, people from the Big 10 and other conferences said the decision to go to another conference rests with Oklahoma not Texas. They talked about how Texas is out front but the real power rests right here in Oklahoma for any decision.

Then last night the Oklahoman reported that OU has been working behind the scenes.

[SoonerofAlabama]

All I can say is, let's give Texas A&M a proper send-off like we did against Colorado and Nebraska. :)

[SoonerMom2]

Ok:

1. We can wear Thunder t-shirts in Seattle on Friday night.

2. We can asswhomp Lane Kiffen.

3. We can asswhomp Oregon.

4. Mike Stoops again on the sideline of Owen Field.

5. Red State fanbase invading Berkeley.

6. I like Boulder. Hate their fans, but like the place...admittedly, I miss it.

7. Palo Alto is teh allsome.

8. Utah away games means Park City fun.

SEC?

Night games in Red Stick. No thanks.


I am with you 100% -- cannot wait to go back to Los Angles and be the tourist again after living in the foothills of Yucaipa. Love wearing Thunder gear to visit Seattle.

Ready to win the last Big 12 Conference title and move to the PAC 12 and win the first PAC 16 title. The title game of the PAC conference is in the home of the team with the best record -- let them all come to Owen Field for the first PAC 16 conference championship!

[Sooner98]

Houston???? Really??? We can't do better than Houston? Smh. We need off this sinking ship.

No way, man, Big 12 all the way. Houston is exactly what this conference needs to cement its powerhouse status. And Memphis. And SMU.

And let's make sure that Texas is still calling all the shots, we need them for everything.

[Soonerman82]

I disagree, The horns arrogance *****ed up a great conference. Nebraska was smart and got out. Dr. Tom saw the writing on the wall. Bebe is Texas bitch and he knew it.

Yep. UT's ego is the reason this conference is going the way of Crossroads Mall.

[brainpimp]

I am with you 100% -- cannot wait to go back to Los Angles and be the tourist again after living in the foothills of Yucaipa. Love wearing Thunder gear to visit Seattle.

Ready to win the last Big 12 Conference title and move to the PAC 12 and win the first PAC 16 title. The title game of the PAC conference is in the home of the team with the best record -- let them all come to Owen Field for the first PAC 16 conference championship!

OK that would be delicious.

[tommieharris91]

Rumors say Boren wouldn't consider going to the SEC because of cheating and academics.

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

My sources tell me that Beebe has decided to rename the conference to the longhorn conference. Every team will be forced to MAKE their best 10 players transfer to texas as well as swear a loyalty oath to Deloss Dodds.

[sooneredaco]

Rumors say Boren wouldn't consider going to the SEC because of cheating and academics.

Dave has worked way too hard to build OUr program to where it is, just to let it be tarnished by all the inbred hicks that make the Sorry Education Confrence. They can keep thier SEC chants to themselves. I personally want no part of it.

[northspeter]

Rumors say Boren wouldn't consider going to the SEC because of cheating and academics.

i still believe there is a chance we dont go anywhere... but if we do, it would be out west...

[CowboyMRW]

If anyone hasn't been to shaggy and read the flying the banner ideas, it's pretty funny. I think they really are going to do this and they have some great ideas

[mehip]

I sincerely hope we get the hell out of this conference. I was excited about the OU joining the Pac last summer and really disappointed when the back room deals kept the league around.

[silverwheels]

No way, man, Big 12 all the way. Houston is exactly what this conference needs to cement its powerhouse status. And Memphis. And SMU.

And let's make sure that Texas is still calling all the shots, we need them for everything.

SMU? Pffft...we should go for UTEP and lock up that prized El-Paso market.

[SoonerofAlabama]

SMU? Pffft...we should go for UTEP and lock up that prized El-Paso market.

I hear theres a new football team in Africa thats pretty good.

[the-rover]

SMU? Pffft...we should go for UTEP and lock up that prized El-Paso market.

And get NMSU as well, so we can have the prized UTEP-NMSU rivalry in our new conference

[northspeter]

keep seeing these teams popping up on twitter talks, byu and air force.... also louisville....

[sooneredaco]

And get NMSU as well, so we can have the prized UTEP-NMSU rivalry in our new conference

That could very well overtake the Red River Rivalry!

[Sooner95]

At this point, I would like to see both aTm and Mizzou go. This will blow up the Big12. Air force? Houston? BYU? please tell me they are not serious. Those teams bring NOTHING to our conference.

We need to head west for the Pac16 East division. Plain and Simple.

[tommieharris91]

If we stay together, we should think about adding Troy, South Alabama, and the UL schools. That way, Mike Gundy and Bill Snyder can have all the teams they schedule OOC in conference!

[bigfatjerk]

At this point, I would like to see both aTm and Mizzou go. This will blow up the Big12. Air force? Houston? BYU? please tell me they are not serious. Those teams bring NOTHING to our conference.

We need to head west for the Pac16 East division. Plain and Simple.

BYU brings something. The others don't. Unless you can add Boise, BYU, and Notre Dame the Big 12 needs to die.

[SoonerofAlabama]

I hope that Oklahoma gets out of the conference and goes west, along with OSU, Texas, and KU or TT. Mizzou to B1G or SEC.

The conference is falling apart and better to get out now, while we have more of a choice of where we can go. Beebe is saying this is still a strong conference with 9 teams, no way. OU needs to look out for OU and go to the Pac-16. We are starting to look like the Big East here.

[the-rover]

I was in the fold of folks who think it is best if we joined the SEC just because of the higher quality of football if nothing else. After spending the last 3 days reading this thread and other articles on the subject, this what I now hope happens, assuming aTm goes to the SEC.....

We take OSU and join the PAC 16. The PAC can take BYU or Tech or whoever else they want to make 16 teams.

* joins the Big 10 (my only reason for this is for the enjoyment of listening to the cries of cornhuskers). Otherwise I don't care where * goes as long as it is not with OU. It doesn't matter where they go, we will still play them in Dallas.

I don't care what Misery or Tech does. I hope Baylor, KU, KSU and ISU find good homes.

[TIMB0B]

If anyone hasn't been to shaggy and read the flying the banner ideas, it's pretty funny. I think they really are going to do this and they have some great ideas

Link?

[northspeter]

according to barry tramel on twitter.. OU sources say... mizzou leaving would kill the conference...

[SoonerMom2]

At this point, I would like to see both aTm and Mizzou go. This will blow up the Big12. Air force? Houston? BYU? please tell me they are not serious. Those teams bring NOTHING to our conference.

We need to head west for the Pac16 East division. Plain and Simple.

Exactly! Time to look out for #1 and head to the PAC 12.

[Widescreen]

according to barry tramel on twitter.. OU sources say... mizzou leaving would kill the conference...

The Mizzou AD already said they weren't going (unless he was lying). Plus, I believe he was the one who announced the Big 12 conference call with Beebe this afternoon.

[soonervegas]

So if Mizzou stays and we get BYU.....are we happy?

[70sooner]

BYU brings something. The others don't. Unless you can add Boise, BYU, and Notre Dame the Big 12 needs to die.


actually bringing in the AFA would bring back the Colorado market and a great school to boot. seems like a plus to me.

[SoonerMom2]

From Scout.com:

The 2014 Version Will Probably Be …
Baylor, Colorado State, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas State, Rice, Southern Miss, SMU, Tulsa, UTEP

Texas A&M will start to topple the dominoes. The Aggies will leave for the SEC, and then Oklahoma will listen to Bob Stoops, who’s livid about Texas having its own TV network, and take off to the Pac-12 along with Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Kansas. The Big 12 will scramble by taking as many Texas schools as it can grab from Conference USA in an attempt to give Texas cannon fodder for the Longhorn Network, but it won’t work. Texas won’t want to be bogged down with a Conference USA schedule and will go the independent route to schedule Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech on a yearly basis, while also getting its share of other Texas schools like Houston and Rice. The Big 12 will try to expand a bit with Colorado State, Tulsa, and Southern Miss, but the power will be in the Lone Star State.

[SoonerMom2]

So if Mizzou stays and we get BYU.....are we happy?

No -- if Scout.com is right Bob Stoops is livid about the Longhorn Network which means so are others at OU -- think they will take A&M leaving to go to the PAC 12. Agree with Scout.com.

You don't replace a Nebraska and now A&M with the schools mentioned not if you are OU and want to win championships.

Keeping the Big 12 together with TX running it seems to be a non-starter.

[SoonerofAlabama]

Baylor, Colorado State, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas State, Rice, Southern Miss, SMU, Tulsa, UTEP

I want to hear this conferences new name. :D

[trwxxa]

So if Mizzou stays and we get BYU.....are we happy?

Only until we find out that Beebe directs the penalty money aTm has to pay to UT. :D

[brainpimp]

Well, if OU stayed they would set all the NCAA records.....

