[NU Sports] more on A&M

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Interesting tidbits of truth and rumor as we get closer to college kickoff.

I think it's pretty clear now that the Big XII is toast as a major conference.Oklahoma and OSU may round up some old CUSA schools - Houston, SMU, Rice - and try and re-form the old SWC ... but Texas will essentially be an independent and without the Horns or ATM, it would really just be a mid-major league and OU.

If the Sooners could ditch the OSU anchor, you'd have to think they'd love to follow ATM to the SEC (move Bama and Auburn into the east to keep geographic balance ... OU brings in Dallas, ATM brings Houston - big markets each), but that doesn't appear likely.

And poor Kansas and Mizzou may get left without a chair when the music stops (KSU and ISU need to start begging the MAC for entrance :) ).

So the Big XII's toast ... the interesting thing will be to see whether the SEC reaches out to try and break up the ACC as well. FSU and Clemson seem natural fits (Miami may not have a team in a few years :) ) and UNC would be an attractive expanse into a growing Carolina market ... or UVa/Va Tech into DC. Maybe the ACC and Big East could merge to form the mother of all basketball leagues?

The wildest rumor appears to be the one of the Evil Empire and Texas looking to form a conference. Talk about egos ... one is living in the glory days gone by and another living off of a national title every 30-40 years when they probably had the talent to win one every decade. Which schools would dare sign on to be second-raters in that league? :)

I still say the Big Ten needs to just watch the dominoes fall and not do anything unless a leprechaun or Bevo knocks at the door. We've got a solid 12 and don't need to add teams like Rutgers or Mizzou just for the sake of adding teams.

Normally I'd have confidence that Jim Delaney would avoid such hasty, unwise and foolish moves ... but then I remember that that Jim Delaney is gone and the one of pointless, inane and STUPID division names is now the one in charge. The B(C)S idiocy rubbed off on him ... so I guess I should prepare to welcome St. Olafs and SUNY-Schenectady into the league once the SEC expands so we keep up with the low-GPA, scandal-plagued "Joneses" of college football.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!