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.
Rodriguez did a great job there, but outside of his run, it hasn't been a historically successful football program. Since he left they have become a borderline ranked team, playing in a pretty weak conference. It would be the best pickup for the Big 12 given the schools left over for sure though.
Everyone was wrapped up in travel distance arguments a few days ago related to Missouri and the SEC... What about the travel from Austin to Morgantown? [Reply]
Originally Posted by eazyb81:
ku beat Virginia Tech in an Orange Bowl a few years back too. Guess they are better. :-)
I have to admit, this new defense mechanism by ku and ksu fans is pretty hilarious.
"Mizzou will never get an SEC bid!!! hahaha"
then:
"Well.....Mizzou will get destroyed in the SEC!!! hahaha"
then:
"Umm......West Virginia is even BETTER than Mizzou!!! hahaha"
Defensive mechanism? In what measurable way is Mizzou "even" with West Virginia? I believe Mizzou's facilities are probably superior to WVU. Other than that, I just don't see it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by evenfall:
Rodriguez did a great job there, but outside of his run, it hasn't been a historically successful football program. Since he left they have become a borderline ranked team, playing in a pretty weak conference. It would be the best pickup for the Big 12 given the schools left over for sure though.
Everyone was wrapped up in travel distance arguments a few days ago related to Missouri and the SEC... What about the travel from Austin to Morgantown?
Outside of Gary Pinkel, Mizzou hasn't been a historically successful football program. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Saulbadguy:
Defensive mechanism? In what measurable way is Mizzou "even" with West Virginia? I believe Mizzou's facilities are probably superior to WVU. Other than that, I just don't see it.
Of course it is a defense mechanism. Your wife just left you and you are trying to convince yourself that your new GF is even better, even though she's a stupid, fat hillbilly.
WVU racked up some nice wins and BCS appearances playing in a dogshit Big East and relying on players that wouldn't have been eligible in a major conference. [Reply]
Originally Posted by eazyb81:
Of course it is a defense mechanism. Your wife just left you and you are trying to convince yourself that your new GF is even better, even though she's a stupid, fat hillbilly.
WVU racked up some nice wins and BCS appearances playing in a dogshit Big East and relying on players that wouldn't have been eligible in a major conference.
God. There is nothing I hate more than "wife, ex-wife, girlfriend" references in conference realignment. They are misogynistic and stupid.
On a serious note, are the Big 12's academic requirements that much more strict than the Big East? I find that hard to believe. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Saul Good:
Ask Neinas if he'd rather have Mizzou or WVU. Hell, ask the SEC.
Exactly, it would be much easier for the SEC to nab a team on the eastern side of their conferance and WVU made it clear they wanted to come to the party, but the SEC has shown their preference is Mizzou. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Saulbadguy:
Outside of Gary Pinkel, Mizzou hasn't been a historically successful football program.
I know the 80's and 90's are fresh in everybody's mind but before that Mizzou was a pretty successful program. Missouri was right with Nebraska and Oklahoma until the 70s hit. [Reply]
Originally Posted by evenfall:
That is true, but the comment was related to WV being an upgrade. When you take revenue and travel into account they seem like a wash at best.
I could buy that. Travel wise, it is a pain in the ass to get to Charleston, WV from here.
Of course, Mizzou fans that travel (hahaha) will experience trips like that if they join the SEC. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Saulbadguy:
God. There is nothing I hate more than "wife, ex-wife, girlfriend" references in conference realignment. They are misogynistic and stupid.
Originally Posted by eazyb81:
Your stupid, fat redneck wife is thinking about leaving you and you are trying to convince yourself that a stupid, fat hillbilly GF would be better.
