...Good luck to dear old Texas Aggies; They are the boys who show the real old fight; "the eyes of Texas are upon you;" That is the song they sing so well (Sounds like hell!); So good bye to Texas University." -- Aggie War Hymn
So much to say, but where to start? Here's how I got into this whole mess, if you are interested. Unlike the Big 12-3 I'm wide open for constructive comments on how to improve, so fire away. How did the Big 12-3 get here? I'll attempt to explain that and where we all could be headed below. Sorry for the length and delay in getting this out. While you read, enjoy this appropriate song from The Avett Brothers, Tear Down the House.
How did we get here?
(1) As St. Louis P-D columnist Joe Strauss tweets: "Big 12 died last year. Now the body's growing cold." He also calls the Big 12-3 the Little 9, which is what I will refer to it as from here on out.
(2) The conference wasn't doomed when Nebraska left, its was doomed when Colorado left. We should have recognized they were the canary in the coalmine. If one of your best programs gets picked off for another conference, you're in demand. If a middle tier program leaves your conference for somewhere else, you're in deep trouble. They left the Little 9 for a conference with lower annual payouts and didn't complain. The end was near, we just didn't realize it. Meanwhile, Colorado doesn't like the fact that their old neighbors are talking about moving into the new neighborhood. I kind of think its cute they think they have a say in all of this.
(3) What this comes down to is fairness. College sports are perceived to be a level playing field (debatable): same scholarships, same number of games, etc. What happened in the Little 9 is Texas started throwing its weight around and the perception was things became unfair--quickly. Already the school with the most resources and highest athletic budget, Texas wasn't satisfied with what they had and they reached for more. That more equated into 15 millions dollars a year more than the other institutions which was a far better deal to the little guys than the 25 million dollar gap it looked like it would be initially. Still, it was a tough pill to swallow. In an earlier post about Painter, I alluded that his relationship with Purdue was playing out like a divorce. Here is what I learned about divorces: (1) They are emotional and messy and get really personal at the end, and (2) They generally aren't based on current events/behaviors or future events/behaviors, they are almost always based on events/behaviors that have occurred in the past.
Bottom line, as KC Star columnist Sam Mellinger says on Twitter is: "The Big 12 is the best place for all remaining schools, as long as they believe it is. Problem is, they don't." Because divorces aren't always based on logic and long-term best interests. They are generally emotional and deal with short-term score settling.
Where exactly are we at?
(1) Last Saturday, Oklahoma, announced they had wondering eyes and were exploring options to join other conferences and will have an answer in a matter of "72 hours to 3 weeks."
(2) T Boone Pickens then chimes in that OK State would do whatever OK decides to do. That's the same T Boone who criticized Mizzou for looking to join the Big 10 a year ago. Not that this is any shock because he's always a bit late to the party. After destroying the environment and taking money out of citizens pockets as head of a massive energy company, he's now an environmentalist. After singing the song of Big 12 unity he's now all about leaving the Big 9. In Missouri we have a word for people like T Boone: assholes.
(3) Last night the SEC voted and decided to ask Texas A&M to the prom. A&M will accept the invite on Wednesday.
(4) OU's hand is forced, they need to make a call on what they are doing: sticking with the Little 9 or moving, basically, into whatever conference they want to join.
(5) In his typical form, Dan "Mr. Longhorn Beebe" is doing nothing. Money quote: "Seriously, where is Dan Beebe? Why haven't we heard from the Big 12 Conference commissioner? Why haven't we heard one peep from Dallas that shows us this "aggressive" plan to save the conference from extinction? Why haven't we heard anyone telling us about all the schools that are lining up for a chance to play in the Big 12 (I mean other than the ones that Texas is handpicking to simply keep its TV network empire afloat and allow it to roll on as the unfettered, greedy monster and ruling lord of the land)? Where is someone from this conference, anyone for crissakes, who is telling us something more reassuring than "remain calm … all is well … pay no attention to collapsing walls, burning floors and the scavengers stealing all the furniture"?"
Where exactly are we headed?
(1) Bottom line: it's anyone's guess. When folks are talking about Texas joining the ACC, you know no one has a clue.
(2) Where ever we are headed, Texas is sweating it. Its almost as if A&M knew they couldn't beat them on the athletic field so they would just ruin their world by dissolving the conference and possibly ending their Longhorn Network TV deal. That's not a misprint. Texas over-reached and in doing so destroyed its kingdom. They have no one to blame but themselves. Its somewhat of a sad sight to see these days, the whole regime hiding out in Austin sending out fake positive news reports. It's a lot like Libya. Minus the death and looting.
(3) All signs point to OU heading west and joining the Pac Whatever Conference. Within the article it accurately points out that OK State heads with them. Needing to add two more schools, Texas and Texas Tech would be choice #1 but if they fell through, Mizzou and kU would be choice #2.
(4) The New York Times says Texas is in the expansion drivers seat once again.
(5) It also brings up the unfortunate news that the Big East has allegedly offered spots in the conference to Mizzou, kU, and K-State. Welcome, Mizzou fans, to a 20 team basketball conference (20!) and shitty 10 team football league. That doesn't exactly sound appealing, but at least we won't be left out in the cold like, say, Baylor.
(6) Speaking of Baylor, they think they can sue the SEC and/or get the Texas Legislature involved keep the Little 9 together. Their slogan, Don't Mess with Texas Football, is pretty cute. Almost as cute as a BCS qualifier league letting a small, obscure religious school have the time of their life for a few years. Baylor, its been a good run but its time you all face the facts.
(7) Kansas State bloggers are about as good about predicting the future as the school is picking new mascots.
(8) The Big 10's nightmare scenario: having to pick up Iowa State. Included is the hot new Big 10 logo. For what its worth, the Big 10 is NOT talking expansion and might sit on the sidelines as the Little 9 gets carved up.
(9) If the Big 10 sits this one out, where does this leave Mizzou? Many national media types have us joining the SEC. Most are saying its between us and West Virginia.
(10) Like most things over at Grantland.com, this article by Bryan Curtis about Southern Pride leaves much to be desired. But it does get a few points across. In the south, football is King and in football, the King is the SEC. The last two paragraphs are the most interesting:
"The tight-knit southernness the conference has nurtured is being threatened by …Texanness. As Finebaum puts it, "This is a fraternity, OK? I don't think the upper echelon of the fraternity — which would be Florida and Alabama — are going to be real happy about a bunch of cowboys showing up at a rush party."
For the first few years, A&M likely will be only a part-member of the SEC. Sure, it'll get a Saturday slot on CBS and the right to an annual beatdown at the hands of Alabama. But it'll stand outside the New South winner's circle the SEC has carved out. It's a nightmare, believe me. As a college football fan, there's nothing worse than hearing "S-E-C!" and realizing, with a mix of hate and envy, that they're not talking about you."
I can't help but share some of those same sentiments. While we might be extended an offer to get a weekly Saturday beat down, it won't fully be because they want us or we want them. We might hear the chants, but they won't be referring to us.
Summary
This next week will say a lot about Mizzou football, both on and off the field. Right now it’s too soon to tell what is going to happen and when it’s going to happen. A&M is gone. The ball is in OU's court. At some point we'll end up somewhere. It won't be like anyplace we've been before, but that it what evolution is all about: surviving, adapting, and advancing.
More about Friday's game and last Saturday's debacle coming tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks for reading,
Doug
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