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

[CallMeBruce]

Don't click that article. It's literally the worst-written mess I've ever seen. Clay Travis is dumber than a box of hammers, and he did absolutely no research for that piece.

 

[upstater]

Hey look another media member against B12 expansion... and who also thinks UConn is probably not in the top 2 anyway:

This Clay Travis guy is the biggest loser of them all. It is hard to believe that anyone can top the pile, but he is the worst.

 

[Adios]

Aresco absolutely wants UConn to stay in the AAC. UConn gives the AAC significance. It is arguably the most athletically prestigious program in G5. Aresco's current $Million salary depends on keeping the AAC relevant.

He can easily find a job elsewhere. He's very well connected. I am aware of UConn being a or the lynchpin member of the AAC. With the goofiness exhibited in college realignment, wouldn't be surprised if we are still in the AAC for this purpose.

 

[upstater]

From a guy that listened to Chip Brown on a radio show this morning (not encouraging for UConn unless ESPN steps to the plate): "I was just listening to College Sports Nation on XM 84 and the guest was Chip Brown from HornsDigest.com talking about Texas and the Big 12 expansion. A few interesting points came out of the discussion.

The Longhorn Network deal that runs 20 years at 290 million is heavily back loaded with much bigger payouts for Texas the last few years of the deal. This year Texas received only 9 million.

Texas wouldn’t consider folding the LHN into a conference network unless they were paid in full for the negotiated contract. He said the reason the LHN was created was to keep Texas in the Big12 and short of leaving the conference Texas doesn’t see a reason to not get paid.

Texas is for expansion but their position is unless the right schools are added its dilution not expansion.

Texas feels schools like UConn and Cincinnati don’t move the needle for the conference.

He mentioned contacting Arizona and Arizona State to see if they would consider moving away from their TV deal with the PAC12 for something better in the Big 12, or the possibility of Clemson and FSU deciding they are tired of playing football in a basketball conference and would want to step up.

He felt like if Texas decided to move out of the Big12 staying in the central time zone would be important. He said the BIG or SEC could be potential landing spots, the PAC12 wouldn’t be attractive because of playing games at 9PM Texas time."

About Arizona and Arizona St, there are 6.5m people in Arizona. The average salary for the state is on the small side. No state legislature other than Louisiana has thrashed the higher ed budgets more than Arizona. This is the only little bit of info that I questioned here. As a market, Arizona is not that great.

 

[djct1999]

From a guy that listened to Chip Brown on a radio show this morning (not encouraging for UConn unless ESPN steps to the plate): "I was just listening to College Sports Nation on XM 84 and the guest was Chip Brown from HornsDigest.com talking about Texas and the Big 12 expansion. A few interesting points came out of the discussion.

The Longhorn Network deal that runs 20 years at 290 million is heavily back loaded with much bigger payouts for Texas the last few years of the deal. This year Texas received only 9 million.

Texas wouldn’t consider folding the LHN into a conference network unless they were paid in full for the negotiated contract. He said the reason the LHN was created was to keep Texas in the Big12 and short of leaving the conference Texas doesn’t see a reason to not get paid.

Texas is for expansion but their position is unless the right schools are added its dilution not expansion.

Texas feels schools like UConn and Cincinnati don’t move the needle for the conference.

He mentioned contacting Arizona and Arizona State to see if they would consider moving away from their TV deal with the PAC12 for something better in the Big 12, or the possibility of Clemson and FSU deciding they are tired of playing football in a basketball conference and would want to step up.

He felt like if Texas decided to move out of the Big12 staying in the central time zone would be important. He said the BIG or SEC could be potential landing spots, the PAC12 wouldn’t be attractive because of playing games at 9PM Texas time."

About Arizona and Arizona St, there are 6.5m people in Arizona. The average salary for the state is on the small side. No state legislature other than Louisiana has thrashed the higher ed budgets more than Arizona. This is the only little bit of info that I questioned here. As a market, Arizona is not that great.

Appreciate the Intel. Arizona and ASU move the needle is LOL funny.

