(06-07-2022 08:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 07:45 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-06-2022 10:43 PM)bullet Wrote:  IF they win all their super-regionals, the SEC could have 5 members and 2 future members in the CWS with only the UConn/Stanford or Texas St. winner guaranteed not to be an SEC or future SEC team.

It was actually a pretty brutal Monday for the SEC. Yes, they got 5 teams in the SR's, but three other teams - Florida, LSU and Vandy - lost heartbreakers late by one run in deciding games.

Could have had 6 or 7 in.

True. But that was softened a little bit by the fact that two future SEC programs (UT and OU) advanced.

Not to me. I do not yet think of TX and OU as "SEC" programs.

Believe it or not, I think there is still a chance they remain in the Big 12, or even go to the B1G. A tiny chance, but a chance.

When they are actually on board, then the SEC fan in me will cheer them. But not now.

Just MO. :)

(06-06-2022 10:40 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(06-06-2022 08:49 PM)Wedge Wrote:  Oklahoma beats Florida 5-4. The Sooners will play at Virginia Tech in a super regional.

UConn held on after almost giving up a big lead and eliminated Maryland 11-8. And somehow, Arkansas and Oklahoma St. only scored 10 runs between them! 7-3 Arkansas. Still OSU's average score this weekend was 13.6-11.4. So Florida, Maryland and Oklahoma St. join Miami and Georgia Southern as seeds knocked out.

One game left. Texas St. and Stanford are tied 1-1 in the 5th.

Arkansas and OSU didn't have pitches to waste. They went after the hitters instead of trying paint and get hitters to chase. There were fewer walks and hitter's counts and more Ks.

(06-07-2022 08:03 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 08:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 07:45 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-06-2022 10:43 PM)bullet Wrote:  IF they win all their super-regionals, the SEC could have 5 members and 2 future members in the CWS with only the UConn/Stanford or Texas St. winner guaranteed not to be an SEC or future SEC team.

It was actually a pretty brutal Monday for the SEC. Yes, they got 5 teams in the SR's, but three other teams - Florida, LSU and Vandy - lost heartbreakers late by one run in deciding games.

Could have had 6 or 7 in.

True. But that was softened a little bit by the fact that two future SEC programs (UT and OU) advanced.

Not to me. I do not yet think of TX and OU as "SEC" programs.

Believe it or not, I think there is still a chance they remain in the Big 12, or even go to the B1G. A tiny chance, but a chance.

When they are actually on board, then the SEC fan in me will cheer them. But not now.

Just MO. :)

If they do end up going to the SEC, that pair will alter the dynamic of that conference (not in a good way if you are a SEC traditionalist).

(06-10-2022 05:09 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 08:03 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 08:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 07:45 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-06-2022 10:43 PM)bullet Wrote:  IF they win all their super-regionals, the SEC could have 5 members and 2 future members in the CWS with only the UConn/Stanford or Texas St. winner guaranteed not to be an SEC or future SEC team.

It was actually a pretty brutal Monday for the SEC. Yes, they got 5 teams in the SR's, but three other teams - Florida, LSU and Vandy - lost heartbreakers late by one run in deciding games.

Could have had 6 or 7 in.

True. But that was softened a little bit by the fact that two future SEC programs (UT and OU) advanced.

Not to me. I do not yet think of TX and OU as "SEC" programs.

Believe it or not, I think there is still a chance they remain in the Big 12, or even go to the B1G. A tiny chance, but a chance.

When they are actually on board, then the SEC fan in me will cheer them. But not now.

Just MO. :)

If they do end up going to the SEC, that pair will alter the dynamic of that conference (not in a good way if you are a SEC traditionalist).

I agree. Especially when combined with the presence of Arkansas, Missouri and Texas AM, there is a risk that the SEC's core-essence as a "southeastern" conference could be destabilized. No danger of a "takeover", as what happened in the Big 12 to the Big 8 when it thought it was absorbing the SWC, but in fact the opposite happened, but that is a lot of old SWC/Big 12 content the SEC has swallowed. And if it doesn't manage that carefully, do things to integrate west and east, it might end up choking on it.

