As quickly as the rumors started, they stopped.
With the stroke of a virtual pen and a late-night press release, the seemingly inexorable move toward megaconferences came to a screeching halt late last night when the Pac 12 released a statement asserting its desire to remain at 12 members, eliminating the hope for OU and OSU to move from the beleaguered Big 12.
Now, all the dominoes that had started to align yesterday are back in their boxes.
Conference realignment will now stop with Syracuse, Pitt moving to the ACC, and Texas A&M moving to the SEC. Beyond that, a handful of leftovers will likely move to an again-rebuilt Big 12. Leading candidates making the Twitterverse rumormill are BYU, Louisville, and West Virginia. Missouri's prospective move to the SEC is almost certainly by the boards, as the Tigers' move was predicated upon the implosion of the Big 12.
Oklahoma released a statement late Tuesday asserting that it would look to strengthen the Big 12 by remaining as one of its members. Sources indicated that OU and Texas would meet this week to hammer out an arrangement that would keep both schools in the Big 12 for at least five years. BYU reportedly indicated their interest in joining the now-stabilized conference.
Who are the winners and losers in the Pac 12 decision? Clearly, Oklahoma president David Boren was left holding the empty bag of a gentleman's agreement with Pac 12's Larry Scott, losing the immense leverage he held to reform the Big 12 with the presumptive invitation to go west in hand. Now, it is hard to see Boren as anything but an unwitting pawn in a Pac 12 effort to gain Texas membership, but then discarded when it became clear Texas' terms were intolerable - most particularly, its revenue and LHN requirements. The other loser is Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, who has reportedly been informed his services in that capacity are no longer desired. The clear winner is Texas, which now seems destined to keep its Longhorn Network and corresponding revenues virtually untouched, with only token concessions to allow OU some measure of face-saving.
As quickly as this story broke, now it ends, and now it looks once and for all we can get back to talking football. Actual football. And that should be a relief to everyone.
Showing posts with label pac 12. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pac 12. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
OU on Big 12; Other Realignment
Important Things to Remember:
Some media types have taken today's information from Oklahoma as an implicit suggestion that they intend to stay in the Big 12, or beyond that, know they cannot get into the Pac 12 because a pending vote will preclude their membership.
Put simply: Neither is true.
Analysis:
The release of information today indicates a set of demands that would have to be met in order for Oklahoma to consider staying in the Big 12, and those demands include a stripping of the LHN. If Beebe resigned today, it doesn't imply OU is staying in the conference.
Pac 12 Commissioner Larry Scott will only call for a vote of his member presidents if he knows the outcome. He won't bother them to get together and vote "no." And Oklahoma president Boren would not jeopardize his own credibility by putting OU so far out on a limb without knowing the firm footing on which he stood. That footing is based on the agreement in principle worked out with Commissioner Scott some two weeks ago, and nothing in that has changed.
Be careful what's being read and tweeted out there, folks. Some things are shot out there for good measure, and others are merely shot out for shock value. The things that resonate among multiple good sources are the ones to rely upon.
Even here, in this little blog, if I'm offering conjecture or analysis, I'll say so. No pretense of double-secret sources here.
Here are a few Tuesday afternoon tidbits on realignment:
Late report from the Birmingham News supposedly indicates a tentative plan for Missouri to join the SEC, and to have Auburn move to the SEC East. The latter would coincide with previous story in which Auburn officials said they wouldn't have a problem doing precisely that.
Oklahoma University apparently has relayed to sources the conditions under which they might entertain remaining in the Big 12:
* Commissioner Dan Beebe must be removed.
* New conference rules strictly governing the Longhorn Network would have to be drafted
* Conference revenues must be equally distributed.
OSU benefactor T. Boone Pickens asserts that the Big 12 could be saved, and that A&M might be persuaded to stay; however, that report was later flatly refuted by A&M officials who said they were firm in their decision to leave the Big 12.
Missouri is strongly rumored to have a standing, informal offer for membership from the SEC, but is willing to wait for the Big 12 to implode to make the invitation official. West Virginia, conversely, has reportedly been rejected by both the ACC and the SEC.
