2011 Pac 12 Discussion (North and South)

[BB73]

The Pac 12 teams will play 4 cross-division and 3 non-conf games.

CFN

[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]2011 Pac 12 North Schedule[/FONT]

California

Non-Conference Games: Fresno State, TBD, TBD
Games Against the South: at Arizona State, at UCLA, Utah, USC
Realistic Best Case Record: 9-3
Worst Case Record: 6-6
Likely Finish: 8-4

Oregon

Non-Conference Games: LSU (in Dallas), Missouri State, Nevada
Games Against the South: at Arizona, Arizona State, at Colorado, USC
Realistic Best Case Record: 12-0
Worst Case Record: 7-5
Likely Finish: 10-2

Oregon State

Non-Conference Games: BYU, Sacramento State, at Wisconsin
Games Against the South: Arizona, at Arizona State, UCLA, at Utah
Realistic Best Case Record: 10-2
Worst Case Record: 5-7
Likely Finish: 7-5

Stanford

Non-Conference Games: at Duke, Notre Dame, San Jose State
Games Against the South: at Arizona, Colorado, UCLA, at USC
Realistic Best Case Record: 11-1
Worst Case Record: 7-5
Likely Finish: 9-3

Washington

Non-Conference Games: Eastern Washington, Hawaii, at Nebraska
Games Against the South: Arizona, Colorado, at USC, Utah
Realistic Best Case Record: 9-3
Worst Case Record: 5-7
Likely Finish: 7-5

Washington State

Non-Conference Games: Idaho State, UNLV, San Diego State
Games Against the South: Arizona State, at Colorado, at UCLA, Utah
Realistic Best Case Record: 7-5
Worst Case Record: 2-10
Likely Finish: 3-9

Cont'd ...

 

[BB73]

The Pac 12 Championship Game will be at the division winner with the better record.

USC is likely the only team that will play 12 AQ teams this year (counting ND).

CFN

2011 Pac 12 South Schedule

Arizona

Non-Conference Games: Louisiana-Lafayette, Northern Arizona, at Oklahoma State
Games Against the North: Oregon, at Oregon State, Stanford, at Washington
Realistic Best Case Record: 10-2
Worst Case Record: 5-7
Likely Finish: 8-4

Arizona State

Non-Conference Games: at Illinois, Missouri, UC Davis
Games Against the North: California, at Oregon, Oregon State, at Washington State
Realistic Best Case Record: 10-2
Worst Case Record: 6-6
Likely Finish: 8-4

Colorado

Non-Conference Games: Colorado State, at Hawaii, at Ohio State
Games Against the North: Oregon, at Stanford, at Washington, Washington State
Realistic Best Case Record: 9-4
Worst Case Record: 5-8
Likely Finish: 7-6

UCLA

Non-Conference Games: at Houston, San Jose State, Texas
Games Against the North: California, at Oregon State, at Stanford, Washington State
Realistic Best Case Record: 10-2
Worst Case Record: 5-7
Likely Finish: 7-5

USC

Non-Conference Games: Minnesota, at Notre Dame, Syracuse
Games Against the North: at California, at Oregon, Stanford, Washington
Realistic Best Case Record: 11-1
Worst Case Record: 7-5
Likely Finish: 9-3

Utah

Non-Conference Games: at BYU, Montana State, at Pitt
Games Against the North: at California, Oregon State, Washington, at Washington State
Realistic Best Case Record: 11-1
Worst Case Record: 6-6
Likely Finish: 9-3

Cont'd ...

 

[BB73]

The former head of NFL officiating will be working for the Pac 10/12 on an interim basis.

CBS

Pac-10 hires Pereira to restructure officiating program

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- The Pac-10 has hired the former head of officiating for the NFL to restructure its football officiating program.

Commissioner Larry Scott announced Friday that longtime coordinator of officials Dave Cutaia is stepping down and Mike Pereira will replace him on an interim basis.

Scott says it's essential for the conference to improve its officiating. Pereira worked as a consultant for the conference this year and reviewed the officiating.

The conference will begin an immediate search for a permanent coordinator of officiating.

Cont'd ...

 

[BB73]

Although he's under pressure and feeling trapped, against all odds, a fan will apparently fight all out, as long as he's breathin, to stay true and keep his world wide website until the end of time. While strugglin' to stay true, he said that only God can judge me, I'm not an outlaw, so don't point the finger at me.

