Smoke your cigars and enjoy the band while you can....

[Brock Landers]

So the question remains.  Why is the conference still so fragile? Why are now more conference members the subject of speculation regarding moving to other conferences.  Why, are the remaining teams not solidly yolked together, and why do they not for a strong enough unit to entice schools (including those from other conferences) to join the Big 12?

Uncertainty.

Just like consumer confidence.  

We don't have complete revenue sharing so schools can be enticed away. We are close enough east to make sense their, and barely close enough West to have them go after us aswell. Lets just stay on our knees and keep praying for Texas love.

Nebraska and Texas A&M benefited from not having revenue sharing in this conference and voted against revenue sharing. Colorado is the only team that has a valid case for leaving because of the lack of revenue sharing in the Big 12.

CU's case is also that they were pretty much broke at the time and needed a sure paycheck.

[Panjandrum]

the conference is still fragile because of MU.  That's it.  They are, imo, on the Big 10's expansion list and MU would leave in a heartbeat for the big 10. 

yes, they're the only school left that wants out.  no one wants them though.  the big 10 would lol in their face (already did actually).  the only risk is that every eastern team shoots the sec down and they fall back to mu.  not sure mu would even go to the sec though.  the sec is no big 10.

I feel confident that any Big East school would bail for the SEC.  Therefore, I think WVU will ultimately be the choice for #14.

I know exactly what you're saying about the optimal scenario is BYU and staying at ten.  I think we need to go on the offensive and make a sweet offer to Louisville should WVU accept.

I know that I'll get LOL'ed, but we need to cut the Big East off at the knees as a matter of survival.  That said, either us our Houston will ultimately take them.  They are undergoing massive athletic complex renovations (football and basketball), and they are the second largest enrollment in the state of Texas after the UT system.  No, they aren't the sexiest pick, but they are going to be in a BCS conference eventually, and the most likely place for them to land is the Big East (IMO).  Taking them as a preemptive strike with BYU and Louisville will accomplish two things in my opinion:

1) It removes a conference member and a potential conference member from the Big East making them the most unstable and weakest BCS conference (without a doubt)
2) It gives the Big 12 a very easy choice for a sixth South division school.  Houston would be so glad to join the BCS, they wouldn't mind going through that gauntlet.  A weaker North division would be more enticing for Louisville and BYU to join, as well as getting Louisville in a basketball division with the stronger of the two divisions in basketball.

I think if we get aggressive and offer Louisville tomorrow, we won't get them.  We need to get BYU in the fold first.  We also need to bank on the SEC taking WVU.  However, if that happens, I think Louisville is a very possible grab.

[catzacker]

the conference is still fragile because of MU.  That's it.  They are, imo, on the Big 10's expansion list and MU would leave in a heartbeat for the big 10. 

yes, they're the only school left that wants out.  no one wants them though.  the big 10 would lol in their face (already did actually).  the only risk is that every eastern team shoots the sec down and they fall back to mu.  not sure mu would even go to the sec though.  the sec is no big 10.

My assumption is that the big 10 wants notre dame to get put into a corner by other conferences devouring each other.  I think then they would go after ND and Pitt.  I don’t believe the 16 team conference model (as it relates to football) is viable, however that doesn’t mean it won’t happen and if the big 10 goes to 16, then MU is on that list.    I do think your other scenario (ie. mu as the last option or one of the last options for the sec) is realistic.  

[deputy dawg]

the conference is still fragile because of MU.  That's it.  They are, imo, on the Big 10's expansion list and MU would leave in a heartbeat for the big 10. 

Illinois HATES Moo, and my understanding is that they are the biggest obstacle to Missouri to Big 10 prospects.  A new AD at Missouri or Illinois could change that dynamic.

