Big 12

[Iceaxe]

I can't believe none of you are talking about this, particularly the BYU fans.

Texas A&M Leaves Big 12 For SEC

http://www.tamu.edu/athletics/conferenceChange.html

It's official now. The Aggies have left the Big 12 for the SEC. Expect them to be announced by the SEC next week. I guess they got tired of the BS Texas has been trying to pull.

http://files.sharenator.com/south_park_cartman_screw_you_guys_RE_Ask_a_Dannyl-s276x270-114676.jpg


The big questions now are: Who will be the SEC's 14th team? What happens to the Big 12? Does the PAC 12 get what it really wanted and become the PAC 16 super conference with Texas and Oklahoma?

[DiscGo]

I don't think that BYU should join the Big 12 as the rumor mill is predicting. I think they should at least try their hand at independent for a while and see how it goes.

[Scott Card]

The Big 12 is unstable to say the least. There would have to be a bunch of guarantees to entice this cougar fan to want to jump ship just yet. Seems everyone is mad at Texas, sounds like Texas and OK would jump ship for a better offer which would leave the big 12 in a big hurt. I, like DiscGo, say hang tight for now.

[dmMatrix]

From what I understand BYU makes more money being Independent.... (someone please correct me if im wrong) I was explained this by a sports fanatic the other day. They said that the TV contract will make them more money being independent but if they jump in the big 12 they will only make about 75% of that..... Don't know the figures either, sorry.

[accadacca]

Someone explain why its all about money? As a FAN I would rather see them in a solid conference. The Big 12 is much better then being on an island.

Money, money, money , money.... :facepalm1:

[Scott Card]

You know, I really like the fact that we go all over the country and play different top tier teams. I like that we have Notre Dame and Texas and Georgia Tech and others already slated. Fun stuff. :2thumbs:

[accadacca]

None of the teams you listed are top tier...none of them are even in the top 25. Texas is rebuilding...

Let's not even talk about BYU's home schedule. :facepalm1:

Gotta love that big money! I'll be watching tomorrow, but you can bet there will be a better game on when they play suck dog state for 6-7 Saturdays.

[Scott Card]

I have said before, patience. The scheduling for the first couple of years is rough. It will and is getting better for 2013 and on. I forgot to also list Boise St. and Va Tech added to the future schedules.

[Kent K25]

No reason to get super excited about jumping to the Big 12 when there is still a lot in question about who will even be in the Big 12 in seasons to come. If the Big 12 loses Texas, OU, OK St, etc...will it still be all that great to be there? I say stay independent and see how things go. No need to pay any attention to doomsday Ute fans. I'm just glad we no longer share a conference so my run ins with y'all can be fewer now. Enjoy the Pac-12, it's a great conference.

[trackrunner]

with a bunch of schools mad at UT you could probably get A&M, OU, OK state, TT, etc to all defect and create a new conference w/ byu and some other schools. probably be good enough to get the big 12 bcs money and spot and leave UT as the only school left in that conference.

[dmMatrix]

I was told yesterday that BYU had the best and "most top of the line" Broadcasting equipment out of every college in the nation. They just signed a deal with ESPN that would just about guarantee them a spot on ESPN (most of the time). And then since they are independent and own such sweet equipment and already have the means to broadcast to the world they will get more coverage than any other sports team in the nation.....

... sounds like a pretty cool idea to stay independent. Make more money, have great coverage, get even more recognized..... Looks like a smart move to me.

[Iceaxe]

... sounds like a pretty cool idea to stay independent. Make more money, have great coverage, get even more recognized..... Looks like a smart move to me.

You left out playing meaningless games against "who-cares U" during the back end of your schedule. Also, BYU's has almost no path to any major bowl unless they are undefeated. Even one loss has them playing in some backwater toilet bowl.

I would like to see BYU in a major conference, where they can develop rivalries, where late seasons games have real meaning, even if the meaning is spoiling someone elses chance. Where they can play for a conference championship, maybe play in a conference title game, and where a conference championship means a big pay day in a major new years day bowl.