Personally, I think he's old school and feel nothin but love for his Hail Mary cause. Call me krazy, but I don't think he's in it for street fame and I hope he doesn't give up the ghost. Sometimes it's me against the world, but life goes on and you can only hope for no more pain.

I hope he's able to hit 'em up for some big bucks, and get some redemption if he's forced to make changes. It may seem like blasphemy for him to take on the Pac-12, but when he wins the case I'll pour out a little liquor.

Don't you trust me? I get around, even if I don't want to live and die in LA.

CBS

Tupac fan now suing Pac-12

A few weeks ago, we told you about the Tupac Shakur fan who owned the website domain name Pac12.com. When the new Pac-12 found out the domain name was owned, it sent the man, whom we now know is Austin Linford, a cease and desist letter in January. Linford then responded by putting up an Amazon widget to Tupac's music on his website, and the Pac-12 filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Well, it seems Mr. Linford can get lawyered up too. Linford has filed his own lawsuit against the Pac-12.

To go along with Pac12.com, Linford also owns Pacific12.com and PACtwelve.com. Now, if you ask me, the fact that Linford owns the domain name Pacific12.com tells me that he knew exactly what he was doing when he bought these domain names. I'm just impressed with his foresight and the fact that he bought the domains five years ago.

Seems he knew what was coming.

So the Pac-12 has a few options here. It can either spend some money to fight a court battle it isn't guaranteed to win, or it can use that money and make Linford an offer for the domains. After all, I don't think he bought them with anything else in mind.

Cont'd ...

 

[TDunk]

Although he's under pressure and feeling trapped, against all odds, a fan will apparently fight all out, as long as he's breathin, to stay true and keep his world wide website until the end of time. While strugglin' to stay true, he said that only God can judge me, I'm not an outlaw, so don't point the finger at me.

Personally, I think he's old school and feel nothin but love for his Hail Mary cause. Call me krazy, but I don't think he's in it for street fame and I hope he doesn't give up the ghost. Sometimes it's me against the world, but life goes on and you can only hope for no more pain.

I hope he's able to hit 'em up for some big bucks, and get some redemption if he's forced to make changes. It may seem like blasphemy for him to take on the Pac-12, but when he wins the case I'll pour out a little liquor.

Don't you trust me? I get around, even if I don't want to live and die in LA.

CBS

That was pretty brutal to read through. But don't worry I ain't mad at cha.

 

[BB73]

This shows they're trying.

SeattleTimes

Pac-12's overhaul of football officiating means pink slips for 11 officials

The Pac-12's recently announced initiative to improve its football officiating includes the removal of 11 officials who worked games a year ago, the conference confirmed Wednesday.

Mike Pereira, named last month the Pac-12's interim coordinator of football officiating, said there will be 16 new officials in the conference next year, hired away from the Big 12, Mountain West and WAC to replace those who were dismissed (along with the 11 who weren't invited back, another retired).

Pereira, whose three-decade officiating career includes a stint as the NFL's vice president of officiating and who served last season as an on-air NFL rules analyst for FOX, was hired as a consultant by the conference in October.

Cont'd ...

 

[DiamondBuck]

Am I the only one who finds these division names confusing? Why couldn't they come up with something more appropriate like Leaders and Legends? Oh never mind...

 

[jlb1705]

This shows they're trying.

SeattleTimes

I wish the Big Ten were trying too.

 

[ttk]

Am I the only one who finds these division names confusing? Why couldn't they come up with something more appropriate like Leaders and Legends? Oh never mind...

:tongue2: Nice.

Talk around the Pac-12 is that Arizona State is the favorite for the South, by the way. Lots of returning starters, and not as many questions as a lot of the other teams. Obviously I'm hoping USC can put together some kind of defense this year but we'll see!

 

[BB73]

It seems that the PAC-12 doesn't have a TV contract with CBS.Sports.

The college football page has side-by-side pictures of Chip Kelly and Lane Kiffin in sideline shots with the caption "Dirty Dozen?"

Pac-12 has never been better -- or worse

LOS ANGELES -- There was no need for sunscreen like last year at the Rose Bowl. There was a need for "no comment."

For all the glitz, glamour, booming narration and, well, news that came out of Pac-12 Media Day in Los Angeles, the one thing everyone had to tap-dance around was that elephant in the room. Of the NCAA variety.

It is, after all, a violation to even mention the elephant.

"Obviously, I know the one question everybody is waiting to have answered is," Oregon head coach Chip Kelly opened with. "I'd love to talk about it. There are a lot of answers I'd love to make sure we can get out there."

