Houston wants into the Big XII

[soonergirlNeugene]

I agree that the B12 leadership (though thats a bit of an oxymoron) has been completely fail since making the call to go down to 10. We should have sold our souls to get FSU back when they were considering making the jump. FSU and literally anybody else. Instead it's been nothing but shortsighted inaction from Bowlsby. Now people are talking up Louisville and Cincy like they are anywhere near the same caliber team. We could have grabbed Incarnate Word as long as we had that FSU deal and it would have been miles ahead of any combination of Louisville, Cincy, BYU, or Houston. I have no idea how this conference can right the ship. Breaking into the state of Florida would be a solid move, and it's really the only one we should be thinking about at all unless it's the hell outta this train wreck.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I agree that the B12 leadership (though thats a bit of an oxymoron) has been completely fail since making the call to go down to 10. We should have sold our souls to get FSU back when they were considering making the jump. FSU and literally anybody else. Instead it's been nothing but shortsighted inaction from Bowlsby. Now people are talking up Louisville and Cincy like they are anywhere near the same caliber team. We could have grabbed Incarnate Word as long as we had that FSU deal and it would have been miles ahead of any combination of Louisville, Cincy, BYU, or Houston. I have no idea how this conference can right the ship. Breaking into the state of Florida would be a solid move, and it's really the only one we should be thinking about at all unless it's the hell outa this train wreck.

you got it, girl!




However, if we could pull in St. Edwards or Canisius, we would be sitting pretty...

[KantoSooner]

If OU was invited to go to another conference and we accepted, you contend we would lose half our operating budget? Elaborate, pls.

If we specifically screwed over OSU in the process, as you appear to advocate above, then, yes, the state gov would make sure OU's funding suffered.

[Eielson]

The Big XII would gain nothing from Houston joining, while Houston would gain everything.

Completely agree.

Who knows how things will eventually play out, but personally, I'd like to see us join the PAC. Part of it is selfish reasons (I live in PAC territory), but also because I think the bulk of the Big XII could stay in tact. There's probably more of a likelihood that the ACC and Big XII do some kind of merger though.

Any kind of merger that expands us into California (with games against schools that would quickly turn into exciting rivalries like UCLA and USC) or Florida (with games against teams like Miami and FSU) is fine by me.

If we were to stay together as a conference (which is what I was thinking of), I think the only realistic good scenario is to pluck from the ACC. In all honesty, I'd be fine with just about anything other than merging with the Big 10 or continuing to add schools like Houston.

[Tear Down This Wall]

I agree that the B12 leadership (though thats a bit of an oxymoron) has been completely fail since making the call to go down to 10. We should have sold our souls to get FSU back when they were considering making the jump. FSU and literally anybody else. Instead it's been nothing but shortsighted inaction from Bowlsby. Now people are talking up Louisville and Cincy like they are anywhere near the same caliber team. We could have grabbed Incarnate Word as long as we had that FSU deal and it would have been miles ahead of any combination of Louisville, Cincy, BYU, or Houston. I have no idea how this conference can right the ship. Breaking into the state of Florida would be a solid move, and it's really the only one we should be thinking about at all unless it's the hell outta this train wreck.

"I have no idea how this conference can right the ship."

We shouldn't care what the conference does, we should be concerned with ourselves - and, ourselves alone!

Screw the Big 12. It is now just one step above the Mountain West and sliding. We need out. The Big 12 can implode for all we care; just get out of it.

[SoonerorLater]

The Big 12 has been taking on water since the exodus. Barring some rival conference bitter divorce scenanrio where we land 2-4 major schools then the Big 12 is on borrowed time. There is no viable option to add teams at this point and some contrived conference championship game is not going to do anything to help. As a matter of fact it would be evident any such game would be born out of desperation.

I would love to see OU bolt but not sure where they could land. With the Agriculturists as an albatross on our back our options are slim indeed.

[Tear Down This Wall]

And, now, BYU wants in. More MWC in the Big 12. This is what we've become. Sun Belt schools dream of ascending to the watered down C-USA; MWC schools dream of ascending to the watered down Big 12.

We've got the remnant of Big East in West Virginia, a remnant of every crappy conference known to man after 1996 in TCU. Houston went from Sun Belt invaded C-USA to start up of old C-USA schools, the American. And, BYU spent time between the crappiness of the now defunct WAC and MWC before going independent.

It's embarrassing enough to have to write checks to West Virginia and TCU every year. I can't imagine splitting the pot further with their fellow half-as*s journeymen, Houston and BYU.

