Commentary Thread for Premium Top-Shelf Tweets

[djct1999]

I'm not sure support of Houston is tied to killing expansion. A month ago I was afraid it might be, but today I'm not so sure. The buzz today is that it's mostly lip service and the appearance of due diligence.

But never underestimate Texas hubris.

This isn't as much about pride as it is greed. UT would leave UH on the side of the road bleeding a slow death if it meant something better for UT.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

They are not wrong, but they have no more inside information than we do.

This kind of thing is also over the head of most of the voices you hear coming out of the XII.

I also think UH isn't happening at 12. That doesn't get a GOR done.

What they do have is a real understanding of how businesses work, access to factual information on all parties and the ability to apply that information into legitimate models that can provide defendable projections.

 

[CL82]

2 things I don't see..GOR extension and not expanding by more than 4. I can't see UT signing a GOR extension what-so-ever and unless Houston gets in they will get the Texas schools to vote down any and all candidates. I think no expansion is more likely than 4.

I don't see a GOR extension unless FOX and ESPN pay a premium for it... So pretty close to no shot of that happening. I believe the Big 12 only had the escalator clause for up to 4, so there is zero chance of going higher than that. The Big 12 doesn't need FOX and ESPN's permission to expand so they don't have to incentivize them. They could decide that they don't want to alienate them, but ESPN already spit in their face by turning down the Big 12 for a network and then very publicly agreeing to give one to the ACC. ESPN has tipped their hand that they will support their "house band" over the Big 12. There is no point in not maximizing the B12's immediate return.

 

[Charley Horse]

So basically you are saying if they seem to support UH then they get their Houston Campus even if Houston doesn't get in...ie: "We did all we could do and tried our hardest"
What's your take on Carlton and Bohls? One seems to reluctantly admit UConn is in the mix (Carlton)..the other seems to have come around and said that UConn is a legit candidate (Bohls)

A month ago the UH to the Big 12 in exchange for UH's dropped opposition to Texas' Houston expansion seemed like an amicable quid-pro-quo deal. Today, not so much. It looks like Texas will have opposition to that campus from Houston-based state legislators no matter what. I'm thinking now it was just to appease the governor.

I'm not a big fan of either Carlton or Bohls and I doubt either one is really plugged in. And I'm not plugged in either. Nobody is. I'm not sure Fenves even confides in Perrin.

But I do know Texas has historically preferred to associate with "peer" universities. In other words, large, public, state flagships who value education. That should bode well for UConn. Who else has those qualities?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

But he did say if he was handicapping it right now Houston was 1 and UConn was 2. It's BYU that they really don't find passes the smell test.

He did say that, although most of the commentary was lukewarm on Houston, at best.

I am not worried about Houston. If the TV networks were against adding 4, they will be against adding 2 if one of them is Houston. Houston brings nothing to the table other than a pretty good football team, right now. If the Big 12 can not get a meaningful beachhead in Houston with Texas, Texas Tech, TCU and Baylor, Houston will not tip the scale.

 

[Charley Horse]

This isn't as much about pride as it is greed. UT would leave UH on the side of the road bleeding a slow death if it meant something better for UT.

That is very true.

But if Texas imagines for one instant that somebody like Iowa State or Oklahoma State is trying to tell them what to do, then UH could very well become the bloody battlefield expansion dies on.

 

[FDNY99]

A month ago the UH to the Big 12 in exchange for UH's dropped opposition to Texas' Houston expansion seemed like an amicable quid-pro-quo deal. Today, not so much. It looks like Texas will have opposition to that campus from Houston-based state legislators no matter what. I'm thinking now it was just to appease the governor.

I'm not a big fan of either Carlton or Bohls and I doubt either one is really plugged in. And I'm not plugged in either. Nobody is. I'm not sure Fenves even confides in Perrin.

But I do know Texas has historically preferred to associate with "peer" universities. In other words, large, public, state flagships who value education. That should bode well for UConn. Who else has those qualities?

Thats the ONLY "University of_____" in the conversation. Thanks for the info on UH, Bohls & Carlton

 

[FDNY99]

He did say that, although most of the commentary was lukewarm on Houston, at best.

I am not worried about Houston. If the TV networks were against adding 4, they will be against adding 2 if one of them is Houston. Houston brings nothing to the table other than a pretty good football team, right now. If the Big 12 can not get a meaningful beachhead in Houston with Texas, Texas Tech, TCU and Baylor, Houston will not tip the scale.

The last QB to lead the Longhorns to a national title was from Houston. When UT is relevant there isn't an issue. If Strong can't get it done...IMHO Herman will be working in Austin

 

[djct1999]

That is very true.

But if Texas imagines for one instant that somebody like Iowa State or Oklahoma State is trying to tell them what to do, then UH could very well become the bloody battlefield expansion dies on.

Absolutely. It is this reason alone that I feel Texas made their UH "courtship" so public so early. Anytime UT doesn't get what it wants, UH gets thrown at the remaining Big12.

 

[SubbaBub]

From my vantage point, I'm hearing that Texas will:
not sign a GOR
will half-assedly push for UofH and
will kill expansion if annoyed

Just reporting. Not defending. Thought you might want to know.

