End of the Big 12?

[Prince]

So with Nebraska most likely going to the Big 10, it appears the end of the Big 12 is coming.

As a Texas A&M alumni, things appear to be getting rather interesting.

Pac 10...SEC... who knows where our new home will be.

Thoughts?

 

[texbilly]

Jp, I've heard the same and as a fellow Aggie, I'm very curious, excited, worried all at once. Colorado joined the Pac-10 today and I hear they are courting the Aggies, t-sips, Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Baylor might even be in the mix.

Seems like yesterday the SWC broke up.

 

[Mr. Scruffy]

Bring back the SWC!!

 

[FiveOhNine]

I just hope ND remains independent. More than anything, I love the flexibility it gives us with scheduling.

 

[Prince]

Bring back the SWC!!

Oh man, I haven't seen that picture in years.

Yeah, I still miss the old SWC.

 

[texbilly]

Oh man, I haven't seen that picture in years.

Yeah, I still miss the old SWC.

Yeah, I had to sit for hours with the artist to draw my Aggie mug!

 

[Barbash]

As a UGA Alumni and an SEC fan(minus Tenn & UF) I would love to see A&M come over to the SEC because it opens up recruiting even more to Texas and gives the SEC 3 new big tv markets w/Houston, Dallas, and SA that just puts more money into the SEC and Colleges' pckets.

The school that is in the most trouble if all these changes occur IMO is Kansas. Their name is not being mentioned by any of the big name confrences and if they end up in a confrence like the Mountain West that could kill recruiting for one of the greatest Bball schools.

 

[CJayhawk]

As a Kansas fan, moving to the Mountain West (probably some conglomerate of the Mountain West and the leftover Big 12 dregs) is something I am tangibly worried about.

However, unlike all of the people blowing up my Facebook wall, I'm not going to gripe, and I'm not going to complain, because Kansas could be playing Emporia State and the City College of Bethesda, and I'd still be there chanting Rock Chalk.

This is about money, this is about power, and no one in these negotiations gives two shaves about the fans and alums.

 

[KarthVader]

Yeah, the sports world is getting spun around and thrown on its head.

Big 12 breaking up. Tom Izzo possibly leaving Michigan State for the NBA. PAC 10+ and Big Ten+?

What is going on in the world?! If this isn't evidence for the end of the world on 12/21/12, I don't know what is! (last statement was sarcasm, in case you didn't get it).

 

[Austin]

Bring back the SWC!!

I'm with you. Bring back the SWC.

 

[professorchaos]

I'd like to see the Big 8 come back, but clearly that isn't going to happen.

 

[Don]

I'd like to see the Big 8 come back, but clearly that isn't going to happen.

I'm with you. Bring back the SWC.

+1

Bring back all the old conferences. But as Henry said, not happening.

 

[richmondesi]

I'm worried about the future of my Bears...

 

[Prince]

I'm worried about the future of my Bears...

No matter what, I think Baylor will get the raw end of the deal.

 

[professorchaos]

Took a long time to accustomed to my alma mata, Colorado, being in the Big 12. I don't know that I'll ever adapt to them being in the Pac 10.

 

[richmondesi]

No matter what, I think Baylor will get the raw end of the deal.

There's little doubt in my mind. Even though we are very competitive in the other sports, football is dominating this thing, and we are an excellent academic institution... However, we don't have access to the obscene amount of money that UT ant TAMU have for research so we don't get the recognition they do.

I've heard talk that we may ride the coattails of Texas to the Pac 10, but I remain sceptical...

