The Big 12

[Robert1969]

Robert, "maroon" is a shade of red.

It was something one of the cartoon characters used to say back in the 70's. One of the Warner Brothers characters, I forget which one.

Bugs Bunny. "What a maroon!"

[sader24]

Nobody has disputed the Tuberville comment.

[Wavetime]

Good Article

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/9202 ... ers/page/2

[ExileWave]

Good Article

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/9202 ... ers/page/2

THIS is why this hire is so freekin' important. The "same ole Tulane " doesn't cut it any more. I am just not sure that SC's reputation doesn't kill things before they happen. Maybe he "gets it" now, but will he do the right/ best thing?

[jonathanjoseph]

FYI the Bleacher Report is no credible form of journalism. It's no more official than any post or poster here.

I know the CEO they brought in to make the place seem professional and credible and he's doing a heck of a job putting lipstick on that pig.

[Dave breslin]

Although I'm a cynic with this leadership, TU has so much to offer. We need a better vision and implementation. For instance, why not build a stadium using the fly area of the park. Unique view of the river and parking and tailgate area is mute. But bottom line is better coaching( couldn't be any worse) with motivated athletes. The atmosphere and aura is in a cmatose state(similar to our ad).

[RWR]

Although I'm a cynic with this leadership, TU has so much to offer. We need a better vision and implementation. For instance, why not build a stadium using the fly area of the park. Unique view of the river and parking and tailgate area is mute. But bottom line is better coaching( couldn't be any worse) with motivated athletes. The atmosphere and aura is in a cmatose state(similar to our ad).

The Big 12 has no interest in a school w/a 25,000 seat OCS and that's what Tulane will announce in they are building in the next couple of weeks.

[jonathanjoseph]

Although I'm a cynic with this leadership, TU has so much to offer. We need a better vision and implementation. For instance, why not build a stadium using the fly area of the park. Unique view of the river and parking and tailgate area is mute. But bottom line is better coaching( couldn't be any worse) with motivated athletes. The atmosphere and aura is in a cmatose state(similar to our ad).

The Big 12 has no interest in a school w/a 25,000 seat OCS and that's what Tulane will announce in they are building in the next couple of weeks.

+1.

edit: the Big 12 knows the Dome is still available, so that shouldn't (hopefully) prevent Tulane from admission to the Big 12. What seems likely to happen is that the stadium will be built and once Tulane is admitted to the Big 12 will end up playing most every single game in the Dome without the current sweetheart deal and the stadium will be instantly obsolete. It will be an expensive and unfortunate way but hopefully will be the final testament to Cowen/Dickson's incompetence that will get one/both removed (assuming we haven't forced Dickson out before then).

[OUG]

Whatever stadium plans we build will be in concert with Big 12 talks. And I doubt the official capacity will be 25k. Likely 30k, same as Cincy. A deck can be added to boost by 10-15 very easily.

Time will tell.

[RWR]

Whatever stadium plans we build will be in concert with Big 12 talks. And I doubt the official capacity will be 25k. Likely 30k, same as Cincy. A deck can be added to boost by 10-15 very easily.

Time will tell.

The 25,000 includes decks. The number is 25,000. That's how small the space is.

[jonathanjoseph]

Whatever stadium plans we build will be in concert with Big 12 talks. And I doubt the official capacity will be 25k. Likely 30k, same as Cincy. A deck can be added to boost by 10-15 very easily.

Time will tell.

The smallest Big 12 average attendance is 40K and average attendance is close to 60K.

The Big 12 may sign off, but that doesn't change the fact that it's both dumb and shortsighted.

[sader24]

I'm growing more and more of the opinion that the Big 12 rumors were either unfounded or serious serious longshots that have never been discussed at any high levels with any seriousness.

[Fred Dowler]

I'm growing more and more of the opinion that the Big 12 rumors were either unfounded or serious serious longshots that have never been discussed at any high levels with any seriousness.

Exactly right.

Why on earth would Tulane's recent on-field history and regular attendance be factors all of a sudden deemed unimportant by the decision-makers in this?

The insiders/cheerleaders group seemed to have insisted that that was the case but such a contention really, really strains all credibility.

Tulane may or may not have some kind of potential that might be appealing to them but first they do have to see some substantial evidence of the program moving forward and winning games and drawing or starting to draw decent regular attendance as signs.

[superwavefan]

I'm growing more and more of the opinion that the Big 12 rumors were either unfounded or serious serious longshots that have never been discussed at any high levels with any seriousness.

Ok, cause I heard differently. Heard that there were presentations with power points and the works.

[DrBox]

I think they had and have more legitimacy than ascribed above.
One obvious point: does anyone believe that Scott Cowen just woke up one morning and said "let's spend $10 mill on a football coach"?

