Anyways, Chip Brown from Orangebloods.com reports OU may apply to the Pac-12 by the end of the month.
Oklahoma will apply for membership to the Pac-12 before the end of the month, and Oklahoma State is expected to follow suit, a source close to OU's administration told Orangebloods.com.
Even though Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said Friday the Pac-12 was not interested in expansion at this time, OU's board of regents is fed up with the instability in the Big 12, the source said.
The OU board of regents will meet within two weeks to formalize plans to apply for membership to the Pac-12, the source said.
Messages left Sunday night with OU athletic director Joe Castiglione and Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder were not immediately returned.
If OU follows through with what appears to be a unanimous sentiment on the seven-member Oklahoma board of regents to leave the Big 12, realignment in college athletics could be heating back up. OU's application would be matched by an application from Oklahoma State, the source said, even though OSU president Burns Hargis and mega-booster Boone Pickens both voiced their support for the Big 12 last Thursday.
There is differing sentiment about if the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors are ready to expand again after bringing in Colorado and Utah last year and landing $3 billion TV contracts from Fox and ESPN. Colorado president Bruce Benson told reporters last week CU would be opposed to any expansion that might bring about east and west divisions in the Pac-12.
Currently, there are north and south divisions in the Pac-12. If OU and OSU were to join, Larry Scott would have to get creative.
Scott's orginal plan last summer was to bring in Colorado, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and put them in an eastern division with Arizona and Arizona State. The old Pac-8 schools (USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State) were to be in the west division.
Colorado made the move in June 2010, but when Texas A&M was not on board to go west, the Big 12 came back together with the help of its television partners (ABC/ESPN and Fox).
If Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were accepted into the Pac-12, there would undoubtedly be a hope by Larry Scott that Texas would join the league. But Texas sources have indicated UT is determined to hang onto the Longhorn Network, which would not be permissible in the Pac-12 in its current form.
Texas sources continue to indicate to Orangebloods.com that if the Big 12 falls apart, the Longhorns would consider "all options."
Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe held an emergency conference call 10 days ago with league presidents excluding Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M and asked the other league presidents to "work on Texas" because Beebe didn't think the Pac-12 would take Oklahoma without Texas.
Now, it appears OU is willing to take its chances with the Pac-12 with or without Texas.
There seemed to be a temporary pause in any possible shifting of the college athletics' landscape when Baylor led a charge to tie up Texas A&M's move to the Southeastern Conference in legal red tape. BU refused to waive its right to sue the SEC over A&M's departure from the Big 12, and the SEC said it would not admit Texas A&M until it had been cleared of any potential lawsuits.
Baylor, Kansas and Iowa State have indicated they will not waive their right to sue the SEC.
It's unclear if an application by OU to the Pac-12 would draw the same threats of litigation against the Pac-12 from those Big 12 schools.
Originally Posted by Stewie:
You posted that some Big XII schools were Purgatory... like the SEC has these gleaming bastions of milk and honey. Whatever. I posted that Columbia is no destination, in fact, their own fans don't go to games at the USC flunkie arena.
My prediction is that MU stays because the smart people know it's the right thing to do.
Staying in a conference that might not be here in 5 years is the right thing to do? [Reply]
Originally Posted by |Zach|:
I absolutely have. It is a fun place to be. I like Liberty hall and Free State brewing company. I have been tapped to do photography on campus.
Having said all that, lets not pretend it is a great destination for Saturday football which is funny because it seems you agree. You went from defending the football destination cred in Lawrence to propping up its academia. That is fine and all...the campus isn't that impressive but the area absolutely is.
I guess I take the KU fan bias to the games. We have a great time. I guess it's like going to Arrowhead when the Chiefs are 0-3. It's still a fun time. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Stewie:
You posted that some Big XII schools were Purgatory... like the SEC has these gleaming bastions of milk and honey. Whatever. I posted that Columbia is no destination, in fact, their own fans don't go to games at the USC flunkie arena.
My prediction is that MU stays because the smart people know it's the right thing to do.
The right thing to do? Stay and wind up being on the outside looking in when Texas and OU bolt?
MU staying is not the best for them. It might be the best for KU, KSU, etc. If KU was getting an offer from the SEC, one would be crazy to think they would not be all over it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Stewie:
I guess I take the KU fan bias to the games. We have a great time. I guess it's like going to Arrowhead when the Chiefs are 0-3. It's still a fun time.
There is no reason not to have a great time. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
I thought OTWP was a non-combatant in this one.
I didn't think he had any particular allegiance to MU or KU.
Correct.
Though I have been to both campuses for both football and basketball games.
And I'll stand by what I said. Regardless of distance (which is the crux of Neinas' comment) I'm betting more Mizzou fans would rather travel to Oxford, Tuscaloosa or Knoxville to see the Tigers play football than Lawrence, Manhattan or Ames.
Just like Mizzou basketball fans would rather road trip to Lawrence than Oxford, Tuscaloosa or Knoxville.
From my POV, Mizzou loses one thing in terms of tradition, history, rivalry, gameday experience, etc if they leave the B12:
Basketball games at Allen Fieldhouse.
And it could be argued that they'll just replace that experience with Kentucky - while gaining a metric fuckton in destination football with the likes of Ole Miss, Bama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Auburn, etc. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Rams Fan:
Staying in conference that might not be here in 5 years is the right thing to do?
If you listen to Neinas it will be much harder to leave the Big XII and it's not just about football. The SEC's penalties have loopholes if they want to leave. Who's to say five years from now that LSU and Arkansas don't get a better offer from another conference? [Reply]
Originally Posted by mnchiefsguy:
The right thing to do? Stay and wind up being on the outside looking in when Texas and OU bolt?
MU staying is not the best for them. It might be the best for KU, KSU, etc. If KU was getting an offer from the SEC, one would be crazy to think they would not be all over it.
Where are Texas and OU going to bolt to? The SEC? Wouldn't that be ironic? The PAC already said no. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Stewie:
If you listen to Neinas it will be much harder to leave the Big XII and it's not just about football. The SEC's penalties have loopholes if they want to leave. Who's to say five years from now that LSU and Arkansas don't get a better offer from another conference?
There are no exit fees or penalties to leave the SEC. In a true sign of strength, any team can leave at anytime. The schools in the SEC realize that they are much greater and much more profitable by staying together, something that Texas and OU have yet to learn.
I don't want Mizzou to be in a conference where it is tough to leave, I want Mizzou to be in a conference that no one WANTS to leave. [Reply]
I appreciate how the non-MU fans are all so worried about the best interests of Mizzou. They all think staying is in our best interests. The fact that it helps their teams is just a bonus. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Stewie:
Where are Texas and OU going to bolt to? The SEC? Wouldn't that be ironic? The PAC already said no.
Texas and OU can come on over to the SEC...but they will have to play by the SEC rules, just like every other member of the conference. Texas and OU do not play well with others, they believe they are entitled to special considerations and rules. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Stewie:
If you listen to Neinas it will be much harder to leave the Big XII and it's not just about football. The SEC's penalties have loopholes if they want to leave. Who's to say five years from now that LSU and Arkansas don't get a better offer from another conference?
Originally Posted by Saul Good:
I appreciate how the non-MU fans are all so worried about the best interests of Mizzou. They all think staying is in our best interests. The fact that it helps their teams is just a bonus.
Yeah, hopefully the "smart" people at Mizzou read this thread and keep us in place in the wonderful Big 12. :-) [Reply]
I liked the argument that Missouri is Midwest rather than Southern. Then, I looked on a map and saw that there is exactly 1 Big XII team to the North of Missouri and laughed. [Reply]
