Neinas: Wvu's Entrance Contingent On Being Available Next Year

[nelsonmuntz]

This is the twilight zone.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/s...missioner-expects-west-virginia-big-12-season

The commissioner of a league that WVU is joining just outed WVU's frivolous lawsuit. This is a staggering level of stupidity by Neinas and WVU. It certainly undermines WVU's credibility.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I was a bit taken back by those comments myself.

On it's face it's even dumber and more brazen than Flipper's comments a month ago.

 

[husky10]

what are the chances that the BE can stop WVU from leaving before the 27-month period through lawsuits? should we be including WVU in the future plans of the BE?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If next year is that big a deal, the Big 12 basically needs to cut whatever deal it can with BYU. There are no other options.

 

[8893]

Wow. I'm starting to think that these guys really are as stupid as they seem. You seldom find smoking guns in lawsuits. These guys are holding them. The Big 12 just admitted liability for tortious interference with contractual relations. Amazing.

 

[NutmegState]

Once we line up the league, rake WVU and the Big 12 over the coals for cash. Want WVU next season? 20 mil. Take it or leave it. We need money for the basketball facility.

 

[UCHuskies08]

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Wow. I'm starting to think that these guys really are as stupid as they seem. You seldom find smoking guns in lawsuits. These guys are holding them. The Big 12 just admitted liability for tortious interference with contractual relations. Amazing.

They aren't holding the smoking guns, they are throwing them at us.

 

[Revrat]

So WVU still hasn't even bothered to read the Big 12 bylaws yet?

 

[ctchamps]

Absolutely brilliant by Nein=ass. It was obvious by the way WV was acting that they were under a deadline. A lot of us made that simple leap. But to go public with the information is beyond the BE's best hope.

I'm going to keep playing what my gut tells me. I think this is more than just stupidity. If it isn't stupidity than the only other explanation is that the B12 has a lot of infighting and someone in the B12, probably Texas, wants WV's admission into the B12 to fail. They were just playing along with OU.

So if the BE gets BYU, then expect the B12 to split. This will be excellent because the BE can then grab the best of that litter. I hope it takes Kansas and Kansas State. That would improve bb significantly and fill in a pretty decent football conference.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Actually read the article and the title of this thread is misleading.

Neinas said West Virginia's entrance into the Big 12 was contingent on the university being available next year.
"We needed a 10th member next season to fulfill our TV commitments," Neinas said. "There's an inventory that goes with a contract for TV, so we've got to be able to do that."

Not exactly the same thing, IMO.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Actually read the article and the title of this thread is misleading.

Neinas said West Virginia's entrance into the Big 12 was contingent on the university being available next year.
"We needed a 10th member next season to fulfill our TV commitments," Neinas said. "There's an inventory that goes with a contract for TV, so we've got to be able to do that."

Not exactly the same thing, IMO.

What am I missing?

 

[kibblesnbits]

It is the same thing. He didn't say their start date was contingent on their availability, but that their entry into the league was contingent on being available next year. Otherwise the second sentence doesn't make any sense. If their being ready to start right away doesn't matter why bring up the need for a 10th team next year?

 

[upstater]

I think it's a damning statement for another reason.

The Big12 is not letting Missouri escape easily to the SEC because of the damage it would do to the conference.
So how is that NOT like the situation between WV and the BE?

 

[mattp]

i dont' see where what neinas said was a smoking gun per se. he just said they needed a 10th for next year to fulfill their TV contract. what if they go after boise as well to keep the BE from being viable? if they're really desperate for a 10th they could go that route, and i wonder if boise knows this and that's why they haven't joined the BE yet. if i was WVU i'd be a little peeved that their invitation is conditional on starting next year. it's not the nicest way to be invited into a group of supposed colleagues. what happened to midwestern hospitality?

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

i wonder if boise knows this and that's why they haven't joined the BE yet.

Boise hasn't joined the Big East yet because they haven't been invited yet. Expect them to be invited and immediately accept within the next week.

 

[businesslawyer]

I feel like I'm in an alternative universe at the moment. The Big XII, with WVu in litigation, wants to publicly admit that they told WVU it was now or never knowing that WVU was forbidden by contract from leaving now?

Is every lawyer advising every school on crack? Or am I missing something? I recognize that the smart answer is it must be me, but I just don't see it.

 

[ZooCougar]

These people are just as dumb or dumber than anyone else. My opinion on Oliver Luck has come full circle as well. What an idiot.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I feel like I'm in an alternative universe at the moment. The Big XII, with WVu in litigation, wants to publicly admit that they told WVU it was now or never knowing that WVU was forbidden by contract from leaving now?