More as it develops
Some media types have taken today's information from Oklahoma as an implicit suggestion that they intend to stay in the Big 12, or beyond that, know they cannot get into the Pac 12 because a pending vote will preclude their membership.
Put simply: Neither is true.
Analysis:
The release of information today indicates a set of demands that would have to be met in order for Oklahoma to consider staying in the Big 12, and those demands include a stripping of the LHN. If Beebe resigned today, it doesn't imply OU is staying in the conference.
Pac 12 Commissioner Larry Scott will only call for a vote of his member presidents if he knows the outcome. He won't bother them to get together and vote "no." And Oklahoma president Boren would not jeopardize his own credibility by putting OU so far out on a limb without knowing the firm footing on which he stood. That footing is based on the agreement in principle worked out with Commissioner Scott some two weeks ago, and nothing in that has changed.
Be careful what's being read and tweeted out there, folks. Some things are shot out there for good measure, and others are merely shot out for shock value. The things that resonate among multiple good sources are the ones to rely upon.
Even here, in this little blog, if I'm offering conjecture or analysis, I'll say so. No pretense of double-secret sources here.
Here are a few Tuesday afternoon tidbits on realignment:
Late report from the Birmingham News supposedly indicates a tentative plan for Missouri to join the SEC, and to have Auburn move to the SEC East. The latter would coincide with previous story in which Auburn officials said they wouldn't have a problem doing precisely that.
Oklahoma University apparently has relayed to sources the conditions under which they might entertain remaining in the Big 12:
* Commissioner Dan Beebe must be removed.
* New conference rules strictly governing the Longhorn Network would have to be drafted
* Conference revenues must be equally distributed.
OSU benefactor T. Boone Pickens asserts that the Big 12 could be saved, and that A&M might be persuaded to stay; however, that report was later flatly refuted by A&M officials who said they were firm in their decision to leave the Big 12.
Missouri is strongly rumored to have a standing, informal offer for membership from the SEC, but is willing to wait for the Big 12 to implode to make the invitation official. West Virginia, conversely, has reportedly been rejected by both the ACC and the SEC.
More as it develops
Monday, September 19, 2011
Realignment: The Week Ahead
Update 9/19 @ 8:16 PM:
A few nuggets:
Oklahoma Board of Regents have formally authorized president David Boren to pursue any action necessary regarding conference alignment. Nothing surprising there.
Big East will apparently hold Pitt (and presumably Syracuse) to its contract, meaning a June 2014 exit date (earliest). No word on whether Pitt could buy its way out to an earlier date.
Mountain West and Conference-USA are discussing a merger.
Remnants of Big East likely to merge with remnants of Big 12. Both likely can't survive.
Posturing: Info from a few sources reiterates that the Pac 12 will not budge in its insistence that all third-tier revenues from networks be shared among all teams in the conference. OU insists that equal revenue sharing is the only way it would consider staying in Big 12. Not a great deal new there, but it does make one wonder....
Musing: If Texas has presumably been checkmated into an equal revenue sharing agreement no matter where they go, why would they not consider telling OU "okay, equal sharing, we stay if you stay," making OU and UT the kingpins of a dead-on-the-vine conference - a true "AL East" as postulated by Mark Cuban. Reality suggests that members of the presumably enlarged Pac 16 stand to earn as much as $35 million (nearly double) in an expanded conference, which would seemingly make that choice a near no-brainer.
Right now, I still think it's the Gang of Four heading west after some saber-rattling, but we'll see.
Clarification 9/19 @ 1:53PM Oklahoma's Board of Regents meeting now. Alignment (way) down the agenda.
One item I wanted to clarify in the midst of the updates is the issue of OU's "invitation" (or lack thereof) to the Pac 12. I stand behind (several) local media member reports over the last two wweeks (and tweets) that stated quite plainly that Oklahoma has a standing, informal, "unofficial" agreement with the Pac 12 to join their conference with Oklahoma State regardless of Texas' action. I have read nothing to contradict that issue, not even spin from Orangebloods.com.