 

[IMind]

Texas people are literally grasping at anything to keep from expanding. If they can break they GOR than Clemson and FSU leaving the ACC only helps us. I don't see Arizona and ASU leaving the PAC-12.

 

[Husky25]

He can easily find a job elsewhere. He's very well connected. I am aware of UConn being a or the lynchpin member of the AAC. With the goofiness exhibited in college realignment, wouldn't be surprised if we are still in the AAC for this purpose.

"Mutually agreeing to part company," looks good on no one's resume', no matter how well connected the person is.

Other than fandom, in what other aspect does Aresco stand to profit significantly from a UConn move? Keeping UConn in the AAC is business and unless the personal standpoint relates to family, money/business usually wins out.

 

[IMind]

"Mutually agreeing to part company," looks good on no one's resume', no matter how well connected the person is.

Other than fandom, in what other aspect does Aresco stand to profit significantly from a UConn move? Keeping UConn in the AAC is business and unless the personal standpoint relates to family, money/business usually wins out.

You mean he wont actually want to spend more time with his family?

 

[gioff23]

I've always thought of Chip as having pretty good intel, and while the zona move makes no sense, I believe the B12 will approach the FSU-Clemson duo first. If they say no, they can always go to Plan B. Besides, they have a very sellable pitch - do you want to wait for the BIG or the SEC to cast an eye your way (and at your conference mates, not you) and then react or be proactive. It's happening, why wait for UVa and/or UNC to move? Come join the B12, where football is #1.

 

[bobbyinaz]

From a guy that listened to Chip Brown on a radio show this morning (not encouraging for UConn unless ESPN steps to the plate): "I was just listening to College Sports Nation on XM 84 and the guest was Chip Brown from HornsDigest.com talking about Texas and the Big 12 expansion. A few interesting points came out of the discussion.

The Longhorn Network deal that runs 20 years at 290 million is heavily back loaded with much bigger payouts for Texas the last few years of the deal. This year Texas received only 9 million.

Texas wouldn’t consider folding the LHN into a conference network unless they were paid in full for the negotiated contract. He said the reason the LHN was created was to keep Texas in the Big12 and short of leaving the conference Texas doesn’t see a reason to not get paid.

Texas is for expansion but their position is unless the right schools are added its dilution not expansion.

Texas feels schools like UConn and Cincinnati don’t move the needle for the conference.

He mentioned contacting Arizona and Arizona State to see if they would consider moving away from their TV deal with the PAC12 for something better in the Big 12, or the possibility of Clemson and FSU deciding they are tired of playing football in a basketball conference and would want to step up.

He felt like if Texas decided to move out of the Big12 staying in the central time zone would be important. He said the BIG or SEC could be potential landing spots, the PAC12 wouldn’t be attractive because of playing games at 9PM Texas time."

About Arizona and Arizona St, there are 6.5m people in Arizona. The average salary for the state is on the small side. No state legislature other than Louisiana has thrashed the higher ed budgets more than Arizona. This is the only little bit of info that I questioned here. As a market, Arizona is not that great.

ASU & UofA rely heavily on their California recruiting for the majority of their athletes. I don't think there is any way that either of these schools do anything that will cut them off to California athletes.

As a side note, the Phoenix TV market is actually very strong. It is ranked 12 nationally and for 6-8 months a year it has a ton of snowbirds primarily from the Midwest & east coast which makes it attractive to advertisers.

 

[upstater]

ASU & UofA rely heavily on their California recruiting for the majority of their athletes. I don't think there is any way that either of these schools do anything that will cut them off to California athletes.

As a side note, the Phoenix TV market is actually very strong. It is ranked 12 nationally and for 6-8 months a year it has a ton of snowbirds primarily from the Midwest & east coast which makes it attractive to advertisers.

I get that Phoenix has a lot of people. I was just referring to the relative strength of Arizona. 6m low income people divided by 2 schools. It is not a big advantage over UConn's 3.6m people with high incomes and only 1 school.

 

[DudeOfCT]

How's the "enemy of the key tweets thread" list coming?

 

[bobbyinaz]

I get that Phoenix has a lot of people. I was just referring to the relative strength of Arizona. 6m low income people divided by 2 schools. It is not a big advantage over UConn's 3.6m people with high incomes and only 1 school.

