*****The Super, Mega, Huge Big 12 Expansion Thread*****

[Al_4_State]

As someone who's been to Provo, I guarantee there are no beer sales in the stadium. I've heard people complain about the atmosphere in Waco. Waco will look like New Orleans on Mardi Gras in comparison.

 

[gocubs2118]

So if BYU really is tied with ND, the Big XII could either hit a grand slam or be ****ed. I don't see how this conference survives without at least adding BYU.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

Tweet from Chuck Carlton (ChuckCarltonDMN) Chuck Carlton (ChuckCarltonDMN):
Pittsburgh won't add to "rampant speculation on conference expansion" by actually commenting or debunking the rumors. Pitt declines to discuss Big 12 rumor - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Twitter / Chuck Carlton: Pittsburgh won't add to "r ...

(Sent via Seesmic http://www.seesmic.com)



There is definitely smoke here.

 

[ISUKoolaid]

Couple questions on the BYU speculations - does anyone know if they were invited to the Pac 10 in the last go round and 2) why they turned that down if they were?

Can't comment on the other parts of your post, but from what I understand the P10(2) requires a unanimous yes vote to accept a new school. UC - Berkley and Stanford weren't comfortable with BYUs religious affiliation so they were not invited. At least, that's how I thought it went down, I could be wrong.

 

[Boomer]

ND, BYU, Pitt = grandslam

If ND says no and BYU hedges... well damn then

 

[Al_4_State]

So if BYU really is tied with ND, the Big XII could either hit a grand slam or be ****ed. I don't see how this conference survives without at least adding BYU.

I highly doubt that BYU is actually tied to ND's decision in this. They're going to do what's best for BYU, and all signs point to that being the Big 12.



What does everyone think about WVU? I think if Pitt was interested and we couldn't BYU, we could bring WVU and Louisville along with Pitt. Take the Big East's top 3 programs and a couple of good sized markets.

 

[NobodyBeatsCy]

ND, BYU, Pitt = grandslam

If ND says no and BYU hedges... well damn then

I swear to you that I will never believe that ND will join our conference until I actually see them at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames - and even then, there will have to be a final score

 

[justcynn]

Can't comment on the other parts of your post, but from what I understand the P10(2) requires a unanimous yes vote to accept a new school. UC - Berkley and Stanford weren't comfortable with BYUs religious affiliation so they were not invited. At least, that's how I thought it went down, I could be wrong.

Thanks for clarifying, that does sound right, so the liberal schools can't be tolerant, but the Catholics, Baptists and Ladder Day Saints can somehow see the green and go for it...interesting

 

[SvrWxCy]

The BYU article is definitely interesting, puts it into perspective that it may perhaps be either ND/BYU (& Pitt?) or the end of the conference. I guess we could save the conference for a year or two by adding in someone like Houston or SMU, but they would definitely not stabilize the conference.

Guess it is time to take that A&M exit money and put it under the noses of ND to see if they'll bite...

 

[CyCrazy]

So if BYU really is tied with ND, the Big XII could either hit a grand slam or be ****ed. I don't see how this conference survives without at least adding BYU.

No one knows a god damn thing. But it is pretty fun to talk about.

 

[justcynn]

The BYU article is definitely interesting, puts it into perspective that it may perhaps be either ND/BYU (& Pitt?) or the end of the conference. I guess we could save the conference for a year or two by adding in someone like Houston or SMU, but they would definitely not stabilize the conference.

Guess it is time to take that A&M exit money and put it under the noses of ND to see if they'll bite...

Agree and thinks this sums it up well as the story behind the story...hope the main story comes through...

 

[Cydwinder]

I highly doubt that BYU is actually tied to ND's decision in this. They're going to do what's best for BYU, and all signs point to that being the Big 12.



What does everyone think about WVU? I think if Pitt was interested and we couldn't BYU, we could bring WVU and Louisville along with Pitt. Take the Big East's top 3 programs and a couple of good sized markets.

I'd be ok with it.

 

[im4cyclones]

History says 1 national championship, 13 conference titles, 30 bowl games, 667 wins to 450 losses.

Very good history overall. Now what is their history in their current conference? The point was made that Texas a&m would achieve at the same as Arkansas in the SEC. My point is that Arkansas hasn't performed great in the SEC. The past 3-4 years have been good but you can't ignore 20 years of conference history.

A&M will be an 8-5 team in the sec. Some years higher, some lower. But they won't be the next Alabama. And that will get the coaches run off.

 

[acgclone]

Very good history overall. Now what is their history in their current conference? The point was made that Texas a&m would achieve at the same as Arkansas in the SEC. My point is that Arkansas hasn't performed great in the SEC. The past 3-4 years have been good but you can't ignore 20 years of conference history.

A&M will be an 8-5 team in the sec. Some years higher, some lower. But they won't be the next Alabama. And that will get the coaches run off.

They have played in the SEC championship game at least 3 times, IIRC. I would put them in a category similar to Iowa. Pretty good, but not LSU/Bama good.

That is a level of success that is pretty good, especially in the SEC. Frankly, that is a level that would be more successful than TAMy has been in the B12.

And if they got the right coach, that could build a program, they have all the infrastructure needed to elevate their program to a long lasting football powerhouse.

 

[clonedude]

A&M will be a .500 team in the SEC. They aren't much better than that in the Big 12 and the SEC is much tougher.

 

[jdoggivjc]

They have played in the SEC championship game at least 3 times, IIRC. I would put them in a category similar to Iowa. Pretty good, but not LSU/Bama good.

