OKCBuff
Well-Known Member
Albeit this is from the world of anonymous replies to Denver Post stories, but it really jumped out at me. After all, if the Big 10 is looking at 14 or 16 teams, why not a Pac-14? Adding two quasi-national followings (AFA, BYU) along with Utah and CU would definitely be a bold move. Thoughts?
According to insiders close to Larry Scott, Tim Weiberg was brought on board as COO and Deputy Commissioner of the Pac-10 specifically for his strong experience as having been the former Commissioner of the Big 12. Weiberg was bold and confident in bringing on board such an equally competent right hand man to support him. This is not all about money as most claim, rather it’s about financial survival, academics and perception. The Pac-10 is the “The Conference of Champions. If you are a member that is your conference motto. Despite the nonsense about the BYU and the Latter-Day Saints, Utah has nearly an equal amount of Mormons. It amounts to no more than political fodder to stir up controversy. BYU and Utah offer great potential to the Pac-10. However, read on for the really big news.
Many insiders discount the idea that only one of the two teams (BYU or Utah) is necessary to secure the Salt Lake City/Provo television market for TV contractual reasons and the financial support it brings. The reason is simple, the Pac-10 is not just looking at a two-team expansion rather they are seriously considering a four-team blitz that includes the two aforementioned teams as well as Colorado and Air Force.
For academic reasons the Pac-10 will not consider Hawaii, San Jose State, San Diego State, Fresno State, UNLV, Utah State or Boise State. They serve their communities well and despite accusations of insider Pac-10 conference snobbery they just don’t measure up academically and historically with the other traditional Pac-10 schools.
At a recent family social event attended by Weiberg, someone asked about Colorado State and Colorado but that idea was immediatley extinguised. The response was "State will not measure up to Pac-10" requirements. Colorado would be free to include Colorado State on its out of conference schedule every year much as Notre Dame is part of USC’s legacy and history. Air Force, meanwhile is a natual rival in the state for Colorado. As a military academy it may not seem to offer a specific local TV market rather it does offer a prolific national following for any and all who served in the Air Force ranks.
The Denver and Salt Lake City/Provo markets would be secured. Those who choose geographical distance as a rebuttal lose this one as both Colorado and Air Force are closer to either Oregon or Washington teams than either Arizona or Arizona State. The conference would offer two solid seven-team divisions. Historically the four California schools (USC, Stanford, Cal and UCLA) provide somewhat of an anchor for the conference. In private conversation with Weiberg, each team would play its divisional competition once a year equating to six games. In addition, each team would still secure three non-conference games annually leaving 3 games left to play. Currently teams typically play a twelve game schedule with an occasional thirteen game schedule.
The possibilities and potential for the conference are profound from a financail perspective. As far as diversification, which is very important as far as perceptions, it would be unmatched nationally yet it would secure the highest academic standings adding additional prestige to the conference. For a nation that recently elected an African-American President no one thinks BYU is a challenging addition. If it was, it would put our country’s social progress back by decades.
You heard it here first: Utah, BYU, Colorado and Air Force are being strongly considered as the teams to expand the Pacific 10 Conference to a two divisional Pacific-14 Conference.
Arguably it leaves the Mountain West crushed. However, there really is no problem here as TCU would certainly replace Colorado in the Big 12 leaving five schools in the Mountain West Conference to incorporate into the WAC conference which would also increase to 14 teams thereby insuring that conference a BCS bowl berth.
Away from insider talk I have not heard any word on how the two divisions would, should or could look like. Herein, I offer my own ideas for two divisions. They would be split into a North and South Division. The North would be comprised of Oregon and Oregon State, Wahington and Washington State, BYU, Cal and Stanford. The South Division would be comprised of USC, UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State, Utah, Colorado and Air Force. Some traditionalists might have issues with USC not playing Cal and Stanford each year but they would play on a rotating basis. If a USC-Stanford or USC-Cal or for that matter UCLA-Cal or UCLA-Stanford comes between closing a deal or not I’m confident the conference and individual institutions would work it out amenably. From my perspective I point to the Oklahoma-Nebraska rivalry that was such a prolific national rivalry. Those two rivals now play on the national fottball scene home and away for two years and then don’t play for two subsequent. Who would have thought that could ever be possible.
