ESPN: Mizzou to officially explore leaving B12
Unless this is a bluff to increase Mizzou's leverage and get concessions in the B12 (which I highly doubt), it looks like Mizzou will soon be the 14th member in the SEC:
ST. LOUIS -- University of Missouri curators voted Tuesday to consider leaving the Big 12 instead of committing to the troubled league for the long term.
The governing board's members agreed unanimously after a 4-hour closed meeting at the system's St. Louis campus to give Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton authority to look elsewhere.
Speculation has centered on a possible Missouri move to the Southeastern Conference, which recently agreed to accept Texas A&M from the Big 12 starting next year. The Big 12 has also lost Nebraska and Colorado to other major conferences.
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http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7060457/missouri-tigers-cu…
October 4th, 2011 at 9:32 PM ^
I don't blame them. The Big 12 is being held together by hopes and dreams. They don't want to go thru this again, and again, and again.
October 4th, 2011 at 9:32 PM ^
Awesome, now Illinois can have two bordering SEC states. Just what I always wanted...
October 5th, 2011 at 7:47 AM ^
I honestly keep thinking that Mizzou would make better sense in the B10. I don't know that it would happen but it seens wierd to see them go to the SEC. I think of St. Louis and KC as mid-western cities, not southern cities.
October 5th, 2011 at 10:45 AM ^
While I agree with you, Missouri does border Arkansas / Kentucky / Tennessee, so they do make a lot of sense for the SEC.
Of course Missouri also borders Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska, so the B1G makes just as much sense.
Anything else? Not so much. IMO - they have to jump on any offer from the SEC because the B1G already treated them like the fat chick who is easy.
October 5th, 2011 at 7:34 PM ^
Apparently they would also prefer the B1G, at least according to the ESPN bottom line. Said something to the effect that they are targeting the SEC because B1G isn't interested
October 4th, 2011 at 9:33 PM ^
Let the Big 12 expansion talks commence in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1
October 4th, 2011 at 9:41 PM ^
BYU and...? Air Force maybe? They're probably the only other ones with any national cachet/hope of TV ratings.
October 4th, 2011 at 9:59 PM ^
Honestly, they need to grab BYU, Boise St and swipe TCU from the Big East before it collapses.
October 4th, 2011 at 10:03 PM ^
I don't know why they would take Boise (unless they desperately need the BCS numbers to hold onto the autobid). Small stadium, small market, huge travel expenses from Lubbock to Boise for every sport, and probably no sustainability after Peterson leaves. They're better off taking AFA, IMO.
Also, I doubt Texas would be okay with letting TCU, SMU or Houston into their conference. They're likely just more mouths to feed without a national audience/new markets.
October 4th, 2011 at 10:08 PM ^
October 4th, 2011 at 10:36 PM ^
I won't lie. I wouldn't mind seeing Boise get murdered in Lubbock. But travel expenses would suck.
October 4th, 2011 at 10:37 PM ^
Latest rumor is SMU to the Big East, to serve as a travel partner for TCU, though not if Gary Patterson has anything to say about it...
"Don't look for any help coming from us ever again," GP said. "SMU got a lot of help from us over the last three or four years. They are not going to get any help about a game or a conference; they are going to get no help from Gary Patterson. Don't ask me about anything. We've bent over backwards to help them because that's what I believe in."
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Gary-Patter…
October 4th, 2011 at 9:43 PM ^
October 4th, 2011 at 9:50 PM ^
Best guess is BYU, SMU, TCU, and Houston to bring back the old SWC (minus Arkansas, A&M, and Rice).
Run a North Division of Oklahoma, Okie State, Kansas, Kansas St, Iowa St, and BYU and an all-Texas South of Texas, Tech, Baylor, SMU, TCU, and Houston.
I gotta believe TCU wants out of the dilipidated Big East and the above conference has OU, Texas, a usually solid BYU program, Okie State, a rejuvenated SMU, and an above average TCU.
It's not worse than the ACC, that's for sure...
SEC and ACC stay at 14 with Alabama or Auburn moving to the SEC East (shades of Michigan-Ohio State in different divisions complete with resulting fan backlash), Big 12 rebounds and solidifies, Big 10 stays put, Pac 12 stays put, Notre Dame stays Independent, the Big East grabs ECU and Memphis and loses their BCS status, and West Virginia rues their sorry fate of dominating a non-BCS conference for the next decade.
October 4th, 2011 at 9:58 PM ^
If that happens with those divisions, UT makes the Big 12 championship game 9 out of 10 years. Which is probably what they want.
October 4th, 2011 at 9:57 PM ^
Thought the Big 12 had agreed to equal revenue sharing. If so, don't get the logic of this move for Mizzou. Aren't they just Ole Miss north in the SEC? And I don't think the revenue's that different.
October 4th, 2011 at 10:11 PM ^
It's not equal to what they should get in the SEC. There's still the issue of the LHN too. It would be crazy for Missouri to stay. Who's to say OU and Texas aren't still looking around? Where would they be if the PAC-12 said yes to OU and OkST? Imo the only way Mizzou ever say no to the SEC is if the B1G made them an offer. You can be sure they've been looking for one again.
October 4th, 2011 at 10:08 PM ^
I thought that Mizzou put in an app to join the SEC a month or two ago and got turned down. Same thing with WVU IIRC. Obviously they have to get some one to join to get the count to 14. Not sure who it will be but I think they already know who and they are waiting for the right time to announce. If I had to guess I would say someone on the east coast so the division line does not have to move. That way they can protect all of the rivalries as they are right now.
October 4th, 2011 at 10:15 PM ^
I don't think that's true about Mizzou. At least I never saw it from any even half-way credible source.
