T1B

Texas and OU will join the Big11 in 5-7 years.

The Longhorn network will become the second Big11 channel and focus on Texas and OU. Texas and OU will split the Longhorn Network cash for the first 5 years or so of their membership in the Big11 since new schools don't get an immediate cut of the Big11 network cash. See Nebraska that still has two years remaining on their lower TV payout.

The Big11 is a natural fit as it is most large public flagship universities. Both Texas and OU compliment that nicely. Both also bring academic chops and history and large fan bases. An east west division breakdown will work nicely and keep it balanced.

OSU, TCU, Baylor and Kansas State make a bunch of noise but at the end of they day they don't have the clout to do anything about it. Then in the next round of tv deals the Big11 easily bests the SEC. That allows Texas fan to once again let the Aggies know they were one upped.

Fuck the Big 11.

Seeing Boren's comments today certainly lead me to believe Lefty is on to something. Not sure where Texas and OU may end up, but it seems like the break up of the Big XII is forthcoming.

MuchoBulls wrote:Seeing Boren's comments today certainly lead me to believe Lefty is on to something. Not sure where Texas and OU may end up, but it seems like the break up of the Big XII is forthcoming.

we'll see. the BIg Ten has been serious about AAU inclusion in the past....and OU is not in the AAU. of course, Nebraska lost their AAU status shortly after joining the Big last time around. Only school to be in/out of the AAU.

there's no doubt that OU has improved *a lot* with Boren as president....and he's an odd guy. pretty liberal for an Oklahoman....and very liberal for an Oklahoman who was the Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee for years. In the Reagan 80's. went to Yale when all those other Big Types that have been running this here Country for a while were there...he's Skull and Bones....Rhodes Scholar.

there is no doubt Boren wants as part of his legacy to 1. improve OU's academic standing and 2. solidify that with a conference affiliation that outlasts the Big 12. what people say is he wanted the Pac pretty bad last time but was loyal to keeping the two Oklahoma schools together. also, the idea of the pac was pretty unpopular with most Oklahomans and the Pac didn't want OSU or Tech to get OU and UT.

i don't understand last time around how/why the SEC was so against OSU. the SEC did offer Oklahoma along with ATM. and OSU doesn't give you much in new TV money but they are a top 25 football program right now maybe better and basketball is usually an NCAA type team. and they are great at the spring sports like baseball and golf that are big in the south/SEC. not that tough a pill to swallow to get Oklahoma (which is a national brand). puts you in Dallas media and ATM in Houston.

i don't really like the idea of the SEC or the Big 10....not as a man....but as a sports idea for the team i grew up with....but no one is asking me either. i think the SEC makes a lot more sense for Oklahoma than the great lakes midwest/Chicago media market. but, again, i think Boren likes this "academic" idea of the Big Ten.

as much as a sporting fan i don't like Kansas basketball much, i'd like to see KU (which IS an AAU member) land on their feet. it's sad to me that football ad revenue is driving the cart for all sports as such. i think the 45 team basketball refuge ACC would take KU in a minute so hooray. Iowa State is also a much better school than people realize.....but they are not good at football ever and are second tier very good at basketball whilst having great fans and a great home court.

the old Big 8 had three teams win the MNC in football and was sending 5 of 8 teams to the NCAA hoops tournament in its last decade. it wasn't for lack of being competitive the conference had to take on the Dallas/Houston media markets. i'd like to think in some pure world that clearly doesn't exist.....it all matters more between when the whistles blow.

kinda sucks to me that population density and advertising money is what drives the sports.


edit: i point out that the 45 team basketball refuge ACC also fields the Clemson team that dominated Oklahoma in the second half of the football playoff. seems fair, to say it.

Good points. Completely agree that Boren is doing a good job and upping the brand recognition of OU far beyond the football history.

I see Texas and OU as joined at the hip for the next few years/decades. OSU has almost zero brand recognition and their academics have a ways to go to be on par with OU. I completely get that the SEC would want no part of their spring sports success when they bring little else to the table.

As for the remaining teams in the Big XII they will do just fine as a group. That would make for a pretty damn competitive conference in many sports and they can add Cougar High and SMU or some such and also control a crap ton of TV sets.

