Strongly worded Big 12 expansion article

[jlarson]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article65340322.html

 

[NYUConn]

So strongly worded. Wow, the words. Just so strong. Brutal.

 

[amory]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/sam-mellinger/article65340322.html

Just another article written by a guy who doesn't seem to have done any research.

The Big 12 won't survive without a network. To get a network you need more than 10 members. "We shouldn't expand because we had a good year in basketball" is ignorant. As is comparing the Big 12 favorably to the ACC, and then saying "see? We're doing great"

I also think it's weird how Texas can throw its weight around and it's expected, but if OU tries to do it its because their president is an egomaniac drunk on his own power.

 

[CL82]

Just another article written by a guy who doesn't seem to have done any research.

The Big 12 won't survive without a network. To get a network you need more than 10 members. "We shouldn't expand because we had a good year in basketball" is ignorant. As is comparing the Big 12 favorably to the ACC, and then saying "see? We're doing great"

I also think it's weird how Texas can throw its weight around and it's expected, but if OU tries to do it its because their president is an egomaniac drunk on his own power.

I don't know. Reporters (outside of Connecticut) aren't apt to bite the hand that feeds them. If he's writing this it is likely because KU isn't for expansion. That's probably not good news.

Right now, the league laments the loss of flagship institutions like Nebraska and Texas A&M, and missing out on Louisville. Why should we not believe it would eventually regret expansion with what everyone agrees would be imperfect new schools.​

So if you made a mistake by doing nothing, you should continue to do nothing because you may regret doing something?

 

[NYUConn]

I don't know. Reporters (outside of Connecticut) aren't apt to bite the hand that feeds them. If he's writing this it is likely because KU isn't for expansion. That's probably not good news.

Right now, the league laments the loss of flagship institutions like Nebraska and Texas A&M, and missing out on Louisville. Why should we not believe it would eventually regret expansion with what everyone agrees would be imperfect new schools.​

So if you made a mistake by doing nothing, you should continue to do nothing because you may regret doing something?

I don't think you can come to that conclusion automatically.

As many have mentioned he's completely ill-informed and he seems to have an Ax to grind against Boren specifically. I don't think KU administrators would so brazenly and publicly attack a fellow Big 12 prez, even if it were through a conduit.

Do you think that KU wants their state's paper of record trashing one of their peers in the Big 12? This is going to create a major headache and create friction in the relationship between the two schools. I can't imagine that they wanted this story written.

 

[coachcap]

To me it sounds like the whining of a sports columnist who's travel budget is minimal & he's petrified at the prospect of having to arrange for airfare & hotel accommodations to Greater Hartford. Perish the thought that he has to travel to the Eastern time zone more often than his now scheduled jaunts to Appalachia.

 

[CL82]

I don't think you can come to that conclusion automatically.

As many have mentioned he's completely ill-informed and he seems to have an Ax to grind against Boren specifically. I don't think KU administrators would so brazenly and publicly attack a fellow Big 12 prez, even if it were through a conduit.

Do you think that KU wants their state's paper of record trashing one of their peers in the Big 12? This is going to create a major headache and create friction in the relationship between the two schools. I can't imagine that they wanted this story written.

I think you write a different column, if the answer your sources give you is "yeah we need expansion for our survival" or even, we think it's a good idea. But yeah, I'm reading tea leaves...

 

[NYUConn]

I think you write a different column, if the answer your sources give you is "yeah we need expansion for our survival" or even, we think it's a good idea. But yeah, I'm reading tea leaves...

Yeah, I mean that's why I think he wrote this without talking to anyone at KU.

Any independent observer would see that KU needs a healthy Big 12 to survive long-term, so combine that with the fact that this guy is trashing David Boren and I think he went off half-cocked looking for clicks.

 

[Kolumbo]

I made it to this paragraph and immediately moved on. They are delusional.

"The league’s showcase event, its conference basketball tournament, is being held at Sprint Center this week. Particularly this season, as the league has been as good as any league has been in years, it is the country’s best college basketball tournament."

 

[NYUConn]

I made it to this paragraph and immediately moved on. They are delusional.

"The league’s showcase event, its conference basketball tournament, is being held at Sprint Center this week. Particularly this season, as the league has been as good as any league has been in years, it is the country’s best college basketball tournament."

I mean I don't think it's wrong to characterize the Big 12 as the best basketball conference in America since the destruction of the Big East.

