Looking at this from an outsider's point of view, and I don't understand this.. Who gives a **** what Baylor has to say? I understand that, along with Wake Forest, it is the nation's preeminent southern baptist university...but they seem to always have some pull or say in the matter. Are they that politically influential in Texas?
Their "Power" comes and goes. It was at it's peak in the middle 90's when Anne Richards was govenor, and thus they were "included" in the Big 12 formation. Now... not so much. They are posturing, and threatening lawsuits left and right, but in the end... nothing will come of it. They are toast, and they know it. They just don't have the good grace to go down with class.
Honestly, they should be looking at a play to the MWC (which may wind up a BCS conference as a result of all this). BYU has to be shitting themselves.. Still, some of these teams should really look at MWC membership rather than Big East.. Honestly, I don't see how some of these teams fit into an expanded Pac16. Either way, I think it's clear the Big12 is dead.
One of the biggest mistakes the PAC made was inviting ASU in. PAC schools have traditionally been known for their research departments. How would a Texas Tech and Oklahoma St. fit into this? Although it makes sense (maybe?) for the athletics alignment, I'm not sure it really fits into the overall scholastic goals of the PAC. tu, unfortunately, probably does fit in the best of those four. A&M would have been a great addition to go with tu. Seriously, though, the LHN will DEFINITELY have to go. A regional network does not answer to a single school. PAC16 East would fit.
Kes, Every time they mention Tech or Okie State or any of these other tard academies, I think the same thing..but then I am reminded.. we took Arizona State.. we've crossed that bridge so I guess there's no going back. I think UT fits quite fine academically and OU has some great research depts in the various earth sciences.. I wonder if BYU has reached out yet? They have to be worrying just a bit. They leveraged a lot against the current landscape of college football that has since been turned upside down.
While I get what you guys are saying about the academic side... remember we are talking about a STRICTLY athletic alliance. The conferences aren't about pooling research info, or $$ - only sports. (For the record, Tech doesn't fit ANYWHERE!) I KNOW you will enjoy your road trips to Lubbutt, and Stoolwater. 8)
ASU, although an obvious black mark on the conference at the time, has turned their research department for the better: Academic ranking of World Universities: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_Ranking_of_World_Universities ASU has been ranked in the top 100 since 2006 Stanford, ranked #2 or #3 forever Arizona ranks in the 70s Cal Berkeley, ranked Top 4, and recently #2 and #3 UCLA ranked top 15 USC ranked top 50 Washington ranked top 20 Oregon, OSU, WSU not ranked New to PAC 12: Colorado ranked top 40 Utah ranks top 60 tu conference rankings: tu ranks top 40 Texas A&M continually ranks in the 90 OU, OSU, Baylor, TT, Missouri, ISU, KU, KSU, NE (well, you know) From Top American Research Universities: http://mup.asu.edu/research2009.pdf Ranked in the Top 25 overall: Stanford Cal Berkeley UCLA UW USC Arizona ASU Colorado Utah tu A&M Others ranked in the Top 25 public institutions: Oregon WSU Oregon St. KS ISU Missouri Nebraska Unranked are OU, OSU, KSU, TT, Baylor (a single college from these universities might be ranked, but the university is not). The only one school out of the four that matches with our values, is tu. A&M would have been a great addition, but OU, OSU, and TT should look elsewhere.
Interesting. I thought they weren't invited because: 1) They didn't want to come. 2) They religious angle
Bill, since JO'Co is in school today, I'll try to answer based on my perception. UC-Berkeley is the bastion of ultra liberal college campuses, and BYU is a religious affiliated school with strict rules. Two colliding worlds.
Hey maybe A&M was really the school who killed it...they had a chance to partner with Texas for a Network and turned us down...now they want everybody to believe it's just Longhorn greed. Aggies Said No to Network
Kes the Pac12 has it's own regional networks, there is no reason why the Longhorn Network can't morph into a Southwest regional Network carrying Texas/TexasTech/OU/ Ok State material.
Terry, if it truly is a deal of 16 equals, all sharing the same slice of pie from the revenues, then changing the LHN to a regional network for those four schools would be the same as what we have now. However, that is NOT what the LHN network is, nor is it how the tv deal tu's conference has is split. I am still not convinced the PAC will be sending an invite to TT, OU, or OSU.