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

[billybud]

I am sure that UConn as well as Memphis will come to the bargaining table carrying a barber's cape.

In a way, I hate what the P5 has done. Making the difference between G5 and P5 so drastic that programs are willing to become indentured servants for years before earning full rights. That seems so wrong.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

FedEx was also going to bankroll the Big East/AAC...

 

[NYUConn]

Same way that Nike helped blow up Oregon into a contender...a reported $300 million in contributions reported so far by Phil Knight. Either personal money from a billionaire or a corporate contribution.

Or T Boone Pickens and his $500 million in contributions to Oklahoma State...as he famously said about his name on campus..."it'll be a hell of a long time before someone says, 'who the hell was that guy' ".

What you're talking about is a company and CEO investing in an individual school versus dangling money in front of a conference for sponsorship.

At OK State and Oregon these two individuals have donated to build lecture halls, athletic facilities and sponsored research grants.

This is buying influence sure, but the end game of the $$$ is to go to academia and an individual school's athletic program.

It's a whole different story to just go out there and throw money around for the purpose of sponsoring a football game.

 

[amory]

In a way, I hate what the P5 has done. Making the difference between G5 and P5 so drastic that programs are willing to become indentured servants for years before earning full rights. That seems so wrong.

It is wrong, and it shouldn't be allowed. There should be a set discount that new members of a conference take when they join, there's no problem with that. But making it a race to the bottom is BS. Schools should be added based on what they can bring to the conference, not how cheap they are.

That said, the G5 is indentured servitude anyway. In the AAC our teams are already traveling all over the country for games, and ESPN pays out basically nothing for the TV rights. Whatever pittance the Big 12 will pay out to its new members will easily beat what they're getting now.

 

[jostar1]

Mike Finger ‏@mikefinger · 17h17 hours ago
Either A.: Texas really wants UH, or, B.: Texas wants to look like it tried when UH fails to get 8 votes.

J‏@UCONNfan14
@mikefinger who are your 4? A lot of Big 12 people saying BYU/CINCY/UH/UCONN. Any thing different on your end?

Mike Finger ‏@mikefinger · 17h17 hours ago
You're not from these parts, so here's some advice: Be skeptical of anyone who sounds sure of what's going on.

Mike Finger ‏@mikefinger · 16h16 hours ago
Can't be stressed enough. Even if there are 10 votes to expand, if no single candidate gets 8, it ain't happening.

 

[06029]

don't confuse noise as fact. Very little of what you summarized is true. If Memphis and Houston are added and UConn us not, the fate of the Big 12 will be sealed.

I relayed my opinion and what someone I respect as knowledgeable told me regarding Houston/Cinci/Memphis as the top 3. He has no agenda and it was backed up by a person with a Uconn agenda. I'll take those right now over most sources for the basis of my opinion.

No one knows what is true right now other than the Big12 is looking at expansion. Everything else is opinion.

 

[noeynox]

It is not that they currently have big bucks, only the promise of future big bucks if selected to the Big 12.

Thst is not reasonable. Those big bucks could be funding their AD, at P5 levels now, allowing them among other things, to keep their FB coach. WVU promised the Big 12 an airport, they're still waiting.

 

[Charley Horse]

I would be utterly surprised if Memphis is invited. Their academic standing is just atrocious and I honestly think there's a limit to how low the Big 12 presidents are willing to go on that.

And seemingly lost in yesterday's big news about Houston was this article about BYU, which succinctly reveals why they're not the shoo-in so many people imagine them to be: Could BYU witch hunt keep the Cougars out of the Big 12?

At this point, I would guess that Cincy, UConn and Houston all have seats at the table because they all possess excellent qualities without unsightly baggage.

And I would guess, the biggest decision the Big 12 still has to make is who is #4. If not BYU, then who?

But here's the nub, as I see it: All of us who believe UConn is the best candidate should hope like hell that the Big 12 can settle on a fourth because if they have to drop down to two, UConn may not have the support within the conference that Cincy and Houston seem to have.

 

[Adios]

Tulane!

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

East Carolina delivers all of North Carolina. Someone forgot to tell the 4 teams in NC in the ACC. Why not go all in and say you're more popular than Clemson and USCe in SC?

