Pac-10 invites Utah to the conference
Seems all but a formality now. Say hi to our likely new buddies, Block U, the Utah SB Nation blog!
How excited are you to have the Utes? Let us know in the comments!
almost 2 years ago
Avinash Kunnath
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YES!!! I love that it’s an official invite now, no more uncertainties about the school. Now if only Utah would go ahead and accept …
I don’t think saying no has ever been an option :)
by Hockey Beard in SLC on Jun 16, 2010 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions
well there goes my Tx Tech/OSU invite theory.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
It is kind of scary that one of my Crazy Thoughts came true. Epic recap:
If you read the proposal, you know that I posted polls at each of the SBN blog sites. Thanks to all who’ve participated across 10 blogs, voted 410 times, and commented ! I thought this would be a great topic to blog about and I was surprised at some of the results. Like everyone, I’m happy the conference has an auto-BCS bid. But I’m frustrated by the fact that the Pac-10 has shown it cannot get two BCS bowl bids (’04 Cal, ’07 ASU). Boo hoo, right? Well, these are big bucks were talking about here. It would be nice to be able to replace the rotten wood bleachers in Memorial (or something to that effect). Moreover, the secondary bowls are terrible. The Holiday Bowl sounds corny, is pre-New Years, and gets the opportunity to play the #3 Big-12 team. And the Pac-10, in an effort to get more bowls, has settled for “meh” bowls rather than quality bowls. My goal behind the expansion was to level the playing field and to improve the Pac-10’s chances of two BCS bowl bids. I’ve posted the voting statistics below from all of the schools participating (% for / % against / total # voters):
Cal (Cal Golden Blogs): 34% / 64% / 49
Bruins Nation: (UCLA): 21% / 78 % / 185
Conquest Chronicles (USC): 23 % / 76 % / 17
ASU (House of Sparky): 47 %/ 52 % / 19
Oregon (ATQ): 22 % / 77 % / 57
Oregon St (Building the Dam): 15 % / 85 % / 40
UW (UW Dawg Pound): 50 % / 50 % / 38
Wazzou (CougCenter): 36 % / 63 % / 11
Utah (Block U): 80 % / 20 % / 30
Colorado (The Ralphie Report): 63 % / 38 % / 18
UofA (no SBN blog): N/A
‘furd (no SBN blog): N/A
===
Total: 32 % / 68 % / 410
Throw out UCLA’s 185 votes for copying Cal’s fight song, mascot, colors, team name: 41 % / 59 % / 227
I’m kidding with the last one of course…just a little good natured ribbing. BN should be commended for having such a large blogging audience. I’ve listed some of the general comments that were received around the various blogs that participated:
1) Round Robin Scheduling/I hate changing. Wow. I never knew so many people like robins that are round. In my opinion, I don’t think the SEC/Big-12 cares about non-round robin scheduling since they usually compete for a second BCS bowl bid and they can laugh about it all the way to the bank. The round robin gives the clearest champion whereas the proposed schedule could potentially lead to a screwy system although with better football this “screwiness” could be minimal. This was by far the most common reason for opposing expansion. 11 league football games and 22 league hoops games sound like a lot. Would 11 league games + 2-3 OOC games work? If so, does this improve our BCS chances? I don’t think so. I think a lot of people love the overhyped Conference Championhsip – particularly those who vote in the polls that decide our BCS rankings.
2) Colorado wouldn’t want to/Colorado sucks at hoops/BYU and Utah instead. As the votes and comments suggested, Colorado might want to (some fans at least). Hell, they almost did in ’94 I think. The balance of power has shifted towards the Big-12S/Southwest Conference teams (just as Osborne said it would in the late ‘90s) and it doesn’t appear as it will shift significantly back. Fans should compare the revenue potential of the new Pac-12 and compare it to the revenue potential of the old Big-12, not compare current Pac-10/Big12. I realize that’s hard to do but somebody must be talented enough at business to do this.
Several fans voted for BYU and Utah instead since they offer better hoops teams and have the “Holy War” rivalry to bring. My poll question asked for Colorado and Utah, so these voting numbers don’t reflect BYU + Utah for the Pac-12 expansion. Note that my proposal protects the Holy War, it just doesn’t make it a league game. L’s still matter. This allows for Colorado and Utah to dust off their old rivalry. If BYU wants to take itself seriously, get an SBN blog and help ‘furd and ‘Zona as well.
