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.
I am pleased to file the companion bill, SB 76, to Chairman Dustin Burrows' HB 298, which would require legislative approval before a public senior college or university can change membership in a collegiate athletic conference. HB 298 is joint authored by Representatives Jeff Leach, Greg Bonnen, and Charlie Geren. I also want to thank my Senate joint authors - Senators Lois Kolkhorst, Charles Perry, and Beverly Powell, for their support and collaborative efforts.
This legislation would inhibit the proposed move of the University of Texas to the SEC without legislative approval. Such a move would negatively impact other Big 12 schools in our state like Baylor, TCU, and Texas Tech. These schools and their surrounding communities heavily depend on the financial income that BIG 12 football provides. Without a significant player like Texas, along with the possible departure of OU, the Big 12 becomes a less favorable conference, effectively losing a substantial amount of viewership and attendance. Texas athletic programs are pivotal to many areas of our state. A major change in conference dynamics could have a devastating effect on tourism, the economy, and the general status of Texas collegiate regions. Conference membership and standing also have the power to greatly enhance academic opportunities and the recruiting of faculty, scholars, and students.
The University of Texas is an agent of the state and is ultimately making an economic decision solely focused on their own welfare. What is best for the University of Texas may not be best for the state as a whole. The legislature represents the best interest of the state. Therefore, this decision cannot be made independently without legislative approval. This bill is the necessary course of action to avoid universities making decisions that are for their betterment but to the detriment of the state.
I am honored to work with fellow legislative members in both the Senate and the House, who understand the importance of this legislation. I seek to expand support with co-authors in both bodies. Thank you to Chairman Burrows for his leadership in this effort.
My colleagues and I urge the Governor to add this essential piece of legislation to our agenda for this current special session. [Reply]
Not to stop it, but to look like they are supporting their constituents and alma maters. Political maneuvering is all. Just listened to an interview with Dusty Burrows where he basically said as much,
They know this legislation is going nowhere…
Texas Leg is in special session, which means only bills approved by the Governor can reach the floor…
Gov. Abbott is a UT alumni and has already made it quite clear he won’t interfere…
Even if it reaches the floor, Texas Dems are still out of state and nothing can pass…
And regardless, UT and OU combined have enough alumni in the Texas leg to block it
Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar:
I'm hearing that a move to the B1G is already informally agreed upon.
The smoke does seem to be increasing on that front. While it means nothing, several message boards (including B1G schools) already seem to be acting like KU is a done deal. Quite likely it's only because that's the only one with confirmed discussions so far. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Titty Meat:
It's weird how the kstate fans on here disappeared the past 5 years or so
Outside of back to back wins against OU there hasn’t been much to talk about. And the BB program is dead to me until they come to their senses and move on from Weber (not happening any time soon, if ever). And I know other K-State fans who feel pretty much the same. [Reply]
Originally Posted by sedated:
I know K-State fans that hated the Weber hire from the first minute, and haven't backed off that stance for a second since then.
I’d be one of them. A couple of times he had me thinking I might have to back off but, ultimately reverted to type.
What was it KU fans said at the time of that hire? When you succeed at Illinois you go to KU; when you fail at Illinois you go to K-State. As much as that statement hurts the fucking leadership and big donors were/are more concerned with our “image” (thus running Martin out of town) than having a winning program and proved it true. [Reply]
