Dean Blevins: Revolutionary Realignment is Here

With so many issues to ponder regarding potential realignment, Dean Blevins breaks down the list, bullet point style.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:46 am

By: News On 6

Dean Blevins: Revolutionary Realignment is Here

Originally Published: Jun 4, 2010 2:31 PM CDT

Conference realignment news and analysis from Oklahoma Sports.
- Report: Pac-10 to Extend Invites to OU, OSU and 4 Other Big 12 Schools
- Big 12 Commissioner Don Beebe Hopeful Conference Can Remain Intact

- Dean Blevins: Revolutionary Realignment is Here

- Bobby Lewis: A Pac-10 State of Mind
- Realignment Rumors Bring More Questions - Chad's Blog
- How Do I Feel About OU and OSU Possibly Moving to the Pac-10? - Toby's Blog

Dean Blevins
Oklahoma Sports Sports Director - Oklahoma City

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- There are enough angles on this possible Big 12 South/Pac-10 bonding to discuss and write about all day. We will banter in-depth on the Blitz, so please join us Sunday night.

In the meantime, here are but a few of the things that jump out. But there are so, so, so many more issues to ponder.

A Dirty Dozen Bullet Points

1. Tougher conference - OU won six Big 12 titles in nine years. That won’t happen in the new Pac-10. Fifteen other teams possibly have to beat both Texas and USC in the same season.

2. Stoops future? - Wouldn’t expect to leave for a few more years - perhaps 16 like Bud and Barry with more wins - but winning gets tougher and this team is not as good. This is not the Sam Bradford team that lost to Florida for the title or the 2000 team. They have an unproven quarterback and are coming off a five-loss season.

3. The Big 12 meetings were a sham in that the six Pac-10 invitees could not discuss Pac-10 invites in the meeting with rest of Big 12 who would be left hanging.

4. Lubbock and LA? Stillwater and Seattle? Norman and San Fran? Different sound than the good old days of Norman and Lincoln. The OU/Nebraska days are a distant memory, sad. Texas is big enough to hold the others hostage. Money, name, wins, TV markets in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.

5. OSU and OU will be together in any scenario. Oklahoma politics will not allow OU to go anywhere without OSU. Same goes for Texas and Texas A&M.

6. Joe Castiglione was professional Thursday in addressing the media when most athletic directors didn’t or gave AD-speak. He was more open to other options than the Big 12 or be damned.

7. Would Texas flee to SEC? Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said “the SEC doesn’t fit our profile.” SEC lives off partial qualifiers which was why Nebraska reluctantly joined the Big 12.

8. My position has been that a scenario like this is the best “alternative” if the Big 12 can’t remain, but two things are more realistic: First, Nebraska and perhaps overrated Missouri are likely to leave the Big 12 or at least not commit enough to the league, meaning other teams jumping to the Pac-10. Second, there will be more money in Pac-10. When these “super conferences” come together, the Big 12 will be overwhelmed.

9. Nebraska is on the spot and does not have TV households, but tradition with Nebraska and OU overcomes smaller markets and they are big players in discussions.

10. Someone’s lying. All the big wigs at the Big 12 meetings in Kansas City say they’ve not talked with the Pac-10. Right. Biggest deal ever and no interaction?

11. Since this is all about money and since there will be lots of exposure about the athletes having to travel and still handle schoolwork, the day the athlete is paid will come sooner than later.

12. Isn’t this all crazy? The fan and the player could not care less about what this is all about: Money. Do you think DeMarco Murray is elated that OU might make $10 million extra per year?

Again, please join us Sunday. We promise some insightful discussion on up-to-the-minute issues that will determine the fate of the most revolutionary change in the history of college athletics.

Read more on Dean's Oklahoma Sports blog.