Big12 to David Boren:

[GoldRusher]

Let me explain something in a fair, honest way so those who don't know a lot about Oklahoma, other than sports, can understand where David Boren is coming from. Oklahoma is a small state with a narrow economic base --- primarily oil & gas and agriculture. We have a lot of defense spending in the state (Tinker AFB, Fort Sill, Vance AFB, headquarters for the FAA, etc.) but that is all Federal spending. State spending has been slowly eroding for university funding over the past 10 years. In fact, it has gotten to the point is was already an embarrassment but now the energy crash has decimated state finances and OU is never, repeat never, going to get enough money from the state legislature to grow and develop like it wants. So, the only and best option is to align with other schools who can provide some synergy to increase the income stream to OU's academic side. A move to the Pac12, not the B1G, is the best shot we have. It may appear to be selfish but it is also a matter of pure survival. We either get better or we will get weaker and fall further behind and never catch up. We need the grant money, we aspire to be an AAU member and we want to maintain our athletic excellence. David Boren is looking toward the future and he is playing poker with people who think they are good chess players. In ten years Oklahoma will have what it wants (and needs!) one way or the other. We have to.

You could replace oil and gas with coal and gas and describe WV/WVU the same way.

 

[Deep Creek]

Let me explain something in a fair, honest way so those who don't know a lot about Oklahoma, other than sports, can understand where David Boren is coming from. Oklahoma is a small state with a narrow economic base --- primarily oil & gas and agriculture. We have a lot of defense spending in the state (Tinker AFB, Fort Sill, Vance AFB, headquarters for the FAA, etc.) but that is all Federal spending. State spending has been slowly eroding for university funding over the past 10 years. In fact, it has gotten to the point is was already an embarrassment but now the energy crash has decimated state finances and OU is never, repeat never, going to get enough money from the state legislature to grow and develop like it wants. So, the only and best option is to align with other schools who can provide some synergy to increase the income stream to OU's academic side. A move to the Pac12, not the B1G, is the best shot we have. It may appear to be selfish but it is also a matter of pure survival. We either get better or we will get weaker and fall further behind and never catch up. We need the grant money, we aspire to be an AAU member and we want to maintain our athletic excellence. David Boren is looking toward the future and he is playing poker with people who think they are good chess players. In ten years Oklahoma will have what it wants (and needs!) one way or the other. We have to.

Very honest and forthright commentary. I'm not in the know as you are but the part about university funding eroding is exactly correct from the articles I've read while visiting my relatives in Yukon, OK. They also tell me the state is in a bind financially on several fronts.

 

[romeo212000]

Remember when OU wanted to go to the PAC? Good times

No worries though, good ol WVU rode in for the rescue..

That story ain't over yet. There's a pretty decent chance OU ends up there after all and wvu will be left holding their dicks.

 

[Innermind]

If the Big XII would eventually fold and get carved-up by the other P-5 conferences, I believe Iowa State, K-State, and Texas Tech would be in trouble and would not get a position in a P-5 conference.

Here is a hypothetical Big XII dismemberment scenario... unrealistic.... sure.... but just for funsies, let's increase the B1G, SEC, ACC, and PAC to 16 members at the expense of the Big XII:

-Oklahoma and Kansas to the B1G West Div. (Purdue slides over to B1G East Div.)

-Texas and Houston to PAC (sorry Texas Tech, but metropolitan Houston is much more attractive to the PAC than the Lubbock area)... to get the PAC to 16, possibly add Notre Dame and Boise State and create a PAC Eastern Div consisting of ND, Texas, Houston, Colorado, Boise St, Utah, Arizona, ASU.... the PAC West Div would then consist of the 4 Cali teams, 2 from Ore, and 2 from Wash.

-Oklahoma State to SEC West and West Virginia to SEC East

-ACC is comfortable including small private schools as it already has 5 of them (Miami, Wake, Duke, Syracuse, BC).... so, the ACC gets into the Texas market by adding both Baylor and TCU as travel partners.



