OilAg

This won't change anything...

@McMurphyCBS: Chuck Neinas Sports Services website: "following individuals were employed by Chuck Neinas ...DeLoss Dodds, Kirby Holcutt"

If the Big 12 stays together in an assured dysfunctional state, the WINNERS are, in order:

1. Texas A&M (assuming they go SEC)
2. Arkansas/LSU
3. Rest of SEC
4. ACC, Big 10, and Pac 12

Then you have your losers

Biggest loser = OU

Followed by the rest of the big 12 sans Texas. And I think Texas is only a slight loser given that they will likely retain their network in some modified state. They will be the #5 winner if no changes are required of their network though (or maybe even the #3 winner).

I will be the first to say that I personally would like to see Tech come with A&M to the SEC to give us a conference partner who we would have some influence with from day 1 (most Aggies do not feel this way --- I am definitely one of the very few). However, I also know the odds of Tech being invited are slim to none. Below is a post by a guy who is supposedly a big donor that he made on the Raider Power premium board (and this was then re-posted on Texags for my viewing pleasure...)

quote:

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Just got of the phone with my dad and his legislative buddy and kind of got the scoop. For those that don't already know, this is a life long friend of my dad's, Tech alum, very plugged in, and former state legislator (a very well respected one...). We did a conference call, so I got to ask questions directly. I'll try and be brief, but it will take a bit...

A&M - They aren't coming back unless hell really does freeze over...

The SEC - Slive is taking the gloves off b/c of Baylor and UT trying to meddle. The SEC is very much after Mizz, and would like to add Tech and KU as well... They would really, really like to add Tech b/c Tech would expand them clear across Texas and would cut UT off to an extent. We also would be a regional partner for A&M. KU is much the same as Tech in this situation, they'd compliment KU very well. WVU was spurned b/c they think they can get Tech, Mizz and KU. If that fails, they might re-visit the WVU idea. *I'll get to Tech's stance on this further down...

The ACC - Not a realistic option... His words...

The Big 10 - They don't want us, we don't want them, mutually beneficial hate...

The Big East - Adding schools from here isn't an option yet b/c it's likely they'll get further plundered....

The Big 12(redux).... Some of the administration is hoping for this, b/c they're scared to see us go out on our own... Most of the administration think this idea is horrible. I was told that the conference would end up being a travel nightmare, completely watered down and filled with teams that truly hate each other.

The Pac12 - Right now they're putting the screws to UT, and they really, really don't care if UT comes or not... Rice is NOT an option. He said he hadn't heard that at all, and he's talked to Scott personally.. The rumor that OU doesn't have the votes is bull***** OU, OSU and Tech have the votes... Arizona, AZ State, Cal, Colorado and Stanford are objecting to OU and OSU, but it's mainly posturing... The only one really objecting to Tech is Colorado... That needs no explanation..

Now on to Tech's position on all this... There's a sentiment that's growing that the PAC may not be of much benefit to Tech other than an upgrade in a TV contract... The thought is that we (Tech) are wanting to expand the Jones to accommodate 72,000 in the future. We want to sell that 72k out... The thought is that ticket sales will be an issue... Obviously OU, UT, USC and Oregon would sell out the Jones every year, but we won't have all four of those at home any year... So we'll likely have 1-2 guaranteed sell outs per year, the rest would be up in the air... People will show up for the first year, but the newness will wear off, and our fans just don't identify with the PAC schools... Conversely, the thought is, if we go with the SEC, we'll sell out a lot of games (even at 72k). SEC fans will also travel, west coast fans will not (proven fact)... The Jones would sell out for LSU, Georgia, Bama, Florida, Tennessee, A&M, Auburn, you get the idea... The only teams that aren't a big draw for the Tech fan base are Vandy, Ole Miss and Miss St.. Word is, if the 4 Big 12 teams the SEC wants join, the TV contracts would top 50 mil for sure and likely come close to 60 mil (insane, I know)... He wasn't willing to say that the SEC was favored right now, but don't be surprised if, all of a sudden, we are #15 or 16... He did say that the more time that goes by, the worse the chances are of the PAC being our home b/c we're very concerned about the things mentioned... He told me that many of our big money donors are balking at the PAC idea, but are fully on board with the SEC idea. Nobody likes the Big 12 idea unless A&M stays... He also said that Guy Bailey has some serious SEC connections and is getting a lot done here and Tuberville has been of great help here as well... Just know that our president and HC seem to prefer the SEC...

He said that OU was brilliant by going on the offensive and giving the list of demands. They all seem reasonable to reasonable people, but UT will not be reasonable.. This will make OU, OSU and A&M that have put UT out there as the bad guy. They basically are beat UT at their own game, and UT is pissed....

I was also told that our administration had felt betrayed by UT earlier this year, but when UT let it float out there that they were going to start a dirty PR campaign against Tech, well, that was the end of that marriage... Now, does that mean we don't stick with them, no, but our "partnership" with them is done. So, ultimately, we're "exploring all options". He said at this point nothing would surprise him b/c it all changes hourly.. There is no real time table, but the SEC would like to get enough Big 12 members to force OU and OSU west and just dissolve the conference and wipe out the lawsuit etc... He wouldn't make a prediction on where we end up, but he said if he and the donors had any say in it, it wouldn't be the Big 12... So, there you go....

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I really don't see why the SEC doesn't go hard after Mizzou, OU, and OSU. That isn't what I want to see, but I feel like its the obvious play for the SEC to make. It would prevent the Pac12 from making their big splash and would add 4 solid all around athletic departments. If you can't get UNC or Virginia Tech, OU/OSU seems to make a lot more sense than WVU or Louisville or TCU.

For purposes of discussion only, lets assume A&M, WVU, Mizzou and VTech are the teams the SEC adds. I expect/hope to see a pod system that is used for all sports for scheduling purposes. For football (at least football, maybe other sports as well), I would like to see 1 permanent rival from each of the 3 other pods. Then you play your pod plus 1 other pod each year. That would give you a total of 9 games per season. Here is my shot at this assuming the 4 new teams are A&M, Mizzou, WVU and VTech.

Pod 1: A&M, LSU, Arkansas, and Mizzou
Pod 2: Bama, Auburn, Ole Miss and MSU
Pod 3: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky
Pod 4: UT, Vandy, VTech, and WVU

Permanent Rivals for each:
A&M: Vtech, Georgia, and Auburn
LSU: Alabama, Florida, and UT
Arkansas: South Carolina, Ole Miss, Vandy
Mizzou: WVU, Kentucky, and MSU

Bama: UT, Florida, LSU
Auburn: VT, Georgia, A&M
Ole Miss: Vandy, South Carolina, Arkansas
Miss State: WVU, Kentucky, Mizzou

Florida: UT, Bama, LSU
Georgia: VT, Auburn, A&M
South Carolina: WVU, Ole Miss, Arkansas
Kentucky: Vandy, MSU, Mizzou

UT: Florida, Bama, LSU
Vandy: Kentucky, Ole Miss, Arkansas
VTech: Georgia, Auburn, A&M
WVU: South Carolina, MSU and Mizzou

Obviously, some teams get screwed in terms of the schedule difficulty (Florida, Tennessee, LSU, and Bama). My way of dealing with that would be that for purposes of deciding who goes to the SEC championship games, the non-divisional rivalry games only count in the case of a tiebreaker. Each year 2 pods would play to form a division and this would rotate.

So lets say year 1 had Pod 1 and 3 matched up to create a division. LSU's schedule would be:

A&M
Arkansas
Mizzou
Florida
Georgia
South Carolina
Kentucky
Alabama (does not count towards division record)
Tennessee (does not count towards division record)

SEC Championship game selection criteria:

1. Division Record
2. Head to Head record (first tie breaker)
3. In event of 3 way tie, it goes to overall conference record (this is where the Bama and Tennesee games would come into play for LSU in the above scenario).

I doubt A&M would be in favor of giving LSU that much Houston exposure without some reciprocation. Maybe something like home-super dome-home-reliant.