[NU Sports] Here we go, A&M is leaving the Big XII

[Sportsbiz]

Here in SEC country, the story about not taking a school from an existing
state is said to be just that, a story - leaving both FSU, said to be the
first choice and Clemson still on the board.  I wouldn't be so quick to rule
out Virginia Tech although it doesn't bring much of a TV market.  The 14th
school should come from the east to help the SEC's treasured geographic
split but once you get past those three the candidates begin to thin out.
Louisville had been said to be a Big XII replacement but I don't see it - if
they leave the Big East they are a lot more likely to go to the SEC.
Kentucky has been said to have dropped its opposition so Louisville could be
in the mix.  It doesn't bring a new TV market with it so who knows.  The SEC
hasn't really defined what it wants, at least publicly or even along the
whispernet.

Oklahoma is the first choice although I don't see them leaving Texas behind,
especially as they are working on their own network, something the SEC and
its massive TV contracts would not allow.  It will be an interesting game to
watch - Miami fits the profile: football is the dominant sport, probation
every five years, and an administration that will let anyone in school and
doesn't seem to care what happens once they are there.
Mark

On Wed, Aug 31, 2011 at 1:52 PM, Mike Nolan <nolan at tssi.com> wrote:

> > Something else is afoot here.
>
> Yeah, seems likely.  The SEC has done a good job of playing dumb
> AND hard to get so far, and it's probably still A&M's turn to play.
>
> SMU got stiffed by the Big XII in 1994, lingering fallout from the
> Death Penalty, I guess.  As someone from that part of the country
> once told me back then, what SMU did was forgivable by their SWC
> brethren ('There but for the grace of God go I'), getting caught,
> and then being terminally stupid about it, was not.  Maybe that old
> wound has finally healed.  (I suspect not, Houston was the replacement
> name floated a couple of weeks ago, but that's a downgrade IMHO.)
>
> The most logical change to me would be for Arkansas to move to the Big XII,
> renewing its longstanding ties with Texas schools (less A&M) and Texas
> recruits in the process.  But Arkansas seems to be denying any interest.
>
> N*D* is still the wild card player in a second round of superconference
> musical chairs.  I don't see them as a good fit, geographically,
> academically or culturally, in either the Big XII or the SEC.
>
> Their home, if they ever choose to have one, is in the Big Ten,
> any way you slice it.  But I don't think the Domers are going
> to use that card, or even play the game this time around.
>
> And if the rumors about the SEC schools agreeing not to raid their
> existing states are true, that leaves out most of the rest of the good
> geographical fits, academic and cultural factors probably rule out the
> rest, namely schools in Virginia and West Virginia.  So, where's #14?
>
> I guess that still leaves Missouri as the best candidate for the SEC,
> assuming the SEC wants the Big Ten's leftovers.  And if Missouri goes,
> then that really leaves the Big XII in a pickle, or at least all schools
> that aren't named Texas or Oklahoma.
>
> But here's a wild card option.  What about Pitt?  Yeah, it's a bit
> cold there in November, but I think they fit culturally at least
> as well as Missouri does.  The only negative about them, at least
> according to my son who lives in Pittsburgh, is that NOBODY in
> Pittsburgh gives a damn about Pitt sports.  And in the SEC,
> sports is what matters.  So, ultimately, I think Pitt is a 'no'.
>
> Thankfully, the first kickoff is less than 32 hours away, hopefully
> the on-field games can drown out some of the off-field ones.
> --
> Mike Nolan
>
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-- 
*Mark S. Ament*
sportsbiz at gmail.com
SportsBiz - The Business of Sports
Illuminated<http://thesportsbizblog.blogspot.com>
When it comes to sports, you know it's all about the money
Follow me on Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/msament>


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