 

[Phog Allen]

Well, with the announcement of the Nebraska Cornmuffins they are away to the Big Ten + conference the bells are definitely tolling for the Big12. I think it is a bad move overall. NONE of the East/West coast conferences have a single vested interest in sharing any sort of glory with mid country schools. Pac10 wants Tejas and company for football TELEVISION MONEY. As a Kansas Jayhawk I feel I have been a lone voice around Lawrence because I have told my fellow Jayhawk basketball fans that despite their greatest fantasies, it is not our best in class roundball program that carries the financial waters. It is conference football money. PERIOD. Does our elite bball program likely save us from settling for a mid major conference if/when Big12 breathes its death bellow? Yes. The Jayhawk is readily reckoned as the second most recognised mascot across the land behind only the Fighting Irish. At least according the sports radio programs I have been listening to. I hope that is true. Pretty heady company and something not to be overlooked by a basketball rich Pac10. However, will UCLA want a national powerhouse program like Kansas in its league? I suspect conference negotiations will look like a Godfather convention.

What really irks me is the loss of regional rivalries. The old conferences were all about kicking the crap out of your neighbouring team or bragging about a revenge win. But lets face it. Regional conferences existed when radio was king and even the teams were bused to the games. With air flight and nationally televised conference tv stations, the writing was on the wall. We should have seen it when the old SWC broke up. I was originally happy when the Big12 formed. Here was a REGIONAL conference just tailor made for the tele. I mean for crying out loud you had Tejas, Oklahoma, Tex. A&M, Tx. Tech, Nebraska, a turned around Kstate, and even my orange bowl winning Jayhawks a couple of years ago, and a resurgent Mizzou. It should have been the THE BIGGEST football tele contract of all time. I heard heady estimates of the overall Big12 tv contract being worth over a billion dollars over a decade period. We should have been the envy of the NCAA. What a loss. And what a bunch of losers running the big 12. We wound up with a hodgepodge of games on different stations, preemptions, etc. What a loss, what a joke.

I know some on the radio are backing up commissioner Beebe but I don't. They claim he was just doing what he was hired to do. Huh? Sit on his arse while our conference imploded with arguing from Nebraska and Texas? As a Jayhawk I sit in the middle. Our bball program is the best in the league by a long mile and there has been plenty of arrogance and indifference by our chancellors. Yet the reason the league was formed was football and both Tx and Ne. had arguments. Remember, the old Big8 was not going under, we took in what was left of of the old SWC. IMMEDIATELY Tx and their money started making a lot of demands like having the conference bball tournament in Dallas where it never sold out like it does in KC. Now it is back here. When the demand for the championship football game to be played in Dallas almost all the time came all hell broke loose. The old big 8 football powers like Ne. felt stepped on and I don't blame them. Yet at the same time, Nebraska has always acted to me like they were an island to themselves even though their football program has been down for ten years. So yeah, lots of internal arguing whilst the conference burned. I think all parties will eventually regret this bust up. In the meantime many schools will be left out of BCS conferences and then college sports will truly become a have and have not situation with only a few elite conferences running everything while the rest are treated like NIT fodder. A shame but the reality of the information age and tv markets.

Regards, Todd

 

[PanchoVilla]

Yet at the same time, Nebraska has always acted to me like they were an island to themselves even though their football program has been down for ten years.
Regards, Todd

This. I went to Ohio State and have to say, I'm not happy about this. My conference could use a little higher level competition from within. Michigan has gone down the you know what. I'm afraid my conference isn't getting the talent it used to.

I could be wrong. Certainly don't want to jinx OSU.

 

[TulsaLhorn]

I've heard talk that we may ride the coattails of Texas to the Pac 10, but I remain sceptical...

Hard to imagine the other less followed sports jetting to Cali for day games.

oh and a +1 for missing the old SWC

 

[jonwings]

There's little doubt in my mind. Even though we are very competitive in the other sports, football is dominating this thing, and we are an excellent academic institution... However, we don't have access to the obscene amount of money that UT ant TAMU have for research so we don't get the recognition they do.

I've heard talk that we may ride the coattails of Texas to the Pac 10, but I remain sceptical...

I am hoping Baylor finds a good home. Things were starting to turn around for the football team and the basketball teams are now both outstanding. With their academic record and new facilities, they should be able to land in a god spot hopefully.