Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[kn1f3party]

Last year PBC was incredibly accurate with information. The problem is these are very fluid situations. There is a lot going on. I think he does have a source in the Big Ten. But as said before that is only one side of this. Last year many speculated Texas and Notre Dame played the Big Ten to stall change. Who says this is any different? Maybe they keep their options open though just in case.

 

[A Pac]

If, I'm the Big Ten brass, I am salivating at the idea of Texas and Notre Dame joining. The three biggest and best traveling fan bases would all be in the same conference. That would be ridiculous and the biggest moneymaker in college sports alone. The Big Ten would out-earn every other conference by a huge margin.

 

[ScriptOhio]

:popcorn:

They was this thing will drag out, you will need a a lot more popcorn.

 

[BrowardBuck]

Unless Texas is playing in the B1G this year with A&M, then no, he was not.

If I am not mistaken, there was pretty legit talk of a potential deal to add both Texas and aTm. I am not saying the person known as PBC is a true insider, but I think he/she has some connections to the B1G office. My perspective is that his info was legit info, but was only the part that the B1G office wanted to be "leaked" out. I think he/she called the Nebraska move about a month prior to the announcement, but I also believe that 90% of us would have also made that call, as it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that they were going to the B1G.

I think most of the people that were feeding "inside" info on the boards (PBC, Chip Brown, etc.) had legit info coming from legit sources but again, it was only what those sources or the B1G/Texas wanted "leaked".

BB

 

[Woody1968]

Last year PBC was incredibly accurate with information. The problem is these are very fluid situations. There is a lot going on. I think he does have a source in the Big Ten. But as said before that is only one side of this. Last year many speculated Texas and Notre Dame played the Big Ten to stall change. Who says this is any different? Maybe they keep their options open though just in case.

How exactly was he accurate? It was widely speculated that the Big Ten was interested in Texas and possibly A&M. It was also later widely reported that Nebraska was being considered as well. He didn't exactly break these story lines. He did make a bunch of claims about specific details of negotiations that neither Texas nor the B1G has confirmed. Of course it could all have been 100% true and the situation was very fluid, as you say, or it could have been 100% made up on his part and we will never know the truth either way. He could very well have a source, but that doesn't mean his information is entirely truthful either.

Let's just say I find it suspect that one of the parties in a serious negotiation would leak the exact terms the other side was asking for on an internet message board, especially a message board for a team nobody cares about, like Northwestern. I also find it suspect that the B1G would dismiss, out of hand, the request of one of the most successful brands in college football (Oklahoma), especially if the request did not involve another school (OK State). Does any of this really sound plausible?

 

[Saw31]

How exactly was he accurate? It was widely speculated that the Big Ten was interested in Texas and possibly A&M. It was also later widely reported that Nebraska was being considered as well. He didn't exactly break these story lines. He did make a bunch of claims about specific details of negotiations that neither Texas nor the B1G has confirmed. Of course it could all have been 100% true and the situation was very fluid, as you say, or it could have been 100% made up on his part and we will never know the truth either way. He could very well have a source, but that doesn't mean his information is entirely truthful either.

Let's just say I find it suspect that one of the parties in a serious negotiation would leak the exact terms the other side was asking for on an internet message board, especially a message board for a team nobody cares about, like Northwestern. I also find it suspect that the B1G would dismiss, out of hand, the request of one of the most successful brands in college football (Oklahoma), especially if the request did not involve another school (OK State). Does any of this really sound plausible?

Yes, because the B1G's conference realignment decisions are not based entirely on football. It also includes the billions of dollars involved in the CIC and the possibility of that becoming billions upon billions with other quality academic institutions joining. If this were entirely about football, the University of Chicago would have been sent packing years ago. They haven't won shit in like forever...(except maybe WWII)...

 

[Woody1968]

Yes, because the B1G's conference realignment decisions are not based entirely on football. It also includes the billions of dollars involved in the CIC and the possibility of that becoming billions upon billions with other quality academic institutions joining. If this were entirely about football, the University of Chicago would have been sent packing years ago. They haven't won shit in like forever...(except maybe WWII)...

Chicago is a founding member, and have permanent membership. If they ever decide to play FBS football, the B1G has to take them. Kinda hard to kick them out. I'm not saying that Oklahoma would ultimately not be denied entry. But it would sure as hell take longer than a single conference call to determine it.

