Key tweets, and it's all gone to Hell.

[jostar1]

Hunter Yurachek ‏@HunterYurachek · 30m30 minutes ago

 

[jostar1]

Tom Schad ‏@Tom_Schad · 3h3 hours ago
Here's a statement from Memphis athletic director Tom Bowen, a day after the news on Big 12 expansion:

Dan Wolken ‏@DanWolken · 1h1 hour ago
Three words I do not see in this statement: American Athletic Conference

 

[uconnphil2016]

Why isn't anyone mentioning Cincy losing President Santa Ono? Got to think that's a big deal...

 

[jostar1]

Mike Finger ‏@mikefinger · 37m37 minutes ago
Texas' expansion decision: Is it time to bend again?
UT’s decision: Is it time to bend again?

From the story:

Now, with the rest of its Big 12 brethren overcome with expansion fever, UT faces a similar question about whether or not budging is worth it. To be clear, no one officially voted to add teams to the conference this week. Instead, the unanimous vote by the league’s board of directors — comprised of presidents and chancellors — was to authorize commissioner Bob Bowlsby to contact potential candidates.

This might sound like semantics, but the difference between agreeing to explore expansion and agreeing to actually expand is huge. Texas president Greg Fenves, chancellor Bill McRaven and athletic director Mike Perrin have agreed to the former. But they’ll still need some additional persuading to go all the way.

UT officials have said all along they’re not opposed to expansion, but will consider it only if they can be convinced a worthy candidate can be added. Wednesday, Fenves repeated that sentiment in a statement to the Express-News.

“I’m open to expansion if the proposal is a strong one,” Fenves said. “The conference is actively evaluating the possibilities.”

So if the Longhorns can find as few as two like-minded partners within the league, they will be able to block candidates they don’t want (just like any other member can). They might decide to go along with the popular choice. They might not.

UT sources indicated Wednesday that while administrators didn’t undergo a change of heart about expansion this week, they went from “open and skeptical” to “open and less skeptical.” For those pushing for expansion, that might be enough.

 

[shizzle787]

Why isn't anyone mentioning Cincy losing President Santa Ono? Got to think that's a big deal...

Probably not. I am sure he had some sort of relationship with some of the Big 12 people, but they aren't looking at him as a candidate, they are looking at Cincinnati, with or without him.

 

[jostar1]

Why isn't anyone mentioning Cincy losing President Santa Ono? Got to think that's a big deal...

A poster on Landthieves mentioned that. And they also said that the Kansas State President who left hurts UConn because we had a relationship with him. He's the one who had dinner with Herbst after a women's basketball game.

 

[uconnphil2016]

Probably not. I am sure he had some sort of relationship with some of the Big 12 people, but they aren't looking at him as a candidate, they are looking at Cincinnati, with or without him.

Of course they're looking at Cincinatti as a school/program, but there's no doubt that losing your president has a negative impact, however minimal. Pretty sure Bowlsby cited strong and competent administration in his wish list for expansion candidates.

 

[shizzle787]

Of course they're looking at Cincinatti as a school/program, but there's no doubt that losing your president has a negative impact, however minimal. Pretty sure Bowlsby cited strong and competent administration in his wish list for expansion candidates.

I guess it depends on who they hired then.

 

[Charley Horse]

Sounds to me like Burton and Finger have been talking to Texas AD Mike Perrin who was probably just as caught off guard by the board's unanimous decision as everybody else and is just trying to project some semblance of control. Why else would anybody make such GOR assertions when it isn't even an issue at the moment?

Don't forget Perrin's a lame duck.

President Gregory Fenves makes the decisions and he makes them unilaterally, as his "I'm open to expansion if the proposal is a strong one..." statement implies.

My guess is that the Big 12 invites Houston, Cincy, UCF and... UConn. And if Fenves wants to sign a GOR extension he will.

 

[shizzle787]

Sounds to me like Burton and Finger have been talking to Texas AD Mike Perrin who was probably just as caught off guard by the board's unanimous decision as everybody else and is just trying to project some semblance of control. Why else would anybody bring up the GOR which isn't even an issue at the moment?

Don't forget Perrin's a lame duck.

President Gregory Fenves makes the decisions and he makes them unilaterally, as his "I'm open to expansion if the proposal is a strong one..." statement implies.

My guess is that the Big 12 invites Houston, Cincy, UCF and... UConn. And if Fenves wants to sign a GOR extension he will.

Hmm, I have Memphis, Cincy, UCF, and Uconn. I don't think Houston is needed if they want a TV network.

 

[Charley Horse]

Hmm, I have Memphis, Cincy, UCF, and Uconn. I don't think Houston is needed if they want a TV network.

Memphis is academically terrible and NCAA infractions have tainted their modicum of success.

Meanwhile UofH has been gaining a lot of traction. I think some see UofH as a possible replacement for Baylor if they do one more thing scandalous.

 

[shizzle787]

Memphis is academically terrible and NCAA infractions have tainted their modicum of success.

Meanwhile UofH has been gaining a lot of traction. I think some see UofH as a possible replacement for Baylor if they do one more thing scandalous.

I think Memphis are a better fit except for TV, which I believe is driving this. Personally, I'd rather have Houston than Memphis, but the Houston market is redundant in the Big 12.

 

[shizzle787]

I think Memphis are a better fit except for TV, which I believe is driving this. Personally, I'd rather have Houston than Memphis, but the Houston market is redundant in the Big 12.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Houston land in the Pac-12 eventually.