For sure, if the SEC ever does expand again, it should not "go west", but rather look to the southeast, which basically means ACC schools like FSU, Clemson, Duke, UNC, etc.

I support the SEC more often than not, and when TX and OU were announced, I was happy but also had trepidation. IMO, it is one of those situations where you *had* to say "yes", even with the risks.

Really, the main benefit to the SEC of acquiring TX and OU isn't what they do for the SEC, though with their huge value they do bring a lot, it's that by taking them in, they *don't* go to the B1G or ACC, which if either of those conferences had gotten them, would be much, much more formidable opponents in the battle for conference supremacy. So the SEC had to say yes, if for no other reason than to keep them out of the ACC or B1G.

(06-10-2022 07:10 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-10-2022 05:09 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 08:03 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 08:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 07:45 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  It was actually a pretty brutal Monday for the SEC. Yes, they got 5 teams in the SR's, but three other teams - Florida, LSU and Vandy - lost heartbreakers late by one run in deciding games.

Could have had 6 or 7 in.

True. But that was softened a little bit by the fact that two future SEC programs (UT and OU) advanced.

Not to me. I do not yet think of TX and OU as "SEC" programs.

Believe it or not, I think there is still a chance they remain in the Big 12, or even go to the B1G. A tiny chance, but a chance.

When they are actually on board, then the SEC fan in me will cheer them. But not now.

Just MO. :)

If they do end up going to the SEC, that pair will alter the dynamic of that conference (not in a good way if you are a SEC traditionalist).

I agree. Especially when combined with the presence of Arkansas, Missouri and Texas AM, there is a risk that the SEC's core-essence as a "southeastern" conference could be destabilized. No danger of a "takeover", as what happened in the Big 12 to the Big 8 when it thought it was absorbing the SWC, but in fact the opposite happened, but that is a lot of old SWC/Big 12 content the SEC has swallowed. And if it doesn't manage that carefully, do things to integrate west and east, it might end up choking on it.

For sure, if the SEC ever does expand again, it should not "go west", but rather look to the southeast, which basically means ACC schools like FSU, Clemson, Duke, UNC, etc.

I support the SEC more often than not, and when TX and OU were announced, I was happy but also had trepidation. IMO, it is one of those situations where you *had* to say "yes", even with the risks.

Really, the main benefit to the SEC of acquiring TX and OU isn't what they do for the SEC, though with their huge value they do bring a lot, it's that by taking them in, they *don't* go to the B1G or ACC, which if either of those conferences had gotten them, would be much, much more formidable opponents in the battle for conference supremacy. So the SEC had to say yes, if for no other reason than to keep them out of the ACC or B1G.

5 of the six acquisitions SEC have been to the west. Four of those 6 were after the ACC got in bed with ESPN. This is no accident.
Personally I think it very unlikely that the SEC expands again.

(06-10-2022 07:19 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(06-10-2022 07:10 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-10-2022 05:09 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 08:03 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 08:00 AM)bill dazzle Wrote:  True. But that was softened a little bit by the fact that two future SEC programs (UT and OU) advanced.

Not to me. I do not yet think of TX and OU as "SEC" programs.

Believe it or not, I think there is still a chance they remain in the Big 12, or even go to the B1G. A tiny chance, but a chance.

When they are actually on board, then the SEC fan in me will cheer them. But not now.

Just MO. :)

If they do end up going to the SEC, that pair will alter the dynamic of that conference (not in a good way if you are a SEC traditionalist).

I agree. Especially when combined with the presence of Arkansas, Missouri and Texas AM, there is a risk that the SEC's core-essence as a "southeastern" conference could be destabilized. No danger of a "takeover", as what happened in the Big 12 to the Big 8 when it thought it was absorbing the SWC, but in fact the opposite happened, but that is a lot of old SWC/Big 12 content the SEC has swallowed. And if it doesn't manage that carefully, do things to integrate west and east, it might end up choking on it.