3) Colardo/Utah don’t fit academically. Yes they do…they are better than 1/3 to 1/2 of the current universities in the Pac-10. Some Buffs fans were really offended by some of the lower Pac-10 blogs were really offended by bloggers at academically inferior institutions. BYU is different: excellent (so they say) undergrad institution, huge endowment $, no research and no grant $. Some have said this does/does not matter.
4) Mountain West teams can’t compete with Pac-10 teams. A Utah blogger actually said this as his team is ranked #7, 2 spots behind USC and 17 spots ahead of the next Pac-10 team. I think this says something about our current ranking system!
5) Don’t conform to The Man, Screw The Man. Totally unexpected this one and it is very Berkeley. A Utah fan said he enjoys being the BCS buster and he thinks the Pac-10 should leave the BCS conference just to see what others would do. Several other fans around the Pac-10 said they’d rather fix/destroy the BCS and adopt the old version or create a playoff system. One Bruins fan had some crazy shuffling throughout the nation that lead to 7 BCS conferences comprised of 10 teams each, playing round robins, and the winners + next highest ranked team would get BCS bowls. “Fixing the current BCS” is the only thing I see coming out of these ideas mentioned as we roll into another bowl year with 3 teams undefeated…
6) I don’t want to road trip to Utah and Colorado/SLC and Denver aren’t big enough cities. Hey, people hate change. Salt Lake and Denver are major airline hubs and I’ve flown to both locales several times. Salt Lake hosted the Winter Olympics this six years ago. Denver just hosted the DNC. Pulman just hos…
7) Pac-10 teams are afraid of being less successful/losing recruits. I’m of the belief that better teams = better football = better glory. Some aren’t.
8) Are you a commish? Buffs fan? Mountain West fan? No, I’m not a commissioner, Buffs fan, nor Mountain West fan. I’m just a scientist (cue Coldplay) who solves problems for a living.
I’d like to thank everyone for participating and for making this an enjoyable experience. Thanks to all of the chief bloggers for letting a Cal fan post at their site, especially House of Sparky and The Ralphie Report for front page presence.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Tired of hearing that Larry Scott "failed"
Larry Scott dreamed big. He took a wild shot – correction – an absolute batshit crazy shot, at getting the Big 12 South to join the Pac 10. And you know what? He almost succeeded. Who would have thought that, in 2005, that we had a legitimate shot of swallowing up Texas and Oklahoma?
So, I’m a bit sick of hearing that Larry Scott “failed” or that we are “stuck” with Colorado. Are you kidding me? Scott is the balding guy at the bar that tried to land a three-way with two swedish figure skaters. Instead, he ended up only taking one home of the girls. Is that a failure? Hardly. He wasn’t just sitting around his creepy one-bedroom apartment, waiting for those girls to knock on the door. No, he was out there, telling lame jokes, buying drinks, doing corny magic tricks, whatever, to land these chicks. Good for him. Viva Scott.
Big ups to Scott for dreaming big. We all appreciate it.
by Glanko on Jun 16, 2010 2:07 PM PDT reply actions 6 recs
Great Analogy
Welcome to the Pac Utah and Colorado!
Looking forward to Cal smashing CU this year and getting some revenge on Utah soon.
by Another Failed Tedford QB on Jun 16, 2010 2:09 PM PDT up reply actions
The only people saying that the Pac-10 “failed” are the people who say the Pac-10 fails in all events, at all times, in every way possible. They’re idiots who’ve never traveled more than 50 miles from their trailer home and fear the crazy stories of gay communist hippies.
I blame my drinking on the
Holmoe era.
Sancto Tedford
by Anonymous IV at Mono Lake on Jun 16, 2010 9:23 PM PDT up reply actions
The only people saying that the Pac-10 "failed" are the people who say the Pac-10 fails in all events, at all times, in every way possible
Speaking as someone who lives in a place with tons of those people—
This.
Yes, I am an Old Blue. Now get off my lawn.
This.
And by this, I mean every single SEC fan, ever.
California Golden Blogs! It`s dat Woo WHOOOOO!
by Maisbikkja on Jun 16, 2010 7:33 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Never been compared to a Swedish figure skater…but thanks ;)
by Hockey Beard in SLC on Jun 16, 2010 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Technically you guys are only half a Swedish figure skater.
"UC Davis??? hahahahaha" - Aaron Rodgers
by atomsareenough on Jun 16, 2010 4:13 PM PDT up reply actions
The person that failed was Dan Beebe. They should call their conference Texas and the nine......
other teams that accepted their financial terms. Plus did you read the statement by mr. beebe. He said the pac-ten has the most fairweather fans in all the country.
