Expansion Link Dump - Aug 9th

pray10 · August 9, 2016, 8:19am

Pretty quite day, very active evening. Going to break this up into 3 parts: 1st is normal expansion news, 2nd will be articles dealing with the BYU/LGBT issues and the third will be twitter chatter

Report: UT, OU again appear split over potential Big 12 expansion candidates

If UT again one-ups OU and gets Houston into the conference?
There again won’t be many happy Sooners, one would presume.

EDITORIAL: Big 12 expansion will affect entire state in a big way

Several schools are being suggested as additions to the Big 12, but the University of Houston should be at the top of the list. It’s an up-and-coming program within close travel distance of other Big 12 schools.

If the current Texas schools in the Big 12 don’t want more competition within their state, they need to get over those petty feelings fast. Again, the Big 12 expansion will have a large impact on whether the conference survives or not.

Former Houston coach Dana Dimel thinks Cougars would be bad for Big 12

Kansas State offensive coordinator Dana Dimel doesn’t like the idea of Houston joining the Big 12.

“I think that would be really bad for everybody,” Dimel said Saturday at K-State’s football media day.

Houston would be a bad fit for the Big 12 says former Cougars coach

But to Dimel’s point, no Big 12 school outside the state of Texas has given any measure of public support for Houston.

Expansion race: Are Bulls near poll position?
http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/expansion-race-are-bulls-near-poll-position/2288672

Weeks ranked in top 25 (since 2005 season)
Number of weeks in top 10 listed in parentheses
BYU: 49 (five)
Cincinnati: 36 (11)
Houston: 32 (3)
USF: 26 (four)
UCF: 11 (one)
UConn: 6 (none)
Memphis: 4 (none)
Colorado State: 3 (none)

Wins vs. current Power Five programs (since 2005 season)
Cincinnati: 32
UConn: 27
USF: 27
BYU: 23
Houston: 12
Colorado State: 7
UCF: 7
Memphis: 2

How Nike and the ‘blur offense’ have Scott Frost confident in a UCF power surge

It is a serendipitous confluence of fortune for UCF. The Knights have snagged an upwardly mobile coach at the same time the Big 12 is exploring expansion.

“We’ll treat it as a business venture,” UCF president John Hitt said, looking forward to a visit by Big 12 officials. "We would make sure they were greeted properly, show them our facilities.

“If we supply a little food or drink, I don’t think anybody would be surprised by that.”

San Diego State AD Sterk leaves to take Missouri job

Sterk’s departure comes amid talk that San Diego State would make a serious pitch to be part of the Big 12’s expansion plans. It remains to be seen how that might be affected.

pray10 · August 9, 2016, 8:28am

BYU and the LGBT groups asking the Big 12 not to add them

25 LGBT groups send letter to Big 12 urging it to shun BYU
The groups allege BYU ‘actively and openly discriminates against’ LGBT students and staff

“Of course [BYU] is discriminatory,” said Galvez. “The fact that you’re legally allowed to do something doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do. The policy itself creates a culture where students are afraid to come out. Because if there’s a homophobic student in your class and he misinterprets something you say, he can turn you in, and he has the Honor Code on his side.”

LGBT groups: Admitting BYU would be ‘inconsistent’ with Big 12 values

In a statement to FOX Sports, BYU spokesperson Carri Jenkins said, “BYU welcomes as full members of the university community all whose conduct meets university standards. We are very clear and open about our honor code, which all students understand and commit to when they apply for admission. One’s stated sexual orientation is not an issue.”

Public opposition by LGBT groups could add to growing unease with BYU’s Big 12 candidacy

Houston, considered a frontrunner after gaining the support of University of Texas officials and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, sent out a tweet shortly after the BYU news broke noting that LGBTQ history is preserved at its school library. Later, the school said the tweet was a coincidence.

In letter, LGBT groups say Big 12 shouldn’t add BYU
http://beta.deseretnews.com/article/865659732/In-letter-LGBT-groups-say-Big-12-shouldnt-add-BYU.html?pg=all

Issues brought up in the letter had not previously been addressed in news about possible expansion.

BYU athletics: LGBT groups call for Big 12 to shun BYU

Monday’s news certainly cannot help BYU’s cause in that regard. The “Policy on Diversity” in the Big 12’s handbook states that “it is the obligation of each Member Institution to refrain from discrimination prohibited by federal and state law, and to demonstrate a commitment to fair and equitable treatment of all student-athletes and athletics department personnel.”

https://twitter.com/Jake_Trotter/status/762818906608119808

Baylor’s policy:

https://twitter.com/ChuckCarltonDMN/status/762798180136210432
https://twitter.com/ChuckCarltonDMN/status/762809910333624320
https://twitter.com/DanWolken/status/762804395255947264
https://twitter.com/DanWolken/status/762815388258369536
https://twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP/status/762809956815044608
https://twitter.com/TheMontyShow/status/762844573534068738
https://twitter.com/TheMontyShow/status/762844982336028673
https://twitter.com/TheMontyShow/status/762845363468275716

pray10 · August 9, 2016, 8:34am

Normally I don’t include twitter chatter in these, but there was quite a bit of it today before the BYU stuff hit:

Pretty much including this because I’m not sure anyone really knows what’s going on:

TAMU91 · August 9, 2016, 11:50am

Hmm. Based on everything I’ve heard, when it comes to expansion, TV compensation is spelled out in the contract. Seems to me that the TV partners are insisting that they pay something less than the $20 million per team per year.

It isn’t surprising that the TV networks would do this, but I do see it as an extremely positive sign that because they’re talking dollars and cents that there will be at least some expansion. Someone playing devil’s advocate might say that the TV networks are simply discussing how much money it would take for the Big 12 to drop consideration of expansion all together (and amend the contract so that this won’t happen again).

Coog92 · August 9, 2016, 3:05pm

Who is this David Ubben tool? He seems to give us props for our strength and history of wins, but then comes out bashing saying we’d be awful for the league.

bfalke1 · August 9, 2016, 3:09pm

He must be connected… I mean, how could be not be and still toe the party line so well?

“They are really good, they will be even better. They might become too good, which means we all will become worse, this would be horrible, a team that could climb the pecking order is a disaster!”

Imago13 · August 9, 2016, 3:25pm

Yeah. It is amazing how many people spout that argument. It is bad for the league to have another premier team??? Having another premier team that could win a NC is only GOOD for the league. It might not be good for a mediocre team that is fighting to get bowl eligible with a 6th win.

PAWRFUL · August 9, 2016, 4:07pm

Regardless … all 3 are starting to look like rechewed stadium seat gum wads …

And not very much new imagination or creativity in their tweets or articles.

Like the Brooklyn NYC irish cop ole standby … nothin’ to see 'ere folks … move along.

BTW if the sooners and pokes are NOT supporting UH … then that could well be bulletin board material for the first game … as if the coogs didn’t already need an incentive to beat OU.

pray10 · August 9, 2016, 4:29pm

Sadly, you’re right. Bunch of rehashed opinions from guys claiming connections. Ready for this to be over with.

Ubben was the ex-Big 12 blog writer at ESPN, left for FoxSports and got fired. Now a freelance guy. Think he has ties in Oklahoma or Kansas.

Imago13 · August 9, 2016, 4:39pm

My guess is Kansas. The only schools to really have negative opinions towards UH has been the Kansas schools.