Latest Expansion/End of Big12 Rumors

[scott715]

http://www.campusrush.com/big-12-expans ... 59914.html

There have been a lot of rumors flying around that I have not shared here. No time and too much. This article might be of interest to you of what might happen. There has also been a rumor of a new league with TX schools, BYU and a few other schools if UO leaves.

[Fido]

Boren disputed the report that Oklahoma is against expansion on twitter today. Tim Montemayor is saying that several Texas schools with BYU and Houston would join an existing conference if they leave rather than go "new conference".

https://twitter.com/TheMontyShow

Sources have told me for weeks that #OU was the biggest road block to expansion. I tweeted last week #Boren had broken off talks with Texas

#OU & #Texas were working together on a surface level but Texas broke any trust by creating a group to leave the #BIGXII if expansion failed

Anyone reporting invites were close was never in the loop because there is no agreement among membership on who to invite #BIGXII

THEN THIS Q/A:

StevO (User Actions
Follow

StevO (@StevO_1960)
@TheMontyShow Don't see how their "brand" will create more revenue than the LHN? Is your belief that the Texas 4, BYU and UH go to the PAC12

I do not use belief I've been told there is a plan for several current #BIGXII teams + BYU & Houston to join an existing major conference

Who knows...

[McY]

I'm no insider when it comes to the BIG XII alleged expansion, but the question I wonder is why on earth the decision is taking so long... The rumors and speculation about who might join, and when, have floated around for eons. What new information do the powers-that-be need that to make a decision? I suppose potential answers to this question have their own rumors and speculation.

Would be nice to have a concrete, real decision made known sometime this century.

[snoscythe]

The Southwest Conference rises from the dead!

[KingCoug]

Rant time.

There was a time whenever the expansion topic would pop up on the boards I'd mostly ignore it because all it seemed to be was a bunch of no nothings trying to read the tea leaves. And, frankly, it still seems that way to a large degree. One insider tweets about his source. A day later, another insiders source says the opposite. And then everyone on the forums attempts to decipher it all. Meanwhile, all those old farts in the Big 12 who will actually make the decision don't do anything. And I'm still not convinced they will this time around, though it seems fairly obvious that continual delay only hurts conference as a whole.

It doesn't seem to be rocket science to me. The Big 12 has to expand to keep up with the other P5 conferences. Sticking with 10 teams indefinitely isn't a viable plan. It doesn't need to have 14 teams tomorrow but needs to add at least 2 to get 12 teams. Yeah, I'm obviously biased, but the candidates that make the most sense are BYU and Houston. Rice and SMU? Small potatoes who really bring nothing to the table. Maybe the Florida schools would bring a little more, in terms of recruiting, but the geography makes no sense. Too far away. And UConn is even farther. Cincinnati makes a little more sense geographically but still doesn't seem to be as attractive as BYU or Houston. Meanwhile we have the Texas schools squabbling over Houston. And more recently we have this ridiculous nonsense about BYU "having baggage" because of the Honor Code and "discrimination" against LGBTs.

Here's my question, has anyone other than those Iowa students with nothing better to do actually used this as an objection against BYU? Because that's where it all seemed to have started and it only seemed to snowball from there with what looked to me like a lot of assumptions about it being a deal breaker for BYU.

The issue has also reminded me, yet again, why I loathe Cougarboard. At first I thought it was simply a case of some of those guys wanting a Big 12 invite so bad they'd pimp out their own daughters. But, reading the comments, it's painfully obvious some of them genuinely don't agree with the Honor Code and that disagreement seems to grow out of an even more fundamental disagreement with Church doctrine. At least more than a few of them seem entirely too comfortable with altering the Honor Code to satisfy LGBT groups and their supporters. As if those types will ever be satisfied. And as if satisfying those groups (ie the world) is BYU's job, or by extension, what the Church is all about. "Discrimination" is the continual buzzword by folks who seem to have forgotten the Lord does discriminate. The Gospel does discriminate. Yes, all are invited but on the Lord's terms. There was one clown who argued BYU may as well change the Honor Code to allow homosexual expressions of affection because it "happens anyway." As if, just because something might be happening, the University should give its stamp of approval. This is the kind of idiocy I read on that board that makes me want to pull my hair out and is a sad reminder the Utes don't have a total lock on stupidity.

