Conference Expansion/Reshaping

[fairvis]

Purple Book Cat has a good source, but what I think is more telling with everything is Notre Dame not being quick about joining a hockey conference during the realignment that's going on in wake of formation of Big Ten Hockey. They're obviously waiting for realignment to go down in case they go to the Big Ten that they don't have to change again.

Oklahoma and Mizzou's boards of regents both met tonight, with undisclosed topics on the agenda (most likely conference affiliation). If OU goes to the Pac (with trailing OK State), and A&M heading to the SEC, Texas would definitely be available to snatch into the B1G, although we should've let them in when the SWC fell apart.

[Spin]

Just announced UPitt and Syracuse are joining the ACC. UConn and Rutgers may be next.

With Texas, Oklahoma, and OSU headed for the Pac Whatever, the Big East and Big 12 are rumored to be talking merger.

Notre Dame headed for the ACC if they have to give up their football independance?

Mountain West merging with C-USA in football only?

Fuck, that means no Notre Dame or Pittsburgh in the Big 10.

[pup]

Somebody make me a compelling case for someone joining the Big 10. You know other than the nearly free pass to a BCS game.

[e0y2e3]

A shit ton of money and prestige (particularly academicly).

The craziest part of all of this to me is Texas willingly joining the Pac 12 just because they are the only idiots that will take Texas Tech.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

Fuck, that means no Notre Dame or Pittsburgh in the Big 10.

And this is a bad thing?

[Spin]

Fuck, that means no Notre Dame or Pittsburgh in the Big 10.

And this is a bad thing?

Who's left?

And what are he chances of JoePa taking PSU to the ACC now?

[peeker643]

Fuck, that means no Notre Dame or Pittsburgh in the Big 10.

And this is a bad thing?

And what are he chances of JoePa taking PSU to the ACC now?

You're kidding me, right? JoePa is a coin flip to see fucking Thursday and there's a chance he wouldn't know what day that was anyway. Yet he's going to be leading Penn State to the ACC?

He can't fucking lead them onto the field. Or is it the traditionally powerful Penn St hoops team that will be the driving force?

[pup]

A shit ton of money and prestige (particularly academicly).

The craziest part of all of this to me is Texas willingly joining the Pac 12 just because they are the only idiots that will take Texas Tech.

I do not see the academics being a very large piece of what is going down. At least right now. I think if this was to play out over a larger period of time, that would certainly play a role.

Is the Pac 146 going to allow the Longhorn network?

You don't think these new conferences will very soon be bringing in more money than the Big 10?

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

Who's left?

Why does the B1G need to turn into a Wal-Mart conference like the Pac-Eleventy and not stay selective like the SEC?

And what are he chances of JoePa taking PSU to the ACC now?

ha ha ha oh wow

[e0y2e3]

Come on Pup, academics matter to these University presdidents a ton.

And beyond that underselling the absurd alumni base and tradition of the B1G and how it translates to printing money is silly.

I don't care how many versions of a combined ACC/Big East you put together I still won't be watching.

One interesting team is changing leagues thus far and that isn't even for sure.

Spin can mutter whatever he wants but I won't lose sleep of Delaney never offering Pitt as spot or if ND forces their way into the ACC due to their absurd belief they can stay football indp even though they are destined to fail.

Really not sure what league got all that much more interesting.

The B1G is still the B1G and just because the SEC is the new king doesn't mean it isn't a cash cow.

And no one is sure what the Pac will do the LHN, but it is pretty clear that Texas was willing to negotiate around that, where they drew a line in the sand was Tech.

[e0y2e3]

The NYTimes actually has a study on this very thing that came out today: http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/0 ... aafootball

[Spin]

Fuck, that means no Notre Dame or Pittsburgh in the Big 10.

And this is a bad thing?

A lot of people were eyeing Pitt's market, especially if they renewed their rivalry with Penn State. And Notre Dame is $$$$$ pure and simple. Doesn't mean shit to me and you, but to a conference, it's solid gold. Instant ratings (a goose could shit on Touchdown Jesus and the ND freaks would pay per view to watch it), strongly taps the Chicago market, and to the midwest B10, instant butts in seats.

[Spin]

Fuck, that means no Notre Dame or Pittsburgh in the Big 10.

And this is a bad thing?

And what are he chances of JoePa taking PSU to the ACC now?

You're kidding me, right? JoePa is a coin flip to see fucking Thursday and there's a chance he wouldn't know what day that was anyway. Yet he's going to be leading Penn State to the ACC?

He can't fucking lead them onto the field. Or is it the traditionally powerful Penn St hoops team that will be the driving force?

Just a question. JoePa always envisioned a mega Eastern Conference, like the ACC is becoming. Just a thought.

