Big Ten Championship Game tickets go on sale this Saturday. Part of me thinks it would be cool to go to the first one ever, but eh.

If Missouri didn't like the revenue sharing, they'd go to a different conference, like CUSA. Even with Texas taking a huge chunk, it's the best Missouri can do right now and Texas knows this.

If other conferences are actively talking to Mizzou, OU, OSU, and A&M, it's not the best they can do right now. They have options.

What options do they have other then being at the mercy of other conferences or Texas?

Your attempt to downgrade OU, OSU, A&M, and Mizzou athletic programs is admirable, no matter how misplaced.

Those first three have a standing invitation to the PAC-10 when the Big-12 folds, they aren't worried about much. I also have no problem with Missouri

Larry Scott knows that expansion with Texas is still very much alive.

I thought missouri was in the big 10???

Fair enough. I'm sure you also realize then that if those three leave, Mizzou likely lands in the SEC or Big 10 because it would trigger a super-conference scenario. Mizzou is in a very good position as well under that scenario.

Larry can have Texas. He'll rue the day he ever took that school in the fold. Given their hasty retreat in recent days, it's clear that Texas needs the Big 12 far more than the Big 12 schools need Texas.

LOL @ 'hasty retreat'

The NCAA is calling a summit on Aug. 22nd to discuss how to best handle some of the issues that are being created with the team and conference channels that are rapidly expanding. Expected to attend are Texas, BYU, the Big Ten, Notre Dame, the Pac-12 and the Mountain West.

NCAA calls summit re: college networks - CBSSports.com

As several media members have said in recent days, any denials that the SEC isn't talking to OSU, OU, A&M and Mizzou which caused a backtrack by Texas have no basis in reality. There are current discussions going on and they are legitimate.

I love your terms like "no basis in reality". You almost always fall back on that as a last defense.

I'll switch it out for 'you've got your head up Bevo's ass' next time. I was trying to be kind.

So the summit that the NCAA called to discuss the team and conference networks has "no basis in reality", but rumors about teams moving around is solidly grounded in reality.

Why do you expect to be taken seriously?

That meeting was planned after conference realignment talks started. Texas realized they were in a bad position and quickly backtracked. They went ahead and included the other relevant entities afterwards.

Nice try to make it fit your narrative. The conference rumors flared up over the weekend. The invitations to the summit (organized and sent by the NCAA, not Texas) were received on Monday, so had to have gone out last week.

Who told you that? Chris Brown?????

The conference discussions began 2-3 weeks ago. But keep pretending that this all just happened out of an interest in making sure they were doing things the right way.

We'll just agree to disagree.

Here's the link to the press release from the NCAA:

NCAA to host summit on broadcasting issues - NCAA.org

So it's up to the other schools to make a move before Missouri gets their invite to another conference?


Larry doesn't need to worry too much about Texas, he's obviously shrewd enough to maneuver the PAC-10 accordingly where I am confidence he won't have to give up anything to get Texas (and they truly want to come).

And without Texas, the Big-12 falls down greatly

You think there's some scenario where conferences start picking over the remains of the Big XII and Texas isn't the prize? Texas "needs" the B12 more than the B12 needs Texas?

All Texas has to do is mention they're considering switching conferences and everyone is going to hang up on Missouri and company and run down to Austin. Only other school that can match that is Notre Dame.

Rumor has it that the MWC is going to be inviting USU....don't know if it has basis but have gathered it from a couple of sources..

I agree with what you are saying, but the flip side is that Texas may actually want to untether themselves from ATM, Tech, and Baylor.

If enough of the remaining Big Twelve gets picked apart, they could conceivably go independent and forever be rid of their balls and chains. I'm sure most of the Big Twelve schools would still be willing to play them OOC (for the TV and Texas recruiting exposure). In any case, Texas is going to come out of this situation in great shape. If they go independent, I can guarantee that the Big East and probably the ACC would be happy to give their other sports a home.

This is likely what's going to happen. If Texas moves, they likely have to take the other schools with them. While Texas is pretending to care, I'm guessing they would LOVE for A&M to be the one to pull the trigger and disconnect this whole mess for them. They'd go independent and wouldn't be the bad guy under that scenario. Texas is able to be quasi-independent right now, but they wouldn't have that option in the same form in other conferences.

The only part I'd disagree with is that the B12 teams would be willing to play them. A&M and OU likely would keep their rivalries going, but the rest would pass. They could still get exposure by playing the other three Texas school, likely in conference.

Texas wouldnt have any problems scheduling OOC games if they were independent. There are enough teams that want that payday that it wouldn't matter.

Correct. That's a different point than the one being discussed.

The whole reason the Big Ten was looking to expand last year was to add Missouri, so Mizzou must have turned them down and the Big Ten settled on Nebraska.

I get where you're coming from and you may be right about Missouri and Oklahoma State (if the current discussions eventually become reality). Still, Oklahoma and ATM will probably always want to play them. I'm guessing Baylor and Tech would still be willing (keep in mind that ATM probably isn't going to want to play either of those two often, if at all, if they are in the SEC) if Texas would.

I can't see Kansas, KSU, or Iowa State turning them down a H/H (or really even a 2/1) with them. Those schools, along with Oklahoma State and Missouri have all made a living (obviously with varied levels of success) for the past 20-years mining players out of Texas and probably aren't going to be in a position to say no (whereas the four new, hypothetical SEC teams could). Missouri and Oklahoma State can play ATM in Texas every other year and accent their schedule with a Houston/TCU/UTEP/SMU every few years and still keep a strong brand in the state.