No major school with any type of real football tradition is trying to get into the Big 12. It's too much of a joke. Texas runs it, allows OU to believe it helps run it because Boren is the biggest suck up you'll find to anyone who will tell him, "Yeah, sure...Oklahoma is absolutely the Harvard of the Midwest!" What a dope.

We can't get out of the Big 12 soon enough. Unfortunately, much like Stoops defenses have become, the school and athletic department's leadership is read and react. Texas will have to jump ship in order for us to make a move.

Pathetic.

[Eielson]

If you were to weight basketball and football equally, and not worry about anything else (because nothing else really does matter for college sports), the Big XII would be the best conference in the country.

If you were to weight basketball about 15% and football about 85% (more realistic), the Big XII comes in second only to the SEC.

There really isn't a concern here about our conference's level of play. This year was supposedly a down year for Big XII football, yet we had 20% of our conference in the top 10, and 70% of our conference went to bowl games. Those are the best conference percentages in all of football, and even the mighty SEC couldn't compete.

The only true concern with the Big XII is that there are only 10 teams, and I'm not sure that's a major concern. It's different, but that doesn't make it worse. Personally, I find 14 team conferences to be a little too bloated, and prefer that we play everybody every year. The CCG is fun, but it's rarely practical. One division almost always overpowers the other, so the fact that the Big XII South teams were even having to put their title on the line was usually a mockery.

[Eielson]

Having 14 teams in a conference is like having a truck that can't haul really heavy things, yet still only gets 10 MPG.

[KantoSooner]

So,TDTW, we get it: the B12 sucks and there is no hope. OU's only hope is to bail.
Taking that logic to heart, why don't you bail?
There are plenty of other schools in much better conferences for whom you could root. Bama, LSU and Auburn come to mind. You might even find USC to your liking.
Why do you voluntarily associate with poopy-head losers like us?

[8timechamps]

Completely agree.



Any kind of merger that expands us into California (with games against schools that would quickly turn into exciting rivalries like UCLA and USC) or Florida (with games against teams like Miami and FSU) is fine by me.

If we were to stay together as a conference (which is what I was thinking of), I think the only realistic good scenario is to pluck from the ACC. In all honesty, I'd be fine with just about anything other than merging with the Big 10 or continuing to add schools like Houston.

We're on the same page.

Honestly, I applaud what Bowlsby did...he took a conference that looked like it was only days away from disintegrating, and solidified it enough to keep the remaining members from leaving. That was no small feat. And I would be fine in the Big XII stayed as is, but I don't think the economics will make that viable long-term. Then again, the Big XII appears to be holding their own when it comes to TV money per school.

I'm with you though, as long as it's not the Big 10, I'm okay with any other move.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

And, now, BYU wants in. More MWC in the Big 12. This is what we've become. Sun Belt schools dream of ascending to the watered down C-USA; MWC schools dream of ascending to the watered down Big 12.

We've got the remnant of Big East in West Virginia, a remnant of every crappy conference known to man after 1996 in TCU. Houston went from Sun Belt invaded C-USA to start up of old C-USA schools, the American. And, BYU spent time between the crappiness of the now defunct WAC and MWC before going independent.

It's embarrassing enough to have to write checks to West Virginia and TCU every year. I can't imagine splitting the pot further with their fellow half-as*s journeymen, Houston and BYU.

No major school with any type of real football tradition is trying to get into the Big 12. It's too much of a joke. Texas runs it, allows OU to believe it helps run it because Boren is the biggest suck up you'll find to anyone who will tell him, "Yeah, sure...Oklahoma is absolutely the Harvard of the Midwest!" What a dope.

We can't get out of the Big 12 soon enough. Unfortunately, much like Stoops defenses have become, the school and athletic department's leadership is read and react. Texas will have to jump ship in order for us to make a move.

Pathetic.

Well said. Truth hurts, if it's ugly.

[tycat947]

So,TDTW, we get it: the B12 sucks and there is no hope. OU's only hope is to bail.
Taking that logic to heart, why don't you bail?
There are plenty of other schools in much better conferences for whom you could root. Bama, LSU and Auburn come to mind. You might even find USC to your liking.
Why do you voluntarily associate with poopy-head losers like us?

+1!

[BoulderSooner79]

So,TDTW, we get it: the B12 sucks and there is no hope. OU's only hope is to bail.
Taking that logic to heart, why don't you bail?
There are plenty of other schools in much better conferences for whom you could root. Bama, LSU and Auburn come to mind. You might even find USC to your liking.
Why do you voluntarily associate with poopy-head losers like us?

