Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[localyokel]

I've come to the sincere belief that UT is absolutely incapable of just signing onto a new conference as an equal member. Seriously, they're worse than the domers. On paper, they seemed like the perfect B10 school. In practice, they are a parasitic, carpetbagging cancer.

Texas is the pretty girl who everybody wants, but when she's finally your own you realize she's a sucubus. I have come to the opinion you tell UT you can come on as an equal partner (with no special treatment) or you can get the hell lost.

I want Texas. And if you have ever cut your hair or thrown out that black velvet nude in your apartment living room in order to get laid you know exactly how concessions work.

On the subject of cautionary tales, let us not forget the cultural cataclysm that was Yoko Bevo:

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

However, if the SEC adds A&M, North Carolina and Duke (a 4th school would need to be added as well), a major goal of the plan is a total failure. Adding those three (3) schools to the SEC not only makes it the best football conference in the U.S., but also the best men?s basketball conference.

Duke? Hahahaha.... Duke in the SEC? Yeah.... good luck with that.

Some elements of his theory, I believe as well. I think, for example, that Texas has been in on the goings on from before the beginning. But, I can't sign on to his Texas to the Pac 10 as he fails to offer any rationale as to why that would be a good idea for Texas - instead he simply assumes one set of reports over some others. Likewise, I don't think SEC guy realizes that the plan fully intends for the SEC to play a role - a specific role which has been designed for them specifically (whether they're in on it or not).... and separating A&M from UT was desired, or is inconsequential (I do believe both the Pac 10 and Big 10 would take A&M to get UT). I also think his "they want to keep the SEC out of Texas" is pretty stupid. Of course, maybe they don't have CBS and ESPN down there

 

[buckeyesin07]

Texas is not worth any concessions or special case. If they want to come into the Big Ten, then the equal partner tradition is what they buy into. The conference schedule is what they buy into. If they don't want to buy into that, then fine, see you in bowl games occasionally.

No concessions.

I agree. The Big Ten isn't some also-ran conference that's begging UT to join. There are athletic programs that are on par with (at least, if not better than ) UT's in the Big Ten already that do not get special concessions. Delaney needs to stand his ground on this one.

 

[kinch]

That Florida fan made three (3) good points in his nine (9) paragraphs.

 

[kinch]

Interesting: http://b16ten.org/

 

[BigJim]

I wanted to go back to this pod system - because I am really starting to like it.

You could make this work with 7 conference games (the number we played prior to 1971). You play the three teams in your pod, the four teams from your paired pod and that is it. That way everybody in a division plays the same conference schedule and there is no more "Iowa didn't have to play OSU or PSU".

You play every team in the conference at least every three years and host every team at least every six years.

That might be my fav so far. What it basically does is create two divisions that rotate between the pods each year. Both sets of 8 teams will play everyone in their division, so a championship game will be natural. I do worry about the uneven number of home/away games, as DBB pointed out. The chances of that becoming a factor are higher in a 7 game schedule than a 9 game schedule.

Since it is effectively rotating divisions, each year they would assume a name, if not directly, then by the media. I guess the natural solution would be for each pod to carry half of the name and the division names (as referenced by the media/fans) would change each year. North/South/East/West could result in North-East and South-West divisions.

Interesting... there would be some tricky stuff to work through.

 

[Dryden]

I do worry about the uneven number of home/away games, as DBB pointed out. The chances of that becoming a factor are higher in a 7 game schedule than a 9 game schedule.

Simple solution, if you don't get the 4th home game, you are guaranteed one of your road games is at Indiana.

 

[BigJim]

Texas A&M to the SEC is a done deal, they just have to go thru the formalities to make it "official", have their "official regent" vote just like Nebraska did even though they know what it will be (although instead of 6-3 I'd imagine they'll declare it's unanimous), have the day focused on them and their press conference, etc.

A&M has lived in the shadow long enough that they love, love, love all the attention and focus being on them for once. They are going to do everything they can to have this last as long as they can.

Scott heading on his way up to Kansas indicates he's going to Plan B.

I would think if A&M goes to the SEC, they would try and at least grab one more team to go along with A&M to keep an even number. If nothing falls through to the west, A&M may force a few dominoes to fall out to the east. It could make them take an ACC team soon, which may force the ACC to grab a Big East team. That may be all it takes to force ND's hand (if it even needed any forcing).

