Big 12 in 2016

[Lobot]

Ari Wasserman at Cleveland.com seems to think we're a threat to OSU recruiting if we jump up.

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.s...rt_river_index

[London 'Cat]

Ari Wasserman at Cleveland.com seems to think we're a threat to OSU recruiting if we jump up.

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.s...rt_river_index

I don't think he says exactly that. In fact, he says that tO$U owns Ohio in regards to recruiting. I really don't think that tO$U has anything to worry about if we get an invitation to join the Big12. I think the other Power5 schools that recruit the remaining players that don't go/aren't recruited by tO$U might be affected, but I don't see it being significant. Like the player from LaSalle who flipped to Northwestern - there's a chance UC might have retained his commitment if the Power5 vs. Group of 5 conference weren't a factor.

[red_n_black_attack]

I don't think he says exactly that. In fact, he says that tO$U owns Ohio in regards to recruiting. I really don't think that tO$U has anything to worry about if we get an invitation to join the Big12. I think the other Power5 schools that recruit the remaining players that don't go/aren't recruited by tO$U might be affected, but I don't see it being significant. Like the player from LaSalle who flipped to Northwestern - there's a chance UC might have retained his commitment if the Power5 vs. Group of 5 conference weren't a factor.

We have competed with daO$U directly for commits when we were in the BEast, I can't recall that we won any of those battles except maybe a couple of kids daO$U didn't offer because the kids was lower on their list of targets. If daO$U offers a kid in SW OH, they usually only lose to other bluebloods like ND, MSU, UM, and very few others. The Big 12 is much different than the BEast. We will offer kids to put up their talents against Texas and Oklahoma within easy commute to home so all of their friends/family can attend. I'm not saying we will compete with daO$U forall of the top kids, but we will win some instead of going 0 fer.

[swilsonsp4]

Does this strike anyone else as absolutely ridiculous? From what I understand, the schools have already made formal presentations of one sort of another, and I'm sure the schools that are likely to be short-listed (UC, BYU, Houston) have been courting the Big12 for years now and have had opportunities to make informal presentations on several occasions. Moreover, the Big 12 has the reports from their consultants and likely their own files from in-house research. What are the Big 12 officials possibly going to learn during these presentations that they don't already know? What would they learn that would somehow overcome their political allegiances? What would they learn that would possibly sway their decision, which surely they have formed by now?

You might answer this by saying that the Big 12 officials want to see if the presidents, ADs, whoever of the candidate institutions are people they would want to work with. Those people change though -quite frequently in some cases- and this is supposed to be a (nominally) long term partnership of institutions, not office personnel. So if they already know the schools,their facilities and their traditions, and their commercial potential has been quantified by at least one outside consultancy, and if the current administrations of the various AD's offices are really not relevant, then what is left?

I'm not a business-minded person in the least and maybe I lack imagination, but my interpretation is that the only answer that is left is that these interviews, where they make the institutions come present one more time, only serves to stoke the egos of the Big 12 officials. Way to drag it out, guys.

Man, will I be glad when this is over, no matter how it turns out.

It's very possible that the face-to-face meetings have nothing to do with the merits of each school, but, rather, how they fit financially in any deal struck. In other words, the size of the haircut.

[Big Herm]

It's very possible that the face-to-face meetings have nothing to do with the merits of each school, but, rather, how they fit financially in any deal struck. In other words, the size of the haircut.

You may be right, but shouldn't that conversation be had when they extend an invitation? I can't believe that they would be so shortsighted as to go with the lowest bidder.

[swilsonsp4]

You may be right, but shouldn't that conversation be had when they extend an invitation? I can't believe that they would be so shortsighted as to go with the lowest bidder.

I don't believe it will go to the lowest bidder, but Bowlsby has to make sure the schools can handle whatever level of reduced compensation can be negotiated. Also, no invitations have been issued as yet. That will come after the B12, (a) decide for sure to expand; (b) choose the schools they want.

So, IMO, the face-to-face would be just a final step prior to the clinching votes, followed by invitations. Those would be a mere formality at this point. I can't imagine any of the candidates getting cold feet.

