Well OU just got b**** slapped and have lost all leverage (which I said was the case earlier today based on Pickens comments). For the Big 12s sake, I hope they can get UT to make real changes to the LHN, but I doubt it. Pac12 statement obviously says "We couldnt get UT to structure the LHN in our model and the other 3 are not worth the trouble" Hopefully tomorrow is the day my Ags are fully accepted into the SEC and the Big12 can move on to pulling in some teams from the Big East. It is really in everyone's best interest to move forward at this point. Mizzou will not be team #14 right now ... SEC will stop at 13 and wait a year or 2 before expanding further
Yup. Looks like a 13 team SEC for a year or two. If that happens I think it would awesome if Texas A&M could ask to go through an "Initiation." Instead of switching divisions each year, the Aggies would instead play a full 12 team SEC schedule with no OOC games and forfeit the right to play in the SEC championship game. Benefits: 1. The original 12 SEC schools get to keep all their current rivalry games. 2. Both divisions play the same number of games instead of an difficult to plan, unbalanced schedule that have to be redone in a few years anyways. 3. It would help to build some rivalries between the SEC schools and Texas A&M. 4. 12 SEC homes games over two years would sell out Kyle Field like nothing else. 5. I would think Aggie fans would also watch those 12 games providing much increased TV ratings than in past years, which could then be leveraged by SEC to get a better TV deal. Sure they would watch them anyways, but the added games and the special year would likely increase some viewership. 6. During those 2 years the Aggies will likely to be rebuilding years anyways. 7. It would also be a really memory in a number of years. Something that could only ever happen in College Football.
What? I mean, not all of your points are completely ludicrous, but that's just not going to happen. Can we tip jar bet it? A&M will not go through an initiation period that includes forfeiting the right to play in the SEC Championship game.
Here's how it went down according to Chip...some interesting detail in there, including how there was no where near the votes needed for expansion in Pac12: http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1267981 MIDNIGHT - I've been told Texas and Oklahoma officials will get together in the next week to iron out differences and pledge to at least a five-year commitment in the Big 12. There will be a sense of urgency to add one school and possibly more to the Big 12, sources said. Here is Oklahoma president David Boren's statement on the night's events, including the Pac-12's announcement not to expand: "We were not surprised by the Pac 12's decision to not expand at this time. Even though we had decided not to apply for membership this year, we have developed a positive relationship with the leadership of the conference and we have kept them informed of the progress we?have been making to gain agreement from the Big 12 for changes which will make the conference more stable in the future. Conference stability has been our first goal and we look forward to achieving that goal through continued membership in the Big 12 Conference." 11:30 PM - The Big 12 is Glenn Close in "Fatal Attraction" - rising up out of the bathtub. Multiple sources confirm to Orangebloods.com that the Pac-12 notified key members of the Big 12 early Tuesday that it would not expand, causing the nine remaining members of the Big 12 to begin working feverishly to iron out differences. No one expects Texas A&M to remain in the Big 12. A&M officials declared again Tuesday they plan leaving the Big 12 after this season (for the Southeastern Conference). One of the first steps the nine-member Big 12 took was to notify Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe the league members want a change in leadership, sources said. Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton led the charge on Tuesday after the Pac-12 notified Oklahoma that its members would not accept OU and Oklahoma State without Texas, sources said. The Longhorns, who had been hoping the Big 12 could stay alive from the beginning, got the news early Tuesday from Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott that he didn't have the votes to expand. Sources told Orangebloods.com at least six Pac-12 presidents opposed further expansion, and Larry Scott needed nine of 12 votes to approve any new additions. Sources say Texas and Oklahoma must work out their differences, including Texas possibly making some concessions on Longhorn Network content (such as no high school highlights and possibly no conference games). Texas might even need to share some revenue from its Longhorn Network with the Sooners, sources said. Sources said after it became clear the Pac-12 didn't have the votes to admit Oklahoma and Oklahoma State without Texas, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Texas House Speaker Joe Straus contacted UT regents and urged them not leave the Big 12 for the Pac-12. Texas officials couldn't immediately be reached for comment Tuesday night. There will obviously be much more to come on this one. Stay tuned.
