Keep an eye on Oklahoma

southernoregonhusker said:
I'm not sure why we're so loyal to a school that showed us no loyalty during our Big 12 days. Remember, they ended our rivalry game. They chose to play Texas instead.
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It's a good question. I think the innate conservatism in Nebraskans makes any change very difficult to accept. Some moreso than others, and those are the most vocal advocates for going back to the Big XII. That conservatism blinds them to the imbalance, the unfair deals, the lack of loyalty and the backstabbing that went on from the day the Big XII was created.

I've posted the articles about how and why the Big XII was formed over and over. People either don't read them because they don't conform to their worldview or they ignore them because they want to believe in some fanciful past that never really existed.

 
southernoregonhusker said:
I'm not sure why we're so loyal to a school that showed us no loyalty during our Big 12 days. Remember, they ended our rivalry game. They chose to play Texas instead.
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For me it's not so much loyalty to OU. They chose Texas over us, now they are feeling the impact from that. It's more along the lines of beefing up our conference and more importantly our division. The better the competition, the better we have to become.

Plus, playing an old "rival" on a yearly basis would be nice compared to debating whether we will ever be able to call Wisconsin a rival in the next 50 years. Oklahoma vs Nebraska turns heads and could spark some much needed determination to win and be better for 60 minutes.

 
knapplc said:
southernoregonhusker said:
I'm not sure why we're so loyal to a school that showed us no loyalty during our Big 12 days. Remember, they ended our rivalry game. They chose to play Texas instead.
Click to expand...
It's a good question. I think the innate conservatism in Nebraskans makes any change very difficult to accept. Some moreso than others, and those are the most vocal advocates for going back to the Big XII. That conservatism blinds them to the imbalance, the unfair deals, the lack of loyalty and the backstabbing that went on from the day the Big XII was created.

I've posted the articles about how and why the Big XII was formed over and over. People either don't read them because they don't conform to their worldview or they ignore them because they want to believe in some fanciful past that never really existed.
Click to expand...
+1 As always, very well said Knapp.

The Big 12 had it's chance to prevent all of this years ago when that conference was put together. If my memory is correct, and please tell me if I'm wrong, but I believe it was Nebraska who pushed the old Big 8 teams and the incoming Southwestern Conference teams to share the media revenue when it came to the grant of rights contract. Nebraska was outvoted, and the rest of the teams sided with Texas.

This same scenario played out on a whole host of issues, and eventually Nebraska flat out had enough.

Unless Texas decides to go Independent (probably never going to happen), there is no way Nebraska ever goes back to the Big 12. None.

The reality is Oklahoma, and many of the other old Big-8 teams finally see the writing on the wall that Nebraska had been trying to point out for years. And that writing pretty much says:

"Texas does not, and will not act in good faith with whatever conference they currently are in. They will do what's best for Texas. Period. End Stop."

Can you blame Oklahoma for being nervous?

Can you blame Oklahoma for making demands to make there conference more competitive, more lucrative, and thus fairer for the other institutions in their league?

I can't blame them at all. They are holding a Get-Out-Of-Jail Free Card, and it is a single phone call that David Boren can place to either to the Big Ten or SEC to let them know they are ready to jump ship.

This might not happen for a few more seasons, but I do think eventually the Big 12 as we once knew it will dissolve, and Oklahoma along with Kansas will join the Big Ten solidifying the Big Ten West.
 
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Oklahoma leaving right after the NCAA approved for the Big 12 to have a conference championship with 10 teams....that would be comedy gold

michael-jordan-laugh.gif


 
knapplc said:
"Nebraska needs a rival" is a false presumption.
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Never said we needed one. But it would be nice to have one, a real one, one we actually have history with. Having a rival you play mid-season can help motivate you when you may be hitting a slump performance wise. Or playing one at the end of the season can give you an extra burst to finish the season strong.

But no, we don't technically need a rival.

 
Hoosker said:
WEST

-Illinois

-Iowa

-Kansas

-Minnesota

-Nebraska

-Northwestern

-Oklahoma

-Wisconsin

EAST

-Indiana

-Maryland

-Michigan

-Michigan State

-Ohio State

-Penn State

-Purdue

-Rutgers
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Way over weighted in strength to the West. Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Oklahoma would all 'expect' to be division champs every year. You can only have one. The problem with these conferences they way they are realigning is they are all grasping for the 'power' names. In reality, you want good schools with mediocre programs as the power teams within the conference need to 'schedule' wins. What made the Big 8 good for NU and OU was both teams could count on winning out and playing in Nov for the title. The last thing the old Big would have wanted was a third or fourth 'viable' champion to recken with. Losses kill chances for championship. As Barry Switzer once said so aptly: "You don't win national championships! You schedule them!" He was right. You have to win very tough games in the bowls and now in the play offs. You don't want more than one 'great' opp;onent and one or two 'good' ones. The rest need to be 'easy' wins. The Big Ten is becoming a gauntlet. The SEC already is eating its own and Alabama is fortunate to play for titles with losses in their record. Soon, we can envision the two loss team making it in the playoffs and then they calls will be for expanded playoffs to 8 and then to 16 teams. Eventually, college game will be like the NFL. Yuck. Undefeated is and should always be the goal!

 
Bring back the BIG 8! We play OU on Thanksgiving on any network except ABCESPN, and replays are only done on touchdowns! Gerry gets to call his own fouls. Lets get it on 'dillos!

