Pac-12 Beats Big 12 In Day 1 of ‘Power Conference Survivor’
In Day 1 of Power Conference Survivor the Pac-12 beat the Big 12, 1-0, and the Pac-12 only had to do the bare minimum to do it.
The Pac-12 released a statement. That’s all. Just a statement.
But at least the Pac-12 stated its intent.
The Pac-12 Board of Directors met this morning and authorized the Conference to explore all expansion options. The 10 university presidents and chancellors remain committed to a shared mission of academic and athletic excellence on behalf of our student-athletes.
Short, simple, nothing to it. Basically says, ‘Hey, we’re open for business. Inquire within.’
I mean, the conference is stating the obvious, of course. But at least they STATED it.
I kept waiting for the Big 12 to do something on Friday.
Checked my e-mail? No statement.
Checked Twitter? No statement.
Checked Facebook? No statement.
In fact, THIS is what the Big 12 Conference twitter account posted on July 1.
Yes, let the countdown begin. To … BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF joining … the Big 12, right?
RIGHT?
Unfortunately, it gets worse.
Turns out the Big 12 Board of Directors did, reportedly, meet. CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd got the low-down on the meeting from a source.
Turns out, the Big 12 isn’t interested in going after any Pac-12 teams right now, even though a report on Thursday from another credible reporter, Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, stated that the Big 12 had four Pac-12 teams in its sights.
Why? Well, funny you should use that word. Per Dodd:
‘For now, there is no interest from the Big 12 to take any Pac-12 schools. When a chance presented itself Thursday for the Big 12 board of directors to discuss these developments, one high-ranking Big 12 official said, ‘Why?’
The mind boggles.
WHY?!
Does this Big 12 official want to save the conference? I mean if that’s the answer, one has to wonder.
This was a day after another Big 12 source told Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger that “We’ve got to do something.”
Did that source tell this to that Big 12 official? Because I think most everyone is on the ‘You need to do something’ train.
There is always a level of dysfunction in any athletic conference. The SEC isn’t all sunshine and lollipops. But the Big 12 has been dysfunctional from the moment it was formed. It was a shotgun marriage of two conferences, the Big Eight and the Southwest Conference. The SWC was dying, the Big Eight wasn’t.
Way back then, the Pac-12 NEARLY lured Texas and others. It nearly happened again a decade ago. Imagine where we would be had either of those moments happened? USC and UCLA might not be leaving the Pac-12. We might already have super conferences
My colleagues have written a lot about this the past 24 hours. This is the moment for the Big 12 to be bold. This is the moment the Big 12 can’t let the opportunity slip. This is the moment that will define incoming commissioner Brett Yormark’s initial months.
This isn’t like last year. Everyone waited to see what the Big 12 would do because they were the aggrieved party and no one else wanted to move their chess pieces.
This is totally different. The direction is clear as day — super conferences.
It’s time for the Big 12 to overcome its dysfunction and act.
Or, at the least, do the bare minimum and release a statement.
I mean, if the Pac-12 can do it, you can too, right?
RIGHT?
Matthew Postins can be found on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
