More proof the Big 12 needs to add us!!

[Bearcat_DF]

Here's why I think we want to be in the Big12. IF the end game is going to be 4 super conferences with 16 teams, that means there are 64 spots. We need to put ourselves in position to have one of those 64 spots. Currently, we are not in that position. There are 64 teams in the P5 today. And ND needs to displace someone too.

So it seems our best strategy is to get into the Big12, strength our program with the additional dollars, and work to beat out some of the current programs in the Big12 when the final shuffle occurs. Seems to me, our geography will help. The key will be to have the best program as possible by that time.

Will we be more attractive than Iowa State, TCU, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Baylor, West Virginia, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas? If we get into the Big12 it gives us an advantage over teams that don't - UConn, BYU, Memphis, USF, UCF. The boat might get smaller if the Pac10 can't get who it wants from the Big12 and takes a team from the Mountain West. (I still can't believe Utah is in the Pac10, argh!)

Current situation:
ACC - 14 teams
Big 10 - 14 teams
SEC - 14 teams
Pac 10 - 12 teams
Big 12 - 10 teams

[CincyBearcat95]

^An article/blog that I read written by a Kansas fan/writer (I have lost track of everything that I have read), said that KState and Kansas were not rivals but Kansas lost their true rival when Mizzu left the Big12. I am not sure that KState and Kansas will move together. I believe that it will be like all else if the Big12 folds, all universities for themselves.

I live in Kansas City and go to the KU games. Your fan/writer is correct. KU and MU are bitter rivals and before MU left had an annual football game called The Border War which goes back to the civil war when the two states were on opposite sides and one raided the other. The movie The Outlaw Jose Wales is based on the event.

KU / MU fans have almost as much venom for each other as we do with Xavier. K-State is more like an annoying little brother who wants to be the rival with KU.

However, rivalry has nothing to do with both schools moving together. That comes from both being state schools and supposedly the State of Kansas wants them kept together in whatever conference they go to. That is the rumor here. I have never heard that from a definitive source. However, if you've ever been to Manhattan KS and seen K-State out in the middle of nowhere you would understand why they want them connected as a package deal.

They actually fly recruits in at night so they do not have to look at wheat fields on the 2+ hour drive to campus. It is the reason that Snyder recruits mostly juco's and has a very specific system he uses for football and it is the reason that both Huggs and Frank Martin got out as quickly as possible. I know for Huggs that it was his alma mater but recruiting athletes to come play for k-state is very, very hard.

[98bearcat]

Well I heard rumors yesterday that 2 schools in the AAC had requested, in writing, the exact rules/requirements for withdrawing from the conference.
Today some people I know in Memphis are stating that UCF & Memphis are in the process of filing paperwork to withdraw from the AAC....

This may have as much validity as other more recent rumors but none of them talked about schools taking the actual steps.. Sure more should come out later today/week

**Update**: The information on Memphis & UCF is coming from an intern at Memphis:
"More from intern in Dr Rudd's office: Memphis and UCF will have to wait on invite, but preliminary interest from Big 12 member schools "yes"

[CincyEngGrad02]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/headlines/20141210-analyst-big-12-expansion-probably-the-worst-idea-conference-could-have-title-game-by-next-year.ece



After the Big 12 was left out of the College Football Playoff, fans and Big 12 commissioners alike pondered whether expansion would help fix the problem.

"That’s probably the worst idea," says Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples.

Staples writes that adding any two of BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Memphis, SMU, Boise State and UCF, would only dilute the TV money the Big 12 is already getting. The conference would need to add about $50 million more in media rights to allow the current members to break even and none of the schools from the list would convince broadcasters to hand over more money to in order to secure the Big 12 rights.

[coach]

I kind of doubt a decision to leave your conference would entail someone asking for paperwork. They're not applying for a loan. Frank the tank had a tweet today that huggins told him of an emergency meeting a non p5 coach told him of about joining the big12 and it was speculated it was cronin/cincy. Go to his site and take it for what it's worth. He's generally pretty well regarded, even if he's a tank.

