“The Alliance” Press Conference
This sums up all you need to know. We all know how well verbal commitments hold up in college athletics. This all just seems like new commissioners feeling the need to do something, anything, in the wake of the SEC expanding.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:49 PM ^
What in the world is this?! Greg Couch, a certain non-pertinent highly political website, and yet another off-topic Urban "revenge" post?
My eyes!!! My eyes!!!!!!!!!
August 24th, 2021 at 6:59 PM ^
Considering Urban Meyer was our rivals coach it is not very off topic. You must have never read an article on Huffington Post then either since they also are highly political. No need to be an ass, don't have enough points to start a thread and figured some may enjoy seeing King Urban getting bashed.
August 24th, 2021 at 2:51 PM ^
What a joke.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:48 PM ^
This must make the SEC the Empire with the Death Star, oh wait, that is already their brand message, forget it.
August 24th, 2021 at 2:56 PM ^
As somebody who negotiates and manages contracts for a living - what a crock of shit.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:51 PM ^
What it means is that they couldn’t agree on the terms of the contract, but were too embarrassed to not go ahead with the “Alliance”.
August 24th, 2021 at 5:13 PM ^
Not sure it is something that needs a contract. It’s more of an agreement so as not to allow the SEC to take over college football. Basically saying let’s stick together on votes that affect the sport. Let’s try to schedule games amongst ourselves and not the SEC Just keeping some checks and balances. They are not sharing money or something that needs a legal contract
August 26th, 2021 at 1:23 AM ^
This pact is as binding as The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:09 PM ^
"Jerry, I don't do contracts, but what you do have is my word, and it's stronger than oak."
August 25th, 2021 at 11:29 AM ^
We are all dumber for having read that and I award Kevin Warren no points and may God have mercy on his soul.
Seriously, that quote just confirms my suspicions about Warren being another empty suit.
August 24th, 2021 at 2:55 PM ^
Translation: We didn't want it to be obvious we aren't doing anything, so the three of us sat down and make it appear we are busy doing something.
August 24th, 2021 at 2:56 PM ^
Kevin Warren appears to think million dollar politicians are trustworthy; what a foolish man. Or, more realistically, he thinks we believe that he really thinks this. Also - remarkably naive. Super weird quotes in a 21st century America that is run by attorneys and contracts.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:43 PM ^
Lol they don't trust each other, they just know this is mostly meaningless and are buying time without looking like they did nothing
August 24th, 2021 at 2:57 PM ^
So this amounts to a pinky swear promise that may affect thousands of student athletes and a lot of athletic programs?
Bold strategy.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:08 PM ^
Oh Yes, my pinky promises.
August 24th, 2021 at 2:58 PM ^
Well, I was cautiously optimistic when this Alliance stuff first leaked. After watching the presser, I couldn't be more underwhelmed. So basically, the SEC goes and adds Oklahoma and Texas and we respond with a non-binding scheduling agreement that can't begin until like 2034. And people wonder why the SEC has been eating our lunch for the last 15 years.
The hard truth is, our leadership is soft as baby shit and doesn't have the stones to do what is necessary to compete.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:16 PM ^
I never in a million years thought I would miss Delaney
August 24th, 2021 at 4:49 PM ^
What did people think was going to happen? This was the very obvious outcome. And honestly signing a contract would be the dumbest thing in the world Warren could have done. The Big Ten is by far the strongest party of the three, being tethered to the ACC or PAC-12 in a binding way would have been disastrous as it would have left the Big Ten financially carrying these two conference while being knee capped from doing what is best for the conference. This wasn't going to result in these conference splitting from the SEC, that was always some weird fever dream that made no sense. And unless it involved a financial commitment it was meaningless and a financial commitment from the Big Ten would have been a terrible decision. The long game here goes one of two ways, these 41 schools join with the SEC and create a new NCAA of the real big time school and the MACs of the word basically turn into the new division 2, or in five years the SEC picks off a couple ACC schools, the Big ten picks off a couple of ACC and PAC 12 schools and you have two super conferences with 90% of the resources. That is it, that's the end game.
August 24th, 2021 at 6:29 PM ^
The SEC doesn't win the most championships because of contract negotiations. They have a ton of local talent, rabid fan bases, and they'll break any rule to win. The SEC isn't keeping USC from hiring Carroll 2.0.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:00 PM ^
Saw a tweet that described this as a Seinfeldian PC: a PC about nothing.
what a big fat nothing burger
August 24th, 2021 at 3:00 PM ^
It's a pretty powerful block if they actually stick together. SEC made a power play and really they had two choices. 1. Cannablize each other until everything was unrecognizable or 2. join forces. I do get your point about nothing formal and we have seen how gentlemen agreements work out from the UM/ND scheduling agreement. Fair to be skeptical especially when this type of money is in play.
