Some thoughts on expansion.
http://cyclonefanatic.com/football/news/williams-thank-you-oklahoma-president/
http://cyclonefanatic.com/football/news/williams-thank-you-oklahoma-president/
COLUMN: Thank you, Oklahoma president
- Thread starter ChrisMWilliams
- Start date
Ehhh.
I can't help but think he's setting up for an impractical ultimatum that "forces" OU to bail.
IE, he knows it doesn't make financial sense for the Big 12 to add teams (at least the ones that are available) but will insist on this public position. Then if/when the Big 12 doesn't add teams, he'll say that OU was tired of being rail roaded and had no choice but to leave. If the Big 12 DID add some of the available schools, OU would complain about their schedule and payouts getting watered down and leave.
If OU starts winning again (like they're used to) this all goes away.
I can't help but think he's setting up for an impractical ultimatum that "forces" OU to bail.
IE, he knows it doesn't make financial sense for the Big 12 to add teams (at least the ones that are available) but will insist on this public position. Then if/when the Big 12 doesn't add teams, he'll say that OU was tired of being rail roaded and had no choice but to leave. If the Big 12 DID add some of the available schools, OU would complain about their schedule and payouts getting watered down and leave.
If OU starts winning again (like they're used to) this all goes away.
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I agree with Al on this one. OU has done this crap before, and it led to Missouri bailing the league after their "wallflower" comment.
CW, I assume that "Iowa State in the 'Big East'" will be one of the what-if scenarios you and Blum tackle in your upcoming summer series podcast, yes?
While there may be some wisdom to adding stability at a the cost of some individual take home monies, with what is out there to add, I can't help thinking of the European Union. The EU started off as a economic threat for supremacy of the world. By adding many questionable and even down right floundering economies they are more a threat to themselves.
Chris, just because Boren spoke up doesn't mean he should applauded for doing so. His comments are essentially worthless given there are no legit expansion candidates and he is fanning the expansion flames for absolutely no legitimate reason. Needless exercise by all parties.
It is even more of a joke to suggest that a CCG would have automatically got either team in last year's playoff.
That proposed Big East wouldn't have been that bad. ISU might have actually won football games in that conference.
Either way, I accepted a long time ago that ISU will be dropped off at the dump at the end of the Grant of Rights.
Either way, I accepted a long time ago that ISU will be dropped off at the dump at the end of the Grant of Rights.
Agreed. His argument about twelve teams inherently bringing stability has no basis. There is no inherent stability in twelve teams. If there were, the Big 12 would still have twelve teams. Stability comes from cooperation amongst members and a collective desire to strengthen (at least to some extent) all members.
But one thing that can probably be guaranteed to hurt stability is a conference member president shooting off his mouth in public about how conference stability is suffering.
Agreed again. They've been passed by BU and TCU, and somehow, it is the Big 12's fault.
I understand people not trusting UT. But I have no idea why anybody who doesn't trust UT would trust Boren and OU, other than that there used to be a poster on here trying to convince everybody that OU was our friend. I posted on this back during the alignment crisis, but there were several articles indicating that OU was stirring the pot before and during (and apparently now after) the "crisis".
But isn't this just as likely a play by both Boren and the B12? Bowlsby needs to get the presidents thinking about expansion, but for whatever reason he can't get the ball rolling when they meet. He only has one ally that is Boren, so he tells him drop the bomb that they really won't be out much money adding teams. Also it would get the ball rolling of trying to add a conference network, especially with the dig at LHN that Boren dropped.
I also might be trying to reach for the good of the situation. I guess only time will tell.
I also might be trying to reach for the good of the situation. I guess only time will tell.
Because two things are abundantly clear. The playoff will be tough to crack with a one loss team other than OU and UT, and a CCG doesn't change that. The league would like to form a network, probably excluding UT for obvious reasons, they need more content to do so.
Tell that to Texas, with their Longhorn Network? Boren mentioned that, in the same interview, as the "elephant in the room," that prevents us from having the collective deals like the Big 10, SEC, Pac 12. Boren has the guts to look Texas in the eye, which apparently no other prez does.
I wouldn't blame OU from bolting, frankly...
And OU's $7 million/yr deal for its third tier rights is helping the the Big 12 get a collective deal? How does it take any "guts" for Boren to take shots at LHN when he's got a deal like that in his back pocket? It's nothing more than silly, hypocritical grandstanding. Maybe when OU gives up that deal and pledges its third tier rights to a conference network, Boren might have some grounds to chastise LHN.
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Saw someone on Twitter suggesting BYU and CSU, and using them as leverage to add the two Zona schools, UNLV and San Diego State. I realize four of those are in the MWC right now, but those are huge markets and the programs could explode with exposure. Split the league east and west then to make sure WVU is happy.
....and this post pretty much sums up why Boren is a **** for shooting his mouth off.
Now every mouth breathing Twitter writer will speculate on the stability and expansion of the conference.
