OT: A&M to the SEC Official
Breaking - reported by ESPN that SEC voted unanimously to extend/accept A&M
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6939017/texas-aggies-accep…
September 7th, 2011 at 9:25 AM ^
I'll be back in a few minutes....I'm going to Wal-Mart to get me some jugs of distilled water and duct tape
/s
September 7th, 2011 at 9:26 AM ^
That linked article has changed. It sounds like Baylor has decided to cause some problems and is threatening to sue.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:31 AM ^
awwwwwww isn't Baylor cute?
September 7th, 2011 at 9:44 AM ^
Baylor is only hurting itself. If they're going to act this petulant they reduce the odds of being welcomed into any other conference. Baylor's not that attractive to start with and acting crazy only makes it worse.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:57 AM ^
I had an ex-girlfriend exactly like Baylor....
September 7th, 2011 at 9:58 AM ^
I'm down here in Arlington and have many Baylor friends. I keep telling them to tap the brakes as one victory over a rebuilding TCU, a national champion does not make. Might want to try some defense first before climing greatness and ticking off people with things like the SEC stunt don't make you a lot of friends either.
September 7th, 2011 at 10:15 AM ^
It's every school for itself. This is Baylor's play. They don't have a landing spot that isn't a significant step down. They need the Big 12 to stay together. I don't blame them at all. And as one who thinks "superconferences", whether they be 14 or 16 teams, is bad for college football, I wish them well.
September 7th, 2011 at 12:19 PM ^
They initially said last week that they would waive their right to litigation. Now that OU (and Okie St) are also bolting, Baylor realizes that they are doomed to the Sun Belt or C-USA. So, Ken Starr (Baylor president) is doing what he does best - whine and sue
September 7th, 2011 at 9:35 AM ^
Mandel confirms
http://twitter.com/slmandel/statuses/111432061889421313
"The SEC makes it official: Voted unanimously to accept Texas A&M."
Congrats.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:35 AM ^
So they're going to have a 13 team conference? Or are they kicking Vandy out b/c of their academic standards?
September 7th, 2011 at 9:52 AM ^
open up that nashville market
September 7th, 2011 at 10:55 AM ^
They would have to kick out Texas A&M now, too. A&M has pretty decent academic standards.
In all seriousness, I tend to think Virginia Tech is the 14th. Florida State and Clemson, IMO, will get blocked from joining by their respective rivals/lack of a media market. VT allows expansion into the Virginia/DC market and adds more academic credibility.
September 7th, 2011 at 11:09 AM ^
we talkin' bout footbah people!
September 7th, 2011 at 11:12 AM ^
In what world does VT give academic credibility. Might as well add ITT Tech too in that case.
September 7th, 2011 at 11:18 AM ^
The Virginia Legislature forced UVA to use its influence to get Virginia Tech into the conference over Syracuse. It is unclear that the legislature would allow Virginia Tech to leave as a result and it would poison Viginia Tech's relations with UVA, which would be a disaster on the academic side for them. Hence why numerous Virginia Tech officials have stated they would decline an SEC invitation.
September 7th, 2011 at 8:32 PM ^
Unless Virginia is taken care of . . . with a B1G invite.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:39 AM ^
I doubt the BIG 10 will expand now unless it becomes absolutely necessary.. However if we do ill Take
Notre Dame ,Rutgers, Pitt,and Syracuse
September 7th, 2011 at 9:43 AM ^
I thought the point of expansion was to add schools with good sports teams...
September 7th, 2011 at 9:49 AM ^
Notre Dame is strong to very strong in basketball. So is Syracuse. So is Pitt. Rutgers is good academically and adds another Northwestern-type (in terms of athletics) team to the mix. So that mix is a little basketball-heavy. It also puts ND in a conference (finally!) - although they currently play basketball in the Big East.
They're not Oklahoma, but few are.
September 7th, 2011 at 10:35 AM ^
Rutgers is good academically.... really? This is the Big Ten we're talking about here, adding Rutgers will not HELP our academics. Ugh, even that name, "Rutgers"... could you choose an uglier name? I mean there isn't a Cambridge or Oxford U in the US... would've sounded a lot better than "Rutgers... that one random school is Jersey that really isn't known for anything."
