SEC Accepts A&M...but with a condition

[Mr. Nielsen]

Here is something nobody is taking about. What will happen with Iowa State?

[Skatastrophy]

Here is something nobody is taking about. What will happen with Iowa State?

CUSA?  Horizon League?

[GGGG]

Here is something nobody is taking about. What will happen with Iowa State?

"Ladies and Gentlemen....welcome to the 2013 MAC Championship game between the Rockets of the University of Toledo and the Cyclones of Iowa State University.  The winner earns a berth in the Motor City Bowl!!!"

[Aughnanure]

Baylor is no longer blocking Texas A&M to the SEC...cue a mad dash to get poach the rest of the Big 12.

http://tamu.rivals.com/

[GGGG]

See, I think we can take this as a sign that the B12 isn't going to get poached at all.  My guess is that Baylor received some assurances that the conference will remain intact.

What I would worry about is the possibility of WVU leaving for the SEC...and *possibly* Louisville or Pitt leaving for the B12.

[tower912]

I would anticipate the B12 raiding CUSA.   

[Aughnanure]

See, I think we can take this as a sign that the B12 isn't going to get poached at all.  My guess is that Baylor received some assurances that the conference will remain intact.

What I would worry about is the possibility of WVU leaving for the SEC...and *possibly* Louisville or Pitt leaving for the B12.

I don't think any school has assurances on the future of the Big 12. Most likely they settled on some monetary figure or finally realized that threatening suit won't stop the implosion.

[GGGG]

Here is what I think is happening now.

1.-Texas doesn't want to give up the Longhorn Network, (which the Pac-12 would essentially require them to do) but will give up some $$$ to the conference to keep the likes of Oklahoma around.

2.-The Pac-12 has no interest in expansion without Texas.  Oklahoma isn't going to do it for them.

3.-The B12 adds one more team to keep it at 10.  (BYU???)  They will *not* recreate the Southwest Conference by adding a bunch of Texas-based CUSA teams.

4.-SEC will expand by one more team, either WVU or Missouri.  Neither of which will cause large-scale reallignment.  In response, the BE might take a team like UCF or might just be happy as is.

[Aughnanure]

Being from Big 12 country, I am a bit closer to this than others and I cannot see a way the Big 12 survives. No one trusts each other and no "pledge" of undying loyalty is going to make the schools suddenly trust one another.

All it would take is one Big Ten offer to Missouri and they are gone, and do the Kansas schools really feel safe enough not to take a Big East offer if it means being in a more stable conference? The fear of having nowhere to land softly is terrifying. The only way this survives is if Texas gives up the Bevo network and agrees to more equal pay, but that isnt happening.

New rumor has Texas going Indy in football and placing all its other sports in Big East or ACC - that would help secure the importance of the Bball only schools

[Aughnanure]

Iowa State now has not waived legal rights regarding Texas A&M's SEC move. Some are also disputing that Baylor backed off. Also heard on KC radio Kansas is still exploring whether they are waiving their legal rights to sue.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/09/iowa-state-legal-rights-texas-a38m-move-sec/1

Are the orphan schools getting some backbone and trying to hold on?

[bilsu]

I do not think the Big 12 survvives as a ten team conference. They would have to give up their playoff game. They will only survice, if they can get to 12. That will be really hard to do, if any other teams leave besides A&M.

[bilsu]

I would anticipate the B12 raiding CUSA.   

So far nobody wants Memphis.

[marquette20]

Worst Case for Marquette:

Big East falls apart with football and basketball spilting.
Although, Texas goes independent.

New ten or twelve team conference with
Texas, Notre Dame who remain independent in football.
Georgetown and Villanova who play in FCS still.
Seton Hall, St. Johns, DePaul, Marquette, and Providence.
Then we would have to add a couple other basketball-only schools such as Butler, Richmond, BYU (independent), Drake, Dayton, Davidson

This would basically be the Horrizon league but better
Sure the money from football would be there, but i believe the conference could survive and be one of the top conferences in the country for basketball. Also, it allows the rest of the sports a competitive conference. I still would take this option over CUSA any day.

[brewcity77]

This would basically be the Horrizon league but better

Texas, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Villanova, Marquette, St. John's, and you say Horizon League but better? You're talking a league that will consistently get 5-7 NCAA teams a year. That's waaaaaaaaaaay better than the Horizon. It's more like the old C-USA, where we got 5-6 bids every year and had legitimate national powerhouses.

