Quote:
Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade
You said they "had a chance and didn't". That's not technically correct. Unless, of course, by chance, you mean only by Missouri's timeline. Missouri could have, but they didn't, or at least felt, that the offer came to late for them. But, Missouri was not "in" the SEC when the offers came in.
As far as Nebraska, wow. OK, Nebraska voted for the financial setup the same way OU and UT did. When they were good, they were all for it. Then, all of a sudden, they think they're getting this raw deal. Nothing was going to save the B12 as it stood at that time. Colorado was going to leave, everyone knew it, and most agreed it was a good move for them. Larry Scott didn't look at the CU thing and all of a sudden decide to offer a bunch of B12 schools. That planning happened well in advance. There was a lot more going on than just "Nebraska" at that time. The B1G decided to even out there numbers and took advantage of the unstable situation. Once the B1G let it be known it was interested in Nebraska, there was no way UT could bring Nebraska back in.
Let's also remember, that this time period, was the first real big conference realignment moves since the formation of the B12. Everybody was kind of feeling their way around the process as it was happening and the B12 had not yet inked their new contract. You guys put way too much emphasis on the Texas part of the equation. A major player no doubt, but UT is a convenient bogey man for you to heap scorn on. Not saying they are blameless, but we all know Missouri wanted out long before was not exactly the agent of cohesion during this time period.
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Prior to the MU/OU dueling press conferences it was all posturing for a better $ deal at home. A healthy stable Big XII was and would still be the best place for them. However at that point in time the school determined the league was dysfunctional and with the defections that had already taken place they figured they needed to take the life raft the SEC offered b/c the league wasn't long for the world. And frankly the league was acting very dysfunction at that time. LOL just read the OU emails. Speaking of a mess they were the poster child.
Everything you said about what Neb agreed to when the league was formed is true. Never said it wasn't. That doesn't take away from the fact that TX along w/ OU to a lesser extent were/are the major players and could have navigated the league through choppy waters before we ever got to June 2010. They chose not to and that started the dominoes falling. Unequal revenue sharing breeds instability as soon as member institutions have options. They didn't solely create the situation. No one is saying they did. But they could have through leadership galvanized the league, built trust among existing members long before the witching hour and saved the league in it's previous form. You have no idea if they could have kept Neb from leaving b/c they didn't even try. They have more blood on their hands than anyone in all of this but that is not to say they were sole perpetrators.
My feelings are twofold. I wish we could hit reset to 2010 and leave it alone. Never wanted any of it. That said if it had to happen as far as leaving the league I'm thrilled it's the SEC and not the Big Slow but that is a whole 'nother conversation.