Point one. The Big 12 Conference is not a conference without the University of Oklahoma or the University of Texas as members. If either one bolts for another league, the Big 12 is over. Simple fact. Point two. The University of Oklahoma needs to tell the Big 12 Conference that they are leaving the league and have asked for acceptance in either the Big Ten or the Southeastern Conference. With that statement, go back to point one. The Big 12 conference is history. What is happening to the Oklahoma Sooners in their efforts to promote what is good for the school with regard to conference membership in the Big 12 is frightening. OU President David Boren has been muzzled by the Big 12 Conference this weekend by League Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. President Boren must act in what is in the best interest for his university, and this movement to another league needs to be taken immediately. I think when the dust settles later this week, the Univ. of Oklahoma will be a member of either the Big Ten or the SEC. If it doesn’t happen, look for the Big 12 Conference to fold. The suggestions that President Boren has put on the table with the Big 12 can save the league but the Commissioner of the Big12 doesn’t agree. Today, the Big 12 died and it is just a matter of time for “all” members of the Big 12 to recognize it. Boomer.
Please let’s keep the big 12. Bring in 2 more teams to make it 12 teams Houston, BYU Bosie state Tulsa any good team. Let’s keep the Big 12 Alive. Please.
Houston will never be in the Big 12 as long as there are other Texas teams and Okla. State and OU in the conference.
Agree, Fred. The sooner, as it were, the better.
Sometimes, in order to improve, you have to go through painful change. It’s hard and conventional wisdom says it’s not a good choice, but, at the end of the day, plowing through that change is a good thing. In this case, OU needs to bolt the Big 12. It will be damaging – fatal, perhaps – for the Big 12, but having OU in the Big Ten or – (shudder) – the SEC would do nothing but help OU up its game.
Quite frankly, OU is the king of a very small hill. The Big 12 is not a competitive league and President Boren knows this. Sure, being in the Big 8, then the Big 12 after its realignment has been a good run, but we need to evolve.
Change is hard. Painful at times. But, you come out more experienced and better in all ways at the end of the day.
Talk to WVU or KU, and go to the SEC with a proposal to join. Either one works for me. WVU is probably easier because there won’t be state political bickering like there would over splitting KU and KSU, and WVU balances out the geography better: OU to the west, WVU to the east.
Agreed on Houston. There are already 3 too many Texas schools in the XII.
Unfortunately, it isn’t up to Fred or any of us on whether or not to keep the Big 12. As fans, we want the conference to last and succeed. But when you have schools such as the University of Texas who cares nothing about the conference or its co-members and has a history of dismantling other conferences because of their greed, and self anointed right to dominate conference members with less financial means makes for a receipt for failure. Look at the reasons why Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri and Texas A&M bolted the conference. They all go back to UT and what the conference should have done when it had the chance to telly save the conference was tale the trash out and kick UT to the curb, keeping the for of the afore mentioned universities, and then bring in Louisville and look to expand to 14 or 16 teams.
Now, unless the conference can do something along the lines of what Oklahoma University President Boren has brought to the table, the most probable future for the Big 12 is to fold and Oklahoma to join the SEC. Although I personally can’t stand the SEC, it is in all likelyhood what is in the long term best interest of the university. The sad part is what will happen to the remaining member universities and the lifelong rivalries that have been established. What will happen to the Kansas States and Iowa States of the league or the TCU or Baylors’ of the league. And all of this because one school choose to be greedy, selfish and operated in a manner which is non conducive to conference membership, even though they agreed and chose to be a member of the league.
R.I.P. Big XII…..it was great while it lasted!
to S.M Booger Lees- speak for yourself in that we as fans want to keep he Big 12. As it is currently set-up, no, many fans , as noted by the feedback from this article, don’t give a hoot about the Big 12. With the other points of your post, I totally agree Thanks for your comments
Mark in VA-the fact that the SEC would not want or take KU or WVU is being overlooked. If OU goes to the SEC look for Okie State to piggyback and go to the SEC with Texas probably going independent because of their TV contract with ESPN. Texas, most probably, will end up in the Big 10 or PAC after they fold their network. The other Big 12 teams are out of luck.
John Lawrence- good comments and I agree with you 100 percent