NY Times: Mizzou move to SEC is "inevitable and imminent"

[Robert1969]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/18/sport ... ref=sports

Which begs the question: why does Cowen and Dickson insist that Tulane MUST have the worst athletic department in history of humankind?

[RobertM320]

Missouri Moves Closer to Joining SEC
By PETE THAMEL

The University of Missouri is heading down a path to join the Southeastern Conference, said a university official with direct knowledge of the situation.

The person said that Missouri’s decision to apply for membership to the SEC was “inevitable and imminent,” although a specific timeframe has yet to be set. Missouri’s Board of Curators will meet on Thursday and Friday at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where the process of withdrawing from the Big 12 and applying to the SEC is expected to begin. Expansion is not listed on the agenda, but there is a private session scheduled Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.

After it applies, the person said that Missouri expected “no problems” with gathering enough votes among SEC presidents for it to become a member.

Although the interim Big 12 commissioner, Chuck Neinas, said last week that he expected Missouri to play in the Big 12 still in 2012, it was possible that it could start play in the SEC as early as next year. Missouri would become the SEC’s 14th member; the league added Texas A&M in September. The SEC would prefer 14 members, as scheduling is a much simpler process with two seven-team divisions.

It is expected that the SEC presidents will tie the same caveat about legal entanglements to Missouri’s application that they did to Texas A&M’s. The SEC has made it clear that they want no part of any legal problems, which held up Texas A&M’s admission for more than a month.

Missouri has emerged as an unlikely linchpin in expansion, considering it has never won a Big 12 title in football. But the futures of the Big 12, the SEC and the Big East were tied to Missouri’s decision.

This news dampens some optimism for the Big East, which appeared to be gaining momentum toward reviving its football fortunes. The exits of Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Texas Christian have the league struggling for survival, and Louisville and West Virginia are considered strong candidates, along with Brigham Young, for Big 12 expansion.

The Big East has made it clear that it would like to add Boise State, Air Force and Navy in football and Central Florida, Southern Methodist and Houston in all sports. The potential problem for the Big East is that it needs stability to remain attractive to potential new members.

Neinas said recently that if Missouri left, the Big 12 would settle at 10 or 12 teams. The Big 12 chairman Burns Hargis, the president of Oklahoma State, said Saturday that he would prefer a 12-team league, but acknowledged that his preference might not matter.

The loss of Missouri would leave Big 12 membership at nine, meaning a likely expansion of one or three universities, prompting more uncertainty and shuffling on the collegiate landscape.

I posted the entire article because a lot of people may not have a registered NYT account.

I highlighted a few things that are encouraging from a Tulane point of view:

1. Missouri could start in the SEC as early as next year.

2. At least one president would prefer a 12-team league,

3. BYU has already stated they weren't interested, and West Virginia is not as good a fit as we are.

Except, we are KILLING ourselves with our incompetence....

[sader24]

BYU stated this weekend that they've never been offered a spot in the Big 12.

[Robert1969]

BYU stated this weekend that they've never been offered a spot in the Big 12.

yeh, but I hear that the Big 12 is trying to re-open negotiations with them. For all the off the field things Tulane could have going in its favor, I think its prospects are dead. 973 fans. No way the Big 12 takes a chance on that.

[sader24]

Here is something from tigerdroppings, doesnt mean anything but guy claims Mizzou to SeC, Tulane to Big 12 and that Tulane to Big 12 shocked him.

http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/p/29 ... e-WAC.aspx

[sader24]

With Mizzou leaving I guess we'll get a better picture of where we actually stand in this whole thing.

[JDTulane]

If we made a big hire NOW then we'd be in such better shape. Every day we fucking wait is more proof RD needs to be fucking fired. Jesus these people are so dumb. It's very upsetting.

[golfnut69]

Mizzou has decided to become the next Ole Miss of the SEC..nice catchy name..but short on results

[Chiz82]

Ole Mizz?

[Bigschtick]

This needs to be moved to the rathskellar!

[golfnut69]

"Ole Mizz ?...a better fit is Ole Pizz"...they will get buried in the SEC...

[RobertM320]

Here's an article dated Oct 18th. We're still mentioned in the Big 1 discussions.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/233003/ ... -texas.htm