Everything Must Belong Somewhere...

...or so says Bright Eyes.  Where do we all belong...that's what we sort through today with a mega-list of links:

(1) The bottom line is Oklahoma will decide where everyone belongs and it looks like they will decide it on Monday.  Brady Deaton agrees, its all up to OU as to what happens next.

(2) SI thinks everyone has lost their mind.  The teams in the Big 12 below where they are.  A funny quote: "The Big 12 does not evoke nostalgic affection. This is the league that diminished and ultimately destroyed Oklahoma-Nebraska, which was one of the top five rivalries in college football. It killed the old Southwestern Conference, which made cheating almost seem charming."

(3) If OU makes the decision to break up the Little 9 by heading west, Texas has a decision to make as to where it belongs.  Texas is scared of the SEC says Out Kick the Coverage.  And they are right.  If you read nothing else, read this.  The two key quotes:

(a) "There's only one issue for Texas -- going to the ACC and flying over the SEC would demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt that Texas is scared of the SEC. Why? Because it makes the most financial sense for Texas to join the SEC.   That is, Texas could make more money in the SEC than any other conference. That's because the SEC allows all schools to retain their local media rights. That means the Longhorn Network is the most feasible of all the major conferences in the SEC."

(b) "Texas, who received an offer to join the SEC last year, hasn't explored the SEC at all even as the very foundation of the Big 12 is rocked. Why? Because unlike their Texas A&M brethren the Longhorns are steers, gelded pansies afraid of competing in a real conference. The Longhorns, plain and simple, are bullies, and bullies don't like to be challenged. Instead of joining the conference they border replete with ready national rivalries, Texas would rather fly over the SEC and join the ACC, conference of perennial football lightweights. All hat, no cattle indeed."
 
(4) Jeff Schultz isn't buying that Texas belongs in the ACC.  Perhaps more accurately, he says that they are swooping in to use the conference.  Frank the Tank Disagrees and says the ACC for Texas makes sense.  The Daily is pushing Texas toward the SEC.  

(5) Who is deciding where programs belong?  Doctors and dentists says CBS Sportsline.  An interesting read about how Trustees are trying to serve as Athletic Directors and are failing in the process.

(6) Where does Dan "Mr. Longhorn" Beebe belong?  Evidently making campus visits to schools that are already united in keeping the Little 9 together.  Makes perfect sense to me.

(7) Perhaps the united part of the Little 9 isn't so united, says SB Nation.  A humorous look at a Missouri town who is suing to try and get kU to drop its athletics mascot.  Note the shirt the kid is wearing in the picture in this article. 

(8) Whatever happens, teams don't belong in conferences over 12 members, says SB Nation.  The reason: they all implode.  Quickly.

(9) Meanwhile, the Big East says Mizzou, kU and k-State belong with them.  A funny story. 

(10) The St. Louis P-D asked where Mizzou belongs and the answers from their experts were a bunch of mindless dribble other than this really funny quote from alum Jeff Gordon: "...and poor Frank Haith has nightmares about the ACC talk. Been there, failed at that."

(11) Frank Haith thinks he belongs at Mizzou, since he claims he did nothing wrong at Miami.  Bernie Miklasz wants Haith to keep talking.  My position hasn't changed: he belongs in the unemployment line.

(12) The KC Star says TJ Moe belongs right where he is: at the heart of the Tiger team. Nothing enlightening here, just a good TJ Moe article.  

 

(13) On to baseball, Jim Leyland belongs in some new underwear.  

(14) The Cardinals?  In going on a massive winning streak and settling their bullpen (Motte) and defense (Punto) it looks like they belong in the postseason.  To do so they will have to join history.  Being 4.5 games back of the Braves in the Wild Card and 5.5 back from Milwaukee in the NL Central with 13 more games left to play, I don't see it happening, but I hope it does.

(13) Finally, ESPN says many Little 9 schools belong in bankruptcy if the league breaks apart.  Some tough numbers on the page to read.  Also tough to read, Mizzou is hot on joining the ACC.  