[Scott Card]

You left out playing meaningless games against "who-cares U" during the back end of your schedule. Also, BYU's has almost no path to any major bowl unless they are undefeated. Even one loss has them playing in some backwater toilet bowl.

I would like to see BYU in a major conference, where they can develop rivalries, where late seasons games have real meaning, even if the meaning is spoiling someone elses chance. Where they can play for a conference championship, maybe play in a conference title game, and where a conference championship means a big pay day in a major new years day bowl.

I too would like to see BYU in a power conference. However, I just think there is too much turmoil in the Big 12 right now to make that a good choice. I also think there is a real bias against BYU in the PAC 12 and I doubt that invite will ever come under the current leadership. So the best alternative as I see is right now and in the near future is to be independent.

[Iceaxe]

I too would like to see BYU in a power conference. However, I just think there is too much turmoil in the Big 12 right now to make that a good choice. I also think there is a real bias against BYU in the PAC 12 and I doubt that invite will ever come under the current leadership. So the best alternative as I see is right now and in the near future is to be independent.

As we have seen... Joining a conference doesn't mean you can't take your ball and go home whenever the mood strikes. So the Big 12 in turmoil doesn't bother me too much. I think the Big 12 would do well to grab BYU and Air Force, both bring a large fan base to the table.

Obviously football and collage sports isn't always just about money..... or BYU with its 65,000 seats and huge national fan base wouldn't be on the outside looking in.

And I think you are right about the PAC 12, they don't want BYU for a number of reasons, some real and some imagined.

[dmMatrix]

You left out playing meaningless games against "who-cares U" during the back end of your schedule. Also, BYU's has almost no path to any major bowl unless they are undefeated. Even one loss has them playing in some backwater toilet bowl.

I would like to see BYU in a major conference, where they can develop rivalries, where late seasons games have real meaning, even if the meaning is spoiling someone elses chance. Where they can play for a conference championship, maybe play in a conference title game, and where a conference championship means a big pay day in a major new years day bowl.

Point taken, It makes sense that way, I agree.

[Spidey]

None of the teams you listed are top tier.

NOTRE DAME, and TEXAS, are not top tier?! That might be the most ignorant thing I have ever read. Notre Dame, Hi I'm college football for the last half century have we met? They are the most recognized college football team in the country, the world most likely, Texas is in the same category.

Now are we talking about a down year, or top tier programs? If having a down year strips you of your top tier status then guess what? USC and UCLA are neither one top tier programs anymore. If Notre Dame, and Texas are not top tier, because of down years I guess the Arizona schools can be laughed right out of this conversation.

Texas, and Notre Dame come in at 2 and 3 respectively for all time winningest college football programs. USC is the only PAC 12 member to break the top ten at #10 it would behoove you to do some research regarding college football before posting.:roll:

[Spidey]

You might also want to examine the top 25 before you tout the yewts schedule. you play exactly one team in the USA today top 25, and you play ZERO that's right ZERO in the AP poll.:roflol: Get back to me when you actually have something worth bragging about. At this POINT the yewts schedule isn't it, but good job with the PAC 12 talking points.

[accadacca]

You might also want to examine the top 25 before you tout the yewts schedule. you play exactly one team in the USA today top 25, and you play ZERO that's right ZERO in the AP poll.:roflol: Get back to me when you actually have something worth bragging about. At this POINT the yewts schedule isn't it, but good job with the PAC 12 talking points.

Two questions:


#1 Show me in this post where I was bragging about the Utes schedule? :crazycobasa:
#2 When was the last time Notre Dame had a decent season? They are washed up and cant seriously be considered a top tier college football program. :lol8:

I'll answer #2 for you:
*ND has lost 9 straight bowl games with their last BCS appearance in 2007 when they were crushed by LSU 41-14 in the Sugar Bowl: http://www.uhnd.com/history/bowl-history/ :roflol::roflol::roflol:

ND Win/Loss


2011 0-1 Loss to South Florida
2010 8-5
2009 6-6
2008 6-6
2007 3-8
2006 10-3
2005 9-3
2004 6-6
2003 5-7

[Spidey]

Two questions:


