How many yes votes do you think we have so far?

[FDNY99]

Iowa State is a NO.

As for Chip Brown's whispers, he says Memphis is in.

Chip Brown's UT insider info left with DeLoss Doss and his administration. He is the last guy I would believe on any of this. This was the prevailing sentiment from UT fans on CSNBBS and on Land Thieves.

 

[FDNY99]

There a few supposedly connected saying they are the 4th. Wouldn't surprise me, they have a strong recruiting area, better proximity to B12, larger football stadium and the supposed Fed Ex connection and $$.

Here is what I say about the Fed-Ex $$...Memphis made those promises when begging to get into the BE/AAC. Look at how those turned out. Fred Smith gives them so much $$ that their fan base was doing cartwheels when Pastner left for GT because they couldn't afford to buy him out.

 

[dr.holiday]

Was in Lawrence, and according to people in the KU AD, Big 12 schools have not voted on any schools yet. I would be surprised if Memphis is a realistic candidate, their academics are terrible.

 

[JSM1970]

So are Louisville's, Cincy's and Houston's and West Virginia's

Was in Lawrence, and according to people in the KU AD, Big 12 schools have not voted on any schools yet. I would be surprised if Memphis is a realistic candidate, their academics are terrible.

 

[TRest]

I think we're clearly a better program overall than Memphis, and the B12 knows that, too, but the problem is, this isn't in a vacuum of Pure Value. Geography may not be the factor, but it's certainly a factor. If you're not going football-only, that's a lot of lacrosse flights to Storrs, and it all adds up and turns into a scheduling headache.

Plus, the idea that FedEx doesn't matter is silly. Could Nike technically fund Oregon? Of course not. But Phil Knight could and did. T. Boone Pickens certainly helped Okie State. Wealthy donors can be a huge boon to a program and if you're on the fence about two programs, you might think, well, gosh, this FedEx guy could maybe turn Memphis into a Okie St Lite.

Again, I think objectively, we're the better program, but the geography and recent lack of football success could really be enormous dealbreakers for us at the moment, and tearing down Memphis as such a ridiculous pick seems naive to me.

My problem with Fred Smith (?) as some sort of super booster is that he will only step up if Memphis is in a BCS/P5 conference. Otherwise he doesn't really care that much? What kind of super booster is on the sidelines the last 20 years?

 

[ConnHuskBask]

My problem with Fred Smith (?) as some sort of super booster is that he will only step up if Memphis is in a BCS/P5 conference. Otherwise he doesn't really care that much? What kind of super booster is on the sidelines the last 20 years?

It's the same exact bs we read for a decade when they were attempting to get into the real Big East. Also known as the best Basketball league of all time, which is in Memphis' wheelhouse.

If they didn't step up then, how can anyone reasonably assume they are going to step up now.

I'm like beside myself that these teams were emergency adds to the Big East after the raid of WV, Pitt, Cuse, Rutgers and Louisville and in two seasons have sone how seemingly erased decades of futility and passed us overnight.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I would be surprised if Memphis is a realistic candidate, their academics are terrible.

True, their academic rep is so bad that ny comparison Cougar High looks like Cougar Community College

 

[dr.holiday]

So are Louisville's, Cincy's and Houston's and West Virginia's

Cincinnati is actually a pretty good research university. They also have an endowment of 1 billion.

 

[CL82]

Iowa State is a NO.

As for Chip Brown's whispers, he says Memphis is in.

Why is Iowa St. a no? They aren't still bitter over the mascot thing, are they?

 

[upstater]

Why is Iowa St. a no? They aren't still bitter over the mascot thing, are they?

Twice their president has highlighted the geography issue for Olympic sports, and once he specifically mentioned UConn.

 

[uchusky32]

-2, the B12 allows BC and Fl St to cast votes.

 

[Dooley]

Rule 1

It's truly amazing that CR Rule 1 applies each and every time. Every time - new metric. This round's new metric: corporate bribe money. Unreal.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I think we're clearly a better program overall than Memphis, and the B12 knows that, too, but the problem is, this isn't in a vacuum of Pure Value. Geography may not be the factor, but it's certainly a factor. If you're not going football-only, that's a lot of lacrosse flights to Storrs, and it all adds up and turns into a scheduling headache.

Plus, the idea that FedEx doesn't matter is silly. Could Nike technically fund Oregon? Of course not. But Phil Knight could and did. T. Boone Pickens certainly helped Okie State. Wealthy donors can be a huge boon to a program and if you're on the fence about two programs, you might think, well, gosh, this FedEx guy could maybe turn Memphis into a Okie St Lite.

Again, I think objectively, we're the better program, but the geography and recent lack of football success could really be enormous dealbreakers for us at the moment, and tearing down Memphis as such a ridiculous pick seems naive to me.

Let's get a few things straight about travel. The Big 12 doesn't even sponsor lacrosse, so there are, in fact, no lacrosse flights to Storrs from Big 12 country. In fact, let's get specific about which sports would end up in the Big 12.

