SEC's Play-Call in Expansion Was the Sneak

As the late Paul Harvey would say, now we know the rest of the story.

Oklahoma president David Boren, right, acknowledged Wednesday that the Sooners and Texas A&M received invitations to join the Southeastern Conference earlier this month.

"There was a time when A&M thought they were going to the SEC and they very much wanted us to go with them," Boren said.

The schools — along with Texas, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech — also had an offer to join the Pacific 10.

Boren characterized the Pac-10 offer as one that had been researched and planned. The SEC's offer, he said, was "more of a reaction to the situation. When they saw that the Big 12 might be no more, that all the schools might go somewhere else, they then started thinking about 'Who would we want?' "

SEC spokesman Craig Pinkerton told the Associated Press that he was "not in a position to comment."

Busted!

Boren said the Pac-10 deal "basically fell apart because of the difference of opinion in Texas" regarding Texas A&M's interest in the SEC.

"One school doesn't like the other one to tell them what to do," Boren said, referring to Texas and Texas A&M.

Ouch!

Couple of points here. First, the new Big 12 is being held together only by projections of future TV revenues and public declarations of mutual affection between 10 school presidents. It won't last.

The next time the SEC, Big Ten or Pac-10 come knocking, a Texas A&M or Missouri is going to answer the door, leading to the collapse of the Big 12.

Second, the new Big 12 might not have an official league title game beginning in 2011, but is anybody buying it? Seriously, is there a team other than Texas or Oklahoma that can compete in the new Big 12? The Red River Rivalry might as well become the de facto championship game, making the Big 12 the only Bowl Championship Series league to stage its title game in October.

Comments

[bevo]

"the new Big 12 is being held together only by projections of future TV revenues and public declarations of mutual affection between 10 school presidents. It won't last."

Agreed. It also wont last if the Longhorn Network fails to live up to revenue projections.