September 7th, 2011 at 11:28 AM ^
I have no idea why anyone would want to add Rutgers. They don't really have anything going for them and they seem to be on a downward trajectory.
September 7th, 2011 at 3:30 PM ^
RU what?
Seriously, I'm gonna have to poke out my third eye after that picture.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:57 AM ^
Notre Dame is good at Basketball and Football , Syracuse is good at Basketball and brings in the NY TV market , Pitt is good at basketball and their football is decent, Rutgers football team is OK and basketball they suck...I feel with that combination of teams you boost the conference in football and basketball and you get the TV markets of NY and Notre Dame fan base as well
September 7th, 2011 at 10:10 AM ^
Would surprise me if Syracuse, by itself, would get the BTN on the basic digital tier in nyc. ND would likely do it, but I see far more Michigan, Ohio and PSU gear on fall Saturdays in nyc than Syracuse stuff. Bball is a different story but not sure the demand is enough to convince time Warner and the dolans to carry the btn.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:58 AM ^
ND and Pitt would be good additions. They don't quite fit in the land grant model, but ND is a historic football power (Pitt is a level below, but still has nine national titles and a Heisman winner) and Pitt has been ranked in the BCS top fifteen as recently as December 2009. It doesn't matter with revenue, but Pitt has become an elite basketball program, and ND/Pitt additions would likely make the Big Ten the top basketball conference.
Both would be able to compete athletically, and ND would add serious TV revenue.
September 7th, 2011 at 10:39 AM ^
If we suppose that ND and Pitt were added, Pitt would be one of the better academic schools in the conference as well. A lot of people in Pennsylvania view Pitt as a better school than PSU, Pitt has their massive medical industrial-complex, while PSU just wanted to be a cool tailgate spot with a lot of parties in the middle of Central Pennslvania.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:59 AM ^
For the selfish reason that I live in the east, I like these choices. However, none of these schools are as passionate about football as most B1G teams. I have never seen anything close to the passion for football in the east as compared to the B1G current footprint. As proof of the lack of significant passion take a look at the size of the stadiums.
Rutgers : 52,000
Syracuse: 49,000
Pitt: 65,000
Boston College: 42,500
September 7th, 2011 at 10:08 AM ^
True, although Heinz is bigger than five current Big Ten stadiums: Ross-Ade, Ryan, TCF Bank, IU Memorial and Illinois Memorial.
September 7th, 2011 at 10:03 AM ^
Haha. Notre Dame will join the Big East before the local-yokel conference.
September 7th, 2011 at 10:29 AM ^
If they do it is only because they don't want to get their asses beat by the local yokels on a yearly basis.
September 7th, 2011 at 12:03 PM ^
Hey, let's not downplay the Big East too much here. It may be a terrible conference but even its members (UConn, Pitt, USF) beat the Irish on a regular basis.
September 7th, 2011 at 12:25 PM ^
Don't forget SU took 2-of-3 from the Irish, with even GERG beating them.
September 7th, 2011 at 12:30 PM ^
Charlie Weis, outcoached by GERG. Awesome, had totally forgotten.
September 7th, 2011 at 11:49 AM ^
M, N and upsidedown Ms Divisions
Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Notre Dame and Wisconsin
I, P and overweight Is Division
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Iowa, Pitt
Upside M is obviously W and "overweight I" = O
For quick reference, the current divisions are:
Leaders Division
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Legends Division
Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern
September 7th, 2011 at 1:10 PM ^
Neb, Minn, Iowa, Wisky, Indy NW
MI, MSU, OSU, PSU, Pitt
Then you decide if you want to balance the powers and crap teams by making ND in the "West" and Purdue in the "East", or have ND play M and MSU instead of the Indiana and Chicago teams. Then you could easily throw in Missouri and Syracuse (or someone east) into those divisions. If the only must have crossover game you're worried about is Indy/Purdue, you probably don't have that many problems. (Because, really, a rotational break from ND wouldn't be the end of the world for us or MSU).
Balance wise you have Neb-OSU, MI-ND, PSU-Wisky, Iowa-Pitt, MSU-NW, Indy-Purdue. Which you can bump everyone up or down one with any additional teams.
