New push (laughter) to expand the Big12 to twelve

[spanielboy]

http://big12united.com/

:pirate:

[BillyBall]

Rice and UTEP? Hell no...

[Boomer_Sooner_sax]

Absolutely not. We don't need three private Texas schools in this conference and we sure as hell don't need 6 Texas schools in this conference. If it isn't Notre Dame and someone else, I am not interested.

[jumperstop]

http://big12united.com/

:pirate:

Is this guy serious? He seems to ignore things called facts...Talks about how they would be the two best choices and how they could make so much money. But doesn't have really anything to back his opinion. What about the money they bring in? Why would it matter if they could make 20 million if they wouldn't bring in a quarter of that? He acts like texas having four schools in the big 12 is enough to sway the power of letting them. Personally I think the texas schools don't even want another texas school. They have the market, why water down their influence by adding others. Pretty much nothing this guy says is even logical...

COULD THIS HAPPEN? I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!

— Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley, Saturday Night Live (1995)
This proposal has made the case that the Big 12 should expand by two schools vertically to ensure its stability, in order to strengthen the unity of the Big 12 Conference and to position itself for future expansion should it become desirable or necessary. In addition, when the “usual suspects” of potential expansion candidates are viewed against what the Big 12 actually needs, assuming Notre Dame is not available, the two best choices to strengthen and unite the Big 12 Conference from within are Rice University and UTEP.

However, whether this should happen is not the same as whether it will happen, and particularly in the case of UTEP, there exists an important impediment that may best be described as psychological – UTEP’s own inferiority complex. That such an inferiority complex exists is understandable. A century ago, the State of Texas was large, rural, and poor and it made sense to devote most of its limited resources to the state’s flagship university (UT– Austin) and land-grant university (Texas A&M). However, Texas has changed in the past fifty years, but the re-allocation of resources to other public universities was slow to change – too slow – with the new demographics and wealth of the state. The result is that while California has seven “top 50″ public research universities, Texas still has only two – UT-Austin and Texas A&M.

Thus, for most of the past century UTEP has viewed itself as a “second class” university when compared to UT-Austin, Texas A&M, or even Texas Tech. This needs to change, not just because it is incorrect, but because it is contrary to good public policy for the citizens of Texas. Some may ask what all this has to do with Big 12 Conference expansion – but the issues are inextricably connected. In our society, a university’s athletic program serves as a window to the university, and who we choose to play with – in the sandbox or on the gridiron – sends powerful messages about how others view us and how we view ourselves. Moreover, in pure economic terms it’s an enormous financial windfall for the schools that get “picked” – new media revenues alone will exceed $20 million every year, and the total economic impact to El Paso (UTEP) and Houston (Rice) would likely exceed $750 million a year. If the Texas schools have the power within the Big 12 to affect the choice of who is admitted – and they do – does it really make sense to send such an economic windfall to schools in Utah, Colorado, or Kentucky rather than more deserving schools in Texas that also need it?

It does not. It makes no sense. This does not mean that Rice and UTEP should be admitted to the Big 12 Conference for these reasons alone – but that is precisely the point of this proposal. They should be admitted to the Big 12 on their merits. If Notre Dame is not interested, which will almost certainly be the case, then Rice and UTEP are the two best candidates for potential Big 12 expansion – based on their merits. That’s why the existing Texas member schools in the Big 12 should support admitting Rice University and UTEP into the Big 12 Conference. It’s in the best interest of the Big 12 Conference. By happy circumstance, it’s also in the best interest of the citizens of the State of Texas.

The End.

Now stepping off the soapbox.

-Jeff

[boomersooner28]

NO THANK YOU!

[MamaMia]

UTEP and Rice? Are you f'n kidding me? What a nut job...I would rather be called the Little 10. Screw him!

[SoonerNomad]

It would improve the Big 12's street cred in track and field and with those that really like ugly uniforms.

Can't happen.

[MamaMia]

It would improve the Big 12's street cred in track and field and with those that really like ugly uniforms.

Can't happen.I do not want a team in our conference who wears pocket protectors on their practice jerseys, and don't even get me started on UTEP.

[Soonermagik]

I would be down to add FSU and Miami. We could then recruit the entire state of Florida.

[blacktop]

I'll take Notre Dame & Florida State.

[goingoneight]

Notre Dame, Clemson, Florida State, Boise State are all choices on par if not better than what we've "lost" the last few years. I wish all of these clowns who want more nobodies in the BIG 12 would go away.

[85sooners]

That's hilarious

[8timechamps]

I tried to watch the video (titled "Why UTEP and Rice?"), and made it until the attorney guy said:

"Well, Notre Dame is the one team that could move ahead of UTEP and Rice in the pecking order."

What?! So, let me get this straight; the "pecking order" for expansion looks like this:

1. UTEP and Rice
2. Everyone else.

UNLESS, Notre Dame wants in, then it's:

1. Notre Dame
2. UTEP and Rice
3. Everyone else.


Oooookay.

[Flagstaffsooner]

I'm still pissed about letting Oklahoma A&M into the Big 7.

[stoopified]

I'm still pissed about letting Oklahoma A&M into the Big 7.True dat

[AZSOONER]

NO THANK YOU!
2nd the motion

[SoonerAtKU]

So this guy is an attorney in El Paso trying to get the local school into the big-time? Want to bet that he owns some property near the school that could see some value increase?

[StoopTroup]

Once we annex the northern part and the panhandle of Texas....I might consider some kind of move but Rice will need to get the Texans to allow Tulsa an NFL Franchise.

[SicEmBaylor]

This idea is horrible.

[deweydw]

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9mocrMsxG1rol1w1.gif

[Flagstaffsooner]

No notre damn. We already have a hissy fit prima dona in the Conference.

[budbarrybob]

Stupid is as stupid website does.

[WA. Sooner]

No more Texas schools and no more 3rd and 4th tier football schools

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Rice and UTEP? Hell no...
Oh hell no. Two worthless football teams.

[soonerboy_odanorth]

Tulsa has a better chance of being added....









... and by "Tulsa" I mean "Jenks" and "Union".