ESPN's Jake Trotter on Big 12 expansion

Well well well. What do we have here?

The other day, I posted that the Big 12 expansion landscape is much more favorable to UH now, since the Big 12 network isn’t happening, which negates the focus on “new” TV markets.

ESPN’s Jake Trotter said the same thing this morning (hint, UH and BYU).

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Yes … I recall some mentioning of UH and another as being finalist from another posting … ahhh yes the recent Bohls article.

Now you have a second confirmation …

I don’t believe the TV markets issue is out of the question … network yes because of the LHN but not the markets …

BYU bring their nat’l mormon following TV market … though with Bronco Billy gone their offense remains a mystery.

UH has that lucrative recruits/TV market SE corner of Texas with the SEC looming over it like vultures …

HOWEVER …

We have found a new ally from the 40 acres which cannot be underestimated.

It remains to be seen whether the presidents and their ADs can decide before the summer deadline for the 2017 season.

Oh yeah … Bohls likes Cincy while Trotter likes BYU … both favor UH … regardless … with either I see more of an east/west divisions rather than the traditional north south and I suspect we will head east.

BYU and UH would be no-brainers if adults were running the Big 12. But with the other P5s letting them have a championship game again I don’t see why they would want to expand.

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This season will be really telling. Can BYU stay on track without Bronco Mendenhall? Can UH repeat or improve on 2015? Do any of Memphis, UCF, USF, or Cincy jump to the front like they keep saying they will? What about Boise and Colorado State?

To me, the first two questions will bear the most in the discussion. Right now, everyone thinks BYU is a no brainer for competitive ability, but they’re unsure about us. This is the year to find out which is more likely to have staying power going forward. That’s what we’re playing for. That and a playoff spot.

Honestly, I’d be happy if we all got in. We’ve suffered too much from elitists trying to hold us down and other non AQ’s backbiting us. I don’t want to be that guy (TCU) who makes it and forgets where he came from. The whole system is unfair because there is ungodly money being scooped up and wasted by a few, when there should be much less money shared equally, and let the results on field decide. If I wanted a game to be all about money, I’d start a professional football league. Oh, wait…

If I’m not mistaken, the Big XII will meet again in August. Maybe expansion will be addressed then…

The success of last season was huge, and the 2016 could be the most important football season in recent UH Football history.

I’m not sure it requires an undefeated season, but a win over OU and a conference championship with another invite to a New Year’s Six Bowl could be the launching pad UH needs to get the TCU-esque invite.

Also an announcement on the new indoor practice facility would be a good.

Finally, the cherry on top would be if UH men’s basketball could squeeze its way into the NCAA Tourney.

The 2016/2017 academic year could be transformative.

Interested to see if the Big 12 folks address expansion in August or wait until after the up-coming season.

Whether they wait or not, we are in great shape.

Outside of BYU, the other candidates don’t come close to our history of on field success.

My guess is they announce expansion in August and we’re one of the schools to get in.

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I hope you are right

It may come in August. It seems that suddenly nearly everyone has us picked as the front runner.

I was just about to post this. I think it’s definitely a good sign for us. Now…weather or not we actually WANT to join this conference is another story. Six months ago I would have been all over it. The problem now I think is stability. How stable is the Big 12?

Hopefully you’re right. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

Even ole Flugar is pointing at us now.

Flugar and his Big Ten Man inside info are as accurate as “The Dude”.

Pot and kettle.

I once felt that going to the Big 12 would be like our move to the Big East. But, even if everything does blow up and the result is four mega conferences, we are one of three schools, us of course, tu and tamu, who can deliver a substantial part of the Houston market. But, we still have to win and be entertaining while doing it in front of good crowds.

I am still very hesitant on thinking the Big12-4+2 is a good thing for us. One poster on here mentioned the PAC12 and how the addition of U of H would give them early time slots to compete with the other conferences. Bottom line is that we would get a lot of those great time slots and competing against Oregon, USC, UCLA, Standford, etc. I think that would be such a win win. We go to a prestigious academic and sports conference, and we become very unique in what we offer to the conference on a national TV perspective. Just a thought but I liked his idea…

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Good to see you Lawdog.

Some more links to expansion articles today:

http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/collegesports/2016/06/06/cowlishaw-hey-big-12-big-problem-championship-game-fix
But once you go to 14 teams, Houston fits snugly into that seven-team division of Texas and Oklahoma-based teams.

Kevin Haskin/Topeka Capitol Journal
KU likes Big 12’s positioning coming out of league meetings

“It’s night and day from what was going on years ago. This is about schools wanting to join us, not leave us, so the dialogue is very, very different.”

Anthony Oppermann/Galveston Daily News
Big 12’s exclusion most direct path for schools seeking power conference inclusion

The centerpiece of the on-campus development, $120 million TDECU Stadium, opened in 2014. In January, UH’s men’s and women’s basketball programs moved into the $25 million Guy V. Lewis Development Facility, with a $60 million renovation of Hofheinz Pavilion tentatively scheduled to follow beginning after the 2016-17 season. And last month, the baseball program broke ground on a new 20,000-square-foot development facility at Schroeder Park.

The Cowlishaw one is pretty good. Only two little sanfus in his thinking, but in the big picture he is spot on.