(08-12-2013 10:56 AM)He1nousOne Wrote:  

(08-12-2013 10:52 AM)JRsec Wrote:  

(08-12-2013 10:08 AM)He1nousOne Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 08:32 AM)JRsec Wrote:  I continue to think about this situation as it is the Big 12 that is most likely to yield the next round of realignment. Having considered all options here is what I am presently thinking.

1. Unless Oklahoma is one of the teams the SEC would add I don't see the need to add anyone from the Big 12. And if Oklahoma comes to the SEC then West Virginia or Kansas should be the one to come with them.

2. The best course of action in my opinion, outside of an Oklahoma addition to the SEC is to refuse to take any of the Big 12 teams forcing the ACC to take multiples if the conference is to be dissolved.

3. Should Texas need a place to move outside of the PAC the ACC seems to me to be the most likely destination, but they won't want to go alone.

4. Given ESPN's third tier interest in Kansas (a move likely designed to thwart Big 10 expansion Southward into Kansas or deeper into the Big 12 then perhaps Kansas is of interest to the ACC as well.

5. The SEC should refrain from taking Big 12 schools in exchange for a decent pod of 4 moving to the ACC. Texas, Baylor, Oklahoma, and Kansas would do nicely. Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor and West Virginia would be fine as well.

6. The cost of remaining out of the ACC's way should be North Carolina State and Virginia Tech. The ACC loses no footprint and gains a Western Pod even if West Virginia is part of the 4 moving to the ACC (Miami shifts to the West).

7. A move to D4 solves two problems for the ACC. New requirements at the D4 level and its structure require ND's full membership. The new requirements also lead to Wake Forest stepping down. With only two N.Carolina schools balance is achieved in the ACC.
North: Boston College, Notre Dame, Pitt, Syracuse

East: Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, Virginia

South: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami

West: Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma (or Oklahoma State), Texas

8. I also don't see any future moves until after the establishment of D4. Then I believe we will see a somewhat more orderly restructuring into 4 somewhat balanced conferences.

ESPN protects the best Big 12 property and solidifies the SEC's new partnership with the ACC.

I listed an option for Oklahoma State's inclusion. A compromise position might be needed for the PAC (Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Kansas State, T.C.U./Iowa State).

No matter how this gets done the future enemy of the ACC will be the Big 10, not the SEC. I can see Swofford making a preemptive move here as the ACC did almost two decades ago with the Big East.

It is mindsets like this that will cause NOTHING to happen.

All of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas coming to the SEC. Selfish. And impossible. Good luck!

Read it more carefully. I said if Oklahoma was not one of the schools coming over to the SEC then we would be better off not taking any of the Big 12 schools. If Texas was headed to the ACC they are going to have to make room for more than 2 in my opinion. If all moves happen after the move up to D4 then Wake may no longer be an issue for the ACC. Therefore they would have two open slots for full time teams. If the SEC refused to take Big 12 schools then the ACC to accommodate Texas and to get ND to join full time may be more open to letting duplicate footprint schools N.C. State and Virginia Tech moving to the SEC without GOR restricitions. Then there would be 4 full slots open. That allows them to take 4 schools from the Big 12 and Texas as a hybrid. The SEC gets what they have wanted without taking any more Big 12 schools. Even if the ACC took Texahoma Kansas is still free to move to the Big 10. But more likely they would go after Texas (hybrid), Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. I'm sure they would like Kansas but I doubt they would get them. Anyway I never said Texas, OU and Kansas to the SEC.

If the SEC tries to pull that then as the Big Ten, PAC and ACC I would try to pull a three way move that will pretty much do an end around on the SEC.

The Big Ten could take three, the ACC could take Texas plus two more and then the PAC could take six. The Big Ten then COULD round out 18 with UConn.

At that point the looming threat is that the ACC, Big Ten and PAC will hold majority voting rights at the top of the new division and will write new rules that has a stipulation for needing 16 members or more. That will force the SEC to then expand with "lesser" schools in their own estimation.

Truly, you are looking at this with biased viewpoint. I still see no evidence that we are going to see two conferences pulled apart. It is just my opinion of course but I still believe that it is one or the other and the Big 12 serves everyone's purposes better than the ACC does.

I agree that the Big 12 is the likely lamb. Their parts are potentially more valuable than their whole. As far as the Big 10 is concerned they really only could take just 4 of the Big 12 schools (Iowa State, Kansas, Texas) meet AAU requirements and Oklahoma might be acceptable. Everyone else is out of their consideration range. Since Texas and Kansas are engaged with ESPN over tier 3 whether or not they could or would move to the Big 10 is in question. The SEC doesn't need Texas and Kansas is not really a cultural fit, nor is the SEC likely high on KU's list of acceptable destinations. The SEC is a force and will act in its self interest. Oklahoma is catch for any conference and they are contiguous. If the SEC could get the Sooners with another new state for their footprint (Kansas, Kansas State, or West Virginia) then we would take two and move to 16 and stop. If Oklahoma is not available then our best route is to hold out and hope that Texas plus 3 or 4 depending on what happens to Wake Forest would move to the ACC and that the SEC could pick up Virginia Tech and N.C. State (making room for a western division of 4 for the ACC). As long as Kansas isn't one of those in that western divisions for the ACC then the Big 10 could close out at 16 as well with UConn and KU. The SEC closes out at 16. The ACC closes out at 16 plus either 1 or 2 hybrids (depending upon Wake). If Wake drops out it could be Texas full time plus two with Miami making up their pod. The Canes have to fly everywhere anyway so it would matter to them.

But I promise you this. If Delany moves to 20 it means the ACC and the Big 12 will be gone. He can't get there without that happening. And if the Big 10 goes 20 so will Slive. And if both the Big 10 and SEC go to 20 then the PAC will respond and the game ends somewhere between 56 and 60 teams depending upon how many the PAC takes. Otherwise we are all stopping at 16. I could see the ACC at 16 plus ND, the Big 10 and SEC at 16 and the PAC still at 12 for a total of 61, but likely it goes to 64 plus 1.