Again, Iowa State, K-State, and Texas Tech get screwed.... Sorry, but Ames, IA, Lubbock, TX, and Manhattan, KS are just not attractive enough to the P-5. So.... Iowa State to the MAC.... and K-State and Texas Tech to the MWC.



Again.... this was just for funsies.... not for realism.

 

[Deep Creek]

If the Big XII would eventually fold and get carved-up by the other P-5 conferences, I believe Iowa State, K-State, and Texas Tech would be in trouble and would not get a position in a P-5 conference.

Here is a hypothetical Big XII dismemberment scenario... unrealistic.... sure.... but just for funsies, let's increase the B1G, SEC, ACC, and PAC to 16 members at the expense of the Big XII:

-Oklahoma and Kansas to the B1G West Div. (Purdue slides over to B1G East Div.)

-Texas and Houston to PAC (sorry Texas Tech, but metropolitan Houston is much more attractive to the PAC than the Lubbock area)... to get the PAC to 16, possibly add Notre Dame and Boise State and create a PAC Eastern Div consisting of ND, Texas, Houston, Colorado, Boise St, Utah, Arizona, ASU.... the PAC West Div would then consist of the 4 Cali teams, 2 from Ore, and 2 from Wash.

-Oklahoma State to SEC West and West Virginia to SEC East

-ACC is comfortable including small private schools as it already has 5 of them (Miami, Wake, Duke, Syracuse, BC).... so, the ACC gets into the Texas market by adding both Baylor and TCU as travel partners.



Again, Iowa State, K-State, and Texas Tech get screwed.... Sorry, but Ames, IA, Lubbock, TX, and Manhattan, KS are just not attractive enough to the P-5. So.... Iowa State to the MAC.... and K-State and Texas Tech to the MWC.



Again.... this was just for funsies.... not for realism.

Or (again just for funsies) OU and Texas go to the PAC 12, the leftovers pick up Houston and Tulsa for a ten team group of 5 conference...probably the best one in the country. (Kansas, Okie Lite and Tech would go nuts. The best for Kansas would be drop football and join the Big East. They'd fit right in with the hoops teams.)

 

[ralphiewvu]

Lol. West Virginia is so scared to death about the big 12 falling apart. We're fucking Oklahoma. We do what we want, when we want. If we decide to leave, there really won't be a damn thing any of the other schools can do to stop it.

Like you clowns are going anywhere with out your cousins in Austin.

 

[romeo212000]

Like you clowns are going anywhere with out your cousins in Austin.

Why do we need Texas? If we leave the rrso game doesn't go away.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

Why do we need Texas? If we leave the rrso game doesn't go away.

Because NOBODY wants Oklahoma's TV market and the smallish Oklahoma recruiting pipeline by itself.
The academics are not helping either.

1) The SEC already has the SEC NETWORK as "in market" for the greater OU fan base market.
It makes little sense for them to pick OU over the more lucrative options in North Carolina and Virginia/DC.
There are millions and millions better reason for the SEC to go NC and VA first.

2) The ACC makes zero sense for either side. It would actually lose money for OU.

3) The Big 10 will not take any non AAU schools.

4) So, the only option is for the Sooners to go West.
But, they need a TV market partner as well for the PAC-12. OKC is not enough for the PAC Network and travel.
Luckily for OU, the states of VA and NC are not competitors for the PAC-12.
So, the Sooners need to bring along Texas, Texas A&m, or maybe Kansas.
A&M - no chance
Kansas - who knows?? They seem more likely to be a Big 10 holdout eventually.
Texas - Only if the LHN doesn't exist.


Which brings us all the way back to the REAL reason Boren is on a one man crusade to get rid of the LHN.

 

[ralphiewvu]

Why do we need Texas? If we leave the rrso game doesn't go away.

You honestly think the SEC would take you and Jr with your lack of tv market?? I have a hard time believing that, especially when there could be others at play. (UNC and VPI)

Any other conference you need Tejas or you won't get into. ACC as said, makes no sense for OU.

Plus even then, both OU and Tejas will have a tough time leaving instate schools ala your little brothers because your states legislatures. Prolly will need to bring a few along.

