Big 12 Looks to Notre Dame/Arkansas

[TheCheshireCat]

I don't know about you all, but I'm going to be pretty pissed if this happens. Why couldn't they have taken these moves when we were in the conference?

 

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/jun/16/notre-dame-arkansas-come-down/

 

Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, former University of Arkansas football player and big-time power broker in the world of professional and now college athletics, is the driving force behind a potential move that would make the Big 12 the most compelling conference in the history of college football.

 

Jones, according to a source familiar with his thinking, wants his alma mater to play in a league with former Southwest Conference rivals Texas and Texas A&M. A visionary, Jones sees the Big 12 expanding with Arkansas and Notre Dame. Such a conference alignment turns on TV sets across America and sends cash gushing out of Big 12 faucets everywhere.

 

Since moving to the SEC, Arkansas football, once a loud national brand, has faded. Lack of SEC television exposure in Texas, at least until the past couple of years, has eroded what used to be the Razorbacks’ primary recruiting base. The decline of the status of Arkansas’ football program runs deeper than the talent that takes the field every Saturday. The Hogs haven’t developed rivalries as intense as they had in the SWC with their SEC brethren since the football team began participating in the league in 1992.

 

Not that SEC rivalries don’t exist for Arkansas, but they don’t match those the Hogs had with Texas and A&M. The Golden Boot, a 24-karat gold trophy in the shape of Arkansas and Louisiana, is awarded to the winner of the LSU game, but only since 1996. Arkansas first played Ole Miss in 1908 and the teams played seven overtimes in a 2001 meeting. Nice, but not quite Texas.

 

When Jones throws money and influence behind an idea, it tends to work for all parties, especially himself. He purchased the Cowboys for $150 million in 1989. Forbes.com estimates the franchise’s value at $1.65 billion and puts Jones’ net worth at $1.2 billion. Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, would make a nice permanent home for the Big 12 football championship game, just as the Sprint Center would for the Big 12 basketball tourney.

 

It’s more difficult to read Notre Dame’s feelings because the school’s officials don’t get involved in doing business publicly. For all the hits Notre Dame takes as a so-called “hype machine,” the school deserves credit for conducting itself with class.

 

Conspiracy theorists wonder whether the Big Ten, long lusting after Notre Dame, will try to lure the Fighting Irish by recruiting a few Big East schools, blowing up that conference and leaving ND with nowhere else to turn. Ole Notre Dame would not reinforce such evil tactics and could find a more profitable home by joining hands with Texas and the other 10 institutions, including Arkansas, to form a Big 12 TV network that would blow away the hugely successful Big Ten Network.

 

Asked Tuesday about expansion plans, Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said, “We’re not looking to expand at all and certainly we wouldn’t look to expand with any institutions that are in our geographic, five-state area.”

 

Those five states are Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Notre Dame is in Indiana. Arkansas is in Arkansas. Oh Danny Boy, make it happen. Bring the Irish and Hogs to the Big 12?

[iruletheskool]

this would piss me off something fierce

[hskerprid]

I don't know about you all, but I'm going to be pretty pissed if this happens. Why couldn't they have taken these moves when we were in the conference?

 

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/jun/16/notre-dame-arkansas-come-down/

 

Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, former University of Arkansas football player and big-time power broker in the world of professional and now college athletics, is the driving force behind a potential move that would make the Big 12 the most compelling conference in the history of college football.

 

Jones, according to a source familiar with his thinking, wants his alma mater to play in a league with former Southwest Conference rivals Texas and Texas A&M. A visionary, Jones sees the Big 12 expanding with Arkansas and Notre Dame. Such a conference alignment turns on TV sets across America and sends cash gushing out of Big 12 faucets everywhere.

 

Since moving to the SEC, Arkansas football, once a loud national brand, has faded. Lack of SEC television exposure in Texas, at least until the past couple of years, has eroded what used to be the Razorbacks’ primary recruiting base. The decline of the status of Arkansas’ football program runs deeper than the talent that takes the field every Saturday. The Hogs haven’t developed rivalries as intense as they had in the SWC with their SEC brethren since the football team began participating in the league in 1992.

 

Not that SEC rivalries don’t exist for Arkansas, but they don’t match those the Hogs had with Texas and A&M. The Golden Boot, a 24-karat gold trophy in the shape of Arkansas and Louisiana, is awarded to the winner of the LSU game, but only since 1996. Arkansas first played Ole Miss in 1908 and the teams played seven overtimes in a 2001 meeting. Nice, but not quite Texas.

 

When Jones throws money and influence behind an idea, it tends to work for all parties, especially himself. He purchased the Cowboys for $150 million in 1989. Forbes.com estimates the franchise’s value at $1.65 billion and puts Jones’ net worth at $1.2 billion. Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, would make a nice permanent home for the Big 12 football championship game, just as the Sprint Center would for the Big 12 basketball tourney.

 

It’s more difficult to read Notre Dame’s feelings because the school’s officials don’t get involved in doing business publicly. For all the hits Notre Dame takes as a so-called “hype machine,” the school deserves credit for conducting itself with class.

 

Conspiracy theorists wonder whether the Big Ten, long lusting after Notre Dame, will try to lure the Fighting Irish by recruiting a few Big East schools, blowing up that conference and leaving ND with nowhere else to turn. Ole Notre Dame would not reinforce such evil tactics and could find a more profitable home by joining hands with Texas and the other 10 institutions, including Arkansas, to form a Big 12 TV network that would blow away the hugely successful Big Ten Network.

 

Asked Tuesday about expansion plans, Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said, “We’re not looking to expand at all and certainly we wouldn’t look to expand with any institutions that are in our geographic, five-state area.”

 

Those five states are Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Notre Dame is in Indiana. Arkansas is in Arkansas. Oh Danny Boy, make it happen. Bring the Irish and Hogs to the Big 12?

I think that ND is smart enough to realize that the Big 12 is a very unstable conference. Especially since Texas is wielding the "Big Stick". ND wouldn't want any part of Tejas bullying them around.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

I believe if ND goes anywhere it would be the Big 10. Arkansas would be a good addition. TCU might be the other.

[billdozer15]

Pipe dream. ND will not join a conference unless forced, and if forced the only conference they would join would be the Big10. They arent going to throw away their rivalries, they are hooked on tradition, that is the exact reason they are in the situation they are in....refusal to change.

 

Arkansas will never go back to a conference that involves TU.

 

Texas has the easiest road to a BCS game or NC that anyone has ever seen. They have more power and influence than any Div 1 program has ever seen within their own conference. If you thought Tejas and NU didnt get along, Tejas and ND are 100x more the opposite than we were.

 

Mark my words, this will never happen and it is just Jerry being Jerry.

[billdozer15]

I believe if ND goes anywhere it would be the Big 10. Arkansas would be a good addition. TCU might be the other.

I dont think there is anyway Texas is going to allow another school into the Big12 that is within their geographic area and certainly not anymore Texas schools. Why would they want to give any other school the legitimacy of being in the Big12 only so those schools can compete for their recruits. The big12 will be staying at 10 teams until its demise in 2015.

[sd'sker]

the big 12 would be stable with those two teams, it might be stable now, considering TU won't get a better deal anywhere else.

 

i can't imagine the emotion my body would endure if this came to fruition.

 

however, the irish love their independence, first and foremost, apparently. but the big 12 could offer them something the big 10 would never, which is unequal revenue sharing and their own network/television deals. i imagine that comes in at a close second on a list of things the irish love.

 

edit: i could easily see arkansas being enticed back into the old SWC fold.

[MUTigerFan]

Only a Kansas sportswriter could come up with a line like:

Jones, according to a source familiar with his thinking...

 

So, in other words... no one has said anything.

[BeachBuffs]

Beebe could promise to keep them in the North and not move in OU and allow them to keep their home games on NBC, why not, he is brokering deals with individual schools anyhow?

[sd'sker]

Only a Kansas sportswriter could come up with a line like:

Jones, according to a source familiar with his thinking...

 

So, in other words... no one has said anything.

he should have went to mizzou for journalism.

[GMoose]

Pipe dream. ND will not join a conference unless forced, and if forced the only conference they would join would be the Big10. They arent going to throw away their rivalries, they are hooked on tradition, that is the exact reason they are in the situation they are in....refusal to change.

 

Arkansas will never go back to a conference that involves TU.

 

Texas has the easiest road to a BCS game or NC that anyone has ever seen. They have more power and influence than any Div 1 program has ever seen within their own conference. If you thought Tejas and NU didnt get along, Tejas and ND are 100x more the opposite than we were.

 

Mark my words, this will never happen and it is just Jerry being Jerry.

No kidding. The way Notre Dame loves their independence, they wouldn't think twice about join joining the Big UTwelve to bend over for Texas every year. They're wayyyyy to arrogant for that

[TheCheshireCat]

Yeah after my initial shock I just can't see ND going to the Big 12. If they go anywhere, which they obviously do not want to do, it will be the Big 10. They're pretty smart up there and they should realize what it's like to be in a conference with Texas by now.

[sd'sker]

as a college sports fan, nd in the big 12 is as bizarre as tu in the big 10. they just do not fit.

[bugeater17]

Pipe dream. ND will not join a conference unless forced, and if forced the only conference they would join would be the Big10. They arent going to throw away their rivalries, they are hooked on tradition, that is the exact reason they are in the situation they are in....refusal to change.

 

Arkansas will never go back to a conference that involves TU.

 

Texas has the easiest road to a BCS game or NC that anyone has ever seen. They have more power and influence than any Div 1 program has ever seen within their own conference. If you thought Tejas and NU didnt get along, Tejas and ND are 100x more the opposite than we were.

 

Mark my words, this will never happen and it is just Jerry being Jerry.

Exactly, the odds of this happening are slim to none. ND would never leave the rivalries they have with the big ten teams such as michigan and michigan st. Also, i think they realize that they would never be on the same pedestal with beebe that texas is. In other words, never gunna happen.

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Pipe dream. ND will not join a conference unless forced, and if forced the only conference they would join would be the Big10. They arent going to throw away their rivalries, they are hooked on tradition, that is the exact reason they are in the situation they are in....refusal to change.

 

Arkansas will never go back to a conference that involves TU.

 

Texas has the easiest road to a BCS game or NC that anyone has ever seen. They have more power and influence than any Div 1 program has ever seen within their own conference. If you thought Tejas and NU didnt get along, Tejas and ND are 100x more the opposite than we were.

 

Mark my words, this will never happen and it is just Jerry being Jerry.

This