The 14-team concept is in the works. It may not happen but there are serious conversaqtions taking place at the highest level of the institutions involved.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/sports/...only-logical-move-for-pac-10/?source=ARK_news
According to insiders close to Larry Scott, Tim Weiberg was brought on board as COO and Deputy Commissioner of the Pac-10 specifically for his strong experience as having been the former Commissioner of the Big 12. Weiberg was bold and confident in bringing on board such an equally competent right hand man to support him. This is not all about money as most claim, rather it’s about financial survival, academics and perception. The Pac-10 is the “The Conference of Champions. If you are a member that is your conference motto. Despite the nonsense about the BYU and the Latter-Day Saints, Utah has nearly an equal amount of Mormons. It amounts to no more than political fodder to stir up controversy. BYU and Utah offer great potential to the Pac-10. However, read on for the really big news.
Many insiders discount the idea that only one of the two teams (BYU or Utah) is necessary to secure the Salt Lake City/Provo television market for TV contractual reasons and the financial support it brings. The reason is simple, the Pac-10 is not just looking at a two-team expansion rather they are seriously considering a four-team blitz that includes the two aforementioned teams as well as Colorado and Air Force.
For academic reasons the Pac-10 will not consider Hawaii, San Jose State, San Diego State, Fresno State, UNLV, Utah State or Boise State. They serve their communities well and despite accusations of insider Pac-10 conference snobbery they just don’t measure up academically and historically with the other traditional Pac-10 schools.
At a recent family social event attended by Weiberg, someone asked about Colorado State and Colorado but that idea was immediatley extinguised. The response was "State will not measure up to Pac-10" requirements. Colorado would be free to include Colorado State on its out of conference schedule every year much as Notre Dame is part of USC’s legacy and history. Air Force, meanwhile is a natual rival in the state for Colorado. As a military academy it may not seem to offer a specific local TV market rather it does offer a prolific national following for any and all who served in the Air Force ranks.
The Denver and Salt Lake City/Provo markets would be secured. Those who choose geographical distance as a rebuttal lose this one as both Colorado and Air Force are closer to either Oregon or Washington teams than either Arizona or Arizona State. The conference would offer two solid seven-team divisions. Historically the four California schools (USC, Stanford, Cal and UCLA) provide somewhat of an anchor for the conference. In private conversation with Weiberg, each team would play its divisional competition once a year equating to six games. In addition, each team would still secure three non-conference games annually leaving 3 games left to play. Currently teams typically play a twelve game schedule with an occasional thirteen game schedule.
The possibilities and potential for the conference are profound from a financail perspective. As far as diversification, which is very important as far as perceptions, it would be unmatched nationally yet it would secure the highest academic standings adding additional prestige to the conference. For a nation that recently elected an African-American President no one thinks BYU is a challenging addition. If it was, it would put our country’s social progress back by decades.
You heard it here first: Utah, BYU, Colorado and Air Force are being strongly considered as the teams to expand the Pacific 10 Conference to a two divisional Pacific-14 Conference.
Arguably it leaves the Mountain West crushed. However, there really is no problem here as TCU would certainly replace Colorado in the Big 12 leaving five schools in the Mountain West Conference to incorporate into the WAC conference which would also increase to 14 teams thereby insuring that conference a BCS bowl berth.
Away from insider talk I have not heard any word on how the two divisions would, should or could look like. Herein, I offer my own ideas for two divisions. They would be split into a North and South Division. The North would be comprised of Oregon and Oregon State, Wahington and Washington State, BYU, Cal and Stanford. The South Division would be comprised of USC, UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State, Utah, Colorado and Air Force. Some traditionalists might have issues with USC not playing Cal and Stanford each year but they would play on a rotating basis. If a USC-Stanford or USC-Cal or for that matter UCLA-Cal or UCLA-Stanford comes between closing a deal or not I’m confident the conference and individual institutions would work it out amenably. From my perspective I point to the Oklahoma-Nebraska rivalry that was such a prolific national rivalry. Those two rivals now play on the national fottball scene home and away for two years and then don’t play for two subsequent. Who would have thought that could ever be possible.
The 14-team concept is in the works. It may not happen but there are serious conversaqtions taking place at the highest level of the institutions involved.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/sports/...only-logical-move-for-pac-10/?source=ARK_news