October 4th, 2011 at 11:17 PM ^
Texas should just go independent and end it already if they're going to keep that stupid network. Let the remaining Big 12 schools merge with the Big East and get a new name for it. That's the only sensible way for this thing to play out.
October 4th, 2011 at 11:32 PM ^
October 5th, 2011 at 5:41 AM ^
I am assuming that they figured that allowing Texas A&M to join the SEC means that they cannot be terribly choosy...or that they felt sorry for Alabama and LSU and figured they could use another "W" on the schedule.
October 5th, 2011 at 7:42 AM ^
They are stupid if they go to SEC. Some on the twitter in Chicago is saying they have been talking to the Big 10. Doubt there is much truth to it. I am torn living in KC. We have the B12 basketball tournament and if they leave, I don't see how it doesn't get moved to Dallas. It would be pretty said for the KC sports scene. KU and KSU have a large following, but KC MO is pretty much all MU. However, if by some miricle they make it to the Big 10, I have another place within a few hours to catch a Michigan game.
October 5th, 2011 at 8:26 AM ^
Mizzou has been begging the SEC and B1G for a spot ever since the B1G took Nebraska. I think it's really impressive that Mizzou managed to find someone to call this "news" and give them free PR. It also reminds the SEC and B1G that Mizzou has its bags packed.
The Big 12 is trying to force their members' hands by rubber-stamping the TV contract rule. I wondered how long it would be before a few teams tried to beat the signing deadline. I have a feeling this isn't the last we've heard of Big 12 teams leaving. I also have a feeling that teams will accidently "misplace" the paperwork for the TV agreement for as long as they can.
October 5th, 2011 at 9:40 AM ^
is that brand that's just a smallest bit inferior to something you already have. It's a Blimpie sub sitting next to an amazing Subway sandwich. It's the Daredevil movie on at the same time as The Dark Knight. It's a Gobot sitting next to a pile of Transformers. Yeah, that's right, I said it-- Mizzou football is a Gobot.
October 5th, 2011 at 9:51 AM ^
While their football program might be a Gobot (or a Sometimes-Go-Bot), if you've ever been to Springfield MO and checked out the disproportionately large number of delightfully eye-pleasing petite blonde coeds they have on campus ... well, I'm all for them joining the B1G.
Frankly, what other school out there that's realistic (read: Not ND or Texas) can deliver major markets like Mizzou? KC and St. L, although the latter has to be partly B1G country anyway. Rutgers can't really deliver NYC. Maryland is a blip in DC (trust me, I live in the DC area), frankly there are more Penn State football fans in the DC area than Maryland fans. VaTech would probably pick up more of the DC market. OK I'm rambling but my point is, IF there is to be B1G expansion (and I don't think it will happen), I would think Mizzou has to be one of the school.
October 5th, 2011 at 10:43 AM ^
People keep underestimating what Rutgers brings to the table. It's not just some pipe dream of taking the NYC market. New Jersey on its own is a much bigger market than Missouri. Whatever they get out of NYC will be gravy.
October 5th, 2011 at 2:15 PM ^
And if you get Notre Dame alone, along with OSU, PSU, and Michigan, you'll have enough to get into the NYC market and plenty to get into other markets of the country as well. Rutgers isn't even that big of a team in New Jersey. New Jersey is blanketed by the NYC and Philly markets and neither of them care all that much about Rutgers.
October 5th, 2011 at 11:16 AM ^
The main campus is in Columbia, MO.
October 5th, 2011 at 12:58 PM ^
Working on the assumption that the ACC solidified itself and it's going to be hard to pull anyone away from there, there aren't that many options out there. You're essentially looking at adding someone from the Big East or Big 12. If Okie St is a package deal with OU and KState a package deal with Kansas, those 4 would appear to be eliminated. Missou not only brings a good football program with them but also a pretty good bball program too.
October 5th, 2011 at 10:30 AM ^
Still not sure Subway was the best example....
October 5th, 2011 at 10:45 AM ^
Substitute Zingermans and you have a point (ignore the $, eh?) Or better yet, a McDonalds burger vs. a Blimpy burger (not the sub chain)
October 5th, 2011 at 11:11 AM ^
I just had a really nasty experience from a Blimpy sub once. ONCE. And when I say nasty I mean vomit. I guess that impression has never left me.
I'll admit, I was really just going for filler till I dropped the Gobot thing.
October 5th, 2011 at 9:55 AM ^
http://twitter.com/#%21/GSwaim
GSwaim BigTime TV/Radio
"@sportswhackMatt: @GSwaim B1G will not expand with Mizzou only. What's your source saying in regards to other schools? // #Rutgers"
"#Mizzou has #SEC offer, but do they have #B1G offer? A source in Chicago tells us tonight they do. More Wednesday at GregSwaim.com"
October 5th, 2011 at 2:41 PM ^
Looks like the Big Ten isn't interested anyway (no shock there):
St. Louis — A University of Missouri official says the school hopes to join the SEC but would have preferred an offer from the Big Ten. The person, who is familiar with the discussions involving conference affiliation, spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the school has not commented publicly about its intentions. Missouri curators voted unanimously Tuesday night to give Chancellor Brady Deaton authority to look elsewhere rather than immediately commit to the troubled Big 12 conference. The Big 12 is down to 10 members and will lose Texas A&M to the SEC next year. Missouri hoped to join the Big Ten in 2010 but the league instead chose Nebraska from the Big 12. The university official says the Big Ten remains Missouri's top choice but that conference "has no interest."
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20111005/SPORTS0203/110050416/Big-Ten-not-in…