Kelly, at the center of the controversy surrounding a $25,000 payment to Texan Will Lyles for his scouting service, was the star of the show. It's probably an accomplishment in itself for him to steal the attention about NCAA violations away from Southern California head coach Lane Kiffin.

"In these processes, there's nothing you can do," Kiffin said about his ongoing case from when he was at Tennessee, "you can't comment on it either."

On a day that was supposed to be about a new image for the conference -- a new, numerically correct conference mind you -- the storyline was mostly about the one image everybody in the front offices didn't want. Kelly was asked so many times about the investigation that a Pac-12 spokesperson had to cut off questions and tell the room, "This is about the season."

Oh, that.

"Nationally, perceptions are changing," Scott said of the Pac-12's brand of football. "People are looking a little more West at what we are doing."

But are they looking at the conference of champions or the conference of compliance?

Even the preseason media poll was complicit, tabbing Oregon and USC to win their respective divisions. The fine public relations staff that put out the release probably had the section about how USC was ineligible for the conference title game in their computer clipboard from overuse. The Ducks and Trojans have combined for the past eight Pac-10 titles and frequently been in the national championship discussion yet both programs have the stain of being in hot water.

For a conference promoting itself on the fact that it plays football as well as anyone, perhaps the Pac-12 is more SEC-like than ever having its two highest profile teams winning while the nation whispers about they're doing it.

"We're obviously living in an environment where there is a lot of noise," Scott said. "It's regrettable whenever there are accusations or penalties like USC's. It takes away from all of the good stories you want to talk about, the good in college sports. It creates a dominant narrative about everything that is bad."

Cont'd ...

 

[CHU]

Does ESPN immediately start hating/attacking the Pac-12 now that the conference has created a network - A real network/channel (not calling itself a network and it actually being a channel that shows other conferences)?

I'm wondering who has a stronger, more stable or brighter future in comparison of the two networks (BTN and Pac-12)?

BTN or the Big Ten is in larger markets (more of them too) and has a larger fan/alumni base. But didn't know if maybe the Pac-12 has a better financial deal.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Does ESPN immediately start hating/attacking the Pac-12 now that the conference has created a network - A real network/channel (not calling itself a network and it actually being a channel that shows other conferences)?

I'm wondering who has a stronger, more stable or brighter future in comparison of the two networks (BTN and Pac-12)?

BTN or the Big Ten is in larger markets (more of them too) and has a larger fan/alumni base. But didn't know if maybe the Pac-12 has a better financial deal.

The Big Ten's fanbases are large and revere football above all else. They are multi-generational fanbases that stay passionate through lean times.

How many PAC-12 fanbases are as large or as loyal in lean times as tOSU, TSUN or Nebraska? Sure, the LA TV market is bigger than any in the B1G footprint. But having lived there during Pete Carroll's reign it struck as curious how few people seemed to even be aware that USC was good again, much less care. USC being good turns on a small percentage of TVs in a very large market. Ohio State turns on more TVs (total) even when they're bad. USC doesn't move the needle at all when they're bad.

The PAC-12 doesn't have ONE fanbase to compare to the B1G's top-3. It's debatable if their best fanbase, from a commercial perspective, would crack the upper division of the B1G.

 

[BB73]

I believe that ESPN has another reason to dislike the B1G and the PAC-12.

Those two conferences have the Rose Bowl tie-in, and they have held onto that tradition, currently being the largest obstacles that are preventing an 8-to-16 team playoff, I believe that ESPN has a long-term goal of forcing college football into such a playoff format, with ESPN broadcasting the entire playoff, and even exerting as much influence as possible on the timing, location, team selection, and matchups in those playoffs.

ESPN wants to be able to control the future of college football, and since the B1G and the PAC-12 are somewhat preventing them from doing that, it's just another 'business' reason for them to disfavor members of those conferences.

Yeah, I know they were slurping on USC big-time for a while.

 

[CHU]

What I kept wondering was, why Larry Scott kept firing shots at BTN and/or Jim Delany as to how grand his new network(s) were going to be.

But Scott is a former business guy and was probably just trying to drum up interest.

I just wish they would report the total financials (including profit-sharing) and compared, but I'd imagine that will come in the future after the launch.

 

[muffler dragon]

Yeah, I know they were slurping on USC big-time for a while.

Following that line of reasoning, the sucking off occurred prior to the PAC-12 network. Maybe they were hoping the crown jewel of the conference to tilt their way in negotiations.