Conference realignment "Rumors" "tweets" "etc"

[Dogma]

 

 

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Paul Finebaum: Oklahoma desperate to get out of the Big 12

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/paul-finebaum-oklahoma-desperate-get-big-12/

 

 

[charsibb]

Finebaum? Now THERE's a reliable news source for all things Oklahoma... LOL

[jasonb56]

That's a BIG Domino to fall (if true)... that said, a little chaos might be a very good thing for us. (As long as we keep winning, and stay out of trouble) 

[Bull Dozer]

1 hour ago, Dogma said:

 

 

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Paul Finebaum: Oklahoma desperate to get out of the Big 12

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/paul-finebaum-oklahoma-desperate-get-big-12/

 

 

 Not surprised if this is actually true.  

*puts on tinfoil hat*

IMO the whole expansion debacle that just happened was basically a dog & pony show that OU and UT can point to when they leave to say "we tried to make it work but the league couldn't agree on anything so there was nothing we could do."   Nether of those two were ever going to play in a  conference with "riff raff" like Houston, USF, UCF, Memphis, Cincinnati etc.  This who ordeal was just a way for them to have something to point to so they don't look like the bad guys when they inevitably leave for other P5 leagues and inevitably some of the current Big 12 schools get left out in the cold and are no longer P5.  

Edited May 2, 2017 by Bull Dozer

[NewEnglandBull]

Iowa state, Baylor, and KState have to see the writing on the wall for the future...not going to be good for them. 

[GaUSFBull]

15 minutes ago, Bull Dozer said:

 Not surprised if this is actually true.  

*puts on tinfoil hat*

IMO the whole expansion debacle that just happened was basically a dog & pony show that OU and UT can point to when they leave to say "we tried to make it work but the league couldn't agree on anything so there was nothing we could do."   Nether of those two were ever going to play in a  conference with "riff raff" like Houston, USF, UCF, Memphis, Cincinnati etc.  This who ordeal was just a way for them to have something to point to so they don't look like the bad guys when they inevitably leave for other P5 leagues and inevitably some of the current Big 12 schools get left out in the cold and are no longer P5.  

There could be some truth to this, but hasn't the picture already been painted that OU and UT are the big bad guys anyway?  I can't see those two schools feeling like they need to justify any action they may take. 

Seems to me that if OU and UT want out, they'll get out, and they'll go wherever the hell they want, and almost any conference will be happy to have them.  

[Bull Dozer]

5 minutes ago, GaUSFBull said:

There could be some truth to this, but hasn't the picture already been painted that OU and UT are the big bad guys anyway?  I can't see those two schools feeling like they need to justify any action they may take. 

Seems to me that if OU and UT want out, they'll get out, and they'll go wherever the hell they want, and almost any conference will be happy to have them.  

Showing that they made a "real effort" to save the league could be nice to have in their back pocket if any of the schools that inevitably get left behind try to get litigious.  Baylor was threatening legal action the last time the league almost fell apart so I could see them (OU & UT) wanting to have something on record that the league as a whole the the problem and not just them looking out for themselves.  

[Mama_Bull]

17 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

Iowa state, Baylor, and KState have to see the writing on the wall for the future...not going to be good for them. 

History may be repeating itself.

Flashback:

...

While conference expansion has slowed considerably, Luck revealed a plan he had three years ago that would have merged teams from the Big 12 and Big East conferences.

In September 2011, the Big East was stunned by the departures of Pitt and Syracuse, and the Big 12 was in danger of losing four schools to the Pac-12.

"My favorite story that hasn't been written," Luck said. "After Syracuse and Pittsburgh (announced they were leaving for the ACC), that was in the same time frame that Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were playing footsie with (Pac-12 commissioner) Larry (Scott) and the Big East was a mess."

So Luck began cold-calling athletic directors at Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State with a proposal.

"I didn't know those guys from Adam," Luck said. "I knew the schools. I told them, 'Your conference may fall apart. You guys look like you might get left behind. Why don't we take all of you and TCU, which was kind of homeless."