I'm all about covering the spread and moneylines. Craig Thompson just might end up being a savvy guy. Hell is just a word, the reality is much much worse." Event Horizon". Now remember, when things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean, I mean plumb, mad dog mean. cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live or win. That's just the way it is. "The Outlaw Josey Wales". To protect the sheep you gotta catch the wolf, and it takes a wolf to catch a wolf. "Training Day". Rashad will beat Rua b/c it's a bad matchup for him. 2/1 odds. Josh Koscheck will dethrone Gsp and win the welterweight title. 2.9/1 odds on that too. Peace.
by wolfmanshowlforever on Jun 16, 2010 5:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Gentlemen, Prepare Your "Rec" Buttons....
by Glanko on Jun 16, 2010 2:12 PM PDT reply actions 13 recs
Really?
I’m all for you guys hating on Texas after that little Rose Bowl politicking snafu a while back. It’s cute. And the hate would have laid a nice foundation for a rivalry had we chosen my preferred option and joined the Pac 16. But the opening sentence of this douchenozzle’s word mash-up is so idiotic, I can’t believe y’all are rec’ing this. (The hard and harder recs are particularly surprising.)
Conference realignment died because the Texas football program is made up of cowards who are aware that the Longhorns program can’t compete at the top levels of the SEC or the Pac-10.
If he wants to make the SEC argument based on the title game vs. Alabama, fine. Go ahead. It’s a moronically small sample size with extenuating circumstances, but at least there’s evidence on the field to reference. The PAC-10 argument is just a desperate cry for attention.
Fuck that guy. (Are we cool with swearing here? If not, replace “fuck” with “I have mild feelings of contempt for”.)
I'm not sober.
We don’t really take things that seriously here, so a guy raving like a lunatic at Texas is rec worthy.
A guy raving like a lunatic is actually one of the most eloquent things we ever see around these parts.
“Wow, look at how he combined a hatred for modern technology with a fear that the New World Order is starting to destroy America as evidenced by the rise of The Texas Conference! That’s so much better than anything Twist has ever written!”
CGB's Jimmy Carter
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
Well, if you think TX would have steamrolled the SEC or Pac-10, they had the opportunity to do so and get paid like crazy. They declined. Their closest competition, Nebraska, is gone. Their need to win a championship game is gone. Doesn’t seem to me that Texas is looking to win any style points by scheduling tough opponents.
And yeah, I fully expect some (all) obnoxious Longhorn fan to hold up the inevitable win at home against UCLA next year, who is terible frankly, as a measure of the strength of the Pac-10 vis-a-vis the Big 12.
The USC of the South
I think Texas sees that perception of the individual school is all that matters in the poll era. Clearly, USC benefited from that type of bias when it was seen as the “Pac-1.” In no way are the remaining members of the Big 12 even comparable to the non-USC Pac-10 members of the past 10 years, but the point is that in spite of the bad rap that the Pac-10’s depth had USC still had top rankings year after year. Clearly Texas knew that in order to maintain their perceived excellence they would not have to move to a more competitive conference. Continue to surround yourself with patsies and as long as you blow them out 66-10 you will continue to get those BCS invites.
As unfortunate as it is this is the best move for Texas financially and perception-wise. A move to the Pac-10 would have meant a more level playing field, a more democratic way of working in collaboration, a higher level of competition and less chance to be considered an outright dominant power. Their fear of becoming a team like Georgia in the Pac-10 clearly deterred them at the last minute. Georgia is a fantastic football team with tremendous talent and wins. Yet they live in an extremely competitive conference. The Pac-16 would have made the SEC look like the Big East by comparison. In the end I think that scared the pants off Texas.
We are all the worse for it as a result.
by PlayClassyBears on Jun 16, 2010 5:10 PM PDT up reply actions
U$C won most of their major bowl games. Usually in dominating fashion. They actually were very good.
"UC Davis??? hahahahaha" - Aaron Rodgers
by atomsareenough on Jun 16, 2010 5:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Oh, I think I didn’t do enough to state what I felt was the obvious here. USC does not equal Texas. No USC from ‘03-’08 was the most dominant football dynasty ever (sorry Florida). Texas doesn’t even come close. What I am referring to is ONLY the perception factor.
