Oklahoma president David Boren, with fresh authorization in hand to determine the university's future athletic affiliation, had pointed comments about the status of the Big 12 yesterday. A few summary notes/highlights:
* The threat of litigation by some conference members was not a helpful way to keep the conference together.
* Oklahoma has no desire to be in a position to dominate a conference politically.
* The ongoing instability of the conference going forward into next and later years was, essentially, intolerable.
* Boren's options are the Big 12 or the Pac 12
* OU wants to be in a conference with equally shared revenue.
* Nebraska's departure last season was "regrettable."
* The Big 12 conference office bears some of the burden for the conference's condition
Although remaining in the Big 12 is an option, the criticisms Boren laid out make it hard to believe that remaining there is a realistic option.
Oklahoma City's KWTV-9 sports anchor Dean Blevins reasserted yesterday that the framework of a deal sending OU and Oklahoma State to the Pac 12 regardless of Texas' decision remains in place as it has been for nearly two weeks. All that remains to make it official is to wait for the "ink" to dry.
Showing posts with label realignment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label realignment. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Thursday Realignment Saga Update
There's not a great deal of new news to report on the realignment front, but there are a few pieces worth mentioning:
1. Oklahoma State issued a tersely worded release saying that anonymous reports mentioning OSU as part of some legal action against SEC and A&M were false.
2. Per tweets from a couple of different sources, OU will NOT recommit to the Big 12. Reports from some message boards rumoring that OU had decided to stay in the Big 12 are false.
3. Rumors circulating that there had been a "conspiracy" uncovered among Texas and the Big 12 are false.
4. Baylor is apparently very interested in overtures from the Big East, and an invitation from a BCS AQ conference may go a long way to pacifying their current refusal to sign a lawsuit waiver.
5. BYU has reportedly expressed interest in joining the Big 12 if Oklahoma stays. This is in direct contradiction to reports I trust that said the BYU flatly turned down the Big 12 before Oklahoma's conference exploration went public.
6. Oklahoma officials are, to be kind, not at all happy with what appears to have been a fabricated (?) report, possibly (allegedly?) initiated/planted by Baylor, implying OU could save the Big 12 by staying
Analysis: Not a great deal to analyze, except a bit of speculation Texas may have no choice but to go independent by 2012. Baylor is fishing for a soft-landingn in an AQ conference, and I somehow suspect an invite from the Big East would end their huffy holdout over A&M, and ISU would have no teeth to perpetuate the battle. Oklahoma's apparent option not to reaffirm commitment to Big 12 is important, meaning it is not going to be intimidated by reports (true or otherwise) about their relative ability to "save" conference. Beyond that, I seriously doubt OU will make any kind of announcement prior to next week, because of pending serivces for the late Lee Roy Selmon pending in Tampa and Oklahoma City over the next few days.
Ultimately, we're not much farther than we were the other day. All we can do is watch and wait.
Updates as they make sense.
Please feel free to join the EndZoneRevivew as a follower (on the links to the right) or chime in with a comment below.
1. Oklahoma State issued a tersely worded release saying that anonymous reports mentioning OSU as part of some legal action against SEC and A&M were false.
2. Per tweets from a couple of different sources, OU will NOT recommit to the Big 12. Reports from some message boards rumoring that OU had decided to stay in the Big 12 are false.
3. Rumors circulating that there had been a "conspiracy" uncovered among Texas and the Big 12 are false.
4. Baylor is apparently very interested in overtures from the Big East, and an invitation from a BCS AQ conference may go a long way to pacifying their current refusal to sign a lawsuit waiver.
5. BYU has reportedly expressed interest in joining the Big 12 if Oklahoma stays. This is in direct contradiction to reports I trust that said the BYU flatly turned down the Big 12 before Oklahoma's conference exploration went public.
6. Oklahoma officials are, to be kind, not at all happy with what appears to have been a fabricated (?) report, possibly (allegedly?) initiated/planted by Baylor, implying OU could save the Big 12 by staying
Analysis: Not a great deal to analyze, except a bit of speculation Texas may have no choice but to go independent by 2012. Baylor is fishing for a soft-landingn in an AQ conference, and I somehow suspect an invite from the Big East would end their huffy holdout over A&M, and ISU would have no teeth to perpetuate the battle. Oklahoma's apparent option not to reaffirm commitment to Big 12 is important, meaning it is not going to be intimidated by reports (true or otherwise) about their relative ability to "save" conference. Beyond that, I seriously doubt OU will make any kind of announcement prior to next week, because of pending serivces for the late Lee Roy Selmon pending in Tampa and Oklahoma City over the next few days.
