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Colorado joining the Big 12 conference

TheStormofWar said:
Looking like it's pretty close that Utah will probably bail with the AZ schools.
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I agree. Though only AZ is having meetings and votes.
I wouldn't be surprised if it's only AZ this year and maybe others come next year.
I also wouldn't be surprised if AZ, AZ state, and UConn are added and the big 12 stops there.
 
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After getting a little more educated on all this I'm understanding how little Utah having a good athletic program means for being invited to another conference. It's all about TV market size.

It looks like it might work out for them to get in to the big 12, but it's also possible they might have some awkward years in no man's land.
 
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SoberasHotRod said:
After getting a little more educated on all this I'm understanding how little Utah having a good athletic program means for being invited to another conference. It's all about TV market size.

It looks like it might work out for them to get in to the big 12, but it's also possible they might have some awkward years in no man's land.
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Im hearing that part of the problem is that they were being insulting to the big 12 and acting like they were too good for the big 12. Good news is that most of these decisions are business decisions rather than personal but the high and mighty attitude certainly didnt help.
 
fishonjazz said:
Im hearing that part of the problem is that they were being insulting to the big 12 and acting like they were too good for the big 12. Good news is that most of these decisions are business decisions rather than personal but the high and mighty attitude certainly didnt help.
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I don't know how much stock I put in Utah not returning calls to the Big 12.
 
fishonjazz said:
Im hearing that part of the problem is that they were being insulting to the big 12 and acting like they were too good for the big 12. Good news is that most of these decisions are business decisions rather than personal but the high and mighty attitude certainly didnt help.
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That's interesting. I think there is a scenario where holding out from the Big 12 could be beneficial. I've heard national radio guys talk about the SEC and Big 10 eventually getting to 20 teams. If they really expand that far then Utah could be included at that point, and not having a contract with the Big 12 might be appealing. That would be super risky though and would likely involve several years of not being in a great conference. That could really set a program back.
 
SoberasHotRod said:
That's interesting. I think there is a scenario where holding out from the Big 12 could be beneficial. I've heard national radio guys talk about the SEC and Big 10 eventually getting to 20 teams. If they really expand that far then Utah could be included at that point, and not having a contract with the Big 12 might be appealing. That would be super risky though and would likely involve several years of not being in a great conference. That could really set a program back.
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I agree.
I did read today that utah has an impromptu board of trustees meeting set for tuesday. My belief is that meeting is to vote on whether they want to go to the big12 or not and think they vote yes and big 12 accepts their application. I think most likely scenario is still utah, asu, and az to the big 12
 
TheStormofWar said:
I don't know how much stock I put in Utah not returning calls to the Big 12.
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there is more than that. Mark Harlan (utah AD) tweeted some things about the big 12 that were unprofessional and insulting as well.
 
fishonjazz said:
there is more than that. Mark Harlan (utah AD) tweeted some things about the big 12 that were unprofessional and insulting as well.
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After looking this up, it wasn't that bad. He was basically asked about conference realignment as it pertains to the big 12 and responded with "give me a break" in a dismissive way. Then said
“I’ve been clear all along- the other schools in our conference have been clear all along that we’re together,” Harlan said. “We’re 10. We’ve said it. We’re working hard with our commissioner to get this deal done. It’s a complicated deal. There is structure and high expectations with ADs and certainly the presidents and chancellors for the commissioner to nail this thing so we can march forward.”

Harlan continued by hinting the Pac-12 has never been on anyone else’s timetable, and therefore outsiders have taken liberties in their reporting on what is going on. It reached a point, according to Harlan where he felt like he had to say something, hence, the now infamous, “Give me a break,” Tweet.

“Because we aren’t hitting certain people’s expectations of time and outside forces, people start chipping away,” Harlan said. “They start creating things like ‘Four Corners’ and whatever comes up. Whatever causes the clicks- whatever it might be. So yes. I read an article by a writer that I actually have great respect for in Dennis Dodd, but the article had a bunch of things that weren’t true.”

“I’m very pleased with where things are trending,” Harlan said. “I think we are going to wrap this thing up pretty soon. I’m excited about the updates we are getting, and we go forward. I did that because I am tired of outside forces creating narratives that involved the University of Utah and certainly our conference.”

Not a big deal really. I think I was thinking more about the ute fans on twitter and other social media (and getting it confused with the actual university) who call the big 12 truck stop schools and flyover states and stuff like that. in addition to the not taking calls and whatnot. It seems like a lot of utes think that they deserve to be treated like a blue blood program despite not playing in any CFP games and only being a few years removed from the mountain west. Talks of big10 and sec should take them instead of simply wishing those conferences would take them. There seems to be a lot of arrogance and lack of humility from the online ute presence.
 
Everything I hearing now is that no more teams are leaving the PAC. ASU, AZ, Utah, washington, Oregon all staying put.
 
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