September 7th, 2011 at 12:24 PM ^
Notre Dame, Boston College, Oklahoma, Okie State or Virginia
ND - Fade from Glory, come to a conference
BC - Rivals to ND, New England market
Oklahoma - That would be pretty cool.
Okie State - May be packaged with Oklahoma.
Virginia - Big market, makes sense if VaTech goes to the SEC, better than joining the Big East
September 7th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
I'm missing why VT going to the SEC makes Virginia join the Big East.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:40 AM ^
And I'd assume Iowa State, KU and Kansas State (EcoKat n all) are going to be pissed too and might want to think about suing.
A&M leaving is now causing Oklahoma to put the full court press on the Pac-12/14/16. If you're Baylor, you're looking at A&M unraveling your whole conference and you're going to end up in the C-USA or MWC where you get to be Boise State's whipping boy. Joy.
Seems to me, having done the lawyer thing a while, that Baylor is just holding out for a BETTER DEAL. Any corporate merger always results in bullshit lawsuits by barnacle lawyers who just want some caysh. Threaten the deal, take a payoff. It's capitalism, baby. That's what Baylor is doing -- screaming to hold up the party, and making sure they get a better taste of the action. Then they get to go play Boise State and Fresno State.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:54 AM ^
Yeah, a lot of those schools (including Mizzou and TT) might be screwed, especially from a football perspective. The basketball thing might be a little more tenable and any mid-major conference would just DIE to have KU.
The WAC is definitely a last resort option.
The MWC might make the most sense as they have 8 teams including TCU right now (who are going to the Big East next year).
C-USA is already a full boat with 12 teams, although they couldn't really turn down interest from teams like TT or Baylor. Leaves their east division a little light, though. I'm sure they'd take Mizzou, who'd be loathe to take a step down in status.
Crazy stuff.
September 7th, 2011 at 1:39 PM ^
If Baylor were to sue anyone, they should be suing Texas. It is Texas with the Longhorn Network that is doing more to damage the Big 12 than anything. I think Texas A&M is bolting before the Big 12 becomes the Big Longhorns and some other teams that don't have the revenue stream of the Longhorns.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:44 AM ^
If the SEC has voted to accept TAMU, they've definitely got something else up their sleeve. A 13 team conference doesn't make sense. Do they promote a team like Houston to the bigs to get more Texas exposure? Put the nail in the Big XII's coffin by trying to bring aboard another team? Lure a team from the Big East (WVU might make sense) or ACC (FSU is always popular, as is Clemson, given the footprint and cultures - I could've seen Miami, but with all the recent baggage...)? Maybe just kick out Vandy, as someone suggested. They don't technically have an Athletic Department anymore anyway, right? =P
September 7th, 2011 at 9:48 AM ^
i'd bet clemson over any of the other options. that's a Southern school trapped in the Big East. FSU probably wouldn't want to go given they are the darling of the ACC
September 7th, 2011 at 9:54 AM ^
Clemson is in the ACC not the Big East
September 7th, 2011 at 10:00 AM ^
If Florida State had a choice, they'd go in a second, but the SEC may go the route of only adding schools that add to the footprint which would lead to Virginia Tech and Missouri.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^
Muzzou probably creates the fewest waves, given Florida, Georgia and USC (ntUSC's) reputed pact to oppose any addition from their states. Gives the SEC couple new markets, too, even if Missouri's not a particularly exciting addition.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^
Muzzou probably creates the fewest waves, given Florida, Georgia and USC (ntUSC's) reputed pact to oppose any addition from their states. Gives the SEC couple new markets, too, even if Missouri's not a particularly exciting addition.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^
Muzzou probably creates the fewest waves, given Florida, Georgia and USC (ntUSC's) reputed pact to oppose any addition from their states. Gives the SEC couple new markets, too, even if Missouri's not a particularly exciting addition.
September 7th, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^
Muzzou probably creates the fewest waves, given Florida, Georgia and USC (ntUSC's) reputed pact to oppose any addition from their states. Gives the SEC couple new markets, too, even if Missouri's not a particularly exciting addition.