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

[huskymedic]

Dallas Morning News: The Big 12 will announce its expansion decision Monday- here's a final guide on what to expect

Chuck Carlton ‏@ChuckCarltonDMN 22m 22 minutes ago
One source on Big 12 board of directors meeting/expansion: "Anything is possible when the presidents get in the room and start talking."

Chuck Carlton ‏@ChuckCarltonDMN 19m19 minutes ago
Also of note: presidents dinner Sunday likely to jumpstart Big 12 discussion. Even if expansion happens, may not officially know who Monday.

 

[jostar1]

The Big 12, with a history of power struggles and backroom deals, faces expansion decision

Some things, however, are clear to some observers. Chuck Neinas, the former interim conference commissioner and a longtime college football industry consultant, said last week, "Let's face it: There's only three in the race: U of H, Cincinnati, BYU."

But Neinas, along with many observers, now expect the league to stand pat for the time being.

Former Kansas State president Jon Wefald, who also was present at the creation of the Big 12, veers from the current conventional wisdom by proclaiming that expansion "has to happen. … It's a no-brainer. We have to add. Not maybe, we have to add two more schools."

In Wefald's world, the two new members would be Houston and Cincinnati.

"They fit the geographic pattern. They're great academically. They're becoming more competitive," he said. "They (Big 12 schoolss) have played Houston in all sports and they've been on the campus and they know about the administration and the outstanding nature. I don't think there would be one big 12 president that would have any doubts whatsoever."

Once expansion, which Wefald thinks is inevitable, occurs, "No one is going to question the future, longevity and stability of the Big 12. They need to get eight votes (to approve expansion)."

"Oklahoma and Texas aren't going anywhere. They run the Big 12," he added. "So we might as well get it done with. Let's add two schools to get back to where we were in 1996."

The Big 12, with a history of power struggles and backroom deals, faces expansion decision

 

[Huskygrad88]

The Big 12, with a history of power struggles and backroom deals, faces expansion decision

Some things, however, are clear to some observers. Chuck Neinas, the former interim conference commissioner and a longtime college football industry consultant, said last week, "Let's face it: There's only three in the race: U of H, Cincinnati, BYU."

But Neinas, along with many observers, now expect the league to stand pat for the time being.

Former Kansas State president Jon Wefald, who also was present at the creation of the Big 12, veers from the current conventional wisdom by proclaiming that expansion "has to happen. … It's a no-brainer. We have to add. Not maybe, we have to add two more schools."

In Wefald's world, the two new members would be Houston and Cincinnati.

"They fit the geographic pattern. They're great academically. They're becoming more competitive," he said. "They (Big 12 schoolss) have played Houston in all sports and they've been on the campus and they know about the administration and the outstanding nature. I don't think there would be one big 12 president that would have any doubts whatsoever."

Once expansion, which Wefald thinks is inevitable, occurs, "No one is going to question the future, longevity and stability of the Big 12. They need to get eight votes (to approve expansion)."

"Oklahoma and Texas aren't going anywhere. They run the Big 12," he added. "So we might as well get it done with. Let's add two schools to get back to where we were in 1996."

The Big 12, with a history of power struggles and backroom deals, faces expansion decision

Houston and "great academically" in the same sentence. That's rich.

 

[jostar1]

Is this rock bottom for the Big 12?
Jake TrotterESPN Staff Writer

Since that moment, Big 12 leaders have sent mixed signals. From Texas president Greg Fenves unexpectedly tweeting his support of Houston to Bowlsby interviewing 11 expansion candidates in Dallas to Boren seemingly cooling on the whole premise, nobody, including the presidents themselves, knows what to expect will come from Monday's meeting, when the conference originally was supposed to vote on expansion.

"It's been embarrassing," one industry insider said. "(Big 12 member athletic department officials) are embarrassed by the way this has been handled."

One way or the other, if the league fails to take any action or conduct a vote on Monday after devoting so much time, money and talk to the issue, it will reinforce the narrative of Big 12 instability.

Is this rock bottom for the Big 12?

Greg Flugaur ‏@flugempire · 5h5 hours ago

No, this is not rock bottom.

That comes next...