For sure, if the SEC ever does expand again, it should not "go west", but rather look to the southeast, which basically means ACC schools like FSU, Clemson, Duke, UNC, etc.

I support the SEC more often than not, and when TX and OU were announced, I was happy but also had trepidation. IMO, it is one of those situations where you *had* to say "yes", even with the risks.

Really, the main benefit to the SEC of acquiring TX and OU isn't what they do for the SEC, though with their huge value they do bring a lot, it's that by taking them in, they *don't* go to the B1G or ACC, which if either of those conferences had gotten them, would be much, much more formidable opponents in the battle for conference supremacy. So the SEC had to say yes, if for no other reason than to keep them out of the ACC or B1G.

5 of the six acquisitions SEC have been to the west. Four of those 6 were after the ACC got in bed with ESPN. This is no accident.
Personally I think it very unlikely that the SEC expands again.

Your tinfoil-hat theory is that ESPN ordered the SEC to not add teams from the ACC, and the SEC obeyed?

If that were true, there would be a lot of ACC schools hating ESPN for blocking a possible opportunity to be invited to the SEC.

(06-10-2022 11:28 AM)Wedge Wrote:  

(06-10-2022 07:19 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(06-10-2022 07:10 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-10-2022 05:09 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(06-07-2022 08:03 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  Not to me. I do not yet think of TX and OU as "SEC" programs.

Believe it or not, I think there is still a chance they remain in the Big 12, or even go to the B1G. A tiny chance, but a chance.

When they are actually on board, then the SEC fan in me will cheer them. But not now.

Just MO. :)

If they do end up going to the SEC, that pair will alter the dynamic of that conference (not in a good way if you are a SEC traditionalist).

I agree. Especially when combined with the presence of Arkansas, Missouri and Texas AM, there is a risk that the SEC's core-essence as a "southeastern" conference could be destabilized. No danger of a "takeover", as what happened in the Big 12 to the Big 8 when it thought it was absorbing the SWC, but in fact the opposite happened, but that is a lot of old SWC/Big 12 content the SEC has swallowed. And if it doesn't manage that carefully, do things to integrate west and east, it might end up choking on it.

For sure, if the SEC ever does expand again, it should not "go west", but rather look to the southeast, which basically means ACC schools like FSU, Clemson, Duke, UNC, etc.

I support the SEC more often than not, and when TX and OU were announced, I was happy but also had trepidation. IMO, it is one of those situations where you *had* to say "yes", even with the risks.

Really, the main benefit to the SEC of acquiring TX and OU isn't what they do for the SEC, though with their huge value they do bring a lot, it's that by taking them in, they *don't* go to the B1G or ACC, which if either of those conferences had gotten them, would be much, much more formidable opponents in the battle for conference supremacy. So the SEC had to say yes, if for no other reason than to keep them out of the ACC or B1G.

5 of the six acquisitions SEC have been to the west. Four of those 6 were after the ACC got in bed with ESPN. This is no accident.
Personally I think it very unlikely that the SEC expands again.

Your tinfoil-hat theory is that ESPN ordered the SEC to not add teams from the ACC, and the SEC obeyed?

If that were true, there would be a lot of ACC schools hating ESPN for blocking a possible opportunity to be invited to the SEC.

I would look at it as ESPN developed a plan to guarantee long term domination of college athletics.
ESPN started with the ACC and SEC; added the best of the Big East, corralled Notre Dame into a long term contract, added the best of the SWC/Big 8/Big 12.
Keep in mind that ESPN is not only interested in football but quality collegiate athletics that can be broadcast all year.
Not only men's but women's. The SEC is strong in softball and basketball while the ACC offers great soccer, lacrosse and country club sports for women.

