Slive needs to do whatever it takes to secure Oklahoma

[Shaun1985]

Blah. Let 'em go to the Pac 500. I'd love to have Oklahoma but I don't want to look at the fake UT, especially as a conference game. That 'hook 'em' crap makes me puke.

 

[utgibbs]

If the PAC12 gets OU and Texas consider the SEC the big losers.

Totally agree.

I had fear of expansion in 1992. I was wrong. If the West Coast gets those teams, it will be like Hambone was running the SEC.

 

[ToddyHill]

Totally agree.

I had fear of expansion in 1992. I was wrong. If the West Coast gets those teams, it will be like Hambone was running the SEC.

In my opinion, any conference that takes Texas will someday loathe that day. The decision will be a monetary boon...but at the expense of tranquility, unity, and peace.

 

[Big Slick]

In my opinion, any conference that takes Texas will someday loathe that day. The decision will be a monetary boon...but at the expense of tranquility, unity, and peace.

The only way Texas makes sense for any conference (Notre Dame, too) is if the conference still shares its revenue evenly. If concessions are made for Texas, that conference will be right back in the same spot the Big XII is in. The playing field becomes too uneven if they're allowed to inhale revenue like they do now.

 

[Vercingetorix]

If the PAC12 gets OU and Texas consider the SEC the big losers.

Why are the Pac 12 "winners" if they get OU and Tejas? How do you feel if you're an Arizona or Arizona State fan and suddenly you're in a division with Texas and Oklahoma? Your chances of winning the conference just plummeted, you're traveling to a different region of the country all the time, and you lose conference games against teams that you've cared about playing forever -- all so that the TV market spreadsheet looks better for the beancounters. None of this benefits anybody except TV executives and administrators. It sure as hell doesn't do anything for the fans.

Everybody's so worried about being a "loser" in some hypothetical beauty contest that doesn't even mean anything that they're willing to take a wrecking ball to the whole sport to avoid it.

 

[Big Slick]

Why are the Pac 12 "winners" if they get OU and Tejas? How do you feel if you're an Arizona or Arizona State fan and suddenly you're in a division with Texas and Oklahoma? Your chances of winning the conference just plummeted, you're traveling to a different region of the country all the time, and you lose conference games against teams that you've cared about playing forever -- all so that the TV market spreadsheet looks better for the beancounters. None of this benefits anybody except TV executives and administrators. It sure as hell doesn't do anything for the fans.

Everybody's so worried about being a "loser" in some hypothetical beauty contest that doesn't even mean anything that they're willing to take a wrecking ball to the whole sport to avoid it.

This whole thing is a Mexican standoff. I'm not sure if any conference wants to be the first to pull the superconference trigger...but they sure don't want to be the last.

 

[Muschump]

Why are the Pac 12 "winners" if they get OU and Tejas? How do you feel if you're an Arizona or Arizona State fan and suddenly you're in a division with Texas and Oklahoma? Your chances of winning the conference just plummeted, you're traveling to a different region of the country all the time, and you lose conference games against teams that you've cared about playing forever -- all so that the TV market spreadsheet looks better for the beancounters. None of this benefits anybody except TV executives and administrators. It sure as hell doesn't do anything for the fans.

Everybody's so worried about being a "loser" in some hypothetical beauty contest that doesn't even mean anything that they're willing to take a wrecking ball to the whole sport to avoid it.

I agree with everything you posted, and have posted the same multiple times.

Fact is expansion is happening and I'd rather see the SEC add at the very least Oklahoma instead of 4 A&Ms.

 

[bamawriter]

The SEC needs to be selective, and we don't need to settle. Getting Oklahoma and Texas would be amazing, but bringing in Tech and OSU because they are tied at the hip with the big boys would be settling.

The SEC is doing great by bring in A&M, and would do well with Missouri or Va Tech. Bring in a school already in the footprint, or some small market addition like West Virginia would be settling.

 

[Vercingetorix]

The SEC needs to be selective, and we don't need to settle. Getting Oklahoma and Texas would be amazing, but bringing in Tech and OSU because they are tied at the hip with the big boys would be settling.

The SEC is doing great by bring in A&M, and would do well with Missouri or Va Tech. Bring in a school already in the footprint, or some small market addition like West Virginia would be settling.

Why is bringing in A&M "great" in any meaningful way? Why would I want my team to play even fewer games against LSU and Auburn so that we can start playing Missouri and A&M instead? Unless you're one of the 12 men with an SEC athletic budget to manage, why should "footprints" and "markets" matter? Who cares if the SEC gets to renegotiate its contract with ESPN?

I realize it's inevitable, since all the parties involved have convinced themselves it's inevitable and nobody wants to move last, but none of this does anything for fans.