 

[huskymedic]

The Big 12, with a history of power struggles and backroom deals, faces expansion decision

Some things, however, are clear to some observers. Chuck Neinas, the former interim conference commissioner and a longtime college football industry consultant, said last week, "Let's face it: There's only three in the race: U of H, Cincinnati, BYU." But Neinas, along with many observers, now expect the league to stand pat for the time being.

Pfft... Neinas was the the search firm who did the search when Pasqualoni was hired.

 

[huskymedic]

Russo @ AP: Big 12 set to address expansion, but what will it do?

 

[SubbaBub]

If KSU backs Texas (Houston), then OU is gone, roadrunner tongue-flipping cloud of dust, gone.

It will mean that UT scared the non Texas bottom feeders into stabbing OU in the back.

 

[dayooper]

OU knows it is easier to get into the playoff from the B12 than joining the SEC and competing with the whole SEC West, FL, TN, South Carolina or the B1G and deal with OSU/Mich/Rutty, etc.

Yes, but getting into the Big10 championship game is much easier in the West than the East. Once you get into the championship game, anything can happen. I'm sure OU thinks they can run roughshod over the likes of Iowa, Wisconsin and the downtrodden Nebraska.

If KSU backs Texas (Houston), then OU is gone, roadrunner tongue-flipping cloud of dust, gone.

It will mean that UT scared the non Texas bottom feeders into stabbing OU in the back.

If this happens, the question is who is #16. If Kansas is willing, they will be it IMO. If not? I think it will be UConn. Nothing key tweet or anything to put any stock in, but there has been some small chatter that OU and UConn are next up and that OU will be released from the GoR and UConn will be #16. I would put zero stock in this (below non-key tweet status), but I thought it was an interesting take. Put UConn in the East and OU in the west and you are all set!

 

[The Funster]

Yes, but getting into the Big10 championship game is much easier in the West than the East. Once you get into the championship game, anything can happen. I'm sure OU thinks they can run roughshod over the likes of Iowa, Wisconsin and the downtrodden Nebraska.



If this happens, the question is who is #16. If Kansas is willing, they will be it IMO. If not? I think it will be UConn. Nothing key tweet or anything to put any stock in, but there has been some small chatter that OU and UConn are next up and that OU will be released from the GoR and UConn will be #16. I would put zero stock in this (below non-key tweet status), but I thought it was an interesting take. Put UConn in the East and OU in the west and you are all set!

From your lips to Delany's ears.

 

[The Viking]

I still have hopes for the B1G going to 18 once the Big 12 is done in 5-6 years and the Big surrounds the SE by going Kansas, Oklahoma Texas down the western flank and then wrapping up UConn to seal off BC and Syracuse.
Lord knows they aren't getting any schools from the ACC.

If we dont get an invite somewhere by 2023-4 or whenever the next B1G contract causes upheaval, then the football program is kaput....if we are able to financially survive that long.

 

[jostar1]

Pete Thamel ‏@SIPeteThamel · 1h1 hour ago
Sources: New TV negotiation news makes it unlikely Big 12 expands.
Sources: Big 12 expansion appears unlikely

While that’s not a definitive consensus, a new development with the league’s television partners has made not expanding the most likely scenario. Multiple sources indicated there have been discussions with the Big 12’s TV partners to pay the league not to expand. The purpose of the payment would be to eliminate the pro rata clause in the TV contract—which the TV officials consider a loophole—that enables the league to receive nearly $25 million annually for every school it adds. The willingness of ESPN and Fox to discuss paying to eliminate that clause and end future potential expansion drama in upcoming years makes not expanding the most likely conclusion.

“If they put more money up and bought out that pro rata clause, we’ll likely keep ourselves at 10,” speculated a high-ranking Big 12 source.

An announcement of the league’s expansion plans is expected around 5 p.m. central time on Monday. The Big 12 is expected to inform leaders at the remaining 11 expansion candidates who interviewed for spots in the league of their decision at that time. There’s a small possibility for an announcement of an amended television deal, but that’s considered unlikely.

Multiple sources suggested that things could change once the presidents get together. This is the Big 12, where the unexpected and bizarre have become normal. Sources urged caution with definitive declarations about a league that can never seem to make up its own mind.

 

[jostar1]

This was posted on the Cincy board:

BIG 12’S BIG EXPANSION (OR NON?)_WEEKEND
Posted by Mark Blaudschun | Oct 13, 2016 | A Jersey Guy, The Grudge Report | 0
Another weekend, another football Saturday in the Big 12. But the real news for the conference will not come until Monday. That is when the Big 12 Presidents will make a decision on expansion.
Thankfully, the conference has finally gone quiet on the matter, no small accomplishment for a conference which includes The Boren Identity, aka Oklahoma President David Boren.
But in talking to various outlets connected with the conference here is our best guess as to how this is going to unfold over the next few days.
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, who has been the point man for the expansion discussion, will give an overview of the 10 candidate schools who made presentations. Of that list, Bowlsby will probably identify six as serious contenders: BYU, Houston, Cincinnati, UConn, UCF and USF.
The first topic to be decided will be if BYU carries too much baggage for consideration. If the answer is NO, the first step could be fairly easy. BYU will be added as an 11th member, but in football only.
That solves some problems in scheduling other sports because of the “”No Play on Sunday issue”” which is part of BYU’s resume, and BYU’s share of the Big 12 TV revenue pie would be much smaller since the Cougars would be participating in only one sport.
But it creates another issue. If you take BYU in football only, you have a scheduling problem in all the other sports because you have an odd number (11) teams. It becomes simpler if you take two schools for football only or two schools in all sports. There appears to be almost no sentiment for taking BYU in all sports. So if BYU is one choice, and for football only, the Big 12 must decide whether it wants to take a second school as full member or as football only member.
Once the BYU issue is settled, Bowlsby, who has recommended expansion, must find a way to get the required 8 minimum vote for any candidate. Sources throughout the Big 12 say the problem is that NO school has that much support at that present time.
That creates a stalemate which could result in a vote NOT to expand at all. That theory is the current leader in the club house, but it would leave the Big 12 vulnerable to other conferences who are looking at the Big 12’s primary schools Oklahoma and Texas as valuable expansion additions.
Bowlsby doesn’t want that to happen, so he will try to come up with a compromise.
If BYU is still on the table, it could be a simple decision. Take BYU and one other school in FOOTBALL ONLY.
BYU and Houston would be the best move to increase the Big 12 football footprint, but there is also strong sentiment against Houston from the non-Texas schools.
The main argument against Houston, which doesn’t have the status as a Power 5 conference member, is that selecting the Cougars puts a fox in the Big 12 hen house. With Big 12 status, Houston can recruit on an equal basis with all other Big 12 schools in the fertile South Texas recruiting area.
If Houston is not invited, the Big 12 must decide between Cincinnati, UConn, USF and UCF. USF and UCF gives the Big 12 a Florida-foot print, UConn puts the Big 12 in the Northeast and gives West Virginia a travel partner and Cincinnati would also be an easy travel partner for West Virginia and put the Big 12 in another fertile recruiting area in Ohio. Adding them as football only members cuts down on the price and the logistical problems of scheduling in all sports.
None of the solutions are perfect. But if the Big 12 wants to move up in the Power 5 conference pecking order, it needs to make a decision to expand rather to maintain the status quo.
Whether Bowlsby can convince the Presidents of that will be determined in the next few days. If I had to guess, the Big 12 will compromise with two football only members.
https://tmgcollegesports.com/2016/10/13/...n_weekend/

 

[Yawkey Way]

I still have hopes for the B1G going to 18 once the Big 12 is done in 5-6 years and the Big surrounds the SE by going Kansas, Oklahoma Texas down the western flank and then wrapping up UConn to seal off BC and Syracuse.

If the B12 implodes in a few years, where do you envision West Virginia will go with this B12 collapse scenario ?. How do schools in a 12 league format make more money should it go to an 18 league format ? This question has to be sufficiently answered before schools vote to expand by 40% or more. No school votes to slice the pie smaller. On the other hand, if schools can be shown that adding 6 new schools increases their own school's revenues, they'll be on board.

 

[Yawkey Way]

. Iowa State probably nowhere but maybe to the ACC.[/QUOTE]


Oh brother... Iowa State " to the ACC " someday ? Stop... just stop the madness Tramel. It does no earthly good to engage in such utter nonsense like this, imo.

