Documents show Big 12 flirting with Houston, Memphis, others

[UCFBfan]

The deafening silence out of Storrs is killing me like everyone else but I trust our Athetic Department and President. A program can't regain its dignity once it is lost and no one respects desperation. UConn has shown a lot of discipline and composure the past couple weeks. If we get in a P5 conference it be like an ice water shooter knocking down a winning 3 point shot and walking off the court without saying a word....dead eye

The silence would be even harder to experience if we hadn't already gone through this once before. Herbst has been through this "last possible life boat" scenario before with the Louisville incident. I'm hoping she has learned how to handle and go about this and I have complete faith that she has. The fact that we aren't pounding our chests about our accomplishments or on our knees begging for acceptance tells me (I hope) that we know how to handle this and that we've already had things in motion for awhile on many fronts. I can only keep that thought in my mind to help.

If our President hadn't gone through this already, I may have more fears. The fact she has, makes me feel like she knows what she's doing and if being silent is the answer, then I have faith in that.

 

[djct1999]

There's so little actual information going on record from credible sources that sports enthusiasts are digging up every morsel they can find, embellishing those tidbits with credibility they don't deserve and then broadcasting their extrapolations as the gospel truth for the info-hungry hoards to devour.

So Gordon Gee interacted with a few schools and sent them pleasant, complimentary, non-committal replies?

I wouldn't read too much into that.

I doubt he will have a whole lot of input.

If OU can rock Texas' complacency enough to move forward on expansion, both OU and Texas will try to be the one to pick the expansion teams.

OU will probably be for BYU and Cincinnati because they're both safe, sensible picks.

Having dealt with the likes of Baylor, TCU and SMU for a century, Texas will throw up in its mouth at the thought of another church school. Especially one that doesn't play baseball on Sundays.

Texas will likely champion UConn and UCF to expand the Big 12 footprint into more homes and because of academics.

Heads will butt, the other eight schools will intercede and in the end Texas and OU will compromise by bringing on Cincinnati and UConn.

That's how I see it most likely playing out.

UConn is no compromise. If the end goal is securing a network and long term stability, UConn with its pedigree, DMA, and reach from NYC to Boston is really the only solution. Comparing UConn to Cincy in many cases is like comparing Texas to Texas Tech.

 

[djct1999]

This is the root of the problem, though. No need for Texas to give up it's cushy LHN spot. Might take a season where Texas is close to football playoffs but misses because somebody jumps them due to lack of championship game.

The LHN clearly has a shelf life. UT is simply posturing itself to receive the maximum payout possible. They already know their future will look nothing like their present so everything they do and say over the next few months revolves around the largest buyout possible.

 

[Charley Horse]

UConn is no compromise. If the end goal is securing a network and long term stability, UConn with its pedigree, DMA, and reach from NYC to Boston is really the only solution. Comparing UConn to Cincy in many cases is like comparing Texas to Texas Tech.

Exactly. I agree wholeheartedly. My post was not intended to make light of UConn's value in any way. I recognize UConn as the best choice for the Big 12.

The compromise I envision is between what Texas values and what OU values and thus I can see the Big 12 choosing one school that meets OU's criteria and has OU's blessing (Cincinnati) and one school that meets Texas' criteria and has Texas' blessing (UConn).

 

[HuskyHawk]

Exactly. I agree wholeheartedly. My post was not intended to make light of UConn's value in any way. I recognize UConn as the best choice for the Big 12.

The compromise I envision is between what Texas values and what OU values and thus I can see the Big 12 choosing one school that meets OU's criteria and has OU's blessing (Cincinnati) and one school that meets Texas' criteria and has Texas' blessing (UConn).

I'm not even willing to assume that OU opposes UConn. Boren's been pushing greater exposure for his university from an academic recruitment perspective from the beginning. UConn and Cinci are both helpful in that regard, BYU, not so much. There were reports that KU strongly favors UConn for both academic and basketball purposes. I honestly think it's the schools who will have a harder time recruiting students from New England that may not want UConn (OSU, TT, KState, TCU).

Maybe I should talk to some of my Kansas friends and see what they know.

 

[jibsey]

From Susan Herbst's letter dated December 12, 2012:

"I realize that this is aggravating to hear, but as in all things, we can only affect what is in our control. As a result, we strive for excellence at UConn daily across all departments, something very much in our control. We stand tall at UConn and we need not beg, plead, nor despair. That is not who we are, and my reading of our university history -- from 1881 to today -- conveys the pride of every generation, in good times and bad."

Maybe we don't need to beg, plead, or despair but I don't want to see Memphis, Cincy or other team that's out, going into a power 5 without us going in too. Should it occur, "that I do not forgive."