Don’t get me wrong, Texas still has the best collection of athletes anywhere and has fielded outstanding teams. But that still doesn’t put them on par with USC’s dominance.
by PlayClassyBears on Jun 16, 2010 5:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Going through this mess really has opened my eyes to why the Pac-10 is so deep/competitive compared to conferences like the Big 12. How can any schools be expected to challenge Texas when they put them on such a financial pedestal? The equality there in the Pac-10 is probably a big reason why, barring USC football, we’ve seen most schools rise and fall at various points in the last 10 or so year in both basketball and football.
by Missing Barry on Jun 16, 2010 5:55 PM PDT up reply actions
I expect better than this from a Cal fan
1. If you can point out where I wrote or implied that Texas would steamroll the SEC or the Pac-10, please do. I’m having trouble finding it.
2. Oklahoma is obviously our closest competition year in and year out.
3. Why on earth would Texas fans use a home win vs. a middling to lower-rung UCLA team as as a proxy for relative conference strength?
I'm not sober.
1. Nobody said you would claimed that. The point is, Texa$ would have had serious competition in those other conferences. Now, in the remnants of the Big “12”, they have… solely Oklahoma.
3. Because it’s a handy (if useless) data point to talk shit on the Pac-10, which is a pastime that the rest of the nation seems greatly enjoy at every opportunity.
"UC Davis??? hahahahaha" - Aaron Rodgers
by atomsareenough on Jun 16, 2010 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions
You expect something intelligent at CGB? You must be new
CGB's Jimmy Carter
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
It's your fault, Twist.
I enjoyed yours and others’ comments over at BON. Thought I’d come over here and interact with y’all. Take your temp on items of mutual interest. Drop some “y’alls” on y’all (even though I spent the first 90% of my life in Cali and only the last 10% in Texas).
I'm not sober.
I was very much looking forward to having Texas as a member of the Pac-16. Unfortunately, you guys had to go and screw it all up!
by Missing Barry on Jun 17, 2010 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions
I could make a comment here, but it would be very disparaging toward the population of the other blogs.
"UC Davis??? hahahahaha" - Aaron Rodgers
by atomsareenough on Jun 17, 2010 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Truth hurts, eh? I don’t think you’d get so worked up if there weren’t some nuggets of truth to the article. Texas is trying to game the system, but I hope that the BCS sees right through it and treats them like Boise State, TCU and Utah.
If Texas wants to be treated like a “big boy” they will need to prove it on the field. Playing mediocre competition year in and year out is just going to reduce their level of play and after a few years of Texas getting blown out in a bowl game by a supposedly lesser Pac-12, Big Ten or SEC opponent, the media won’t be so willing to give them a free ride anymore.
If you haven’t noticed, the BCS tends to reward those who “game” the system….
by Missing Barry on Jun 16, 2010 5:07 PM PDT up reply actions
VIVA LARRY SCOTT!!!
California Golden Blogs! It`s dat Woo WHOOOOO!
by Maisbikkja on Jun 16, 2010 3:44 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Monday Morning Quarterback
1. Effort: A. Great job getting out in front of the discussion, creating some leverage and momentum and avoiding Pac10 getting the left-overs. He was hired to make something happen (although nobody asked me or the checked Carp’s poll!) and he made a strong effort.
2. Execution. B. Strong early start, but faded at the end as he lost control of the process. Should he have reached a firmer deal with Texas, and if not, backed off? Could he have done something for A&M?
3. Strategy. C. Makes you wonder what if he had offered Baylor early on – would that have swung all of Texas from the get go? What if he had gone after another low-hanging fruit along with Colorado (Missouri? Kansas? they were pretty desperate. Maybe even Tech.) And my biggest complaint -should he gone for a marketing arrangement, keeping the conference much as they are now? May not have been much different end result, but might have improved the ‘culture’ dynamic that gave Texans (in particular at Tech) cold feet.
4. Result. I. This could all turn out well if the Big X starts disintegrating – Pac 12 will be first inline. But we could have a very dreary outcome: loss of the the beauty of near rivals, round-robin play, close travel, conference coherence and no more revenue. Particularly of USC craters, the so-called southern division could be terribly weak, with negative consequences for the conference all the way down.
jh
I think Scott’s execution was solid. It seemed that at the last moment, there were some “unnamed influential peopel and entities” that came out of nowhere to stop the progress.
CGB's Jimmy Carter
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
Though, if it’s true that at the last moment he balked at OSU and tried to get Kansas instead (which I have a little trouble believing), then that would have been a misstep.
