****The official NEW new conference realignment thread.****

[Saul Good]

the second thread has been pronounced dead.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

So here is my question...and an honest one considering I really haven't followed the story much other than the original one that came out. How will the recent violations hurt the Athletics programs? Seems that they were more than just minor violations....

They reported it themselves and have been on a two year probation since 2011. It was also spread out over all sports. Baylor had far more violations in just one sport, didn't self report, and was given a three year probation.

We have also brought in our best recruiting classes in football and basketball while serving probation, so I'm not worried.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by RustShack

They reported it themselves and have been on a two year probation since 2011. It was also spread out over all sports. Baylor had far more violations in just one sport, didn't self report, and was given a three year probation.

We have also brought in our best recruiting classes in football and basketball while serving probation, so I'm not worried.

Your best recruiting class would still be near the bottom of the SEC. Yet another reason everyone would take Ole Miss and SC ahead of ISU.

[warpaint*]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

The Big 12 is going to be abysmal in basketball next year. OSU will be really good. Kansas will be good, but I don't expect them to be great. Everyone else is hoping to make the tournament.

Who knows. Impact freshman can be game changers.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Your best recruiting class would still be near the bottom of the SEC. Yet another reason everyone would take Ole Miss and SC ahead of ISU.

On paper, which isn't always right. If it was, Texas would be one of the best teams every year.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by warpaint*

Who knows. Impact freshman can be game changers.

Who has those in the Big 12? According to ESPN, the second best class in the conference is West Virginia at #17, and they sucked out loud last year.

[Pitt Gorilla]

Originally Posted by RustShack

On paper, which isn't always right. If it was, Texas would be one of the best teams every year.

Alabama had the #1 recruiting class in 2011, 2012, & 2013. I wonder how they did.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Alabama had the #1 recruiting class in 2011, 2012, & 2013. I wonder how they did.

So you're saying their freshman were the ones who led championships? And I can just look at this years incoming class and see how the top 25 will finish the year?

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by warpaint*

Frankly the only reason to add them would be in order to maintain the B12's television contract partner agreements (getting back to ten member institutions). The leagues new TV deal has to do w/ the growth of the sport as a whole, not what a tiny private school in a state the league already has three members in brought to the table.

You're partly correct here but let's assume this is the case. Then your prior point that TCU won't add, but will only take, would be incorrect. You are saying here that they're irrelevant to the deal and as such, a net zero. And I'd agree with that.

Dude I have no idea why you're defending them. It's ok to be critical and still be a fan of the league. I am.

This is the part where I ask you to re-read my prior post, where I said specifically that I wanted Louisville personally. You can see my prior posts when you page back.

[warpaint*]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

You're partly correct here but let's assume this is the case. Then your prior point that TCU won't add, but will only take, would be incorrect. You are saying here that they're irrelevant to the deal and as such, a net zero. And I'd agree with that.





This is the part where I ask you to re-read my prior post, where I said specifically that I wanted Louisville personally. You can see my prior posts when you page back.

No I hadn't read them just your replies to me here this afternoon. That's cool. If we agree then that they were basically a warm body then the rest is semantics more or less as far as I'm concerned.

I agree Louisville would have been a better choice.

[warpaint*]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Who has those in the Big 12? According to ESPN, the second best class in the conference is West Virginia at #17, and they sucked out loud last year.

Ku has 2 rivals 5* committed w/ nice offer lists including one tree. I would imagine they are elite once again.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by warpaint*

Ku has 2 rivals 5* committed w/ nice offer lists including one tree. I would imagine they are elite once again.

Monte Morris will emerge as one of the best Point Guards in the nation. And Matt Thomas is Fred Hoiberg 2.0

[RustShack]

Big 12 covets 'bowls closer to home'
Updated: April 22, 2013, 1:07 PM ET
Associated Press
RECOMMEND29TWEET43COMMENTS202EMAILPRINT
The Big 12 wants to have a greater postseason presence in Florida and get into more bowls that its fans can reach by car.

As college football gets ready for a shake-up in its postseason system, commissioner Bob Bowlsby said he would like to reach agreements with five or six bowl games.

Bowlsby and the other nine major conference commissioners, along with Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, will meet in Southern California this week to pick the final three bowls to be involved in the six-site playoff rotation.

