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shipperxIt's Official...Almost
Is the Big 12 Dying?
"It's official -- almost. An anticipated rubber-stamp vote by Southeastern Conference presidents to accept Texas A&M as a member turned into conditional approval late Tuesday night when word surfaced of possible legal action by a Big 12 school.
In a statement released Wednesday morning, the league said it unanimously approved A&M's application but under the condition that the remaining Big 12 schools offer no roadblocks to the Aggies departure.
The SEC release said it was assured in a Sept. 2 letter that all Big 12 schools condoned the A&M move. But then on Tuesday, the SEC said it found out one Big 12 school had withdrawn its approval, leaving the SEC to say the Aggies would be approved "upon receiving acceptable reconfirmation that the Big 12 and its members have reaffirmed the letter dated September 2, 2011."
The SEC did not name the school. The Dallas Morning News reported that Big 12 member Baylor was considering some sort of legal action. {...}
Assuming the A&M situation is settled, it would give the SEC 13 teams and an unbalance in its two-division format. It would seem the league would add a 14th at some point. So far, the league has said it is in no hurry on further expansion. Schools in the region who would seem attractive choices, like Clemson and Virginia Tech, have insisted they re staying in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Florida State, another ACC member, has only said it is happy in the league and has had no talks with the SEC.
Missouri has been mentioned as a possible addition. It would give Arkansas a relatively close opponent and allow the SEC to expand into the Kansas City and St. Louis markets, much like A&M takes the league into the talent-rich state of Texas. But so far Missouri has said it would remain in the Big 12. The other question, though, is whether the Big 12 will survive."
Is the Big 12 Dying?
"Another day, another rumor that suggests the Big 12 Conference is gasping its last breaths.
Early last weekend it was Texas A&M to the Southeastern Conference and by this Labor Day weekend it was Oklahoma, Texas, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech packaged to the expansion-minded Pac-12. This week there are rumblings that Mizzou, Kansas and Kansas State could be bound for the Big East if (when?) the next-of-kin takes the Big 12 off life support. {...}
Why haven't we heard from the Big 12 Conference commissioner? Why haven't we heard one peep from Dallas that shows us this "aggressive" plan to save the conference from extinction? Why haven't we heard anyone telling us about all the schools that are lining up for a chance to play in the Big 12 (I mean other than the ones that Texas is handpicking to simply keep its TV network empire afloat and allow it to roll on as the unfettered, greedy monster and ruling lord of the land)? Where is someone from this conference, anyone for crissakes, who is telling us something more reassuring than "remain calm … all is well … pay no attention to collapsing walls, burning floors and the scavengers stealing all the furniture"?