But the Big Ten is the future for OU and UT. As you pointed out academics weren't the end all be all since they already took Nebraska, Rutgers and Maryland. OU and UT bring far more to the table than any of those three and likely more than those three combined (outside of the NJ and DC tv markets.)

OU becomes a partner in the Longhorn Network and they share the monies for the first 5 years of membership in the B1G while their B1G share is reduced.

If the B1G wants to expand into the Big 12 members, it will be Kansas and Oklahoma.
To think Delaney would allow UT to keep it's TV network is laughable. He will not appease to have Texas in conference.

No it won't be Kansas. Not much there other than Basketball. Texas and OU are joined so one goes they both go.

I should have added that the Longhorn network would go away after the fifth season of B1G membership when UT and OU get a full share. That or it becomes B1G2 or some other such additional conference network.

Left Seater wrote:Texas and OU will join the Big11 in 5-7 years.

The Longhorn network will become the second Big11 channel and focus on Texas and OU. Texas and OU will split the Longhorn Network cash for the first 5 years or so of their membership in the Big11 since new schools don't get an immediate cut of the Big11 network cash. See Nebraska that still has two years remaining on their lower TV payout.

The Big11 is a natural fit as it is most large public flagship universities. Both Texas and OU compliment that nicely. Both also bring academic chops and history and large fan bases. An east west division breakdown will work nicely and keep it balanced.

OSU, TCU, Baylor and Kansas State make a bunch of noise but at the end of they day they don't have the clout to do anything about it. Then in the next round of tv deals the Big11 easily bests the SEC. That allows Texas fan to once again let the Aggies know they were one upped.

It certainly makes sense. Texas will never get back to being the #1 overall athletic program in the state of Texas as part of the Big XII.

Hey indy, long time no see. How'd the divorce work out? Mow many TV's did she get?

Left Seater wrote:No it won't be Kansas. Not much there other than Basketball. Texas and OU are joined so one goes they both go.

I should have added that the Longhorn network would go away after the fifth season of B1G membership when UT and OU get a full share. That or it becomes B1G2 or some other such additional conference network.

.

Just some insight from what I assume is an eastern writer. I agree more on the Okie Lite viewpoint, more than I do the OU/Texas marriage.
http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootba ... en_ex.html

I don't mean to cast stones, but UT needs to be out front wherever they end up. It's just part of their nature. And I think that would be in the ACC if they can convince Notre Dame to pull the trigger.
I understood your viewpoint on the timeline for dissolution of the longhorn network, I just don't think in any way Delaney is interested in appeasing Texas, just to add Texas. I don't feel member schools would have the warm and fuzzys that Texas would have to have their conditions met, as part of the addition. The B1G already has their poster boys, and Urb and Harbaugh know who those teams are.

Why is OU rattling sabers outwardly, if UT and them are in a lifetime relationship in the first place? Seems OU wants a new lover. I believe OU knows they are not going to entice UT into anything that UT doesn't have a major finger on.
Also, KU basketball is a big feather in the B1G's headdress. Delaney loves him some basketball. The B1G would be a huge BB conference with that addition.
Plus he adds another AAU accredited school, in addition to OU.

I still think footprint is logical in alignment. They would add adjoining states.

I get what you are saying Cornhusker but I think you might be looking at this with tinted glasses. In the Big XII Nebraska tried to take the Texas course and be the one to dictate everything that happened. Problem was they miscalculated and didn't count on OU siding with Texas. Had OU chosen Nebraska's way back in the mid 90s Texas and OU wouldn't have dictated most of everything that happened.

To be clear NU wanted to do exactly what Texas did, but it didn't work out for them. It also didn't help that UT and OU dominated on the field as well.

However, in the B1G it will be more of a grouping of equals and UT knows that. Most schools are in the AAU and are large state schools and the flagship universities of their State. Half of the conference won't be turning to UT and OU to keep their athletic budgets in the black.

I just don't understand that move unless it's only about the money.

Texas and OU (under the current playoff system) can dominate and pretty much punch their ticket to the final four every season if they stay where they are and expand the conference to 14. They can restructure their network issues and in the long run this will give them far more opportunities to win national titles. Going to the B1G may man more money but less chances of winning titles due to the competition.