[Panjandrum]

the conference is still fragile because of MU.  That's it.  They are, imo, on the Big 10's expansion list and MU would leave in a heartbeat for the big 10. 

yes, they're the only school left that wants out.  no one wants them though.  the big 10 would lol in their face (already did actually).  the only risk is that every eastern team shoots the sec down and they fall back to mu.  not sure mu would even go to the sec though.  the sec is no big 10.

My assumption is that the big 10 wants notre dame to get put into a corner by other conferences devouring each other.  I think then they would go after ND and Pitt.  I don’t believe the 16 team conference model (as it relates to football) is viable, however that doesn’t mean it won’t happen and if the big 10 goes to 16, then MU is on that list.    I do think your other scenario (ie. mu as the last option or one of the last options for the sec) is realistic.  

I think Larry Scott believes 16 is where it's at, but I don't think other conferences are in love with that idea.

You end up going with divisions or pods, and that's it.  The WAC tried pods years ago, and it bombed.  If you only play members of your division in football, I think it defeats the purpose of a conference because the only time (for example) UT and USC would play each other is in the conference championship game or something to that effect.  This grand matchup notion that people have is crap.  Each team will still have Washington State's, Vanderbilt, etc. on their schedule.

The SEC wanted a Texas footprint, and that was worth more to them than short-term or mid-term dollars.  On the flip side, I don't think any school, other than Notre Dame, is going to make the Big Ten jump to expand.  Increasing their footprint and teams increases inventory for the BTN, but they want ND in the worst way, and they will use all of their remaining bullets going after them.  If it takes fourteen teams, they'll stay at fourteen.  If it takes sixteen, they'll go sixteen.  However, they will lay in wait until 2015 at the very least when ND goes to rework their contract.

[michigancat]

LOL @ everyone using the WAC as clear evidence that a 16 team league will fail. LMAO, seriously guys.

[Panjandrum]

LOL @ everyone using the WAC as clear evidence that a 16 team league will fail. LMAO, seriously guys.

I think the pod idea isn't going to work for sure.

[michigancat]

Basing that opinion on the success/failure of the 16-team WAC is dumb.

[Brock Landers]

LOL @ everyone using the WAC as clear evidence that a 16 team league will fail. LMAO, seriously guys.

I think the pod idea isn't going to work for sure.

Pods, divisions, it doesn't matter from a scheduling standpoint.  16 teams is too many football.  Unless you don't care about playing some teams in your superconference every 4 years or never playing them at all.

[ben ji]

I never thought the Big 12 would be forced to grovel at the feet of mormons 

[Gooch]

I never thought the Big 12 would be forced to grovel at the feet of mormons 

Sad sad day.

[WillieWatanabe]

http://www.tigerboard.com/boards/missouri-tigers.php?message=8809292

[catzacker]

http://www.tigerboard.com/boards/missouri-tigers.php?message=8809292

crap.  we're done.

[Winters]

http://www.tigerboard.com/boards/missouri-tigers.php?message=8809292

crap.  we're done.

It was fun, fellas.

[chum1]

mizzou jumping the gun again?

[michigancat]

mizzou jumping the gun again?

yeah, wtf are they withdrawing to?

[bakerman]

going to be hilarious if/when these guys withdraw from the Big 12 and don't get an invite...

[WillieWatanabe]

considering Mizz's chancellor is on the "expansion committee". This would be interesting.

[deputy dawg]

Did the Big 12 retain the rights to "The Big Eight"?

[catzacker]

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1258695

[wabash909]

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1258695

Pitt, BYU?  Ugh.  Shut the f*ck up, chip.   

[EllToPay]

Two sources told me today Pittsburgh continues to move up as a Big 12 target, and may even be moving into the lead. Pitt AD Steve Pederson is sending out signals the Panthers are content in the Big East.

Is the former Neb AD?

[WildcatNkilt]

A $7mill increase per year if Pitt moved to the Big 12-3 is not a bad incentive.  

[OK_Cat]

this is going to drag on forever

[WillieWatanabe]

this is going to drag on forever

good BBSing