[northspeter]

The Mizzou AD already said they weren't going (unless he was lying). Plus, I believe he was the one who announced the Big 12 conference call with Beebe this afternoon.

... the fsu and clemson AD's are denying also... you realize, sometimes "NO, really means, YES"

by the way, the initial reports out of college station were also denied....

[bluedogok]

At some point, hopefully soon, Texas is going to have to put their humongous ego aside and admit that they've blown up two conferences and need to tone it down. Get rid of the LHN or re-work it into a regional network with Texas Tech, and head west to the Pac-number with OU and OSU, and keep their traps shut for at least a while.
Do you really think they will ever do that? I don't and I live in the middle of it.

What I do think happens is if OU tells Texas they are headed to the Pac then the ESPN-LHN gets reworked into the Pac-16/East Network which fits in with the network packages that the Pac-12 have discussed if they went to 16 teams, one main conference network and two division networks. You know there has to be out clauses in that contract for both sides if the conference landscape changes dramatically.

I do think the missed opportunity is adding Texas State and UTSA :texan:

[soonervegas]

Is Bebee laying down the law right now? It is 3:00 pm

[northspeter]

Baylor, Colorado State, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas State, Rice, Southern Miss, SMU, Tulsa, UTEP

I want to hear this conferences new name. :D

thats not a bad mid major league... add in tulane and memphis and it's the Conference USA 12...

[SicEmBaylor]

Is Dodds laying down the law right now while Beebe bites a pillow? It is 3:00 pm

FIFY

[northspeter]

Is Bebee laying down the law right now? It is 3:00 pm

:texan:

beebe is on his knees praying...

[westbrooke]

After the way Missouri was flashing their panties at the Big 10 last year, I'm simply unwilling to believe that they're content here. They'd sell their first-born for a Big 10 invite. They want to believe they're above the SEC "academic cesspool" as much as we do, perhaps moreso, but I bet they'd go just to assure they don't get left without a chair when the music stops. That said, I reiterate my belief that they're probably hoping for realignment armageddon epic enough to rattle Notre Dame and push them into the Big 10, with Mizzou getting the extra "let's keep the numbers even" bid.

We need to get out while we can. I have no doubt OU would survive the collapse of the Big 12 if we held on to the bitter end, but I'd rather we were trendsetters here rather than the kooks who thought Houston, SMU, and Memphis were going to save a legit BCS conference. I'm sickened by this "we can still make the Big 12 work" talk coming out of the ADs and conference officials.

[mgsooner]

:texan:

beebe is on his knees praying...

He's on his knees, but he's not praying

[SicEmBaylor]

:texan:

beebe is on his knees praying...

Uh, he's on his knees but that isn't praying....

[brainpimp]

He's on his knees, but he's not praying

HAHAHA exactly my thoughts.

[mgsooner]

beat you

[Brophog]

:texan:

beebe is on his knees praying...

"Please give Texas the strength to pull a conference together, to keep me as commissioner..............."

[SicEmBaylor]

He's on his knees, but he's not praying
Damn, beat me to it.
Great minds. :D

[SicEmBaylor]

beat you

Okay, this is getting scary now. We're twinsies!

[TIMB0B]

That could very well overtake the Red River Rivalry!

The Rio Grande Rivalry

[northspeter]

looks more and more like mizzou and a&m are gone to the sec... probably means no acc teams moving... slight possiblity of ou, osu joining a&m and mizzou.... twitter is blowin up with all this chatter...

[northspeter]

greg doyle from cbs posted a few minutes ago that ou, osu and 2 other schools approached the big 10... and were promptly denied... for academic reason...

[mgsooner]

greg doyle from cbs posted a few minutes ago that ou, osu and 2 other schools approached the big 10... and were promptly denied... for academic reason...

Greg Doyel doesn't know his @ss from a hole in the wall. Do you really think Nebraska is acceptable academically and OU isn't? Please.

[TIMB0B]

greg doyle from cbs posted a few minutes ago that ou, osu and 2 other schools approached the big 10... and were promptly denied... for academic reason...

I don't believe it.

[PDXsooner]

SEC is fool's Gold. If you like lowering yourselves to the caverns of recruiting hell, chanting your conference name at games, and flapping 'Ole Dixie at games, then go ahead.

Quite honestly, the SEC does absolutely nothing for OU.

[Sooner Eclipse]

The Rio Grande Rivalry

I ****ing despise soccer.

[Widescreen]

... the fsu and clemson AD's are denying also... you realize, sometimes "NO, really means, YES"

by the way, the initial reports out of college station were also denied....

Yes, that's why I said "unless he was lying".

[EatLeadCommie]

That rumor comes from Gottleib's tweet, and we all know he is an idiot.

However, the interesting thing is that if they are poaching Mizzou, we obviously told them no. What do Boren and Joe have up their sleeves?

[Widescreen]

What do Boren and Joe have up their sleeves?

The Big 7 Conference. Duh!

[Sooner98]

according to barry tramel on twitter.. OU sources say... mizzou leaving would kill the conference...

Please, make this happen.

[mgsooner]

OU official to @TheOklahoman: Mizzou to SEC reports appear untrue at this time

[Lott's Bandana]

USA Today, approx 1pm CDT 8/13:


All but one of the SEC presidents will discuss the possible addition of Texas A&M and other issues related to conference expansion Sunday.
http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/campus-rivalry/2011/08/12/slivex-inset-community.jpg (http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/campus-rivalry/2011/08/12/slivex-large.jpg)SEC commissioner Mike Slive has not spoken publically about the possibility of adding Texas A&M to the conference.


CAPTION (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:void%280%29)

By Butch Dill, AP



According to the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/sports/sec-presidents-to-discuss-texas-ams-admission.html), 11 of the 12 school SEC presidents will meet at a secret location. The addition of Texas A&M has been speculated for more than a year. But talks have heated up with A&M's frustration with rival Texas about to launch its Longhorn Network.Texas A&M has scheduled a regents meeting (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/08/texas-a38m-regents-meeting-big-12-move-sec/1) for Monday and will discuss "athletic conference realignment."
An SEC official said that the addition of Texas A&M was not a certainty, putting the chances the presidents could vote against the addition at 30 to 40 percent.
One issue needing to be resolved would be which other school would join the league to grow it to 14.
"We realize if we do this, we have to have the 14th," the official told The Times. "No name has been thrown out. This thing is much slower out of the chute than the media and blogs have made it."
Texas A&M considered joining the SEC last summer when the Big 12 nearly fell apart with Colorado and Nebraska announcing plans to leave. According to the SEC official, renewed talks between the league and Texas A&M started three weeks ago and there was a meeting between the sides one week later.
Another concern surrounding A&M move is whether can break its contract with the Big 12. The remaining 10 teams committed to staying together last summer and announced a television contract with Fox (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/04/big-12-fox-television-rights-/1) worth more than $1 billion last April.
"They have a contract now," the official said. "We're very sensitive about being part of breaking a contract. What we asked them to do was to go settle their issues and not have us be on the table as the agent of causing them to leave."

[Illuminati]

I have a bad feeling that OU is going to stay right where we are

[mgsooner]

If Missouri stays, I think the conference survives. (for the time being)

[westbrooke]

Greg Doyel doesn't know his @ss from a hole in the wall. Do you really think Nebraska is acceptable academically and OU isn't? Please.

You may be right about Doyle, but the academic issue actually makes sense. Up until this time last year, Nebraska was a member of the AAU. As part of the Big 10's research partnerships, I wouldn't be surprised if they regained that honor soon.

AAU is pretty much a barrier to entry for the Big 10. Unless your name is Notre Dame...

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/26078/nebraska-loses-aau-status

[SoonerMom2]

Why would OU believe anything MO had to say when they were trying to go to the Big 10 before Nebraska? It is only a matter of time until this conference blows up. Don't think the rest of us can survive with the Longhorn Network and Beebe running things as you never know when he is going to give into Texas again which is a huge possibility.

Love how they said OU had been trying to contact MO but no one was answering and then all of a sudden MO comes out with they are not going anywhere. Why not talk to OU earlier -- did they have to get their stories straight.

[SicEmBaylor]

flapping 'Ole Dixie at games, then go ahead.

So then there's at least one big upside is what you're saying.

[mgsooner]

Sources: Missouri officials say school not headed to SEC

By DAVE SITTLER World Sports Writer
Published: 8/13/2011 4:12 PM
Last Modified: 8/13/2011 4:12 PM

If the Big 12 Conference loses Missouri along with Texas A&M to the Southeastern Conference, the 15-year-old league will undoubtedly be history.

But high-placed Big 12 and University of Oklahoma sources said Missouri denied rumors that it was leaving for the SEC during a Saturday afternoon teleconference.