[marquette20]

Texas, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Villanova, Marquette, St. John's, and you say Horizon League but better? You're talking a league that will consistently get 5-7 NCAA teams a year. That's waaaaaaaaaaay better than the Horizon. It's more like the old C-USA, where we got 5-6 bids every year and had legitimate national powerhouses.

it is like the Horizon league since they dont have D1 football.

[Aughnanure]

Worst Case for Marquette:

Big East falls apart with football and basketball spilting.
Although, Texas goes independent.

New ten or twelve team conference with
Texas, Notre Dame who remain independent in football.
Georgetown and Villanova who play in FCS still.
Seton Hall, St. Johns, DePaul, Marquette, and Providence.
Then we would have to add a couple other basketball-only schools such as Butler, Richmond, BYU (independent), Drake, Dayton, Davidson

This would basically be the Horrizon league but better
Sure the money from football would be there, but i believe the conference could survive and be one of the top conferences in the country for basketball. Also, it allows the rest of the sports a competitive conference. I still would take this option over CUSA any day.

Though I disagree with you that THIS is the "worst-case" scenario, I do agree its a decent probability. Id also add in Army, Navy and potentially Air Force (who basically have said they want independence like their armed services brethren but cant due to geography).

It would then look like:

Texas
BYU
Notre Dame
Georgetown
Villanova
St. John's
Marquette
DePaul
Seton Hall
Providence
Army
Navy
Air Force

Then add in some number of these schools: Gonzaga (doesnt't look as far w/ BYU & Air Force), Wichita St (Baseball), Butler, Xavier, St. Louis, etc.,....Creighton, Richmond, Charlotte Dayton?

[Aughnanure]

Now its 6 Big 12 schools saying they won't sign the waiver

Baylor, 5 other Big 12 schools could threaten legal action as SEC invites Texas A&M

UPDATE, 3:55 PM: Baylor was among six Big 12 schools that will not sign a waiver to allow Texas A&M to go to the Southeastern Conference following a meeting of the Big 12 presidents Wednesday afternoon, a source close to Baylor told the Tribune-Herald.

The other schools were Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Iowa State and Missouri.

If Oklahoma reaffirms its commitment to the Big 12, the schools are expected to sign the waiver that would allow the Aggies to go to the SEC without any legal action. The Sooners, who are reportedly considering a move to the Pac-12, are expected to make their decision within the next two weeks.

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/breakingnews/Big-12-school-threatens-legal-action-as-SEC-invites-Texas-AM-to-join-league.html?abc=I0XA4pU5

[Ari Gold]

Worst Case for Marquette:

Big East falls apart with football and basketball spilting.
Although, Texas goes independent.

New ten or twelve team conference with
Texas, Notre Dame who remain independent in football.
Georgetown and Villanova who play in FCS still.
Seton Hall, St. Johns, DePaul, Marquette, and Providence.
Then we would have to add a couple other basketball-only schools such as Butler, Richmond, BYU (independent), Drake, Dayton, Davidson

This would basically be the Horrizon league but better
Sure the money from football would be there, but i believe the conference could survive and be one of the top conferences in the country for basketball. Also, it allows the rest of the sports a competitive conference. I still would take this option over CUSA any day.

That is in fact a bad scenario, however I believe your teams are wrong. Furthermore Marquette needs to make a move (or have a contingency plan) when/if the time comes. If the Big 12 folded, with a OU and OSU going to what would be the Pac-14, a realignment would take place:

Marquette Depaul, Cinci and UL have been in the same conference for a long time and I believe they'll want to continue that tradition. Just lumping the (former) big east non football schools together operates on the assumption that they WANT to be together. Marquette is the ginger step child of the Big East, we're successful and beat the 'historic members'. Georgetown, Villanova, St. Johns and Provo can do without Marquette if push came to shove. So Marquette will need to make a move if the time comes that secures itself.

In your Scenario with Texas going independent the lesser big 12 team will need to make a move. ISU to MAC or CUSA because F-em. Take Baylor, kansas, Kstate, Tech, add Cinci, UL Pitt and TCU and build a football conference from there.  Snap off a top CUSA, other big12 or MAC team and you've got 10+ team conference. Add MU, DePaul, Xavier, Creigton and butler... you have a respectable basketball conference. One that is geographically acceptable too. That would Force Nova or Georgetown's hand (as well as SJU, Provo and SHU). Stick with a shrinking Big East or Join this new Conference. Forgotten in all this is Nova's top tier FCS team... would they elevate it? Head to the ACC? Adding Texas for other sports would make sense here.