Ultimately, we're not much farther than we were the other day. All we can do is watch and wait.
Updates as they make sense.
Please feel free to join the EndZoneRevivew as a follower (on the links to the right) or chime in with a comment below.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Legal Knots: Realignment Wednesday
Update 9:47 9/7: Word started to trickle in about 90 minutes ago that doubt was being cast on the veracity of the Waco Tribune story that said six Big 12 schools were working in concert to block the A&M move to the SEC unless Oklahoma agreed to stay. Subsequent updates and tweets from several sources now indicate the Waco story was, at best, bogus, and that the actual primary actors are most likely Baylor via Ken Starr and, possibly, Iowa State.
The story started to unravel when Texas Tech denied any involvement with any lawsuits (heck, their legal team is still tied in Mike Leach knots), and Oklahoma denied any knowledge that it was being made into the fall guy for the Big 12's future. Ultimately, this appears to have been a craftily laid land mine possibly set into motion by Ken Starr of Baylor.
How this does or doesn't affect the Big 12 issues at hand remains to be seen, but clearly the line of the night award belongs to ESPN's Pat Forde, who lead off his column tonight with the following gem:
With the SEC vote to accept Texas A&M now known, it became clear early today that the invitation wasn't quite that clean cut. Word had been communicated to the SEC that one or more Big 12 schools weren't crazy about the pending departure, and were not standing by a previous agreement from the Big 12 to release any claims the conference had against A&M for their departure. As a result, the SEC's invitation was conditional upon a waiver from each Big 12 school of their right to sue.
Word comes down that eight of nine schools are refusing to waive that right, unless Oklahoma decides to remain in what's left of the Big 12.
Now, no one knows quite what will happen next. As for an opinion, I believe the refusal to waive rights has been orchestrated by Texas itself in order to put that "extreme pressure" on OU to remain in the Big 12. Texas would like nothing better for OU to take the role of villain in the dismantling of the Big 12. For OU, it seems imperative that they not knuckle to this lowest-common-denominator blackmail, and pursue its own best interests.
Something's rotten in Denmark: CBS reports that Texas Tech has denied any threat to sue anyone regarding conference realignment. George Schroeder tweets that some info he's learned makes him skeptical of the original Waco news report indicating this "band of 6 threat." Exactly what is going on is unknown, but something is clearly rotten in Denmark. At worst, its ridiculous propaganda, at worst its malevolent posturing.
Where is this all heading? No one really knows. To an extent, the entire theater is getting a bit ridiculous. The core of this round of realignment is the Longhorn Network, and for Texas to shift the blame to any other party is laughably disingenuous.
Stay tuned
The story started to unravel when Texas Tech denied any involvement with any lawsuits (heck, their legal team is still tied in Mike Leach knots), and Oklahoma denied any knowledge that it was being made into the fall guy for the Big 12's future. Ultimately, this appears to have been a craftily laid land mine possibly set into motion by Ken Starr of Baylor.
How this does or doesn't affect the Big 12 issues at hand remains to be seen, but clearly the line of the night award belongs to ESPN's Pat Forde, who lead off his column tonight with the following gem:
There is nothing funny about what's going on in the Big 12 right now. Except for the fact that it's fall-down hilarious.Stay tuned. Please feel free to add your comments below, or join EndZoneReview!
With the SEC vote to accept Texas A&M now known, it became clear early today that the invitation wasn't quite that clean cut. Word had been communicated to the SEC that one or more Big 12 schools weren't crazy about the pending departure, and were not standing by a previous agreement from the Big 12 to release any claims the conference had against A&M for their departure. As a result, the SEC's invitation was conditional upon a waiver from each Big 12 school of their right to sue.
Word comes down that eight of nine schools are refusing to waive that right, unless Oklahoma decides to remain in what's left of the Big 12.