The teleconference, which included commissioner Dan Beebe and the athletic directors from every Big 12 school but A&M, was still in session when a source sent a test to the Tulsa World that said:

“Missouri rumor is false, according to my sources. Who knows what the future holds? But so far, there is no real sign of (Mizzou leaving.”

Several sources had indicated earlier in the week that the Big 12 may attempt to replace A&M or operate as a nine-team league. But those same people agreed that the conference could not survive if Missouri also bolts.

[SoonerMom2]

You may be right about Doyle, but the academic issue actually makes sense. Up until this time last year, Nebraska was a member of the AAU. As part of the Big 10's research partnerships, I wouldn't be surprised if they regained that honor soon.

AAU is pretty much a barrier to entry for the Big 10. Unless your name is Notre Dame...

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/26078/nebraska-loses-aau-status

This would also go along with earlier comments that some OU people wanted to look at the Big 10 -- with that out of the way, they can go to the PAC 10 which is where they said most OU people wanted to go.

Think trying to stay in the Big 12 with Texas won't work for anyone.

[SoonerMom2]

Why would the idiots try to operate as a nine-team league? Do they want to kill all chances of a National Championship? Also hearing Texas wants to pick who the 10th team would be. They need to be told where to go because their arrogance is responsible for all of this.

[SicEmBaylor]

Why would the idiots try to operate as a nine-team league? Do they want to kill all chances of a National Championship? Also hearing Texas wants to pick who the 10th team would be. They need to be told where to go because their arrogance is responsible for all of this.

Like it or not, UT is in the driver's seat of this conference at the moment. Dodds has already said that his office is evaluating all of the potential candidates to replace Aggie, 'braska, and Colorado. The fact that this is being conducted out of Dodds' office and not out of Beebe's is a clear indication of who is running this show. Why the other Big XII schools have allowed this to happen is beyond me. I can see Baylor and Tech letting UT take the lead, but why OU has allowed it to go on is beyond my ability to comprehend.

[Chuck Bao]

Yeah, the whole idea of a breakup of the Big XII-2 just pisses me the hell off. I hate the arrogance of the east, west and south coast. I hate those who just write us off as fly over country.

We are, by God, Oklahoma. And, nobody should forget that. We have our very own coast and that is called the Red River and Lake Texoma. We have so many kids who love OU in Northern Texas and the DFW Metroplex who want to come over and join a winning team. I am not talking about athletics here. I am talking about city kids who see what we stand for and all that is right and decent in the world. We have that tradition and bailing out to the ****ing east coast, west coast and south coast is a betrayal.

IT'S A BIG BETRAYAL. WE ARE ****ING OKLAHOMA. NOBODY CAN LOOK DOWN ON US IN FOOTBALL. THERE IS NO REASON TO ACCEPT THAT WE ARE ANY LESSER THAN THE ****WADS ELSEWHERE. WE MAY BE FLY OVER COUNTRY BUT WE GOT ONE HELL OF A GREAT FOOTBALL TEAM AND I LIKE EVERY DAMN ONE OF THE REBELS WHO JOINS OUR TEAM.

To hell with the SEC and the PAC whatev. We have the team and flyover country will have it's own BSC Bowl in Dallas and OU will own it every damn time. Take that you bunch of bitches.

[soonervegas]

Like it or not, UT is in the driver's seat of this conference at the moment. Dodds has already said that his office is evaluating all of the potential candidates to replace Aggie, 'braska, and Colorado. The fact that this is being conducted out of Dodds' office and not out of Beebe's is a clear indication of who is running this show. Why the other Big XII schools have allowed this to happen is beyond me. I can see Baylor and Tech letting UT take the lead, but why OU has allowed it to go on is beyond my ability to comprehend.

My feeling is it is Houston or a 9-team league........we are officially Texas' stooge if this happens.

[mgsooner]

Honestly, I want the conference to stay together. I don't want to play road games halfway across the country. I don't want to sit around on a Saturday waiting until 10 p.m. for our game @ Oregon State to kick off. I don't want to lose our traditional rivalries, and/or I don't want to be forced to play those games in our non-conference schedule every single year. I really hope they can figure out a way to save this conference, but I don't see how. Even if it is saved in the short term it will absolutely shock me if this conference exists by the year 2015.

[soonerboomer93]

Honestly, I want the conference to stay together. I don't want to play road games halfway across the country. I don't want to sit around on a Saturday waiting until 10 p.m. for our game @ Oregon State to kick off. I don't want to lose our traditional rivalries, and/or I don't want to be forced to play those games in our non-conference schedule every single year. I really hope they can figure out a way to save this conference, but I don't see how. Even if it is saved in the short term it will absolutely shock me if this conference exists by the year 2015.

QFT

[soonerbub]

IT'S A BIG BETRAYAL. WE ARE ****ING OKLAHOMA. NOBODY CAN LOOK DOWN ON US IN FOOTBALL. THERE IS NO REASON TO ACCEPT THAT WE ARE ANY LESSER THAN THE ****WADS ELSEWHERE. WE MAY BE FLY OVER COUNTRY BUT WE GOT ONE HELL OF A GREAT FOOTBALL TEAM AND I LIKE EVERY DAMN ONE OF THE REBELS WHO JOINS OUR TEAM.

To hell with the SEC and the PAC whatev. We have the team and flyover country will have it's own BSC Bowl in Dallas and OU will own it every damn time. Take that you bunch of bitches.

http://i25.tinypic.com/2laq1iv.jpg

****in a, dude

[northspeter]

word is that notre dame, byu and louisville have already turned big 12 away... UT's preference according to bohls is big 12 with 10, with 9, pac 12, indep. in that order...

[Chuck Bao]

http://i25.tinypic.com/2laq1iv.jpg

****in a, dude

Hell yeah and spek. I don't care how much money is involved. They can't buy and we won't sell out our tradition. ****'em.

[northspeter]

My feeling is it is Houston or a 9-team league........we are officially Texas' stooge if this happens.

none of the league officials want houston...

[Penguin]

none of the league officials want houston...


Poor cougars. Let those mofos in! (as soon as we're gone) :texan:

[SoonerMom2]

Like it or not, UT is in the driver's seat of this conference at the moment. Dodds has already said that his office is evaluating all of the potential candidates to replace Aggie, 'braska, and Colorado. The fact that this is being conducted out of Dodds' office and not out of Beebe's is a clear indication of who is running this show. Why the other Big XII schools have allowed this to happen is beyond me. I can see Baylor and Tech letting UT take the lead, but why OU has allowed it to go on is beyond my ability to comprehend.

I am with you 100%! Makes no sense to me as Dodds is the problem not the solution.

[SoonerMom2]

Just fold the league and be done with it -- operating a major conference with only nine schools -- no way is that going to work. This is not the 80's! Why would any school want to join a conference with Texas running everything?

I don't even want to be part of a conference with Texas' Dodds calling the shots and Beebe as the head of the 'Little 12" who bows to Texas.

[AlboSooner]

OU is not going to the SEC, thank God. Nobody at OU, besides some fans want to go to the SEC.

[AlboSooner]

Greg Doyel doesn't know his @ss from a hole in the wall. Do you really think Nebraska is acceptable academically and OU isn't? Please.

burn.

[SicEmBaylor]

Let me go on record once again as opposing the idea of OU going to the Pac-12. Moving to the Big? makes a hell of a lot more sense. That will only happen, however, if OU is liberated from the chains of Pokie State.

[soonersponge]

Let me go on record once again as opposing the idea of OU going to the Pac-12. Moving to the Big? makes a hell of a lot more sense. That will only happen, however, if OU is liberated from the chains of Pokie State.

Big 10 = crap slow football. I would rather play in Canadian League.

[northspeter]

via kirk bohls... deloss dodds says following the meetings that all big schools want a&m to stay... not so sure they are leaving...

[badger]

http://i25.tinypic.com/2laq1iv.jpg
You know what'd I want to do? Two conferences at the same time.

(thx for the pic bub!)

[CowboyMRW]

Let me go on record once again as opposing the idea of OU going to the Pac-12. Moving to the Big? makes a hell of a lot more sense. That will only happen, however, if OU is liberated from the chains of Pokie State.

Where do you think Baylor is going to end up after all is said and done?

[SicEmBaylor]

Where do you think Baylor is going to end up after all is said and done?

If the Big XII dies then C-USA. I'm highly confident of that.

[CowboyMRW]

I've heard BE so that's what I was wondering, especially with the resurgent bball program that Drew has going

[AlboSooner]

AM can't stay. If they do stay, they lose any gram of credibility and respect they had left.

[SicEmBaylor]

I've heard BE so that's what I was wondering, especially with the resurgent bball program that Drew has going

I honestly don't think they'd take us, but if the Big East were to actually extend an invitation then I hope to God our Admin isn't stupid enough to turn it down. They better accept that deal IMMEDIATELY regardless of what else is going on in the Big XII.

This conference is the Titanic. Grab a life vest or a life boat when you can because there are a limited number of slots.