 

[junglehusky]

I wouldn't dismiss some of his points out of hand; though Boren is clearly and publicly pro-expansion it is true many of the other schools are at least initially anti-expansion. Question is, which presidents are persuadable?

 

[MattMang23]

I had seen reported, and I can't remember by who, that KU is anti-expansion, but was willing to take UConn because we are "seen as acceptable" to them.

 

[huskymedic]

smellinger@kcstar.com

smel linger...

Yup.

 

[ZooCougar]

I can't stand Mellinger. But he's not the influencer, he's the influenced.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yeah, I mean that's why I think he wrote this without talking to anyone at KU.

Any independent observer would see that KU needs a healthy Big 12 to survive long-term, so combine that with the fact that this guy is trashing David Boren and I think he went off half-cocked looking for clicks.

I have little doubt. The word is that KU favors expansion, and specifically UConn (basketball rival, student recruiting ground, hoops recruiting in Northeast). Do most fans? I doubt it. Most reporters? I doubt it. Many of them can't see the big picture.

 

[Vowelguy]

I can understand why someone would love for the status quo to stay the same. I would bet that fans of Syracuse, Pitt, etc would love it if the Big East still existed. But circumstances change.

The B12 members should be falling over themselves to make Oklahoma happy. TX is like Notre Dame in this -- they will stay with the B12 as long as it is viable. And when it's not, they will work out a ND-like deal with the ACC. OK is the real threat to jump ship, and once that happens, TX and the 8 dwarfs (oops, I mean the B12) moves one step closer to not being viable.

I also wonder how much of the column is buyers remorse over WV.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I can understand why someone would love for the status quo to stay the same. I would bet that fans of Syracuse, Pitt, etc would love it if the Big East still existed. But circumstances change.

The B12 members should be falling over themselves to make Oklahoma happy. TX is like Notre Dame in this -- they will stay with the B12 as long as it is viable. And when it's not, they will work out a ND-like deal with the ACC. OK is the real threat to jump ship, and once that happens, TX and the 8 dwarfs (oops, I mean the B12) moves one step closer to not being viable.

I also wonder how much of the column is buyers remorse over WV.

I can't imagine that Kansas fans have any remorse over adding WVU.

 

[junglehusky]

smellinger@kcstar.com

smel linger...

Yup.

Smellinger Mike Finger

 

[UT4Big12]

I can understand why someone would love for the status quo to stay the same. I would bet that fans of Syracuse, Pitt, etc would love it if the Big East still existed. But circumstances change.

The B12 members should be falling over themselves to make Oklahoma happy. TX is like Notre Dame in this -- they will stay with the B12 as long as it is viable. And when it's not, they will work out a ND-like deal with the ACC. OK is the real threat to jump ship, and once that happens, TX and the 8 dwarfs (oops, I mean the B12) moves one step closer to not being viable.

I also wonder how much of the column is buyers remorse over WV.

My take from having read Mellinger's article is Boren giving the impression there is instability within the conference when in fact there isn't.
When the focus now should be on the Big 12's basketball tournament, thanks to Boren, the focus continues to be on expansion instead.
When most conference administrators discuss important issues behind closed doors, Boren makes the Big 12's issues public.
When most conferences allow for their commissioners to be the spokesman for the conference, Boren places himself as the spokesman for the Big 12. How embarrassing is it for the conference to have to place a gag order on Boren and for the public to learn about it.
Is Boren an egomaniac?

Boren wants the Big 12 to be financially competitive with the Big 10 and the SEC. News flash! The Big 12's footprint doesn't have the population to compete financially with those two conference, even if the Big 12 invited 2 schools and had a conference network.

From the beginning, it was reasonable to think the Big 12 would eventually expand when the time was right. That discussion was in place already (at Big 12 headquarters) when West Virginia was invited to join. It was also reasonable to believe the conference would expand with eastern schools (to accommodate WVU and to give the conference more exposure in the heavily populated east coast). This idea pretty much ruled out BYU as an expansion candidate.

As for the Big 12 having buyer's remorse over WVU? I would say the answer to that is an emphatic "NO".
West Virginia has been a great partner and it was a good move for the conference.

Now suddenly, we are faced with having to think about maybe adding 2 more schools, schools that would not dilute the Big 12 brand , schools that will bring value to the conference. This is an unsettled debate among fans in the Big 12.

