Bet that got your attention.
There have been all kinds of expansion rumors since the Big Ten announced in December that it was looking into expanding, but this one might take the cake. And the main course. And the appetizers as well.
Chip Brown of Rival.com‘s pay-per-view Orangeblood.com site -- and former Texas beat writer for the Dallas Morning News -- writes that “Pac-10, which has its meetings in San Francisco starting this weekend, is prepared to make a bold move and invite Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado to join its league.”
(Jaw, meet floor.)
Brown cited multiple sources close to the situation for the report.
In this configuration, the newly-formed Pac-10 would split into two divisions, with Arizona and Arizona State teaming up with the pilfered Big 12 schools and the remaining current members of the Pac-10 forming the other.
The aim of the “Pac-16", Brown reports, is to create a television network akin to what the Big Ten pulls money in with hand over fist, and would include seven of the Top Twenty television markets in the country.
Given Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe‘s talk over the past week -- especially during the conference meetings the past couple of days -- about loyalty, pulling in the same direction and everyone being on the same airplane, it would seem odd that conference would choose to leave Iowa State, Baylor, Kansas and Kansas State* high, dry and bent over sans lube.
Then again, stranger things have happened.
The Big 12 athletic directors and presidents are currently involved in meetings, so it may be awhile before we have an “official” response to this latest -- and by far most freaking jaw-dropping -- round of conference speculation.
Until then, speculate away...
(Yes, I’m fully aware that I didn’t mention Nebraska and Missouri. Their collective bags are already packed for the Midwest in this latest apocalyptic scenario.)