Also Screwed in this ordeal is USF. Neither the ACC Nor the SEC needs another Florida football team. Especially the 4th best in the state

Adding a team like BYU (or gonzaga for that matter) makes little sense geographically.

Less worst case scenario: A&M Bails, OSU, and OU stay Houston,SMU or Arkansas and/or BYU join

[bilsu]

The more I think about it the more I think Texas will end up in the Big East, because the Big East will allow Texas and Notre Dame to be independent in football. However, the other Big 12 teams may not want to have anything to do with Texas. Hopefully, the Big 10 stands pat. I do not see Pitt going to Big 12, because I think they could go to Big 10, if they wanted to. Possibly West Virgina to SEC, Pitt and Missouri to Big 10, Oklahoma & OK St to Pac 10. That would leave Big East with 8 football schools plus Notre Dame and Big 12 with 6 plus Texas. Leave Baylor and Iowa St out and you have 12 football, two independents and 7 basketball schools.  Thee divisions of 7. Lose two teams to ACC and you have a 19 team basketball league, which would work well. Bayor and Iowa St get consideration, if we need them to get to 12 football schools.

[Hards Alumni]

The more I think about it the more I think Texas will end up in the Big East, because the Big East will allow Texas and Notre Dame to be independent in football. However, the other Big 12 teams may not want to have anything to do with Texas. Hopefully, the Big 10 stands pat. I do not see Pitt going to Big 12, because I think they could go to Big 10, if they wanted to. Possibly West Virgina to SEC, Pitt and Missouri to Big 10, Oklahoma & OK St to Pac 10. That would leave Big East with 8 football schools plus Notre Dame and Big 12 with 6 plus Texas. Leave Baylor and Iowa St out and you have 12 football, two independents and 7 basketball schools.  Thee divisions of 7. Lose two teams to ACC and you have a 19 team basketball league, which would work well. Bayor and Iowa St get consideration, if we need them to get to 12 football schools.

Texas would never ever join the Big East dude.  They make way too much money on their own, and wouldn't want to split it with more teams.

[muhs03]

Looks like the B12 will actually survive. The threat of lawsuits against aTm will go away if Oklahoma signs to the B12. They will do this if UT gives up more of the pie....and UT will prob do this because they can draw off of the LHN. Plus, UT has contacted just about every conference and they prob know the B12 is best for them until they can get their network up and running and that might take a year or two. This scenario could actually hurt the BE because WVU or an ACC school will be the last member of the SEC (instead of Mizzou). WVU would be a big loss and if the SEC poaches the ACC for one team, the ACC will turn around and take a BE team.

[ken8406]

random thought but I would love to see a Jesuit conference

Marquette
Boston College
Georgetown
Holy Cross
Creighton
Fairfeild
Fordham
Gonzaga
Loyola Marymont
St. Joseph's
St. Louis University
Xavier

I know it would never happen but it would be cool and pretty much all but Boston College are basketball only schools (I think not 100% sure).

[Silkk the Shaka]

K

random thought but I would love to see a Jesuit conference

Marquette
Boston College
Georgetown
Holy Cross
Creighton
Fairfeild
Fordham
Gonzaga
Loyola Marymont
St. Joseph's
St. Louis University
Xavier

I know it would never happen but it would be cool and pretty much all but Boston College are basketball only schools (I think not 100% sure).

Totally random thought posted here for the 1,000th time that makes me want to barf every time I see it. In no way is that appealing to me or any television network.

[GGGG]

Apparently every school except Oklahoma refused to waive their right to sue the SEC.  Which clearly makes sense to me - there is no reason for them to do so.  If the SEC *really* wants A&M, they should just take them anyway.  There has never been a successful lawsuit based on a conference relocation that is conducted within the bylaws of the conference.

Frankly if the SEC doesn't simply just take them at this point, I think it speaks volumes about their true interest in A&M.

[MUMac]

Texas would never ever join the Big East dude.  They make way too much money on their own, and wouldn't want to split it with more teams.

You may be correct, but there is no evidence of this as they have never been on their own.  They may or may not have the draw to schedule in all sports as an independent.  If they are playing patsies all the time, what becomes of the Longhorn Network?

I think Texas needs a conference.  Maybe not in Football, but definitely in other sports.