Now, no one knows quite what will happen next. As for an opinion, I believe the refusal to waive rights has been orchestrated by Texas itself in order to put that "extreme pressure" on OU to remain in the Big 12. Texas would like nothing better for OU to take the role of villain in the dismantling of the Big 12. For OU, it seems imperative that they not knuckle to this lowest-common-denominator blackmail, and pursue its own best interests.
Something's rotten in Denmark: CBS reports that Texas Tech has denied any threat to sue anyone regarding conference realignment. George Schroeder tweets that some info he's learned makes him skeptical of the original Waco news report indicating this "band of 6 threat." Exactly what is going on is unknown, but something is clearly rotten in Denmark. At worst, its ridiculous propaganda, at worst its malevolent posturing.
Where is this all heading? No one really knows. To an extent, the entire theater is getting a bit ridiculous. The core of this round of realignment is the Longhorn Network, and for Texas to shift the blame to any other party is laughably disingenuous.
Stay tuned
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.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Big 12 Shuffling - Separating Fact from Fiction
Update 9/6/2011:
New info from several tweets:
1. Pac 12 doesn't want to expand. They're happy with current situation...but
2. If Big 12 explodes with A&M's departure, they would likely accept OU and OkState even without Texas. A&M must move first, however.
3. Academics are a concern among some schools, although there is no hard AAU membership requirement in the Pac 12.
4. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy was quoted as saying that it "didn't look like the Big 12 could be saved."
5. ACC denies last night's report that TX was joining their conference in non-football sports.
-----
Update 9/5/2011:
Last Update - 10:52PM - ACC commish denies TX membership pending.... Last tweet from Chip Brown @ Orangebloods says Texas in "intense" talks with OU to "save Big 12 - may work, may not." I personally think UT is going to try and bluff OU on status of OU-TX game should TX go ACC and OU go west to Pac 12. I think its all a bluff - OU needs Texas, Texas needs OU now that A&M is gone (or will be shortly). We'll see how it all works out, but my money for now still sits with the reports that seem to make the most sense - OU, Texas, Tech, and OSU to the Pac 12+, with a reworked LHN. We'll see. G'nite.
------------
Two reports emerging that indicate things are moving, but which direction is unclear. OKC sports reporter Dean Blevins from CBS affiliate KWTV-9 tweets that the Longhorn Network is the "only obstacle" to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Texas Tech moving to the Pac 12+, but that it "will be reworked."
The other report that tends to work against this is that of Chip Brown at Orangebloods.com, wherein he states that Texas is working to salvage the Longhorn Network, and may be entertaining a move to the ACC!
My personal opinion is that's a load of, ahem, "surplus bevo," with almost no chance of seeing the light of reality. Texas to the ACC makes no sense under nearly any theory. But we'll see. Ultimately, I think OU will lead the charge of the four named schools west in short order.
The ESPN (and other) message boards are rife with speculation about the final destinations of Texas, OU, and other Big 12 schools pending the apparent demise of that flailing conference. Amid the speculation is quite a bit of sheer nonsense, and I'd like to try to separate some of that fiction from the facts:
That's a summary of the biggest red herrings out there for the moment. Any others?
New info from several tweets:
1. Pac 12 doesn't want to expand. They're happy with current situation...but
2. If Big 12 explodes with A&M's departure, they would likely accept OU and OkState even without Texas. A&M must move first, however.
3. Academics are a concern among some schools, although there is no hard AAU membership requirement in the Pac 12.
4. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy was quoted as saying that it "didn't look like the Big 12 could be saved."
5. ACC denies last night's report that TX was joining their conference in non-football sports.
-----
Update 9/5/2011:
Last Update - 10:52PM - ACC commish denies TX membership pending.... Last tweet from Chip Brown @ Orangebloods says Texas in "intense" talks with OU to "save Big 12 - may work, may not." I personally think UT is going to try and bluff OU on status of OU-TX game should TX go ACC and OU go west to Pac 12. I think its all a bluff - OU needs Texas, Texas needs OU now that A&M is gone (or will be shortly). We'll see how it all works out, but my money for now still sits with the reports that seem to make the most sense - OU, Texas, Tech, and OSU to the Pac 12+, with a reworked LHN. We'll see. G'nite.
------------
Two reports emerging that indicate things are moving, but which direction is unclear. OKC sports reporter Dean Blevins from CBS affiliate KWTV-9 tweets that the Longhorn Network is the "only obstacle" to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Texas Tech moving to the Pac 12+, but that it "will be reworked."
