| 09 June 2010
I really need to get this out before I pass out from an almost total lack of sleep in the last week. There will be a lot of jumping around, points without end, and general nonsense in this post, but since most of you have been following the conference expansion stories- I'm sure you are used to it by now.
I guess that just means one thing... Random Randomness is back BITCHES!!!!!
"'Spansion! 'Spansion!! 'Spansion!!!" yells an almost certainly wasted John Saunders before a College Football Live broadcast. These type of stories are the ones that the talking heads can go apeshit crazy over- because most of them don't know what they are talking about anyways. Leave it to Saunders and ESPN to make Bob Davie look like the voice of reason- which he has been over the past three months concerning this "'Spansion!" talk.
So let's roll out the Randomness and piece some things together. I promise you, that I am almostwasted and I have no "inside information." I'll leave that to the suckass liars that will pull any conclusion out of any speculative report and call it a fact. We on...
Arrogant. Arrogant Like Muhammad Ali, Bill Gates, and Frank Sinatra. A Muslim boxer, a computer geek, and smooth crooner. What do all three of these people have in common? Not much, but one thing is certain- they became masters of their own destiny. At one point or another they were all called arrogant. But is it really arrogant to want to be free from the outside decisions of others? Ask the Founding Fathers of the United States. Ask the Vatican. Ask Notre Dame.
When Notre Dame signed their infamous deal with NBC, college football fans, media, and other universities lashed out at Notre Dame for being greedy. How dare they sell their own TV rights at home to one network! The editorials, and radio soliloquies were loud and proud againt Notre Dame for years and years over that deal.
That deal, was first in place almost 20 years ago in 1991. Funny isn't it? You know, how things change fairly quickly. When the topic of conference expansion is brought up now, those entities that want Notre Dame to join the Big 10 point out HOW MUCH FUCKING MONEY the Big 10 Network makes for its schools. Yet Notre Dame, an school with an elite finance undergraduate and graduate program, still would rather take those numbers and shove them up their asses. Clearly, there are financial gains to be had by joining the Big 10 ( if you believe the numbers) but Notre Dame would rather stay independent. It just doesn't make sense, does it?
Why would these greedy pricks not take the money and run?
Because it isn't about the money. They have plenty of money. It's about control, and forging their own future. They have enough money to do what they want to do. Given the choice, would you work for a company making 10 million dollars a year with a boss that told you when and how to work, or would you settle for making 7 million dollars a year running your own company? Being your own boss is the American dream, and I'm not going to sit here and let you bad mouth the United States of America. Gentlemen!
Insert Jim Mora Sr. Talking About Playoffs. Playoffs?! One of the great lies being spread about conference expansion is that four, 16 team "Super-Conference's" would bring us one step closer to a playoff in college football. They can't be serious, right?
One of the theories, has those 4 conferences shedding itself from the NCAA, thus letting them operate underneath a new umbrella of control. First off, I don't see that happening AT ALL! There would be too many problems outside of football that could be very dangerous for the other sports. Second- what the HELL are you smoking?! The NCAA holds playoffs for every sport outside of Div. 1-A football. In football, the school presidents and conference commissioners have opted for the current BCS system and have opposed any and all playoff scenarios. Why would they change that fact after the realignment?
The Pro-Active Pac-10.I remember listening to Colin Cowherd about a month ago, and he was just killing the Pac-10 for being silent after a lot of "bombshell" news was coming out about the Big 10 and their possible moves to expand. He called them nerds, snobs, and elitists- but reiterated that he was a "Pac-10" guy.
There was mention about two probable invites going out to Colorado and Utah, and most people thought that was the extent of what the conference was going to tray and do to expand.
How the tables have turned. The most recent news about the Pac-10 and their possible plans for expansion puts them front and center of this whole mess. They basically made the first move already, and invites should be going out to six Big 12 schools to join the Pac-10 to make a 16 team conference. The reported schools to get the invite are: Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and one of either Baylor or Colorado- preferably Colorado. (More on the Colorado / Baylor deal below).
This news has caused a whirlwind of reaction from not only the Big 12, but the Big 10 as well. Missouri and Nebraska were basically given an ultimatum to declare their allegiance to the Big 12 by the end of the week. Why? Because if Nebraska and Mizzou bolt for the Big 10 (if invited) then Texas would have to reevaluate its options in a Big 12 that could also lose Colorado as well. Texas does not want to be in a conference that is backfilled by mid-major schools to make up for schools that have won a combined (4) national titles in the past 20 years.
