What is CU thinking?

The Big 12 Conference may be on the path to oblivion.  As many as 8 teams may leave--Missouri and Nebraska to the Big 10, while Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A & M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Colorado or Baylor go to the Pac 10.

CU seems to be looking favorably on the possibility of moving conferences, although the State of Texas is putting some pressure on the Pac 10 to make the invite to Baylor rather than Colorado.  Dissed for Baylor?  Isn't Ken Starr their president?  Oh, the humiliation!

How does CU think it might fare in the now-curiously named "Pac 10"?  CU hasn't been a football power since the Bill McCartney days of the 1990's--and some say those were a mixed blessing.  One keeps hoping for signs of hoops-life in Boulder, but not much ever comes of it. 

CU has a long history in the Big 12.  You'd toss that away, and for what?  Being a patsy for USC, UCLA, Washington, Oregon?  Does the name Rick Neuheisel ring a bell? 

It's all about money, of course.  Texas brings a big market so they're wanted everywhere.  Former Kansas coach, Roy Williams, noticed this some years ago when the Big 8 added four Texas teams to make it the Big 12.  Williams sniffed, "They ought to call it Big Texas."

Meanwhile, the "new Pac 10" would add the huge Texas market to Seattle, Portland, the Bay Area, LA, and Phoenix.  That's some big bucks, and that is also the appeal of inviting CU.  Denver is a bigger market than Waco. 

The "new Big 10"--which currently has 11 teams--would add Nebraska and Missouri to make 13, or 14 with Notre Dame.  What's in that for Missouri?  Or even Nebraska, whose football program, while good, is not what it used to be.

Meanwhile, Kansas, K-State, Iowa State, and Baylor--or Colorado--get left in the cold.  It's hard to figure what they might do?  Would KU go Big East and forget football altogether?

I've heard worse ideas.  One of the problems with the Big 12 is that, in football, the rest of the conference is not up to the standard set by Texas.  On the basketball side, frankly, the rest of the conference isn't up to the level of Kansas.  Kansas basketball might actually benefit from playing in the Big East.  Besides, Lawrence is "east," sort of. 

The odd thing is that it's in the best interests of all the Big 12 schools to stay in the Big 12.  That applies even especially for the Texas schools.  They're said to be happy in the Big 12--Texas dominates football, and A&M went deeper into March Madness than Kansas did--so it's not like they're anxious to make the move. 

Is it really all about the money?  Don't they make plenty of money now?

Comments

[DKSampson]

So is it really the Little Four where once was the Big 8 and the Big 12? Or Big East stretches to Kansas and Pac 10 (does Pac refer to the Pacific Ocean?) includes a few places that are no where close to an ocean? In these days of tight budgets, athletics can not be suffering or worrying about the larger travel budgets necessary when conferences span the country. I am mightily confused.

[John Petty]

I heard today, but haven't verified, that Missouri bolted to the Big 10. Probably Nebraska will follow. Kansas will probably land somewhere, but will they take K-State with them?