This agreement, as best I can understand it, was worked out between OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione and Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott close to two weeks ago. When the agreement was reached, a local reporter said that "(Castiglione) looked the most relieved he'd been in weeks."
Right now, Texas is the team with no leverage. None. No conference wants the Longhorn Network as it sits. Public posturing indicates Texas is trying to play a measure of hardball with LHN in its Pac 12 negotiations, when in reality playing that kind of poker with a handful of blank cards and no chips gives you very little room to raise the stakes. With no alternatives, Texas either goes independent, or accedes to Pac 12 rules. There's really no middle ground. While Oklahoma is patient and wants to create at least the appearance of unity with Texas, don't think for a second David Boren won't press forward independently in a heartbeat should he decide it is in OU's best interests to do so .
This week stands to be the biggest yet in the shifting tides of conference realignment.
Texas and Oklahoma's respective Boards of Regents will be meeting to empower their presidents to make a deal with whatever conference they deem appropriate. The current speculation is that both are headed to the Pac-12, but hurdles - perhaps significant - remain, chief among them the Longhorn Network and Texas' willingness to shrink it to Pac-12 rules. Another hurdle is whether conference presidents are willing to admit schools with supposedly secondary academic status, although it would seem commissioner Larry Scott should be able to overcome them.
The Pac-12 is showing no signs of budging on its network rules, with the WilmerReport suggesting that Missouri could be on the conference's radar should Texas not come to terms. That would implicitly imperil Tech's move as well.
The SEC is reported quietly looking to jump to 16 teams, reportedly likely to accept West Virginia's upcoming application. The ACC apparently also believes that they are also about to lose Florida State to the SEC as well, meaning a currently unknown 16th team is likely brewing in the SEC's radar.
Acrimony in the Big East came to a head with the sudden departure of Syracuse and Pitt, and now suggestions are that the conference may not survive. Remants of the Big 12 and the Big East may merge to form a new regional conference.
This week should prove to be most interesting. Stay tuned.
A few nuggets:
Oklahoma Board of Regents have formally authorized president David Boren to pursue any action necessary regarding conference alignment. Nothing surprising there.
Big East will apparently hold Pitt (and presumably Syracuse) to its contract, meaning a June 2014 exit date (earliest). No word on whether Pitt could buy its way out to an earlier date.
Mountain West and Conference-USA are discussing a merger.
Remnants of Big East likely to merge with remnants of Big 12. Both likely can't survive.
Posturing: Info from a few sources reiterates that the Pac 12 will not budge in its insistence that all third-tier revenues from networks be shared among all teams in the conference. OU insists that equal revenue sharing is the only way it would consider staying in Big 12. Not a great deal new there, but it does make one wonder....
Musing: If Texas has presumably been checkmated into an equal revenue sharing agreement no matter where they go, why would they not consider telling OU "okay, equal sharing, we stay if you stay," making OU and UT the kingpins of a dead-on-the-vine conference - a true "AL East" as postulated by Mark Cuban. Reality suggests that members of the presumably enlarged Pac 16 stand to earn as much as $35 million (nearly double) in an expanded conference, which would seemingly make that choice a near no-brainer.
Right now, I still think it's the Gang of Four heading west after some saber-rattling, but we'll see.
Clarification 9/19 @ 1:53PM Oklahoma's Board of Regents meeting now. Alignment (way) down the agenda.
One item I wanted to clarify in the midst of the updates is the issue of OU's "invitation" (or lack thereof) to the Pac 12. I stand behind (several) local media member reports over the last two wweeks (and tweets) that stated quite plainly that Oklahoma has a standing, informal, "unofficial" agreement with the Pac 12 to join their conference with Oklahoma State regardless of Texas' action. I have read nothing to contradict that issue, not even spin from Orangebloods.com.
This agreement, as best I can understand it, was worked out between OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione and Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott close to two weeks ago. When the agreement was reached, a local reporter said that "(Castiglione) looked the most relieved he'd been in weeks."
