Interview with OU president David Boren

[John Greene]

That is because the ACC consists of a bunch of members who don't want to play a significant portion of their own conference. How do you set up divisions in a conference like that?

If not wanting to play some of the schools in your conference is a common trait among ACC schools UConn is a great fit for the ACC. I don't think UConn really wants to play of any schools in our current conference.

 

[FDNY99]

This is a radio interview done on ESPN Central Texas with John Hoover who did the interview with Boren. Very good listen...gives a bit of an insight into what is going on in the B-12.
http://stationcaster.com/stations/krzi/media/mp3/John_Hoover_01_15_16-1452902403.mp3

 

[Hoophound]

This is a radio interview done on ESPN Central Texas with John Hoover who did the interview with Boren. Very good listen...gives a bit of an insight into what is going on in the B-12.
http://stationcaster.com/stations/krzi/media/mp3/John_Hoover_01_15_16-1452902403.mp3

Summary? I can't listen right now.

 

[Jimdish255]

Some of those quotes indicate there would be an immediate ultimatum from Oklahoma if the GOR penalties weren't in the way. Tired of being the Schooner with Texas navigating.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

There's no scenario in which an ACC meltdown leads top schools to go to the B12 over the B1G or SEC. If B12 wants Pitt, Syracuse, BC, and Wake Forest, they might as well take Cincy, UConn, and BYU.

There isn't. The thing the B-12 (actually B-12 members not named UT or OU) are hoping is that a) the conference remains intact until the B1G & SEC decide to expand again and b) that expansion targets ACC members.

The two schools that would help the B-12 the most (FSU & Clemson) have little value to the B1G and none to the SEC. UT and OU know they will have no problems log term regardless of what happens to their conference. The remainder of that conference survives on the hope that they will outlast the ACC (and absorb what they need to of the ACC's remnants). This no longer appears to be realistic as either UT or OU will be unhappy with the resolution of this issue.

 

[Hoophound]

The hope is that the B12 can survive to maintain their current rivalries and then get FSU and Clemson. This is one of the reasons UConn may prove a good addition. The market would be huge to the conference for a network with those schools added in. The ACC has a weak GOR from what we hear and their tv deal stinks. If the B12 can show FSU that all the pieces are in place for a big pay day if they come on over, then maybe they will. UConn and BYU would be huge in that plan and it would keep UConn out of the ACC as well, hurting their network aspirations.

One of these two conferences needs UConn for a network and will figure it out before long. It is so obvious they need markets and programming which we offer in spades. This leads me to believe that ESPN is holding us back to preserve the AAC, which is much better than expected and costs them peanuts.

 

[billybud]

I don't think that the Big 12 championship game worried the B1G or SEC.

They didn't want the ACC to have the schedule flexibility to schedule three rotating divisions (pods) of five...allowing schools to see each other more often (Bowlsby commented on the ACC and three divisions). The top two schools would play in the CCG.

This scheme also would allow Notre Dame into a division while still rotating through the conference....and that would be worrisome.

 

[FDNY99]

I don't think that the Big 12 championship game worried the B1G or SEC.

They didn't want the ACC to have the schedule flexibility to schedule three rotating divisions (pods) of five...allowing schools to see each other more often (Bowlsby commented on the ACC and three divisions). The top two schools would play in the CCG.

This scheme also would allow Notre Dame into a division while still rotating through the conference....and that would be worrisome.

This....Billy hit the nail right on the head....this is the reason Delaney made his amendment.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I wonder if in the past few days the UConn powers that be (Herbst) have reached out to our apparent allies at OU? Would be a wise move - be it as a way to keep stirring the B12 pot and/or the B1G(ger) pot...

 

[junglehusky]

I wonder if in the past few days the UConn powers that be (Herbst) have reached out to our apparent allies at OU? Would be a wise move - be it as a way to keep stirring the B12 pot and/or the B1G(ger) pot...

I'd bet they have, going back weeks/months.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

I'd bet they have, going back weeks/months.

Oh yea - agreed it has been weeks/months... I should have said it better - in terms of OU getting more frustrated with the B12 situation. Seems like now that they seem to be really, really frustrated down in Okie that there would be no better time to try to become stronger blood brothers with them.

 

[Dooley]

I think OU speaks for 9/10 of that conference even if the other 8 won't or can't say it because of political pressures. About half of the B12 is where they are because of Texas political pressure and they are reluctant to bite the hand that has fed them all of these years. But deep down, the writing is on the wall and you have to be a fool not to see it. The B12 will absolutely dissolve at some point in the next decade without further expansion, a championship game and a conference network. And there aren't many (if any) landing spots for any of the B12 members not named Texas, OU, or Kansas.

 

[jostar1]

Sorry if this was already posted. Berry Tramel wrote an article where he says that he believes that the most likely outcome is status quo.

WHAT’S THE MOST LIKELY RESULT?

The most likely result is status quo. Boren’s plan is expanding and creating a conference network, and he says one doesn’t work without the other. But creating a conference network will be difficult. For now, Big 12 schools are making big money, and the playoff-omission of 2014 is now 13 months past. Optimism has returned to some circles, if not Boren’s.

http://newsok.com/article/5472760

 

[Dooley]

This tweet struck me as odd. In addition to the records for both teams, it also lists school data (enrollment). And the stat at the very bottom seems to be relevant given all of the UConn to the B12 talk. Just struck me as odd for being included on a pre-game pump up tweet...

