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:
It's a plane ride extended by 45 minutes that will happen every 4th year. Geography doesn't matter at that point. What I'm talking about is the kid in Texas that can play in the Big XII and the friends and family can see several games per year (home/away) within a reasonable drive.
So instead of having in-state games against Baylor, Texas and Texas Tech every other year and seven-eight home games every year, the Aggies are now looking at seven-eight home games with closest trips every other year being to Arkansas, LSU and Ole Miss. What's the difference for in-state kids?
Well, Waco is a close trip, as is Austin. Those are gone. Texas Tech is a haul and similar to the trip to Fayetteville.
Really, what it comes down to is one less game within 2-3 hour driving distance every year. Not as big a loss as you're hypothesizing. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Stewie:
It's a plane ride extended by 45 minutes that will happen every 4th year. Geography doesn't matter at that point. What I'm talking about is the kid in Texas that can play in the Big XII and the friends and family can see several games per year (home/away) within a reasonable drive.
By "several" are you referring to the one conference game per year played in Texas that North teams averaged? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Saulbadguy:
Yeah, my Nebraska "give-a-shit" meter has really leveled off as of late. Colorado may as well not exist.
I don't recall seeing a Colorado score until this last weekend. :-)
Originally Posted by Bowser:
It's hard not to think Texas won't bail at the first possible moment they can, if they feels that it benefits them in any way. When that time comes, and I feel secure saying it will, it's going to suck for the rest of the conference, no matter who they bring in. The next six years should be great for the Big XII, but after that?
Do you think it would be to a conference, or as an independent? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Saul Good:
Just flew them a month or two ago...shudder.
Granted, you will get a different experience depending on which American Eagle route you take, as I believe they are independent carriers that are contracted out by American Airlines.
Of course, the ones that fly to and from Manhattan, KS are among the best in the world. [Reply]
