In or Out: Nebraska and Missouri Given Friday Deadline By Big 12

[AR182]

6/06/2010 11:33 AM ET

By Terrance Harris
Senior College Sports Writer

The Big 12 broke from its annual spring meetings this past Friday without a firm commitment from Nebraska and Missouri to stay, but the league did set a firm deadline.

Two sources confirmed to FanHouse on Sunday morning that Missouri and Nebraska were given a deadline of Friday to decide whether they are committed to remaining in the Big 12 or if they are going to explore the option of joining the Big Ten. Both sources also confirmed that the schools could be given more time, "but not much."

Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe declined Friday in Kansas City to say whether a deadline had been set as he met with the media while the league board of directors ducked out the backdoor. But now it is apparent the league, spearheaded by both Texas and Oklahoma, has put its foot down with the two schools that are holding the conference up from moving forward.

If Nebraska and Missouri do not commit soon, apparently schools such as Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma have decided to accept an invitation to join the Pac-10 in the creation of a 16-team conference.

"It's a matter of people have to know whether they are in or they are out," a source said. "It's really that simple."

The problem is it isn't that simple for the Nebraska and Missouri, schools that are awaiting possible invitations from the Big Ten. But the Big Ten at this point has only committed to exploring the idea of expanding from an 11-team league to as many as 16 teams.

A source close to the Big Ten says the league is working with a couple different scenarios and therefore may not know which way it will go for another 18 months. One scenario has the league reeling in a "big fish" like either Notre Dame or Texas and stopping there at 12 teams.

If the Big Ten is unable to lure either power school, then it could invite five schools with Missouri, Nebraska, Rutgers, Syracuse, Maryland and Pittsburgh all possibly in play.

So Missouri and Nebraska will be taking a huge gamble either way with a chance to more than double their annual conference take to as much as $24 million should the Big Ten come calling. Both schools could be left with nowhere to go if the Big 12 dissolves and Colorado, Texas Tech and Oklahoma join the other three in the Pac-10, which is meeting this weekend with expansion as the burning subject.

One source said if Missouri and Nebraska if do commit to the Big 12, they must sign contracts with significantly higher penalties for leaving.

Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton declined to discuss any subject related to conference realignment when reached at home by FanHouse on Sunday morning. Nebraska president Harvey Perlman did not return a message left for him Sunday morning.

"You can speak to Dan Beebe (Big 12 commissioner) regarding what his concerns are regarding the Big 12," Deaton said when asked directly about the set deadline. "But we are proud members of the Big 12. We appreciate the interest in the university, but it has been our policy for some time about not making any comment about conference realignment."

 

[hawkeye]

Interesting article today in the Denver Post by senior sports writer Mark Kizla on how Colorado should join the MWC--would be more competiitve here than in Pac10

 

[kegray1]

How can the Big12 demand an answer by Friday from Neb or Mizzou?
What will they do to them if they don't respond???

The Big12 is not exactly holding any cards right now.
It is just a matter of who leaves first at this point.

 

[Mr. Poon]

How can the Big12 demand an answer by Friday from Neb or Mizzou?
What will they do to them if they don't respond???

The Big12 is not exactly holding any cards right now.
It is just a matter of who leaves first at this point.

Beebe is an idiot who has shown he has no leadership ability throughout this ordeal for the conference. He might as well get his resume updated and put the dismantling of the Big XII under his watch on it.

 

[UGA12]

How long are the contracts team sign to be in a conference?

Can a team buy out of said contract and can a conference buy them out?

The answer to these could explain some of what is going on. If there is any way that the big 12 can terminate these two and add two new ones then the leverage is there.

 

[49erbob]

How long are the contracts team sign to be in a conference?

Can a team buy out of said contract and can a conference buy them out?

The answer to these could explain some of what is going on. If there is any way that the big 12 can terminate these two and add two new ones then the leverage is there.

Those were my thoughts exactly. If they do defect then I wonder how much validity there is to Texas and OU joining the Pac-10 to make the 16 team super conference. I don't think it makes any sense at all but money talks.

BTW - go Dawgs. I'm a UGA grad.

 

[AR182]

Report: Nebraska could join Big Ten by Friday

Posted by Keith Arnold on June 9, 2010 1:24 AM ET

Just hours after 5k speed-walker John Taylor mentioned that Nebraska legend Tom Osborne was tired of all the Cornhuskers' conference speculation, there's a report that says he's ready to do something about it.

The Omaha World-Herald released an exclusive report that cites an anonymous Big 12 executive, who says that Nebraska could become a member of the Big Ten as early as Friday. While nobody in the Nebraska administration will address this report, it does add another layer to Osbourne's comments tonight that the timetable on conference realignment has been rapidly accelerated.

"I think before long -- I don't know exactly what the time frame is -- we'll be able to put this to bed," Osborne said, "because I'm getting tired of it. Hopefully we'll get these put together in the next few days."