 

The ACC?  I was mad at first but calmer heads prevailed.  They seem to have what we want: academics, basketball, and a football league we can win in.  Think it over.  More on this and the loss of the Big 12 this weekend or early next week.  

 

Summary

Not much new to report, other than the possibility that Mizzou might join the ACC, something that wasn't really written about much before.  The bottom line is everyone is still trying to sort out where they belong.  The pieces start falling into place next Monday with OU.  It should be an interesting week.

Thanks for reading,

Doug

 

Trouble.

Lots of folks looking like they are in trouble today.  Listen to song by Ray LaMontagne by the same name as you make your way through the links:

(1)  Texas is in trouble.  A&M and OU messed with Texas and won, writes Out Kick the Coverage.  If you read nothing else today, read this.  Some quotes: "The Longhorns believe that they are the lone star in a sky devoid of other celestial bodies. The heliocentric theory meets football, Texas as the sun, the moon, and the stars. Finally, Texas A&M had enough."

And: "Suddenly Texas, the school that was going to own the nation, is riding second saddle, clinging to A&M and Oklahoma for dear life. 

Only most Longhorn fans haven't realized it yet. 

Oklahoma and Texas A&M finally stared down Texas, tumbleweeds blowing past, with both schools poised to fire. Texas blinked first.  

Yes, the Big 12 may well survive thanks to the television contracts. And Texas may well make even more money. 

But money without good games is a dangerous place to find yourself in a country that is soon to be over run with mega-conferences."

Finally: "The Longhorn Network may have won Texas the battle, but in the process Texas A&M and Oklahoma have won the war."

(2) The trouble with trouble, though, is that its all relative.  Who's in more trouble than Texas?  Missouri.  The SEC is putting forward some pretty tough talk about having a 13 not 14 league conference next year with a schedule already in the works.  The Pac 12-20 doesn't seem like it will take us as they'll probably go +2 (OU and OK State) or +4 (TX, TX Tech) but not +6 (Mizzou, kU).  And the Big 10?  The silence is deafening. 

(3) Out Kick the Coverage may be right, the Little 9 might turn Little 7 and then grow to the Awful 7-10: (1) Texas, (2) Texas Tech, (3) Missouri, (4) Baylor, (5) Iowa State, (6) Kansas, (7) Kansas State, (8) TCU, and (9) Houston.  That's trouble, if I've ever seen it.  If you aren't freaking out, now is the time to freak out.

(4) Who else is in trouble?  The SEC.  They are in danger of becoming the second best conference in college football.  To who?  The Big 12, of course.  Breaking up this conference makes prefect sense.

(5) Who else is 'fixin to get in trouble if they don't shut their mouth?  Ken Starr.  Yes, that Ken Starr.  Read his exaggerated editorial and then read this brilliant response.  Some money quotes:

(a) "So, Ken Starr, sit down and let’s have a big boy talk. The truth is, Ken, your little school is going to be thrown off the bus because it hasn’t grown its own product. That’s on you and yours, buddy boy. You’ve been last in the Big 12 in football attendance every single year. You’ve won 18 conference games in 15 seasons. Your stadium is a dump."

(b)  "Unfortunately, the breakup of the Big 12 is upon us, and Baylor is about to see how they live on the other side of town. At least, Baylor will see some old friends there.


For instance, TCU. Baylor dumped TCU in the ditch, and then something remarkable happened. TCU started over and built a great program one brick at a time. Instead of suing people, TCU went to work. SMU also built a new stadium, and UH will break ground on one early next year. Baylor has some catching up to do no matter what conference it ends up in.

It’ll be fun for Baylor to catch up with Rice, UH and SMU and see how the last 15 years have gone.

Don’t worry, Ken. They’ll be totally sympathetic to your plight. You should tell them how important it is to respect history and how awful it would be to tear these wonderful traditions and rivalries apart.
Look them right in the eye, Ken, and tell them you just don’t understand why people would throw these things away."

(6) Pre-Snap Read joins in the fun and says they don't buy what Ken Starr is selling.  Does anyone?

(7) Back to Missouri: we had some trouble at ASU.  We also did some things right.  Here's a good post about both from Rock M Nation. 