But, hey, I'm sure it's only about the all mighty dollar which Texas already has plenty of, so why keep chasing it if it doesn't get you titles?

Go Coogs' wrote:I just don't understand that move unless it's only about the money.

Texas and OU (under the current playoff system) can dominate and pretty much punch their ticket to the final four every season if they stay where they are and expand the conference to 14. They can restructure their network issues and in the long run this will give them far more opportunities to win national titles. Going to the B1G may man more money but less chances of winning titles due to the competition.

But, hey, I'm sure it's only about the all mighty dollar which Texas already has plenty of, so why keep chasing it if it doesn't get you titles?

The move is also about recruiting. UT and OU already schedule pretty strong OOC but they still have to go to Kansas every year and Lubbock and Ames etc.

Why does Cougar High want in the Big XII so badly. Sure the money is better but so is the competition. Their path to a New Years bowl game is easier where they are. Then they can pull off the occasional bowl upset.

I get what you're saying, but the money for Cougar High jumping to Big XII is much bigger than Texas jumping from Big XII to the B1G. It's hard to move up in the world financially when you're already #1. As for UofH, it's a win-win for them to make it in a big conference. National exposure and bigger checks mean better recruiting and possibly better outcomes.

You've mentioned on more than one occasion Houston does nothing for the Big XII from a money standpoint, but the other big reason they don't want Houston in the Big XII is because of recruits. Everyone here sees the easiest path for Houston in a power 5 is the Big XII, but I know OU and Texas do not want Houston because of the potential of losing a blue chip to the local school.

Houston is better off trying to pitch to the ACC or the SEC.

Left Seater wrote: UT and OU already schedule pretty strong OOC

i laughed a little here....Oklahoma has always played a tough OOC...UT played patsies historically until they lost the SOS battle with OU in 05 or 07 whenever. i give UT credit for upping it a bit since then. but, as usual, UT acted surprised that playing all your OOC games in the state of Texas wasn't considered a "rough go" OOC.

and who was it that said that Texas needed OOC games for recruiting? it's fucking Texas, recruits itself......Harvard times Oxford plus Cambridge....and the greatest football school ever.

at any given time, you go to any UT board and suggest UT's OOC is weak this century and you'll get: we played Ohio State a couple times (ten years ago) or "it's a traditional SWC rivalry".

as much as i dislike Kansas generally speaking basketball-wise....like i say before, i hope they end up in the Big Eleven. they are a good fit even if they don't give you much revenue from football. good school in a farm state, historical basketball blueblood. as much as i like Mizzou fan generally speaking and their total insanity, it's a no brainer between KU and MU with sports being the issue.

as for complaining against OSU.....it's a better sports school in men's rev sports than both Mississippi schools and maybe Arkansas...easy argument the last 10 years.

as for nebraska fan, i hope OU's admin has been paying attention. NU is not a big dog in Chicago media....and neither would be Oklahoma. i'm an old school guy and i love Nebraska football but they are the one's who lost the way when they hired and defended Bill Callahan.

schmick wrote:USC needs to get out of the Pac, they may be able to bring Stanford and the Arizona schools with them

Why? Is it just because the whole Uncle Phil and Oregon running the show or because they need more east coast exposure/prime viewing hours games?

Sudden Sam wrote:Why would anyone want to take USC and the Arizona schools?

LA, Diego, and Phoenix TV market?

txangler74 wrote:

Sudden Sam wrote:Why would anyone want to take USC and the Arizona schools?

LA, Diego, and Phoenix TV market?

Yeah, USC has no fanbase whatsoever.

Sammy made a stupid.

txangler74 wrote:

schmick wrote:USC needs to get out of the Pac, they may be able to bring Stanford and the Arizona schools with them

Why? Is it just because the whole Uncle Phil and Oregon running the show or because they need more east coast exposure/prime viewing hours games?

Toejam is just bitter because the NCAA decided that USC doesn't get to do whatever they want, and cheat their way to the conference title every year. And it really pains him that Oregon is what now makes the conference great, and have set the standard. He thought the party would never end... and it did.

Oregon's party isn't going to last forever, either... such is life.

Texas is publicly backing and endorsing Houston as one of the schools for expansion. There is some major politics at play here.