The other report that tends to work against this is that of Chip Brown at Orangebloods.com, wherein he states that Texas is working to salvage the Longhorn Network, and may be entertaining a move to the ACC!
My personal opinion is that's a load of, ahem, "surplus bevo," with almost no chance of seeing the light of reality. Texas to the ACC makes no sense under nearly any theory. But we'll see. Ultimately, I think OU will lead the charge of the four named schools west in short order.
The ESPN (and other) message boards are rife with speculation about the final destinations of Texas, OU, and other Big 12 schools pending the apparent demise of that flailing conference. Amid the speculation is quite a bit of sheer nonsense, and I'd like to try to separate some of that fiction from the facts:
- Myth 1: OU is in secret talks to go to the SEC.
- Myth 2 - Texas really wants to go independent.
- Myth 3 - Texas can keep Oklahoma in check by threatening the future of their rivalry game
That's a summary of the biggest red herrings out there for the moment. Any others?
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Is OU heading to the Big 12 exit?
If Texas A&M's recent departure from the Big 12 put the conference on life support, word came yesterday that might just move it to the terminal list. Oklahoma president David Boren announced yesterday that the Sooners are "exploring" their conference options, and have received interest from "several" conferences.
Oklahoma has been conspicuously quiet throughout the conference realignment talk over the last year, seemingly willing to go along with the Longhorns as a tandem into whatever conference they align. Now, with A&M's departure, and OU's stated announcement, it seems to me the Big 12 has reached a crossroads - more accurately, a dead end.
OU AD Joe Castiglione served this week on a board to assess expansion to get the Big 12 back to at least ten, if not twelve, teams. Rumors circulating throughout the media indicated that BYU was prime among the expansion targets, but Oklahoma sports station WWLS reported late last week that the Cougars said "thanks, but no thanks." That Boren made his announcement about OU's future conference alignment shortly thereafter speaks volumes - with BYU saying no, and OU a member of the expansion team, there's an implicit admission that there aren't any teams of high enough caliber interested in joining the flailing and failing Big 12.
Talk radio speculation swirled that other schools such as Pitt, Lousiville, SMU, and Houston were either interested in or likely candidates for Big 12 expansion. It says here that the Big 12 realized that adding teams merely for the sake of numbers doesn't add value - it dilutes the league with second-tier programs, thereby diluting its value. And the previously silent Sooners finally decided it was time for them to play their own cards. That Boren mentioned OU's desire to ally itself with prestigious academic universities telegraphs the Sooners' preferred choices as either the Big Ten, which is unlikely, or the Pac 12, which was interested just last year.
There exists at least the chance that Boren's self-imposed "three-week" deadline to resolve OU's conference membership was really a clock for a prospective member such as BYU to change its mind. In reality, I think BYU is happy now as an independent, and OU's likely exit from the Big 12 will spell the end for a troubled, top-heavy conference, with too much power focused south of the Red River.
Stay tuned.
Oklahoma has been conspicuously quiet throughout the conference realignment talk over the last year, seemingly willing to go along with the Longhorns as a tandem into whatever conference they align. Now, with A&M's departure, and OU's stated announcement, it seems to me the Big 12 has reached a crossroads - more accurately, a dead end.
OU AD Joe Castiglione served this week on a board to assess expansion to get the Big 12 back to at least ten, if not twelve, teams. Rumors circulating throughout the media indicated that BYU was prime among the expansion targets, but Oklahoma sports station WWLS reported late last week that the Cougars said "thanks, but no thanks." That Boren made his announcement about OU's future conference alignment shortly thereafter speaks volumes - with BYU saying no, and OU a member of the expansion team, there's an implicit admission that there aren't any teams of high enough caliber interested in joining the flailing and failing Big 12.
Talk radio speculation swirled that other schools such as Pitt, Lousiville, SMU, and Houston were either interested in or likely candidates for Big 12 expansion. It says here that the Big 12 realized that adding teams merely for the sake of numbers doesn't add value - it dilutes the league with second-tier programs, thereby diluting its value. And the previously silent Sooners finally decided it was time for them to play their own cards. That Boren mentioned OU's desire to ally itself with prestigious academic universities telegraphs the Sooners' preferred choices as either the Big Ten, which is unlikely, or the Pac 12, which was interested just last year.
