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

[cyman05]

Maybe Louisville is in the mix to keep football from becoming too much of a meat grinder. If you start combining a bunch of schools into a single conference that all think of themselves as national contenders, and then they start to get squeezed out of their spot in the pecking order, people get unhappy and instability starts to pop up again. Just look at Nebraska. They were getting pushed to second tier status and walked away from a century of tradition without giving it much thought.

I think that could be true with some schools, but here is what I think about...I currently live in Arkansas and have asked many people, would you rather be a consistent 2-4th place finisher in the Big 12 with some championships mixed in, or traditionally a lower half SEC team (which is what they've been the last 20 years until recently). Every time they say we'd rather play in the SEC and be a bottom feeder than be up there with Texas and OU every year competing for B12 championships.

I used to live in Texas and had a number of A&M friends. Same thing. They'd rather be a SEC bottom feeder or average joe than be a consistent #2-3 B12 team and compete for a few B12 championships.

I would think the logical fan would rather be a big fish in a medium pond than a medium fish in a big pond. Why would someone want to see their team pushed to "second-tier" status as you say? I agree with you, but I think the emotions of envy (Nebraska), fear (Mizzou), and anger (A&M) that drive realignment overtake logical thought.

 

[HFCS]

You're putting together an impossible scenario. ND for everything but football is a possibility (a ****** one at that), but joining as a full member seems to be a bit of a pipe dream.

Let's speak completely hypothetically, if for some reason the B12 was able to add FSU/Clemson/ND, don't you think they could easily pull a much more favorable 14th? They could pretty much pick and choose an ACC school that best fit the desires of the incoming other 3, why would anyone settle for Louisville in that scenario?

This makes sense and is quite possible but not certain. I was only disagreeing that "Louisville is an embarrassment to the Big 12" if they come along with 1 or 3 of the rumored ND/ACC schools. That is zero national embarrassment, it's the exact opposite and the other non-SEC conferences would tremble.

The Big 12 already has a higher % of ranked football teams than any other conference, they're rumored to be adding a few more traditional football powerhouses. NOBODY is going to snicker at the Big 12 because Louisville is a part of the deal if/when it happens. It wouldn't be Louisville and Tulane, that's the expansion just for the sake of 12 embarrassment possibility you're describing.

 

[Gorm]

Just monitoring some other sites and Twitter, there is a ton of chatter saying a big announcement this weekend. Basically involves FSU & Clemson full members and ND as an associate member.

Personally, I doubt anything happens,

We shall see....

 

[CyBer]

Just monitoring some other sites and Twitter, there is a ton of chatter saying a big announcement this weekend. Basically involves FSU & Clemson full members and ND as an associate member.

Personally, I doubt anything happens,

We shall see....

Would be awesome if true, except for the ND part.

 

[Clone96]

Chip Brown is back at it.....


Orangebloods.com - Sources: Irish Olympic sports likely headed to B12


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw]Dramatic Chipmunk - YouTube[/ame]

 

[snowcraig2.0]

I'm not thrilled with ND as a partial member. But if they are promising to play 6 games a year against Big 12 schools I can go along with it, provided they don't get our bowl slots.

 

[aeroclone]

I'm not thrilled with ND as a partial member. But if they are promising to play 6 games a year against Big 12 schools I can go along with it, provided they don't get our bowl slots.

Every time I see that 6 game thing thrown out there, it is always presented as "up to 6 games a year." That could be a whole lot different from 6.

 

[KnappShack]

I have a semi just at the thought of a possible ISU v ND with Touchdown Jesus looking down.

Who am I kidding? It's a 3/4 chub

 

[cyclonepower]

I have a semi just at the thought of a possible ISU v ND with Touchdown Jesus looking down.

Who am I kidding? It's a 3/4 chub

im sure they will get there pick on the 6, I wouldnt worry about Iowa State ever getting to play them

 

[KnappShack]

I have a semi just at the thought of a possible ISU v ND with Touchdown Jesus looking down.Who am I kidding? It's a 3/4 chub

im sure they will get there pick on the 6, I wouldnt worry about Iowa State ever getting to play them

They've played flipping Kansas. Go ahead, ND. Go ahead and schedule that easy win from Ames.

Have security ready. We'll be hanging off of the goalposts win or lose!

 

[helechopper]

ND will get:
1. one of our bowl bids
2. never play ISU
3. maintain indy status until hell freezes over

 

[cyclonepower]

ND will get:
1. one of our bowl bids
2. never play ISU
3. maintain indy status until hell freezes over

this, Texas will again get what they want a Thanksgiving game with ND every yr...

 

[CysRage]

ND will get:
1. one of our bowl bids
2. never play ISU
3. maintain indy status until hell freezes over

What makes you think this? In the past two years ND has played the likes of South Florida, Western Michigan, Tulsa, and other schools below our level. We won't play ND every year but I bet we would at least once every 4 years.

 

[Wesley]

Let's get this over with and just expand beyond ten so we quit making excuses that we do not like a conference championship game.

 

[rebecacy]

ND will get:
1. one of our bowl bids
2. never play ISU
3. maintain indy status until hell freezes over

and ISU gets even more money

 

[heitclone]

What makes you think this? In the past two years ND has played the likes of South Florida, Western Michigan, Tulsa, and other schools below our level. We won't play ND every year but I bet we would at least once every 4 years.

I'd be okay with this, or at leats some stipulation that says ND has to play every big 12 team at least once every 5 years or something along those lines. We benefit from any team playing ND, if that ND game is on NBC then that frees up a spot for another game to be televised. If ND agree's to play a fixed amount of big 12 teams every year I see no reason why anyone wouldn't want them to join, I think once ND gets a taste of what Texas has (which is the best of both worlds), that they'll get greedy and want to jump on full time.

 

[vmbplayer]

and ISU gets even more money

And if ISU plays them it's a chance to get a win against an average program that is frequently overrated.

Good for exposure. ND comes with up and downside. Going to a game there is very fun. They bring $$$$ to the TV contract. They're a potential 'big win' even when they aren't.

They add quality to non-football sports as well.

However, the partial thing is a pretty big downside. Can only hope that's until the BCS system is revised or their TV contract with NBC ends.

 

[Gorm]

How can ND not play football in the conference, but still reap the benefits of our bowl bids? I can't see anyone but Texas letting this happen.

 

[vmbplayer]

How can ND not play football in the conference, but still reap the benefits of our bowl bids? I can't see anyone but Texas letting this happen.

The Big East did it.

 

[CLONECONES]

ND is a giant crybaby only-child. no way we should let them in without football being in the contract