[sader24]

I want to believe, but we brought RR down here and made him an offer and he wasn't really considering us unless there was nothing else out there. We had the most knowledgeable poster on the Internet telling us we had a splash hire......nothing. Does anyone think the same couldnt have happened with the Big 12. There might have been 10 schools that had presentations with only 1 to 3 spots available. It's hard to know whats real and whats not at this point, its hard to know how serious the other side is. Just b/c these 2 think we have a coach or think we have a real shot at Big 12 doesnt make it accurate. I hope I'm totally wrong, but watching things unfold make me feel every bit as pessimistic about their ability to accurately assess situations as I felt 3 months ago. I also cant for the life of me understand why we would be building a 25k stadium if we think we have a legit chance to be in the Big 12 in 2013. I can't see the logic even though i am trying. We would be opening a stadium that would be obsolete the day it opened and/or need massive expansion the day it was opened. A 50% capacity expansion from 30K w/suites to 45K w/suites. Who does that?

[fracas]

Which is better?

A. A winning football record and bowling
B. Being in the big 12

[CoachBrockhoff]

Which is better?

A. A winning football record and bowling
B. Being in the big 12

A.

Then getting invited into another Conference. (ACC-SEC)

[RWR]

Which is better?

A. A winning football record and bowling
B. Being in the big 12

C: Being in the Big 12 w/a winning record and going bowling.

[Fred Dowler]

I think they had and have more legitimacy than ascribed above.
One obvious point: does anyone believe that Scott Cowen just woke up one morning and said "let's spend $10 mill on a football coach"?

Let's just see what exactly happens.

What there is that does seem to be established is that there was a high-dollar offer placed on the table in the effort to bring in one specific person that alumni, former players, etc. were calling for if not pining for. And it definitely could be said that the powers that are were pretty naive in not seeing the good possibility that once again Tulane was just going to get played by the person that they were after.

What Plan B is seems still to be pretty unclear.

Does the school still plan to hold the high-dollar offer forth for whoever in order to attract the best person that they could get or has the plan changed now?

There haven't seemed to be very many words of reassurance lately from the insiders group that, yes, they're still hard at it and still looking to bring in The Big Fish.

Therefore, all in all, the evidence isn't in quite yet that Tulane is spending the serious dollars on the program no matter what and that the spending is above all a result of anticipated revenue to come from membership in the Big 12 conference.

Moreover, Tulane, after all this time, has still not really been reported in the national media as a serious possibility to be invited to join in the same vein that the national media have reported certain other programs and even the local beat reporter has described the notion as a pretty extreme longshot (which I feel fairly certain that it is).

This is all been on the basis of a slight mention here and there and if Tulane is anticipating this large stream of revenue to come on the basis of what very tenuous reports that there have been of the Big 12 conference's interest in them and making major decisions on that basis that goes very much completely against the grain of how Tulane always does things, as in not making an announcement about a capital project without the funds being in hand or mostly in hand.

No, it just does make any sense at all that Tulane now thinks that it is certain to be offered this invitation and that is why they're doing what they're doing.

What does make sense is that the Big 12 is not about to waste their time on this program such as it is right now when it brings so very little to the table in terms of regular game attendance and the overall level of interest that there is in the program (you can talk about potential interest all you want but with the way that things are right now how do even begin to accurately gauge what the potential is? You can't.).

What does make sense is that Tulane is most likely going to have to earn the invitation just like TCU. Win games, post back-to-back-to-back winning seasons over a period, show that, say, at least 40,000 or so are going to be in attendance game after game, no matter who the opponent is. That's how it's done. There's no other way.

What does make sense is Tulane going to the Big 12 and being told to come back in 5 years with the skins on the wall, like Jim Finks used to say.

[fracas]

i doubt Big 12 would take Tulane based on a few competitive seasons
TCU was taken as a Texas replacement for TAMU

but the Big 12 has lost not just competitive programs but academic programs. Nebraska, Colorado, TAMU and Missouri are all AAU programs when they left. to university presidents that matters as well (they decided, not just AD). there just aren't any AAU and competitive programs left to take into the Big 12. Thus I see a three phase plan for the Big 12. Get back to 10 for tv contracts with competitive teams. get back to 12 once things settle down a bit with 2 more competitive teams, likely Louisville and Cincinnati. then consider going to 14 with academic programs with commitment to athletic excellence as well as academic excellence. in this wave i can see Tulane and Rice? the Big 12 owns the rights to Big 14 as well as Big 16. I suspect they would stop at 14 and wait on Notre Dame.

[ajcalhoun]

Then getting invited into another Conference. (ACC-SEC)

It is possible, though highly unlikely, that the ACC would invite us.
The SEC will never take us back. They have our market and don't care about our academics.

[ajcalhoun]

Oops. Double post. Sorry.

[golfnut69]

if Tulane is depending on Mack for support....ya better hope the big 12 acts soon...if Texas loses to Baylor next Saturday, Mack may be "resigning"... but then he may go the "Mackovic" route and be an employee of the Athletic dept as a fund raiser, booster club handshaker

[Wavetime]

I do believe the Big 12 told Tulane to get it's ship righted then they are in. Do you really think the old admin would have even entertained RR, Leach, etc. We would have Frank Wilson. Stadium with room for expansion? We are talking Cowen here......it is real or Owen would have put the money in the business school and we would have already announced a tier 4 coach.....

Give it time, it took us 6 decades to screw up a great thing, it will take more than deep pockets to get it back, but without that we would not have a chance. At least we are spending the money this time. If the admin stays on it, it will happen.