[bluejacket]

OU being OU. It wouldn't be much fun if Boren stayed quiet for any period of time.

Guys, nothing is changing anytime soon. If there were strong value add schools then they would be invited right now. There are none available. The only way anything moves is if the B1G or SEC move on expansion or lawyers find a hole in the ACC GOR. BYU< Colorado State, Cincinnati and ECU do not move the needle enough to matter.

There are two ways to view this and neither view encourages the status quo.

1. The pressure builds and the Big XII expands.
2. The pressure builds and schools leave the Big XII.

OU is not happy with Texas and the message was clearly sent.

[VAGolf]

OU being OU. It wouldn't be much fun if Boren stayed quiet for any period of time.

Guys, nothing is changing anytime soon. If there were strong value add schools then they would be invited right now. There are none available. The only way anything moves is if the B1G or SEC move on expansion or lawyers find a hole in the ACC GOR. BYU< Colorado State, Cincinnati and ECU do not move the needle enough to matter.

There are two ways to view this and neither view encourages the status quo.

1. The pressure builds and the Big XII expands.
2. The pressure builds and schools leave the Big XII.

OU is not happy with Texas and the message was clearly sent.

This*

The committee was clear that the Big12 is at a disadvantage without a conference championship game. You need 12 teams to host such a game and the Big12 is at ten...because of Texas. Last season, the conference had TWO teams very capable of making playoffs and BOTH we're excluded. If the conference goes another 5-6 years without having a playoff team, they'll become irrelevant at some point.

And don't give me this, "there aren't any good teams available" crap. Texas fans sound like the washed up jock who complains about every girl and that's why he stays single. No, there's plenty of fine girls out there, you're just a washed up jock with no personality ya dope. Cincinnati would be a great addition. They had a rivalry with West Virginia several years ago and I have no doubt that it would be rekindled if they found themselves in the same division. No, that rivalry didn't compare to WVU/Louisville or WVU/VT but if you put those teams in the same division, it could get to that level someday. Not to mention, the conference would get exposure in the Ohio/KY/IN area. You're next options aren't great but they aren't awful either. UCF gives you exposure into SEC and ACC territory. ECU is huge and continuing to grow, denying that just makes you sound ignorant. Dowdy-Ficklin Stadium seats 50k and is packed throughout the season. ECU would easily be as big as Iowa State or Baylor once added.

You don't need to move the needle, you need to get to 12.

[Sly Fox]

Looking out for the interests of folks in Morgantown is not high on the priority list of anyone outside of the WV panhandle. As a Cincy native with tons of UC alumni in the family, I know all about the candidacy of the Bearcats. No thanks. The league is not desperate for expsoure in the Rust Belt. They are all moving our way at a rapid rate as it is. Moving right along ..,

ECU has zero business in the Big XII. Come on, we're talking East Carolina. I would listen to an argument for UCF/USF or even BYU/Colorado State. But East Carolina brings absolutely nothing to the table ... at all.

Economics remain economics. If Texas or Oklahoma has just one loss, they will be in the playoff regardless of total league membership. No one is denying those facts.

Keep in mind that Boren is a blowhard playing to his Texas-hatin' donors. If they really cared about the situation, they could have bolted for the SEC along with their little brothers in Stillwater at any time. The fact of the matter is they like where they are and enjoy the financial benefits of their situation regardless of whether the Longhorn Network exists or not. LHN just makes it togher on him in the facilities arms race.

[Humble_Opinion]

Looking out for the interests of folks in Morgantown is not high on the priority list of anyone outside of the WV panhandle. As a Cincy native with tons of UC alumni in the family, I know all about the candidacy of the Bearcats. No thanks. The league is not desperate for expsoure in the Rust Belt. They are all moving our way at a rapid rate as it is. Moving right along ..,

ECU has zero business in the Big XII. Come on, we're talking East Carolina. I would listen to an argument for UCF/USF or even BYU/Colorado State. But East Carolina brings absolutely nothing to the table ... at all.

Economics remain economics. If Texas or Oklahoma has just one loss, they will be in the playoff regardless of total league membership. No one is denying those facts.

