https://www.heartlandcollegesports.com/2023/02/10/big-12-conference-expansion-targets-ranked/

The usual list.

For the sake of college football, I think Wash and Ore deserve to be in a big, stable league. However, I think they would not be good conference mates in the Big 12. If they came, they'd have one foot out the door as soon as they got here. I don't want that. And I can't see UCF and W Va liking them either.

And I think they know it. If I'm them, I'm trying to make something work out west.

Probably true. But that's the problem for them: their prospects out west are likely to be G5 if & when the P12 collapses.

Yep. No great prospects out there. I don't think the B1G really wants them either. They are in a tough spot.

Wouldn't surprise me if we hear of the 4 corners schools joining us by around May/June. (That would also squelch any hopes of SMU/SDSU/UNLV etc joining the PAC.

As a fan, I hate it for the remaining PAC schools.

What is the Big 12 "culture fit" specifically?

LagunaBear said:

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If they came, they'd have one foot out the door as soon as they got here.

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Sadly, every team in this conference has one foot out the door should an upgrade be available, including us.

Don't know that Oregon could take UTs bully pulpit (I don't think the new Big XII is going to allow anyone to do that BTW), but I feel that in their mind would come in and somehow we are suppose to bow down in their presence because we would pay homage to have them...........and them leaving in as short a time as possible would be thought of by them as allowing us to be the presence of greatness if only temporarily.

All of the above......bull****. In other words, I can see them having a bigger sense of entitlement than UT had if we brought them in at any other condition than them signing a GOR that it would take Fort Knox to get out of.

Not really interested in having them. They have absolutely no desire to be here. The AZ schools, one of both, I can see actually wanting to be here.....but they may be the only ones. To the others, it is a lifeline to tread water until they can get better.

No one has mentioned a cultural fit in this thread. But if you're responding to me then what Blackie said is similar to my sentiments.

Briles said:

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What is the Big 12 "culture fit" specifically?

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Depends, mr briles. If its the Art Briles type of big 12 then we all wear long sleeves, kicking azz, and telling espn to suck it. If kendall briles type of big 12 then more of a bro culture immitating the greats, but just being overall average.

The culture fit is mentioned in the article.

So nearly the entire Pac10

If they do fall apart, we may have the luxury of being selective.

Griz said:

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LagunaBear said:

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If they came, they'd have one foot out the door as soon as they got here.

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Sadly, every team in this conference has one foot out the door should an upgrade be available, including us.

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This. Every single team in the Big 12 would jump through hoops for either an SEC or B1G invite. That's true now, and it will continue to be true indefinitely into the future.

We are all realists however. Some in the PAC delusionally perhaps even at their peril think they have invites in the mail or will get the call as soon as the the PAC collapses.

Briles said:

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What is the Big 12 "culture fit" specifically?

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Not starting academic pissing matches in every discussion about our football league?

Was it too difficult to just keep all these conferences regional based? Everyone is looking ridiculous now

Aberzombie1892 said:

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Griz said:

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LagunaBear said:

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If they came, they'd have one foot out the door as soon as they got here.

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Sadly, every team in this conference has one foot out the door should an upgrade be available, including us.

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This. Every single team in the Big 12 would jump through hoops for either an SEC or B1G invite. That's true now, and it will continue to be true indefinitely into the future.

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The best thing about the new Big 12 is it doesn't have any programs with a snowball's chance of even being in those discussions, so we're not preoccupied concocting crackpipe scenarios to get ourselves into conferences that don't want us.

The Big 12 is the perfect league for every misfit in it. And it's that acknowledgement that unifies this league and provides its security.

GoldenBear007 said:

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Was it too difficult to just keep all these conferences regional based? Everyone is looking ridiculous now

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Money ruins everything.

GoldenBear007 said:

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Was it too difficult to just keep all these conferences regional based? Everyone is looking ridiculous now

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My guess is the pendulum eventually swings back or sports get slashed. There will always be money to fund basketball and football, but in a world where even the Michigan State AD is asking Tom Izzo to play some non-conf games that only require bus travel, travel costs are going to become a real issue for athletic departments. SEC may be best positioned on this issue.

DallasBear9902 said:

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GoldenBear007 said:

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Was it too difficult to just keep all these conferences regional based? Everyone is looking ridiculous now

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My guess is the pendulum eventually swings back or sports get slashed. There will always be money to fund basketball and football, but in a world where even the Michigan State AD is asking Tom Izzo to play some non-conf games that only require bus travel, travel costs are going to become a real issue for athletic departments. SEC may be best positioned on this issue.