It ain't all about athletics, specifically football homer.

 

[romeo212000]

Because NOBODY wants Oklahoma's TV market and the smallish Oklahoma recruiting pipeline by itself.
The academics are not helping either.

1) The SEC already has the SEC NETWORK as "in market" for the greater OU fan base market.
It makes little sense for them to pick OU over the more lucrative options in North Carolina and Virginia/DC.
There are millions and millions better reason for the SEC to go NC and VA first.

2) The ACC makes zero sense for either side. It would actually lose money for OU.

3) The Big 10 will not take any non AAU schools.

4) So, the only option is for the Sooners to go West.
But, they need a TV market partner as well for the PAC-12. OKC is not enough for the PAC Network and travel.
Luckily for OU, the states of VA and NC are not competitors for the PAC-12.
So, the Sooners need to bring along Texas, Texas A&m, or maybe Kansas.
A&M - no chance
Kansas - who knows?? They seem more likely to be a Big 10 holdout eventually.
Texas - Only if the LHN doesn't exist.


Which brings us all the way back to the REAL reason Boren is on a one man crusade to get rid of the LHN.

Keep telling yourself all that trash. Any other conference would jump at the chance to take OU by itself.

 

[romeo212000]

You honestly think the SEC would take you and Jr with your lack of tv market?? I have a hard time believing that, especially when there could be others at play. (UNC and VPI)

Any other conference you need Tejas or you won't get into. ACC as said, makes no sense for OU.

It ain't all about athletics, specifically football homer.

Who said anything about junior coming along?

 

[ralphiewvu]

Who said anything about junior coming along?

I'm saying the Oklahoma legislature, which I imagine is 50/50 alums from both schools will not let OU go to any conference they want without Jr without a fight.

 

[romeo212000]

I'm saying the Oklahoma legislature, which I imagine is 50/50 alums from both schools will not let OU go to any conference they want without Jr without a fight.

Oh they'll put up a fight, but eventually they'll have to let it be.

 

[ralphiewvu]

Oh they'll put up a fight, but eventually they'll have to let it be.

Maybe, but they can vote down funding or other stuff over it. In the end it will hurt.

 

[romeo212000]

Maybe, but they can vote down funding or other stuff over it. In the end it will hurt.

Just sit back and watch.

 

[Deep Creek]

It ain't all about athletics, specifically football homer.

This. If it was all about FOOTBALL, this realignment shit would have looked a hell of a lot different. It ain't about football at all. It is about TV. You think Rutgers and Maryland were invited for their football?

And now the research dollars are kicking in. I would say football is third now. TV viewership dollars first, research dollars second, football/other athletics third. Notice which one doesn't have $$$.

 

[ralphiewvu]

Just sit back and watch.

 

[Deep Creek]

Keep telling yourself all that trash. Any other conference would jump at the chance to take OU by itself.

If it were totally dependent on football or athletics they damn sure would. Not many have better overall athletic programs than OU. But, it ain't about that.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

It is not about the name OKLAHOMA.
Nobody is trash talking the name OKLAHOMA. It has incredible athletic tradition.
Athletics alone = OU is desirable, but that aint the case.

It is about the TV markets and money. OU cannot change where they are located.
Culture, Geography, and Academics are also important.

The SEC NETWORK is already in the Oklahoma wheelhouse.
It wont be able to add any new subscriber fees, because it is already there in market for 70% at least of OU.
Adding Oklahoma doesn't really add academics or recruiting either.

But, if the SEC were to go to Virginia and North Carolina....they get two top 10 states with a ton of wealth.
And the SEC NETWORK is not a primary market in those giant wealthy markets.
Plus, there is a gold mine of recruiting in those areas with better academics to boot.

IF the SEC ever expands, schools from VA and NC will apply first.
And the SEC would be ridiculously stupid to pick Oklahoma over either of those money makers.

 

[romeo212000]

The SEC extended an offer to Oklahoma last time they expanded. The state regents nixed the deal because they demanded we bring along our slow little brother and the sec said no thank you.