Hello Huskies and assorted folk, bringing a Big 12 perspective here.
"Dude" is so full of garbage, it's hard to know where to begin. Sorry for the length.
First, the premise that "insider" knowledge about the Big 12 would come from Morgantown is hilarious. The newest kids on the block somehow have the 'goods', in the most power-centralized conference of all.
Meanwhile nobody in Austin or Norman ever says anything. Well, with the exception of 'Tuxedo Yoda', and the intelligent Longhorns have disassociated themselves from his drivel. There is also Swaim, who is absolutely full of it as well, but he's an Oklahoma State guy. You literally never hear anything from Norman and Lawrence and if you toss out Tuxedo Yoda, you don't hear anything from any of the true powers.
If there is ONE program that wants the Big 12 to survive it is Texas. What more evidence can one want? They chased everyone away and had Oklahoma not made an ill fated union to their cousins from Stillwater, they would be gone too. Otherwise, without Colorado's then-ability to appeal to the NorCal academic snobs (w/r/t Okie State) Oklahoma would have teamed up with Kansas and they would have been in the PAC. So KU would be gone too. This would have been the legacy of Deloss Dodds. Literally blowing up the Big 12.
So if you haven't read his latest garbage, I am going to 'review it' here. Quoting the 'Dude' - "there are no easy answers". No kidding? That's because your latest wank is just as convoluted as all you previous wank, Mr. Dude. Even his 'colleague' in Twitter Hillbillyism - MHVer - said recently that Rice would be in the B1G before Texas ever would. I wouldn't entirely agree but it's not that far off the mark, actually.
If the Big 12 is forced to expand and add a conference championship game, which I admit is a possibility, then you know what would happen? They would expand back to 12. Simple as that. If BYU were a viable fit for the Big 12, they would have already been in. The Big 12 and BYU have 'danced' more than twice and it never amounts to anything because (among several reasons) BYU likes its independence.
And D4 will very simply welcome Independents, watch and see, Huskies. You guys are gonna be fine regardless. If the Big 12 is forced to expand it will add Cincinnati, that much I can agree with. The 12th team (apart from BYU which can't play nice with anyone) would likely be USF to get FOX into Florida on a major level. In other words, apart from other practical reasons for Big 12 members (exposure into FL) it will be the only property the Big 12 conference can get money for at that spot.
He then comments on the reduction of payout, as adding ZERO dollars to the Big 12 contract while INCLUDING BYU. This is utter nonsense. First of all, they are ADDING a conference championship game. They will be paid to broadcast that game. There's money right there. Second of all, they could be pushed into adding USF (see above) by FOX giving them money for USF and nobody else. Maybe not much, but it would be better than nothing. And lastly and most obviously BYU has a contract with ESPN as we speak. They would roll that over into the Big 12 deal, thus making up for some of the lost revenue.
So right there is a clear case of Dude being absolutely clueless. Next - he says that Texas and Oklahoma are "against" expansion, essentially. And the EXACT OPPOSITE is true. See: OU's Castiglione trying to get Louisville added as #11. Expansion is essentially 5-5 right now in the Big 12. Texas (and thus TTU), Oklahoma (and thus OSU). and WVU against the other five that don't want to cut into their TV share$.
This guy knows nothing of which he speaks. And when he's not blindly guessing - he's piggybacking other sources and making an incredulous stew of garbage just to keep people clicking on his BS. You'll note he moved his old blog to a place where he can start making ad revenue.
All that said, it is possible - based on Dennis Dodd's rumor - taken in conjunction with the Omaha paper that listed Oklahoma and Kansas as having been researched by the B1G - that perhaps there is something to the flexibility of the Big 12 GOR. And if Oklahoma believes they can get into the B1G, then they will leave. I promise you they would. Their series with Texas will always exist, they've only been in the same conference for 17 years and have played each other for 100. Besides that, Texas has already chased all their other rivals away. The UT fanbase would riot if they refused to schedule that OU game.
And sure, all this would mean the Big 12 GOR is actually weak, so Kansas is probably going as well. Texas, because of the LHN, and because of ESPN's unwillingness to allow FOX (BTN) to pluck Texas away, certainly wouldn't cancel the LHN. It would only reinforce that position. Texas keeps the LHN, schedules who it wants and goes Independent. Finally on their self-made island. It's that simple.
But then you get into the pesky conversation about how that GOR could be breached. I am no lawyer so I will leave it alone. Anyhow, I just thought maybe you guys needed a Big 12 perspective. I come in peace, Huskies and hope that you guys appreciate the different perspective. But mostly, in this instance, I just wanted to tell you guys to not pin your UConn hopes and dreams to the words of 'Dude'. You guys will be fine regardless because D4 will allow Independents.
And if the Big 12 GOR is flimsy, so is the ACC's GOR. It's the same thing. And so expect all hell to break loose all over again. If that's the case, then this D4 idea might just be something entirely different.