 

[jostar1]

Ed Daigneault ‏@EdDaigneault · 7h7 hours ago
UConn source says there's not much more it can do to lobby Big 12. "They know us, they know Memphis, they know Houston."

Ed Daigneault ‏@EdDaigneault · 7h7 hours ago
Source says one thing can be done: people can buy football tickets and then show up to games. Catch-22 for the Huskies.

Brian A ‏@BriUConn · 7h7 hours ago
@EdDaigneault they need to be doing more than say theres not much more it can do,need to call everyone they can be aggressive, not public

Ed Daigneault‏@EdDaigneault
@Briuconn They are. There are phone calls to be made that are being made. This is the one thing UConn fans assume was never done. Wrong.

Ed Daigneault ‏@EdDaigneault · 7h7 hours ago
@mikeyWhale34 Yes, my mistake. Should have said "many." Thank you.

Ed Daigneault ‏@EdDaigneault · 2h2 hours ago
"Unranked" seems like a bad category to occupy.

Scott Powers‏@powers15
.@Big12 says academics count. US News-World Report: UConn No. 57; BYU 66; Col St 127; Cin 140; USF 156; UCF 168; Hou 187; Mem (unranked).

 

[junglehusky]

How could things work? The pro rata amount this year was reportedly $23 million. An industry source indicated that the Big 12 might start new members at somewhere between $5 million to $7 million, still more than in their current conferences.

Assume four members getting $6 million each initially. That would leave $72 million to be divided among the 10 current full members. That's real money guaranteed to get the attention of any college president crunching budget numbers.

 

[UCFBfan]

I just love how Memphis and UH have ONE magical football season and now they are THE school to take in CR. So if Diaco pulls us around this season and we somehow go 9-3 or 10-2, will we be THE school to have?!?

It is just mind numbing how short sighted many of these people are......

 

[Marty Jackson]

Equally matched by your readiness to pounce on ND posts on this site.

Notre dame, Notre dame, Notre dame

 

[junglehusky]

Berry Tramel is hooked into OU, so this take likely reflects the thinking of Boren and/or other OU administrators.

 

[FDNY99]

Berry Tramel is hooked into OU, so this take likely reflects the thinking of Boren and/or other OU administrators.

Tramel is one of the few if not the only B-12 beat guy who has been a UConn supporter.

 

[amory]

I just love how Memphis and UH have ONE magical football season and now they are THE school to take in CR. So if Diaco pulls us around this season and we somehow go 9-3 or 10-2, will we be THE school to have?!?

It is just mind numbing how short sighted many of these people are.

No, if UConn had a great season it'd be seen as a fluke. It's a north vs south thing. Rednecks still pretty much hate us for the Civil War... wish I were kidding

 

[junglehusky]

Nothing particularly new, but David Teel says Notre Dame will likely not join as a full ACC member before 2025 unless they are excluded from the CFP.

 

[Charley Horse]

No, if UConn had a great season it'd be seen as a fluke. It's a north vs south thing. Rednecks still pretty much hate us for the Civil War... wish I were kidding

<sarcasm> Yup. We kin excuse Kansas and Iowa and West Virginia fer fightin again state rights, but if the entire whoppin state of Connectycut hadn't jumped on the yankee bandwagen, we'd still be sippin mint julips on the porch of antebellum mansion instead of electrocutin' ourselves stealin cable for our double wide.</sarsasm>

You, sir, are a silly person.

 

[jostar1]

Dennis Dodd ‏@dennisdoddcbs · 40m40 minutes ago
AM RT: Why the @Big12Conference flipped and ranking the expansion candidates: 1, BYU; 2, UConn …

Dave R. ‏@CT_Goonie · 34m34 minutes ago
@dennisdoddcbs do you think this might spark some action by the ACC to take Uconn before it's too late?

Dennis Dodd‏@dennisdoddcbs
@CT_Goonie Too late for what? I think I just saw ACC lock up Notre Dame (and everyone else) for the next 20 years. Why does it need UConn?

Dave R. ‏@CT_Goonie · 25m25 minutes ago
@dennisdoddcbs ACC network will not get same carriage fees as B1G in NYC. They could use more easy coast markets no?

Dennis Dodd ‏@dennisdoddcbs · 23m23 minutes ago
@CT_Goonie Actually, no one gets the carriage fees of the B1G Net. Don’t know if you’ve noticed but UConn is front and center for the B12.

 

[sub legacy]

I just love how Memphis and UH have ONE magical football season and now they are THE school to take in CR. So if Diaco pulls us around this season and we somehow go 9-3 or 10-2, will we be THE school to have?!?

It is just mind numbing how short sighted many of these people are.

Absolutely agreed. If they take Memphis, all I gotta say is good luck with that. They're coach and quarterback just left, and the minute they have a bad season again, everyone will be wondering why they're there and what value they bring to the conference. At least UConn has men's and women's basketball to fall back on in terms of brand and value.

 

[jostar1]

Saw this on the Cincy board:

Big 12 commish is on Mike and Mike this morning. If anyone is able to listen and recap for the rest of us it owuld be appreciated.

I didn't hear the whole thing. They started by talking about the popularity of college football and future rule changes. Expansion was sandwiched between these topics and the Baylor scandal. Pretty much more of the same - the conference likes its current setup of round robin and currently enjoys its size and is competitive but hasn't won a football or basketball championship in a while. Also acknowledged that they don't have a network and have the LHN. At this point, it's a matter of deciding two or four and the best fit based on athletics, market size, etc. He did acknowledge that geography isn't as important now as it was previously and the conference was more concerned about the "electric" footprint instead with televisions and viewership.