Luck's plan, which also had the support of Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich, was also to add UCF for a 12-team Big East divided into two divisions: West: Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, TCU and Louisville; East: UConn, Cincinnati, Rutgers, West Virginia, South Florida and UCF.

"I remember thinking: 'That's not a bad conference,'" Luck said. "And we would have kept the affiliation with the (Big East) basketball schools, because they loved the addition of Kansas. They (the Big 12 schools) also liked it. They were nervous as hell, too. We had a series of phone calls. That was sort of our best option."

Luck said he had three or four phone discussions with the Big 12 schools. Then-Big East commissioner John Marinatto was not involved in the discussions and no formal offer was extended, but the Big 12 schools -- if left behind by the schools headed to the Pac-12 -- were prepared for the merger.

"At that point in time, we were ready to flip the switch," Currie said.

Of course, the merger never happened. Although Texas A&M and Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC, Texas and Oklahoma remained in the Big 12. The Big 12 survived, but the Big East eventually lost a number of schools, including -- ironically -- West Virginia to the Big 12 a year later.

"I think (the proposed merger) may have helped us get in the Big 12 later," Luck said jokingly. "They were like, 'Hey, I've talked to that Luck guy before.'"

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/11066269/big-12-ads-say-no-discussions-expansion

[NewEnglandBull]

29 minutes ago, Mama_Bull said:

History may be repeating itself.

Flashback:

...

While conference expansion has slowed considerably, Luck revealed a plan he had three years ago that would have merged teams from the Big 12 and Big East conferences.

In September 2011, the Big East was stunned by the departures of Pitt and Syracuse, and the Big 12 was in danger of losing four schools to the Pac-12.

"My favorite story that hasn't been written," Luck said. "After Syracuse and Pittsburgh (announced they were leaving for the ACC), that was in the same time frame that Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were playing footsie with (Pac-12 commissioner) Larry (Scott) and the Big East was a mess."

So Luck began cold-calling athletic directors at Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State with a proposal.

"I didn't know those guys from Adam," Luck said. "I knew the schools. I told them, 'Your conference may fall apart. You guys look like you might get left behind. Why don't we take all of you and TCU, which was kind of homeless."

Luck's plan, which also had the support of Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich, was also to add UCF for a 12-team Big East divided into two divisions: West: Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, TCU and Louisville; East: UConn, Cincinnati, Rutgers, West Virginia, South Florida and UCF.

"I remember thinking: 'That's not a bad conference,'" Luck said. "And we would have kept the affiliation with the (Big East) basketball schools, because they loved the addition of Kansas. They (the Big 12 schools) also liked it. They were nervous as hell, too. We had a series of phone calls. That was sort of our best option."

Luck said he had three or four phone discussions with the Big 12 schools. Then-Big East commissioner John Marinatto was not involved in the discussions and no formal offer was extended, but the Big 12 schools -- if left behind by the schools headed to the Pac-12 -- were prepared for the merger.

"At that point in time, we were ready to flip the switch," Currie said.

Of course, the merger never happened. Although Texas A&M and Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC, Texas and Oklahoma remained in the Big 12. The Big 12 survived, but the Big East eventually lost a number of schools, including -- ironically -- West Virginia to the Big 12 a year later.

"I think (the proposed merger) may have helped us get in the Big 12 later," Luck said jokingly. "They were like, 'Hey, I've talked to that Luck guy before.'"

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/11066269/big-12-ads-say-no-discussions-expansion

What could have been. The Big East  had such an  inepted commissioner, probably the worst in the history of athletic conferences.

[Ionbull]

38 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

What could have been. The Big East  had such an  inepted commissioner, probably the worst in the history of athletic conferences.

That whole situation was such a blow to the gut. Just sitting back and watching all of the back room dealings to jump on a life raft. And USF had nothing to offer as they picked the single WORST time to play their worst football in program history. Some folks have asked if La Tech should be offered to join the American. F THAT S .