Right now, Texas is the team with no leverage. None. No conference wants the Longhorn Network as it sits. Public posturing indicates Texas is trying to play a measure of hardball with LHN in its Pac 12 negotiations, when in reality playing that kind of poker with a handful of blank cards and no chips gives you very little room to raise the stakes. With no alternatives, Texas either goes independent, or accedes to Pac 12 rules. There's really no middle ground. While Oklahoma is patient and wants to create at least the appearance of unity with Texas, don't think for a second David Boren won't press forward independently in a heartbeat should he decide it is in OU's best interests to do so .
This week stands to be the biggest yet in the shifting tides of conference realignment.
Texas and Oklahoma's respective Boards of Regents will be meeting to empower their presidents to make a deal with whatever conference they deem appropriate. The current speculation is that both are headed to the Pac-12, but hurdles - perhaps significant - remain, chief among them the Longhorn Network and Texas' willingness to shrink it to Pac-12 rules. Another hurdle is whether conference presidents are willing to admit schools with supposedly secondary academic status, although it would seem commissioner Larry Scott should be able to overcome them.
The Pac-12 is showing no signs of budging on its network rules, with the WilmerReport suggesting that Missouri could be on the conference's radar should Texas not come to terms. That would implicitly imperil Tech's move as well.
The SEC is reported quietly looking to jump to 16 teams, reportedly likely to accept West Virginia's upcoming application. The ACC apparently also believes that they are also about to lose Florida State to the SEC as well, meaning a currently unknown 16th team is likely brewing in the SEC's radar.
Acrimony in the Big East came to a head with the sudden departure of Syracuse and Pitt, and now suggestions are that the conference may not survive. Remants of the Big 12 and the Big East may merge to form a new regional conference.
This week should prove to be most interesting. Stay tuned.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Report: ACC off the table for Texas?
Chip Brown reports on Orangebloods.com that the ACC option for Texas may be "decreasing," and that the conference may have "moved on without Texas." Brown also reports that the best remaining option for Texas will be to join the Pac 12. Texas was supposedly caught completely off-guard by the Syracuse-Pitt move to the ACC, and how that has played in this "end-game" is unclear.
Analysis: Rumors spun earlier today that suggested Texas was told by the ACC they wanted two teams from Texas, but when Texas Tech was asked by UT to join the ACC, Texas Tech declined. When Baylor was proposed as an alternate, the ACC declined. Shortly after this negotiation broke down, supposedly, the Syracuse/Pitt move happened with startling speed.
There are huge ramifications if this report holds true. Reports held that short of remaining in the Big 12, the ACC was Texas' last, best hope for retaining the Longhorn Network in its current form. If the door to the ACC has closed, and the Longhorns are unwilling to go independent (as they've repeatedly stated), it looks very much like the stage would be set for Texas and Texas Tech to follow the Sooners and the OSU Cowboys to the Pac 12+
Obviously, all of this is very fluid, and at times Orangebloods.com has been a bit dicey in credibility, but the fact that this current report matches earlier rumors gives this curernt info a bit more credibility.
More as it develops!
Analysis: Rumors spun earlier today that suggested Texas was told by the ACC they wanted two teams from Texas, but when Texas Tech was asked by UT to join the ACC, Texas Tech declined. When Baylor was proposed as an alternate, the ACC declined. Shortly after this negotiation broke down, supposedly, the Syracuse/Pitt move happened with startling speed.
There are huge ramifications if this report holds true. Reports held that short of remaining in the Big 12, the ACC was Texas' last, best hope for retaining the Longhorn Network in its current form. If the door to the ACC has closed, and the Longhorns are unwilling to go independent (as they've repeatedly stated), it looks very much like the stage would be set for Texas and Texas Tech to follow the Sooners and the OSU Cowboys to the Pac 12+
Obviously, all of this is very fluid, and at times Orangebloods.com has been a bit dicey in credibility, but the fact that this current report matches earlier rumors gives this curernt info a bit more credibility.