There have been quite a few anonymous sources over the past few weeks that have caused more harm than good, but if the World-Herald is correct, Nebraska could be the first of the big dominoes to fall, finally giving way to the potential brave new world that could transform college football.

 

[AR182]

I can't believe that the Gov't. will get involved in this.

Chip Brown

Orangebloods.com Columnist

A source close to the Nebraska Board of Regents told Orangebloods.com the regents met informally Wednesday and have agreed to move to the Big Ten and that a formal announcement Nebraska is leaving will come Friday.

Sources close to Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech have suggested to Orangebloods.com over the last week that if Nebraska leaves, the Big 12 can't be saved.

A Fox television report out of Ohio said Nebraska now has an invitation from the Big Ten.

One of the reasons given for Nebraska's importance to the league is because the relationship between Missouri and the rest of the Big 12 has soured beyond repair.

And to complicate matters for Missouri, the Tigers appear to be falling down the list of priorities for the Big Ten.

An athletic director with knowledge of the Big Ten said, "Missouri is getting cold shoulder from Big Ten."

Joe Schad of ESPN reported Wednesday that the Big Ten list of interest for expansion goes like this: 1) Notre Dame 2) Nebraska 3) Rutgers and/or Maryland.


Associated Press

Dan Beebe and the Big 12 appear to be at the mercy of Nebraska and other outside forces.
According to a story by Lee Barfknecht of the Omaha World-Herald, a respected reporter covering the Big 12 for years, Nebraska is expected to leave for the Big Ten as early as Friday, according to information provided to Barfknecht by an executive at another Big 12 school.

That is the day Nebraska's regents have a formal meeting in Lincoln.

Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne on his monthly radio show on the Husker Sports Network said he hoped "to get things together in the next few days."

But Osborne acknowledged, "There's a lot of information we really don't have right now."

Here's his entire quote:

"I suppose there is quite a bit I can speculate on, but as you and I talked before the show came on there's a lot of information we really don't have right now," Osborne said.

"Hopefully we'll get things put together in the next few days. Anything I would say regarding Nebraska's position or other schools in the Big 12 right now would be pure speculation at this point and I don't think that's very helpful. As much as I know fans don't like it, I think we need to put certain things off limits.

"I think before too long, I don't know exactly what that time frame is, but we'll be able to put this thing to bed because I'm getting tired of it."


BIG 12's FINAL SUPPER ON JUNE 14?

Two different executives in the Big 12 confirmed to Orangebloods.com Wednesday morning the hard deadline for Nebraska, Missouri, Colorado and the entire Big 12 to pledge their allegiance to each other is Monday, June 14.

A high-level executive at a Big 12 institution said there have been informal conversations about who to add to the Big 12 if schools start to leave. Those schools have included BYU and Air Force.

But that same executive as well as others in the Big 12 South have told Orangebloods.com the conference will not survive if Nebraska leaves - no matter who else stays or goes.

If Nebraska were to stay in the Big 12 and Missouri and Colorado were to leave, for example, the sense is the Big 12 could attempt to add schools like BYU and Air Force to the Big 12 North and move ahead.


TEXAS AND TEXAS A&M MEET THURSDAY

In a related development, a legislative source with knowledge of Texas A&M said officials from A&M and Texas will meet on Thursday to discuss all the goings on and to make sure they are on the same page if the Big 12 falls apart. The source said, however, that Texas and Texas A&M remain steadfast in lobbying for the Big 12 to stay together.


NOTRE DAME'S CALL

The future of the Big 12 appeared to hinge on the Big Ten's deliberations with Notre Dame. The Big Ten has promised Notre Dame it will stop its expansion at 12 schools if Notre Dame agrees to finally forgo its independence and become part of a conference, an athletic director with knowledge of the Big Ten has told Orangebloods.com.

Notre Dame is apparently locked in a battle among its Board of Trustees about what to do. There are some who fear the Irish being left out of the formation of what could well become four, super conferences in college athletics. That could cost Notre Dame its access to a BCS bid.

The Big Ten has also given indications it will go east and possibly raid anywhere from one to three schools from the Big East, where Notre Dame plays its other sports, leaving the Irish scrambling even more.

In the ultimate irony, the only way Notre Dame may be able to avoid the super conference scenario is by doing what it least wants to do: give up its independence and lucrative NBC/Comcast contract and join a conference.

Sources have told Orangebloods.com the Big Ten would not be handing out any more invitations if Notre Dame agrees to join the league. An AD source reaffirmed to Orangebloods.com Wednesday that "there is a timeline involved" between Notre Dame and the Big Ten.

Joe Schad of ESPN reported this week Notre Dame doesn't appear to be budging.

The longer there is silence about Notre Dame's intentions, the more reason to believe Notre Dame could remain on its own.


