[Blade6119]

Originally Posted by cartman

The revenue sharing bitching is just a tad overblown. There was a $3 million difference between top and bottom. That is hardly an insurmountable issue, and if that is what you are saying tore the conference apart, there really wasn't much hope regardless. And, has been mentioned, all of the conference members went into the Big 12 agreeing on this revenue sharing plan. It wasn't something that was forced on them by Texas, as you seem to infer.

As for the SWC, much of the same drivers that pushed the Big 8 and the SWC together are pushing the Pac 10 and the Big 12 six together. TV money is the biggest driver. After Arkansas left, the old SWC consisted of only Texas schools. The formation of the Big 12 expanded the geographic reach of the member schools. The same dynamics are at play with the proposed Big 16. This will move the Pac 10 out of strictly the Pacific time zone, and greatly increase the geographic reach of the member schools.

No doubt its not the biggest issue in the world, so Texas being unwilling to budge one bit its amusing and frustrating at the same time. And the argument that since it the best option 15 years ago it must still be the best option today is comical, you cant really believe that to be the case? If it is a 2-3 million difference, why fight so hard to keep it in place when its becoming obvious as things fall apart the entire big 12 north is opposed to the idea(i guess was in about a day).

And i understand the dynamics of conference expansion and geography well, no one is doubting that, and as an Arizona State fan as well its a great move for the Pac 10. Im just discussing the reasons why the Big 12 is the conference being torn to pieces and not other way around, why the Big 12 is not stealing the key players of the Pac 10 away. At this point i believe most of the dominoes are already in place, or will be shorty, so all thats left is an analysis of what went wrong. And i think there is a fair amount of blame to go around to everyone, not just MU or NU as Texas and the southern schools are claiming. Thats all im trying to say, because a lot of the media and board members from Texas and Oklahoma are saying that all of this is because MU and NU couldnt be happy with that they had, when in reality this is all happening because the two divisions could not work together to take the necessary steps to not only survive but thrive together. And from what we have heared, there were options to do just that. Im not trying to say Texas is the only bad guy here, we all let each other down here. Im just arguing the claims that are most certainly out there that this is all at MU and NUs feet, when that is neither accurate or fair