More as it develops!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
After all this, nothing??
Update 1:23 CDT Sat: Orangebloods.com is reporting that the P12 is telling OU and OSU they have no expansion plans at this time, spinning that as an end to the presumed Sooner option of the Pac 12. I cast great doubt on that spin. Of course Pac 12 wants no part of predator perception, and of course Texas wants to make OU think it has no options. That this story comes from a Texas Rivals site makes me all the more suspicious - of course it would be a willing "mouthpiece" for such a spin. Does anyone really, really believe the Pac 12 wouldn't take an OU if they became available?
Saturday morning brings with it the hope of *actual* football, not merely the public bickering and rumoring over whose team belongs with which conference. Yet in the shadow of the goalposts does realignment loom, and while there's not a great deal of new news on that front, we can take a moment to see where we are, and make a subject-to-change conclusion:
Right now, I have this sinking feeling we may end up right where we are now, with no big realignment after all.
Why? Baylor continues to serve as the roadblock to Texas A&M's departure, refusing to waive its rights to sue both A&M and the SEC for tortious interference in its conference membership activities. Simply put, if no resolution to the Baylor Stalemate is found, there may be no other option for the Aggies but to return, hat-in-hand, to a crippled and self-mutilated Big 12. It's been said that A&M's move represents the first domino in realignment, but if it never falls...nothing else happens. Even if Oklahoma re-ups with the Big 12, allowing A&M to depart, the big four-team prize of OU, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Texas Tech to the Pac 12 would have inherently been blown apart, leaving the SEC looking for a 14th team that it might not grab until next season, willing to play an unbalanced schedule in the near-term.
The other thing pointing in the we-go-nowhere direction is T. Boone Pickens' comment on ESPN last Thursday that suggested the Pokes were interested in staying in the Big 12. That could be taken one of two ways: That some sort of agreement was nearly hammered out, or talks were in a last-gasp phase. It could be that Pickens is riding point for a behind-the-scenes negotiation between OU president David Boren and, well, the rest of college football.
To cap it off, Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott came out last night stating he personally was against conference expansion. But you and I both know that if the SEC does, in fact, jump to a 13th, and 14th team, there's no way on earth his conference would stand pat and not respond.
There is obviously critical momentum riding decidedly against the Big 12's survival, chief among them being the question of how this fractious, embarrassed, dysfunctional conference family could ever reconstitute itself into a cohesive, respected, collegial athletic entity. Nationally, the conference is a laughingstock, a target of unrelenting media ridicule, with bridges burned between high-profile members. UT and A&M have never been so close to outright armed conflict. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have expressed outright anger over apparent orchestrations from Baylor to put each, in their own way, in a bad light. With so much angst, how could anyone in this conference trust anyone else? And why would anyone on the outside want to join?
Regardless of the outcome, no one, repeat, no one looks worse or less competent in this fiasco than Dan Beebe who, besides carrying the title of worst sports leader this side of Bug Selig, has seemingly stood by and allowed the Big 12 to burn while he fiddles. Perhaps a "reincarnated" Big 12 could survive, but only if every vestige of Beebe's (lack of) leadership were vanquished from the books - as in new leadership, a new conference charter (with equal revenue sharing), even a new headquarters. How anyone nationally could perceive that as anything other than lipstick on a pig is beyond me.
Oklahoma still seems to hold the cards, but rest assured the Sooners won't make a move until the weekend passes, particularly considering this weekend includes services for its late, great Lee Roy Selmon. Until then, anyone - even yours truly - who says they know what happening is sniffing that smoke coming from that Big 12 fire.
And Dan Beebe is still fiddling.
Saturday morning brings with it the hope of *actual* football, not merely the public bickering and rumoring over whose team belongs with which conference. Yet in the shadow of the goalposts does realignment loom, and while there's not a great deal of new news on that front, we can take a moment to see where we are, and make a subject-to-change conclusion:
Right now, I have this sinking feeling we may end up right where we are now, with no big realignment after all.
Why? Baylor continues to serve as the roadblock to Texas A&M's departure, refusing to waive its rights to sue both A&M and the SEC for tortious interference in its conference membership activities. Simply put, if no resolution to the Baylor Stalemate is found, there may be no other option for the Aggies but to return, hat-in-hand, to a crippled and self-mutilated Big 12. It's been said that A&M's move represents the first domino in realignment, but if it never falls...nothing else happens. Even if Oklahoma re-ups with the Big 12, allowing A&M to depart, the big four-team prize of OU, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Texas Tech to the Pac 12 would have inherently been blown apart, leaving the SEC looking for a 14th team that it might not grab until next season, willing to play an unbalanced schedule in the near-term.
The other thing pointing in the we-go-nowhere direction is T. Boone Pickens' comment on ESPN last Thursday that suggested the Pokes were interested in staying in the Big 12. That could be taken one of two ways: That some sort of agreement was nearly hammered out, or talks were in a last-gasp phase. It could be that Pickens is riding point for a behind-the-scenes negotiation between OU president David Boren and, well, the rest of college football.
To cap it off, Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott came out last night stating he personally was against conference expansion. But you and I both know that if the SEC does, in fact, jump to a 13th, and 14th team, there's no way on earth his conference would stand pat and not respond.
There is obviously critical momentum riding decidedly against the Big 12's survival, chief among them being the question of how this fractious, embarrassed, dysfunctional conference family could ever reconstitute itself into a cohesive, respected, collegial athletic entity. Nationally, the conference is a laughingstock, a target of unrelenting media ridicule, with bridges burned between high-profile members. UT and A&M have never been so close to outright armed conflict. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have expressed outright anger over apparent orchestrations from Baylor to put each, in their own way, in a bad light. With so much angst, how could anyone in this conference trust anyone else? And why would anyone on the outside want to join?
Regardless of the outcome, no one, repeat, no one looks worse or less competent in this fiasco than Dan Beebe who, besides carrying the title of worst sports leader this side of Bug Selig, has seemingly stood by and allowed the Big 12 to burn while he fiddles. Perhaps a "reincarnated" Big 12 could survive, but only if every vestige of Beebe's (lack of) leadership were vanquished from the books - as in new leadership, a new conference charter (with equal revenue sharing), even a new headquarters. How anyone nationally could perceive that as anything other than lipstick on a pig is beyond me.
Oklahoma still seems to hold the cards, but rest assured the Sooners won't make a move until the weekend passes, particularly considering this weekend includes services for its late, great Lee Roy Selmon. Until then, anyone - even yours truly - who says they know what happening is sniffing that smoke coming from that Big 12 fire.
And Dan Beebe is still fiddling.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Realignment Summary
As of 6:30 AM Wednesday morning, here's where we are:
* SEC voted to extend membership invitation to A&M, with two diesents
* SEC would pursue Missouri or West Virginia as 14th member
* New rumor are suggesting SEC's offer is contingent upon a waiver of lawsuit from Big 12, but this is unconfirmed and reported only from Orangebloods.com
* Most sources continue to believe notion of Texas joining ACC as not credible, being used as leverage to discourage Oklahoma from busting the Big 12 and ending the OU-Texas rivalry
* A&M is expected to announce their acceptance of the SEC invitation today. If the lawsuit waiver issue is true, that could be delayed
Thoughts: If the Big 12 had designs to sue the SEC, why would they agree to a mutual waiver of claims in allowing Texas A&M to depart in the first place? That is, if there's tortious interferene on one side, there's a willful breach of contract on the other - but the Big 12 released those claims, did they not? Besides, if the Big 12 dissolves, what entity would engage in the lawsuit? A threat from individual schools, such as Baylor, would be more credible, but one would assume a waiver of claims by the conference would presumably extend to each of its members individually and possibly survive the conference itself.
