Tramel beating the drumBerry Tramel@BerryTramel
Power Lunch Chat with Berry Tramel
Power Lunch Chat with Berry Tramel
- John
12:11:29 PM
Read your uconn piece. Question - have you spent time there? Know the culture? You couldn't be more wrong about them. They aren't important to their state at all. Football is a joke. 10 years ago these guys were playing in a stadium that most 3A schools in our state play in. Please dig deeper before you throw your things out.
- Berry Tramel
12:13:41 PM
Yes, I've been to Connecticut. And you are wrong. UConn is very important to that state. And while football is not king -- basketball is -- the nature of their football stadium is one of the reasons UConn is attractive. Yes, the Huskies used to play in a rumdum field. And now they don't. They have a new stadium. UConn has made a commitment to football and to its athletic department. I'm blogging about this this afternoon. UConn's athletic budget is $72 million. That's far and away the most of any school outside the Power-5. That's without a major TV contract.
- Jeff
12:16:07 PM
When should we expect to hear from the big 12 leadership if we are going to expand? Would that be in October or sooner? Guess it could happen any time in the next year, but if you haven't heard of news by a certain date would you expect nothing to happen ?
- Berry Tramel
12:16:36 PM
Great question. Some figured by Sept. 1. Most people said by Oct. 1. I heard over the weekend it could go to December. So I don't know. It might not happen at all.
- Big 12 Guru
12:21:30 PM
Berry, you have given us some great insight into the Big 12 expansion debate. However, your latest piece about why UConn should join the Big 12 makes me question your sanity. Adding a school as far away as China which has a pitiful football program just because they are a state school is ridiculous. Nobody up there cares about watching Texas Tech and TCU square off. Have you spent too much time in the Oklahoma sun?
- Berry Tramel
12:22:40 PM
Actually, my tan is rather solid. But I lined out the reasons for adding UConn. I think they're solid. Connecticut people don't have to watch Tech and TCU. They have to buy a potential Big 12 Network. And they would. That's my point about the change in television.
- drbosu
12:39:03 PM
If the Big 12 is no more, what happens to the rest of the schools? In particular Kansas and K State?
Berry Tramel
12:40:22 PM
That's the best question ever asked on the chat. That's what troubles me most about a potential Big 12 demise. These are good schools and great people. I think KU and KSU will be fine. But I don't know about Iowa State. I think KU could end up in the Big Ten or Pac-12. I think KSU could end up in the SEC or the Pac. but Iowa State? I don't know. I see a potential ACC, perhaps. But that's a longshot.
- Jim
12:46:11 PM
Tell fan boy we aren't whining about those schools, the smart ones are whining our wall flower presidents got us in this jam. Nebraska, Colorado, A&M and Missouri all and more proactive leaders than do OU and OSU. That's the angle the media isn't dealing with. When are you going to be holding Boren and the presidents accountable? This should have never happened!
- Berry Tramel
12:47:17 PM
Well, I agree, it never should have happened, but the problem goes back to 1995, when the Big 12 was formed. It was formed with too much power given to each school. No power by the commissioner, unequal revenue distribution, etc. This isn't the fault of anyone in the last 5-6 years. This was a 20-year process. Boren is partly responsible, but there are plenty of others.
- Fan Boy
12:29:18 PM
Why are some fans whining about bringing in “lower level” schools like Cincinnati and Houston etc.? Kansas and Iowa State certainly don’t strike fear into anybody. Why don’t they cry about having to play such bad football schools as those two?
- Berry Tramel
12:30:44 PM
Kansas and Iowa State are great schools, great conference members and have great other attributes, notably basketball. Someone has to finish last. It's straight physics. Cincy and Houston have positives and might work well in the Big 12. Whoever you bring in will have challenges. There are no slam dunks.