On a side not if you are ever in Knoxville hit up Alliance brewery. Probably my favorite.
https://alliancebrewing.com/
August 24th, 2021 at 3:18 PM ^
I sent a screenshot of this comment over to my buddy. His brother is involved with Alliance somehow. #CoolStoryBro
edit: I typically end up at Balter Beerworks when I'm there for work (so usually just enough time for lunch). How do you feel about that spot?
August 24th, 2021 at 4:13 PM ^
Tell your buddy's brother to come up with better ideas. This Alliance thing is poop.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:30 PM ^
The brewery, not the non-binding tragedy that the ACC/B1G/P12 are doing.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:43 PM ^
Balter is a good combo for food/beer great lunch spot. Knoxville Brewery scene has really blown up. Crafty Bastard is also really good and near Balter.
All the guys that are involved with Alliance are great guys. Super laid back (shocking I know for a brewery) plus really good beer. Your buddy associates with good people.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:01 PM ^
Asked the commissioners abt not having a contract in light of recent Big 12 situation: Jim Phillips: "It's about trust. We've looked each other in the eye and made an agreement...If (a signed contract) is what it takes to get something considerable done, then we've lost our way."
Big Ten commish Kevin Warren: “If you have to go back and look at a contract that you signed, then you probably entered a deal with the wrong parties.”
Okay.. I vaguely understand the spirit of what Kevin Warren is getting at here, but this is not the way you manage high-leverage situations when literal billions of dollars, and the complexion of an industry is at stake.
This is not an Adventure Club initiation ceremony. I'm sure most CEO's wouldn't be comfortable trusting agreements bound by a firm handshake and eye-contact with a competitor looking to establish a monopoly through hostile takeovers.
Pretty laughable resolution to this "alliance" between the three commissioners.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:08 PM ^
Ask Bowlsby how well sitting in a room and looking each other in the eye works. What a joke. Sankey just fucking knifed him after doing it.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:22 PM ^
Agreed, sadly this is Kevin Warren's biggest accomplishment yet.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:39 PM ^
Pretty much every high profile situation Warren has been a part of, he has come off as naive and obtuse.
He strikes me as the type of guy that would sign a "non-aggression pact" with a certain Nationalist Party in the early 1940's and pat himself on the back for a job well done.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:13 PM ^
Late 1930's but I get your point!!
August 24th, 2021 at 3:01 PM ^
It's just over this magical bridge Charlie, the bridge of hope and wonder, trust us Charlie.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:02 PM ^
Criminy this is just amateur stuff, and it frankly embarrassed me to be affiliated in any way with the B1G, which is a sentiment I've not had cause to express in at least an hour
August 24th, 2021 at 3:04 PM ^
Does this mean we're not getting Kansas anymore, Toto?
August 24th, 2021 at 3:05 PM ^
We should ask the SEC if they want to join our alliance.
August 24th, 2021 at 4:05 PM ^
We could just say they are already in it and nobody would be able to tell the difference.
August 24th, 2021 at 5:24 PM ^
Kevin Warren be rolling up like...
August 24th, 2021 at 3:07 PM ^
If it's not in writing it's not enforceable. Useless twaddle.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:13 PM ^
A gentlemens agreement? Surely there's no way this isn't completely nuked within a calendar year and several ACC teams join the SEC
I thought something of substance was coming out. So much for that. Sounds like a loose voting bloc at best
August 24th, 2021 at 4:43 PM ^
100%, Kevin Warren, along with the PAC12 & ACC commissioners may have actually figured out a way to make matters worse for there conferences with this monkey rodeo of a press conference.
Not only did they not accomplish anything other than sitting in a room together and exchanging some hand shakes.. They also demonstrated to the SEC that they fundamentally do not understand what is happening right in front of their eyes.
Probably a solid bet Sankey's afternoon calls were to the athletic directors at Florida State, Miami and Clemson after watching that press conference.
These guys just showed their bare ass to the guy that's looking to neuter their conferences. Idiotic.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:15 PM ^
This was an embarrassment of an "announcement". Would have been better off just keeping quiet. These guys do not seem up for a fist fight with the SEC and networks.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:16 PM ^
Good lord this is some weak sauce. I figured they'd at least have...something written down.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:19 PM ^
Can there be honor among the collegians?
August 24th, 2021 at 3:28 PM ^
This is the college football equivalent of the AMC-Renault Alliance, derisively nicknamed the "Appliance" by automotive critics of the day.
August 24th, 2021 at 11:32 PM ^
After reading this post, I will now be using The Appliance as my porn stage name.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:30 PM ^
This is pointless. They have nothing.
August 24th, 2021 at 3:31 PM ^
Maximum flexibility.