 

[TrueOrange]

I don't disagree with you on OU. I would love for the SEC to pull them in.

However, I don't see any conference who has to put up with Texas being a "winner." The Longhorns have destroyed 2 conferences in the past 20 years.

And while OU and Texas would be big time gets for the Pac-12, if they also have to take Tech and OSU, then they have greatly reduced the significance of the expansion. Increasing the size of the pie is critical if you are going to have to slice it a few extra times. TTU and OSU simply do not make the pie bigger.

I thought SMU is generally credited with destroying the Southwest Conference?

 

[TrueOrange]

The only way Texas makes sense for any conference (Notre Dame, too) is if the conference still shares its revenue evenly. If concessions are made for Texas, that conference will be right back in the same spot the Big XII is in. The playing field becomes too uneven if they're allowed to inhale revenue like they do now.

of course that likely gets contridicted by the fact that neither wants to split their revenues / dont want to share the money coming in from their network deals

unless your point is that such a situation is one that can't be solved

 

[Muschump]

...but none of this does anything for fans.

People are going to start telling you that millions more in the football budget is going to = more wins. Oh, and the Women's golf team will have their own private jet, which will be awesome.

 

[Big Slick]

of course that likely gets contridicted by the fact that neither wants to split their revenues / dont want to share the money coming in from their network deals

unless your point is that such a situation is one that can't be solved

It can be solved, but only if those schools can be convinced that giving up their own revenue for the greater good may eventually be better for everyone else in the end...themselves included.

If the LHN takes off and Texas is essentially printing their own money, that's obviously very good for them in the short term. But they've already run off two schools, and three more may be on the brink. How profitable will they be when the only schools willing to compete with them are Baylor, SMU, and Rice?

There's a reason 15-year olds can't play in the 9-year old Pop Warner league, and there's a reason schools with a smaller market reach don't want to play with Texas. This is all about competitiveness, or lack thereof. I have no idea whether it's possible to convince a school like Texas of this, but I think there is such a thing as being too big and too powerful in college athletcs.

 

[TrueOrange]

It can be solved, but only if those schools can be convinced that giving up their own revenue for the greater good may eventually be better for everyone else in the end...themselves included.

If the LHN takes off and Texas is essentially printing their own money, that's obviously very good for them in the short term. But they've already run off two schools, and three more may be on the brink. How profitable will they be when the only schools willing to compete with them are Baylor, SMU, and Rice?

the "no one will play them anymore" point gets kind of lost when you look at how many legitimate & big teams Notre Dame schedules through the years

they'll find teams other than those 3 and smaller ones

 

[Big Slick]

the "no one will play them anymore" point gets kind of lost when you look at how many legitimate & big teams Notre Dame schedules through the years

they'll find teams other than those 3 and smaller ones

Well that's certainly true if they go/remain independent. But if they want to be part of a conference, they've got to play nice with the conference's other schools.

 

[ToddyHill]

I thought SMU is generally credited with destroying the Southwest Conference?

I always thought it was Frank Broyles at the University of Arkansas. Then again, there is some revisionist history going on right now.

 

[bamawriter]

I thought SMU is generally credited with destroying the Southwest Conference?

SMU's off the field issues didn't help anything, but you have to remember that the entire Southwest Conference was a den of filth pretty much across the board. The reality is that the SWC hung on for almost a decade after SMU got waxed by the NCAA. Arkansas split because they were tired of being treated like a second class citizen and they knew the conference wouldn't last much longer.

 

[ToddyHill]

Arkansas split because they were tired of being treated like a second class citizen

This is where the revisionist history comes into play (imo). Whom in the SWC treated Arkansas like a second class citizen?

 

[bamawriter]

This is where the revisionist history comes into play (imo). Whom in the SWC treated Arkansas like a second class citizen?

It may well be revisionist history. But Broyles had some pointed words for the Horns back in '91. I don't think it's a coincidence that Arkansas restarted their rivalry with A&M, but has only played Texas twice(?) since the split.

 

[ToddyHill]

Broyles had some pointed words for the Horns back in '91. I don't think it's a coincidence that Arkansas restarted their rivalry with A&M, but has only played Texas twice(?) since the split.

Bamawriter...thanks for the clarification. I was never aware that Broyles had issues with Texas. Not surprised I suppose.

I know that Jerry Jones was key to renewing the series between Arkansas and A&M. I must admit, I was pleased when it was announced.

 

[Dr.Vol]

After bringing A&M, OU would be great, OSU would be alright if they came as a package deal, bring along Mizzou too. However, Texas to the SEC would be a huge mistake. They have destroyed the Big12, and will cause too much drama in the SEC to be worth bringing in.