Big East, West Virginia Near $20 Million Settlement

[SoCal]

http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-panthers/2012/2/8/2785515/big-east-west-virginia-settlement-big-12

The West Virginia Mountaineers are planning to leave the Big East conference and head to the Big 12, starting with the 2012-2013 college football season. Previously the Big East filed a lawsuit against the Mountaineers for trying to leave the conference earlier than they were allowed to, but according to CBS Sports, the two sides are nearing a settlement agreement.


The Big East, though, likely would receive substantial monetary damages. Even Florida State athletic director Randy Spetman said his school might seek liquidated damages against WVU after WVU canceled a Sept. 8 game at Florida State, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

WVU would reportedly settle with the Big East for $20 million, as long as the Big East is able to find another football school for 2012. West Virginia already paid the Big East $5 million in October, and it's not yet clear whether that $5 million is included in the $20 million settlement. West Virginia is planning to play in the Big 12 this season.

CBS also reports that West Virginia is trying to recruit one of the Big East's new schools to play in the Big East in 2012. Presumably the Mountaineers' motivation here is to avoid paying the Big East a larger settlement.

[8timechamps]

Lot of pressure on both sides. Schedules are supposed to be out this week, and the Big XII is on hold releasing anything until the WVU deal is settled one way or the other.

[Dan Thompson]

This is the one team I am worried about next year.

[soonerboomer93]

Lot of pressure on both sides. Schedules are supposed to be out this week, and the Big XII is on hold releasing anything until the WVU deal is settled one way or the other.

Actually the 12-2-1+1+1-1 has already released it's schedule, just not to the public. Apparently they provided it to the tv partners (ESPN/Fox) last week

[8timechamps]

Actually the 12-2-1+1+1-1 has already released it's schedule, just not to the public. Apparently they provided it to the tv partners (ESPN/Fox) last week

Edit: Never mind. Just read that on ESPN.

[badger]

You know what's really cool about this?

When everyone and their brother were looking to get out, here's a school that desperately wants in the Big 12.

Welcome aboard, Mounties! May your couches burn a bit brighter when you're outta the Big Least

[LVSOONER15]

This is the one team I am worried about next year.

Same here. Their offense looked explosive in their bowl game. But I think Mike will have the D ready for this one. I think our offense can put up the numbers against them.

[nativesooner]

the $20 mil will be picked up by the Big 12... I just hope we get them in Norman next year!

[TheUnnamedSooner]

the $20 mil will be picked up by the Big 12... I just hope we get them in Norman next year!

We won't. We are headed to Morgantown. Supposedly, it's going to be the Big 12 opener next season.

[badger]

So when do we start seeing our first West Viriginia lurkers here? I know that we still have yet to see many from other Big 12 schools, but it would be kind of fun to talk to a real live couch burner.

[GDC]

I just don't get bringing in West Virginia. Nothing against them, it's just too freaking far away, doesn't make sense to me.

[Therealsouthsider]

I just don't get bringing in West Virginia. Nothing against them, it's just too freaking far away, doesn't make sense to me.

.... big deal, it's like flying to Vegas. Anyway, it's a done deal.... Sporting News and New York daily news are reporting it as complete tonight

ss

[StoopTroup]

I just don't get bringing in West Virginia. Nothing against them, it's just too freaking far away, doesn't make sense to me.I agree. IMO it made the Big XII look desperate to replace the losers that couldn't hack it in the big XII Anymore.

[badger]

I agree. IMO it made the Big XII look desperate to replace the losers that couldn't hack it in the big XII Anymore.

misery loves company, i guess? i mean, $20 mil to join a bunch of desperates who lost a bunch of losers :D

[lubbocksooner]

I agree. IMO it made the Big XII look desperate to replace the losers that couldn't hack it in the big XII Anymore.

I think in a sense we were. Correct me if my information is bad but if we drop below 10 teams wouldn't that cause the TV contracts to be all messed up? If so it would probably be cheaper for the conference in the long run to pay WV some of their exit fee to prevent messing up the contracts.

[delhalew]

So when do we start seeing our first West Viriginia lurkers here? I know that we still have yet to see many from other Big 12 schools, but it would be kind of fun to talk to a real live couch burner.
http://www.wemustignitethiscouch.com/modules/newbb/viewforum.php?forum=2

[badger]

bawww, they've found our thread :)

It's too bad that they're leaving the conference with their rival (appears to be Pitt I guess?) but I guess since Pitt is leaving the Least also they might have more luck continuing that one on an annual basis than, say, KU-Misery or Whorn-Aggie.