"UC Davis??? hahahahaha" - Aaron Rodgers
by atomsareenough on Jun 16, 2010 4:57 PM PDT up reply actions
I think at the last moment it was just Texas getting offered their own shiny TV contract and he balked at the idea of them getting it in the Pac-10.
You're both wrong
It’s because Larry Scott slept with all of the Big 12 Athletic Director’s wives…
…and Kansas was STILL on board.
What if we had turned into a 20 team megaconference instead? If we had added Baylor, Kansas, K-State and Utah in addition to the original 16 it was supposed to be, maybe we could have crushed the opposition! Maybe Scott wasn’t ambitious enough!
by Missing Barry on Jun 16, 2010 5:09 PM PDT up reply actions
Still think adding Kashyyyk would’ve put us over the top.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash Kunnath on Jun 16, 2010 5:12 PM PDT up reply actions
So, essentially two 10-team conferences in one?
"UC Davis??? hahahahaha" - Aaron Rodgers
by atomsareenough on Jun 16, 2010 5:15 PM PDT up reply actions
Yes! Mostly because it would have given the conference so much leverage for TV deals, to tell the BCS to fuck off, and essentially to just do what they want.
by Missing Barry on Jun 16, 2010 5:55 PM PDT up reply actions
So, why one conference and why not just an alliance?
"UC Davis??? hahahahaha" - Aaron Rodgers
by atomsareenough on Jun 16, 2010 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions
I feel like being a full conference gives them a lot more leverage/commitment than just an alliance that can easily fall apart.
by Missing Barry on Jun 17, 2010 7:17 AM PDT up reply actions
si
I think this is right on.
If Texas (and Oklahoma and others that had some voice) could have had the ability to design their own conference (let A&M and Nebraska leave) where they would keep their rivalries and ‘culture’ and minimize travel, the deal could have been much more attractive and it would have preserved all the virtues of the Pac10.
the only downside would
1. using up out-of-conference games with the eastern division (turf division!), but those could in fact be very entertaining and develop new rivalries. We are playing Texas anyway, after all.
2. having to share the Rose Bowl with 19 other schools. That is, after winning the old Pac10, a school would still have to beat Texas or Oklahoma to get to the Rose Bowl (which might be changed anyway in the national play-off formula – that school would have to be favorite for national champion.)
3. culture. (but I actually think it would be helpful to get folks out of regional echo chambers and see how the other half lives.)
But money galore, good competition (players don’t like powder puff games, it is risk averse coaches), closer to a play-off system, and a black eye to Fox and ESPN and the world of midwest/east coast bias.
I ask the the conference keep this goal in mind as the landscape shifts in the next couple of years – we could be back in the same position.
jh
In a 20 team conference we’d have to be guaranteed Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. I don’t see any situation where that doesn’t happen. Also, I agree, I could easily see a situation where this kind of opportunity arises again. The Big 12 isn’t going to last forever. That conference is fighting to hold on to life as long as possible but it’s pretty obviously going to collapse at some point.
by Missing Barry on Jun 16, 2010 5:57 PM PDT up reply actions
As you requested, Maisbikkja, I acted as your cosmic eraser.
It was a nice view while it lasted, however.
Many thanks, Kod.
Failed to notice the little dimension deal under the picture that said “1280xABILLIONGAJILLIONZILLION”
California Golden Blogs! It`s dat Woo WHOOOOO!
Here's to more games against Cal similar to last year's Poinsettia Bowl.
;)
Thanks for the welcome, guys. I’m excited. I know a great deal of you are not. But I think, five years from now, you’ll all look back at this moment and agree it was the right decision.
Similar but so, so different.
"UC Davis??? hahahahaha" - Aaron Rodgers
by atomsareenough on Jun 16, 2010 8:54 PM PDT up reply actions
I’m actually fairly excited for Utah joining up, I think they have a lot to add to the conference in both football and basketball in the long run.
by Missing Barry on Jun 17, 2010 7:19 AM PDT up reply actions
Really? I get the feeling that most people were fairly excited to have you guys. Maybe not mega-ultimate-super conference excited, but still. I’m glad to have the Utes on board. It’s good to see our originally planned expansion partners actually get the invite.
Never been, but my impression is they hate/ban any non-UCLA fan who shows up. Also, they whine a lot and have a huge inferiority complex to USC. But like I said, I’ve never been there!
by Missing Barry on Jun 17, 2010 7:18 AM PDT up reply actions
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