The Big XII......may she rest in peace.

Greetings once again to everyone.....


Since I am now a newly minted member of the Football Writers Association of America, I figured I'd better start writing this again to support my membership. Besides....I know that you all missed me out there (well, maybe one or two, but it's a start). Let's move on.

As you all know by now, the Big Ten (can we call them the new Big 12.....I'm just asking) has picked off Nebraska in an effort to remain on the minds of college football fans through the first week of December. Remember, with the "old" format, the Big Ten had their rivalry weekend around mid-November, and was virtually a non-player come Championship Weekend. This led to them being shut out when talk came for the invitees to the BCS title game. Well, Big Ten commissioner changed all that with the addition of Nebraska yesterday to the conference. Everyone in Lincoln would have you believe that it's a better fit geographically, that it's a better fit academically, etc, etc, etc. But, one need look no further than the AD at Nebraska when it comes to this move. Former Huskers coach Tom Osborne as hated the Big XII all along. He hated being lumped in a conference with Texas. He hated losing the first Big XII title game to Texas 37-27. He hated how the Big XII divided up the TV money (the more times on TV, the more money you got......sounds pretty simple to me). He hated the fact that Nebraska just wasn't eating at the big table any more, and somehow, got relegated to the kid's table when talk of college football heavyweights surfaced. So, one has to think that the way the title game transpired last season, he had his fill of the Big XII. For a guy that is pretty much the emperor in Licoln, he's an unhappy fellow. But, when talk started about Nebraska leaving the Big XII, it all started with Nebraska, and Osborne was nowhere to be seen issuing any denials. So, it comes as no shock, then, that the first domino in this musical chairs of conference re-alignment comes from Nebraska. I wonder how Osborne will feel when his school gets overshadowed this time by Ohio State. Let's all be honest, though.....this is a money grab, plain and simple. The Big Ten has a greater revenue stream due to the Big Ten Network. The Big XII gives the lion's share of the TV money to Texas and Oklahoma. Let's see now.....if I'm a TV executive, and I want to remain a TV executive, do I choose to air the Texas-Oklahoma game, or the Nebraska-Kansas game? Sounds like a simple decision to me. So, Osborne did what so many petulant brats before him have done.....he grabbed his toys and left. As of this morning, Colorado announced they,too, would leave the Big XII for the PAC-10, quite possibly taking five other Big XII schools with them to form the nation's first super-conference. When the Big XII obituary is written, let it start out with the fact that Osborne cried because the Big XII didn't kowtow to him as he felt they should. Osborne will have his revenge, somewhat, but his name will always be associated with the death of a great conference.
And, while we're on the subject of super-conferences, if the PAC-10 indeed takes on five more schools from the Big XII (Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech) and forms a super-conference, don't expect the SEC to stand by. SEC commissioner Mike Slive is a more forward thinking individual than his counterpart at the Big XII, Dan Beebe. Guess that explains why Slive will still have a job when this is all over with. But, the SEC is rumored to be going after four schools from the ACC to make their conference stronger. If Notre Dame also goes to the Big Ten, and these super-conferences start forming, then maybe the world will get what they've been wanting all along......a college football playoff to determine a champion. Don't think it's not on the minds of the NCAA either. THey see the writing on the wall, and it scares them to death. If the super-conferences form, and let's face it....it's going to happen sooner or later, why then would they stick to the traditional bowl format when they could sign their own deal amongst themselves, and keep all the money to themselves? And.....if that occurs, then what's to stop the basketball schools from coming together to form their own playoff system, and relegating the NCAA tourney to what the NIT tourney is today? There is WAY too much money out there to stop his from becoming a reality. It now becomes a question of "when" rather than an idea of "what if".


Hope to see everyone at the Oil Bowl this weekend. Till next time.........


Patrick