Up until now, I had never considered UConn as the most logical addition should the conference decide to expand. Please forgive my ignorance in this matter (sometimes I have to learn the hard way). But from everything I have read so far, a lot of Big 12 fans are warming up to the idea of having UConn in the conference. It seems UConn is now at the top of most everyone's list. I also wouldn't be surprised if UConn was at the top of the Big 12's expansion list. We like schools that are flagship, land grant public research universities. UConn has excellent academics.

 

[junglehusky]

My take from having read Mellinger's article is Boren giving the impression there is instability within the conference when in fact there isn't.
When the focus now should be on the Big 12's basketball tournament, thanks to Boren, the focus continues to be on expansion instead.
When most conference administrators discuss issues behind closed doors, Boren makes the Big 12's issues public.
When most conferences allow for their commissioners to be the spokesman for the conference, Boren places himself as the spokesman for the Big 12. How embarrassing is it for the conference to have to place a gag order on Boren and for the public to learn about it.
Is Boren an egomaniac?

Boren wants the Big 12 to be financially competitive with the Big 10 and the SEC. News flash! The Big 12's footprint doesn't have the population to compete financially with those two conference, even if the Big 12 invited 2 schools and had a conference network.

From the beginning, it was reasonable to think the Big 12 would eventually expand when the time was right. That discussion was in place already (at Big 12 headquarters) when West Virginia was invited to join. It was also reasonable to believe the conference would expand with eastern schools (to accommodate WVU and to give the conference more exposure in the heavily populated east coast). This idea pretty much ruled out BYU as an expansion candidate.

As for the Big 12 having buyer's remorse over WVU? I would say the answer to that is an emphatic "NO".
West Virginia has been a great partner and it was a good move for the conference.

Now suddenly, we are faced with having to think about maybe adding 2 more schools, schools that would not dilute the Big 12 brand , schools that will bring value to the conference. This is an unsettled debate among fans in the Big 12.

Up until now, I had never considered UConn as the most logical addition should the conference decide to expand. Please forgive my ignorance in this matter (sometimes I have to learn the hard way). But from everything I have read so far, a lot of Big 12 fans are warming up to the idea of having UConn in the conference. It seems UConn is now at the top of most everyone's list. I also wouldn't be surprised if UConn was at the top of the Big 12's expansion list. We like schools that are flagship, land grant public research universities. UConn has excellent academics.

We graciously accept.

 

[Waquoit]

Strongly worded articles mean nothing to me. But if he starts a petition, all bets are off.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

I have little doubt. The word is that KU favors expansion, and specifically UConn (basketball rival, student recruiting ground, hoops recruiting in Northeast). Do most fans? I doubt it. Most reporters? I doubt it. Many of them can't see the big picture.

Therein lies a problem; Reporters/Columnist as fans. I wish the Managing Editors would tell Sport's staff to remove their fan hats and have a conversation about expansion issues with the Business Editor. Maybe an understanding of the business pressures faced by conferences, and the available solutions, might change perspectives in the sport's department.

 

[SAMCRO]

I made it to this paragraph and immediately moved on. They are delusional.

"The league’s showcase event, its conference basketball tournament, is being held at Sprint Center this week. Particularly this season, as the league has been as good as any league has been in years, it is the country’s best college basketball tournament."

Reminds me of the Big East circa 2010-11 when 11 teams made the tournament, UConn won the National Championship. That worked out well for the future of the BE.

 

[WhartonHusky]

I think fans get stuck in their ways. Used to playing the same schools and building rivalries. I am from the old school Big East (pre Calhoun) -- when the rivalries (at least from my perspective) were GT, Cuse, StJ...even BC/PC. Then the league changed. We developed "new" rivalries with Ville, Pitt, Cincy, WV, Marquette. The way these rivalries were created were from games like yesterday or battles in the BET at MSG (remember 5 games in 5 nights?)

I can understand why Big12 folks may not be keen on Uconn at first blush. Might dismiss our FB team or not respect the athletic program. But add us to the league, and I am confident the rivalries will begin to develop very quickly. We have history w/WV and Cincy, but have even had some good games w/UT. The others will quickly follow and when you look out 10, 20, 30 years there will be NO regrets!

 

[CL82]

smellinger@kcstar.com

smel linger...

Yup.

Post of the day. lol