[Lobot]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/college-sports/headlines/20141210-analyst-big-12-expansion-probably-the-worst-idea-conference-could-have-title-game-by-next-year.ece



After the Big 12 was left out of the College Football Playoff, fans and Big 12 commissioners alike pondered whether expansion would help fix the problem.

"That’s probably the worst idea," says Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples.

Staples writes that adding any two of BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Memphis, SMU, Boise State and UCF, would only dilute the TV money the Big 12 is already getting. The conference would need to add about $50 million more in media rights to allow the current members to break even and none of the schools from the list would convince broadcasters to hand over more money to in order to secure the Big 12 rights.

Staples missed something and that's that Memphis can bring $50 million to the plate in FedEx money to sponsor a Big12 Championship game and that becomes a breakeven for the league. The league wants both slices of the pie and is being greedy.

[longtimefan]

Audio from the Huggins radio show last night. Around 1:17 they ask questions and Huggins mentions the meeting.

http://wvu.leanplayer.com/

[coach]

Huggins has been around so long he could be referring to any of the speculated candidates so it's kind of another dead end even if it was relevant.

[Bearcat_Fan]

I'm kind of inclined to think it might be better to just stay in the AAC and be a big fish in a small pond. The BIG12 seems like a mess to me. Horrible leadership in the BIG12 from what I've seen.

[coach]

That's tough to evaluate. Bowlsby takes the heat, but that's his job. You have a lot of schools with big donors who i do not think are on the same page, and he basically serves at their behest. It's entirely possible they do not listen to anything he tries to accomplish. Not necessarily a group to air it's dirty laundry. However, absent some promise of acc down the road, you go to the p5 and worry later. No brainer.

[Lobot]

That's tough to evaluate. Bowlsby takes the heat, but that's his job. You have a lot of schools with big donors who i do not think are on the same page, and he basically serves at their behest. It's entirely possible they do not listen to anything he tries to accomplish. Not necessarily a group to air it's dirty laundry. However, absent some promise of acc down the road, you go to the p5 and worry later. No brainer.

Texas listens to no one but Texas. OU Pres wants to expand. Iowa St. AD doesn't, etc. Lots of greed and no foresight IMO.

[bearcatbret]

The article that I posted about BYU states that they could come in not costing the Big12 a penny in TV revenue because - 1 they would come in as football only so that the other sports would not have to compete on Sundays, 2 they have an ESPN contract already and would stay in place, 3 I forget.

[Bearcats1232002]

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/dennis-dodd/24895736/bowlsby-big-12-should-consider-co-champions-after-playoff-snub

Bowlsby reiterated there is no partner(s) for Big 12 expansion that make sense at the moment. The most mentioned candidates – Cincinnati, Connecticut, Memphis, BYU, South Florida, Central Florida – do not bring the equity to the table that matches the annual Big 12 per-school payout from the media contracts -- $22 million.

"That's right," he said. "Even more than that -- it's academic, it's competitiveness, it's geography, it's scope of program …

"Just getting to 12 so you can have a playoff is among the worst reasons to expand."


I think it is not going to happen to be honest

[longtimefan]

I'm kind of inclined to think it might be better to just stay in the AAC and be a big fish in a small pond. The BIG12 seems like a mess to me. Horrible leadership in the BIG12 from what I've seen.

Nobody knows for sure what will happen next, but the Big 12 does not look like the best option going forward, but it may also be the best we can do. The problem with the Big 12 is that all the institutions are not of a like mind. Texas calls the shots, and nobody knows if they will stick around for the long term, and they could probably kill the conference by leaving and taking Oklahoma with them. Right now, despite the grant of rights, the institutions don't trust each other. It reminds me of all the talk that the BE was going to split or breakup, which is exactly what finally happened, and it seems that the Big 12 is in a similar spot to where the BE was six or eight years ago. Even with all that, if an invite comes we have to accept.

Of the current P5 lineup the ACC looks like the best fit (Actually the B1G would be best but forget that). It's a good bet that college athletics will look very different five years from now.

[longtimefan]

Strong recommendation on WVU board.

http://westvirginia.scout.com/forums/4582-big12-conference/13484827-the-cincinnati-bearcats-my-case/165730227?s=159