 

[UConn990411]

Nothing screams "all of North Carolina" like literally being named "East Carolina."

 

[Matrim55]

And I would guess, the biggest decision the Big 12 still has to make is who is #4. If not BYU, then who?

I still think Temple should get more consideration. Big school, big alumni base, good basketball, acceptable Olympic sports in a major metropolitan city.

They're a risk for the obvious reasons, but I have to think that Texas & OU would love to play in front of 70k fans in Philly every other year.

 

[Jimdish255]

Not convinced Texas and some others want Houston, but if Houston is considered a must-invite it probably means 4 teams. And I totally don't understand the media love affair with Memphis. Decent FB (not this year IMO) and Hoops and atrocious academics. They have serious baggage and the sports lunkheads just react to a flashy QB who carried the team to respectability and a big win last year vs Ole Miss.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

No speculation but my preference would be UConn/Temple/Cincy/Houston
Memphis just feels so gross
Does almighty BYU even need the Big12? They are the Notre Dame of the west after all.

 

[Exit 4]

No speculation but my preference would be UConn/Temple/Cincy/Houston
Memphis just feels so gross
Does almighty BYU even need the Big12? They are the Notre Dame of the west after all.

People say Temple is a non starter. However, I think it could have long term dividends as it fills in the large Philly-Wilmington/South NJ market.

 

[Adios]

Temple Should Be At The Top of The List for Big 12 Expansion

 

[Walker11]

Temple Should Be At The Top of The List for Big 12 Expansion

Shocking article from a Temple professor.

 

[FDNY99]

Shocking article from a Temple professor.

Another guy who needs to educate himself with the NYC DMA....

 

[Adios]

Shocking article from a Temple professor.

Crazy as it sounds, if Temple beat Notre Dame in football last season, they might be in the discussion.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Temple Should Be At The Top of The List for Big 12 Expansion

I laughed when I read that almost 3 months ago.

All kidding aside: Philly is an untapped gold mine. The biggest problem is that Villanova doesn't have a FBS team and no one really cares about Temple.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

David Ubben‏@davidubben
David Ubben Retweeted Brian A

UConn university spokesman and AD both declined comment earlier this week

11:20 AM - 22 Jul 2016

 

[huskymedic]

Temple Should Be At The Top of The List for Big 12 Expansion

We beat the hell out of this months ago... Boneyard Thread: Temple Should Be At The Top of The List for Big 12 Expansion

 

[djct1999]

I laughed when I read that almost 3 months ago.

All kidding aside: Philly is an untapped gold mine. The biggest problem is that Villanova doesn't have a FBS team and no one really cares about Temple.

Philly is absolutely a pro town. Just becuase mkt is big doesnt mean they will follow college athletics.

 

[UConn990411]

Philly is absolutely a pro town. Just becuase mkt is big doesnt mean they will follow college athletics.

But they do care about college sports a lot more than pro towns such as Boston and New York. The problem is that interest is extremely splintered (Nova, Temple, St. Joe's, Penn St.), and despite its size, Temple just never seems to generate much attention.

Maybe the Big 12 considers them for the same reasons the B1G added Rutgers (bringing new metropolitans into their conference footprint), but there has to be a reason it took so long for a large school with a solid athletic department in a major city to get an invite to the Big East/AAC.

 

[NYUConn]

Which would more likely sell out: Temple vs Texas at the Link or UConn vs Texas at Met Life? Which game primetime would garner a higher national rating?

No one is saying UConn captures NYC. UConn has greater brand recognition and gives access to NYC, which I am sure also has a larger alumni base than Philly for every school in the Big12.

UConn-Texas at Met Life in a Heartbeat.

Temple-Notre Dame at the Linc attracted over 60K+ because it was the Irish. Let's not kid ourselves. I'd say 3/4 of that crowd were Irish fans and the 1/4 that were wearing Temple colors just realized they played football that week and were there for "Philly Pride."

Case-in-point I went to Philly for the next home game against UConn and there were MAYBE 10,000 fans in attendance. Where did all those die-hards go??