Tucson is an afterthought in all this. Nobody is targeting the UofA as an expansion candidate. IF there was a real AZ target it is ASU & the Phoenix market that would be targeted & UofA & Tucson would basically come along for the ride. Maricopa County, where ASU is located, has 4.1MM residents and there is virtually no recognition of the UofA here.

If there was a competition between the AZ schools and say UConn & Cinci to the B12 the clear advantage IMO would be the AZ schools.

The good thing about this is we are wasting our time arguing about it because ASU & UofA are not leaving the PAC for B12

 

[WestHartHusk]

Have we hit the point where the Key Tweets actually have less informed tweets than Non-Key? If not, it's damn close.

 

[Matrim55]

Maricopa County, where ASU is located, has 4.1MM residents and there is virtually no recognition of the UofA here.

In a thread filled with insane statements, this is near the top. Bravo.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

Have we hit the point where the Key Tweets actually have less informed tweets than Non-Key? If not, it's damn close.

New thread for "off-key" tweets?

 

[junglehusky]

This article was published yesterday but tweeted today.

Specifically, the Longhorns are open to conference expansion, but only if a clear, compelling case can be made that an available school would upgrade the league as a whole. Thus far, neither Perrin nor Fenves has been convinced that such a target exists.

Likewise, one official said UT is not categorically opposed to exploring OU president David Boren’s desire for a conference network, but that the school would need to be convinced that giving up the Longhorn Network would be in its best interests. Again, UT has been pitched no plan satisfying that requirement.

Neither of those positions has changed since Perrin and Fenves have been in their respective offices. But because the Longhorns’ new athletic director and president aren’t as quotable — or as willing to be quoted — as their predecessors, UT is battling the perception that it’s not running the show anymore.

...

[Perrin] and Fenves continue to receive plenty of it. In addition to pitches from fellow Big 12 members in favor of expansion, there have been overtures from schools like BYU and Cincinnati who would love to join the conference. And last December 15, in a letter first reported by the Memphis Commercial-Appeal and obtained by the Express-News this week, Memphis president David Rudd implored* Fenves to “connect via phone” and review promotional materials about the Tigers’ school and athletic program.

UT, while not shutting the door on the idea, remains skeptical that some of the expansion candidates would generate revenue, fit in academically, or ultimately help the long-term outlook of the league.

*implore

[im-plawr, -plohr] :
verb (used with object), implored, imploring.
1.
to beg urgently or piteously, as for aid or mercy; beseech; entreat:
They implored him to go.
2.
to beg urgently or piteously for (aid, mercy, pardon, etc.):
implore forgiveness.


verb (used without object), implored, imploring.
3.
to make urgent or piteous supplication.

#IMPLOREHARDER

 

[jostar1]

Dennis Dodd ‏@dennisdoddcbs · 17h17 hours ago

Big 12 leaves spring meetings with a purpose: Live up to its name

This kills me:

The Big 12 being left out once (in 2014) is why the league has sweated itself into this position. Expansion isn’t so much about money. One industry source said the financial gain would be minimal at best.

The Big 12 would have to split its bowl and NCAA Tournament revenues 12 ways instead of 10. And rightsholders Fox and ESPN wouldn’t exactly be happy. Taking in two American Athletic Conference teams -- let’s say, Cincinnati and Central Florida -- would mean those schools would get a per-year bump from about $1.6 million to more than $20 million.

“Why,” that source questioned, “because they changed the logo on their jersey?”

Well, we took a huge pay cut because we "changed the logo on the jersey". Was that fair? It just makes you want to punch these guys. Nothing about realignment has been fair, especially to UConn, and the ones who haven't been touched just sit there with a sense of entitlement.

 

[CoastAtlantic]

 

[djct1999]

Dennis Dodd ‏@dennisdoddcbs · 17h17 hours ago

Big 12 leaves spring meetings with a purpose: Live up to its name

This kills me:

The Big 12 being left out once (in 2014) is why the league has sweated itself into this position. Expansion isn’t so much about money. One industry source said the financial gain would be minimal at best.