I don't want TDTW to bail. When I said his prose cracks me up, I wasn't being sarcastic.

[TAFBSooner]

I find it hard, Rush, to fault him. He's only responding to the political realities in OKC. The BOR and Legislature would come down on OU and Boren's lil punkin' head so fast if he tried anything like that it'd make all our heads spin. And given a choice between keeping overall university operations rocking along and pleasing football fans, Boren would be insane to do other than what he's done.

There is one way to finesse that. Bring in any two schools such that the north-south line is between Stillwater and Norman. Now we have a CCG again. That way (for a while anyway) they could "win a championship" every year, and we could beat them twice a year.

You know that aggy reps in the OK Lege are stupid enough to accept that that "keeps the two schools together" without realizing the second part of the result.

[TAFBSooner]

The loons on Lincoln

I'ma use that on the HilaryFest 2016 forum!

[Tear Down This Wall]

So,TDTW, we get it: the B12 sucks and there is no hope. OU's only hope is to bail.
Taking that logic to heart, why don't you bail?
There are plenty of other schools in much better conferences for whom you could root. Bama, LSU and Auburn come to mind. You might even find USC to your liking.
Why do you voluntarily associate with poopy-head losers like us?

Because OU isn't the University of Bob Stoops, the University of David Boren, the University of Joe Castiglione, or the University of the Big 12. It existed long before those did, and will continue on long after they are gone.

I've held season ticket before Stoops, Boren, Castiglione, and the Big 12, and will be a season ticket holder long after they are gone. And, then, because the tickets may be passed down once, they will be my son's season tickets when I'm dead and gone.

I'll always want what is best for Oklahoma. The Big 12 is not the best for Oklahoma. It is sinking, and OU can do better than pretend to helm a sinking ship. Currently, however, the leadership is content to ride Texas' coattails, even to the extent of watering down conference competition.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Because OU isn't the University of Bob Stoops, the University of David Boren, the University of Joe Castiglione, or the University of the Big 12. It existed long before those did, and will continue on long after they are gone.

I've held season ticket before Stoops, Boren, Castiglione, and the Big 12, and will be a season ticket holder long after they are gone. And, then, because the tickets may be passed down once, they will be my son's season tickets when I'm dead and gone.

I'll always want what is best for Oklahoma. The Big 12 is not the best for Oklahoma. It is sinking, and OU can do better than pretend to helm a sinking ship. Currently, however, the leadership is content to ride Texas' coattails, even to the extent of watering down conference competition.

We are in a difficult position, especially by having lil sister joined with us on any move we might want to make. The tx schools apparently don't have that problem.

[BoulderSooner79]

We are in a difficult position, especially by having lil sister joined with us on any move we might want to make. The tx schools apparently don't have that problem.

Part of it is just geography. The only other conference that makes sense is the SEC and it is already too full. We could displace one of their weaker sisters, but I don't see any support for that in the SEC. I think it will solve itself in the long run with some sort of super conference of current P5 teams that gets divided into divisions. But I have no idea how long "long term" will take and many things could happen in the meantime to push CFB in a different direction. The best option is to just field a great team in the big12 and be a prized program when change arrives (Duh).

[Tear Down This Wall]

We are in a difficult position, especially by having lil sister joined with us on any move we might want to make. The tx schools apparently don't have that problem.

Do you know why the Texas schools don't have that problem? It's because they act in their own interests - as they should.

Texas A&M is fully capable of holding its own without Texas holding its hand, and vice versa. It should be the same with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Everyone should man up and be big boys if they are going to swim in the big boy part of the pool. Texas A&M did what they had to do to help Texas A&M. The only protest came from the whistling butt scrapers down in Waco...and, they were rightly ignored.

Oklahoma State shouldn't act like p*ssies. It's not our fault that no one gave a rat's fat backside about them until T. Boone Pickens opened his vault and showered them with cash.

Oklahoma Aggy wanted to wave their wrestling and baseball titles in our faces for decades. Fine. But, no one gave a crap about your non-revenue champions except you. It never raised or enhanced your brand. OU concentrated on other sports that happened to make money and build up the brand nationally. You made your choice, we made ours. Deal with it.

If the Oklahoma State contingent were half the men they believe they are, they wouldn't try to tie their fate to ours. That the threat of them doing so exists simply shows that they fully understand their lack of clout and importance in the big picture.

The only thing that chaps me is Boren and Castiglione act as though we have to keep Oklahoma State afloat as well. It's sickening. Show some leadership, you plastic dick shovels!