I think as outsiders we are misreading the debate that is really going on inside the conference. Although I think some schools have preferences, I don't think the biggest hurdle is about which schools to add. None of them bring enough value in and of themselves to justify inclusion, and none of them will sink or destabilize the conference. To some extent, it just doesn't matter who they add. And I think all the conflicting reports about which schools like which candidates speaks to that. They just don't have strong feelings one way or another on the candidates.Aberzombie1892 wrote:Thank you for those tweets, Robert.
So, it seems like Texas wants UC/UH and Oklahoma wants UC/UConn (at least in the Winter)? At this point, the Big 12 needs to expand by 14, add Tulane and Cincinnati, and get on its hand and knees and beg/do whatever it takes for Georgia Tech and Miami to join. That would be perfect - Louisiana/Ohio/Georgia/Florida all in one expansion with adding one of the top 2 programs in 3/4 states (I'm fudging a little to make Tulane look better, but the point still stands).
The bigger debates are about the long-term stability of the conference and the expansion process has become a vehicle for those fights. Principally, whether or not the Grant of Rights will be extended, and whether a conference tv network will be created. When Boren talks about expanding in a way that guarantees the long-term stability and improves the value of the tv deal, he isn't talking about the very marginal difference between the value added by UConn or Cincinnati or even Tulane. He is talking about what expansion decision will gain UT's commitment to extend the GOR and pursue a TV Network.
The value provided by any of the candidate schools is in pennies, the value provided by the GOR (in stability terms) and the Big 12 TV network agreement is in pounds.
We can all participate in the ****-measuring of Tulane vs. USF, but I don't think that is the discussion that is really happening inside the Big 12. That's why they are so paralyzed right now.