The Pac-10 is basically forcing the issue for everyone with this bold move. It may- or may not happen, but it most definitely is causing the Big 10 to speed back up its plans, and with that means the domino effect. The Pac-10 is a playa.
Everything Is Bigger In Texas- Including The Bullshit.Since the news broke about possible Pac-10 expansion, Texas politics have hit the road running. People in Texas- mainly Baylor alumni, are hopping pissed about the first 6 teams being mentioned to possibly moving to the Pac-10 had all of the Texas schools from the Big 12- except Baylor. Big fucking whoop. Seriously.
When the old Southwest Conference was disbanded and the Big 8 expanded into the Big 12, somehow Baylor got the nod over a couple of other schools. SMU was still in the grave after the death Penalty it received in the 80's, but TCU was right there, and by most accounts was a much better fit for the new Big 12 as opposed to Baylor. Politics got involved and the Governor of Texas, Ann Richards, was a Baylor alum. Had the governor been Rod Roddy (TCU Alum) of the Price is Right- or any sane person, I would bet that TCU would have been in the Big 12 in place of Baylor. ( Teas readers, help me out on this).
Today, the governor of Texas is Rick Perry, an alum of Texas A&M, but there are plenty of Baylor Bears in the state legislature as well as just plain Texas loyalists that will fight tooth and nail to see Baylor be put in Colorado's place if a move was to happen. You can probably already guess as to who the Pac-10 would rather have- so the fight may be quite animated and come down to what the University of Texas really wants, and if Nebraska and Missouri decide to stay- so will everyone else.
The Big Winner Could Be The Mountain West A.K.A. The Darkhorse Conference.The Mountain West is used to being considered as a darkhorse or a sleeper when it comes to football. If certain things happen- and it's a decent bet that they will, the Mountain West will be sitting pretty with offers in hand. The remnants of the Big 12 could be swallowed up by the Mountain West. Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, and either Baylor or Colorado.
There were reports that the Mountain West was going to add Boise State after 6 years of Boise quietly begging to join, but after the Pac-10 news- All bets were off. It makes sense that the Mountain West wait, but even if they swallow up the rest of the Big 12 (with Nebraska and Missouri heading elsewhere) that would still only give them 13 teams and they could add Boise by themselves- or go apeshit and take Boise, Fresno State, and Nevada.
Who knows? One thing is certain though, if the Big 12 falls, the Mountain West will become a big player in the future.
The Rest of the Story. There are an almost endless amount of possibilities when it comes to expansion. It would take Albert fucking Einstein ( or someone with a basic working knowledge in math) to figure out all of the possible scenarios. Rest assured, once one domino falls a whole bunch of others will as well.
Let's say this Big 12 / Pac-10 thing happens. The Big 10 will follow, then the SEC, and then the ACC. The Big East could be left in the bowels of history. What could happen and what will happen are two very different monsters- but a monster will pop up regardless.
Cincinnati and Louisville are two schools that backdoored themselves into a BCS conference and they could just as easily find themselves being thrown out once again. The other 6 schools in the Big East are more attractive options to the ACC, Big 10, and even the SEC. I think the SEC would probably raid the ACC for a couple of schools- but who knows what mess will be created.
One point that has to be brought up (and I really need to wrap this up soon- so I'm putting it here) is recruiting. The media is placing too much emphasis on the ramifications of recruiting due to expansion. Everyone is on TV nowadays- and schools recruit all over the country. If Texas joined the Big 10 it won't necessarily increase the amount of Texas players that go to Minnesota, or Ohio State, or whoever. Recruiting is nationwide- for winners, regardless of geographic status. Just stop it already.
Just To Be Sure I Am Understood...I feel that I have to clarify my feelings about Notre Dame and their conference affiliation- or lack there of. I am a slight lean for ND to join the Big 10. HOWEVER... I fully support whatever the school decides to do in that area. I think that ND may be forced to join the Big 10 in all sports because of every sport outside of football, but may depend on the existence of the Big East. If the Big East puts an ultimatum on ND, which would do them no good, expect ND to walk away from the Big East.
Just my opinions. Now, I am going to grab another drink, and get a whopping 4 hours of sleep for another 20 hour zombie session called life. I know you ALL have opinions, so let me hear 'em.
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