(02-26-2018 09:16 AM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(02-26-2018 09:07 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(02-26-2018 08:20 AM)nachoman91 Wrote:  

(02-23-2018 05:49 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  lol here we go....

Says the guy who had sources basically guaranteeing UC in the Big 12 more than a year ago.

In fairness to BC#1, UC thought they were in. What I've heard at many levels they were given assurances they were in. The fact of the matter is UC along with other programs got caught in a game being played by the Big 12 in order to leverage a buyout of the pro-rata clause in their media deal. Remember, the way the Big 12's contract was originally written if they added any more teams the networks would have matched the per team rate (meaning none of the members took a pay decrease). Instead, the Big 12 craftily negotiated a buyout of that clause which resulted in more cash for the 10 members of the conference.

The Big 12 is not going to expand from 10 until someone in that conference leaves. The ACC, B10, SEC and Pac12 are not going to add anyone from the AAC (namely us or UConn). They are sitting in the cat bird seat right now waiting for the Big 12 to implode so they can possibly pick up some pieces. Nothing is likely to happen for several more years when the Big 12 deal is up for negotiations (I believe 2024).

I know the B12 did what you posted here. My question was always, was this their plan from Day 1 or was this an audible they called when BYU was submarined with the LGBT stuff.

My understanding was that BYU was their #1 option and UC was the "throw in" to bring in an even number. UC was voted as 'acceptable' because they were all happy to get BYU. ESPN knew this and didn't want Fox to benefit from the expanded conference so they submarined BYU with the LGBT deal in public making them untouchable to the B12. Once BYU fell off the radar and it was then going to be UC as the lead dog plus an additional member, they couldn't agree on the additional member and so they called an audible, made a crap show out of the whole deal to make ESPN think they were still going forward with the plan to expand (with no intention of it) and in process bent ESPN over.

That is what I think went down but its just based on piecing all the comments together along with things that made no sense at the time, like the opening up for programs to come 'interview' and then finding out that some teams didn't' even get to present etc.

Who knows. But you are right in the base comment, UC thought they were in. Period.

I think it was their plan all along. The P5 was created by the member schools and ESPN to strengthen the divide. They don't want to add any more G5 schools and will only do so as a last resort or if there will be some outside pressure.

The schools that have benefitted the most from the creation of the P5 aren't the Ohio State and Alabama types, but the middle and lower tier P5 schools. Those schools can now recruit in all sports on a higher level than they were 8-10 years ago. They have all the money, they can buy the best HC and assistants and they can build better facilities than G5 schools can hope to do. We are at a point now where UC basketball can't compete against even the bottom of the barrel P5 school (its not Mick's fault, its the manufactured divide created by ESPN and the P5-- see the recent article about perceptions of "levels" that the recruits understand today).