I'll be interested to see what the new "commitment" looks like. I'm actually hoping Beebe is gone before it's drawn up...or that his role in it is slight. I'm assuming we'll see higher exit fees and a "waiting period" similar to what the Big East has now. my guess is BU, Iowa St., KU, Kansas State and whoever else hasn't signed SEC's release will do so only with a written pledge that SEC won't poach another Big 12 school...my guy has been telling me that's the concession they'll demand before they sign any release for a long time now. Again, you don't sign a release unless someone gives you a reason to. Also interested to see how quickly Big 12 pounces on BYU.
Part of the leverage is that UT has learned it's LHN isn't portable as a "national brand." Whether they stay or go, they're going to have to share revenues. It can do that with the brand of the LHN intact in the Big 12(the national brand they sought out and ESPN was willing to pay for)...or it can do it with it being a watered down regional brand in another conference. Also, UT isn't going anywhere without Tech, just as OU can't move without OSU. Yet another limitation to realignment. I'm interested to see if ACC still moves to 16 in light of this...or if they leave 2spots open for a potential UT/tag along move. I know SamFisher needs reassurance for his lack of confidence and insecurities about his intelligence, so I'd like to pat him on the back and tell him it appears he was right about how much stock the Pac put in the academic side of this equation. I really thought we were sort of passed that at this point...that the genie was out of the bottle on that. That ended up being a lot more impactful than I thought it would be.
ChipBrownOBChip Brown Two Big 12 administrators tell Orangebloods.com BYU appears to be the frontrunner to become the 10th school in the Big 12. ralphDrussoAPRalph D. Russo When big 12 adds on, don't expect it to look to poach from Big East. Big 12 doesn't want Eastern wing. http://byu.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1268216 Talk about it in The Blue Zone A source close to the situation at Brigham Young University is indicating that if the Big 12 Conference in fact holds together as now expected, BYU is highly likely to become a full member of that conference if it can be assured that the league will be stable into the future. The source says that university and Big 12 officials were close to making an announcement of the addition of BYU to the conference following the loss of Texas A&M, but those plans were put on hold when Oklahoma president David Boren made it known that the Sooners were exploring their options with the PAC-12. That same source informed Deep Shades of Blue last year of BYU's intent to become a football independent weeks before its official announcement.
I keep reading/hearing UT opposed to adding TCU ChuckCarltonDMNChuck Carlton MT @Dave_Matter: Heard this recently from Big 12 school official: If Big 12 can survive, league needs to get Texas to change mind on TCU. mattmosleyMatt Mosley As I said on the radio today, Big 12 should immediately add TCU, BYU and maybe Air Force. Try to actually strengthen this thing.
wilnerhotlineJon Wilner by richardjustice Source: Larry Scott walked away from weekend meeting with Texas knowing that LHN and Pac-12 revenue model could not work.
BYU seems like a foregone conclusion, the 11th and 12th spots are going to be a point of much contention.
As a longhorn loyalist, we really need to get off our high horse. For the most part i've stuck with them. Didn't mind the network, didn't mind the conference defectors, didn't mind being greedy..... to a point. Time to make serious concessions, because not only is this creating a ridiculous amount of ill-will, but if they keep playing this game we might end up with a bad conference situation. Maybe not fully equal revenue sharing, but we need to get it closer. Add big 12 features on the LHN, and give up on the high school games. Spread a little money around from it. And let another Texas school in. TCU would certainly seem most deserving, but I'll be happy with UH. BYU and Bosie St. would look nice to me. You get what you give, and by all accounts we have been unwilling to make any concessions, and thats a poor way to negotiate. Add 3 schools, set up a huge buyout for leaving, work towards a big 12 network to go with LHN. This conference has plenty of staying power, but its all in UT hands. They say they want the big 12 to last, but they have been wholly unwilling to actually do anything to save it.
To understand the mind of the elite, you have to be elite yourself. Kudos. To me. Also I think the sordid horrific offseason for the NCAA and the gradual exposure as a giant scam probably backlashed/amplifed the academic objectors
BYU insider says they're set to join Big 12 http://byu.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1268216 My guess is the 11th and 12th invites go out next year or the year after that. It's going to be one hellacious fight for those.