 

[Yawkey Way]

We have heard the phrase " a travel partner " quite a bit in these B12 expansion talks, ie the repeated saying heard that " West Virginia will have a travel partner in Cincinnati ( and/ or Uconn ) if such a school(s) were added to the B12. ( Blauds again refers to " travel partners " considerations above in his remarks). But I'm not sure what the heck this means... " travel partners ". School's teams don't travel together, and West Virginia can't be expected to save all that much on plane fare, hotels, etc with a so called " travel partner " in Cincy and/ or Uconn. There are lots of reasons for school presidents to be in favor of a school's suitability for their league's expansion, but the ability or inability to be viewed from the context of its value as a suitable or non suitable " travel partner ", makes little to no sense to me at all. So would anybody here want to take a stab at what a school's perceived " travel partner " considerations should have on any schools invite, or non invite to ANY P5 conference expansion considerations ? its a phrase heard before, but I have no idea what it means in terms of expansion considerations, nor its perceived advantages from a financial standpoint to current league members that will ultimately vote on a possible school for expansion, should it decide that expansion is in the league's overall best collective interests.

 

[The Funster]

Good Lord. For the first time, I can see it happening: UConn and BYU to the Big 12 as FB only. UConn moves to the BE for all other sports. It keeps the cost of Big 12 expansion low for ESPN and FOX and gives FOX what it wants with a stronger eastern presence.

 

[Kevin Caliendo]

That scenario is probably best posible outcome for UConn short of a B1G or ACC invite. then rest of sports go to Big East

 

[Hoophound]

Good Lord. For the first time, I can see it happening: UConn and BYU to the Big 12 as FB only. UConn moves to the BE for all other sports. It keeps the cost of Big 12 expansion low for ESPN and FOX and gives FOX what it wants with a stronger eastern presence.

You assume that ESPN will be happy to let the American crash and burn to save money. They won't be. ESPN is tying UConn to the American and UConn must leave the American if the B12 expands with other AAC schools. We can't let ESPN grind us to dust.

I'm pretty sure this isn't posturing. If Cincy and Houston leave for the B12 without us, we are headed back to the Big East. Further, we should have already given the AAC notice we are leaving. There is nothing to lose in having given notice a year or two ago. If we don't get invited elsewhere, we just stay here. Worked for UL.

 

[upstater]

That scenario is probably best posible outcome for UConn short of a B1G or ACC invite. then rest of sports go to Big East

I wouldn't call it the best. I'd honestly rather see the bball teams play Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa St regularly.

 

[coachcap]

That scenario is probably best posible outcome for UConn short of a B1G or ACC invite. then rest of sports go to Big East

I want no part of the Catholic cartel. UConn will be an outlier when it comes to policy decisions.. Much rather have full XII membership. UConn can compete well in men's & women's hoops, baseball, track. The XII is better competition across the board than the Big East.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Realistic situations I would be okay with:
1) Full membership B12
2) B12 Fball-only; hoops in Big East (although this is borderline unrealistic...why would B12 want our football and not hoops?)
3) No expansion; remain in AAC until new TV contract (if low-balled again, we bail)
4) Strongarm AAC for Fball-only; hoops to Big East

 

[UC1995]

Has anyone done a FOIA with UConn talking to Big East? I am sure they would be smart enough to go through their liasson but with everyone looking over at Big 12 would be interesting if something slipped by.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Why would the B12 want UConn to be one of two football only members given the quality of the program under Diaco and PP before him? It would be a decent move for UConn to have its football program in P5, but unless we beat USF forcefully today, why believe we are that quality?

 

[uconndogs]

Why would the B12 want UConn to be one of two football only members given the quality of the program under Diaco and PP before him? It would be a decent move for UConn to have its football program in P5, but unless we beat USF forcefully today, why believe we are that quality?

Good lord! People need to get a life!

 

[UConn990411]

Why would the B12 want UConn to be one of two football only members given the quality of the program under Diaco and PP before him? It would be a decent move for UConn to have its football program in P5, but unless we beat USF forcefully today, why believe we are that quality?

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