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

[steve dave]

Interesting side note on why all the leaks are coming from CoalAggy

Tweet from the dude "West Virginia is not offically a member of the Big 12 until June 30th-Ponder that and discuss"

West Virginia is a rough ridin' ninja, doing all the Big XII's dirty work while they're still members of the big east. They've been the ones dealing with FSU, so the Big XII can say they haven't made contact. That's why so much news has been coming from that WVU source. FSU is reportedly a done deal. Texas wants Georgia Tech, clemson is on the edge. The idea is to take GT to try and entice Notre Dame. Big XII might be looking at 14.

These WVU cats have endeared me to them rather quickly. They are turning into awesome conference mates

They're also perfect because they can lead these talks with Oliver Luck, who is an extremely qualified person to do so (and very respected as well).

that argument (WVU can talk openly because they aren't officially members yet) would get destroyed so hard in court though.  I'm pretty sure the Big12 is smart enough to know that.

Even so...you have to admit that what the ACC stands to lose over time, and what they could gain from a lawsuit aren't equal....Exponential losses vs. a settlement?

even so...you have to admit that doesn't have crap to do with crap.

[MakeItRain]

Interesting side note on why all the leaks are coming from CoalAggy

Tweet from the dude "West Virginia is not offically a member of the Big 12 until June 30th-Ponder that and discuss"

West Virginia is a rough ridin' ninja, doing all the Big XII's dirty work while they're still members of the big east. They've been the ones dealing with FSU, so the Big XII can say they haven't made contact. That's why so much news has been coming from that WVU source. FSU is reportedly a done deal. Texas wants Georgia Tech, clemson is on the edge. The idea is to take GT to try and entice Notre Dame. Big XII might be looking at 14.

These WVU cats have endeared me to them rather quickly. They are turning into awesome conference mates

Thanks Lacey

[thebigcatbowski]

Chip!

Other conferences, including the Big 12 and ACC have been whispering into Notre Dame's ear that the Irish have other options. DeLoss Dodds at Texas has been wooing the Irish non-stop for three years, even proposing the Irish remain independent in football and bring their non-football sports to the BIg 12 and start their own third-tier network.

 

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1366398

What kills the bowl system is a playoff that includes only conference champions. Because if that does trigger realignment to the tune of four, 16-team super conferences, then the bowls have nothing new to pick from.

Why? Just because there's four teams, that doesn't mean they'd always have to come from the same conferences. Only 2 teams are being taken out of the bowl system. And, who the hell is the Pac 12 going to add to get to 16? All this talk of 16-team super conferences makes no sense.

With only four conferences, schools selected by the bowls will have either played each other that season or most seasons, and would not excite fans or provide new matchups. Some of the more intriguing bowl matchups occur when schools from different conferences meet for the first time.

That doesn't make sense.

If the two best teams in the country are from the same conference, so be it. Who wants to see an undefeated conference champ against a 2-loss Wisconsin in a semifinal game when there's a 1-loss team who didn't win its conference but played a much tougher schedule and is more deserving?

The conference championships would be a part of the playoffs. That's what everyone seems to be ignoring. If the playoffs are 4 conference champions, then the playoffs are actually 8-12 teams since you have to win the championship game of your conference to move onto the next round (assuming Big 12 adds 2 teams to get a champ game). So, the first round is SEC Championship, big 10 Championship, PAC Championship, Big 12 Championship plus ACC Championship and/or Big East Championship if they have a team in the top 6. The second round of playoffs would be the semifinals.

[Panjandrum]

It's Chip, dude.  You have to shake the gold/rock/sand sifter thing to get the gold nuggets out of the crap.

[chum1]

i'd think that there would be a huge difference between having documented correspondence from non-member wvu to fsu et al. versus having documented correspondence from the b12 to fsu et al.  if all the b12 ever did was tell wvu what to do in private, wouldn't it be pretty hard to prove that they were involved?  isn't that in part why they keep issuing denials?

[Pete]

So, are we right to assume Chip is speaking for the Big 12 on the championship issue?

I had been assuming that the Big 12 would side with the Big 10 and thereby get into the race for Notre Dame.

[Pete]

i'd think that there would be a huge difference between having documented correspondence from non-member wvu to fsu et al. versus having documented correspondence from the b12 to fsu et al.  if all the b12 ever did was tell wvu what to do in private, wouldn't it be pretty hard to prove that they were involved?  isn't that in part why they keep issuing denials?

Agreed.  PLAUSIBLE deniability, but not necessarily perfect deniability.

[steve dave]

i'd think that there would be a huge difference between having documented correspondence from non-member wvu to fsu et al. versus having documented correspondence from the b12 to fsu et al.  if all the b12 ever did was tell wvu what to do in private, wouldn't it be pretty hard to prove that they were involved?  isn't that in part why they keep issuing denials?

no, there wouldn't be.  wvu may not officially be a member of the conference until a certain date but they would clearly be acting on the behalf of the big 12 and themselves as future members of the big12 in doing so.   

[steve dave]

i'd think that there would be a huge difference between having documented correspondence from non-member wvu to fsu et al. versus having documented correspondence from the b12 to fsu et al.  if all the b12 ever did was tell wvu what to do in private, wouldn't it be pretty hard to prove that they were involved?  isn't that in part why they keep issuing denials?

Agreed.  PLAUSIBLE deniability, but not necessarily perfect deniability.

a civil court doesn't give a eff about plausible deniability.  this isn't a murder case the big 12 would be facing.