TCUAthletics ‏@TCU_Athletics 38s38 seconds ago
.@TCUBasketball is set to take on Kansas at 1 p.m., CT today! @Cadillac provides a breakdown of the road matchup.

 

[jostar1]

This tweet struck me as odd. In addition to the records for both teams, it also lists school data (enrollment). And the stat at the very bottom seems to be relevant given all of the UConn to the B12 talk. Just struck me as odd for being included on a pre-game pump up tweet...

TCUAthletics ‏@TCU_Athletics 38s38 seconds ago
.@TCUBasketball is set to take on Kansas at 1 p.m., CT today! @Cadillac provides a breakdown of the road matchup.

They did it on Jan 13 for Baylor, too.

They didn't show the distance on Jan 8 for Texas. So it seems like it is something new. Strange.

 

[dwalks93]

Seems pretty clear the Big10 was concerned the CCG would be used to shield teams for the playoff. Once the Big12 assured their top 2 teams would play there were limited ways the CCG could be minipulated. Due to the round robin nature of the Big12 one of the teams in the CCG has to have a loss (the 2 teams would have already played) so it not an automatic "winner in the playoff" game.

The ACC's desire was a lot more threatening to the Big10 and SEC. If the ACC could structure their conference so 2 pod winners entered the CCG undefeated then it is a "winner into the playoff" game. The lack of round Robin schedule in the acc meant the acc could try and game the system.

 

[Fishy]

You can probably put TCU and their passive-aggressive posters on the side of the No votes on expansion.

It is odd....the most recent rescued in realignment are always the most strident in trying to close the door behind them.

 

[Dooley]

They did it on Jan 13 for Baylor, too.

They didn't show the distance on Jan 8 for Texas. So it seems like it is something new. Strange.

Thanks Jo, I didn't notice it before today. It's strange indeed. The only time I've ever heard the distance between two teams mentioned before this is every ESPN telecast of Duke/UNC hoops games.

I think distance is something talked about quite a bit in inner circles of the B12. I have no idea which side TCU falls on but it is definitely strange to list the distance between the schools on a pre-game hype tweet.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

Sorry if this was already posted. Berry Tramel wrote an article where he says that he believes that the most likely outcome is status quo.

WHAT’S THE MOST LIKELY RESULT?

The most likely result is status quo. Boren’s plan is expanding and creating a conference network, and he says one doesn’t work without the other. But creating a conference network will be difficult. For now, Big 12 schools are making big money, and the playoff-omission of 2014 is now 13 months past. Optimism has returned to some circles, if not Boren’s.

http://newsok.com/article/5472760

That's problem with the B12. Texas would like status quo and we know OU wants something else. B12 will have to expand or die. I don't think there is anything in-between. All it takes is OU or Texas leaving the conference and that can happen at any time. I have no idea what rest of the B12 schools are thinking outside OU and Texas. I imagine they are like us when we were in the BE. BE was the exact same way. BE only added schools after a raid just to get to enough. BE was never proactive. BE died.

 

[Dooley]

You can probably put TCU and their passive-aggressive posters on the side of the No votes on expansion.

It is odd....the most recent rescued in realignment are always the most strident in trying to close the door behind them.

I agree. My guess is that TCU is part of the Texas political pressure mob that will bark at the orders of Texas. Looks like a passive aggressive approach of reminding their fans just how great it is that their conference mates are so close. Which, ironically, is exactly why they are so vulnerable to conference collapse.

 

[dwalks93]

The Big12 conference mates are so close...well unless there is money involved at which point Texas does whatever is in its own best self-interest.

The Big12 is run more like a mafia organization than a cooperative conference. Texas is officially the Don and it decides who gets made. In return for being "made" you pay a tribute to Texas (in this case allowing Texas to pocket all the Longhorn network) and you vote the way Texas tells you. If a team (think Texas A & M, Nebraska, or Missouri) does not like the "Texas first" approach they can leave and Texas will select a new Capo to support them.

There is a reason why Oklahoma does not want another Texas team (besides the obvious lack of diversity in TV markets)...UT runs Texas in the Big12...all the other teams in Texas are expected to support UT's wishes.

 

[huskypantz]

They did it on Jan 13 for Baylor, too.

They didn't show the distance on Jan 8 for Texas. So it seems like it is something new. Strange.

Kansas and Baylor had the exact same enrollment, down to the student. They obviously put a lot of time into these releases.

 

[Kolumbo]

UCONN should have put the same type of propaganda out when it visited Texas, including Texas's enrollment of 51k or whatever it is, and the following:
4 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS separate UCONN and Texas.
Ouch. Better save it for when UCONN visits TCU.

 

[IMind]

Thanks Jo, I didn't notice it before today. It's strange indeed. The only time I've ever heard the distance between two teams mentioned before this is every ESPN telecast of Duke/UNC hoops games.

I think distance is something talked about quite a bit in inner circles of the B12. I have no idea which side TCU falls on but it is definitely strange to list the distance between the schools on a pre-game hype tweet.

UMass and UConn got metioned when we played them in basketball... but that's about it.