 

[ScriptOhio]

OK, I may be ... ...here, but if the BIG really wanted to "leak" some information I would think that they would do it through a reporter to get wider and more creditable circulation, i. e. "information from an person with inside knowledge, but name not provided since he was not authorized to speak for the conference, etc.". You see this type of thing all the time. I just don't think that they would purposly leak it to a guy to post it on a Northwestern football bulletin board.

 

[Saw31]

Chicago is a founding member, and have permanent membership. If they ever decide to play FBS football, the B1G has to take them. Kinda hard to kick them out. I'm not saying that Oklahoma would ultimately not be denied entry. But it would sure as hell take longer than a single conference call to determine it.

Well, I can meet you in the middle and agree with that...

I would say, though, that the B1G offices have been thinking about this for what, nearly 2 years now (at least publicly)? They certainly would have discussed Oklahoma at some point in that time and may have already had a decision made long before this alleged call...

 

[knapplc]

I just cannot fathom the interest in Texas. They are not a fit culturally at all, nor are they an organization that in any way intends to keep things equal between themselves and their conference mates. How does that say "Big Ten" to you guys?

It's easy to get blinded by the Shiny Thing that they encompass - money, eyeballs, traveling fans, etc. - but they will immediately become a burr in the saddle of this conference. There is more than enough evidence of this between the breakup of the SWC, and now the Big XII.

 

[sepia5]

I just cannot fathom the interest in Texas. They are not a fit culturally at all, nor are they an organization that in any way intends to keep things equal between themselves and their conference mates. How does that say "Big Ten" to you guys?

It's easy to get blinded by the Shiny Thing that they encompass - money, eyeballs, traveling fans, etc. - but they will immediately become a burr in the saddle of this conference. There is more than enough evidence of this between the breakup of the SWC, and now the Big XII.

If I thought Big Ten members would allow Texas to pull the bullying nonsense it got away with while the Big XII was whole, I would agree. But I don't see Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, Northwestern, etc. just thanking Texas for its behavior and asking for more.

 

[buchtelgrad04]

I just cannot fathom the interest in Texas. They are not a fit culturally at all, nor are they an organization that in any way intends to keep things equal between themselves and their conference mates. How does that say "Big Ten" to you guys?

It's easy to get blinded by the Shiny Thing that they encompass - money, eyeballs, traveling fans, etc. - but they will immediately become a burr in the saddle of this conference. There is more than enough evidence of this between the breakup of the SWC, and now the Big XII.

I think it could be different in the B1G because they wouldn't be the Big Man On Campus, if you will. In my opinion, it's quite simple, play by the rules or you're gone. The Big 12 needed them. The B1G doesn't. They won't be able to bully schools that were just fine before they joined. They sure as hell won't be able to bully tOSU or Michigan.

I'm probably wrong, but that's the way I see it.

 

[Gatorubet]

I think it could be different in the B1G because they wouldn't be the Big Man On Campus, if you will. In my opinion, it's quite simple, play by the rules or you're gone. The Big 12 needed them. The B1G doesn't. They won't be able to bully schools that were just fine before they joined. They sure as hell won't be able to bully tOSU or Michigan.

They will not succeed, that is true....but killing that Texas mind-set is almost impossible.

 

[Basebuck]

I just cannot fathom the interest in Texas. They are not a fit culturally at all, nor are they an organization that in any way intends to keep things equal between themselves and their conference mates. How does that say "Big Ten" to you guys?

It's easy to get blinded by the Shiny Thing that they encompass - money, eyeballs, traveling fans, etc. - but they will immediately become a burr in the saddle of this conference. There is more than enough evidence of this between the breakup of the SWC, and now the Big XII.

Agreed and well put. Having lived near Austin for several years I can tell you that the city, university, and fans are nothing close to the culture of the midwest. They would be a perfect fit with the PAC12.

The horns are run like a big business and that's it. I would argue that the majority of their fans are casual and just use college football Saturdays as filler until the real game (see Cowboys, Dallas) starts on Sunday. Completely different than the B1G

 

[buchtelgrad04]

They will not succeed, that is true....but killing that Texas mind-set is almost impossible.

Tell me about it. I lived in Texas for a few years. Dead honest truth, there were some people going door to door who wanted me to sign a petition to send to the White House to make Texas the new capital of the U.S.