Last year, what 5 SEC EAST teams ended up in the top 15? Three were Top 10. Wouldn't having the 10 best teams play in the top 5 bowls make them more competitive and thus more entertaining? And it wouldn't just be the SEC, the Big10 also has been/will be affected by this.
That's what I'm not getting. In my mind either OSU or TT would be good additions to the SEC or Pac??, but for some reason it seams they'd rather ride on the coattails. I'm not trying to put either school down (that's for the regular Football thread. ) but just trying to figure out what I'm not getting.
Will Mizzou re-start the recently quashed realignment shuffle? Based on yesterday's UofM curator's meeting in StL, it seems quite possible. This writer seems to think Mizzou isn't long for the Big 12. http://missouri.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1274465 Bullet points: - Mizzou Prez authorized to explore and make decisions concerning conference membership options for University of Missouri in the best interest of the university. - Same guy resigns his post as Head of Big 12 "executive committee" (whatever) to avoid obvious conflict of interest. - Speculation that Mizzou has understanding w/ SEC to become 14th member should it leave the Big 12
So are these Texas A&M 'It's Time... to bring our blah blah blah to our new Family' and 'Two Great Traditions, Texas A&M and the SEC' commercials playing nationally or just during SEC games? So far I think I've only seen them at the AU-Arkansas and AU-UF games.
I would imagine only during SEC games. Why would they need to advertise their new SEC "partnership" with the rest of the country? That wouldn't make any sense at all.
Well, if it were running in Texas it'd tell me that they felt the need to try and PsyOp their own people into really getting behind the move. I'm just trying to figure out who their target audience is for this message and why they felt the need to put it out.
I don't think they need to convince any Aggies (current, former or future) that it's a good move. I spent a few days in College Station last month on some personal business and they are jazzed to be shed of the Big 12.
Several reasons. Culturally it was viewed as a better fit than the original Big 12. We also had established rivalries with LSU and Arkansas which were more appealing than forced rivalries with the Big 8 schools. Plus, the SEC's reputation as a superior football conference with superior pageantry was as alluring then as it is now. It was also a good fit in terms of style of play. In those days, A&M featured fast, aggressive defenses that routinely finished in the top 10 nationally.
Well the rumors are firing up again regarding Missery to the SEC. I hope they announce this week, I'd love for the Pokes to give another school their walking papers.
So Mizzou to the SEC starting next July. And WV to the Big 12 as Mizzou's replacement. Assuming the lawyers don't fuck it up for everyone. Well, this will be interesting. I envision MORE football tickets being available for Mizzou home games, as I doubt that fans of the other SEC East teams will mass-migrate all the way up to Columbia. And frankly, from a football standpoint, I don't believe that much will change. For the past few years, Mizzou wins most of their games, loses a game or two to the big powers in their conference, possibly makes it to the Conference Championship game in a really good year, only to lose, then gets picked for a 2nd-tier bowl game. This will continue to happen...just replace the names Oklahoma/Nebraska/Texas with the names Florida/Alabama/LSU. I don't see them losing regularly to Kentucky, Vanderbilt, or Tennessee any time in the near future. I would expect them to play Georgia fairly evenly based on recent records of both teams, and I would expect to see them struggle with Florida and South Carolina. I do not believe that their recruiting will take a hit--they've got a great pipeline to Texas HS players, and they'll now be playing in the strongest FB conference in the nation. I also think they'll hold their own in basketball and softball, but that their baseball team's record will take a hit.
Recruiting won't take a hit? Half of the Texas pipeline is based on the fact that Mizzou would be playing a game or two in the state of Texas every year, with plenty of TV coverage on top of that. They just tossed that out the window, is an occasional game vs A&M enough to satisfy those Texas moms?
This just makes no sense to me. Granted, I don't really want Auburn in the East and all this was predicated on Mizzou going to the East so Auburn could stay in the West, but... *scratches head* Maybe they should realign to the SEC North and South? Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, LSU, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M in the "South" with South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Missouri in the "North"? But, does that create the old Big 12 with a powerhouse South and a Cream Puff North? Don't get me wrong. The Old Ball Coach is getting SC ready. Tenn will be back eventually, Arkansas is competitive, and Ole Miss loves to throw a wrench in the works, and I know nadda about Mizzou. Lets face it, SC/TN/AR are the only teams in the "North" that have been to the SEC Championship Game and two of the seven never have any shot of going.
First off, Missouri to the East makes no sense. However, if it were to happen I would imagine for the very reason you mention they would make A&M their permanent cross divisional rival.