Anyway, a big reason I root for BYU is because what it stands for and the Institution it's associated with. If I just wanted to root for any college that fits nicely into the ways of the world, I'd root for Utah, who was considered by all to be a nice addition to the liberal, secular, anti-religious PAC 12. I don't believe the powers that be will sell the University out for a mess of pottage in the form of a Big 12 invite. The LGBT issue should be as non-debatable as not playing on Sunday. I'd like to join the Big 12 but, if that does end up being a deal breaker, I'm more than happy to stay independent or explore other options.

Rant over.

[Fido]

I'm fine with the honor code, but do think some things could be relaxed. Like while certain behaviors don't need to be condoned, does someone who is struggling with it need to be kicked out of school as well? In church, all are encouraged to come and be there. Learn, grow spiritually, better yourself. The bishops don't sit on the stand scanning the congregation to determine who is living the gospel enough to be in the chapel. So why does the school need to do so? When I was attending, BYU staff made a big deal talking about how the Honor Code is there because the students want it. They also said they don't sell caffeinated drinks because "there is no demand for them". Is anyone served by such half-truths? I think there should be some modifications to relax some of the harshness in the Honor Code to be more in compliance with church standards. But agree that students need to adhere to the current standard--because they agreed to.
That said, there have been issues around various policies at BYU (no-sunday play, LGBT discrimination, member to non-member transition as a student, etc.). It didn't start with the Iowa State student group.

[BroncoBot]

The school doesn't NEED to. They do it because they AREN'T the church (this is something a lot of BYU fans need to get through their heads). they are a private institution with strong affiliation and ties and money from the church. I'm totally fine with the private institution making rules that eliminates a lot of students who don't want to adhere to the set standards. For me this always boils down to; know the rules going into BYU and if you don't agree, simply choose another school. There are thousands who would give anything to attend BYU, don't take one of those spots and then act as if you are the victim because the honor code doesn't allow you live whatever lifestyle you want. There is a group out there who isn't motivated by "learn, grow spiritually, better yourself". They seem to be the biggest whiners.

That doesn't mean I think BYU should be kicking out people who are struggling with a myriad of temptations, but I think the rules are straight forward and in the vast majority of instances, provides a way to finish school and "grow spiritually".

[BOID]

Everyone should be reminded, and remember, that no one in the Big 12 has said that the LGBT complaint matters enough to cause them to drop BYU from consideration. This idea that BYU is now too toxic, and thereby not in front runner status anymore, is nothing more than an imagination by journalists. One or two sports writers from unfriendly publications like The Dallas Morning News, or SI's Campus Rush, speak out their desired outcomes, and other reporters demonstrate their laziness by echoing them.

I say, give the Big 12 the chance to do the right thing. And remind everyone that the obstacle to expansion is not BYU. It is not that there is no candidate that the majority can agree upon. BYU is one candidate that has majority support. The problem holding things up and causing all the dysfunctional delay is that they cannot agree on the second expansion candidate after BYU.

There is a stubborn road block over Houston. The Texas coalition wants BYU and Houston, and the Oklahoma coalition wants BYU and Cincy. The idea of a package of Houston and Cincy being the solution, or that those two are now the front runners, is a fabrication by sports writers that are eager to flatter the LGBT movement with an illusion of power and influence that they do not actually have. The reality is that no expansion impetus exists without BYU. A Houston/Cincy package is just not sexy for either the Big 12 leadership, or the league TV partners.

I don't pretend to know anything. But I believe that no expansion occurs without BYU, and that the current Big 12 members will not come to agreement on the second selection after BYU. I predict dissolution of the Big 12 over the conflict regarding Houston, and that BYU will make some kind of agreement with some remaining elements that are currently Big 12 members.

[trom2foot3]

IMO I think all of the back and forth about expansion is for publicity. You get more eyes on the Big XII and more people paying attention to it over and over again rather than just having a silent waiting period. I think expansion is necessary and they will come to a decision, but they have to make it as dramatic as possible to get to that point. It's really annoying

[scott715]

Let their consultants make the decision of who is best for the conference.