Deaton is taking his talents to South Beach

It sounds like they have been doing a lot. Either we are members of a stable Big XII, or we have a very nice fall-back plan.

Deaton: "Deloss Dodds misunderstood - he only wants what is best for Big 12 schools"

Deaton: "LHN is good for Big 12; it is too much money for smaller schools to know what to do with"

Chuck Neinas to bring back the glory days of years gone by?

Chuck Neinas has applied to the Big 12 and is expected to be formally approved as the league's interim commissioner possibly as soon as Thursday, CBSSports.com has learned.

During an interview early Thursday, Neinas said he had been contacted by Big 12 representatives who inquired about his interest in replacing Dan Beebe. "I responded in the affirmative," said Neinas who then submitted his resume.

Neinas also told CBSSports.com that his employment is an agenda item during the Big 12 presidents' conference call on Thursday. CBSSports.com reported Wednesday night that Beebe was expected to leave the league and be replaced on an interim basis by Neinas.

His hiring would seem to be formality considering Neinas has conducted employment searches for seven of the current nine members of the Big 12. The former Big Eight commissioner runs Neinas Sports Services, a consulting firm, out of his home in Boulder, Colo. Until Texas A&M, Nebraska and Colorado left the league, Neinas had done work for 10 of the original 12 conference members.

"I've been around the game a while," said Neinas who was assistant executive director of the NCAA from 1961-71. He later was commissioner of the Big Eight from 1971-80.

"I told my wife, I guess it's like Yogi said, 'It's not over until it's over,' " Neinas said.

Neinas should be a unifying force in a fractured league. Texas AD DeLoss Dodds once worked for Neinas as an assistant in the Big Eight. Neinas said he helped current Texas Tech AD Kirby Hocutt get his first job.

Neinas expects the position to last six months to a year.

I hope he lasts six months to a year.

Missouri DID have an offer; it's not clear if it was contingent on the Big XII collapsing. Tonight could make things interesting.

Yeah....right.....

They did. I'm not sure if they still do. I don't believe everything thing I hear, but I trust this source 100%.

The cashier at the Flying J?

No, although I wouldn't mind a meal there (Joplin location).

Yep. That's why those football juggernauts Syracuse and Pitt were gobbled up by the ACC.

It's tiring really. You need a new tune. BBall is the meal ticket for many schools and conferences.

Just because some schools suck at both doesn't mean you should discount those that are good at bball.

This isn't true.

Neinas started working for the NCAA 50 years ago? Damn, how old is he?

I know it is too much to ask for, but could the announcement be something along the line:

"We decided to grow a pair and officially leave the U R (my) B**** 12."

"I am stepping down from my present position as the man trying to save this crumbling puppet empire to let someone else lose sleep and integrity as Texas and Oklahoma play like they really care about the smaller schools."

"We fully intend to see a invitation to any conference that would have us and save us from having to spend the next couple of years agonizing trying to figure out how to pry more money out of an already "fixed" system."

Duke, Stanford, Kansas, Wake Forest, Syracuse, UConn, Indiana, all immediately come to mind.

There are many more but I'm bored of looking