TCU to the BIG 12

[cygnus34]

http://espn.go.com/dallas/ncf/story/_/id/7066994/sources-tcu-horned-frogs-meeting-discuss-big-12-invite

[Ghost]

goodnight sweet Big East

[cygnus34]

Big12 presidents and chancellors voted Thursday morning to formally offer TCU membership in the league. TCU, previously expected to join the Big East in 2013, will now join the Big12 instead.

Rivals.com's Texas and TCU sites are reporting that TCU ha been offered a league spot and that, given their status with the Big East, the Horned Frogs need only pay a $5 million exit fee to release their bonds with the Big East.

While every program in the Big12, the SEC and the Big East awaits a final decision from Missouri - will they stay or will they go? - Big12 officials have been hard at work determining the conference's course going forward.

If Missouri leaves the Big12 for the SEC, and most sources say they will, the Big12 will have eight teams after Texas A&M and Missouri leave. But there is some question Thursday about whether Missouri will have the votes to enter the SEC.

This story: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/10/majority_of_sec_presidents_fav.html by the Birmingham News quotes sources saying Missouri has a majority of the president's support, but not the nine votes needed for a new member to join.

The article also includes this note: "One source said there's a group of presidents that wants to sit tight, believing the SEC can do better than Missouri and that No. 14 should come from the East. According to both sources, Alabama wants to look East and not risk losing its annual game against Tennessee, while Auburn favors adding Missouri and moving to the Eastern Division."

Still, most believe commissioner Mike Slive will get the votes necessary for Missouri's entrance into the league. So where will that leave the BIg12?

It is becoming more and more likely that the Big12 will add four teams to get back to 12 members. Louisville has long been reported as a candidate by CardinalSports.com and other Rivals.com sources, but seeing the Cardinals program listed as a candidate in USA Today yesterday is worth noting.

The USA Today article states: "The Big 12, meanwhile, is actively pursuing expansion to fill at least the hole left by A&M. An official in the league with knowledge of the deliberations, who asked to remain anonymous because of their sensitivity, said the candidates include TCU, Brigham Young and Louisville. TCU's inclusion is an indication that the league has altered its initial intention to look outside its current geographic boundaries. Louisville's and TCU's inclusion is troublesome for the already-depleted Big East."

Here is the link to the full story: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2011-10-05/big-12-missouri-expansion/50673292/1

Yesterday, Texas Rivals.com writer Chip Brown, posted on Twitter the following: "Sources tell Orangebloods.com TCU, BYU and Louisville continue to be leading candidates to join B12. West Virginia also in the mix."

The news of TCU's bid falls in line with what Oklahoma president David Boren said to a handful of press Tuesday.

In this report by Travis Haney of the Oklahoman, Boren makes a timetable known.

"We'll be fine either way," Boren told a handful of reporters after watching the Sooners' football practice in advance of Saturday's game against Texas.

[widerberg]

Yeah, just saw this on CNN, too. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/ncaa/10/06/big-12-tcu.ap/index.html?sct=cf_t2_a3

We are F***D. It was nice while it lasted. Hello, C-USA. Upside is that with our current Big East recruits, at least we *should* kick ass and take names for a season or two in C-USA. That is, until Holtz leaves and we start getting nothing but C-USA recruits on top of that. Which, of course, means no more Top 25 rankings and an even smaller likelihood of us getting picked up by an AQ conference next time the realignment musical chairs game starts up.

The fat lady hasn't sung yet, admittedly. But I see no way out of our current situation. The Big East is done. And we're done. Suckage!!!! If we drop back down to C-USA, the program will take decades to recover.