I just don't see us going to another BCS conference. It'll be off to C-USA for us, but I honestly don't see that as a really bad thing.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

AM can't stay. If they do stay, they lose any gram of credibility and respect they had left.

This. ATM has to go, you can only cry wolf so many times.

Why are we tied to saxet? We don't need them, we can hold our own and go wherever on our own...

[SoonerInFortSmith]

Yeah, the whole idea of a breakup of the Big XII-2 just pisses me the hell off. I hate the arrogance of the east, west and south coast. I hate those who just write us off as fly over country.

We are, by God, Oklahoma. And, nobody should forget that. We have our very own coast and that is called the Red River and Lake Texoma. We have so many kids who love OU in Northern Texas and the DFW Metroplex who want to come over and join a winning team. I am not talking about athletics here. I am talking about city kids who see what we stand for and all that is right and decent in the world. We have that tradition and bailing out to the ****ing east coast, west coast and south coast is a betrayal.

IT'S A BIG BETRAYAL. WE ARE ****ING OKLAHOMA. NOBODY CAN LOOK DOWN ON US IN FOOTBALL. THERE IS NO REASON TO ACCEPT THAT WE ARE ANY LESSER THAN THE ****WADS ELSEWHERE. WE MAY BE FLY OVER COUNTRY BUT WE GOT ONE HELL OF A GREAT FOOTBALL TEAM AND I LIKE EVERY DAMN ONE OF THE REBELS WHO JOINS OUR TEAM.

To hell with the SEC and the PAC whatev. We have the team and flyover country will have it's own BSC Bowl in Dallas and OU will own it every damn time. Take that you bunch of bitches.

Chuck, you brought a tear to my eye, brother.

[SoonerMom2]

Am not sure we are tied to TX any more with comments coming out that Bob Stoops is lived about the Longhorn network and talk that some are saying is going on behind the scenes.

Think it is time for OU to look out for OU period and do what is best for our program. Staying in the 'little' 9 is not good for OU.

[trwxxa]

My feeling is it is Houston or a 9-team league........we are officially Texas' stooge if this happens.

UT will take Panhandle State before they take Houston.

1. UT did not want to accept UH to the SWC
2. UT calls the school "Cougar High", eventhough the school is now a Tier 1 university.
3. UT did not appreciate the whippings they took in the early 90s
4. UT will never forget the fiasco of a few years ago when they were to play at Robertson. UH erected temporary bleachers for the UT fans. The city deemed the bleachers unsafe a few hours before the game.

UH will not be invited.

[delhalew]

Has the world imploded yet? Can we just leave already?

[SicEmBaylor]

If this **** with Aggie goes south for them (which it might), I hope every remaining Big XII team taunts them with chants of "SEC" after every game.

[silverwheels]

Apparently there's a pretty good chance the SEC tells A&M to sit down and shut up. If that does happen, that is the definition of "aggy". They are such idiots and they prove it time and time again.

[SicEmBaylor]

Apparently there's a pretty good chance the SEC tells A&M to sit down and shut up. If that does happen, that is the definition of "aggy". They are such idiots and they prove it time and time again.

Yep, I'm hearing that Baylor is FINALLY getting its political ducks in a row with the legislature (we've always been very powerful within the legislature), and that UT may actually be quietly lobbying SEC Presidents to vote against Aggie.

I really thought this was a final done deal except for dotting the i's and crossing the t's, but Aggie may just get Gigged.

[SicEmBaylor]

I like this outcome best because it allows OU to leave the Big XII on its own terms a little down the road (along with any other school for that matter), and it gives Baylor time to do some heavy lobbying of the Big East or, at worst, C-USA so we aren't left out in the cold with no place to call home.

Telling Aggie to get back in the house, sit down, and shut up makes me happy in my special place.

[Dio]

Looks like AnM is about to get Corso'd by the SEC. Epic lulz

[CowboyMRW]

Even though a part of me wants to head west, I would like nothing more than for this to fall through for AnM. I think that it would be the funniest thing, especially after I've read Texags.

[SoonerMom2]

Even though a part of me wants to head west, I would like nothing more than for this to fall through for AnM. I think that it would be the funniest thing, especially after I've read Texags.

I am with you on that one!

[SoonerofAlabama]

If Texas A&M does get denied, is it funnier than when Mizzou got rejected by the Big Ten last year?

[AlboSooner]

I like this outcome best because it allows OU to leave the Big XII on its own terms a little down the road (along with any other school for that matter), and it gives Baylor time to do some heavy lobbying of the Big East or, at worst, C-USA so we aren't left out in the cold with no place to call home.

Telling Aggie to get back in the house, sit down, and shut up makes me happy in my special place.

I don't get why these teams don't like each other enough to make a conference work. To the point where the Big East seems like a better place.

If Texas A&M does get denied, is it funnier than when Mizzou got rejected by the Big Ten last year?

Yes. but more embarrassing.

[CowboyMRW]

If Texas A&M does get denied, is it funnier than when Mizzou got rejected by the Big Ten last year?

10x funnier to me.

[silverwheels]

If Texas A&M does get denied, is it funnier than when Mizzou got rejected by the Big Ten last year?

About the same, since they both did it for different reasons. The Missouri situation was awesome because they ran their mouths about the Big 12 anticipating a move the the Big Ten and then they got passed over for Nebraska. A&M's massive inferiority complex with UT is what has driven most of this, and it will be beyond hilarious if they have to stay with their big brother.

Either way, they're both a couple of dip**** schools. Keep your opinion to yourself until you have something worked out.

[Lott's Bandana]

Nothing more insufferable than a "6" (aTm) that thinks she is a "10".

[SicEmBaylor]

I don't get why these teams don't like each other enough to make a conference work. To the point where the Big East seems like a better place.


Yes. but more embarrassing.

Baylor and UT are fine and vice-versa. It's Aggie that's the problem. I don't think the Big XII has a future even if Aggie gets denied by the SEC which is why I said that about the Big East which is probably our own BCS hope.

I'd much rather be in a nice stable BCS conference with UT, Tech, and even Aggie.

[AlboSooner]

One of the things the SEC appears to want to make clear is that it is A&M pursuing the conference, not vice versa. (http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/08/13/report-30-to-40-percent-chance-sec-would-vote-against-adding-am/)

[silverwheels]

You guys think the Aggie Cadets are huddled up right now squeezing their balls until this is over?

[SicEmBaylor]

You guys think the Aggie Cadets are huddled up right now squeezing each other's balls until this is over?

FIFY

[reevie]

If the SEC picks up A&M and Clemson, they're grabbing the two most delusional fan-bases in the country. It is ok to keep a crazy ex-girlfriend around at arms length for booty calls and whatnot. But this would be like moving in with two crazy ex-girlfriends.

I hope the SEC thinks hard about this move.

[OUNASH]

FIFY

Now thats Funny...:)

[sooner59]

If it doesn't happen, this wallpaper will be fun to post on Texags:

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/2576/secbackground.jpg

[TheHumanAlphabet]

If this **** with Aggie goes south for them (which it might), I hope every remaining Big XII team taunts them with chants of "SEC" after every game.

They will have to use the nut grabber cheer all the time! SEC!SEC! SEC!

[trwxxa]

I'd much rather be in a nice stable BCS conference with UT, Tech, and even Aggie.

You do realize you will not be in a stable conference with UT unless you are willing to be on your knees honoring your master and taking pennies on the dollar?

[CowboyMRW]

Am I the only one that if this goes through, hopes that AnM never wins an SEC game?

[CowboyMRW]

Is that evil of me?

[SicEmBaylor]

Is that evil of me?

Evil? Hell, every time Aggie holds midnight yell practice I pray for the good lord to open the earth and swallow that ****-hole stadium and every maroon clad buffoon in it up whole.

[S008NER]

I don't think this would have gone so far if A&M did not have the SEC assurances that they would get in. It appears the SEC is covering their *** of any conference tampering charges that could be brought against them.

[CowboyMRW]

A perfect world for me right now would be for the Big 12 to dissolve and AnM left out to CUSA or something. I would gladly do anything in this world for that to happen.

I might even go as far as let OU win the next 2 MNC's :D :D ;)

[Collier11]

osu and a&m are the same, just good during diff decades

[sooneredaco]

I might even go as far CHEER FOR OU WHEN THEY win the next 2 MNC's :D :D ;)

FIFY

[silverwheels]

osu and a&m are the same, just good during diff decades

At least OSU doesn't have nut squeezing, "yell leaders", and dog worshiping, though. You have to give them that.

[Collier11]

true, but osu does act like they have had a legitimate football program prior to 10 years ago and we should fear them, lol

[silverwheels]

true, but osu does act like they have had a legitimate football program prior to 10 years ago and we should fear them, lol

They've always acted like that, though.