#1 Show me in this post where I was bragging about the Utes schedule? :crazycobasa:
#2 When was the last time Notre Dame had a decent season? They are washed up and cant seriously be considered a top tier college football program. :lol8:

I'll answer #2 for you:
*ND has lost 9 straight bowl games with their last BCS appearance in 2007 when they were crushed by LSU 41-14 in the Sugar Bowl: http://www.uhnd.com/history/bowl-history/ :roflol::roflol::roflol:

ND Win/Loss


2011 0-1 Loss to South Florida
2010 8-5
2009 6-6
2008 6-6
2007 3-8
2006 10-3
2005 9-3
2004 6-6
2003 5-7


The funniest thing is you actually believe that matters.:roflol::roflol::roflol::roflol: Being a top tier program is more about perception and tradition than almost anything. Yes there is some of what have you done lately.

Or maybe Notre Dame has more access to the BCS than any other school because their a mid major?:crazycobasa:
Notre Dame for all intents and purposes is college football.

There's no point continuing to disseminate your post, your entitled to your wrong opinion. Yep Texas and Notre Dame are mid major programs. I'll let anyone out there with any college football I.Q. decide what that makes every other program in the country.:lol8::lol8::roll:

[Spidey]

The Ute's did great against Notre Dame last year, bummer your Ute's got destroyed by a lower tier football program like Notre Dame.:lol8::lol8::lol8:

[accadacca]

Notre Dame for all intents and purposes is college football.
We'll have to disagree.

No doubt they have a storied program, but not winning in the last 5 years takes them out of the equation for me. Hopefully Kelly can get them back on track. He had a great start last year.

[dmMatrix]

Awww come on now Accadacca, But there is a movie about Notre Dame right? That makes them have the best everything. And that makes them #1 in everything. And they are now considered THE #1 Top Tier Team EVAHR!!!!!!:roflol::roflol::roflol::roflol:

SPIDEY IS SUPER SERIOUS ABOUT THIS, NOBODY STEP ON THE POTATO CHIPS AND PRETZELS ON THE FLOOR.... HE MIGHT CHARGE. LOL, just kidding spidey.

[live2ride]

I would love to see the official Acca "Top Tier" football programs in the nation

[Scott Card]

Does anyone have a better TV deal than Notre Dame? Anyone have more exposure than Notre Dame? just sayin'

[Iceaxe]

Does anyone have a better TV deal than Notre Dame? Anyone have more exposure than Notre Dame? just sayin'

Yeah... too bad their football program blows. :lol8:

ND will never return to a collage football powerhouse without some fundamental changes to their program and administration. ND is proof you can't just throw money at a problem.

And while ND might be a storied program, they are no longer an elite program.

Now.... what does any of this have to do with the Big 12? If anything ND will join the Big 10. If things keep heading down the path they are on you are eventually going to end up with four super conferences of 16 teams.... and ND will be in one of them.

[Scott Card]

Now.... what does any of this have to do with the Big 12? If anything ND will join the Big 10. If things keep heading down the path they are on you are eventually going to end up with four super conferences of 16 teams.... and ND will be in one of them.
What does it have to do with the Big 12? Nothing. But the challenge was made that ND was not a top tier school. I guess it depends on your definition.

I don't think there is any question that if the BCS isn't busted there will be super conferences and I guess there still could be super conferences simply for money sake and TV rights. But if there were say a real National Championship through a playoff then I am not sure that the desire for super conferences would be so great. I haven't thought this through entirely so I may be full of it.

[Spidey]

To get back on topic, I don't think BYU will nor do I think they should join the big 12. BYU is in control of it's own destiny at this point.

The real reason i would say they stay independent is that there are rumors coming out of ESPN that BYU is a test piece for an ESPN conference for lack of a better word. As well as rumors from Oklahoma and Texas. ESPN might be working on forming a conference of independents with the national selling power and recognition to be independent with their own TV stations I.E. BYU. Word is OU and Texas are dumping tens of millions into catching up to the cougars in that regard. The idea being ESPN would be able to broadcast Marquee match ups every week the like's of which only happen during Bowl season. It's obvious that ESPN would also like to increase it's position as well. So yes it appears it may be all about the money. If this happens it would bring new meaning to the term Have's and Have not's. I'll see if I can find the couple articles I stumbled across late the other night. Can you imagine every program that has a national audience in one conference, regardless of location.:slobber:

[Scott Card]

Here is one article:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=17073116&nid=272


SALT LAKE CITY — The college football landscape seems to be on the verge of a major makeover. Fans from every conference scour their respective message boards looking for the next shoe to drop. But is the ultimate outcome as difficult to determine as it seems to be?
The famous exchange from the movie classic “All the President's Men” may hold the answer to the question every college fan wants to know:
Deep Throat: Follow the money.
Bob Woodward: What do you mean? Where?
Deep Throat: Oh, I can't tell you that.
Bob Woodward: But you could tell me that.
Deep Throat: No, I have to do this my way. You tell me what you know, and I'll confirm. I'll keep you in the right direction if I can, but that's all. Just follow the money.
So where does the money take us?
Conferences currently handle negotiations for schools when it comes to TV deals and postseason bowl tie-ins. In most cases, the money gets divided evenly amongst the teams within the conference, a notion that Texas and Oklahoma have already tackled head on within the Big 12.
In reality, every conference is currently seeing the growing disparity between the perennial conference champions and the annual bottom dwellers. There was a time when these geographic alliances made sense and regional rivalries ruled the day. Travel was the biggest cost and tradition was the biggest revenue generator. Today, geography is beginning to be less and less of a restriction — just ask TCU. Last time we checked, Colorado was nowhere near the Pacific coast. Tradition is no longer the biggest source of revenue — just look at any team sporting a pro combat uniform on Saturday as proof.
Lucrative TV contracts may be the new conference makers with teams abandoning fierce rivalries to chase the almighty dollar. ESPN has been and continues to be a major player in the game. Its most recent maneuverings may be either the end of college football as we know it or the opening salvo in the revolution of college sports broadcasts, depending on your point of view.
ESPN controls much of what happens in college sports, and it currently pays conferences for the rights to broadcast their games. What ESPN is really ponying up for are the marquee matchups between the cream of the crop in each conference. What’s keeping them from just buying the broadcast rights for the conference powers? Conferences.
So maybe super conferences are not as inevitable as most fans think.
Enter newly independent BYU. What better place for ESPN to test its experiment for changing college sports. The plan would entail buying the rights to broadcast BYU’s home games that could be produced and broadcast out of BYU’s new state-of-the-art facilities. BYU’s venues were already hardwired for HD and BYU even had its own HD truck. In short, BYU had its own network.
Could independent programs with their own networks be the future of college sports?
Follow the money. ESPN pays a premium for the rights and production to any BYU game it wants. ESPN has no obligation to televise unfavorable or meaningless late-season matchups, but hold the option to do so at a predetermined fixed cost.
BYU shares none of the television revenue with conference partners and is free to rebroadcast ESPN games and unclaimed games on its own network. BYU also has the ability to increase exposure by playing games outside its previous regionally-defined conference.
Of course, independence would come with some difficulties, the greatest of which revolves around the scheduling of games that would have been filled by conference opponents. Enter ESPN as a partner to use its influence to fill the holes in BYU’s schedule. This may be what ESPN wanted all along: The freedom to match its newly-acquired product with conference powers, to which ESPN may hold broadcast rights to boost ratings.
The other major hurdle for an independent program would be the lack of a postseason bowl affiliation. As was mentioned earlier, most bowls are aligned with conferences. ESPN holds the rights for or owns seven postseason bowls, which makes bowl alignment much easier to negotiate. In fact, this past April, BYU was invited to participate in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, one of ESPN’s seven bowl games.
BCS access for teams involved in this type of venture might also be a source of uncertainty. However, it's hard to imagine that college football powers, playing made-for-TV schedules and winning, would have much difficulty getting a BCS bowl invitation. There is also the possibility that the BCS would fail to survive if conferences lost their top teams to independence. Independent teams who didn’t have to share postseason revenue could then play in postseason games produced by their TV partners with bigger payouts.
Popular opinion says it's a no-brainer for BYU to accept an invite into the Big 12, but the issue isn’t quite that simple. After a scrimmage during fall camp, Tom Holmoe was asked about the conference realignment and the Big 12. His answer:
"We're doing some things right now, just what we wanted to do. People don't really understand what's in it for us. We have a plan, and it's a good plan, and we want to un-roll that.
"It's a new era of college athletics ... Things are going to change more than they did years ago, and it's mainly because of technology. Things will change; We'll chart our course and stick to it."
So the blueprint is laid out. Texas, in partnership with ESPN and BYU, has been working on its own broadcast network — a move that may be the impetus to the breakup of the Big 12, whose tier-one television rights are not owned by ESPN, but by FOX.
Texas A&M announced intentions to leave the Big 12, and AD Bill Byrne made his own statement on the school’s website.
"You all know the landscape of the Big 12 conference was altered by the creation of the Longhorn Network," Byrne wrote. "We rebuffed an attempt to televise high school games on the LHN, arguing that this type of activity was a clear violation of NCAA rules. The most recent attempt by ESPN is to take highlights of high school games as part of news segments. The NCAA is taking a wait-and-see attitude on the highlights. I disagree with their stance — as do many of my colleagues across the country. We anticipate that ESPN will continue to push the envelope with the Longhorn Network, regardless of Texas A&M's conference affiliation."
An Aug. 30 article by the Washington Post reported that Oklahoma unveiled its SoonerVision HD production rooms that have been expanded through $5 million in improvements, including fiber optic cables wired in the school's athletic facilities connected directly to side-by-side control rooms on campus.
University of Oklahoma official Brandon Meier told the media, “If next year, whatever happens, or years in the future, if there does happen to be a channel or a media partner, we have the ability to do the same thing: Push them good content, whether it be in the studio shows or live games.... Essentially, this is a mobile production truck that never leaves the stadium and goes out to all of the other venues via fiber optic cable.”
In the same article, Oklahoma State President Burn Hargis is quoted as saying, “I think every school is investigating an Internet distribution system.... With the emergence and evolution of Internet television now, it probably behooves us all to get very serious about an Internet network.”
Oklahoma’s investment in building its own distribution platform makes it hard to believe the school is seriously interested in making a move to the Pac-12 — or even staying with the Big 12, for that matter.
What if ESPN was working to unsettle traditional conferences? What if the goal was an alliance of big-name independent programs like Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State and BYU, each with their own networks from which ESPN can select a la carte to fill its family of networks? Would cable networks and satellite providers pay more for the ESPN package to appeal to the consumer already driven by on-demand appetites?
ESPN earns the more desirable piece of the market, decreases its overhead in broadcast and production and increases revenue. Top-level programs maintain more of their television broadcast monies, reduce the cost of administration to conferences and increase the value of their programs through better quality opponents and national exposure.
Of course, like all discussion surrounding conference realignment, an independent alliance is nothing more than additional conjecture. The situation is fluid, and all the parties involved have their own agendas. The concept may sound like something out of a bad conspiracy theory movie, but when you do as Deep Throat suggests and follow the money, the idea does not seem so outlandish.

[Spidey]

I read a couple short one's from OU and Texas blogger's or something as well.

[Iceaxe]

If Oklahoma stays in the Big 12 BYU will except an invitation to the Big 12. :cool2:

You heard it here first... OU is now the lynch pin....

[accadacca]

I agree. BYU is headed to the Big 12.

---

I had to laugh at the Notre Dame score..."elite/top tier program."

They had a 24-7 lead going into the 4th and ended up losing 35-31 after allowing 28 points in the 4th quarter. :roflol:

[CarpeyBiggs]

not sure i know what to believe nowadays... i stilll think the pac12 making a run at 16 is a possibility, even though scott said it wouldn't happen...

http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1263940

[Iceaxe]

If Oklahoma stays in the Big 12 BYU will except an invitation to the Big 12. :cool2:

You heard it here first... OU is now the lynch pin....

I'm still predicting BYU to the Big 12.... But the Big 12 might make a play for Air Force instead.

And if you get an invite to the Big 12 you go.... otherwise you might be left standing all alone the next time the music stops in the game of musical super conference.

[CarpeyBiggs]

i think mizzou is now the lynchpin. OU is staying it sounds like. where did you hear that the B12 wants AFA? i've heard the BigLeast does... but never heard anything about B12 rumors with AFA. if AFA got an invite, and not BYU, it will be a sad sad day as a BYU fan. :crazy:

[Iceaxe]

more realignment:

West Virginia soon will be announcing they are joining the Big12 for the 2012 season.

Mizzou will be joining the SEC.... Expect Mizzou to declare about a week after the WVU announcement for PR purposes. They don't want to look like they are leaving just as WVU is joining.

[accadacca]

When does BYU get their invite?

[Iceaxe]

When does BYU get their invite?

They won't be getting one... they ticked off the wrong people.

BYU reminds my of the girl in high school that thought she was a 10 but was really only a 6.

[skiclimb3287]

When does BYU get their invite?

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=17826115&nid=498&title=bronco-on-byu-and-realignment-those-that-want-us-fantastic-if-they-dont-i-would-rather-stand-alone


BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall responded to the latest round of college football realignment rumors on his Tuesday night KSL Radio show, saying while he "can only speculate," BYU's current perceived status as an apparent Big 12 membership also-ran "comes to this really unique issue--just to be very blunt--of culture."
You can hear Mendenhall's comments on realignment in "Cougar Cuts," to the left.
*******
With the Big 12 having already added TCU for the 2012 season and reportedly on the verge of inviting West Virgini (http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7148200/big-12-accept-west-virginia-mountaineers-early-tuesday-source-says)a (http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7148200/big-12-accept-west-virginia-mountaineers-early-tuesday-source-says) to replace Missouri upon the occasion of its expected departure, Mendenhall was asked for his thoughts on BYU seeming to drop down the list of the Big 12's preferred programs.
"In TCU's case, once you've reached the BCS and played in a couple of those games, that adds a different level of credibility. Not many are winning more (than BYU); the one thing we haven't done is gotten to the BCS."
"I know one of the criteria they mentioned in talking about West Virginia is they were in the Top 25 for four of the last five years; our record is very similar."
"Our basketball program is certainly on par or better than the majority in the country, (as) are all of our sports. There comes to this really unique issue--just to be very blunt--of culture."
"We have a very unique institution, and it's by design to be very unique. Someone in a conference has to want that culture, with our values--not only all of our sports teams, which are excellent--but they have to want a school that has the values we have."
"The Big 12 has already shown they have some interest in already doing that, with Baylor, and they've just taken TCU--unlike the Pac-12, which made it very clear they did not want a religious-based school."
*******
Mendenhall noted that there is also a performance-based aspect to inclusion in the realignment discussion, saying that "it's either going to be an accumulation of wins, or it's going to be one of those break-through seasons where you're on the biggest stage, and you have some success. But I really think it's going to have to be one of those two, or someone that just sees and wants an excellent institution that is very unique, that can contribute more than anyone can imagine--if they want all of it, not just some of it."
*******
Asked about "requirements" BYU would have in aligning with any BCS conference, Mendenhall said "they're requirements, and they're strengths, and it's absolutely non-negotiable."
"Those that want us; fantastic. And if they don't, I would rather stand alone...then my job is to help lead the program where you can't be ignored any longer, and that will accumulate over time through our record. That is simply the brutal facts of where it is."
*******
The coach acknowledged concern over BYU being excluded from any future super-conference structure.
"Sure, because all of these moves are revenue-driven, they are TV rights-driven and they are access-driven to the highest level of bowl games that there are."
"You could certainly find yourself on the outside looking in as one of those teams, as we are now, that have to win every game. And that is simply the way it is."
"Boise State finds themselves in a similar situation. It would make a lot of sense to me, if anyone wanted a partnership and wanted a natural rivalry, to take us and Boise and put us in the league...you'd have two excellent football teams, and I think people would be surprised at what would happen."
*******

[Iceaxe]

Asked about "requirements" BYU would have in aligning with any BCS conference, Mendenhall said "they're requirements, and they're strengths, and it's absolutely non-negotiable."

From what I understand this is why the Big 12 is no longer interested in BYU.



take us and Boise and put us in the league

This is just crazy talk. Boise State, by their own admission, are not ready for a major conference. Their stadium only holds 32,000 and they are not even a top 125 TV market. Joining a conference also means you have to upgrade your non-revnue generating sports to a major level. The only reasons conferences like the Big East are trying to dance with Boise is they need the teams win record to remain BCS eligible.

[Scott Card]

The only requirements that I can think of are that BYU won't play on Sunday and they don't serve alcohol at the venues and wouldn't agree to put a Coors add in the stadium. I know that is over simplifying the issues but I would hope the financial issues would all be in the table. I hope religion is not a factor with the conferences (I know it is THE factor for the PAC 12) and I hope BYU Admins are smart enough to see the big picture here and go to the table and negotiate for the money part. I think BYU is "qualified" in all respects to join any conference re: football, bball, all sports for that matter and the academic level of BYU is certainly nationally recognized. Also, BYU has proven itself in its ability to travel and fill a stadium. There aren't too many schools that can play at Texas Stadium, now twice in three years, and make it worth it to all parties involved. So it seems that religion and money are the real issues.

Ice, I tend to see the world through gold colored glasses, what is your take on any problematic issues re: religion that may be holding BYU back? I won't attack your comments I am just trying to get a perspective that is not mine, a BYU grad/Mormon perspective.

I am also curious what word is on the street about any financial stone walling that BYU is doing.

[accadacca]

Bronco failed to mention that West Virginia has won two BCS bowl games...same with Utah. TCU has won one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowl_Championship_Series#BCS_bowl_wins_and_appeara nces_by_team

[Iceaxe]

Ice, I tend to see the world through blue tinted glasses

I fixed that for ya.... :lol8:



what is your take on any problematic issues re: religion that may be holding BYU back?

It's not the religious issues that are a problem for the Big 12. In fact, BYU would be a good fit in that regard considering both Baylor and TCU are religion based institutions.

Apparently the BYU rule of "no play on Sunday" was a concern, but not a deal breaker. College football doesn't play on Sunday because they don't want to compete with the NFL. The BIG 12 basketball tournament has not played on Sunday since 2008 and they would have worked around BYU if that was the only issue.

The big deal breaker is apparently BYUtv. Understand the Big 12 is part of FOX Sports. BYU wanted its non-national TV games be televised on its BYUtv. There was also an issue about when BYUtv could replay recent games.

This is why I made the comment when TCU was originally selected by the Big 12 of "Whomever is making the decisions at BYU has confused TV exposure with football relevance".

Really this should be a no-brainer.... BYU has great history with a Heisman and mythical National Championship, they sell out a 64,000 seat stadium, they have a huge national fan base, they are in a top 35 TV market.

But BYU wants to dictate TV and thats just not going to fly, which is why I made the comment "BYU reminds my of the girl in high school that thought she was a 10 but was really only a 6."

Anyhoo.... that's my take on what's happening....

[Iceaxe]

Bronco failed to mention that West Virginia has won two BCS bowl games...same with Utah. TCU has won one.

While the Fiesta Bowl and Sugar Bowl trophies are nice to have on the mantle above the fireplace.... That has about ZERO relevance on why BYU was not asked to join the Big 12.

[Scott Card]

I don't know what to say, seriously...... The BYUtv thing is great as a fan, there are no black out days. But I would rather be playing Texas and OK and the likes than having the ability to watch live play with Idaho State. But I wonder if we are cutting off our nose to spite our face with BYUtv. I know that Utah and BYU got shafted by the MTN and in that conference, BYU was a 10 as it related to money generated etc. I get what you are saying about the high school girl and you may be correct. I just hope this is worked out in favor of a big 12 invite.

[Iceaxe]

I just hope this is worked out in favor of a big 12 invite.

I don't know exactly what was said.... but whatever it was it was bad for BYU as they are not even on the Big 12's radar these days.

I believe in the end the Big 12 will pick up some pieces from the Big East and become a 12 team conference. Having 12 teams in important in the money department because that gets you a Championship game, which pays the conference as much as a BCS bowl.