Keep in mind that Boren is a blowhard playing to his Texas-hatin' donors. If they really cared about the situation, they could have bolted for the SEC along with their little brothers in Stillwater at any time. The fact of the matter is they like where they are and enjoy the financial benefits of their situation regardless of whether the Longhorn Network exists or not. LHN just makes it togher on him in the facilities arms race.

Oklahoma might have a shot... but the fact of the matter is that the FB squad in Austin is becoming irrelevant quick, fast and in a hurry. In a few years they may just wish that they had brought in one of those "uglier girls" like ECU, just so they could get an extra win. The league as a whole has been brought down a notch and even a 1-loss Texas/OU team will have a hard time making a case against the other P5 Champions. All of this is discussion is moot though, just like UT's chances to actually have a 1-loss season in the next three years. The fact is, a TCU or Baylor will get frustrated at some point and either UT's position will erode, or there will be some fireworks. Pre-Realignment, the BIG 12 was close to being on an equal footing with the SEC... those days are long gone. If you can't see that then perhaps you should change the channel... The LHN is bad anyways.

[Sly Fox]

The SEC has done a masterful job positioning itself through realignment. No one is suggesting that the Big XII is on equal footing with them. Then again, nobody other league can truly make such a claim.

UT will be back in the national championship hunt sooner rather than later. The Horns are once again getting the cream of the recruiting crop in state after Mack let things slip. Charlie Strong took some harsh steps last year knowing the losses would pile up. TCU & Baylor are blessed beyond belief to be where they are and have no interest in rocking the boat. As UT and A&M rise, those recruits they were snagging the past five years are leaning back toward Austin & College Station. This is the typical ebb & flow of recruiting.

[VAGolf]

Keep in mind that Boren is a blowhard playing to his Texas-hatin' donors.

This statement disproves every point you attempted to make. Boren isn't a blowhard. The only people who truly think that are Texas fans. I've got a tremendous amount of respect for your opinion Sly, but when it comes to Texas and the Big12's future, your bias is blinding you.

[bluejacket]

TCU & Baylor are blessed beyond belief to be where they are and have no interest in rocking the boat.

TCU, Baylor, Iowa State, West Virginia, Kansas, and Kansas State are going to rock the boat when push comes to shove.

[Sly Fox]

Keep in mind that Boren is a blowhard playing to his Texas-hatin' donors.

This statement disproves every point you attempted to make. Boren isn't a blowhard. The only people who truly think that are Texas fans. I've got a tremendous amount of respect for your opinion Sly, but when it comes to Texas and the Big12's future, your bias is blinding you.

SumItUp isn't a Texas fan by any means and hears Boren through the media on a regular basis. I'd be curious of his impressions.

Suffice it to say that he was a blowhard as a politico and has been even more vocal of playing to his constituents as OU President. I am surprised to hear somebody from Virginia has such familiarity with him. He has railed hard against LHN since failing to launch his own OU channel. Nothing new here.

[Purple Haize]

TCU & Baylor are blessed beyond belief to be where they are and have no interest in rocking the boat.

TCU, Baylor, Iowa State, West Virginia, Kansas, and Kansas State are going to rock the boat when push comes to shove.

Yep WVU made the jump for money. When they start to see money left on the table they will certainly bring it up

[Rooster Cogburn]

http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.co ... n-and.html

Already told him FB attendance isn't required.

[Sly Fox]

Nice catch, Rooster. The conference he was discussing could never happen for a thousand reasons. But it is interesting to see others outside of our circle discussing our predicament.

[LUGrad2000]

If it only were possible. That would be our dream conference. Big South would be just fine for our Olympic sports.

[mlschubert]

Nice find Rooster. That's a great read.

[rmiller1959]

An interesting article on Big 12 expansion...

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id ... her-a-when

[LUminary]

Hopefully it happens sooner than later. Need some dominoes to start falling again...

[TH Spangler]

Paul Finebaum, "The Big 5 in CFB is ready to be the Big 4... BigXII will evaporate, Oklahoma is SEC bound & the Pac12 wants Texas".

http://www.crimsonandcreammachine.com/2 ... sec-rumors

[Sly Fox]

It was actually Finebaum quoting Colin Cowherd. Neither one has much credibility in spite of the fact that they can both be very entertaining at times.