The Big 12 would have to split its bowl and NCAA Tournament revenues 12 ways instead of 10. And rightsholders Fox and ESPN wouldn’t exactly be happy. Taking in two American Athletic Conference teams -- let’s say, Cincinnati and Central Florida -- would mean those schools would get a per-year bump from about $1.6 million to more than $20 million.

“Why,” that source questioned, “because they changed the logo on their jersey?”

Well, we took a huge pay cut because we "changed the logo on the jersey". Was that fair? It just makes you want to punch these guys. Nothing about realignment has been fair, especially to UConn, and the ones who haven't been touched just sit there with a sense of entitlement.

I just don't get the conscious omission of UConn. Who $&k suggested the two teams ever to be Cincy and UCF!!!!

 

[TRest]

I just don't get the conscious omission of UConn. Who $&k suggested the two teams ever to be Cincy and UCF!!!!

He said on the radio it was a pure guess on his part.

 

[dwalks93]

I just don't get the conscious omission of UConn. Who $&k suggested the two teams ever to be Cincy and UCF!!!!

Its simple, if you are a Big12 guy who does not want expansion you pick teams that are viscerally unpalatable.

Notice how the UT party-line guys want to argue East Carolina and Memphis on the numbers but summarily dismiss UConn as "ridiculous" and beyond even consideration. Numbers are only used when they support non-expansion.

The more I watch this circus the more I am struck by how bad the media providers and financially winning team will argue anything to keep the game the same.

Next anti-expansion argument up, unplugging and changing media platforms make reforming the Big12 unnecessary. I mean it could change at some point so the Big12 should just keep losing until then...that said, if the Big12 does nothing then the BIG and SEC will still outflank the Big12 when the platforms change but it will be a new losing game.

Just plain dumb....

 

[CL82]

Dennis Dodd ‏@dennisdoddcbs The Big 12 would have to split its bowl and NCAA Tournament revenues 12 ways instead of 10. And rightsholders Fox and ESPN wouldn’t exactly be happy.

Yeah, but UConn will generate additional Bowl and NCAA Tournament revenue. Basketball would be second to none in the Big 12, with Kansas being the only peer. Now people will be critical of football, but we've been relatively successful, but for the Pasqualoni years. There's no reason to believe that we wouldn't generate Bowl and Tourny revenue.

As to Fox and ESPN not being happy, why wouldn't they be. UConn basketball is a better draw than the bulk of the Big 12. That will drive more eyeballs to the games, and result in higher advertiser revenue. Football, it will take some time, but we are a nationally recognized brand. We'd do well ratings wise with decent opponents.

 

[Ldandy]

I just don't get the conscious omission of UConn. Who $&k suggested the two teams ever to be Cincy and UCF!!!!

I'm not sure if its a deliberate omission as much as it is a reflection of the lack of knowledge or in some cases plain ignorance of some of these "reporters" In fairness does anyone really have a clue what metrics matter to The Big 12? Does The Big 12?

Common sense dictates that they should take the 2 best brands available in UCONN and BYU. These two are P5 programs languishing in G5 Limbo. UCONN was a victim of The destruction of The ACC, while BYU's demotion is more self imposed because of its own inflexibility.

With nothing changing on BYU's end regarding Sunday Scheduling, it makes sense to consider the next best brand Cincy as their replacement. That said The Big 12 has proven to be a ship of fools with decision making bordering on Big East levels. Literally nothing this conference does would surprise me. They could just as easily add Houston and Tulane as a way to compete with The SEC in that neck of the woods. Who here couldn't picture some jag off giving a speech how geographically the additions just made sense.

 

[businesslawyer]

Unless and until it is able to successfully raid the ACC, the XII will never be competitive financially with the Big Ten and the SEC, but it's goal has to be third. The path to beating the ACC and Pac Ten is to expand the Big XII geographically as much as possible with programs that have enough market power to help. (Temple is not at the top of the list not because Philadelphia isn't a great market, but because Temple has little market power in it).