Tin-hat theory?
ESPN has the top year-round inventory in college sports all locked up in long term contracts. Pretty weird, huh?

(06-10-2022 07:58 PM)XLance Wrote:  

(06-10-2022 11:28 AM)Wedge Wrote:  

(06-10-2022 07:19 AM)XLance Wrote:  

(06-10-2022 07:10 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(06-10-2022 05:09 AM)XLance Wrote:  If they do end up going to the SEC, that pair will alter the dynamic of that conference (not in a good way if you are a SEC traditionalist).

I agree. Especially when combined with the presence of Arkansas, Missouri and Texas AM, there is a risk that the SEC's core-essence as a "southeastern" conference could be destabilized. No danger of a "takeover", as what happened in the Big 12 to the Big 8 when it thought it was absorbing the SWC, but in fact the opposite happened, but that is a lot of old SWC/Big 12 content the SEC has swallowed. And if it doesn't manage that carefully, do things to integrate west and east, it might end up choking on it.

For sure, if the SEC ever does expand again, it should not "go west", but rather look to the southeast, which basically means ACC schools like FSU, Clemson, Duke, UNC, etc.

I support the SEC more often than not, and when TX and OU were announced, I was happy but also had trepidation. IMO, it is one of those situations where you *had* to say "yes", even with the risks.

Really, the main benefit to the SEC of acquiring TX and OU isn't what they do for the SEC, though with their huge value they do bring a lot, it's that by taking them in, they *don't* go to the B1G or ACC, which if either of those conferences had gotten them, would be much, much more formidable opponents in the battle for conference supremacy. So the SEC had to say yes, if for no other reason than to keep them out of the ACC or B1G.

5 of the six acquisitions SEC have been to the west. Four of those 6 were after the ACC got in bed with ESPN. This is no accident.
Personally I think it very unlikely that the SEC expands again.

Your tinfoil-hat theory is that ESPN ordered the SEC to not add teams from the ACC, and the SEC obeyed?

If that were true, there would be a lot of ACC schools hating ESPN for blocking a possible opportunity to be invited to the SEC.

I would look at it as ESPN developed a plan to guarantee long term domination of college athletics.
ESPN started with the ACC and SEC; added the best of the Big East, corralled Notre Dame into a long term contract, added the best of the SWC/Big 8/Big 12.
Keep in mind that ESPN is not only interested in football but quality collegiate athletics that can be broadcast all year.
Not only men's but women's. The SEC is strong in softball and basketball while the ACC offers great soccer, lacrosse and country club sports for women.

Tin-hat theory?
ESPN has the top year-round inventory in college sports all locked up in long term contracts. Pretty weird, huh?

ESPN's plan for college athletic domination is reflected in the growth of the SEC. The ACC is an amalgamation of NE and southern coastal schools that gives the mouse viewership in the most heavily populated areas of our country. IMO if the mouse had their way Maryland and Penn State would be in the ACC and Notre Dame would be a full member. This would for the most part lock up the NE and when paired with the SEC give them what you are alluding to. Unfortunately for ESPN the B1G and ND haven't exactly followed their plan.

To Quo, as far as Texas and Oklahoma are concerned, their addition to the SEC had everything to do with trying to block the PAC. The B1G and ACC have never been really considered legitimate conference partners. The SEC and PAC have always been 1 and 1a, when lovable Larry tried to get Texas and Oklahoma in 2010 it was the LHN and ESPN incentivizing them staying that stopped the move. The LHN was a money suck that ESPN could afford to absorb to set up the move you see today. If Larry had been a little more forward thinking, he would have sold rights to the PAC12 network to ESPN instead of wanting to own it and we would be talking about a legitimate P3 instead of a P2.

Superregionals
Texas and ECU, Tennessee and Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech are all tied at 1 game apiece.
Arkansas leads UNC 1 game to none.
Texas A&M leads Louisville 1 game to none and is ahead late in the 2nd game.
Other 3 series in progress.