Could this happen eventually? Certainly. But there are strong reasons why it likely won't go down inthis fashion anytime soon. I could definitely see OU fitting in with the SEC. As much as I hate to admit it, OU's academic reputation is actually quite strong. That is the primary reason they didn't slide along with A&M to the SEC in the last realignment and why there were legitimate discussions about the B1G & Pac-12 where academic prestige is significantly higher than the SEC. But I can certainly tell you that the SEC Bubba mindset of win at all costs in football is in the core of the DNA of Sooner fans.

The writers of that argument seem to dismiss the possibility of their little brothers from Stillwater coming along to the SEC. That surprises me a bit as the package deal of OU-OSU was understood to all suitors the last time around. The Okahoma legislature is split fairly evenly among alumni from the two schools. And as the holders of the two schools' purse strings, they have a great deal of influence. Of course, A&M managed to overcome that obstacle here in the Lone Star State.

The Pac12 indeed is a legitimate possibility for UT. But I wouldn't dismiss the possibilities of the B1G, ACC or football independence. There will be plenty of decisions to make in Austin. And they will no longer be made while looking out for the interests of other Texas schools. A&M took that out of the picture when they blew everybody off.

I'm not sure if the Big XII getting blown up i sa good thing or bad thing from a Liberty perspective. If the Big XII completely disappears it is awful for us. Because it essentially will end the realignment spin cycle. But if the Big XII leftovers (aka Baylor, K-State, Iowa State and possibly others) manage to stay alive by pulling up AAC and MWC schools, it could really energize realignment and open doors for us. At this stage, there really is no way to see that far down the road.

[Sly Fox]

Here's some thought-provoking postulations from an old buddy of mine ...

Jul 07, 2015 | 10:44 am
THE NEXT BIG MOVE IN REALIGNMENT?

Chip Brown
HornsDigest.com

Schools jumping from one Power Five conference to another almost seem cliche compared to what is likely to be the next big move in realignment.

Unless Oklahoma president David Boren was giving us some kind of warning – saying the Big 12 needs to be 12 – before grabbing Oklahoma State and making a mad dash to the SEC, let’s talk about what is likely to be the next big move in realignment:
The Power Five conferences – all 65 teams (if you include Notre Dame) - collectively bargaining one TV contract, instead of each negotiating a TV deal, sometime in the next 10 years.
After discussions with several people connected to P5 schools, this scenario could become more plausible as we get closer to 2024.

Click Here for Full Story

I wonder what type of world would be left for the rest of FBS under this scenario? Tough to tell. But I wouldn't want to be left down at FCS when this goes down.

[Purple Haize]

Wow. We are almost at 200 pages and we haven't moved at all

[Purple Haize]

In fact you could argue we are in worse shape

[Purple Haize]

Let alone our chances of moving up appear to be slimmer and slimmer

[Purple Haize]

Here's some thought-provoking postulations from an old buddy of mine ...

Jul 07, 2015 | 10:44 am
THE NEXT BIG MOVE IN REALIGNMENT?

Chip Brown
HornsDigest.com

Schools jumping from one Power Five conference to another almost seem cliche compared to what is likely to be the next big move in realignment.

Unless Oklahoma president David Boren was giving us some kind of warning – saying the Big 12 needs to be 12 – before grabbing Oklahoma State and making a mad dash to the SEC, let’s talk about what is likely to be the next big move in realignment:
The Power Five conferences – all 65 teams (if you include Notre Dame) - collectively bargaining one TV contract, instead of each negotiating a TV deal, sometime in the next 10 years.
After discussions with several people connected to P5 schools, this scenario could become more plausible as we get closer to 2024.

Click Here for Full Story

I wonder what type of world would be left for the rest of FBS under this scenario? Tough to tell. But I wouldn't want to be left down at FCS when this goes down.

This makes me wonder what the landscape will look like in 2024

[Purple Haize]

It was predicted long ago that the powerhouse football teams would go off and do their own thing. When this happens will our 'mission' be to chase after them? Or will we be content to sit at a place vacated by them?

[Purple Haize]

How has this not turned to #200 yet

[Purple Haize]

I certainly don't want SLY to start page 200