Texas just lost their conference out. Really compromises their options in negotiations with other conference members. Pac-12 commish says that Texas with any form of the Longhorn Network has no chance of joining the Pac-12.

Larry Scott -- Longhorn Network will keep Texas from joining Pac-12 - ESPN

Amazing what a difference a year makes. Pac-12 really formed their network well. Big benefit to all members of the conference.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...ional-networks

Nothing short of utter & widespread insanity would have had Texas joining the Pac-## anyway.

I'm still just hoping when this all comes down that Kansas has a home. And one that isn't like the Missouri Valley or something

SI

Big East, baby.

Start saving up for your trip to NYC for the BE tourney.

It's not that I would be opposed to that for basketball, certainly. But by the time Kansas is in the Big East, will they have 32 basketball teams and still only 8 football? ;)

SI

GSwaimBigTime TV/Radio Tweet

It appears #Pac12 offer forthcoming to four current #B12 teams, if it hasn’t already. #OKState #Aggies #Sooners #RedRaider #Mizzou

(Weird tweet. Says four teams then mentions 5 teams. Later he says the PAC prefers TT and the SEC Mizzou as Team 16s. So maybe Scott still wants A&M and will fall back to MU)

Well, it has been well established that these conferences don't know how to count..

{wonders what scenario has the SEC thinking 'hey, let's get Mizzou'}

Methinks it's time for mandatory drug testing in conference offices.

edit to add: Even though it's a spectator sport around here, that's not really a shot at Missouri. That's just my take on how interested the fan bases would be in seeing them show up on the schedule as a conference game.

Mizzou is in a fortunate position geographically when it comes to conferences. Missouri is bordered by three Big Ten states (Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois) and is also bordered by three SEC states (Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas). Tack in that it has two of the top thirty media markets not currently covered by either of those conferences, and it's a pretty lucrative piece of what these conferences are trying to do to build their exposure through conference networks.

Not surprised that most SEC teams don't want to see Mizzou on their schedule. What team IS excited to see another tough opponent that they'll likely lose to in football AND basketball???????

I have a tough time seeing the SEC going to 16 teams without adding more than one school in Texas and/or going for some ACC teams (or, in my own personal pipe dream adding West Virginia along with Virginia Tech or Pitt).

If they were not politically tied to other in-state schools, I would say that Virginia Tech and NC State fit the SEC profile really well while sensibly adding new markets and extending the SEC's natural footprint. But, if Oklahoma State has to come with Oklahoma, I think it almost makes more sense to add another school in Texas, even if it has to be cultivated a bit (TCU, Baylor, or Houston maybe?).

{giggle} {snort}

I hope you enjoy being Kentucky ... except without the whole basketball heritage thing. In my wildest imagination I can't see Mizzou football finishing more than a game over .500 in conference play more than once a decade. On the bright side, I hear Shreveport is really lovely around bowl season.

Me too (which is why I had any reaction to the Mizzou rumor at all).

The perfect fit, as I've said for years, is for the ACC/SEC to trade Clemson for Vanderbilt. Both would be much more at home in their new surroundings.

I, for one, welcome our new SEC overlords.

:devil:

We're a long ways from that anyway, so I wouldn't be frightened just yet. Though Texas appears to be edging closer to getting their wish of being independent, which I'm still not sure they're 100% interested in doing.

PLAGIARIST (just sticking up for a fellow Beav:) )

Pac-12 TV Network: Additional details from commissioner Larry Scott | College Hotline

Word to the wise: Don't trust anything Greg Swaim says.

Translation: Let's put the demise of the Big 12 off for eight months so it gives our members more time to find a new conference.

Big 12 Athletics Directors Meet in Dallas - Big 12 Conference - Official Athletic Site

We'll see what happens, but A&M and Big 12 fan boards are saying that FOIA documents obtained recently show that ESPN and Texas have already begun mutual plans to see UT go independent. Rumors say that the documents will be released next Monday and are particularly damning regarding UT's true motives with the Longhorn Network.

Topic on 980 in DC the other day: should Maryland look to join the Big East. I would be inclined to say yes (easier BCS path, basketball conference that may be more relevant - ACC is basically Duke, UNC and a bunch of also-rans - were given as reasons), though I'm not big on ACC tradition.

This is like the Notre Dame-NBC deal. But it topples a conference. Or does the Big 12 steal TCU back?
That'd be interesting.

except that nobody outside of Texas cares about Texas...

If Texas leaves and the remaining members want to keep Big 12 together, rumor is that TCU and BYU are both interested. Would just have to find one more school.

However, no more conference seems like a more likely option.

The portion of the contract released via FOIA that folks are focusing on is a section that states if Texas does go independent, then ESPN gets right to match any offer to broadcast Texas sporting events. Why wouldn't ESPN want that in a contract that was 20 years in length, given how different the conference scenarios are today compared to 1991? It looks like more of a case of ESPN protecting their interests, rather than an imminent plan for Texas to go independent.

Link to site with contract?

Don't have a direct link to the contract, but here is supporting info.

Here's one to an Aggie board that talks about the rumors:
TC-Box

Here's another one:
TC-Box

Finally, here is a link to CBS Sportsline, which is a reputable organization:
CBS Sports: A&M Goes to NCAA on Longhorn Network

FTA: