As another day goes by, it’s another day the Big 12 (10) Conference finds its way back into the news for the comically wrong reasons.
At its football media days earlier this week, the Big 12 decided to do two things: 1) not drop sanctions on Baylor for its bumbling of the sexual assault saga, and 2) officially open the door for conference expansion – again.
I swear to God, the Big 12 cracks me the hell up. It’s vascillated from wanting expansion to not wanting expansion, only to find itself back to wanting expansion.
The conference has basically changed their minds on expansion more than Michael Jackson changed noses (RIP).
At any rate, if the Big 12 ever asked for my opinion (which it won’t) on which schools it should take, I would suggest Memphis and Cincinnati.
Memphis has two things going for it: its location and corporate backing. Memphis is also located at the corner of Mississippi and Arkansas, which would open up all sorts of recruiting grounds for the Big 12. And yes, I know Memphis has crappy facilities and an old decrepit stadium, but it has pledged to invest millions into upgrading said facilities.
Which leads us to the corporate component. Memphis is home to FedEx, and that company’s big wig not only wants to front most, if not all, of the cost, he wants to put up money to sponsor a Big 12 title game.
I would like for Cincinnati to be included for person reasons. I live only 10 miles from UC’s campus, and wouldn’t mind paying to see the Bearcats play the likes of Texas, Oklahoma, Ok State, TCU and Kansas State.
I think that Cincinnati would work because of its location. First, it opens the door for the Big 12 to recruit Ohio. And perhaps more importantly, it gives West Virginia the travel partner it sorely needed.
Look, I’m gonna be honest with y’all on something: I think the Big 12 is destined for extinction, regardless of expansion.
It can blame Texas and poor leadership from its last two commissioners. Former commissioner Dan Beebe allowed Texas to keep its Longhorn Network, which led Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri and Texas A&M to split from the conference. Current commissioner Bob Bowlsby kept that Longhorn Network gravy train going.
Besides, unless the Big 12 pulls off a miracle and lures a Power 5 school, there is not a school out there that would move the TV needle. Hell, even Memphis and Cincinnati don’t move the needle all that much.
As for me, I’ve already started the “so long Big 12” countdown…
Categories: college basketball, college football, college sports, sports story
Leave a Reply