That is a level of success that is pretty good, especially in the SEC. Frankly, that is a level that would be more successful than TAMy has been in the B12.

And if they got the right coach, that could build a program, they have all the infrastructure needed to elevate their program to a long lasting football powerhouse.

One of those championship appearances (2002) was a result of Alabama, the true West champion that year, being on probation, thus ineligible to participate in the SEC championship game.

 

[cyman05]

The Upset: Source: BYU contacted by Big 12

BYU was contacted by the BigXII in regards to conference membership yesterday.
BYU's intention is to align itself with both Texas and Notre Dame.

And just what makes BYU think that they hold so much power that they get to choose who they're going to align themselves to. Last I checked, the Pac12, SEC, and Big10 aren't coming calling for them anytime soon. Never heard their name floated out there by the Big East for expansion by any credible source. I'm not sure how they feel all of the sudden that they get to choose their own conference mates.

• Notre Dame, however, is the pre-eminent focus of BYU's future. If BYU feels it can be better aligned with Notre Dame outside of the Big12, the Cougars may balk at the invitation. (It goes without saying, that an ND acceptance of a Big12 invite would make the Cougars decision a no-brainer)

So what's he saying here? If ND goes to the Big 10 eventually that BYU thinks they'll accept an invite to the Big 10 at that point as well?

• BYU's wants to know Notre Dame's future plans. If these plans involve conference membership (whether Big Ten, Big East, or Big XII) the Cougars will be more willing to look more favorably toward accepting a Big 12 invitation. If they do not, and independence remains a long-term goal of the institution, BYU may find it better suited to remain an independent as well.

And exactly why is independence a better option than the Big 12? Less money, less visibility, no ties to Texas (who they say they want to be joined to), no BCS birth...

BYU does not want to be the only non-Service Academy Independent.
BYU wants a contractually stipulated agreement in place, guaranteeing Texas' commitment to the Big 12.

This is what I'm extremely interested in. If BYU or someone else joins to they ask to raise the exit fees to something ridiculous like $250 million? You talk about ensuring the long-term stability of a conference...this is a way to do it and would be huge to everyone in the Big 12 and would either

1. prevent superconferences
2. ensure everybody at the table right now would have a home in a superconference, whether the Big 12 or another.

BYU's decision to join the Big12 is not as cut-and-dry as most have reported. BYU has not tacitly accepted nor explicitly rejected an offer from the Big 12.
BYU is very concerned about the repercussions of leaving the WCC high and dry. So much so, that unless proper care and consideration is taken by the Big12 regarding this issue, BYU may very well turn down an invitation to join the league. The WCC issue should not viewed in a vacuum. As an official representative of the LDS Church, BYU's role must be handled carefully. Church officials are worried about how a sudden move would affect Church credibility.

Yeah, we'll see how concerned they are about the WCC. They'll do whats best for them, whatever they decide.

 

[justcynn]

Texas abusing its power in the Big 12 - KansasCity.com

This is spot on, Texas has run off 3 teams of the top teams in the conference thus far with the "Do what is best for Texas" model. Its only fair to say Nebraska went along with it until they didn't which was also part of the issue. This model sounds good on paper and still could attract the likes of National names BYU and Notre Dame, but conference survival will require a reavluation of this philosophy and committment to the other institutions both financially but equally important are history, loyalty and trust. Plenty of national names could be doing the money grab right now but they aren't - why? Loyalty, History and Trust. Not Money and power.

There will be a backlash and I look for Iowa State to be used as an example of a Historical, Loyal and trustworthy partner that did nothing wrong other than not have enough population to feed the greedy that coincidently already had enough to sustain.

 

[CrossCyed]

Texas abusing its power in the Big 12 - KansasCity.com

This is spot on, Texas has run off 3 teams of the top teams in the conference thus far with the "Do what is best for Texas" model. Its only fair to say Nebraska went along with it until they didn't which was also part of the issue. This model sounds good on paper and still could attract the likes of National names BYU and Notre Dame, but conference survival will require a reavluation of this philosophy and committment to the other institutions both financially but equally important are history, loyalty and trust. Plenty of national names could be doing the money grab right now but they aren't - why? Loyalty, History and Trust. Not Money and power.

There will be a backlash and I look for Iowa State to be used as an example of a Historical, Loyal and trustworthy partner that did nothing wrong other than not have enough population to feed the greedy that coincidently already had enough to sustain.

Don't think for a goddamned second that schools like Ohio State and Florida aren't doing things for money and power.

 

[crash_zone]

Texas abusing its power in the Big 12 - KansasCity.com

This is spot on, Texas has run off 3 teams of the top teams in the conference thus far with the "Do what is best for Texas" model. Its only fair to say Nebraska went along with it until they didn't which was also part of the issue. This model sounds good on paper and still could attract the likes of National names BYU and Notre Dame, but conference survival will require a reavluation of this philosophy and committment to the other institutions both financially but equally important are history, loyalty and trust. Plenty of national names could be doing the money grab right now but they aren't - why? Loyalty, History and Trust. Not Money and power.

There will be a backlash and I look for Iowa State to be used as an example of a Historical, Loyal and trustworthy partner that did nothing wrong other than not have enough population to feed the greedy that coincidently already had enough to sustain.

Yeah, Nebraska went along with it all right. They voted AGAINST equal sharing when they were in the driver's seat and only hit the eject button once they realized they were only in the side-car. This was a money grab for Nebraska.