Word on the street is Houston is blocking a UTMB campus from being built on some land near university of Houston for quite some time. Houston will agree to have campus built if Texas endorses them publicly.

Of course, I still don't believe Houston gets in with Baylor, TCU, and Texas Tech getting a vote. They need 8 out of 10 and I see Houston getting snubbed by all other Texas schools other than UT. Texas will look like the good guys here and Houston will have to move on. I'd love it if Houston did get in...for the rivalries and being able to drive to more road games, but there is no way this is happening.

Houston needs to pitch super hard to the Pac. It's their best option at this point.

Go Coogs' wrote:Texas is publicly backing and endorsing Houston as one of the schools for expansion. There is some major politics at play here.

Word on the street is Houston is blocking a UTMB campus from being built on some land near university of Houston for quite some time. Houston will agree to have campus built if Texas endorses them publicly.

Of course, I still don't believe Houston gets in with Baylor, TCU, and Texas Tech getting a vote. They need 8 out of 10 and I see Houston getting snubbed by all other Texas schools other than UT. Texas will look like the good guys here and Houston will have to move on. I'd love it if Houston did get in...for the rivalries and being able to drive to more road games, but there is no way this is happening.

Houston needs to pitch super hard to the Pac. It's their best option at this point.

OU won't go for another Texas school as long as Boren is in the big chair either. Just sayin'. He's still seething from losing Louisville in favor of West Vagina.

Coogs I think you are 100% correct on this. Texas is posturing for the gain of the whole University system.

I also think OU wants no part of Houston, why dilute the recruiting pie any further.

Couple of interesting things to consider for UH as well if they did make it in. Would they join the other Texas schools in their hand shake agreement on numbers of visiting tickets, bands, etc? Not that a game vs UT in Houston wouldn't already be a home game for Texas, but having to set aside 30% or more of your tickets for the visitors might be hard to swallow. Then paying $60K to get your band into the stadium in Austin is expensive. It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out.

Dinsdale wrote:

txangler74 wrote:

schmick wrote:USC needs to get out of the Pac, they may be able to bring Stanford and the Arizona schools with them

Why? Is it just because the whole Uncle Phil and Oregon running the show or because they need more east coast exposure/prime viewing hours games?

Toejam is just bitter because the NCAA decided that USC doesn't get to do whatever they want, and cheat their way to the conference title every year. And it really pains him that Oregon is what now makes the conference great, and have set the standard. He thought the party would never end... and it did.

Oregon's party isn't going to last forever, either... such is life.

Oregon's party is already over.
Tell me you knew.

Mikey wrote:
Oregon's party is already over.
Tell me you knew.

Who won between Oregon and Stanford last season?

Which PAC tem played in the Championship Game the year before?

Dinsdale wrote:

Mikey wrote:
Oregon's party is already over.
Tell me you knew.

Who won between Oregon and Stanford last season?

Which PAC tem played in the Championship Game the year before?

Which PAC tem has won three of the past four conference championships?

Which tem finished 12-2 last year with a dominating win in the Rose Bowl, and finished the season ranked #3.

Which tem finished 9-4, ranked #19 and completely rolled over in the Alamo Bowl?

Don't forget...all the SMART money is on UDub this year.

Go Coogs' wrote:Texas is publicly backing and endorsing Houston as one of the schools for expansion. There is some major politics at play here.

Word on the street is Houston is blocking a UTMB campus from being built on some land near university of Houston for quite some time. Houston will agree to have campus built if Texas endorses them publicly.

Of course, I still don't believe Houston gets in with Baylor, TCU, and Texas Tech getting a vote. They need 8 out of 10 and I see Houston getting snubbed by all other Texas schools other than UT. Texas will look like the good guys here and Houston will have to move on. I'd love it if Houston did get in...for the rivalries and being able to drive to more road games, but there is no way this is happening.

Houston needs to pitch super hard to the Pac. It's their best option at this point.

I found yesterday's proceeding to be Texas' way of killing expansion as a whole. No other program may way them in and this is Texas' way of looking like the "good guy" in this.

I could be 100% wrong here, but something tells me Texas didn't vote in favor of expansion, regardless of Bowlsby's/Boren's comments.