 
The Duke said:
knapplc said:
southernoregonhusker said:
I'm not sure why we're so loyal to a school that showed us no loyalty during our Big 12 days. Remember, they ended our rivalry game. They chose to play Texas instead.
Click to expand...
It's a good question. I think the innate conservatism in Nebraskans makes any change very difficult to accept. Some moreso than others, and those are the most vocal advocates for going back to the Big XII. That conservatism blinds them to the imbalance, the unfair deals, the lack of loyalty and the backstabbing that went on from the day the Big XII was created.
I've posted the articles about how and why the Big XII was formed over and over. People either don't read them because they don't conform to their worldview or they ignore them because they want to believe in some fanciful past that never really existed.
Click to expand...
+1 As always, very well said Knapp.

The Big 12 had it's chance to prevent all of this years ago when that conference was put together. If my memory is correct, and please tell me if I'm wrong, but I believe it was Nebraska who pushed the old Big 8 teams and the incoming Southwestern Conference teams to share the media revenue when it came to the grant of rights contract. Nebraska was outvoted, and the rest of the teams sided with Texas.

This same scenario played out on a whole host of issues, and eventually Nebraska flat out had enough.

Unless Texas decides to go Independent (probably never going to happen), there is no way Nebraska ever goes back to the Big 12. None.

The reality is Oklahoma, and many of the other old Big-8 teams finally see the writing on the wall that Nebraska had been trying to point out for years. And that writing pretty much says:

"Texas does not, and will not act in good faith with whatever conference they currently are in. They will do what's best for Texas. Period. End Stop."

Can you blame Oklahoma for being nervous?

Can you blame Oklahoma for making demands to make there conference more competitive, more lucrative, and thus fairer for the other institutions in their league?

I can't blame them at all. They are holding a Get-Out-Of-Jail Free Card, and it is a single phone call that David Boren can place to either to the Big Ten or SEC to let them know they are ready to jump ship.

This might not happen for a few more seasons, but I do think eventually the Big 12 as we once knew it will dissolve, and Oklahoma along with Kansas will join the Big Ten solidifying the Big Ten West.
Click to expand...
All schools act in their own interest to some extent, but the difference with the Big 10 for example is that fairness and equal participation, and equal opportunity for all members are still the values that drive behavior.

 
Having a rival...is something recruits want to be a part of. I can't imagine that not playing a factor in certain cases of recruitment. Kids want to be a part of marquee games and rivalries.

Or so I think.

 
Hoosker said:
WEST

-Illinois

-Iowa

-Kansas

-Minnesota

-Nebraska

-Northwestern

-Oklahoma

-Wisconsin

EAST

-Indiana

-Maryland

-Michigan

-Michigan State

-Ohio State

-Penn State

-Purdue

-Rutgers
Click to expand...
Purdue says " F*** You! "

 
Coach Power'T said:
Having a rival...is something recruits want to be a part of. I can't imagine that not playing a factor in certain cases of recruitment. Kids want to be a part of marquee games and rivalries.

Or so I think.
Click to expand...
I think it definitely helps in a decision, especially if the kid is expecting an offer from said rival and doesn't get it. Or say both schools are pressing him hard, the on he chooses he will want to step up harder come game time against them. Plus a rivalry game is going to be meaningful to the player when his college days are over.

 
From a football standpoint I just don't ever see Oklahoma breaking away from Texas. Too many OU football players from that state. Right now they will play at least a couple of games a year in the state of Texas. Not sure Texas would agree to keep the RRR if OU bolted. Maybe they could fill their OOC schedule with Texas teams.

 
This topic has been covered in the Other Sports and in the B1G boards, but in short, folks need to remember it's not *JUST* football we're talking about here.

Oklahoma's President wants to raise the University's academic cache. Unless quality expansion candidates (OU President's words w/o definition, not mine) are brought in, that won't happen. Nebraska *HAS* raised its academic cache considerably (in spite of the AAU debacle) by joining the CIC with the rest of the B1G.

Kansas will be taken for basketball, not football. Delaney is a former BB player himself and wants the B1G to be the premiere BB conference in the nation--adding Kansas would pretty much solidify that.

Oklahoma fans want the SEC, but the leadership wants nothing to do with the SEC, as academics aren't exactly stressed in that conference (yeah, it's a shock, I know). Joining the SEC may help football cache, but it certainly won't help (and may hurt) it's academic cache.

The OWH mentioned that a current Big XII AD intimated that the original B1G deal was for five teams (Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, Texas A&M) until A&M got pissy about the money split, so the homework and connections needed to lay the groundwork for B1G expansion for Kansas and Oklahoma is already done. Many times, that's half of the battle right there.

If you want to watch how the wind is blowing, watch Trammell's articles during the off-season. Before the OU AD was talking publicly about not being happy with the Big XII status quo, Trammel was putting out pro-B1G articles. If we start seeing more of those articles this summer, then you'll know things aren't going well.

It is speculated that if Oklahoma and Kansas ask to be released from their GOR, the Big XII would comply. This is because a GOR likely can be broken in court, but it would break GORs for all conferences but the SEC, which would open Pandora's Box re: realignment. Pressure from all of the conferences (save SEC) would be enough for Texas the Big XII to agree.

 
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