[e0y2e3]

I'm really glad Spin new better what was going to happen than the finished expanding Pac http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_ ... -now-.html

[mattvan1]

I'm really glad Spin new better what was going to happen than the finished expanding Pac http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_ ... -now-.html

"After careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference," Commissioner Larry Scott said in the statement.

TRANSLATION - Texas, take your Longhorn Network and all of your associated drama and go back to Austin.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

This whole thing has been nothing but buffoons on display. Overpaid dickshits that love to read their own headlines and like to be the center of attention like a 16 year old girl. Take your shitty drama and stick it right up your ass and go fuck yourselves.

Fucking losers.

[JoJo White]

Conference realignment = cry about Texas

[peeker643]

Conference realignment = cry about Texas

Funny. They whined and threatened to take their ball and run away and everyone else is 'crying' about Texas.

Shake yourself. No one actually gives a fuck about Texas except the people in Texas. And I understand the geo-centrism that would cause a fan of the program to not recognize they came off looking like a bitch in this.

It happens here with the home teams all the time. See the Indians forum where every preseason and trade deadline talks about how unfair the economics of baseball are. No one gives two shits about that or the people bitching about it either.

[mattvan1]

Conference realignment = cry about Texas

Dude, your own peeps (UT grad Richard Justice, Houston Chronicle, among many others) are widely reporting the PAC 10/12 simply told UT to either drop the Longhorn Network or go back to the Big 12/11/10/9?. It's not crying - it's news.

At least UT bitch boy Bebee is out as B12/11/10/9? Commish. Not compalining about the Texas sense of entitlement,(very similar to OSU, btw) but please don't deny it exists, and whether you will admit to it or not UT and their network is the primary reason for the eventual collapse of the B12/11/10/9?

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Conference realignment = cry about Texas

Dude, your own peeps (UT grad Richard Justice, Houston Chronicle, among many others) are widely reporting the PAC 10/12 simply told UT to either drop the Longhorn Network or go back to the Big 12/11/10/9?. It's not crying - it's news.

At least UT bitch boy Bebee is out as B12/11/10/9? Commish. Not compalining about the Texas sense of entitlement,(very similar to OSU, btw) but please don't deny it exists, and whether you will admit to it or not UT and their network is the primary reason for the eventual collapse of the B12/11/10/9?

You seem angry, Matt.

[mattvan1]

Conference realignment = cry about Texas

Dude, your own peeps (UT grad Richard Justice, Houston Chronicle, among many others) are widely reporting the PAC 10/12 simply told UT to either drop the Longhorn Network or go back to the Big 12/11/10/9?. It's not crying - it's news.

At least UT bitch boy Bebee is out as B12/11/10/9? Commish. Not compalining about the Texas sense of entitlement,(very similar to OSU, btw) but please don't deny it exists, and whether you will admit to it or not UT and their network is the primary reason for the eventual collapse of the B12/11/10/9?

You seem angry, Matt.

(Sigh) Just tired. Living in Houston, I am surrounded by this bullshit 24/7. Horns, Aggies, and a metric ton of SEC fans. Imagine if Ann Arbor was a city in Ohio, somewhere between BG and Toldeo. And if Tuscaloosa were only a 4 hour drive.

I deserve a fucking medal, I tell ya.

[e0y2e3]

OSU and Texas deserve each other, most self-entitled fan bases of all.

[mattvan1]

OSU and Texas deserve each other, most self-entitled fan bases of all.

This is close to the truth, although after having lived in the belly of the beast for awhile, I would more closely associate the UT entitlement and arrogance with the University of Michigan. tOSU fans (at least the one I run into here) are more like Texas Tech fans, if Tech were a sports powerhouse. Actually, tOSU fan is not unlike most SEC fan, especially LSU and 'Bama.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

OSU and Texas deserve each other, most self-entitled fan bases of all.

I love it when people who don't know what the hell they're talking about make really ridiculous blanket statements..

You're adorable. And I love your objective takes, real quality, bro.

You should come catch a game at my house. Just remember, it put's the lotion on it's skin or it gets the hose again.

Nah, i'm just joking, i'd never make a skin suit out of you, way too small and you probably smell of east coast smuggery.

But you should come here.

[Spin]

OSU and Texas deserve each other, most self-entitled fan bases of all.

Fuck. I can't agree with you. That would piss us both off.

But you're spot on. Both schools (along with USC and several SEC schools) have their radical factions...

[e0y2e3]

It's all good, Akron doesn't even deserve a college, let alone fans.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

All the major programs have asshole fans, OSU is no exception. But they only represent a small minority IMO. The vast majority are just normal people who love the team with a passion, shit we've been supporting the team since 1890. It's just part of growing up here, good or bad, you support the Buckeyes.

