Cynical Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Interesting new twist: http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1094038 It appears the Big-12 commissioner was able to devise a last minute plan to keep the remaining 10 teams together. The new lynch pin to this plan: Texas A&M The big question now is if Texas A&M, which, according to Orangebloods.com, has the votes on its nine-member Board of Regents to join the Southeastern Conference, would reconsider a possible move to the SEC and remain in the Big 12 with its long-time, in-state rival. Wow. The Aggies grew a set of nuts after all. If I read the article correctly, it seems the Aggies were ready to sever their ties with Texas. However, if the new Big-12(10?) plan is legit, I doubt TAM will leave. But, assuming somehow the Aggies say screw it, we're joining the SEC, the SEC will have to add another team to balance it out. At this point, I couldn't even begin to think who the SEC might consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 God damnit. This was the worst thing that could have possibly happened. The Big 12 is a cluster!@#$. The only reason why Texas wants to save it is Beebee's guarantee of TV money + UT being able to get its own Network to generate some extra bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 (edited) It also seems the Texas gov't ready to get involved. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writ...pansion.sunday/ And this quote comes across as rather ominous: "To make a final decision before Wednesday," Branch said, "would not be wise." And this one: "These are big public institutions," Branch said. "They come in every two years for their budgets. I think we have a good working relationship. ... I think the public higher education community is interested in maintaining a good relationship with the legislature." If the locals do not like what is going on, pressure the gov't to arm twist the universities back inline. Edited June 14, 2010 by Cynical Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 Joe Schad from ESPN now saying Texas, Texas Tech, OU, and OSU departure to PAC-10 is imminent. He's further stating the Texas Higher Education meeting on Wednesday will be a non-factor. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5284375 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffaloaggie Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 A&M has the Gene Stallings tie to the SEC, so it will make him happy, but my Aggies will be in for some lean times as they go up against the SEC. Three straight bowl losses, the last two being blowouts of 20 or more. Still, I think it will differentiate them enough from Texas for recruiting purposes to give them a better shot at top Texas HS recruits. Just ask, where would you rather play, the SEC or the Pac 10? We need something to make up for whatever Mack Brown tells them. Texas did have a sweet deal in the Big 12, as they pretty much called the shots, and got the biggest share of the pot. Not sure what the Pac-10 breakdown of revenue will be. The SEC just wants a foothold in Texas' major TV markets, so A&M will be good enough to get the #5 and #10 TV markets included in the SEC fold. Clemson and Georgia Tech would make the most sense to go after to balance out the East division. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 A&M has the Gene Stallings tie to the SEC, Rumor and speculation is Stallings is the driving force behind TAMU splitting from Texas. so it will make him happy, but my Aggies will be in for some lean times as they go up against the SEC. Three straight bowl losses, the last two being blowouts of 20 or more. Still, I think it will differentiate them enough from Texas for recruiting purposes to give them a better shot at top Texas HS recruits. Just ask, where would you rather play, the SEC or the Pac 10? We need something to make up for whatever Mack Brown tells them. Personally, I think this cannot be overlooked. If you have a HS recruit with aspirations of playing in the NFL one day, pitching the concept of TV exposure might have an influence. Which would you rather play: 3:30PM EST on CBS, or 10PM EST on ESPN? Texas did have a sweet deal in the Big 12, as they pretty much called the shots, and got the biggest share of the pot. Not sure what the Pac-10 breakdown of revenue will be. The SEC just wants a foothold in Texas' major TV markets, so A&M will be good enough to get the #5 and #10 TV markets included in the SEC fold. Not just TV, but even recruiting. More SEC exposure in Texas leads to more opportunities to recruit the talent out of there. I imagine Arkansas and LSU will benefit greatly with having an SEC foothold in Texas. And IMHO, I think an SEC foothold scares the heck out of Texas, or they would not have threatened TAMU with ending a long standing rivalry if TAMU joined the SEC. Clemson and Georgia Tech would make the most sense to go after to balance out the East division. GT doesn't stand a chance of ever returning to the SEC. The official SEC stance (for right now) is they have no interest in any ACC program. I