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 mikeyis4dcats.:
What does that have to do with Big 12 business? KK finally had a valid point....would the Big 10 EVER have their tourney in STL?
I thought many were saying that KC was a KU town? STL is not, in any shape or fashion, an Illinois town. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DeezNutz:
I thought many were saying that KC was a KU town? STL is not, in any shape or fashion, an Illinois town.
It's still a state not represented in the conference. Should we have it in Omaha next? And who cares if it's a KU town or whatever. It. Is. Not. In. Big 12. Territory. Goodland Kansas probably roots for the Broncos.....you think Denver gives a shit? [Reply]
Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.:
I finally had t turn in to hear Jack Harry meltdown. He's hilarious. I can't believe he honestly thinks the Big 12 would and should keep the tourny in Missouri if Mizzou leaves the conference. Have another drink Jack...
Of course they should. Haven't we heard KC is the best place to have the tourney? Then why move it to Dallas? Big 12 would be cutting off its nose to spite its face.
Don't be such drama queens. You guys can borrow Sprint Center for a few days, we don't mind. [Reply]
Originally Posted by eazyb81:
Of course they should. Haven't we heard KC is the best place to have the tourney? Then why move it to Dallas? Big 12 would be cutting off its nose to spite its face.
Don't be such drama queens. You guys can borrow Sprint Center for a few days, we don't mind.
Originally Posted by mikeyis4dcats.:
What does that have to do with Big 12 business? KK finally had a valid point....would the Big 10 EVER have their tourney in STL?
1. St. Louis has never hosted the tourney.
2. St. Louis isn't a B1G city.
3. St. Louis isn't located in the middle of the B1G.
Originally Posted by eazyb81:
Of course they should. Haven't we heard KC is the best place to have the tourney? Then why move it to Dallas? Big 12 would be cutting off its nose to spite its face.
Don't be such drama queens. You guys can borrow Sprint Center for a few days, we don't mind.
Mitch Holtus wants to build a roof over the soccer field! [Reply]
Originally Posted by Saul Good:
1. St. Louis has never hosted the tourney.
2. St. Louis isn't a B1G city.
3. St. Louis isn't located in the middle of the B1G.
Other than that, good point.
And soon, KC, MO won't be in the middle of Big XII country, nor will it be a Big XII city. What I can't believe is that people from KC, MO would think the Big XII would want to continue it in KC, MO. It makes absolutely no sense. It will move to OKC and spots in Texas. I don't know why people would think the conference would be hunky dory with giving a non Big XII city revenues generated from a Big XII event. Does any other Big 6 conference do that? [Reply]
Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade:
And soon, KC, MO won't be in the middle of Big XII country, nor will it be a Big XII city. What I can't believe is that people from KC, MO would think the Big XII would want to continue it in KC, MO. It makes absolutely no sense. It will move to OKC and spots in Texas. I don't know why people would think the conference would be hunky dory with giving a non Big XII city revenues generated from a Big XII event. Does any other Big 6 conference do that?
I don't expect it to stay in the Sprint Center. I wonder if there is some sort of contract between the conference and the arena, though. [Reply]
Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade:
And soon, KC, MO won't be in the middle of Big XII country, nor will it be a Big XII city. What I can't believe is that people from KC, MO would think the Big XII would want to continue it in KC, MO. It makes absolutely no sense. It will move to OKC and spots in Texas. I don't know why people would think the conference would be hunky dory with giving a non Big XII city revenues generated from a Big XII event. Does any other Big 6 conference do that?
But all Big 12 fans, even OU and TX fans, say the Big 12 tournament sucks in Dallas and OKC compared to KC. Even if Mizzou is gone, you still have three local schools. You would really rather have a shittier tournament just to not have it in KCMO? [Reply]
Originally Posted by eazyb81:
But all Big 12 fans, even OU and TX fans, say the Big 12 tournament sucks in Dallas and OKC compared to KC. Even if Mizzou is gone, you still have three local schools. You would really rather have a shittier tournament just to not have it in KCMO?
don't equate fan preference for our own selfish reasons with business decisions of the conference. [Reply]
I don't follow politics much but if I'm following this thread correctly: Texas is Wall Street. Mizzou fans are the Occupy Wall Street protesters. They are angry Texas has too much money. KU and KState are the middle class workers who don't like Texas having all the money but don't have time to picket because they have mortgages to pay. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Saul Good:
I don't expect it to stay in the Sprint Center. I wonder if there is some sort of contract between the conference and the arena, though.
Yeah, don't know the specifics about that. I'm sure there are cancellation fees, but I don't know if the Big XII actually made reservations beyond next year. Announcing their intentions and finalizing deals can be two separate things. [Reply]