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I tend to agree. Although, many on this board may not be alive to see it swing back. LOL

But yeah, this whole idea of "student athlete" and flying from LA to New Jersey on a weeknight has to give way eventually.

GoldenBear007 said:

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Was it too difficult to just keep all these conferences regional based? Everyone is looking ridiculous now

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Money, media, mania made it too difficult. It shouldn't have been, but it prevails over wisdom and common sense far too often.

The Big 12's culture is centered around being misfits and miscreants. Average teams who find solace in their mediocrity. It's the conference of sidekicks and background characters where everyone fights like hell for those few years of success and attention.

Aberzombie1892 said:

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Griz said:

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LagunaBear said:

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If they came, they'd have one foot out the door as soon as they got here.

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Sadly, every team in this conference has one foot out the door should an upgrade be available, including us.

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This. Every single team in the Big 12 would jump through hoops for either an SEC or B1G invite. That's true now, and it will continue to be true indefinitely into the future.

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Boy. Maybe ADs but Not me. I think Baylor is better off challenging for the Big 12 annually than mediocrity in the SEC.

This why you don't want Oregon and Washington. They are great programs and very competitive and would be a great addition but....they are just hanging around waiting for the B1G to call and they would scoot.

They would be far superior additions to the four we took in but those four aren't going anywhere. I don't feel like that can be said of Oregon and UDub.

I could care less about the four spare newcombers that were added but I don't see any of us with a foot out the door that isn't going to come calling anyway.

The PAC may get whittled back to being the PAC-8, which they were for many years. They may as well accept that there are no teams they can conceivably add which will raise their profile or marketability. Concentrate on what they are already good at and stay regional as a conference.

Pursuit of the almighty dollar, while ignoring long term financial statements. SEC is well positioned but how much more money are USC and UCLA really going to make when you factor in their other athletic teams travel expenses? Volleyball, basketball, and soccer all play quite a few games…

Briles said:

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What is the Big 12 "culture fit" specifically?

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If you really don't understand the cultural differences between Cal, Washington, and Oregon and Baylor, Kansas, and TCU then you need to probably do research beyond SicEm365.

The 4 corners (CU, AU, ASU and UT) make the most sense to me.

Pods

Heaven and Hell Pod
ASU
AU
Utah
BYU

Big 8 is Enough Pod
CU
KU
KSU
ISU

Yee Haw Pod
BU
Tech
TCU
OSU


The Other Guys Pod
UH
Cincy
WVU
UCF

3 in your pod, 6 outside (2 from each other pod on a rotating home and away basis). CCG is best records with tie breakers, That's a fun conference.

Typical Baylor schedule
Tech
TCU
OSU
WVU
Cincy
KU
CU
ASU
BYU

Culture fit?

I've seen that phrase pop up here and there but I'm not a believer in that.


I would think the 'fit' required is being a like-minded and valued business partner aka bringing TV marketshare, revenue sharing etc.

Do we want a business partner who will act much like Texas from day one? I don't know if any of them would, but it certainly is possible.

historian said:

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Do we want a business partner who will act much like Texas from day one?

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Do you really think that the remaining big 12 members would put up with that after ou and ut leave?

Probably not. My point is that's how they might act. If not the schools or teams, then the fans. Much harder for anyone to control.

Nebraska, A&M, OU, UT, Missouri all sold their college sports souls for $$$$$. The decisions to move to the SEC and B1G were made by the University Presidents, not the athletic directors. They have and will continue to fall into mediocrity from a competition stand point. I think that OU could actually revive itself from the ashes and potentially compete in the SEC.

The great thing, at least with football, is that the expanded college football playoff brings greater parity at least of making it to the table.

For me, I'd rather regularly compete for a Big XII title than sit in obscurity in the SEC collecting a paycheck for the school.

LagunaBear said:

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Yep. No great prospects out there. I don't think the B1G really wants them either. They are in a tough spot.

Wouldn't surprise me if we hear of the 4 corners schools joining us by around May/June. (That would also squelch any hopes of SMU/SDSU/UNLV etc joining the PAC.

As a fan, I hate it for the remaining PAC schools.

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Seems like that would only force the Pac to bring on SMU/SDSU/UNLV.

If I was the Pac12 I'd go after SDSU and UTSA