If there is really talk about 14 -- and who the heck knows -- I can see them taking BYU and Boise as football only and UConn and Cincy as full members. They expand west towards the Pacific coast and pin the Pac whatever to the geography it now has. They get two football programs that are known nationally. And neither of those schools gives a rat's butt about their other sports anyway. Which in BYU's case solves the Sunday issues. And then you take UConn and Cincy, which brings you into the Rust Belt and Northeast, gives you competitive football and hoops in Cincy, and gives you a top tier men's hoop program and the dominant women's sports brand.

Does it make sense? Sure. Is there any real thought of going not to XII and then making a future play for FSU and Clemson but going to 14 now with Boise and BYU? No clue. But it's intriguing. And don't compare it to the Big EAst. The Big East never had a problem with the schools who were brought in as football onlies -- RU, WVu and others became full members, and Temple left, but none of that brought any real issues to the league. It was the fact that half the league didn't play football that was the unique problem.

 

[junglehusky]

The report says FedEx spends big money on sports and would follow suit in the Big 12.

I guess my response would be, if FedEx is all fired up about Memphis football, why hasn’t it built Memphis an on-campus football stadium, and why Memphis gone about the business of filling it up?

OSU and Baylor and TCU have built brand new stadiums. Texas Tech, too, virtually. Kansas State and Iowa State have refurbished stadiums that are great. OU and Texas have turned their tradition-rich stadiums into jewels. Plus, they are OU and Texas.

Memphis plays in an antiquated stadium that’s off campus. The city of Memphis has poured some money into the Liberty Bowl in recent years.

But the truth is, there is no great evidence that Memphis cares about football. Big 12 membership? Sure, Memphis cares about that. But not football. Not on any kind of serious basis.

The Big 12 needs two new members who can say, look what we’ve done without a major conference. Not two members who say look what we would do with a major conference.

Memphis is too big of a risk for the Big 12.

Berry Tramel

(Make sure to expand the quote as there are some juicy lines beneath the fold).

Trammel is probably close enough to Boren and OU that his take on Memphis is close to their take on Memphis. I hope.

 

[uconnell]

It's a desperate ploy to get the Big 12 to overlook Memphis' glaring flaws.

It is the same song and dance they gave the American Conference when they were petitioning for entrance. They were going to bring the Liberty Bowl for us, Fex
ex $$, blab, blab blab

 

[hardcorehusky]

Joe D and Gresh are right here in our market on the UCONN station and don't have a realignment clue. Writers in other areas have the same lack of realignment knowledge. It is simply a topic they annoyingly have to cover.

I hate to say this, but The-Boneyard Conference Realignment posters have a much better pulse on realignment because we live this stuff daily, analyzing each tweet key and non-key. We know much more about it than 90% of these "media types"

 

[Devland]

Joe D and Gresh are right here in our market on the UCONN station and don't have a realignment clue. Writers in other areas have the same lack of realignment knowledge. It is simply a topic they annoyingly have to cover.

I hate to say this, but The-Boneyard Conference Realignment posters have a much better pulse on realignment because we live this stuff daily, analyzing each tweet key and non-key. We know much more about it than 90% of these "media types"

The problem is that there are so many different sources out there that it is impossible to know who's information is the most accurate. You can literally find sources to support any direction you think realignment is going to go. I read things sometimes and think we are right on the edge of realignment and then read other things and think that we will never get in a P-5 conference. So I have a hard time saying someone doesn't know what they are talking about in this. I think most fans opinions on this are based on what they want to happen.

 

[Husky25]

Gresh is woefully under-prepared (dare I say completely unprepared) to discuss college sports in a DMA dominated by college sports. He is merely adequate at discussing pro sports. He doesn't want to be here, but the irony is he ain't going back into a single digit market unless he thrives here. WTIC's format requires Gresh to be on the air literally for only 4 out of every 10 minutes and it seems like, more often than not, 2 of those 4 are spent rehashing the prior segment.

I remember when he first came on the scene in the late 90's/early 00's on WPRO 790, the Score out of Providence, where he cut his teeth with Coach Colletto. He was okay, but Coach clearly carried the show. Gresh has regressed over the last 15 years, which is why he is in the Hartford market to begin with!!!! Even with a URI education, you'd think he'd be able to recognize that.