I don't think we're entitled to anything. You hope for a title every year, but you cannot expect it. The idea that it's National Title or bust is unrealistic and setting yourself up for massive disappointment.

At least out fans don't go poison tree is Michigan (although i've heard of people planting Buckeyes in Ann Arbor during the trip up there)

[JoJo White]

Conference realignment = cry about Texas

Funny. They whined and threatened to take their ball and run away and everyone else is 'crying' about Texas.

To correct you, UT's public statements has always been supportive of keeping the Texas 12, er, Big 12 together and that's exactly what happened after OU approached Larry Scott and Scott said "only if Texas comes with you" (landthieves.com has been melting down since Tuesday night when they were rejected by the Pac 12). Texas got exactly what it wanted - I think (no inside info) that the endgame is to stay in the Big 12 a few more years, let the LHN grow and then use it as a valuable bargaining chip in 2014 or so when conferenceageddon takes place and the BCS contracts is up.

Shake yourself. No one actually gives a fuck about Texas except the people in Texas.

Larry Scott has a rather large and veiny hard-on for Texas, which is why he and the Pac 12 presidents decided not to accept OU unless UT came along. He knows that Texas is one of 2 (and only 2) 800 lb gorillas in college sports that's available for expansion. He also wants to expand to 16 teams and there are no other viable candidates for expansion west of the Mississippi. However, he and the Pac 12 schools wanted major concessions on the LHN and an agreement couldn't be reached, which is fine with UT - as I mentioned above, the Big 12-2-1 gets to fight on for another year.

Texas has clearly lost the media and public relations battle in all this mess (as if UT is the only school who wants to keep Tier 3 moneys or has their own network), but at the end of the day, I'll trust in Deloss Dodds:

“We are who we are. People say what they say. The outcome is the outcome. We’re proud of ourselves. We’re proud of how we do business.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/longhorns/ ... to-big-12/

[peeker643]

Fine and dandy JoJo. But I'm referring to this from (amongst elsewhere) The Lubbock Avalanche Journal: http://bit.ly/nUuqdf

It strikes me as funny when someone complains about people 'crying' about Texas when Texas held their breath and threatened to run away:

The University of Oklahoma is considering remaining in the Big 12, but only in a “reformed” version of the conference that includes hard and fast rules for Texas' Longhorn Network and removal of Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, a high-ranking Big 12 source told The Oklahoman on Tuesday.

You can call it 'leveraging your brand' or 'bullying the table with the biggest stack' or whatever cute Texas colloquialism makes you feel best.

To the rest of the country it's crying and stomping feet.

That's what I mean I mean geo-centrism. And hell yes it goes on everywhere in one form or another. Just don't tell me y'all are immune to it. You're not. You're just hypocritical and self-centered like the rest of us when it comes to the team you support.

[mattvan1]

Once it would take years or even decades before any attempts to revise history.

Now it happens in near real time.

[BruceK]

Worth a read - the Fake Dan Beebe Twitter feed

http://twitter.com/#!/danbeebe

[fairvis]

OK, so Mizzou is now considering joining the SEC... and TCU has an invite to the Big XII (Southwest Conference Redux...) if Mizzou goes SEC, is that a loss for the B1G? I always thought Mizzou fit in better in the Big Ten, with their rivalry with Illinois, borders with Iowa (and now Nebraska), as well as the St. Louis market. They aren't a big target, but certainly a worthy school for expansion (like Maryland).

The SEC isn't convinced, either, especially since Mizzou has let it be known that it's their #2 choice.

[pup]

OK, so Mizzou is now considering joining the SEC... and TCU has an invite to the Big XII (Southwest Conference Redux...) if Mizzou goes SEC, is that a loss for the B1G? I always thought Mizzou fit in better in the Big Ten, with their rivalry with Illinois, borders with Iowa (and now Nebraska), as well as the St. Louis market. They aren't a big target, but certainly a worthy school for expansion (like Maryland).

The SEC isn't convinced, either, especially since Mizzou has let it be known that it's their #2 choice.

Mizzou asked the B1G for an invite. B1G declined. Guess they do not think it is too big of a loss.

[YahooFanChicago]

As the Big East is losing schools it looks like they are going to try and raid the best schools from Conference USA.

I wonder if the MAC would consider combining with what is left of Conference USA after the Big East gets done?

I guess this is where the jokes about the MAC and CUSA being the JV of NCAA can start.

[Spin]

As the Big East is losing schools it looks like they are going to try and raid the best schools from Conference USA.

I wonder if the MAC would consider combining with what is left of Conference USA after the Big East gets done?