 

[Steve19]

Rutgers in financial crisis

The Big Ten should be very careful and look under the hood on this one...(link)

Rutgers U. Cancels Raises and Freezes Pay, Citing 'Extreme Fiscal Crisis'

By Charles Huckabee

Rutgers University announced on Thursday that it will cancel scheduled pay raises and freeze salaries across the board to deal with an "extreme fiscal crisis" brought on by state budget cuts, according to news reports.

Faculty members were scheduled to receive a 2.75-percent raise on July 1.

Adrienne Eaton, president of the Rutgers Council of AAUP Chapters-American Federation of Teachers, which represents nearly 4,500 professors, teaching assistants, part-time lecturers, and other employees, said union leaders were outraged by the university's move.

"We entered into that [agreement] with good faith," Ms. Eaton, a professor of labor studies and employment relations, told The Star-Ledger, a local newspaper. "They understood that this coming year was going to be worse."

Philip Furmanski, the university's executive vice president for academic affairs, acknowledged the concerns of the faculty union and other employee bargaining units, but he said that the university was in "a very, very difficult situation, one that is unprecedented."

With the cumulative effect of state budget cuts, the university was facing a deficit of nearly $97-million, he told the newspaper. By freezing salaries, he said, Rutgers may be able to avoid layoffs and class cutbacks.

While the state budget for the new fiscal year is still incomplete, the plan that Gov. Christopher J. Christie sent to the Legislature this spring included a 15-percent cut in state funds to Rutgers, the university's president, Richard L. McCormick, said in a letter to the campus in March. He said that the proposal was $46.6-million less than the university?s appropriation for the current fiscal year and that it provided no funds for salary increases that had been negotiated with employees' bargaining units.

Continues at link above

 

[kn1f3party]

Chip just posted this via Twitter:

Orangebloods.com: According to sources, Texas will announce as early as today that UT will commit to a 10-member Big 12.

I would find it rather amusing if, in the end, Texas went nowhere. Colorado and Nebraska were getting all sorts of grief for bailing but they're starting to look like geniuses.

 

[t_BuckeyeScott]

Chip just posted this via Twitter:



I would find it rather amusing if, in the end, Texas went nowhere. Colorado and Nebraska were getting all sorts of grief for bailing but they're starting to look like geniuses.

The ten member line is interesting. With A&M seemingly set on leaving to the SEC, leaving the Big 12 at 9. More blame shifting.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

Chip just posted this via Twitter:

Orangebloods.com: According to sources, Texas will announce as early as today that UT will commit to a 10-member Big 12.

I would find it rather amusing if, in the end, Texas went nowhere. Colorado and Nebraska were getting all sorts of grief for bailing but they're starting to look like geniuses.

All part of the plan.... Let everyone in the Big 12 find a new home (they will be forced to do so if OU or A&M leave for the SEC), then

Texas is free to do what it wants, it looks like the hero for trying to save the BIG 12, but in the end does whats best for the school.

Well played Texas

 

[jlb1705]

The thing that's striking to me is that for months, everybody has talked about expansion as if it's completely linear - If Team A leaves, then Team B will go here and Team C will have no choice but to go there.

Having seen what happens as the dominoes actually fall, it's not quite working out that way. It's as if every time one of the actors makes a real decision, the whole thing gets reset. I'm not sure we can really look three steps ahead in this process anymore. I think we have to look at it as a matter of which party is going to make a decision next, and what possibilities are on the table if if that party is indeed the next one to act.

In the end, that very thing may be what dooms the Pac-16 expansion scenario. Every time somebody acts, somebody involved in that plan seems to reassess the situation.

 

[TheIronColonel]

I'm beginning to think that Chip is just making it up as he goes. He doesn't see to know how many team are even in the conference and who is talking to whom.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

The thing that's striking me is the two scenarios that Chip Brown tweets about are two scenarios that seem quite unlikely - UT to the Pac 10 and UT nowhere, Big XII goes on as a conference as is.

I have no doubt he's truthfully reporting what he's being told..... But I don't think he's asking any questions... or.. investigating... you know, being a journalist.