Latest from Chip Brown - we're in a holding pattern

[junglehusky]

Baylor's move has led to a realignment pause... but for how long?

Now A&M is considering waiting one year for things to get sorted out before heading to the SEC.

Sources say the Pac-12 has indicated it would not expand unless the SEC moved first. So if Texas A&M-to-the-SEC is off the table for two more football seasons, there is a real chance the massive realignment that appeared so imminent just a couple days ago in college athletics could actually be thought out - for better or worse - over time.

All the scenarios about whom the SEC might add to get to 16; about whom the Pac-12 might add and how Texas and the Longhorn Network could or could not fit into a conference structure could be mulled over for weeks and months and not hours and days.

...

For the second year in a row, college athletics is facing massive realignment. This time it's been, in large part, because the boards of regents at Texas A&M and Oklahoma decided enough was enough. A group of nine people - made up of professionals such as dentists and convenience store owners - were making the decisions about who would be playing in what conference and when.

Not a commissioner. Not a group of athletic directors. Not a group of people who spend every day thinking about the business of college athletics. A group of non-paid volunteers who are appointed to a regents board by that state's governor.

Think about that for a second.

Sometimes these regents move at the behest of a governor's agenda as opposed to an athletic director's agenda. Nonetheless, they are the ones moving the chess pieces in realignment because there is no one watching over college athletics with EVERYONE'S best interests in mind.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The delay greatly benefits us (UConn) and does help the BE as a whole.

 

[businesslawyer]

A delay is a huge victory for the Big East. If this only pops up again in 12 months, there will be a lot more certainty on our TV contract catching up with those of the other BCS conferences.

 

[businesslawyer]

By the way -- the quote earlier in the thread about regents being in over their heads is a good one. The indirect impact of these decisions on other public institutions is really such that, given time, may cause state and federal governments to take more control of the decisions. Just as one example, does the federal government really want/need to give taxpayer money to state institutions that are acting in such a cutthroat manner towards other institutions? Why? if you want public funds, why isn't being a "good citizen" a fair thing for the government to ask of you?

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Delay would be great. This doesn't mean jump at filling up spots with mediocre teams, it means get that TV deal done and as high as possible. If there are no other moves, it means the Texas/ND to the Big 10+2 isn't happening either. No way ND moves first to a conference.

 

[businesslawyer]

There should be no moves period until the next contract is negotiated unless they absolutely have to be made. If no one else is pulling the trigger, we will not be the ones to do so.

 

[upstater]

BOT work at the behest of the people who appoint them.

 

[businesslawyer]

BOT work at the behest of the people who appoint them.

No *. The question is whether the Governors are telling them what to do or leaving them alone. That probably varies university by university and I don't think we're hearing a lot about whether Governors are or are not making the decisions. We did, e.g., hear that the Governor of Virginia was ordering people what to do last time around.

 

[upstater]

No *. The question is whether the Governors are telling them what to do or leaving them alone. That probably varies university by university and I don't think we're hearing a lot about whether Governors are or are not making the decisions. We did, e.g., hear that the Governor of Virginia was ordering people what to do last time around.

Given what's gone on in the past with A&M's board firing a President after political influence, from the governor, you think we need to hear about to know it's going on? Of course it's going on.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

There should be no moves period until the next contract is negotiated unless they absolutely have to be made. If no one else is pulling the trigger, we will not be the ones to do so.

This. Unless another solid BCS school(s) make it known that they're interested, or one of the current CUSA teams becomes a Boise/TCU - goes undefeated, beats a big team in a BCS bowl, not a 9-3 ACC or Big East champion, then follows it up next year by doing the same thing - then they could be a candidate. Other than those two scenarios, there is absolutely no reason to add anyone right now, unless they really want to be wacky and add Boise, but that might be a bit too ridiculous.

 

[zls44]

I'm sure the folks on the BOT's at A&M and Baylor are qualified to be on BOT's of major institutions. That does not, however, mean they are the most qualified people to be making decisions involving athletic conferences. It's not a mutually inclusive argument.

 

[upstater]

I'm sure the folks on the BOT's at A&M and Baylor are qualified to be on BOT's of major institutions. That does not, however, mean they are the most qualified people to be making decisions involving athletic conferences. It's not a mutually inclusive argument.

They're not qualified to have any say whatsoever about the institutions at all. They are political puppets. They have already proven that they are totally inept and silly on many occasions.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Oh good. Chip Brown chimes in again.

At least we now know what UT wants everyone to read.

 

[Murph]

I'm disappointed conference realignment will not be sorted out by the time the world ends in 2012.

Yep, I've been watching the History Channel and one of those weird, apocalypse-predicting type shows.