Football - One game most weeks is manageable to almost anywhere.
MBB/WBB - A fair amount of travel, but these are revenue sports and the travel isn't much worse than in the American already. Any Big 12 team would be traveling to UConn for basketball maybe once a year.
Baseball - Already a ton of baseball travel as it is, largely mitigated by the fact that they play 3 games series most of the time.
X-Country - travels a handful of times a year to a few large meets. Travel is largely unaffected.
Golf - travels to a few tournaments all around the country as it is. Travel is largely unaffected.
Rowing - travels to a few races a year. Travel is largely unaffected.
Tennis - travels around the country as it is. Our team spent a week in California last year.
Women's soccer - This one might be a little annoying, but again, you're still talking about 1 trip a year.
Volleyball - already travels to Big 12 country regularly. Again, it might be one trip a year for visitors.

We have easy access to a mid-sized international airport. There is no reason for travel to prevent the Big 12 from picking the best academic, athletic, and financial option for themselves.

 

[JSM1970]

They are but their undergrad is lousy, and aren't those the ones the athletics apply to

Cincinnati is actually a pretty good research university. They also have an endowment of 1 billion.

 

[Dooley]

Iowa St is AAU. In other words, academics matter. I have them as a 'Yes'. But my opinion counts as much as much as a flaming bag of poop.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Twice their president has highlighted the geography issue for Olympic sports, and once he specifically mentioned UConn.

Well the good news is that ISU (maybe TTU) may be the least important school in the conference, so the fact that they mentioned us means that someone more important has pushed for us.

 

[CL82]

Twice their president has highlighted the geography issue for Olympic sports, and once he specifically mentioned UConn.

What? It's 1200 miles, just a walk in the park Kazansky.

I think it is managable. Track and field/cross country occur at a single location with multiple schools. They might end up at UConn once ever 10 years? Same with swimming/diving and gymnastics. Football, men's and woman's basketball, soccer and baseball (which Iowa State doesn't offer, but they do have woman's volley ball.) So really you talking about travel only when you are playing nationally recognized teams (Basketball and soccer). Not a bad trade off.

 

[CL82]

Iowa St is AAU. In other words, academics matter. I have them as a 'Yes'. But my opinion counts as much as much as a flaming bag of poop.

We, of course, are not, so there's that.

 

[UConn Dan]

I think we have 6 right now.

I think we can flip TCU with the Del Conte connection if forced hard enough, and then maybe Baylor comes along for 8. I don't think Texas wants to travel far, and NYC market probably doesn't appeal for them (I think NYC market appeal has a greater impact on WVU, the Kansases, Iowa State and the Oklahomas) . Although Iowa State has previously mentioned travel as a concern, I think they are more concerned about adding another Texas school and I think academics do matter to them.

I think if it's 2 schools and they focus east (as they should), UConn and Cinci are the adds. If the focus on brands alone, it has to be UConn and BYU. But the politics and the geography thing, I just don't see how we get in unless they add 4.

#PrayFor4
#RuleNo.1
#NutKickComing

Texas-no
Texas Tech-no
TCU-no
Baylor-no
Iowa State-yes
Oklahoma-yes
Oklahoma St-yes
Kansas-yes
Kansas St.-yes
WVU-yes

 

[Excalibur]

Five:

Texas-no
Texas Tech-no
TCU-no
Baylor-no
Iowa State-no
Oklahoma-yes
Oklahoma St-yes
Kansas-yes
Kansas St.-yes
WVU-yes

Ultimately I think ISU falls in line. The problem is that I think we only have two "strong" supporters (WVU and OK), so I fear that they may trade their support for us for something else they want . . .

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I think TCU is a yes, Iowa State is a no. Still at 6.

Our problem may be that we are no school's #1 choice.

 

[Exit 4]

Five:

Texas-no
Texas Tech-no
TCU-no
Baylor-no
Iowa State-no
Oklahoma-yes
Oklahoma St-yes
Kansas-yes
Kansas St.-yes
WVU-yes

Ultimately I think ISU falls in line. The problem is that I think we only have two "strong" supporters (WVU and OK), so I fear that they may trade their support for us for something else they want . . .

Yes, but hopefully and its the only way, the TX schools will trade their votes for something else too - UH.

At the end of the day, this is about being a good partner to FOX and FOX will want some combination of Cincy/UConn/BYU/and one of UH/directional FL/UM/Temple or Tulane. FOX has to scare them straight.

 

[VAHuskyFan]

It's truly amazing that CR Rule 1 applies each and every time. Every time - new metric. This round's new metric: corporate bribe money. Unreal.

The FedEx bribe talk is so ridiculous. The bribe amounts to "nothing" more or less.

They're a publicly-traded company; they are not going to commit to paying above-market for anything. They can only offer promises with essentially no economic value.

It's like me offering to "contribute" $100M to the U.S. Mint by ordering 100 million dollar bills. Doesn't move the needle.

If FedEx execs were offering to donate millions from their private holdings, that would be one thing. But they're not. This is an obvious PR con job.

 

[MattMang23]

Was in Lawrence, and according to people in the KU AD, Big 12 schools have not voted on any schools yet.

Probably not officially until they have a consensus on who's being invited. But I would be utterly shocked if preliminary votes haven't been taken to gauge where people are at. You can't really bargain and negotiate things if you don't have an idea where the other side stands on an issue to begin with.

 

[amory]

Probably not officially until they have a consensus on who's being invited. But I would be utterly shocked if preliminary votes haven't been taken to gauge where people are at. You can't really bargain and negotiate things if you don't have an idea where the other side stands on an issue to begin with.

This. They're only going to "officially" vote when they know what the outcome is going to be.