[Kathy]

Although Nebraska seems set to defect to the Big Ten today, the top targets of the conference\'s expansion are Texas and Notre Dame. The question is what number the conference plans to use as a cap.

At this point, the Big Ten’s interest in Missouri is the biggest missing piece of the puzzle. A Big Ten source said Missouri has not been eliminated from the conference’s expansion plans but is not considered a high priority at this time. The source said Texas, from the Big 12, and Notre Dame, an independent in football, are clearly alongside each other on the Big Ten’s top tier of targets, followed by Nebraska, soon to become the Big Ten’s 12th member, and then Rutgers, a member of the Big East Conference. Missouri and Maryland, of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and perhaps other less publicized targets, could figure into the mix if the top choices decide against applying for admission or the league expands beyond 14 members.

Back in the Big 12, media reports have linked Oklahoma and Texas A&M to SEC expansion, while those two, plus Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech, are still considered strong candidates to join the Pac-10.

That was the move Colorado made yesterday, ending an affiliation with a core of schools that became known as the Big Seven back in 1948 when the Buffaloes joined the league from the Mountain States Conference. Despite what might be the Big 12’s most feeble combination of football and men’s basketball programs — plus an athletic department struggling with financial troubles — Colorado pulled off the first move of what could be many across the country. The Buffs are expected to begin competition in the Pac-10 in 2012.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2010...tigerextra

Dan Beebe, the bozo Big 12 commissioner, is in way over his head and all the remaining schools in the conference are looking to the Big 12 Board of Directors for direction. Chairman of the Board is  UT president and puppetmaster extraordinaire Bill Powers.

[Kathy]

Although Nebraska seems set to defect to the Big Ten today, the top targets of the conference\'s expansion are Texas and Notre Dame. The question is what number the conference plans to use as a cap.

At this point, the Big Ten’s interest in Missouri is the biggest missing piece of the puzzle. A Big Ten source said Missouri has not been eliminated from the conference’s expansion plans but is not considered a high priority at this time. The source said Texas, from the Big 12, and Notre Dame, an independent in football, are clearly alongside each other on the Big Ten’s top tier of targets, followed by Nebraska, soon to become the Big Ten’s 12th member, and then Rutgers, a member of the Big East Conference. Missouri and Maryland, of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and perhaps other less publicized targets, could figure into the mix if the top choices decide against applying for admission or the league expands beyond 14 members.

Back in the Big 12, media reports have linked Oklahoma and Texas A&M to SEC expansion, while those two, plus Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech, are still considered strong candidates to join the Pac-10.

That was the move Colorado made yesterday, ending an affiliation with a core of schools that became known as the Big Seven back in 1948 when the Buffaloes joined the league from the Mountain States Conference. Despite what might be the Big 12’s most feeble combination of football and men’s basketball programs — plus an athletic department struggling with financial troubles — Colorado pulled off the first move of what could be many across the country. The Buffs are expected to begin competition in the Pac-10 in 2012.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2010...tigerextra

Dan Beebe, the bozo Big 12 commissioner, is in way over his head and all the remaining schools in the conference are looking to the Big 12 Board of Directors for direction. Chairman of the Board is  UT president and puppetmaster extraordinaire Bill Powers.

[Redrum]

As the article points out,  Colorado was a minor piece of the whole, grand Pac-10 expansion bid.   If, in the end,  we don\'t end up with the Texas/Oklahoma/Texas A&M group--mainly Texas--then expansion looks more like a consolation prize than THE prize.  

Here\'s why:  The whole drive for the teams that matter in the Big 12 was to get Pac-10 football playing on TV in Central Time Zone.
Right now the ratings show that a lot (most?) Pac-10 football plays elsewhere in the U.S. in the late afternoon or night.   Picking up popular teams that play on Central time means, in effect,  they boost Pac-10 audiences (=revenues) at a time when more people will tune in.
Conversely, the Big Ten picking up the strong Central Time Zone now has a very big footprint vs. the SEC in prime-time Saturday football.  This move-to-earlier-time-zone logic also explains rumors of the Big Ten looking to the Eastern Time Zone for Pitt, Maryland, Syracuse and Rutgers.   Very clever on the Big Ten\'s  part, IF they pull it off.  Clever of Texas to sit and let the suitors come to it.

And maybe we end up holding the consolation prize, whatever teams those are.

[Redrum]

As the article points out,  Colorado was a minor piece of the whole, grand Pac-10 expansion bid.   If, in the end,  we don\'t end up with the Texas/Oklahoma/Texas A&M group--mainly Texas--then expansion looks more like a consolation prize than THE prize.  