think they are waiting to see what happens with the Big-12 (and the Aggies in particular) before they consider what to do next. Even though the Texas legislature may be a non-factor in what UTexas does, it may influence what the Aggies and/or SEC can do. I can see the Texas gov't. in trying to strong arm the SEC in taking another Texas program (Baylor perhaps, as they seem desperate at being left out), or convincing TAMU to "reconsider" it's position on separating from UT if the SEC balks at taking another Tex school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffaloaggie Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 This new development may make all of our speculation a moot point... Big 12 may go with 10 teams More money via the new Texas network. Why not get TCU and Houston back in the fold? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 This new development may make all of our speculation a moot point... Big 12 may go with 10 teams More money via the new Texas network. Why not get TCU and Houston back in the fold? And just go ahead and rename the conference to the SouthWest Conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 So who is gonna grab Memphis with their cash offer to the conference? That sets a terrible precedent IMO. (for those who havent heard, the FedEx CEO is offering 10 million yearly to a auto-BCS bid conference to take on Memphis, because his son is the QB there) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted June 15, 2010 Author Share Posted June 15, 2010 So who is gonna grab Memphis with their cash offer to the conference? That sets a terrible precedent IMO. (for those who havent heard, the FedEx CEO is offering 10 million yearly to a auto-BCS bid conference to take on Memphis, because his son is the QB there) Nobody. If he's really serious about his kid playing in a BCS conference, they would be better off if the son reconsidered the school he's playing for. Let's be honest, Memphis isn't scaring anybody in football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 I'd like to propose some new names for the conference (stealing most of these from a Texas board): - Southern Unified Conference, or SUC - Big East 2 - Dead Horse Conference - Suicide Pact Conference - Lame Duck Conference - dog**** Conference - Not BCS Worthy Conference - The Big Zero - The Big Disappointment - The Slaughterhouse Ten God, this sucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted June 15, 2010 Share Posted June 15, 2010 So, just to be clear, as of today, the Big 12 has 10 teams, and the Big 10 has 12 teams. Makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartshan-83 Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Blue, I don't see how Texas is as big a loser as you'd think. If Chip Brown is to be believed (and I think he is despite the fact that he is now spinning away for UT since his source was from within them), it looks like UT faced a tough spot and got the most out of it. They aren't the shining knight who saved the Big XII, but they didn't want to be blamed for its demise. Supposedly, the UT network would still be a few years away and it wouldn't show football, but it is still a step in the right direction of independently guiding your own brand. I think UT's schedule will be just fine with some good OOC games (there has been talk of an ND series for awhile and further talk that ND's AD Jack Swarbrick was involved in this whole Big XII revival). As a Notre Dame guy, of course I'm pro-Independence and I think Texas has put themselves in a very good situation going forward. There were plenty of reasons why the Pac-10 was a bad idea (fuzzy $$ numbers, lack of geographical fit, opening recruiting beds to West Coast schools, playing in a ridiculous 16-team conference, etc.). The Big XII is definitely weaker now, but UT isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Texas came out a winner, their fans didn't imo. It would have been awesome to get into a stronger conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted June 17, 2010 Author Share Posted June 17, 2010 Already some discrepancies in the "new" BigXII-2: http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2010/j...ons/?tigerextra In a conference call with reporters in the morning, Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe said Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri agreed to give Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M league revenue that will be withheld from departing members Nebraska and Colorado, a sum projected at $20 million. But Pollard said he did not expect the three South schools to collect that money based on projected increases in bowl payouts, TV contracts and the revenue withheld from Colorado and Nebraska. Seems Beebe might have been promising money to UT, TAMU, and OU behind the other schools backs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted June 17, 2010 Share Posted June 17, 2010 And the already-doomed conference starts shaking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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