[Husker] More 'smoke' for the Big 10 fire...

[Steve Reichenbach]

I really wouldn't characterize statements coming out of UNL as
non-denial denial.  They said that the KC radio report was false
(as it almost certainly was on its face), but have made clear that
NU is considering its options which appears to include discussions
and perhaps even negotiations with the Big 10.  At the same time,
NU has stated that it remains a member of the Big 12, which also
is true.  I read the statement as denying that a formal offer has
been extended but leaves open that NU is discussing terms (which
might involve informal offers) with the Big 10.  I don't think
they could be much more forthcoming (as talking about negotiations
would be counterproductive).

As to proactive versus reactive, I think NU has signaled publicly
that it is willing to talk which implies a willingness to join
the Big 10 under the right conditions (otherwise, why talk and
consider what is best for NU?).  In this kind of situation, you
have to be asked in order to say yes, so there is a limit to how
proactive one can be.  Here, my reading is that NU has made clear
that it is quite interested.

As has been written about, I think NU is very fortunate to have
Perlman and Osborne at the helm.  Perlman is a respected academic
and Osborne is a respected AD.  This hasn't been much discussed,
but Perlman will place a high importance on the academic quality
of the Big 10.  (More has been written about what the Big 10 is
thinking about academic quality.)  This would be a nice move in
terms of academics (insomuch as conferences matter to academics).

I think this is a great move for NU if it happens.  If Notre Dame
doesn't join (which seems likely) and the Big 10 decides to go to
16 schools (in addition to the three other rumored candidates of NU,
Missouri, and Rutgers), I'd like to see KU added in the west (as a
better basketball school than Syracuse) and Maryland added (as a
better academic institution than Syracuse with two media markets
in Baltimore and DC).


> This may not exactly be "reporting" with actual sources being named - but I am willing to bet there is some truth to this. Yesterday's "non-denial" denial smelled funny. Maybe I've been in the news business too long - but I think there is something to be read between the lines.
> 
> Regardless, I hope Nebraska is proactive instead of reactive. We should lead the charge instead of waiting around to see what happens.
> 
> The only hint of actual reporting here is in the title. Nowhere in the
> article does it actually say that the author received information indicating
> that there will be 16 teams. Everything is clearly stated as conjecture (so
> it's not the author's fault). Mostly smoke here, I'm guessing. And of course
> Notre Dame is the key; duh. The most interesting part was the speculation
> that Nebraska would immediately receive a full cut upon joining the
> conference; I hope that is in fact the case, should this all go down.
> 
> Also, I love the random Zac Lee picture.
> 
> Aaron
> 
> 
> On Tue, May 11, 2010 at 3:21 PM, Skylar Dodds <sklarbodds at cox.net> wrote:
> 
> >
> > http://www.detnews.com/article/20100511/OPINION03/5110390/Sources--Big-Ten-h
> > eaded-to-16-team-super-conference<http://www.detnews.com/article/20100511/OPINION03/5110390/Sources--Big-Ten-h%0Aeaded-to-16-team-super-conference>
> >
> > or
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/2d622sr
> >
> > Based on all the smoke and the 'non-denial' from the University yesterday
> > I'm definitely starting to believe there's some real truth to this, IMO.