COLORADO'S BAD TIMING

In another development, one source inside the Big 12 told Orangebloods.com Tuesday Colorado was expected to have a major announcement as early as Wednesday. But that announcement turned out to be with regard to scholarship reductions for the Colorado football and basketball programs because of substandard NCAA APR (Academic Progress Rates).

CU is the only BCS football program to be sanctioned with scholarship reductions and is one of only two BCS basketball programs to get sanctioned, OB has learned.

The Buffaloes have already served the four scholarships it was docked for football and the one it was docked for basketball.

The timing is poor considering the school's possible courtship with some of the more high-minded academic institutions in the Pac-10.

The Boulder Daily Camera reported a regents meeting at CU Tuesday night produced nothing more than legal advice about different scenarios. CU officials said they have not yet received an invitation from the Pac-10, according to the report.

Despite that claim, speculation continues to swirl that Colorado could be preparing to accept a bid from the Pac-10 Conference, which has targeted the Buffaloes for expansion.

As Orangebloods.com first reported last Thursday, Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott's preference is to expand the Pac-10 by six schools. That original list included Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado.


BAYLOR'S FIGHT FACING RESISTANCE?

Since that report legislators and lobbyists with loyalty to Baylor have launched an all-out effort in the Texas Legislature to ensure that Baylor remains with the rest of the Big 12 South if it were to move to the Pac-10.

One top source close to the possible merger between the Pac-10 and six Big 12 schools said some schools in the Pac-10, including California-Berkeley, have a real issue with adding an institution with religious ties like Baylor to the conference.


GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION?

It has been expressed to Orangebloods.com by a top collegiate executive that any movement toward four, 16-team super conferences will be met with resistance by Congress.

The executive said that could be bad news for college athletics because Congress has already taken some cursory looks at the fact athletic departments enjoy a tax-exempt status as part of their universities.

The executive said if it appears the rich are getting richer in college athletics, there will be a hard look at whether to take away the tax exempt status of athletic departments.

"And it won't just be Orin Hatch (a member of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee from Utah and longtime BCS critic) looking into this," the source said.

 

[BobbyBlueChip]

This is so cool

 

[hawkeye]

Nebraska is history for the B12--B10 is where they are headed.

 

[Dice34]

 

[AR182]

:mj07: :mj07:

 

[AR182]

I just read that Texas A&M is talking to the SEC. So it looks like that none of the big conferences are sitting on the sidelines.

 

[layinwood]

A&M has been talking to the SEC for a few months but they met with Texas and Tech and the three schools decided to stick together no matter what goes down.

This is what was reported anyway, a lot of BS going around right now so who knows.

 

[AR182]

A&M has been talking to the SEC for a few months but they met with Texas and Tech and the three schools decided to stick together no matter what goes down.

This is what was reported anyway, a lot of BS going around right now so who knows.

I know it's going to happen but I hate to see the Big-12 disband.

 

[layinwood]

AR, I hate to see the Big 12 gone as well but as a Tech grad and fan we really need this. I know Tech was fortunate to be included when the Big 12 formed but the distribution of television dollars is far from fair and makes the playing field way off balance. The Pac 16 will help level the field for the schools not named UT and OU.

 

[Mr. Poon]

I know it's going to happen but I hate to see the Big-12 disband.

You and me both. Beebe let Texas gain the power though over time and was inept at leading the conference. Nebraska/Osborne are going to be made the villains in this, but they simply didn't want to be left on the sidelines and acted as quickly as possible. It's odd how Kansas and the other 'forgotten' schools recently made pleas to Nebraska to stay, but these were the same schools that voted 11-1 with Texas in all recent items that slowly shifted the power to the Longhorns. Guess who the lone dissenting vote was?

 

[#cruncher]

You and me both. Beebe let Texas gain the power though over time and was inept at leading the conference. Nebraska/Osborne are going to be made the villains in this, but they simply didn't want to be left on the sidelines and acted as quickly as possible. It's odd how Kansas and the other 'forgotten' schools recently made pleas to Nebraska to stay, but these were the same schools that voted 11-1 with Texas in all recent items that slowly shifted the power to the Longhorns. Guess who the lone dissenting vote was?

Okay, so it's starting to make some sense now...:mj03:

 

[Mr. Poon]

excellent article:

Look, everyone, there's Captain Beebe, arranging chairs on the Titanic. If Beebe were in control of BP, he'd be standing on the tar-stained white sand beaches in the state of Florida, emphatically declaring "what oil?"

http://www.sportingnews.com/college...hould-be-blamed-for-letting-tremendous-produc

 

[BobbyBlueChip]

Poon - Whenever you're ready for the "Defending the Big 10" primer, let me know. . . But it has a lot to do with SAT scores.

Here's the prototype of the new Redenbacher Trophy for the Nebraska-Iowa game