With the Big East courting (at least) Big 12 refugees Kansas and Kansas State, it would seem the Big 12 is destined to dissolve. With multiple sources - notably OKC and Houston broadcast and print media - reporting that the Longhorn Network would be converted into something amenable to the Pac 12, it still seems that the smart money is on OU, OkState, Texas, and Texas Tech heading to the Pac 12.
Stay tuned.
* SEC voted to extend membership invitation to A&M, with two diesents
* SEC would pursue Missouri or West Virginia as 14th member
* New rumor are suggesting SEC's offer is contingent upon a waiver of lawsuit from Big 12, but this is unconfirmed and reported only from Orangebloods.com
* Most sources continue to believe notion of Texas joining ACC as not credible, being used as leverage to discourage Oklahoma from busting the Big 12 and ending the OU-Texas rivalry
* A&M is expected to announce their acceptance of the SEC invitation today. If the lawsuit waiver issue is true, that could be delayed
Thoughts: If the Big 12 had designs to sue the SEC, why would they agree to a mutual waiver of claims in allowing Texas A&M to depart in the first place? That is, if there's tortious interferene on one side, there's a willful breach of contract on the other - but the Big 12 released those claims, did they not? Besides, if the Big 12 dissolves, what entity would engage in the lawsuit? A threat from individual schools, such as Baylor, would be more credible, but one would assume a waiver of claims by the conference would presumably extend to each of its members individually and possibly survive the conference itself.
With the Big East courting (at least) Big 12 refugees Kansas and Kansas State, it would seem the Big 12 is destined to dissolve. With multiple sources - notably OKC and Houston broadcast and print media - reporting that the Longhorn Network would be converted into something amenable to the Pac 12, it still seems that the smart money is on OU, OkState, Texas, and Texas Tech heading to the Pac 12.
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
LHN: "No longer a problem" for Pac 12
The Houston Chronicle is reporting this morning that the Longhorn Network is no longer considered an "impediment" to Texas joining the Pac 12+.
The Chronicle story indicates that the LHN could be reworked as a regional Texas network, incorporating Texas Tech into its coverage fold. That would merge perfectly within the Pac 12 preferred model, and still allow Texas to retain the notion of a Texas-focused network.
http://www.chron.com/sports/college/article/Big-12-football-coaches-deal-with-situation-out-2156676.php
This is also consistent with OKC sports reporter Dean Blevins reported the other night, specifically that the Longhorn Network would be "reworked" to fit in the Pac 12.
I think the handwriting is on the wall in all this - OU, Ok State, UT, and Texas Tech to the Pac 12.
Stay tuned.
The Chronicle story indicates that the LHN could be reworked as a regional Texas network, incorporating Texas Tech into its coverage fold. That would merge perfectly within the Pac 12 preferred model, and still allow Texas to retain the notion of a Texas-focused network.
http://www.chron.com/sports/college/article/Big-12-football-coaches-deal-with-situation-out-2156676.php
This is also consistent with OKC sports reporter Dean Blevins reported the other night, specifically that the Longhorn Network would be "reworked" to fit in the Pac 12.
I think the handwriting is on the wall in all this - OU, Ok State, UT, and Texas Tech to the Pac 12.
Stay tuned.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Texas legislature worried about OU, Texas moves?
Orangebloods.com reporter Chip Brown is reporting that movers within the Texas legislature are moving rapidly to "slow down" conference movement actions from Texas A&M and Texas. Most interesting is that Texas officials have reportedly told legislative contacts that OU's moving kills the Big 12, and that UT should follow suit, but that those same legislative contacts are telling UT reps to, in turn, tell OU to "slow down."
Somehow, I don't think the suggestion that the Texas legislature is trying to muscle OU will go over very well in Norman. The idea that UT is now, apparently, worried about what OU is doing is almost staggering.
The legislature is apparently also letting A&M know it no longer has their blessing to jump to the SEC. Now, why they waited to make this known to the Aggies four days after they announced the move is stupefying, which suggests perhaps that the OU rumblings are making a lot of people in the power structure of Texas very, very nervous very quickly.