[Collier11]

they are both ******s equally, just for diff reasons

[JLEW1818]

**** aggies

[MeMyself&Me]

A perfect world for me right now would be for the Big 12 to dissolve and AnM left out to CUSA or something. I would gladly do anything in this world for that to happen.

I might even go as far as let OU win the next 2 MNC's :D :D ;)

I could go for that. :D :D :D :D

[John Kochtoston]

The conference died last year when Nebraska left. A&M leaving will just flip the switch on the life support machine. The Big 12's top football schools, when all factors are considered, were Texas, OU, A&M and Nebraska (debate the order, but not the schools). Two of those teams are, or will soon be gone.

I only hope and pray OU will not be suckered into another "rebuilt" Big 12. People who believe Houston is a viable replacement for A&M are delusional. People in Houston watch Texas and A&M games, and OU to a lesser extent. It wouldn't shock me if more folks in Houston watch OSU games than they do Cougar High games. HOUSTON ADDS NOTHING TO THE CONFERENCE! They will draw fewer TVs, win fewer games and field less talented teams than A&M.

Texas will try to reform the Southwest Conference, allowing them to keep the Longhorn Network and win conference titles* all at the same time. OU does not need to stick around and subsidize that. OU must jump to the Pac-1X if A&M leaves, and should even if the Ags don't.

[SicEmBaylor]

Texas will try to reform the Southwest Conference, allowing them to keep the Longhorn Network and win conference titles* all at the same time. OU does not need to stick around and subsidize that. OU must jump to the Pac-1X if A&M leaves, and should even if the Ags don't.

If they do that then can we go back to regularly (though not consistently) beating the **** out of UT? ****, with the SWC we were winning and competing for conference championships. I think you can count me in!

[silverwheels]

This is all contingent on the Pac-whatever actually wanting OU without Texas, who screwed that whole scenario up last year with the plans for the LHN. Not sure if that's going to happen.

[John Kochtoston]

If they do that then can we go back to regularly (though not consistently) beating the **** out of UT? ****, with the SWC we were winning and competing for conference championships. I think you can count me in!

Should be even easier without Arkansas and A&M around.

[John Kochtoston]

This is all contingent on the Pac-whatever actually wanting OU without Texas, who screwed that whole scenario up last year with the plans for the LHN. Not sure if that's going to happen.

They took Colorado and Utah without Texas. I'm pretty sure Texas' participation isn't a prerequisite.

[silverwheels]

They took Colorado and Utah without Texas. I'm pretty sure Texas' participation isn't a prerequisite.

Maybe not. Who knows anymore. I'm starting to hope that the super conferences do take shape and then end up sucking hind teat after a few years, leading to everyone going back to their original conferences.

[LASooner]

The Big 12 personified.

Sh8mNjeuyV4

I personally hope the Pac-16 thing happens for the selfish reason of wanting to take my son to at least 1 OU game a year.

[sooneredaco]

Maybe not. Who knows anymore. I'm starting to hope that the super conferences do take shape and then end up sucking hind teat after a few years, leading to everyone going back to their original conferences.

Vey good perspective! I feel the same. Tradition is always tradition

[Sooner_Tuf]

Is there anyway A&M could take OSU with them? They could be aTm-sTr or something or other. Pokin Aggies, doesn't even sound new does it?

[OrlandoSooner]

Maybe not. Who knows anymore. I'm starting to hope that the super conferences do take shape and then end up sucking hind teat after a few years, leading to everyone going back to their original conferences.

I thought the same thing last year during the realignment. We will get everyone moved into a Superconference within the next couple of years. The Big 12 will die b/c of geography. 1/3 goes East, 1/3 goes West and 1/3 will cease to be players.

In 10-15 years, teams will get tired of the extra travel and other issues will cause the desire to get smaller conferences. The Big 8/12 could be revived then.

[PLaw]

WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY

Why #1 - Why is there an overtone that the OU administration believes OU must be tied at the hip to UT? OU won 6 national championships not being in the same conference as the horns and the Red River Rivalry was built on the schools being in separate conferences.

Why #2 - Why do we think OU must be tied to OSU? OSU didn't join the Big 8 until 1958. While OSU brings a lot to the table in non-revenue sports, the academic path is not on the same flight plan as OU's. It would serve OU to join an athletic conference with strong academic standards. Georgia and Georgia Tech; Virginia and Va Tech, South Carolina and Clemson; Florida and Florida State; and Penn State and Pitt all do well in separate conferences.

Why #3 - Why aren't folks more excited about a possible move to the B1G? It would restore an ancient rivalry and still continue the RRS. A B1G West would keep all games in the CST zone. The weather?? Minnesota plays indoors and Oklahoma can get pretty nasty in late November. Anybody recall a game on ice vs. OSU?

Why #4 - Why is Boren supposed to be so opposed to a move to the SEC? Poor academics? Can't be worse than the Big 12. Unseemly recruiting? It exists everywhere.

Why #5 - Historically, successful conferences have equal revenue sharing. Why do you think the Big 12 can survive with "elite" programs getting a bigger share of the pie. The Big 2, Little 8 is on a slippery slope that is not sustainable.

Why #6 - Why do you think there are schools of equal prestige and value to replace NU, CU, TAMU, or MU. They aren't out there, period. The best thing for the Big 8 or 9 will be an alliance with the we weakened ACC after FSU and Clemson depart for the SEC. This alliance would have a championship game. The Big 12-3 (or 4) will be a joke.

BOOMER

[PLaw]

osu and a&m are the same, just good during diff decades

Respectively, have to disagree. TAMU has an enrollment of 45,000+. It is a strong research school. In athletics, they are somewhat more similar, but as a university, TAMU is on steroids compared to OSU.

BOOMER

[soonersponge]

OU is tied to the hip with OSU, not UT. To get into the PAC and the BIG 10, OU needs UT to be with them to get in at this point with OSU. If at some point, OU can't get in a conference with OSU, they will go out on their own and take care of things.

[S008NER]

The conference died last year when Nebraska left. A&M leaving will just flip the switch on the life support machine. The Big 12's top football schools, when all factors are considered, were Texas, OU, A&M and Nebraska (debate the order, but not the schools). Two of those teams are, or will soon be gone.

I only hope and pray OU will not be suckered into another "rebuilt" Big 12. People who believe Houston is a viable replacement for A&M are delusional. People in Houston watch Texas and A&M games, and OU to a lesser extent. It wouldn't shock me if more folks in Houston watch OSU games than they do Cougar High games. HOUSTON ADDS NOTHING TO THE CONFERENCE! They will draw fewer TVs, win fewer games and field less talented teams than A&M.

Texas will try to reform the Southwest Conference, allowing them to keep the Longhorn Network and win conference titles* all at the same time. OU does not need to stick around and subsidize that. OU must jump to the Pac-1X if A&M leaves, and should even if the Ags don't.

The fact is that there really is no viable replacement for A&M unless there is some plan to lure someone from a power conference. Only Houston fans believe that they would be a viable replacement for A&M. But I still think they will be the 10th member here is why. The TV deal was only about OU and Tejas. Houston does not have to add tv's, they don't have to. They will give OU and tejas a chance to play in Houston in front of recruits and give presence to counter the sec. Also Houston has large and active OU alumni group. Also add in that they are a state school, which will add political pressure into the mix. Houston is playing a weak schedule this year and is predicted to have a strong team. Some preseason rags have them winning out and an outside chance of bcs bid. They can likely compete now with some of the big # programs. Their problem is their facilities which are below conference standards. The main key for OU and tejas remaining relevant nationally is strong OCC scheduling.

[Lott's Bandana]

From CBSSports.com



You have to hand it to Texas A&M (http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/teams/page/TXAM/texas-am-aggies), which is strongly considering leaving the Big 12 for the SEC for a whole lot of reasons, none as important as this one: Texas A&M is sick and tired of Texas (http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/teams/page/TX/texas-longhorns).
Leaving the Big 12 for the SEC might mean a few more bucks for the Aggies -- though I'm not so sure, and I'll tell you why in a minute -- but otherwise it would be a bad move. No, sorry. It wouldn't be a bad move. That's negative, and I don't mean to be negative.
It would be an awful move.

There. Better. That wasn't negative -- that was honest.
Leaving the Big 12 for the SEC would be an awful move for Texas A&M, but the Aggies are speeding in that direction anyway because they're that tired of Texas. And that's impressive. No, really. That's impressive, and I say that without a shred of sarcasm. None of this is meant as an insult or even a backhanded compliment. Not to Texas A&M, anyway.
All of it is an insult to Texas, which has become so repulsively greedy and self-serving that it's about to lose its biggest rival -- a school it doesn't want to lose, by the way -- to another conference. And more schools have tried to follow. Spurred by Texas A&M's flirtation with the SEC, Oklahoma rediscovered its backbone by leading a quartet of Big 12 schools recently to the Big Ten to inquire about joining that conference in one mass transfer. The Big Ten, a source on the front line of the NCAA's changing landscape told me, cited its allegiance to the prestigious American Association of Universities and opted not to pursue an alliance; Oklahoma and OSU aren't AAU members.

