Delany to address media at 4

Submitted by AAL on

I didn't see this posted anywhere. Delany will address the media at 4.

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/22868/big-ten-brass-meets-a…

@ESPN_BigTen is supposed to update on Twitter (that's Rittenberg).

 

UPDATE: Rittenberg article: http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/news/story?id=5258111

Rittenberg blog: http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/12974/expansion-hot-topic-as-b…

AAL

June 6th, 2010 at 3:56 PM ^

Maybe the meeting wasn't called specifically to address expansion. The article doesn't make it clear. It's hard to understand why they'd meet on a Sunday, though. Semi-abort on the emergency part.

MGauxBleu

June 6th, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^

Does their decision change the buy-out numbers or timeline? If yes, then don't they have a bargaining chip? If not, who the bell cares what their answer is? This whole thing is moving faster than logic. It is clear though that the B10 brass are going to go as slow as necessary to do this 'right'.

Wolverine318

June 6th, 2010 at 4:37 PM ^

Yeah. I am watching softball on espn and it just scrolled on the bottom line that nu and mu have been extended invites. Nobody knows what is happening and a load of bs is floating around

Wolverine318

June 6th, 2010 at 5:08 PM ^

Two tweets from Schad:

RT @TeddyGreenstein: Jim Delany: "The timeline could be affected." In other words, it will be affected.

RT @ESPN_BigTen: MSU president Simon says no action taken on expansion.

And from rittenberg:
RT @ESPN_BigTen: MSU president Simon says no action taken on expansion.

Big Ten presidents can vote on expansion electronically. Don't need to be in same place.

psychomatt

June 6th, 2010 at 6:40 PM ^

Whenever ESPN breaks news (on TV at least) about college football, assume the opposite until it is confirmed by a more reliable source.

Per the St. Louis Dispatch:

"The Big Ten has not made any invitations to join the conference and is sticking with its plan of a thorough study of expansion before acting, Michigan State president Lou Anna K. Simon said today after a four-hour meeting with other conference presidents and commissioner Jim Delany."

Full story:

http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzone/tiger-tracker/tiger-tracker/2010/…

psychomatt

June 6th, 2010 at 5:15 PM ^

Per Joe Schad (ESPN) via Twitter.

Also per ESPN, Pac 10 commish gets approval to "move ahead" with expansion (whatever that really means).

michman79

June 6th, 2010 at 5:17 PM ^

"Today we met today to put the Big Ten back in the spotlight.  We were not happy that the Big 12 tried to take the expansion spotlight away, so, we met today to get the latest headline.  Oh, and as for progress.  No, we all sat around the table and just played Jenga.  It was a blast."  -J.Delany

noshesnot

June 6th, 2010 at 5:21 PM ^

"President Simon wanted to play Jenga Max, but I told her to stop being ridiculous.  This is the Big Ten.  We only play Traditional Jenga.  Maybe drunk Jenga, but that's it."

Don

June 6th, 2010 at 5:26 PM ^

could be outside looking in after this round of musical chairs is over? It would really, really suck for them to lose BCS status in football and for KU basketball to be without major conference affiliation.

M2NASA

June 6th, 2010 at 7:35 PM ^

Kansas will become Memphis.

Think of the Big East basketball-onlies like Georgetown and Villanova.  When schools like SU go Big Ten or ACC, the basketball-onlies left will become another Atlantic 10.  Georgetown not being relevant makes me smile.

AAL

June 6th, 2010 at 5:30 PM ^

@ChipBrownOB (of Orangebloods.com) says that an AD has told him the B10 is trying to work things out with Notre Dame before addressing Nebraska/Missouri.

Also (and it's all over the internet) the Pac 10 commish now has authority to hand out expansion invites without going back to school presidents.

psychomatt

June 6th, 2010 at 5:42 PM ^

I wouldn't even be surprised to see B10 stop at 12 teams (or no more than 14) if they get ND.  Fewer teams will better preserve rivalries, allow for maximim non-conference games (probably a big ND stickcing point) and result in fewer mouths to feed.