If the couch burners are still reading, WE WERE NEVER IN THE SWC with Texas schools! That whorn is a moron. It was Arkansas that was in the SWC with the Texas schools, NOT the Oklahoma schools. We were in the Big 8 (formerly 7, formerly 6) with Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State and Oklahoma State. We became the Big 12 by adding Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Baylor. There is tons of backstory to this, but in a nutshell, a state as big as Tejas has lots of political cronies to care for and Baylor had several big wigs in charge at the time (including former Gov. Ann Richards).

So anyways, do we care about our other schools? Yeah, but not like a mother hen. More like a "does this improve our strength of schedule and BCS chances" caringness. Do we like each other? Sometimes, depending on the situation, but mostly do not give a shiite. Since we're in the same vicinity, there's family reunions, office meetings and sports bars that have to cater to multiple Big 12 followings, so we can't ignore each other, like the Big Least might have been able to do.

I would advise against burning couches in Norman. Those cops will pull you over if you're going a few over the speed limit. Our athletes have been arrested there for the oddest of odd, so couch burning would likely not be ignored.

[soonerboomer93]

I just don't get bringing in West Virginia. Nothing against them, it's just too freaking far away, doesn't make sense to me.

What team in this region was worth taking then? Another ****ing texas school? nty

It's been pretty well rehashed, but historically WVU is pretty comparable to a$m, as far as all times wins, all time winning percentage. The travel is more of an issue for them, then it is for us, since they have the longer travel.

[badger]

The only ex-Big 12 school I will end up REALLY missing is Nebraska. The others I will only miss for the regular W's they provided on our football schedule (and yes I know they have beaten us occasionally and the most inopportune times, but meh to those occasional losses when they are usually far too willing to lose to us instead).

[Phil]

If the couch burners are still reading, WE WERE NEVER IN THE SWC with Texas schools!

Actually, Badg, we were a charter member of the SWC and won the football title in the first season (1915). Look it up. 'Course, we departed in the 20s.

[wvbeta1610]

Howdy, thanks for the warm wishes that is how I found SF....nice site looking forward to the competition and getting to meet lots of you fine folks along the way. 2587

Hail! West Virginia...Go Sooners.(until we play you!)

Glad to be newest part of Big 12 tradition...

[badger]

Welcome to the bored, mountie. Can you let us know what makes West Virginia so d@mn special that we're helping you get outta the Big Least ;)

Seriously though, welcome. And do let us know what makes you guys you.

[Phil]

Seriously though, welcome. And do let us know what makes you guys you.

So that we can make fun of it like we do everyone else (including ourselves.) Welcome, Coal Aggy!

[wvbeta1610]

Welcome to the bored, mountie. Can you let us know what makes West Virginia so d@mn special that we're helping you get outta the Big Least ;)

Seriously though, welcome. And do let us know what makes you guys you.

Appreciate you guys kicking in some scrilla for us to GTF out of the 'least....we have awesome fans, great taligates, pepperoni rolls, lots of hospitable ladies....a great BCS record...hopefully we will help bolster B12 in football and basketball...my boys wrestle in school so they will be following B12 wrestling which is awesome especially OU and ISU...looking forward to visiting the new venues, but I think you guys will be coming to Motown this year..look forward to it...

2588

[badger]

my boys wrestle in school so they will be following B12 wrestling which is awesome especially OU and ISU...

A rasslin fan, eh? Maybe we should have just sent you directly to orangepower.com :stunned:

1- What are your endearing terms for WVU fans that have either been created by your own fanbase or rivals? We are land thieves (if you know your U.S. history, think boomers vs. sooners and the fact that Oklahoma used to be Indian Territory), as well as effing hillbillies (backstory: Former Nebraska coach called our fanbase "****ing hillbillies" when we were pelting them with oranges in honor of our soon-to-be orange bowl berth) or cheaters (again, the boomer/sooner thing).

2- What are your primary sports and achievements in these sports? Football is ours of course. We have seven national titles and stacks of Big 12 titles somewhere tucked back in a closet. And five Heismans, love them all (Rams quarterback Sam Bradford is our most recent). We are also pretty good in baseball (made the College World Series the season before last and are ranked again this year) and womens basketball (google "Sherri Coale," every other male sports fan has already). Men's basketball used to be good before our ex-coach that we just fired ruined it, but at least we got two years of Blake Griffin before he was dunking over Kias. Our last Final Fours were 2010 for women, 2002 for men. We also have fairly good rasslin', volleyball and gymnastics programs.