A move to the SEC a good idea? Not really. But the Aggies would be a nice addition to the SEC.

So there you have it. One Big 12 school is about to leave Texas, and four others tried. It says a lot about Texas, none of it good. Texas should be a black hole, an enormous force of nature that draws other schools to it from sheer gravity. Instead Texas is like the wrong end of a magnet, strangely pushing partners away.

By joining forces with ESPN over the $300 million (and counting) Longhorn Network, Texas wants the best of all possible worlds. It wants to monopolize a network like Notre Dame and BYU have done, only it doesn't have the guts to strike out on its own as a football independent. Texas wants to have its cake and eat it too, but instead the Longhorns are giving everyone around them a bad case of botulism.
Yes, the world understands why Texas A&M is so close to leaving. But it's an emotional move the Aggies are contemplating -- look how fast this has come together -- not a sensible one. Getting away from Texas is a strong move, an independent move, and I couldn't be prouder of Texas A&M. Not willing to be viewed nationally as Texas' little brother, Texas A&M has enough self-respect and inner strength to break free from Texas' gravitational pull and pursue another orbit to call its own. An orbit, by the way, where all schools would be on the same financial footing.
Leaving the Big 12 would be freeing for the Aggies' psyche, but it would be crushing for their football team. And not good for the rest of their sports teams, either. Not even a little bit good.

Instead of busing to play several conference rivals, as it does in the Big 12, everything would be a flight in the SEC. That's an additional commitment of finances that would cut significantly into whatever profit comes from SEC football -- Texas A&M fields teams in 18 sports, not just one -- but it's also an additional commitment of time.

Instead of busing to Austin or Waco for a Tuesday night volleyball game, and then busing back afterward, the Aggies probably would have to fly everywhere in the SEC. If it matters to anyone, that's a lot of additional time out of class for a lot of students, and the NCAA is about to judge a team's postseason worthiness on its Academic Progress Rate (APR).
Plus, parents of Texas A&M athletes, most of whom come from the state of Texas, wouldn't be able to fill up the gas tank and drive to see their kid play. It's a flight. And a hotel room. And meals and ground transportation. Or those parents could do the alternative -- read about their kid's game in the newspaper.

Geographic rivalries? There aren't any, other than old Southwest Conference foe Arkansas, which is 500 miles away and last played in the same league with the Aggies in 1991. Oh, I suppose there's the possibility of something growing with LSU, which would be Texas A&M's closest SEC rival. The drive from College Station to Baton Rouge is 360 miles.
But enough about the other sports. This move would be made for football, so let's look at what Texas A&M would get for fleeing Texas:

Texas A&M would get its butt kicked.

Sorry, that's just the way it is. Texas A&M hasn't exactly distinguished itself in the Big 12. One conference championship and one BCS bowl, both 13 years ago. Three division titles in 16 years, only one since 1998. A record of 1-9 in bowls as a member of the Big 12. All of which tells you two things:

Not only has Texas A&M not dominated its own league ... but it has been dominated when it played quality non-conference opponents in the postseason. Add it up, and Aggies haven't finished a season in the Top 10 since 1994.

And now Texas A&M wants a piece of the SEC, which has won the last five BCS titles -- by four different schools? Really? Read this from my colleague Tony Barnhart, (http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/15429379/friday-follies-college-station-is-talk-of-college-football-nation) who put it better than I could: "Last season Mississippi State finished 9-4 and beat Michigan 52-14 in the Gator Bowl ... and Mississippi State finished FIFTH in the SEC West."

Texas A&M would be joining the SEC West, where it would have no chance.

Not based on its history in the Big 12 South, where over the last decade it has finished on average fourth. That means finishing ahead of Baylor and either Oklahoma State or Texas Tech. Finishing fourth in the SEC West would mean finishing behind Alabama, Auburn and LSU, which would happen almost every year.
And then finishing ahead of Arkansas, Mississippi State and Ole Miss -- every year.
No way.
See my point here? The SEC is an awful move for Texas A&M, just about any way you slice it. Yet they're on the verge of going, and I understand it. I really do:
Texas A&M is cutting off its nose to spite Texas -- regardless of what the procedure does to Texas A&M's own face.

[Phil]

The weather?? Minnesota plays indoors

No, they don't.

https://www.mygophersports.com/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=DB023C 99-E62C-46B5-9F03-4D54121CFA0D&menu_id=

[soonersam]

Who is A&M going to beat in the SEC? Vandy? Ole Miss? If they go they will become a 6-6 team forever. And why would they open the front door to the good SEC schools to start recuiting more in their home state of Texas.

Idoits!

I understand that big bad mean Texas cast a huge shadow just a few miles away but suck it up and beat them while they're beatable. What would be more satisfying, beating UT for 3 or 4 strait years or taking your ball and going home? Except home would be getting killed by Bama, Aurburn, LSU, and Florida, and going on the road to Tenn and Ark isnt a walk in the park either! I do think the would beat ane good sec team per year at home but they also have the abilty to lose to Baylor errrrr Vandy on the road!!

That is all

[jk the sooner fan]

its telling when the only people that think this is a good idea is a portion of the aggie fan base

i heard on the radio yesterday that 4 years ago - Dodds personally drove to College Station and asked if they wanted to go jointly on a network - 50/50...they really had no idea what the actual concept would be or revenue stream (estimated about 3 mil) - and the aggies wanted nothing to do with it

i think they're going to regret this

it will be interesting to see where OU ends up

[Sooner Eclipse]

its telling when the only people that think this is a good idea is a portion of the aggie fan base

i heard on the radio yesterday that 4 years ago - Dodds personally drove to College Station and asked if they wanted to go jointly on a network - 50/50...they really had no idea what the actual concept would be or revenue stream (estimated about 3 mil) - and the aggies wanted nothing to do with it

i think they're going to regret this

it will be interesting to see where OU ends up

you get that from the PR firm uterus hired friday? Looks like they've been busy.
:texan:

[Lott's Bandana]

I think if this was just about football, Joe C. would have us out there, all gussied up as the prettiest debutante at the Ball.

However, Joe has made it very clear he feels the other sports would suffer in a PAC/SEC scenario because of the difficult travel and lack of rivalries currently enjoyed by having a Conference in the Heartland.

Therefore, I think we are sitting tight to see how the BigXII plays out and will accept whatever keeps the Conference together. I don't really believe the reports of our overtures to the BigTen, but geographically a West Division of that Conference would remain in the Flyover States, so cherished by our AD.

I may not be happy about the final result of all this, but I do like that we are being quiet and keeping our cards close to the vest. Our "been there, done that" attitude fits. Anyone that thinks we are beholden to whorn is flat wrong.

OU is a brand that stands on its own.

[JLEW1818]

Joe Schad on ESPN, said last night on the conference calls that Mizzou wants to stay in the big12, from Mizzou officials

[soonerfromgeorgia]

OU is a brand that stands on its own.


"If OU is a brand that stands on it own", why don't the Sooners go independent like BYU and Notre Dame?

[sooner59]

Mizzou is maybe smart enough to realize that they have been somewhat relevant in the Big 12? And maybe they wouldn't be in the SEC? Stick em in the in AAU if they're that smart.

[Bruiser53]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6861385/sec-extend-invitation-texas-leaves-options-open

I had a half chuckle when I saw this. This whole saga has been very Aggy

[SoonerForever]

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6861385/sec-extend-invitation-texas-leaves-options-open

[SoonerForever]

NM

[JLEW1818]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[phislammajamma]

SEC declines to offer invite to aTm....what a colossal embarrassment the aggies are right now.

[SoonerofAlabama]

Meeting to decide again on Tuesday. After that, it will be official. Bit for now, hahahahahahaha. :D

[JLEW1818]

i think they have to "leave" before they can be invited.

[budbarrybob]

Bwahahahahahaha

:pop:

[sooneredaco]

"If OU is a brand that stands on it own", why don't the Sooners go independent like BYU and Notre Dame?

Really? What do The Domes & BYU have in common? They both have a massive religious following that crosses all state lines. So OU is a brand, just not a religious one.

[winout]

Wonder if we could be that 14th team that they need. I think we need to be proactive on this thing and think about breaking the UT tethers.

[trwxxa]

i think they have to "leave" before they can be invited.

That is correct. A university must file to leave their current conference before applying to the SEC. Perhaps it has always been that way.

The aTm Board of Regents is expected to give the school President the authority to file the "termination" papers at the meeting tomorrow.

[soonervegas]

DP

[soonervegas]

I would love for The Commish (Dodds) to get this thing back up to 12 w/A&M, move OU/OSU to a seperate division from Texas, and lock this conference in for the next 20 years.

