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

[dayooper]

Leaving ECAC Hockey was a weird way to do that then. Unless it's some kind of weird tsundere thing where they're pretending they don't even like you in the hopes that you'll notice them.

All of the popular girls tried that with me at my high school. They pretended they didn't like me to get my attention. They even went as far as turning around and walking away when I went up and talked to them. Yup, they were REALLY good at that game at my high school.

 

[CoastAtlantic]

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Big 12: "It depends upon what the meaning of the word is is."

 

[NYUConn]

Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the University of Oklahoma

 

[MountainMan]

There is absolutely no doubt that the single person who has done the most to destabilise the conference in David Boren. Every time he opens his mouth he puts his foot in it. The wallflower comments were just plain stupid and then the comments that set off this last round of expansion just added to his resume. He has painted himself in a corner and can't figure out what the hell to do.

 

[CoastAtlantic]

 

[atom58]

For them not to expand after all this would be simply unbelievable. I think the most likely combination would UConn, Cincinnati, and BYU - pick two of the above if they want to show the world that they can at least count to 12 again and regain their namesake. It will be 14 if the Fox vs. ESPN whispers are true - Fox wants an Eastern expansion and ESPN wants cheap properties without supporting the Big 12 long term in which case you expand to 14 to cash in right now.

 

[jostar1]

I would like to see the entire context of Boren's statements.

 

[jostar1]

Eric Bailey‏@EricBaileyTW
Boren on Big 12 expansion: "I wouldn't take expansion as a given. I wouldn't take it as a sure thing"

Brian Davis ‏@BDavisAAS · 2h2 hours ago
Sigh. Nobody has eight Yes votes yet, apparently.

Brian Davis ‏@BDavisAAS · 2h2 hours ago
Hey, Texas, jump into the @bigten and let's call it a century, OK?

 

[jostar1]

Stewart Mandel‏@slmandel
Last week I said it was 60-40 the Big 12 actually expands. In the spirit of Boren's comments, I'm modifying to exactly 50-50.

Dan Wolken
I tweeted this six weeks ago… Not sure anything has changed …

 

[huskymedic]

>>Boren said that while the pro rata bumps are motivation for expansion, they're also a concern. "We do have a relationship to maintain, not only short term, but long term with the networks," Boren said. "When you have a partnership and you have a friendship, it isn't just for today, it's long term. And I think you have to think about long-term implications in any action we take. If we were to expand by two teams, four teams, that has financial implications for the networks. I think we have to see if that adds to the long-term stability or not."<<

 

[jostar1]

Big 12 expansion: David Boren says Big 12 expansion is not a given
Big 12 expansion: David Boren says Big 12 expansion is not a given

This doesn't make sense to me. They knew that they weren't getting a traditional network before they started the process.

 

[whaler11]

>>Boren said that while the pro rata bumps are motivation for expansion, they're also a concern. "We do have a relationship to maintain, not only short term, but long term with the networks," Boren said. "When you have a partnership and you have a friendship, it isn't just for today, it's long term. And I think you have to think about long-term implications in any action we take. If we were to expand by two teams, four teams, that has financial implications for the networks. I think we have to see if that adds to the long-term stability or not."<<

When I said this a month ago people got really mad at me. He may as well just have read my posts aloud.

They were just supposed to stick their thumbs in the eye of their TV partners because Netflix or something.

I know I don't have any business acumen and all - but those that can't stand me find anyone on the internet who pointed this obvious angle out before I did.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

That would be JP Morgan.

Manhattan College was originally located in the Financial District in the early 20th century until JP Morgan bought them out of their property for a nice chunk of change. Manhattan College then bought up the land they are currently on in Riverdale and moved the entire campus to the Bronx.

Just some more history. Wake Forest U was established in Wake Forest NC, which us just north of Raleigh, in the early 1800's. Shortly after WWII, the titans of the tobacco industry, the Reynolds family, donated a boatload of money and an entire estate to entice the University to relocated to what was then NC's second largest city, Winston-Salem. Wake's med school moved to the city earlier accepting an offer to move that school to Winston-Salem after UNC had turned town the same offer from the Reynold family.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Eric Bailey‏@EricBaileyTW
Boren on Big 12 expansion: "I wouldn't take expansion as a given. I wouldn't take it as a sure thing"

Brian Davis ‏@BDavisAAS · 2h2 hours ago
Sigh. Nobody has eight Yes votes yet, apparently.

Brian Davis ‏@BDavisAAS · 2h2 hours ago
Hey, Texas, jump into the @bigten and let's call it a century, OK?

XII continues to be the most dysfunctional major conference in the US. Makes the ACC look like the B1G.

 

[CardiffGiant]

Sooooo if I get this straight, the Big 12 spends money, probably a lot of money, to hire consultants to advise regarding expansion. They talk of momentum towards expansion.They invite just about any school who has a building on their campus to let them know if they are interested in joining.They spend countless hours interviewing somewhere around 20 candidates and then narrow their list to 10 and request presentations causing each of these potential schools to spend time and money of their own to make a presentation to the Big 12 for an invite. Once the presentations are complete, the biggest proponent of expansion(Boren)throws cold water on the whole process, and puckers up to his "network friends"with vague references about worrying about the financial impact on them of adding schools.And this is well after his buddy Bowlsby said that they intend these same partners to abide by the contract.

