BIG EXPANSION NEWS ON RIVALS

[Water Pony]

DMN Sherrington today, the Eyes of Big 12:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 0c867.html

[Water Pony]

PAC 10 Commissioner on their scenarios:

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/n ... id=5255568

[Charleston Pony]

If the PAC 10 invites the rumored 6 teams from the Big XII and the Big Ten invites Nebraska and Missou along with some Big East schools, I would not be surprised to see the MWC invite Boise, Kansas and KSU to get their group to 12 members and secure a place at the BCS table

If all of that was to go down, the question becomes "what happens to the Big East"? I would think some CUSA East schools might be considered for Big East expansion (UCF? Memphis? ECU? Marshall?) Baylor and Iowa State stand to get hosed in this deal. ACC could virtually kill Big East football if they went after Louisville, West Virginia, Pitt & UConn to expand to 16 and join the "mega" trend (not to mention trying to gain more respect against the SEC)

It's fun to speculate what could happen, but if it happens right away, looks like SMU has positioned itself to be among the "have nots". If CUSA ultimately blows up, I hope SMU can be part of a reconstituted SWC but it could be a pretty weak conference if we end up in something that looks like this:

West: SMU, Baylor, UTEP, Houston, Rice, UNT

South: Tulsa, Ark St, Tulane, La Tech, So Miss, UAB

wild times, indeed...or could this all blow over if Notre Dame joins the Big 10???

[couch 'em]

but if it happens right away, looks like SMU has positioned itself to be among the "have nots".

And we have nobody to blame but ourselves (Copeland, Turner, and the board of trustees) for this. It's too bad that group has potentially doomed us by wasting so much time.

[smupony94]

Just say no to UNT

[Water Pony]

Fear is not unique. Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports nervousness at Arizona, Baylor and TCU:

http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/06/05 ... aylor.html

[SMU89]

But Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky knows it's unlikely his league will remain unfazed by the realignment movement.

"I'm not naïve enough to think that we won't have change, but I just think that we're positioned well for change, " Banowsky said Friday morning.

With Banowsky's blessing, some schools in the league are actively courting bigger, higher-profile conferences.


http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/20 ... nment.html

[PoconoPony]

News this morning indicates 50 Texas politicians are ready to write law forcing any realignments to include: TU, A&M, Tech, and BAYLOR. Suddenly Baylor has political clout and will not be left behind.

[Water Pony]

News this morning indicates 50 Texas politicians are ready to write law forcing any realignments to include: TU, A&M, Tech, and BAYLOR. Suddenly Baylor has political clout and will not be left behind.

http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sp ... ants_texas

[ponyinNC]

why dont we have the same clout? wtf?

[03Mustang]

This is the problem with having an aggie yell leader as governor.

So....Craig James...

[Water Pony]

why dont we have the same clout? wtf?

Downside: The size of our enrollment and number of alums.

Upside: DFW, tradition and trajectory of our FB.

[RGV Pony]

News this morning indicates 50 Texas politicians are ready to write law forcing any realignments to include: TU, A&M, Tech, and BAYLOR. Suddenly Baylor has political clout and will not be left behind.

...and how are they going to do that? Legislature isn't even in session until January. Are they talking about US Reps & Senators? I guess they could have 'hearings'

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

I saw the story about Baylor and the Legislature as well. Does Baylor really have that kind of juice in Austin? If so, that really pisses me off. That would be just about the only thing Baylor brings to the table in a merger. And the "if you don't take us rather than the school you prefer, we'll blow up the whole thing" extortion card doesn't leave a warm fuzzy feeling in the hearts of the extorted.

Mark my words, if the Big-12 South merges with the Pac-10, it is going to be an uneasy marriage from day one. Having grown up in Pac-10 country and now having lived for many years in SWC/Big-12 South country, I cannot think of a bigger clash of cultures. It may be all about the benjamins right now, but I don't see a Pac-10/Big-12 South merger being built to last for all time.

[solomouse]

some of you do not remember that smu was sound asleep as the sw conference fell apart...ken pye "trusted" the ut folks that apparently assured him they would not leave smu behind or go anywhere... i know orsini is awake and at the table,but i fear turner is just about as asleep as pye...remember he came here after ,it is said,demonstrating a less than enthusiastic attitude at old miss,where he was chancellor...remember smu did not put up a dime of jones' salary...that came from boosters...if i were a baylor fan i would urge every baptist preacher in texas to extort their flock in today's sermon....