[Pete]

i'd think that there would be a huge difference between having documented correspondence from non-member wvu to fsu et al. versus having documented correspondence from the b12 to fsu et al.  if all the b12 ever did was tell wvu what to do in private, wouldn't it be pretty hard to prove that they were involved?  isn't that in part why they keep issuing denials?

no, there wouldn't be.  wvu may not officially be a member of the conference until a certain date but they would clearly be acting on the behalf of the big 12 and themselves as future members of the big12 in doing so.

Doesn't that get into that "official agent" stuff?

Seems like the Big 12 would have sued the rough ridin' piss out of the SEC if that stuff has any merit, so consider me among the don't give a eff group.

[slobber]

i'd think that there would be a huge difference between having documented correspondence from non-member wvu to fsu et al. versus having documented correspondence from the b12 to fsu et al.  if all the b12 ever did was tell wvu what to do in private, wouldn't it be pretty hard to prove that they were involved?  isn't that in part why they keep issuing denials?

Agreed.  PLAUSIBLE deniability, but not necessarily perfect deniability.

The law is a tricky thing in that, even though most lawsuits are settled, they are sometimes settled in part not for the actual laws themselves, but by how legal counsel thinks a jury will interpret what happened. Even perfect deniability may not be perfect to a jury.
NOTE: I am not a lawyer, so all lawyers can feel free to tell me that this is a completely stupid comment.

[steve dave]

i'd think that there would be a huge difference between having documented correspondence from non-member wvu to fsu et al. versus having documented correspondence from the b12 to fsu et al.  if all the b12 ever did was tell wvu what to do in private, wouldn't it be pretty hard to prove that they were involved?  isn't that in part why they keep issuing denials?

Agreed.  PLAUSIBLE deniability, but not necessarily perfect deniability.

The law is a tricky thing in that, even though most lawsuits are settled, they are sometimes settled in part not for the actual laws themselves, but by how legal counsel thinks a jury will interpret what happened. Even perfect deniability may not be perfect to a jury.
NOTE: I am not a lawyer, so all lawyers can feel free to tell me that this is a completely stupid comment.

I'm told you have to sign it "esquire" if you are a lawyer

[steve dave]

i'd think that there would be a huge difference between having documented correspondence from non-member wvu to fsu et al. versus having documented correspondence from the b12 to fsu et al.  if all the b12 ever did was tell wvu what to do in private, wouldn't it be pretty hard to prove that they were involved?  isn't that in part why they keep issuing denials?

no, there wouldn't be.  wvu may not officially be a member of the conference until a certain date but they would clearly be acting on the behalf of the big 12 and themselves as future members of the big12 in doing so.

Doesn't that get into that "official agent" stuff?

Seems like the Big 12 would have sued the rough ridin' piss out of the SEC if that stuff has any merit, so consider me among the don't give a eff group.

sure.  I'm also of the group that doesn't give a eff and say we keep back channel talks going until we wrap this crap up.  I'm just pointing out that there isn't an available out by having WVU conduct them vs. anyone else. 

[Pete]

My biggest item of concern right now is the outcome of the vote on the championship qualification structure.

I have FSU and Clemson marked down in INK and am now concerned about Notre Dame.

[Pete]

Guys, let's talk about who we want as the 14th after FSU, Clem, and ND!

[steve dave]

Guys, let's talk about who we want as the 14th after FSU, Clem, and ND!

VT, GT, Pitt

[steve dave]

West
KState
KU
OSU
OU

South
TCU
Baylor
TX
TTech

North
ISU
WV
Pitt
ND

East
GT
VT
FSU
Clem

TX plays ND and OU every year somehow or something

[Panjandrum]

Guys, let's talk about who we want as the 14th after FSU, Clem, and ND!

VT, GT, Pitt

As a fan: VT
As a smart business decision: GT
What will probably happen: Pitt

[spnshinqsn]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2012-05-16/florida-state-acc-big-12/55029626/1

Former Seminoles football star and former university Board of Trustees member Derrick Brooks said on national radio that the Big 12 Conference reached out to FSU, not the other way around.

Brooks was speaking on the Tim Brando show when he made the comments.

"From my understanding, it is the Big 12, you know, wanting to talk to us," Brooks said. "Again, that's from my understanding. That appears to be the case."

[Pete]

Guys, let's talk about who we want as the 14th after FSU, Clem, and ND!

VT, GT, Pitt

I disagree with you so much on the 14 vs 16 issue that I want to hit you.

I vote that we let ND pick.  Failing that, I vote for Georgia Tech, because they will be easier to beat in football. 

[steve dave]

I disagree with you so much on the 14 vs 16 issue that I want to hit you.

probably wouldn't even hurt

[Pete]

IF, big if because it's a stupid idea, we got to 16, I want to be with ISU and KU.

[steve dave]

IF, big if because it's a stupid idea, we got to 16, I want to be with ISU and KU.

well, make a color coded map showing your pods then butthead

http://diymaps.net/us_12.htm

[Dugout DickStone]

No one is suing anyone you noobs.

[Pete]

IF, big if because it's a stupid idea, we got to 16, I want to be with ISU and KU.

well, make a color coded map showing your pods then butthead

http://diymaps.net/us_12.htm

I am on my phone..but do one with 14 teams.

ND, Clem, FSU, Ga tech, TCU, KU, KSU in a division together. 

FSU and ND will demand a game in TX every year.