3- Primary rivals? We hate Texas, but we hate them more than anyone else does, so we also love to hate them. Oklahoma State thinks they are they are our rival, but they're more of an annoyance than a rival. Nebraska was our other traditional rival before the Big 12 ruined stuff and then they bailed for the Big Ten.

4- Do you guys have any gameday traditions? Our crowd shouts "Boomer!" and "Sooner!" at each other, will yell "O" before kickoffs and then "U!" when the ball is kicked. We also have a male spirit group called the "RUF/NEKS" that shoot pop-guns on sideline and drive the awesomest mascot in all of college sports, the Sooner Schooner (a covered wagon with live ponies and everything). We also have costumed mascots that we have labeled the "Horse Pigs" (they used to look like pigs) that nobody really cares about except the kids.

5- Please give us the juicy details of Bill Stewart/Dana Hologorsen. And Rich Rodriguez's departure. We really don't have much drama to talk about at the moment.

[wvbeta1610]

1) 'eers, 'neers, Mounties, West B'God, rednecks, hillbillies, inbreds. a**holes (depending on whom you ask)...nothing really exciting and we have heard all of the jokes and the putdowns, yes, we wear shoes...blah..blah...
2) We certainly do not have the titles OU has by any stretch. Several Southern Conference titles (not SEC old conference prior to WVU going independent before the BE), six or seven BE titles, 3 BCS wins all since 2006, lost NC to ND back in 88, lost share of NC to FL in 94, rifle team has won NC few times, mens and women's soccer makes NCAA every year, wrestling has some NCAA qualifiers every year and had a NC wreslter back in late 80s-early90s, gymnastics is up and comer,womens bball pretty good, mens bball lost BC to Cal back in 50s, we won BE in 2010 when we went to final 4, BE bball always very tough.
3) We hate ShPitt (rival since 1890s), we hate VA TECH, we hate just about every school in the BE for some reason or another as that conference is not friendly by nature. We don't like MD, hate Penn State (old rival until they went B10), hate Notre Dame, hate little brother Marshall....

I will answer 4 and 5 tomorrow got to take wifey out...

[badger]

Here's some stuff you can take back to your mounties:

1- Oklahoma State.
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a240/kfo9494/other%20schools/stunned6lg.jpg
This is Stunned Aggie. Usually when they think they are good, they are brought back to reality (like that field goal that caused them to lose to Iowa State this season). This moment was one of those moments. Stunned Aggie is good people and used to post here regularly. However, for the most part, these "Pokes" aka "Aggys" are offended at the slightest anything, so if you decide to go post over there, be forewarned, they will ban you if you sneeze the slightest jab.

2- Iowa State
iKCx_XyN9g4
Nobody really knows much about them anywhere in this conference, but they do put good videos on youtube after upset victories. This one was the latest. They have a fun message board where they trash us Big 12ers in preseason every season, though.

3- Kansas State
http://doyourpart.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/schoolmascot-1.jpg
Nobody really knows what these guys are thinking most of the time, from the "don't forget your power towel" campaign a few years ago, to the poofy haired mascot (pictured) to encourage recycling or going green or something. However, if you don't take them seriously, they will upset you when you least desire it. That's why Bob Stoops actually lost once in a Big 12 title game. ONCE.

4- Kansas
http://cache.deadspin.com/assets/images/11/2007/12/manginoorange.jpg
You'll pay attention to these guys more in basketball season. They have only once been relevant in Big 12 and that was their Orange Bowl year (2007/08 I think). Since then, they forced out ex-OU offensive coordinator Mark Mangino (for finger poking and using the word "homies" too much I guess) and replaced him with loser Turner Gill (Charles Barkley once thought Auburn was stupid for not hiring him... proof that Charles is a moron). Charlie Weis will not make them relevant either.

5- Baylor
xF29sjQTsOc
Don't be fooled by the Heisman or them beating us for the first time ever. Baylor sucks at football. It used to be a field rushing event when they actually managed to pull of a Big 12 victory (see video clip). Unless they find another RG3 (not gonna happen) they are doomed.

6- Texas Tech
http://i.cdn.turner.com/sivault/multimedia/photo_gallery/0811/campus.college.superfans.week.10/images/AP081101023810.jpg
Based on your reputation, these are the guys you might most be able to identify with (unless your reputation as crazy rabid non-welcoming fans that curse out opposing fans while beer bathing them is not accurate and just a stereotype). Now that Mizzou is gone and Colorado is long gone, this is about the only place that isn't a fun away trip on years when their fans actually care. Fortunately, Tech now sucks under (former Auburn guy) Tommy Tubberville... and yes I know they beat us. THE GAME WAS DELAYED FOREVER FOR OUR CRAZY OKLAHOMA WEATHER!

