Big 12 Breakup sucks rocks

[jayhawk]

I understand why Nebraska is doing this. but it sucks.

 

Am I unhappy because we might get screwed? sure. I don't like that, but believe it or not that is NOT my point here.

 

Do I not understnad that in a conference of more power centers, Nebraska will feel less bullied and more respected, yup. Got that. Understand it, too. Even agree.

 

Do I not know that the Big 10 has all AAU schools and some more TV money, yup, check and.... check.

 

So why does it suck? This is all awesome right?

 

Nope. Not awesome. This is a huge step toward the long term destruction, or at least strong devolution, of why I care about college football.

 

This is only about money. Money is what I don't like about pro sports. It is why I am a college sports fan. I lived about the same distance from KU and Arrowhead, and growing up the Chiefs were a lot better than the Jayhawks in their respective levels. When I got old enough to get my own season tickets, I went west. I loved to watch Mizzou and K-State come in and the passion people had for the TEAMs. The fight songs with actual words. The fans who were not mostly drunk and full of cursing venom. So what was there to like when NU came to town? I liked how knowledgeable and poilte the fans are. How they respected the history of the game and effort of the oppostition. Hey Jayhawk, that is all the same, nothing has changed, we will still be all that.... why wouldn't we be? We did what was right for us...

 

Washington vs. Texas as a conference game. Penn State vs. Nebraska in November... Compelling TV, but it is compelling because those powers were dominant in their regions, and when they would meet at year end in a bowl it settled things. Now it is just the NFL light... It won't become that overnight, but make no mistake where it is headed. This is not all NU's fault mind you, but don't pretend you didn't play a major role and history will note it for better or worse.

 

Well gents, I can honestly and sincerely say I am very sorry to see you go. I understand why you are ending the longest uninterupted streak in all of college football. I liked having you to Lawrence for the last, well, my entire life, my dad's life, my grandpa's life, and even my great grandpa's life (he was not a KU fan, though). I do not harken back to leather helmets, the wedge, or think all change is bad. I think this one sucks. Mizzou looks to be with us still for now. I hate them, and for all the right reasons. I hope they don't go to the Big 10. Not because I wish them ill will, which of course I do, but because them leaving would dramatically reduce all the things I like about college football even more. I LOVE to play them, LOVE to beat them, and if we never lost to them it would be no fun when we win. But now, in the end, this is all about money. If money is all it is, you need to pay the players (why don't they get their cut for being flown all around everywhere, seems like a scholarship isn't such a fair shake now), ditch the tax exempt status (this ain't charity, boys), and just wait til the shine comes off and college football is just the NFL minor leagues. That takes time to manifest itself, a long time even. Great traditions die hard and a lot of change is good (like the Huskerboard, nice tool we have here...) But please know that these changes will continue the evolution of the nature of sport. This one goes into making College Football even more a regular business. Impossible to argue that it doesn't, as no serious commentators try.

 

I wish you all no ill will. I love the Huskers, I will miss them, I understand about the Big 12 not working out and wish you all well. Next time I am in Lawrence and in the Big 6 room at the Eldridge Hotel, I will reflect on the changing face of college sports, about how it is changing for the worse. About how I won't see my friends to the north coming around anymore. The 3 hour drives didn't have enough money in them, now it is 8 hour drives and flights... like in the NFL...

 

Good luck with your new conference. I do hope it works out for Huskers, and more importantly, for college athletics as a whole. I hope for all our sakes the next 100 years will be as rewarding as this last 100...

[jayhawk]

[hskerprid]

Who knows, maybe the Big 10 will come to their senses and bring along KU if just for the BB.

Alot of us will miss the Jayhawks as well. I live in Kansas for craps sake. It's just too bad that theres another team in the Big 10 that's purple with a Willie the wildcat as well. Just can't seem to get away from them....I live in Manhattan

[Manhattan]

I don't feel bad for the Big 12. I feel bad for the people who live there. It is a huge part of American culture to jump in your vehicle with your buddies and drive over hill and dale to see your team play. Lawrence to Lincoln? Let's do it. Austin to Seattle... Not so fast. It is like a whole regional culture is being destroyed for better national TV, even though people in the region probably care more about Kansas-Missouri than Kansas-Arizona State.

 

There is actually a similar thing that happened in New York. We have this school here, a third-tier school (still respected though) called St. John's University. Perhaps you have heard of it - it is located in Queens. They used to be a huge powerhouse basketball team because they played all around NY, the people loved them, and big conference games were in the most famous arena in the sport - Madison Square Garden.

 

With the advent of national television and more practical travel, you could play in far off teams in nowhere and still get on TV and be recognized. St. John's will never have a first-rate basketball team again. They used to be a far more central part of New York's sports culture.

[Nexus]

Hey Jayhawk, keep a close eye on the news about the meeting between UT and A&M tomorrow afternoon. Supposedly they're going to decide if they'll stay in the Big 12 or bolt for the Pac-10. If they stay, there are rumors that one of among several teams could be invited to join the Big 12.

 

At the moment it's looking like just Nebraska is leaving the Big 12 while Mizzou stays behind. If that's the case, then the Big 12 can still exist if everyone comes to an agreement to keep it going. Just add another team and call it a day.

[skersfan]

Its all excitement now Jayhawk. The reality of it will hit down the road in another year or so. When all the history and tradition of the Big 10 schools are on display we will bring nothing to that table, only in the future.

 

We will miss those Kansas games and their great and respectful fans. Really only a line seperating the same people. We are moving into a totally different center. It will not be easy for us is my guess, but in the long run it is best for Nebraska.

 

I truly hope Kansas is brought along.

[jayhawk]

Hey Jayhawk, keep a close eye on the news about the meeting between UT and A&M tomorrow afternoon. Supposedly they're going to decide if they'll stay in the Big 12 or bolt for the Pac-10. If they stay, there are rumors that one of among several teams could be invited to join the Big 12.

 

At the moment it's looking like just Nebraska is leaving the Big 12 while Mizzou stays behind. If that's the case, then the Big 12 can still exist if everyone comes to an agreement to keep it going. Just add another team and call it a day.

 

I will still miss NU. I don't care much what the Texas schools do. I would trade the whole state of Texas to keep my old Big 8 together, or at least the 5 in the Kansas City Radius that has been together for so long. Okie State has no choice in this, and frankly OU doesn't either. Their hand is really forced. CU has always been an odd fit. Liked going to Boulder, but it is a long trip to there for this or most conferences, so they will likely never be truly home anywhere... But I guess I will miss them too.

[307husker]

KU is a basketball school. NU is a football school. We have more meaningful history with OU than anyone and that was thrown under the bus about 15 years ago. We have to get over the Big 8, it's dead, time to look to the future instead of the past.

[RedNeckHusker]

I don't feel bad for the Big 12. I feel bad for the people who live there. It is a huge part of American culture to jump in your vehicle with your buddies and drive over hill and dale to see your team play. Lawrence to Lincoln? Let's do it.

 

that's it in a nutshell. The days of getting up early on Saturday morning to drive to a game are pretty much over unless you live within 3-4 hours of Lincoln AND you have some inside track to home game tickets

 

College football is getting ready to be permanently altered, and not for the better.

 

I don't like it at all.

 

I'm going to be following the MIAA (D2) conference more this year. A lot more fun to actually go to games even if they are D2.

[brotherofalatehusker]

Hey Jayhawk, keep a close eye on the news about the meeting between UT and A&M tomorrow afternoon. Supposedly they're going to decide if they'll stay in the Big 12 or bolt for the Pac-10. If they stay, there are rumors that one of among several teams could be invited to join the Big 12.

 

At the moment it's looking like just Nebraska is leaving the Big 12 while Mizzou stays behind. If that's the case, then the Big 12 can still exist if everyone comes to an agreement to keep it going. Just add another team and call it a day.

 

I will still miss NU. I don't care much what the Texas schools do. I would trade the whole state of Texas to keep my old Big 8 together, or at least the 5 in the Kansas City Radius that has been together for so long. Okie State has no choice in this, and frankly OU doesn't either. Their hand is really forced. CU has always been an odd fit. Liked going to Boulder, but it is a long trip to there for this or most conferences, so they will likely never be truly home anywhere... But I guess I will miss them too.

 

 

I will miss the Jayhawks too IF this all comes to fruition... KU fans have class as opposed to .... well, some of those other places... (

 

[deedsker15]

i am gonna miss getting are butts handed to us in b-ball by kansas...oh well...we now have the whole big 10 to do it...

[JTrain]

I'm with you, and regardless of the Big 10 vs. Big 12 debate, the coming changes in the overall landscape of college football do not appear for the better, IMO, and it's pretty sad.

[Captain K]

Hey Jayhawk, keep a close eye on the news about the meeting between UT and A&M tomorrow afternoon. Supposedly they're going to decide if they'll stay in the Big 12 or bolt for the Pac-10. If they stay, there are rumors that one of among several teams could be invited to join the Big 12.

 

At the moment it's looking like just Nebraska is leaving the Big 12 while Mizzou stays behind. If that's the case, then the Big 12 can still exist if everyone comes to an agreement to keep it going. Just add another team and call it a day.

Let's hope our (possible) move to the big 10 is the entire shake-up. The Big 12 adds TCU or someone similar and the beat goes on. Texas schools going to the Pac 10 is ridiculous IMO. Too much distance between the schools. UT, aTm, OU and OSU to the SEC is believable, but unnecessary.

[suh_fan93]

I feel for you Jayhawk and as much as I enjoyed the victories that we did have against Kansas or any other Big 12 team for that matter and no matter how bad the losses stung from Big 12 teams I did not care for in the end those teams like Kansas still mean something to me. I hope everything works out for KU. I am going to be pulling for you and the rest of the Big 12 teams in hopes that everyone comes out a winner.

[whateveritis1224]

One thing I'm wondering is why exactly is Texas pushing to move to the Pac-10? Sure Nebraska's a big part of the Big XII (gives the conference a legitimate conference championship game, except Nebraska hasn't been at it's best this past decade), so what's stopping Texas from grabbing another team from somewhere (say Houston, TCU, any team that's been named recently) to fill the 12 team line and then see just how much money they can get when the next round of TV contracts comes up.

 

Texas is pointing it's fingers at Nebraska for breaking up the Big 12 when it'd be just as viable a conference just as long as Texas and Oklahoma were in it. Then in 4 years (or in a couple years) when everyone's looking towards expanding to 16 teams, try to grab the best of the MWC and Conference USA, maybe even Louisville.