Is every lawyer advising every school on crack? Or am I missing something? I recognize that the smart answer is it must be me, but I just don't see it.

BL.

I'm not sure that the B-12 is required to know the bylaws of another conference nor would they be required to determine if WVU could or could not follow through on an agreement by them to resolve the issue on their own to become available to the B-12.

I imagine that if the B-12 claimed that a) WVU approached them for membership and b) WVU assured them that they would resolve the departure issue to the BE's satisfaction (implying that they would pay whatever price necessary to buy their way out early) the B-12 could claim they did nothing wrong (regardless of whether they did or did not truly believe WVU could get out of the commitment).
I could well be wrong here and obviously you have a better background on this than I do but at the level of what was quoted from Neinas, I don't think the B-12 is in any real trouble.

 

[gioff23]

I've said this before on othjer posts and I stand by it - - the B12 is doomed. They don't like each other, they don't trust each other and they are going to split someday soon. Noone trusts UT, OU wishes they could be California girls, OSU goes where OU wants, and schools like KU, KSU, ISU and Baylor are holding on by a thread. Why do you think Mizzou wants out so badly. For the life of me I don't understand why the SEC doesn't go after OU (and OSU). Regardless, moving to the B12 is like jumping from one sinking ship to another. They are stuck between two expansionist conferences - the Pac 12 and the SEC (not to mention the B10 is sitting back waiting for schools to fall to them).

I don't blame WVU for leaving the BE; I simply think they will find themselves pimping for a conference again, very soon.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

BL.

I'm not sure that the B-12 is required to know the bylaws of another conference nor would they be required to determine if WVU could or could not follow through on an agreement by them to resolve the issue on their own to become available to the B-12.

I imagine that if the B-12 claimed that a) WVU approached them for membership and b) WVU assured them that they would resolve the departure issue to the BE's satisfaction (implying that they would pay whatever price necessary to buy their way out early) the B-12 could claim they did nothing wrong (regardless of whether they did or did not truly believe WVU could get out of the commitment).
I could well be wrong here and obviously you have a better background on this than I do but at the level of what was quoted from Neinas, I don't think the B-12 is in any real trouble.

I think you are kidding, but I am not sure.

 

[8893]

BL.

I'm not sure that the B-12 is required to know the bylaws of another conference nor would they be required to determine if WVU could or could not follow through on an agreement by them to resolve the issue on their own to become available to the B-12.

I imagine that if the B-12 claimed that a) WVU approached them for membership and b) WVU assured them that they would resolve the departure issue to the BE's satisfaction (implying that they would pay whatever price necessary to buy their way out early) the B-12 could claim they did nothing wrong (regardless of whether they did or did not truly believe WVU could get out of the commitment).
I could well be wrong here and obviously you have a better background on this than I do but at the level of what was quoted from Neinas, I don't think the B-12 is in any real trouble.

The B12 was aware that WVU was required contractually to give 27 months notice before leaving. He admitted that the B12 made WVU's acceptance conditional on leaving sooner than the contract allowed. That is called inducing a breach of contract. What is reported in this article alone satisfies all the elements for tortious interference in pretty much every jurisdiction.

 

[Vowelguy]

The B12 was aware that WVU was required contractually to give 27 months notice before leaving. He admitted that the B12 made WVU's acceptance conditional on leaving sooner than the contract allowed. That is called inducing a breach of contract.

Legal question: suppose B12 said: "WVU assured us they could work out an amicable split with the BE to allow them out sooner."

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Legal question: suppose B12 said: "WVU assured us they could work out an amicable split with the BE to allow them out sooner."

Ignorance is a very weak defense in litigation, particularly for multi-million dollar businesses like athletic conferences. Any time your defense is "I thought that it was OK", you better have your checkbook handy.

 

[businesslawyer]

BL.

I'm not sure that the B-12 is required to know the bylaws of another conference nor would they be required to determine if WVU could or could not follow through on an agreement by them to resolve the issue on their own to become available to the B-12.

I imagine that if the B-12 claimed that a) WVU approached them for membership and b) WVU assured them that they would resolve the departure issue to the BE's satisfaction (implying that they would pay whatever price necessary to buy their way out early) the B-12 could claim they did nothing wrong (regardless of whether they did or did not truly believe WVU could get out of the commitment).
I could well be wrong here and obviously you have a better background on this than I do but at the level of what was quoted from Neinas, I don't think the B-12 is in any real trouble.

How can the Big XII argue that it didn't know WVU was bound by a 27 month notice requirement when it's been discussed ad naseum on college football websites and the internet generally. Is a jury going to believe they didn't know and took WVU at it's word? EVen if that is what happened, I find it hard to believe you could convince a jury of that.