This seems consistent with the desires of UT, their satisfaction with the status quo and the what's in it for us reputation that they have gained over the years.

The counter would be that no other conference qould really take them and cede to their attitude and that they would not dominate they way they are accustomed (good luck convincing them of that). Then you dangle enough money in their face, let them keep their diva spot in the conference, let then have their Houston campus and maybe you can get them to sign off on it.

Maybe OU says, we're out of here if you don't. UT would have to cede something if they did, but I dont think anyone has or will overtly threaten to leave at this point, it's just the elephant in the room.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I like to see that. Most of the twitter and forum fanboys think BYU is a slam-dunk. They forget the key rule, think like a University President, not a fan or an AD or a sportswriter. When you do that, BYU starts losing ground quickly. It had warts even before the Honor Code came up.

The only problem is if we're thinking like a university president (a good thing to keep in mind as we discuss this) UH has loads of warts as well. Non-Texas schools may not want a fifth school in TX, their academic profile is very poor, and doesn't expand the league into a new market for potential students - not simply TV viewers. I think the UH-UConn combo, unless UT is exerted immense pressure to get UH in, is very unlikely.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

We have a fine example from the ACC however of how university presidents operate when it coms to sports. Most university presidents don't have a clue about this stuff, and they are easily convinced. Duke and Virginia's pres's were convinced about Louisville, etc.

Replace with "coerced," "threatened," or "bullied."

 

[Marty Jackson]

I like to see that. Most of the twitter and forum fanboys think BYU is a slam-dunk. They forget the key rule, think like a University President, not a fan or an AD or a sportswriter. When you do that, BYU starts losing ground quickly. It had warts even before the Honor Code came up.

exactly... If BYU were P5 worthy, it would be there already.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I like to see that. Most of the twitter and forum fanboys think BYU is a slam-dunk. They forget the key rule, think like a University President, not a fan or an AD or a sportswriter. When you do that, BYU starts losing ground quickly. It had warts even before the Honor Code came up.

BYU's issues have always been related to their affiliation with the LDS church and the accompanied regressive social policies. By the numbers, BYU is a P5 school all day. Well-rounded athletic program, huge national fanbase, strong academics, tons of notable alumni. The pieces are all there.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Thats the ONLY "University of_____" in the conversation. Thanks for the info on UH, Bohls & Carlton

University of (enter state name)... University of Memphis and University of Cincinnati do exist.

 

[MattMang23]

University of (enter state name)... University of Memphis and University of Cincinnati do exist.

But they aren't names of states.

 

[CL82]

So do we know who's on the list?

 

[Penfield]

So do we know who's on the list?

I am still not really sure what they mean by this - is the list going to be public, sent to expansion schools, or just sent to Big 12 presidents?

 

[FDNY99]

So do we know who's on the list?

One thing you gotta love is that with non-disclosure agreements supposedly signed..UC continues to strut like a peacock spouting off left and right. So much for NDA's..LMFAO

 

[huskymedic]

Jed DeMuesy ‏@Local12Jed 17h17 hours ago
Source: Today (Monday) the Big 12 will announce they have narrowed down their list of teams they're considering. UC will be on the list.

Matt Schonvisky ‏@MattSchonvisky 13m13 minutes ago
Thanks to @Local12Jed for talking Big 12 Expansion & UC football. Report of Big 12 releasing list today came directly from UC administration

I am still not really sure what they mean by this - is the list going to be public, sent to expansion schools, or just sent to Big 12 presidents?

Agreed - Announcing they have narrowed down their list of teams they're considering and releasing a list are two separate things in my simple mind... but again, it is the Big12.

 

[CL82]

I would fully expect this to be a narrowing of the list from 20 interested to half dozen or so who were the realistic candidates.

 

[huskymedic]

LOL...

Yes, it's a joke and not from the Big12 Conference for non-Twitter folks.

 

[MattMang23]

Ironically I was thinking earlier just how much like a football recruitment this has sounded like.

 

[upstater]

Ironically I was thinking earlier just how much like a football recruitment this has sounded like.

This is what I want: the B12 schools and all the presidents to sit at a podium. They try the lame-o hat trick where they invite some schools, say UCF, USF, Tulane and Memphis, and then they quickly rip the hats off and replace them with Houston, BYU, Cincy and UConn. At that point, Bowlsby hands out a B12 hat to all the presidents, and just as the proceedings are about to end, the presidents of Oklahoma and Texas throw away their B12 hats and proudly wear Pac12 hats.

 

[huskymedic]

Jed DeMuesy ‏@Local12Jed 17h17 hours ago
Source: Today (Monday) the Big 12 will announce they have narrowed down their list of teams they're considering. UC will be on the list.

Jed DeMuesy@Local12Jed 42 mins ago
Doesn't look like that Big 12 info will be released publicly today, or tomorrow for that matter. Info I got was wrong, I was wrong.

Jed DeMuesy@Local12Jed 41 mins ago
Has Big 12 had conversations with schools independently letting them know they're still in the running? I'm not speculating on that.

So much for that... at least he was man enough to correct.