(8) SHOCKER: a kU football player is in trouble. 

(9) Maryland students are in trouble with their AD after some unruly fan behavior to an 11 year old boy during their win over The u. 

(10) Finally, the Cardinals manager has them in trouble.  After looking out of the race they climbed back in and are only 3.5 game back of the wildcard.  It could have been 2.5 back after last night, but in LaRussa's desire to win, he managed them to a loss. 

Busy day...no summary.  Take the time you would have taken to read the summary and put out some prayers the SEC invites us to join their party. 

Thanks for reading,

Doug

It's going down...

The theme of the day: its going down.  Feel free to listen to the song of the same name by Vampire Weekend and pull out the emotions/themes you need to get you through the links today: love, hope, despair, loneliness.  They're all here, in the links:

(1) Orangebloods.com says the Little 9 is going down.  The say that OU and OK State will apply for membership in the Pac 12-20 before the end of the month.  Never mind the words from T Boone Pickens saying OK State wants to stay in the Little 9 and never mind the Pac 12-20 commish saying they don't want to expand at present.  Orangeboods says its happening.  And what of Texas?  They say "all options" are being considered.

(2) One of those options for Texas?  Crawling on its hands and knees to Norman to beg OU face-to-face to stay in the Little 9.  Or so tweets @ChuckCarltonDMN of the Dallas Morning News.  He says: "Big 12 school sources confirm high-ranking UT delegation traveled Sunday to Oklahoma City to meet with OU officials about alignment issues."  Two things: (1) the mere thought of this has been the greatest thing to come out of this realignment talk, and (2) if your name is Chuck Carlton of course you live in Texas.

(3) Who didn't like Texas getting down on their hands and knees?  Their BFF Texas Tech.  Reason?  Tech wasn't informed on the high level trip.  They are mad for two reasons: (1) by not being invited they think they might be getting left out of the expansion talk, and (2) they are siding with OU and OK State in thinking its time for the Little 9 to go down.

(4) The Little 9's not going down until A&M officially joins the SEC, tweets @kbohls of the Austin American-Statesman.  His non-so-Texas name is Kirk Bohls, but fear not, Chuck Carlton agrees that the Pac-12 isn't making the first move.  

(5) In the daily finger pointing of what brought down the Little 9, Berry Tramel points the finger squarely at Texas.  The latest rumors are Texas is willing to revenue share if the Little 9 stays together.  It's too little too late, Tramel says.  Its about more than money, he points out, and says for A&M its not about money but about pride and finally getting out of the shadow and away from bully.  For OU?  They aren't mad at Texas and want them the join the wagon train west, Tramel says.  For them, folding the Little 9 is all about believing the conference won't last.  He writes: "They're tired of the drama. Tired of the fatigue. Tired of never knowing what their landscape will look like a year from now."  Tramel also puts forth a new name for the current Little 9: The Big Mess Conference.  I like it.  

(6) What brought Missouri down at the end of the game to ASU?  Something I forgot to mention in my recap: why did we even have two time outs to ice our kicker in the first place.  A great case is made at the every end of this article by Tim McKernan.

(7) Because of injuries we're down to our last remaining running back.  Other options? A walk-on, a red-shirt freshman, and our top receiver, TJ Moe.  

(8) For those conspiracy theorists among us: the Mizzou Board of Curators is meeting tonight to discuss the "System President Search."  Last time they did this, we hired a new basketball "coach" (term used loosely).  Could they announce a new conference after tonight?  Doubtful.

(9) In other news, Bud Selig let the terrorists win last night and (separate issue altogether) this is awesome.  


Summary
(a) We don't know much more than we did a few days ago about conference realignment.
(b) After appearing to be going down in shreds, the Little 9 rebounded for a while, only to be appeared headed down once again.
(c) The next move still rests with OU, as it has ever since they opened their mouth about this two weeks ago.  
(d) In what generally doesn't happen, Gary Pinkel is defending his indefensible coaching decisions last Friday night.  It's unusual and unusually sad.  He's built up enough credit with the fan base to take the blame on this one, and he should.


Thanks for reading,


Doug