Right now, claims are that the legislature received assurances that the Big 12 would survive without A&M, which means they never expected OU to publicly contemplate a serious jump to a different conference. That means that OU president David Boren could be playing a serious poker game with Texas, and they might do well to remember that Boren's past history as a former governor and powerful, multi-term senator gives him more than enough political acumen to stare down sabre rattling from the state powerbrokers in Austin. It also means that Texas legislators only view A&M as relevant to the extent it protects the Big 12, and by extension only to the extent the Big 12 protects Texas' interests as they relate to its nascent Longhorn Network.
The bigger question is whether Boren and Castiglione are playing an "all-in" game with Texas, even risking the future of the OU-Texas rivalry to make the Pac 12+ happen. Texas has vowed never to play A&M in any sport again should it depart, but can it make a similar threat to the Sooners and eliminate their only other high-profile rival in the process? Texas never doubted that OU would follow its lead; now, the Horns are terrified that the Sooners will go rogue, and bust the LHN by killing the Big 12.
Texas worried about what OU does? Whoulda thunk it?
Somehow, I don't think the suggestion that the Texas legislature is trying to muscle OU will go over very well in Norman. The idea that UT is now, apparently, worried about what OU is doing is almost staggering.
The legislature is apparently also letting A&M know it no longer has their blessing to jump to the SEC. Now, why they waited to make this known to the Aggies four days after they announced the move is stupefying, which suggests perhaps that the OU rumblings are making a lot of people in the power structure of Texas very, very nervous very quickly.
Right now, claims are that the legislature received assurances that the Big 12 would survive without A&M, which means they never expected OU to publicly contemplate a serious jump to a different conference. That means that OU president David Boren could be playing a serious poker game with Texas, and they might do well to remember that Boren's past history as a former governor and powerful, multi-term senator gives him more than enough political acumen to stare down sabre rattling from the state powerbrokers in Austin. It also means that Texas legislators only view A&M as relevant to the extent it protects the Big 12, and by extension only to the extent the Big 12 protects Texas' interests as they relate to its nascent Longhorn Network.
The bigger question is whether Boren and Castiglione are playing an "all-in" game with Texas, even risking the future of the OU-Texas rivalry to make the Pac 12+ happen. Texas has vowed never to play A&M in any sport again should it depart, but can it make a similar threat to the Sooners and eliminate their only other high-profile rival in the process? Texas never doubted that OU would follow its lead; now, the Horns are terrified that the Sooners will go rogue, and bust the LHN by killing the Big 12.
Texas worried about what OU does? Whoulda thunk it?
Friday, July 15, 2011
Welcome to the ENDZONE REVIEW!!!!
Welcome to the INAUGURAL POST for the ENDZONE REVIEW!!!
Here we talk and post about all things FOOTBALL, although the author here tends to prefer COLLEGE football (particularly since, at this point, we technically have no NFL version). The hope here is to post no less than once per week, and hopefully much more frequently. Here are a few ideas we'll hit as we find ourselves a mere six weeks from football season:
* Big Ten: Pretenders to the national crown again?
* Texas: Big comeback ahead, or five wins in 2011?
* Big 12: That's more like *Castrated* 12, isn't it?
* Stanford: Can Luck carry the day without his lucky Harbaugh?
The idea here isn't just for me to post thoughts and keen insights, its to provoke thought and response from YOU. Join us every week, and we'll hope you join us here in the "EndZone!"
Here we talk and post about all things FOOTBALL, although the author here tends to prefer COLLEGE football (particularly since, at this point, we technically have no NFL version). The hope here is to post no less than once per week, and hopefully much more frequently. Here are a few ideas we'll hit as we find ourselves a mere six weeks from football season:
* Big Ten: Pretenders to the national crown again?
* Texas: Big comeback ahead, or five wins in 2011?
* Big 12: That's more like *Castrated* 12, isn't it?
* Stanford: Can Luck carry the day without his lucky Harbaugh?
The idea here isn't just for me to post thoughts and keen insights, its to provoke thought and response from YOU. Join us every week, and we'll hope you join us here in the "EndZone!"
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