Either this is a shining example of what a conference this is, which is probably doomed to fail because of inept leadership; or it is one elaborate scheme to create leverage against the networks for $ if they don't expand. Either way, it is just despicable to use the schools seeking invites as pawns.

 

[CTMike]

When I said this a month ago people got really mad at me. He may as well just have read my posts aloud.

They were just supposed to stick their thumbs in the eye of their TV partners because Netflix or something.

I know I don't have any business acumen and all - but those that can't stand me find anyone on the internet who pointed this obvious angle out before I did.

Over an hour before you took this victory lap... you are slipping.

 

[MountainMan]

So true ^^ on the dysfunction. At one point it was a race to see which conference would stabilize itself. At this point with the ACCN they clearly have the upper hand as far as stability and having ESPN slobbering all over the conference at every opportunity. I dread the day we have to listen to ESPN explain how tough the ACC is from top to bottom with all the crap AD's from Wake to Virginia to BC.

But any conference with real fans and better financed AD's has a shot. At this point expansion, CCG, and some sort of network are what would stabilize things. Hopefully they learned from the unequal revenue sharing days that a reasonable buy in period is fine but some ridiculous reduced payouts for new members so current members can take a most of the added income is only going to cause perceived weakness.

I really think that adding BYU And UConn won't result in any image problems and even going to 14 with Cinci and Houston would be alright. Any other name from the list such as Tulane or UCF is going to be an issue IMO.

If OU and UT really truly do want out of the conference (which I do not believe)the existing members should just let them go. Better off to have a conference all working toward a common goal together than a divided conference all looking out for themselves with no real plan for the future.

 

[whaler11]

Over an hour before you took this victory lap... you are slipping.

I was being modest so as to not upset the passive-aggressive set.

 

[MattMang23]

I was being modest so as to not upset the passive-aggressive set.

Those are your favorite people. It's nice you're looking out for their feelings.

 

[Hoophound]

When I said this a month ago people got really mad at me. He may as well just have read my posts aloud.

They were just supposed to stick their thumbs in the eye of their TV partners because Netflix or something.

I know I don't have any business acumen and all - but those that can't stand me find anyone on the internet who pointed this obvious angle out before I did.

The fox is in the hen house. They may not expand but it won't be because they want to play nice with ESPN. It will be because ESPN has convinced them it is best for the long term. ESPN knows UT and OU can leave in 2024 and they are fine with that. The other 8 better wake up because expansion should be a landslide vote right now. UConn and BYU add enough value to make the B12 worth much more the next time a contract is negotiated. ESPN is just playing the B12, there is no partnership angle.

 

[Fishy]

Nothing changed today.

A guy who likes to send coded threats to his fellow presidents sent a coded threat to his fellow presidents.

I still don't think they're expanding, but I don't think Boren's comments today mean anything that we'd understand.

 

[jostar1]

Reading between lines of OU president Boren's comment that Big 12 expansion shouldn't be 'assumed'
By Chuck Carlton

From the article:

Boren's comments are pretty much open to whatever interpretation you want.

The immediate social media summation was Boren illustrating again why no conference knows dysfunction quite like the Big 12. After 20 preliminary interviews, 11 more detailed interviews and raised expectations, a conclusion without expansion would reinforce the Big 12's image as the conference that can't.

But Boren could also have been simply stating a fact - there is no guarantee of expansion. Even with interesting contenders like Cincinnati, Houston and BYU, no one yet seems to have the eight member votes necessary.

Boren could also have been speaking to OU fans and donors, many of whom seem skeptical about the Big 12 in general and expansion in particular.

He might have been extending an olive branch to broadcast partners ESPN and Fox, who have indicated they are against expansion and the pro rata payments to the Big 12 that would accompany it. "We do have a relationship to maintain, not only short term, but long term with the networks," Boren told reporters.

Or he could have been sending a message that the road to expansion goes through Oklahoma in the board room.

Take your pick. There's probably no wrong answer. And it's a good bet that nothing has really changed with where the Big 12 stands on expansion.

Reading between lines of OU president Boren's comment that Big 12 expansion shouldn't be 'assumed' | SportsDay

 

[djct1999]

Boren has wanted four all along. He wants brands, he wants a network, he sees the merits of having OU being an alpha dog. In other words, he wants four and he wants BYU included. Today's message was clear..........if I don't get what I want, we will block expansion, stay at 10 then bolt. This message could also be aimed at other presidents or Fox to pony up. I don't see anything that was said that harms UConn.

 

[RedStickHusky]

The fox is in the hen house. They may not expand but it won't be because they want to play nice with ESPN. It will be because ESPN has convinced them it is best for the long term. ESPN knows UT and OU can leave in 2024 and they are fine with that. The other 8 better wake up because expansion should be a landslide vote right now. UConn and BYU add enough value to make the B12 worth much more the next time a contract is negotiated. ESPN is just playing the B12, there is no partnership angle.

'Cut us a break today and we'll treat you better eight years from now', is the B12 really going to fall for that?