What is with this Co-Champion B.S. in the Big XII?

[Horizon]

I keep hearing about Kansas and Texas being Co-Champions in the Big XII. They both have the same league record, but Texas beat Kansas this year, so why isn't Texas the Big XII champion? Texas will get the #1 seed in the tournament because of their win against KU; but have to share the title?

For that matter, why even crown a league champion before the tournament?

[SackAttack]

Well, Texas lost to Missouri, but Kansas didn't.

I think that's worth at least a share of the crown, don't you?

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Horizon

I keep hearing about Kansas and Texas being Co-Champions in the Big XII. They both have the same league record, but Texas beat Kansas this year, so why isn't Texas the Big XII champion? Texas will get the #1 seed in the tournament because of their win against KU; but have to share the title?

For that matter, why even crown a league champion before the tournament?

Because they finished with the same record and it's round robin. Conference tournaments are stupid but they generate a lot of money.

[the_meanstrosity]

The Big 12 has always had co-champions because they have too many teams to play a full Big 12 schedule. Big 12 football would be the same if they did not have a conference championship.

There are two Big 12 basketball championships. The Big 12 regular season championship and the Big 12 tournament championship. The Big 12 tournament championship rewards an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Big 12 tournament is a necessary evil simply because of the money it brings in. Most coaches would rather avoid a conference tournament except for those teams on the bubble and then it becomes a life line to the NCAA tournament.

Originally Posted by Horizon

I keep hearing about Kansas and Texas being Co-Champions in the Big XII. They both have the same league record, but Texas beat Kansas this year, so why isn't Texas the Big XII champion? Texas will get the #1 seed in the tournament because of their win against KU; but have to share the title?

For that matter, why even crown a league champion before the tournament?

[the_meanstrosity]

Amen MrBug. Conference tournaments and conference championships (football) aren't anything but another way for the conference to make money.

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Because they finished with the same record and it's round robin. Conference tournaments are stupid but they generate a lot of money.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by the_meanstrosity

Amen MrBug. Conference tournaments and conference championships (football) aren't anything but another way for the conference to make money.

Maybe at the High-Major level, but conference tourneys have incredible significance at the mid-major level.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Originally Posted by Horizon

I keep hearing about Kansas and Texas being Co-Champions in the Big XII. They both have the same league record, but Texas beat Kansas this year, so why isn't Texas the Big XII champion? Texas will get the #1 seed in the tournament because of their win against KU; but have to share the title?

The Big East does the same thing. If results had broken right (an extra loss for Louisville and one less loss for UConn), there could have been four co-champions.

For that matter, why even crown a league champion before the tournament?

Some would say that the regular season league championship is a greater accomplishment than a conference tournament championship, even though it's only the latter (outside of the Ivy League) that gives a team entry to the NCAA tournament. The regular season championship requires more consistency and a greater breadth of accomplishment.