[oudivesherpa]

Really? What do The Domes & BYU have in common? They both have a massive religious following that crosses all state lines. So OU is a brand, just not a religious one.

Agree that OU is much better fooball brand that either BYU or ND, but for
TV purposes there are about 2 million Okies, 1 million Mormons and 50 million Catholics.

[silverwheels]

The Big Ten doesn't want us. We don't live up to their lofty academic standards. They're not going to expand again unless they absolutely have to, and even then, their first choice will be Notre Dame, and then they will look east at schools like Syracuse and Pitt. We might as well forget about them.

For travel and tradition's sake, the Big 12 is where we should be, even though it's on the fast track to becoming a mid-major conference, as this A&M-SEC saga is far from over. The Aggies have made it clear that they want no part of this conference (read: the University of Texas) anymore and will fight tooth-and-nail to get out, while the SEC must also weigh the legal ramifications of the situation and find at least one more school, if not three, to bring in.

And Mizzou is saying the right things, but from what I hear, they still want out of the conference. They just don't want to look like the colossal idiots they are like last summer.

[JLEW1818]

pac12 + 4 ?

i wonder if the pac would want us? If not, we would have to bring the big east over... but would that mess up basketball?

[northspeter]

it's not over yet... may get quiet for a while... but we will be discussing this conference realignment issue again... as soon as aggie south gets there legal ducks in line, they'll be gone...

[AlboSooner]

How can a public institution of higher learning behave in the way A&M has? Just think about it for a second, how absurd this whole process is. I know at my job nobody can behave this way and get away with it.

I have no words to describe the mess which is the whole aTm family. I recently learned that one of their traditions is to ejaculate in jars which represent Texas, and burn them in a bonfire. I also learned that they keep scores for dead dogs, and their whole fight song is about Texas.

All these years in the Big 12 and I didn't really know how weird, pathological, and creepy aTm really is.

[AlboSooner]

The Big Ten doesn't want us. We don't live up to their lofty academic standards. They're not going to expand again unless they absolutely have to, and even then, their first choice will be Notre Dame, and then they will look east at schools like Syracuse and Pitt. We might as well forget about them.



Nebraska is ranked #107, and OU #111. I don't buy into the loftiness of the academic standards of the Big 10.

[northspeter]

Nebraska is ranked #107, and OU #111. I don't buy into the loftiness of the academic standards of the Big 10.

braska has been a long time member(recently lost it, but will get it back soon) of one of the more prestigious research programs in the country... thats a huge part of it...

[bluedogok]

How can a public institution of higher learning behave in the way A&M has? Just think about it for a second, how absurd this whole process is. I know at my job nobody can behave this way and get away with it.
It's Texas and involves politics.....

It is far from over, things will be going on "behind the scenes" for awhile for sure.

[JLEW1818]

Nebraska is ranked #107, and OU #111. I don't buy into the loftiness of the academic standards of the Big 10.

yah, but Nebraska likes it in the butt too.

[silverwheels]

pac12 + 4 ?

i wonder if the pac would want us? If not, we would have to bring the big east over... but would that mess up basketball?

The Pac-12 is probably just waiting to see how everything shakes out. Their commissioner said that Texas is a no-go as long as they have their own network, and last summer the Pac-16 idea was based around Texas bringing a few Big 12 buddies over, but their plans for the LHN did that in. Would they still want us now without Texas? I don't know, but my guess is no, unless the Big 12 just completely implodes, but then there is still the issue of who comes with us. This is just a huge mess, all thanks to Texas. Arrogant, self-centered mother****ers.

And the Big East? No thanks. Talk about a charlie foxtrot in basketball.

[Sooner_Havok]

AAU is why OU cannot join the Big 10

[silverwheels]

Nebraska is ranked #107, and OU #111. I don't buy into the loftiness of the academic standards of the Big 10.

I think it's a crock of ****, too, but that's how the Big Ten really feels.


braska has been a long time member(recently lost it, but will get it back soon) of one of the more prestigious research programs in the country... thats a huge part of it...

Yep. Notre Dame is not a member of the AAU, either, but they're Notre Dame, and they're still the Big Ten's first choice should they look at expanding again.

[IndySooner]

AAU is why OU cannot join the Big 10

From what I hear, OSU, not AAU, is why OU cannot join the Big 12.

[silverwheels]

Wonder if we could be that 14th team that they need. I think we need to be proactive on this thing and think about breaking the UT tethers.

Boren doesn't want to go to the SEC.

This is far from over, but I think it's going to cool down until next Summer.

[AlboSooner]

braska has been a long time member(recently lost it, but will get it back soon) of one of the more prestigious research programs in the country... thats a huge part of it...

The criterion of what makes a school superior to the other is different from person to person. In all measurable aspects OU and Nebbie are very similar. OU does a huge amount of research. It has the best meteorology school in the country. It has a large number of Rhode scholars.

Point is, Big 10's claim to academic integrity is fake, considering Nebraska is like OU, academics wise. You and I can sit here and qualify our statements day and night, and our statement will die the death of a thousand qualifications.

The reality is that the entities which rank universities, rank both universities about the same. If you have two college football programs ranked #107 and the other #111, you don't say one is a powerhouse in football and the other is not.

If there was a conference of football powerhouses, the #107 team would be seen like the #111 team. Do 4 spots make that much of a difference? Is Ou a mere 4 spots from Big 10 academic loftiness? Is there not error, bias, associated with any study to make 4 spots difference meaningless?

[silverwheels]

I think it's more about the AAU thing.

[JLEW1818]

ya, i don't know who really would want to play in the SEC

[AlboSooner]

I think it's more about the AAU thing.

Nebraska is not a member of AAU.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_American_Universities#Membership

Kansas is a member. I don't hear their name much in consideration for the Big 10.

Plus


AAU membership is by invitation only, which requires an affirmative vote of three-fourths of current members

This shows no clear evidence that the school which is not a member, doesn't have a strong commitment to research and academics. This is a country club for universities. Color me unimpressed.

[GKeeper316]

i think the SEC is lookin for another vandy, and aTm fits.

[silverwheels]

Nebraska was an AAU member at the time they were accepted into the Big Ten.

And what would Kansas offer the Big Ten? Wheat? Old missile silos?

[Lott's Bandana]

"If OU is a brand that stands on it own", why don't the Sooners go independent like BYU and Notre Dame?

The same reason Cadillac remains part of GM. infrastructure.

Advertising, shared revenues and shareholders (fans) contribute to Conference BCS bowl tie-ins, Big Monday BB broadcasts and NCAA Tournament invites that an Independent has to constantly politic for...an advantage over any previously-mentioned non Faith-based institution.

Remain in a Conference, just be in a strong one.

[JLEW1818]

i think the SEC is lookin for another vandy, and aTm fits.

LOL

[silverwheels]

A&M would be Arkansas 2.0, maybe slightly better.

[northspeter]

Nebraska was an AAU member at the time they were accepted into the Big Ten.

And what would Kansas offer the Big Ten? Wheat? Old missile silos?

and they will be a member again... notre dame is the exception to the big10 rule...

[AlboSooner]

Nebraska was an AAU member at the time they were accepted into the Big Ten.

And what would Kansas offer the Big Ten? Wheat? Old missile silos?

So they actually got worse. Which means they should be kicked out. Also, the wet-dream of the Big 10, Notre Dame is not a member of AAU (http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/26078/nebraska-loses-aau-status). Is there anybody here that believes that Big 10+2 would say no to Notre Dame?
All I am trying to point out is the hypocrisy of the Big 10, and the country club qualities of this AAU.

[JLEW1818]

A&M would be Arkansas 2.0, maybe slightly better.

ahhh, i still putting money on arky this year in dallas :D

[Sooner_Havok]

Nebraska is not a member of AAU.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_American_Universities#Membership

Kansas is a member. I don't hear their name much in consideration for the Big 10.

Plus



This shows no clear evidence that the school which is not a member, doesn't have a strong commitment to research and academic. This is a country club for universities. Color me unimpressed.

Ok, your unimpressed by AAU membership. The Big 10 is however. You, me, and everyone else may agree that AAU membership isn't that great, but so long as the Big 10 does, OU does not get in. Not really "fair" but it is their party, and they are allowed to use what ever criteria they want in determining who to let into the party, and who to keep out.

[silverwheels]

So they actually got worse. Which means they should be kicked out. Also, the wet-dream of the Big 10, Notre Dame is not a member of AAU (http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/26078/nebraska-loses-aau-status). Is there anybody here that believes that Big 10+2 would say no to Notre Dame?
All I am trying to point out is the hypocrisy of the Bug 10, and the country club qualities of this AAU.