[Big Herm]

Yeah, you have a point. Basically they could be conversations about how candidate's teams could live up to (or ramp up to) Big12 expectations with a smaller cut. Then, as you say, a final vote. Makes more sense to me now.

[Lobot]

Here's your "I survived the 1st cut" list via SBnation. I have no idea what the order is in this list. Preference? Amount of votes?

Cincinnati
BYU
UConn
Memphis
USF
UCF
Temple
Colorado State
SMU
Houston
Air Force

[bearcatbret]

That is a whole lot more than the initial 6-8 teams that included BYU and 5-7 teams from the AAC. Initial reports had Colorado State and Air Force out. The Big 12 sure does now how to drag things out to optimize coverage. I am not sure if they are playing the schools or playing the TV partners.

[bobestes]

That is a whole lot more than the initial 6-8 teams that included BYU and 5-7 teams from the AAC. Initial reports had Colorado State and Air Force out. The Big 12 sure does now how to drag things out to optimize coverage. I am not sure if they are playing the schools or playing the TV partners.

I think it's most likely they don't know what the **** they're doing or why they're in a conference together. Compare this to the way the SEC, Big Ten and ACC go about their business. It's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. No other conference makes the same spectacle of discord out of the process.

They're not optimizing coverage by broadcasting to the world in the clearest manner possible that they are ripe to be picked apart by the remaining conferences.

[richard k.]

I think it's most likely they don't know what the **** they're doing or why they're in a conference together. Compare this to the way the SEC, Big Ten and ACC go about their business. It's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. No other conference makes the same spectacle of discord out of the process.

They're not optimizing coverage by broadcasting to the world in the clearest manner possible that they are ripe to be picked apart by the remaining conferences.

Seriously, aside from UT & the Sooners, what other teams are the other power conferences interested in - with the possible exception of Kansas to the Big Whatever?

[bearcatbret]

Seriously, aside from UT & the Sooners, what other teams are the other power conferences interested in - with the possible exception of Kansas to the Big Whatever?

If Kansas was so valuable, U Conn would have already been plucked up. Those two schools are identical with maybe UConn coming out on top with all factors considered. You are right though, no other conference would pick up the remaining fractions if the Big 12 fell apart and at least 6 of those schools know it. This is self preservation for most of them as it is for the group trying to get invited in.

[blackattack]

If making the biggest PR splash possible was the goal they would have made an announcement after the Olympics ended and before the football regular season started. Now that the regular football season has officially started any announcement by the Big 12 will be way down the ESPN pecking order ( after NFL, MLB, etc).
Hope I'm wrong but from the outside looking in this looks like a bunch of people that can't find consensus on what to do. The Big 12 has had conversations with schools like UC and BYU for a couple years now. They don't need more "interviews"

[Big Herm]

Hope I'm wrong but from the outside looking in this looks like a bunch of people that can't find consensus on what to do. The Big 12 has had conversations with schools like UC and BYU for a couple years now. They don't need more "interviews"

Yeah, this is back to what I was saying, the Big 12 looks like a mess. The power conferences (which the B12 thinks it is) have made quick, bold, and decisive moves, or have given the impression of doing so by not letting us see them sweat. They came out looking stronger for it. Granted, the B12 has a disadvantage in being late to the expansion party, but If there are real reasons for the interviews, as SWilson pointed out, they should still have played it close to the chest.

As I typed that I wondered why I haven't read much commentary along these lines in major media outlets. Maybe I'm just reading the wrong things, but I suppose that it could also be a result of ESPN, Fox, not wanting to compromise the value of a product in which they have a large stake.

If UC gets in, I hope they make the most of their time in the Big 12. I'm really starting to doubt that the conference will last.

[Big Herm]

Seriously, aside from UT & the Sooners, what other teams are the other power conferences interested in - with the possible exception of Kansas to the Big Whatever?

My guess is that we will someday see a Mountain West Conference with representation in Kansas, Texas, and maybe Iowa and Oklahoma.