Here\'s why:  The whole drive for the teams that matter in the Big 12 was to get Pac-10 football playing on TV in Central Time Zone.
Right now the ratings show that a lot (most?) Pac-10 football plays elsewhere in the U.S. in the late afternoon or night.   Picking up popular teams that play on Central time means, in effect,  they boost Pac-10 audiences (=revenues) at a time when more people will tune in.
Conversely, the Big Ten picking up the strong Central Time Zone now has a very big footprint vs. the SEC in prime-time Saturday football.  This move-to-earlier-time-zone logic also explains rumors of the Big Ten looking to the Eastern Time Zone for Pitt, Maryland, Syracuse and Rutgers.   Very clever on the Big Ten\'s  part, IF they pull it off.  Clever of Texas to sit and let the suitors come to it.

And maybe we end up holding the consolation prize, whatever teams those are.

[needle]

Yeah, I don\'t see Texas and Texas A&M being split.

[needle]

Yeah, I don\'t see Texas and Texas A&M being split.

[fullmetal]

Neither does Rick Perry, the reports say.

[fullmetal]

Neither does Rick Perry, the reports say.

[yvonne]

The Nebraska domino has officially fallen.

[yvonne]

The Nebraska domino has officially fallen.

[Kathy]

There were some courtesy talks because one member of the A&M regents is a former SEC guy.

That regent pushing a look at the SEC is Gene Stallings, former coach at A&M and Alabama.

[Kathy]

There were some courtesy talks because one member of the A&M regents is a former SEC guy.

That regent pushing a look at the SEC is Gene Stallings, former coach at A&M and Alabama.

[Kathy]

Here\'s a view from Big Ten country (via Michigan) that speculates one of the big winners in the realignment mess could be the Mountain West Conference.

http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-footba...n-do-more/

[Kathy]

Here\'s a view from Big Ten country (via Michigan) that speculates one of the big winners in the realignment mess could be the Mountain West Conference.

http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-footba...n-do-more/

[Redrum]

First, let\'s calibrate.  The Big Ten getting Nebraska.  That is a coup.  Texas to the Pac-10,  that qualifies as a coup although it has less regional logic.

The Mountain West certainly can gain teams,  but picking up Boise St.  is probably pick of the litter.   What the Big 12 remnants would bring to the Mountain West is more Central Time Zone  television presence. But apart from Kansas City and maybe St. Louis (if Missouri joins the MWC).  What else Kansas, Kan St., Missouri would bring to the mix isn\'t clear or dramatic.  The largest urban markets in the current MWC are some share of Denver (Colo. St., Air Force) Salt Lake City and DFW (although TCU has a smaller fan base than schools not even close to DFW.)   Not clear how much revenue gain  comes from Manhattan, KS or Lawrence, KS.

But, inter-sectional play exposes more people to the MWC who might not have paid any attention before.   Plus the fact that the MWC really had no way to dramatically grow their audience in the the original  MWC territory,   what\'s not to like?   Don\'t know about the idea that the MWC is the "big winner" though.   I\'d settle for " not a bad pickup".
Missou and maybe Kansas improve the competition in football.  Kansas should win basketball easily unless playing in the MWC eventually erodes their attractiveness to recruits.

[Redrum]

First, let\'s calibrate.  The Big Ten getting Nebraska.  That is a coup.  Texas to the Pac-10,  that qualifies as a coup although it has less regional logic.

The Mountain West certainly can gain teams,  but picking up Boise St.  is probably pick of the litter.   What the Big 12 remnants would bring to the Mountain West is more Central Time Zone  television presence. But apart from Kansas City and maybe St. Louis (if Missouri joins the MWC).  What else Kansas, Kan St., Missouri would bring to the mix isn\'t clear or dramatic.  The largest urban markets in the current MWC are some share of Denver (Colo. St., Air Force) Salt Lake City and DFW (although TCU has a smaller fan base than schools not even close to DFW.)   Not clear how much revenue gain  comes from Manhattan, KS or Lawrence, KS.

But, inter-sectional play exposes more people to the MWC who might not have paid any attention before.   Plus the fact that the MWC really had no way to dramatically grow their audience in the the original  MWC territory,   what\'s not to like?   Don\'t know about the idea that the MWC is the "big winner" though.   I\'d settle for " not a bad pickup".
Missou and maybe Kansas improve the competition in football.  Kansas should win basketball easily unless playing in the MWC eventually erodes their attractiveness to recruits.