7- TCU
http://www1.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/BYU%20v%20TCU%20Hz9eDy8ol7tl.jpg
They are new to this conference too, so here's a photo of a police officer detaining a field rusher. They have upset many'a ranked teams as a mid-major in the past, ourselves included (one of three Stoops era home loses, that one back in 2005).

8- Texas
http://frankthetank.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/texas-fan-big-ten-expansion-ohio-state.jpg
This photo perfectly illustrates what will happen now that you are in the Big 12. Texas fans are COCKROCHES. They are EVERYWHERE, even if their team is not. There can be a stadium of 100k fans of someone else and an arrogant bastard Texas fan will show up in his ugly burnt orange strutting around like "Yeah, I'm wearing this t-shirt, yeah" and you're all like "That's one ugly t-shirt." Texas has not been relevant since 2009. Mack retired without retiring after the national championship game loss and Texas has not been good since. However, the fans don't believe this, nor does the stupid administration that gave Mack a raise and extension (no joke). So, good for us, bad for them.

[Flagstaffsooner]

Coal Aggy!

:congratulatory:

[StoopTroup]

The Reason OU has so many rasslin' Titles is because we have SEC Speed :D ;)

[wvbeta1610]

"Based on your reputation, these are the guys you might most be able to identify with (unless your reputation as crazy rabid non-welcoming fans that curse out opposing fans while beer bathing them is not accurate and just a stereotype)."

Thanks for the analysis, I am now educated. Was that K-State promo shot from the 80s? So far, you guys have been cool, the ISU guys have been very hospitable, some trash talking from Kansas and some well wishes from some lasses from TX...

We get a bad rap from opposing fans....For some reason some opposing fans come to Morgantown to "prove" they are badasses and I have seen it a hundred times. When Auburn came, those dumbasses showed up in their blazers and orange ties and tried to set up their "Tiger Walk Entrance" complete with orange balloons right near the main South entrance of Mountaineer Field!!!! That did not go over well with the drunk students nor my drunk buddies tailgating just yards away. VA Tech Fans would show uo wearing all the "burnt orange" they could find and flip us off as they were heading to their seats...not good decisions as they were pelted with beer and hot dogs and some other items I care not to know what they were.

I guess it comes down to being provoked/taunted...Morgantown is really not a good place to do that.

When we used to play the Miami 'canes, we used to actually see signs they would bring making fun of WV!!!! How do you think that went....?

Sure, every stadium/school has the drunk students who some media types from other areas like to make an example out of but overall I think you will find Morgantown a pretty welcoming place...

As a whole, WVU games have become much more opposing fan friendly in the last 5 years...than in the past..maybe because the hellraiser graduated and now come back with their kids (me!) and have a different view of the game experience...but I still get hammered.. and party like its 1987...just have my wife do the driving and try not to completely lose sight that I am a Dad and own a business..

[badger]

Was that K-State promo shot from the 80s?

Are you referring to the power towel or the "new mascot?"

The power towel was from a few years ago when Ron Prince was KSU's head football coach (he was the guy between the Bill Snyder eras). The worst part about the power towels was that you'd think towels would be made to be... um... towelish. Instead, when they got wet, the purple dye ran away, much like KSU's football competitiveness ran away when Snyder briefly retired.

For those of you that need reminding:
-A-05wPlQQ4http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/2/0/0/8c/9/AAAAAhISdSsAAAAAAIyVsA.jpg

As for "Ecokat," more info here. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/31/kansas-state-universitys-ecokat_n_943233.html)

[GDC]

.... big deal, it's like flying to Vegas. Anyway, it's a done deal.... Sporting News and New York daily news are reporting it as complete tonight

West Virginia is like Las Vegas????

Sorry, when I think Big 8/Big 12/Oklahoma football I just don't see WVU as part of it. I can't see Missouri in the SEC either, but some how ATM works for the SEC and Nebraska, even though I hated to see them go, seems to be a "fit" in the Big 10.

[badger]

All right, appears to be pretty official!

Linky (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=236&articleid=20120214_236_0_TheBig58783)

They're taking half the big buyout and the Big 12 is footing the other half.

Welcome, couch burners!

[wvbeta1610]

Gracias, looking forward to lots of BXII fun and some crazy-*** road trips.....

[cccasooner2]

Settled. http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=AjIN8ZgOa2m2Q10lzERLHW45nYcB?slug=ap-wvirginia-bigeast

OOOPPPPS! Badger won. :tennis: