Texas A&M considering SEC

[NDPhilly]

Report: Texas governor says Texas A&M considering move to SEC - ESPN

 

[Cali_domer]

Delete

 

[Cali_domer]

Want to waste some time? Read this...

Want to waste some time? Read this...

Got this off Wildcatreport message board . Wow, lame.


Expansion Update Reply

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Today was a very busy day in Park Ridge. For the Big Ten, the writing has been on the wall: we're going to 16-team super-conferences.

Invitations to join the conference remain in the hands of the appropriate parties at Notre Dame and Texas. The Big Ten believes that Notre Dame will join once Texas joins the conference. Texas wishes to join the Big Ten with its Longhorn Network, as a non-participant in the Big Ten Network. This scenario remains feasible.

The Big Ten is now operating under the presumption that A&M currently plans to leave the Big XII for the SEC. However, there is haste to consider an invitation to A&M immediately. The message to A&M has not yet been met with adequate response by the relevant parties at A&M. Though an invitation has not been settled upon, one likely will soon be forthcoming to Texas A&M. The Chancellors and Presidents have a conference scheduled to give provisional approval to invite A&M to the conference. It is expected that the Big Ten Chancellors and Presidents will find that A&M would add a unique level of tradition and academic prestige to the conference.

Separately, A&M stands to benefit the most from joining the Big Ten conference. In particular, A&M would reap the benefits from the Big Ten Network - which Park Ridge thinks would vastly outweigh the benefits that A&M would receive from the SEC. In particular, the Big Ten Network's reach is and likely always will capture a vastly wider audience than the Longhorn Network, and with A&M's addition to the Big Ten, will include the geographic footprint of the entire state of Texas.

With regard to the benefits A&M stands to gain from Big Ten membership, the Big Ten feels that the Big Ten Network would obviously more than offset the competition for eyeballs of recruits in the state of Texas from the Longhorn Network. The terms of the offer given to Texas include the right for Texas to maintain and independently operate the Longhorn Network, and thus not share in the financial benefit of the BTN. (Texas would receive equal voting rights and treatment in all other operations and activities of the conference aside from participation in the BTN.)

If A&M left the Big XII for the SEC, the Big Ten believes that the resulting political circumstances in the state of Texas would enable the University of Texas to leave the Big XII to join the Big Ten conference, regardless of the decisions made by the other Texas universities (with regard to the Big XII conference).

The Big Ten is actively pursuing the relevant parties at A&M and expanding discussions. This week, for the first time since the conference explored expansion possibilities, the notion that Texas and Texas A&M could join the Big Ten instead of Texas and Notre Dame as members 13 and 14 were openly considered. In such circumstances, the Big Ten believes that once Texas and Texas A&M join the conference, Notre Dame almost certainly would immediately follow, and several universities are in consideration for the sixteenth member, as I mentioned on the Rock. Should Texas and Texas A&M commit simultaneously to the Big Ten, the Big Ten expects to jointly announce the addition of four teams total to create a 16 team conference shortly thereafter.

We're currently in a period of acceleration of activity much like that which came before the invitation extended to Nebraska. The Big Ten seems poised to act immediately if A&M responds to certain overtures.

WildcatReport.com - Message Boards[/QUOTE]

 

[Buster Bluth]

I knew Texas A&M wanted out of the Big 12, but going to the Big Ten is bold.

Personally, I hate the idea of putting Texas and Texas A&M in the Big Ten. It sickens me.

 

[greyhammer90]

Come on Texas. Go independent, the water's fine!

 

[phork]

A&M would be SEC bound 99% before Big10. Imagine ND & Texas in the Big10? Man oh man.

 

[RyCo1983]

That just feels so geographically wrong.
It's like TCU in the Big East...it's silly.

 

[johnnykillz]

That just feels so geographically wrong.
It's like TCU in the Big East...it's silly.

South Florida is a long ways from UConn last I checked...

I venture to say TCU may be closer to South Florida.

Just a thought.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

South Florida is a long ways from UConn last I checked...

I venture to say TCU may be closer to South Florida.

Just a thought.

Miami was also a long ways away from BC and Syracuse in the old Big East correct?

 

[johnnykillz]

Miami was also a long ways away from BC and Syracuse in the old Big East correct?

Correct.

I hate the thought of a "super conference."

I don't see Texas falling prey to a greedy Big Ten.

Texas and ND will be "super independents," once they finally join where we've perched for a long, long time.

If by chance, Texas does join up, it will get interesting. I don't see how it will work with the "Longhorn Network." But you know Delany would be airing commercials of himself on the burnt orange station in no time flat...

 

[mgriff]

I hate the super-conference ideas as much as anyone, but we'll be in the Big Ten if it happens. Independence would simply cease to be beneficial. I'm fairly certain there's an unspoken agreement between ND and the Big Ten, that if the seismic realignment goes down, they will naturally jump into the Big Ten for geographic and academic reasons. Both sides know that is ND's hand is forced, the Big Ten will be where they land. Conversely, the Big Ten knows that isn't happening until seismic realignment.

If Notre Dame and Texas, who cares about the two other teams, were to join the Big Ten that would immediately and dramatically boost the conference brand. Getting A&M and working on grabbing that card for Texas, to add to Notre Dame, to make the Big Ten the preeminent super-conference post-apocalyptia, or at least rival to the SEC.

 

[Shamrocks and Shenanigans]

South Florida is a long ways from UConn last I checked...

I venture to say TCU may be closer to South Florida.

Just a thought.

At least it is in the east. Southeast yes, but still the east. They are changing the conference name to the Big East Coast and Anyone Else Who Will Join.

 

[johnnykillz]

At least it is in the east. Southeast yes, but still the east. They are changing the conference name to the Big East Coast and Anyone Else Who Will Join.

I damn sure like the Big East more than the Big 10.

Period. (Where's my cranberry juice?)

 

[Shamrocks and Shenanigans]

I have east coast bias, so I agree with you on that.

 

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

Texas and Notre Dame in the Big Ten would be insane. I wonder who the other two teams will be...Missouri and Pitt?

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

I don't actually believe this is going to happen but Oklahoma seems an obvious target if you're drawing Texas into the fold.

 

[irishog77]

If A&M were indeed to join the SEC, then I could go for ND joining the big 10-- provided Texas and OU were also part of it. As for the 4th team, Pitt, Missouri, Ok St, or Uconn would be my pick.

 

[IrishLax]

If Texas joined the Big Ten they would go into the OSU division and ND would go into the Michigan one. Then OU would likely also go in the OSU division with Missouri or Pitt going in the Michigan one.

Can't say I would mind too much... but think it'd be much cooler to join a brand new conference with Texas, Oklahoma, USC.

 

[irishog77]

If Texas joined the Big Ten they would go into the OSU division and ND would go into the Michigan one. Then OU would likely also go in the OSU division with Missouri or Pitt going in the Michigan one.

Can't say I would mind too much... but think it'd be much cooler to join a brand new conference with Texas, Oklahoma, USC.

That's what I'd like to see happen the most as well-- ND and Texas go out their own and start a new conference altogether. USC and OU would be prime candidates. Perhaps Stanford, Miami, BYU, and the service academies. Then maybe UCLA, Kansas, TCU, or Ok St.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

A super conference would leave Kansas way out in the cold. Therefore, I don't like it.

Keep the Big 12 as it is (with 10...stupid).

 

[irishog77]

A super conference would leave Kansas way out in the cold. Therefore, I don't like it.

Keep the Big 12 as it is (with 10...stupid).

Hey, I would make room for Kansas in my new ND/UT/USC/OU/National Super Conference!