MuchoBulls wrote:

Go Coogs' wrote:Texas is publicly backing and endorsing Houston as one of the schools for expansion. There is some major politics at play here.

Word on the street is Houston is blocking a UTMB campus from being built on some land near university of Houston for quite some time. Houston will agree to have campus built if Texas endorses them publicly.

Of course, I still don't believe Houston gets in with Baylor, TCU, and Texas Tech getting a vote. They need 8 out of 10 and I see Houston getting snubbed by all other Texas schools other than UT. Texas will look like the good guys here and Houston will have to move on. I'd love it if Houston did get in...for the rivalries and being able to drive to more road games, but there is no way this is happening.

Houston needs to pitch super hard to the Pac. It's their best option at this point.

I found yesterday's proceeding to be Texas' way of killing expansion as a whole. No other program may way them in and this is Texas' way of looking like the "good guy" in this.

I could be 100% wrong here, but something tells me Texas didn't vote in favor of expansion, regardless of Bowlsby's/Boren's comments.

If Texas had voted against expansion then Boren would beating the shit out of them in the press right now. The fires have been lit by donors at OU and it's going beyon threats to just athletic donations.

Boren tried to sell new boxes in the expansion to heavy donors two seasons ago and the responses he got concerning the direction of the conference and value of that sort of investment from those he approached were unequivocally to get off their asses about their conference situation because seeing the Iowa State's and Texas Tech's were not worth their demands.

SunCoastSooner wrote:If Texas had voted against expansion then Boren would beating the shit out of them in the press right now. The fires have been lit by donors at OU and it's going beyon threats to just athletic donations.

Boren tried to sell new boxes in the expansion to heavy donors two seasons ago and the responses he got concerning the direction of the conference and value of that sort of investment from those he approached were unequivocally to get off their asses about their conference situation because seeing the Iowa State's and Texas Tech's were not worth their demands.

Wasn't there an OU trustee (can't remember his name) who recently went on record as being opposed to expansion?

Mikey wrote:Don't forget...all the SMART money is on UDub this year.

My money is on UDub... finishing 3rd in the North.

At Media Day, the local radio guys interviewed UDub's star DB (I forget his name), and he said something like "Yeah, we went from 7 wins to National Champions over the summer."

Although there are 4 competitive teams in the North for a change... Oregon State and Kal not looking so good.

Oregon will win the 13th straight (sucks to rack up double-digit streaks against your archrival... not), Furd will kick the shit out of UDub, Oregon and Stanford will vie for the North title for the umpteenth time, the North winner will whoop the South winner, the PAC will parity itself out of a playoff spot, and it will be a great season Out West.

Sounds about right.

If the Big XII does expand, their fist two targets should be Central and South Florida.

If the Big XII does expand, their first two targets should be Central and South Florida.

MuchoBulls wrote:

SunCoastSooner wrote:If Texas had voted against expansion then Boren would beating the shit out of them in the press right now. The fires have been lit by donors at OU and it's going beyon threats to just athletic donations.

Boren tried to sell new boxes in the expansion to heavy donors two seasons ago and the responses he got concerning the direction of the conference and value of that sort of investment from those he approached were unequivocally to get off their asses about their conference situation because seeing the Iowa State's and Texas Tech's were not worth their demands.

Wasn't there an OU trustee (can't remember his name) who recently went on record as being opposed to expansion?

Yes, but the Board of Trustees does not wield the same power in Oklahoma as in other states. I'd have to revisit the specifics on that to elaborate properly and simply don't have the time right now. Maybe one of the other Sooners on the board are better informed on that (KC?) and can answer it before I'll have the time available myself. If not I'll try to get to it and respond. Hope you understand.

So that will expand the Big 12 from 10 to 11.

BYU has been begging to join for years. This isn't even newsworthy.

Adding a FB only member will not legitimize expansion

Left Seater wrote:If the Big XII does expand, their fist two targets should be Central and South Florida.

Why two Florida schools? Conference expansion is largely about adding new TV markets and those two schools are only separated by 100 miles.

Sudden Sam wrote:

Mikey wrote:So that will expand the Big 12 from 10 to 11.

And y'all think us SECers can't count.

For real. Big 10 is LOLing.