There exists at least the chance that Boren's self-imposed "three-week" deadline to resolve OU's conference membership was really a clock for a prospective member such as BYU to change its mind. In reality, I think BYU is happy now as an independent, and OU's likely exit from the Big 12 will spell the end for a troubled, top-heavy conference, with too much power focused south of the Red River.
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
College Football: The Next Generation
With Texas A&M sending shockwaves through college football barely three weeks before kickoff, it doesn't take a rocket scientist from either the Pac 12 or the SEC to know that change is, again, on its way, and that change is going to be monstrous.
And in the midst of the change there will be winners and losers.
And I'm not sure the broader sport of college football won't be on the losing side of the ledger.
No, it isn't because of the greed of the game, or the money-grab spoiling the "purer" part of amateur athletics. It's simpler than that.
Its in knowing that once this next round of realignment happens, the face of the game will change, and some colleges playing now may not be playing tomorrow.
For every Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, and Nebraska that headlines ESPN in the fall, there's an Iowa State, a Baylor, a Colorado State, and a Kansas State that lives on the fleeting notoriety of a few magical seasons, but more largely on the coattails of the larger, more traditional programs. When this next shakeout occurs, it will consolidate the power of college football at the top. There will be a mad scramble to snag the membership of the few scattered power programs should conferences fracture, looking for Oklahoma and Texas, but hardly anyone will be too worried about the likes of Iowa State. Or Central Michigan. Or (insert mid-level program here).
Mind you, this is not intended as an insult to the Cyclones. Its just a recognition that a great many of these programs, full of dedicated, hard-working players and coaches, are quite likely to slip through the cracks and become forgotten in college football's race to power conferences and big-game payouts.
If Division I (sorry, it will never be "FBS") sports over 100 teams - perhaps closer to 120 - but the rumbling suggests that the superconference era might consist of four conferences of 16 teams each, that leaves those 120 teams vying for 64 spots. Let's get even more optimistic, and suggest a way is found to manage 24 teams in a conference - that's still only 96 teams, leaving close to two-dozen looking for a home.
If "traditional" college football is on a journey to its own future, the sad reality for smaller schools is that they may well find themselves on the Titanic, realizing they are among the unfortunate passengers stranded on deck, only to see the lifeboats to better conferences have set sail without them.
For college fans, that leaves one with a sinking feeling, indeed.
And in the midst of the change there will be winners and losers.
And I'm not sure the broader sport of college football won't be on the losing side of the ledger.
No, it isn't because of the greed of the game, or the money-grab spoiling the "purer" part of amateur athletics. It's simpler than that.
Its in knowing that once this next round of realignment happens, the face of the game will change, and some colleges playing now may not be playing tomorrow.
For every Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, and Nebraska that headlines ESPN in the fall, there's an Iowa State, a Baylor, a Colorado State, and a Kansas State that lives on the fleeting notoriety of a few magical seasons, but more largely on the coattails of the larger, more traditional programs. When this next shakeout occurs, it will consolidate the power of college football at the top. There will be a mad scramble to snag the membership of the few scattered power programs should conferences fracture, looking for Oklahoma and Texas, but hardly anyone will be too worried about the likes of Iowa State. Or Central Michigan. Or (insert mid-level program here).
Mind you, this is not intended as an insult to the Cyclones. Its just a recognition that a great many of these programs, full of dedicated, hard-working players and coaches, are quite likely to slip through the cracks and become forgotten in college football's race to power conferences and big-game payouts.
If Division I (sorry, it will never be "FBS") sports over 100 teams - perhaps closer to 120 - but the rumbling suggests that the superconference era might consist of four conferences of 16 teams each, that leaves those 120 teams vying for 64 spots. Let's get even more optimistic, and suggest a way is found to manage 24 teams in a conference - that's still only 96 teams, leaving close to two-dozen looking for a home.
If "traditional" college football is on a journey to its own future, the sad reality for smaller schools is that they may well find themselves on the Titanic, realizing they are among the unfortunate passengers stranded on deck, only to see the lifeboats to better conferences have set sail without them.
For college fans, that leaves one with a sinking feeling, indeed.
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