Big 12 blog
ESPN.com's David Ubben writes about all things involving the Big 12 in the conference blog.
More:
• Blog network: College Football Nation

Once those are in place, the conferences can turn their attention to the other bowls for 2014 and beyond.

The Big 12's current agreements, which end after this season, do not include a Florida game. Bowlsby said league officials want to change that, while keeping a strong hold on Texas and having a destination "out West."

Also, Iowa State's successful trip to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn., last season -- at least in terms of ticket sales -- has the conference considering deals with bowls closer to campuses.

"I think that probably did cause us to think about bowls closer to home," Bowlsby said in a recent phone interview.

Bowlsby declined to talk about specific bowls being targeted by the Big 12, but a person familiar with the conference's plans told The Associated Press league officials are interested in striking a deal with at least one of the Tennessee bowls games -- the Liberty Bowl or the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl in Nashville.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the conference was not discussing details of its plans publicly.

The Liberty Bowl's current agreements are with the Southeastern Conference, Conference USA and the Big East. C-USA and the Big East, which will change its name to the American Athletic Conference next season, have been drastically altered by realignment. Seven C-USA teams will join the American over the next two seasons.

Last year, the SEC did not have enough bowl eligible teams to fill the Liberty Bowl slot and game organizers struck a deal with Iowa State. Cylcones fans gobbled up tickets and about 25,000 showed up to watch their team lose to Tulsa. Ames, Iowa, is about a six-hour drive from Memphis.

Most of the other nine Big 12 schools are within seven to 10 hours of Memphis -- not a short trip but doable in a day.

"Our guys said we'd be well advised to have some bowl that we can drive to," Bowlsby said.

The Music City Bowl's current agreements are with the SEC and Atlantic Coast Conference.

The addition of West Virginia to the Big 12 last year has in part led the conference to turn its attention to the talent-rich southeast part of the country, especially Florida.

The Big 12's current bowl lineup includes: the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio; the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl in San Diego; Meineke Car Care Bowl in Houston; the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in New York; the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.; and the AT&T Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas.

Bowlsby said the conference expects to often have its champion in the final four when the playoff starts, plus send another highly rated team to one of the four other marquee bowl games. The Cotton Bowl is expected to be part of the playoff bowl rotation.

The Big 12 is unlikely to keep its affiliation with the Yankee Stadium game and there has been speculation the Holiday Bowl could switch to a Big Ten affiliation with that conference interested in playing more postseason games in California.

"We've had a 16-year partnership with the Big 12 and it's been a great relationship," Holiday Bowl executive director Bruce Binkowski said. "We are right now looking at all of our options moving forward. There's interest in the Big Ten, interest in the Big 12. We're looking at all options to make this the best bowl game that we can."

The top Florida games beyond the Discover Orange Bowl -- the Outback Bowl in Tampa and the Capital One Bowl in Orlando -- have SEC-Big Ten matchups. Orlando also hosts the Russell Athletic Bowl earlier in the bowl season. That has tie-ins with the Big East and the ACC.

While the SEC seems likely to keep its flag planted in Florida, and the Big Ten isn't about to vacate the Sunshine State altogether, there could be a spot for the Big 12.

Bowlsby wasn't about to speculate.

"Everybody is kind of holding their cards close to the vest right now," he said.

[RustShack]

The ESPN guys must drive REAL FAST, because I'm pretty sure its a lot more than 6 hours from Ames to Memphis.

[ArrowheadHawk]

Originally Posted by RustShack

The ESPN guys must drive REAL FAST, because I'm pretty sure its a lot more than 6 hours from Ames to Memphis.

648 miles in 6 hours = 108 mph.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Let's also assume that a network with a contract allowing them to walk away after ten years might be inclined to sacrifice long term health of the conference for short term profits.

I don't think anyone here is doubting Fox's understanding of what is good for Fox. Fox jumped at the opportunity to add the flavor of the month over a Louisville program that is poised for long term success that may not be realized monetarily for a few more years. (Then they proceeded to win a BCS bowl and a national championship in basketball...oops.)

NOBODY in the Big East wishes they had kept TCU if it meant not getting Louisville.

Been touting Louisville as a spectacular athletic program on this board since this all began. It was a mistake for the Big 12 to pass them up.