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

[zls44]

5 NCAA tournaments in the past 20 years. Same as Colorado and Arizona State.

Then you should probably be more confused about those two getting in and not the school that actually wins stuff?

 

[Jimdish255]

Only on here are people genuinely dismissing the credentials of Utah, a school that just went to back-to-back Rose Bowls, went as far in the WBB tournament as we did and has a solid MBB history.

Try looking around, guys.

Utah was nothing until we gave them Joe Williams -

 

[Mora4Prez]

im surprised the sec isnt pushing their face into the az/asu possibility

I think they’re probably hoping the ACC crumbles and they can snag Clemson, FSU, maybe UNC UVA etc. Thats the smart play IMO. They don’t really need to go 4 time zones when they’re pretty much guaranteed to produce 25-50% of the CFB field. Doubling down and putting a complete lock on the most rabid CFB region in the country seems to make sense to me.

 

[HuskyinWRNY]

...why would the Big 12 want one of the hottest rivalries in college sports? In a state whose population is exploding (and gonna run out of water soon, but not their problem)? You're confused on this? Really? Really???

who is going to watch except people who live in utah?

 

[zls44]

Utah basketball is a non-starter.

Utah basketball has the 15th-most wins in NCAA history. They have won more games than Villanova and Michigan State.

They're mediocre now. But to say their program is bad is to fundamentally reveal you have no understanding of history.

 

[zls44]

who is going to watch except people who live in utah?

BYU has their own national TV network. Do you think all Mormons live only in Utah?

 

[JohnFSilver]

Key word once again is "backup plan". Unfortunately for us, the Pac is dead which means Utah gets first dibs at the 16th spot, and they'd be signing their own death certificate if they rejected it.

Yes.

Issue here is they are eliminating one of oldest leagues in history. I think Big 10 might just absorb the original league.

 

[zls44]

Every kid at UCF grew up rooting for the Gators or Noles. A worthless alumni base.

I think 95% of UCF's "rise" is because Miami, FSU and UF have alternated being train wrecks during that entire period. They simply stepped into a void.

 

[superjohn]

ASU is a sheer volume play, similar to UCF. The school's so damn big.

ASU is strictly a University of Arizona play. For some reason they seem to really want Arizona despite their not so stellar sports.

 

[JMick]

...why would the Big 12 want one of the hottest rivalries in college sports? In a state whose population is exploding (and gonna run out of water soon, but not their problem)? You're confused on this? Really? Really???

You think people outside of Utah are lining up to see that game? Really? I'm not sure anyone outside of the state that's not an alum or Mormon cares about it at all

 

[WNConn]

ASU is a sheer volume play, similar to UCF. The school's so damn big.

I don't think there's a whole lot of strategy behind taking ASU, other than that they probably have to in order to get UA.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Yes? Quite obviously yes?!?!??! Have you ever BEEN to Newington!??!?!?!

How many Kansas alum, Oklahoma State, or Iowa State alum do you know?

I think the vast majority of you are making sweeping generalizations about populations/culture.

I mean, my god, again even if all you say is true, nobody is demanding you host the Baylor Bears booster club at your home for a BBQ.

 

[zls44]

You think people outside of Utah are lining up to see that game? Really? I'm not sure anyone outside of the state that's not an alum or Mormon cares about it at all

More people will watch Utah-BYU football than UConn-Kansas basketball?

 

[UConn Dan]

 

[Jimdish255]

who is going to watch except people who live in utah?

They can still schedule each other just like a number of OOC rivals and neighbors do. This is so overblown.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

Utah basketball has the 15th-most wins in NCAA history. They have won more games than Villanova and Michigan State.

They're mediocre now. But to say their program is bad is to fundamentally reveal you have no understanding of history.

Come on, there is a reason we don't mention Utah in the same breath as Villanova and MSU. Most of those wins came in the WAC and something called the Mountain States Conference. Rick Majerus ain't walking through that door

 

[Fishy]

...why would the Big 12 want one of the hottest rivalries in college sports? In a state whose population is exploding (and gonna run out of water soon, but not their problem)? You're confused on this? Really? Really???

“Exploding”

They have three million people and are growing at 1.5% per year. These are small numbers.

 

[JMick]

Utah basketball has the 15th-most wins in NCAA history. They have won more games than Villanova and Michigan State.

They're mediocre now. But to say their program is bad is to fundamentally reveal you have no understanding of history.

At what point does that history really matter, though? You know who's #6 in wins? Temple.

 

[UConn Dan]

 

[superjohn]

Utah basketball has the 15th-most wins in NCAA history. They have won more games than Villanova and Michigan State.

They're mediocre now. But to say their program is bad is to fundamentally reveal you have no understanding of history.

First of all I didn't say their program is bad. I said Utah basketball is a non-starter because you're bringing up Utah basketball while talking about UConn. We have the best basketball in the country and absolutely blow away Utah basketball. So does Nova and Michigan State.

 

[Revrat]

I don't think anyone anticipated the PAC deal being so bad. I think the Big 12 is now in such a position of strength (not that they are all that strong to begin with) that they can sit back and have a reverse auction to see who will join for the least amount of a share of their media deal. There really is no difference in the teams left. Let's face it there is no more money, so how will they pay any of these schools decent money? It's going to come down to who grovels the most for any scraps. What choice do they have? let our programs die or accept maybe only slightly more just to get in the door? even then, our programs are still in peril, so the gamble is, does the ACC die to provide more value or not to the big 12 after the BIG and SEC pick over the remains the top teams? We have the basketball. Either there is money in that and we are in or there isn't and we are not. not even sure how we got this far because Colorado leaving was a given and so were the dominoes unless nobody really anticipated a deal that bad.

 

[CL82]

I think I was first here to say that I'll feel bad for Utah if they get left out because I do think they've done everything right.

But it's still a weird add from the perspective of the Big XII. They already have the state locked down.

If they are out, we are in. If that's the case I'll move forward gratefully and won't even look over my shoulder at them. Sorry, not sorry, we are in a battle for our survival.

 

[shizzle787]

You never have us in anything, so what is the update here?

An educated guess.

 

[zls44]

At what point does that history really matter, though? You know who's #6 in wins? Temple.

I can always tap the "just went to back-to-back Rose Bowls" argument again, if youd prefer

 

[ctchamps]

Geez, maybe it’s time for UConn to sell itself to a private equity firm.

I have no problem with pessimism here. If the B12 decision makers came here, observed this behavior and decided the northeast is weak maybe I'd be concerned. But they don't so I'm not.

What matters is what happens over the next several days and I'm still very optimistic.