I agree with you, but I'm looking at it from the Big Ten's perspective. They only took Nebraska (best option at the time) because Notre Dame said no. And Notre Dame and their pretty unique and pretty large nation-wide fanbase (i.e. $$$$$$) overrides their non-AAU status. They also have a gigantic endowment.

At this point in time, especially now with the SEC giving A&M a rabies shot and telling them to calm down, the Big Ten has no incentive to expand.

[silverwheels]

It's going to be a good game. The new Hawg QB looked pretty decent in his limited time last year, but the loss of Davis hurts them.

[AlboSooner]

Ok, your unimpressed by AAU membership. The Big 10 is however. You, me, and everyone else may agree that AAU membership isn't that great, but so long as the Big 10 does, OU does not get in. Not really "fair" but it is their party, and they are allowed to use what ever criteria they want in determining who to let into the party, and who to keep out.

My objection was not to deny them their country club attitude, but to point out that not being a member of AAU is not evidence of lack of strong commitment to research and academics. Also, my objective was to show the hypocrisy of the Big 10 when it comes to choosing when and to whom to apply the AAU standard.
For example Nebraska is ranked 4 spots higher than OU academically, but was kicked out because they did not have an on-campus medical school (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_American_Universities#Membership). So they were allowed in before, and kicked out later.

How is lack of a medical school on campus, evidence of lack of strong commitment to research and academics?

[AlboSooner]

Doug Gottlieb
@GottliebShow
UF,UGA and USC formed an alliance, while other schools threatened litigation as well (Tech), TAMU sources stunned by not getting an invite
10 minutes ago via TweetDeck


Doug Gottlieb
@GottliebShow
UGA blocks GT,UF blocks FSU,USC blocks Clemson-Mizzou wants B10 if they leave B12
5 minutes ago via TweetDeck

got this from shaggy




Doesn't seem to me that the networks want this done. They play an important role in this thing.

[IndySooner]

http://outkickthecoverage.com/how-espn-is-complicating-am-to-sec-deal.php

If you want to know why the Big 12 is scambling for a 10th team......

And by the way, from what I have seen it voids the Fox contract, too.

[silverwheels]

It's going to get messy. Well, messier.

[IndySooner]

ESPN has so many conflicts of interest it is scary.

[silverwheels]

Yeah, ESPN is a pretty disgusting organization. Sucks that they basically have a monopoly on sports media.

[MamaMia]

I think we should kick them out of what conference we have left for lack of loyalty. :P

[Sooner_Havok]

My objection was not to deny them their country club attitude, but to point out that not being a member of AAU is not evidence of lack of strong commitment to research and academics. Also, my objective was to show the hypocrisy of the Big 10 when it comes to choosing when and to whom to apply the AAU standard.
For example Nebraska is ranked 4 spots higher than OU academically, but was kicked out because they did not have an on-campus medical school (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_American_Universities#Membership). So they were allowed in before, and kicked out later.

How is lack of a medical school on campus, evidence of lack of strong commitment to research and academics?

It's not an indicator. It is a country club. Mizzou is an AAU member. Mizzou isn't ranked that much higher than OU by US News and World Reports. But What is USN's rankings anyway? It is all just a pissing match.

And are you really that shocked to find out someone would break their own rules for money? (coveting non-AAU Notre Dame) Really?

[Collier11]

A&m looks idiotic and it is really funny...and as I said, the Big 12 isnt going anywhere, atleast for now

[Down]

Pete Thamel, New York Times


A high ranking SEC official called today's statement a way to "tap the brakes" so the Texas A&M can "get its house in order."

@Andy_StaplesAndy Staples


All you who assume A&M got denied, think for a second. The SEC presidents don't drop everything and meet on a Sunday to do nothing.

Matt_HayesSN Matt Hayes


This thing far from over. Ball in TAMU's court. Watch how fast SEC reacts if TAMU says tomorrow they're out of B12. Again, big IF

[silverwheels]

For now. As long as Texas keeps acting like Texas and as long as Texas A&M is down on the floor throwing a tantrum, the Big 12 will remain in a state of unrest. If nothing happens soon, we'll be right back in this spot next Summer.

[Sooner_Havok]

and as I said, the Big 12 isnt going anywhere, atleast for now

Not even if I really, really wished it would?

[Collier11]

why would you want it to? You all who want the Big 12 to disband confuse me...you realize how much power and money we have right now, you realize how much easier it is for us to win the conf and play for a natl title as is compared to going to the Pac 10 or SEC. Be careful what you wish for

[AlboSooner]

Pete Thamel, New York Times



@Andy_StaplesAndy Staples



Matt_HayesSN Matt Hayes
I do think the SEC wants to protect itself, even if it means humiliating aTm, but they would accept aTm just to get in the Texas market, nothing else.

SEC fans want OU and Texas to join, and couldn't care less for the cult of tamu.


why would you want it to? You all who want the Big 12 to disband confuse me...you realize how much power and money we have right now, you realize how much easier it is for us to win the conf and play for a natl title as is compared to going to the Pac 10 or SEC. Be careful what you wish for

I hope Big 12 stays together, but if it imploded, then we need to head west

[silverwheels]

On the flip side, yes, the Big 12 will be easier to win, and yes there will be less schools with whom we have to share revenues, but won't the perceived drop in quality affect our status in the eyes of the voters? Maybe not immediately, but we can't keep hemorrhaging big names from our conference and expect everything to be peachy.

[Collier11]

thats why we are playing a tough out of conference schedule each year, and I dont know that losing A&M, Neb, and Colorado really affects us in the eyes of others. Neb has been relevant what, three times in 10 years. A&M hasnt even played for a conf title since they upset Kstate many moons ago

[JLEW1818]

I'd rather add

tcu, houston, rice, tulsa, smu ... ect

and stay in the big12

[AlboSooner]

On the flip side, yes, the Big 12 will be easier to win, and yes there will be less schools with whom we have to share revenues, but won't the perceived drop in quality affect our status in the eyes of the voters? Maybe not immediately, but we can't keep hemorrhaging big names from our conference and expect everything to be peachy.

True, however neither OU nor Texas will be denied a NC shot if they are undefeated or 1 or 2 in the country. With ND, LSU, Oregon in the future scheduling, nobody will say OU plays a soft schedule.

OU will be fine, and so will Texas. We need to add BYU

[Down]

The Texas A&M Board of Regents must vote to leave the Big 12 and then formally apply to the SEC. Once that happens the SEC can accept their application.

This is the same process that Nebraska took to enter the Big 10.

[Collier11]

Word is we are going after BYu, ND, and Arky...not that we will get them but that is who we will go after initially if A&M does eventually leave

[silverwheels]

I'd rather add

tcu, houston, rice, tulsa, smu ... ect

and stay in the big12

And watch it degrade into a mid-major conference...

[Sooner_Havok]

For now. As long as Texas keeps acting like Texas and as long as Texas A&M is down on the floor throwing a tantrum, the Big 12 will remain in a state of unrest. If nothing happens soon, we'll be right back in this spot next Summer.

Even more of a reason for Boren, Hargis, and the leadership at KU and Mizzou to come together and find a workable solution, even if that solution is the schools separating. F*ck UT, f*ck A&m, f*ck Tech, and (sorry sic) f*ck BU. I am tired of texas politics! Hell, if OU and Mizzou decided to walk, we could lead UT anywhere WE wanted to. You think this conference still works for UT if they have to add Houston for A&M, TCU for OSU, Rice for Mizzou, and SMU for OU? Hell no.

OSU goes where we go, and if we can get either Mizzou or KU to bolt for a more stable conference (again, even if we bolt to different conferences) UT would have to come sniveling with OU and OSU. Think they want to wind up in the SEC?

[AlboSooner]

Arky and ND are not coming, BYU I think will come.

[silverwheels]

I want to add BYU, too, but they don't play any sport on Sundays so they also add a scheduling conundrum if they join.

[silverwheels]

Even more of a reason for Boren, Hargis, and the leadership at KU and Mizzou to come together and find a workable solution, even if that solution is the schools separating. F*ck UT, f*ck A&m, f*ck Tech, and (sorry sic) f*ck BU. I am tired of texas politics! Hell, if OU and Mizzou decided to walk, we could lead UT anywhere WE wanted to. You think this conference still works for UT if they have to add Houston for A&M, TCU for OSU, Rice for Mizzou, and SMU for OU? Hell no.

OSU goes where we go, and if we can get either Mizzou or KU to bolt for a more stable conference (again, even if we bolt to different conferences) UT would have to come sniveling with OU and OSU. Think they want to wind up in the SEC?

But the question is, where will we go? The Big Ten is definitely not interested in expanding for the time being. Not sure if the Pac-12 wants the combination of OU, OSU, KU, and Mizzou. Boren has ruled out the SEC, even if they wanted us.

[JLEW1818]

And watch it degrade into a mid-major conference...

TCU is respectable... maybe even the mormons and Air Force ?