I guess this is where the jokes about the MAC and CUSA being the JV of NCAA can start.

They're very similar in football, the MAC weaker in basketball.

There's been discussions on other forums of a CUSA-MAC-WAC-MWC alliance with a four team playoff (each conference champ) for a FBS-non-BCS title. Sort of a subdivision between IA and IAA. it would make some of the lower end bowl games more interesting.

It'll probably never happen.

As far as a merger, I don't think the MAC is strong enough top to bottom in basketball. Some of those western division schools would have a tough time in Div I high school basketball. It's a joke, there are more players than fans, and they may have 3 or 4 players on scholies.

[mattvan1]

Gents, I give thee the understatement of the year nominee, NCAA Hoops category

Comparing the Big East and the MAC

.....the MAC weaker in basketball.

[pup]

Gents, I give thee the understatement of the year nominee, NCAA Hoops category

Comparing the Big East and the MAC

.....the MAC weaker in basketball.

I am all for calling Spin the MACphisto when need be...but I am pretty sure he is comparing the MAC to C-USA in hoops. At least I hope so.

[mattvan1]

Gents, I give thee the understatement of the year nominee, NCAA Hoops category

Comparing the Big East and the MAC

.....the MAC weaker in basketball.

I am all for calling Spin the MACphisto when need be...but I am pretty sure he is comparing the MAC to C-USA in hoops. At least I hope so.

Apologies to Spin (although based on his history I was certain he believed the comparison plausible)

[pup]

Gents, I give thee the understatement of the year nominee, NCAA Hoops category

Comparing the Big East and the MAC

.....the MAC weaker in basketball.

I am all for calling Spin the MACphisto when need be...but I am pretty sure he is comparing the MAC to C-USA in hoops. At least I hope so.

Apologies to Spin (although based on his history I was certain he believed the comparison plausible)

Don't get me wrong, after reading your post I went back and read his a few times wondering if maybe I got it wrong.

[Spin]

I never mentioned the Big Easy, but yeah my past does speak for itself.

There was a time I thought a certain MAC football team was building toward being the next Boise St, and how unfair the BCS system is to everyone but the legacy schools in legacy conferences. Which I still believe, BTW.

But since our days of conference championships and bowl games, came the realization of just how serious the school is about building a successful football program.

A mid-major could be the next BS, and get punked by the lack of a playoff system, but it aint gonna be anybody in this area...

[fairvis]

Notre Dame's moving to the ACC... in all sports but football.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story ... hockey-acc

However, they'll have a scheduling alliance to play 5 games against ACC opponents. This still allows them 7 games to play against whoever they want (have to figure that'll include Stanford, USC, Navy, Michigan, MSU, and Purdue, with some patsies coming in and out). The ACC agreement allows traditional opponents like Pitt and BC, but I'd have to imagine they'll be looking for a 16th team to round out the rest of the conference.

[e0y2e3]

There are very real rumors of Johns Hopkins joining the B1G on a lax only basis (to keep the Maryland thing going).

If this happens my head will explode.

[fairvis]

Does that bring them into the CIC? And are there 6 teams to have B1G lacrosse?

[e0y2e3]

UNC officially offered a spot...

[Govbarney]

I wonder who the 2nd team will be. I hope its GT, and not UV, but my guess is before everything is said and done GT, UV , DUKE, will all be in the B1G.

[e0y2e3]

UVA is the word (if UNC accepts). And yes, the B1G has six Lax teams, christ.

[furls]

Great, we get some more good academic, football bottom feeders. Just what the conference needed. Maybe we can get MIT to field a team for next year's expansion.

[pup]

It is already a shitty football conference, what difference does adding more mediocrity really make?

[neoleo]

Latest rumors I've seen, mostly from Bucknuts pay board and/or twitter, have UNC and VA as the next wave. Then GA Tech most likely and maybe Duke in the the 2nd wave. BC is out there as a backup plan and ND is still the pipedream. Johns Hopkins joining as LAX only as Big 10 will sponsor LAX now for the first time and be a powerhouse with the new ACC teams.

Obviously these moves have nothing to do with adding good football teams. These moves will add new and emerging markets in the mid atlantic/southeast and will add more academic pull to an already strong alliance. Lots of research grant money to be had, and lots of money to make with BTN(the LAX move alone will make BTN relevent in the mid-atlantic markets).

[jb]

Great, we get some more good academic, football bottom feeders. Just what the conference needed. Maybe we can get MIT to field a team for next year's expansion.

Isn't that just for LAX, a sport no one but some rich east coast preppy mysoginists who can't make the cut at football so they do that instead since the talent pool is so diluted care about?