You know, there was a story that ran recently saying the B10 and Pac 10 are trying not to hurt each other's expansion plans because of their longstanding relationship and the Rose Bowl.  I would not put it past the conferences to actually be working together on some level, such as B10 helping Pac 10 get Texas in exchange for Pac 10 helping B10 get ND. All it would take is B10 to help break up B12 and USC and Stanford to refuse to guarantee ND will be on their schedules post expansion.

Someone better interview everyone and write a book about this whole process after it;s over.

psychomatt

June 6th, 2010 at 5:52 PM ^

No, but think about it for a minute.  If the Pac 10 and B10 work together to tank the B12 and grab the available elite teams (TX, OK, ND, NE), that will nudge these conferences back up there with the SEC and restore the Rose Bowl fully as THE bowl for decades to come.

And let's face it, the worst possible outcome for either conference would be to see TX and OK go to the SEC.  That needs to be avoided at all costs.

psychomatt

June 6th, 2010 at 6:02 PM ^

That is a side benefit. The conspiracy (and I wouldn't even call it that) is that the SEC has moved ahead of everyone else over the past decade and this would be an opportunity for the Pac 10 and B10 to retake and maybe even pass the SEC. The Pac 10 and B10 have had a very strong relationship for decades. I can see them working together so long as it benefits both.

jrt336

June 6th, 2010 at 6:31 PM ^

Well, Vandy is a better school than Texas, and Florida is on the same level (both UF and UT are #47 according to USNews). Georgia is #58. Let's not pretend that the B12 is a good academic conference. UT and A&M are the only schools in the top 75. Ok State and TT are considered Tier 3 colleges by USNews. I don't know if any other SEC schools are Tier 3. I don't think Texas to the SEC will happen, but I don't think it's just because of academics. They want to be in a conference with only a few other top teams (Oklahoma, USC, Oregon), not Alabama, LSU, Florida, Georgia, and a few other teams that are occasionally near the top of the conference (Ole Miss, Arkansas).

chitownblue2

June 6th, 2010 at 9:00 PM ^

Yes. It's called "The US News and World Report University Rankings".

Vanderbilt is far better than any school in either conference. Florida is better than any school in either conference other than Vandy. Texas is third, but not much better than Georgia. Oklahomas State, TTU, and Kansas state are embarassingly bad schools (Tier 3).

Double Nickel BG

June 6th, 2010 at 6:54 PM ^

I worded my first post incorrectly.

The whole state of Texas views itself as its own identity. The state has a sense of arrogance about it. Texas wouldn't fit well in the SEC because of cultural reasons. Also, why would Texas choose to join the weakest academic conference courting them, instead of joining the P10 or B10. Academics will have a say in Texas's decision.

Texas will likely join the Pac10 if they take all the Texas schools, or B10 if Texas and A&M get the O.K. to go together.

Double Nickel BG

June 6th, 2010 at 6:43 PM ^

to do with the actual teams in the SEC. I really doubt they care too much who is in the SEC talent wise. UT values academics and doing things the right way. The culture around Texas doesn't fit in with the SEC, which they view as a cutthroat/scummy conference. Texas legislature will axe Texas to the SEC before they even get wind of it.

m1jjb00

June 6th, 2010 at 5:44 PM ^

ND joins the Big 10 only to avoid getting shutout at the BCS.  It won't be the 12th team, but it will be the 16th team.   If the Big 10 takes only 1 or 2 more members, ND will figure it can survive as an independent via Big East sponsorship.  Psychomatt's scenario is off the the equilitbrium path.

psychomatt

June 6th, 2010 at 5:57 PM ^

That assumes ND is willing to sit around to see if the B10 goes to 16.  By that time, the way things are moving, it might be a bit late.  The B10 and Pac 10 will be full at 16 and the B12 will be dead.  Notre Dame will be left out in the cold unless they would rather join the ACC for far less money or the SEC with nonexistent academic standards. I am assuming they will not want to join Conference USA or the MAC.

M2NASA

June 6th, 2010 at 5:54 PM ^

If Big East football folds, there are still 8 Catholic schools left in a Big East all-sports conference that Notre Dame will have a home in.

If they can stay as part of the BCS, they can remain independent for football and have a home for its other sports.