 

[Buster Bluth]

If Texas and Notre Dame joined the Big Ten and Texas A&M wasn't coming with, there is strong speculation that the 15th and 16th teams would be Duke and North Carolina. They aren't much worse than any Big East school (outside of TCU, which Texas wouldn't allow for obvious purposes) and the basketball and academics are big gains. Not that basketball matters much but the Big Ten cannot realistically add football strength from the likes of Missouri, Pittsburgh, Syracuse without sacrificing elsewhere.

Oklahoma is the only team that the Big Ten would have obvious interest in. The administration in Norman is quietly wondering how this will play out. Whereas Texas A&M is treated like the irrelevant little brother by Texas, Oklahoma is treated with respect and I don't think you'd see Texas **** them over so quickly.

I'm 100% for Texas becoming an independent and the Big XII adding three teams (Boise State, and two others of BYU, SMU, Houston, etc) to make it back to 12 teams.

 

[irishog77]

If Texas and Notre Dame joined the Big Ten and Texas A&M wasn't coming with, there is strong speculation that the 15th and 16th teams would be Duke and North Carolina. They aren't much worse than any Big East school (outside of TCU, which Texas wouldn't allow for obvious purposes) and the basketball and academics are big gains. Not that basketball matters much but the Big Ten cannot realistically add football strength from the likes of Missouri, Pittsburgh, Syracuse without sacrificing elsewhere.

I'd be down with UNC for sure! Duke I could care less about, but I can see the academic and b-ball appeal.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

I think the Big Ten (12...stupid) should want to add Notre Dame, Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri.

Geographically (other than Penn State), that's a real Mid-West super conference...Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas...

 

[johnnykillz]

Buck the Fig Ten you sell outs!

 

[johnnykillz]

BTW, we've been here, done that:

http://www.irishenvy.com/forums/notre-dame-football/53332-nd-big10-conversations.html

Check it out. We had many well formulated (teehee) arguments in that thread.

 

[irishog77]

I think the Big Ten (12...stupid) should want to add Notre Dame, Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri.

Geographically (other than Penn State), that's a real Mid-West super conference...Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas...

The problem with that is that not a lot of people live in most of those places. The biggest appeal for any conference, regarding a prospective school, is new television viewers. It's what makes the TCU joining the Big East feasible-- adding Texas to the already population heavy east coast and vice versa. And it's essentially ALL football driven. It's why, remarkably, a national, historic brand like Kansas in basketball, could have been left out in the cold had there been a Pac-10/Big XII merger that almost happened last year.

 

[irishog77]

Buck the Fig Ten you sell outs!

Lol! Well, like I said, I'd be for it IF AND ONLY IF Texas and OU were part of it. Plus, if the A&M domino starts to fall, then the writing is on the wall for these super conferences to actually take shape. ND may not have a choice but to conference-up.

 

[Buster Bluth]

I think the Big Ten (12...stupid) should want to add Notre Dame, Kansas, Kansas State, and Missouri.

Geographically (other than Penn State), that's a real Mid-West super conference...Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas...

Your bias shows. haha

In that scenario, subtracting Notre Dame as they are in 99% of scenarios, you have one elite basketball program (Kansas), one above average and inconsistent basketball program (Kansas State) and one good football program (Missouri).

Football wise it is no match. While Duke is a powder puff (everyone conference needs them), Texas and North Carolina dwarf those programs--well, UNC is probably on par with Missouri.

Basketball wise it is also no match. Texas, Duke, and North Carolina are all near the elites. UNC and Duke are within the top five.

Academically it's probably the biggest blowout. Duke is elite and Texas and North Carolina are both very good.

You can call the Big Ten sell outs--AND I HOPE NONE OF THIS HAPPENS--but I think we have to give them credit for putting academics on their short priority list. It's cable reach, football, and academics that are required. That is why they won't go after Pittsburgh.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

Your bias shows. haha

Hope so. My avatar is a freaking Jayhawk.*

I do think a real mid-west conference would be interesting. But, I understand why it would never happen.