It’s intriguing if you want to create regional rivalries. Believe me, I wish college football was more interested in that. Unfortunately, it’s all about the money. The way money is made in college football is to get your conference members games on national television. No one outside of CA cares about SDSU, USD, Cal Poly, Davis, or Fresno. If we want to see UCLA compete for national championships, we need any possible new members to enhance the PAC brand and make cable and steaming services want to pay to offer the PAC Networks. The way you do that is get some big name Midwest schools into the conference so that the PAC Networks cover more states.
I’m with you all the way. My only complaint is that the east coast blows chunks. It’s hotter then the ninth level of hell in Pasadena on Saturday afternoons in September and October. Although we survived for what? 80-85 years before night games became a major part of the schedule? I even had my tickets on the sunny side for many years…
Yeah, I hear you about the afternoon heat. 10 and 11am kickoffs in LA and AZ should probably get some priority in Sept and October and let the northern schools use the 2 and 3p kickoff slots. It would require some creative scheduling for sure, but the current methods make it too easy for the east coast to ignore the Pac.
None of those west coast/pacific schools would increase the PAC brand, IMO. If Texas and OK go to the SEC, and the BIG12 looks to be in danger, I would love to see the PAC swoop in and get OK St, Nebraska, and Kansas. We would be the premier basketball conference and enhanced as a football conference.
I pretty much agree with that, except for maybe SDSU, as they've become pretty visible in both basketball and football lately. I didn't really think about Kansas but it's a good thought. KU football is horrible but playing them in baseball every year would be fun. And if we were looking at Kansas then maybe we should look at Kansas St instead of Oklahoma State? Kansas' true rival is Missouri but they're already gone to the SEC, but KSU is a good second, and at least they can play some football.
And this was all random musings when I wrote it on Wed night, but OU and Texas going to the SEC is really picking up steam. Yikes.
Yeah. I lived in Austin when Earl Campbell was there. It was an awesome football town. Plus the music scene, when I was there draft beers were 25 cents! That and a cinnamon roll made a pretty good breakfast! I’d definitely travel there for a game.
I feel like both those teams get lost in the SEC, but would be a really good fit for the PAC12. I hope we make a play for them.
I agree with the thought behind Kansas, even if their football program is pathetic (though they've been to an Orange Bowl since we've been to a Rose Bowl, cough, cough...) their "value added" to basketball far outweighs any benefit any of the current "Group of 5" west coast/pacific schools would bring to football...
Another thought if the Big 12 is going the way of the old Sure We'll Cheat & Big East - what about TCU? Footprint in Texas and the Dallas Metroplex, fair amount of California kids go there, and a long-term solid football program under Patterson with good basketball & baseball as well...
I agree with a lot of the post generally, but the specifics miss the mark big time. The Pac 12 is not going to expand to include teams like Air Force, Colorado State, Utah State, San Jose State. Let's just face it. That won't be on the table. We are not going to try to become the Mountain West or Conference USA.
The Pac 12 must expand, and it's going to have to seek to expand with big names if it wants to maintain what little status it has as a power 5 or 4 or whatever conference. If the Pac 12 does not expand, it is likely to LOSE teams and meet the same fate as the Big 12/8. If this conference stands pat, or worse, adds mid major programs, why would programs like Oregon and USC stick around? Why would UCLA and Stanford stick around? What happens if Oregon and USC decide to join the Big 10 or Big 12 (assuming it exists 6 months from now). Right now there are 3-4 teams in the Big 12 who are terrified of being left out if the Big 12 disbands and the remaining 8 teams go to the Big 10, ACC, pac 12. TCU and West Virginia are probably shitting bricks right now. But that will be most of the Pac 12 if the Pac 12 starts losing schools.
Second, lets's just drop the academic superiority stuff. Ya UCLA/Stanford, even USC, are good academic schools. But the Pac 12 is not an adademic conference. Please. ASU? CU? WSU? Arizona? lol. lol. lol. News for you: every power 5 conference has some great academic schools and every power 5 has some hilarious jokes. For every ASU, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, there's a UCLA, Duke, Michigan, Vanderbilt. It's about sports at this point. And money.
The new Pac 12 commish would be wise to be on the phone right now talking to the likes of Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU, Iowa State, OK state, KSU, and Kansas. Poach 2-4 of those schools and the Pac 16 looks a lot different.
It’s intriguing if you want to create regional rivalries. Believe me, I wish college football was more interested in that. Unfortunately, it’s all about the money. The way money is made in college football is to get your conference members games on national television. No one outside of CA cares about SDSU, USD, Cal Poly, Davis, or Fresno. If we want to see UCLA compete for national championships, we need any possible new members to enhance the PAC brand and make cable and steaming services want to pay to offer the PAC Networks. The way you do that is get some big name Midwest schools into the conference so that the PAC Networks cover more states.
I’m with you all the way. My only complaint is that the east coast blows chunks. It’s hotter then the ninth level of hell in Pasadena on Saturday afternoons in September and October. Although we survived for what? 80-85 years before night games became a major part of the schedule? I even had my tickets on the sunny side for many years…
Yeah, I hear you about the afternoon heat. 10 and 11am kickoffs in LA and AZ should probably get some priority in Sept and October and let the northern schools use the 2 and 3p kickoff slots. It would require some creative scheduling for sure, but the current methods make it too easy for the east coast to ignore the Pac.
Nothing that can’t be solved though.
I love that spirit. Too many people start every conversation with, "We can't do that" or "That'll never fly".
Maybe start with a 50K on campus stadium with some shading options in mind.
None of those west coast/pacific schools would increase the PAC brand, IMO. If Texas and OK go to the SEC, and the BIG12 looks to be in danger, I would love to see the PAC swoop in and get OK St, Nebraska, and Kansas. We would be the premier basketball conference and enhanced as a football conference.
I pretty much agree with that, except for maybe SDSU, as they've become pretty visible in both basketball and football lately. I didn't really think about Kansas but it's a good thought. KU football is horrible but playing them in baseball every year would be fun. And if we were looking at Kansas then maybe we should look at Kansas St instead of Oklahoma State? Kansas' true rival is Missouri but they're already gone to the SEC, but KSU is a good second, and at least they can play some football.
And this was all random musings when I wrote it on Wed night, but OU and Texas going to the SEC is really picking up steam. Yikes.
Yeah. I lived in Austin when Earl Campbell was there. It was an awesome football town. Plus the music scene, when I was there draft beers were 25 cents! That and a cinnamon roll made a pretty good breakfast! I’d definitely travel there for a game.
I feel like both those teams get lost in the SEC, but would be a really good fit for the PAC12. I hope we make a play for them.
I agree with the thought behind Kansas, even if their football program is pathetic (though they've been to an Orange Bowl since we've been to a Rose Bowl, cough, cough...) their "value added" to basketball far outweighs any benefit any of the current "Group of 5" west coast/pacific schools would bring to football...
Another thought if the Big 12 is going the way of the old Sure We'll Cheat & Big East - what about TCU? Footprint in Texas and the Dallas Metroplex, fair amount of California kids go there, and a long-term solid football program under Patterson with good basketball & baseball as well...
SDSU and Fresno State are the obvious choices, but yeah, those wouldn’t improve the brand other than bringing in a pretty good fan base.
I agree with a lot of the post generally, but the specifics miss the mark big time. The Pac 12 is not going to expand to include teams like Air Force, Colorado State, Utah State, San Jose State. Let's just face it. That won't be on the table. We are not going to try to become the Mountain West or Conference USA.
The Pac 12 must expand, and it's going to have to seek to expand with big names if it wants to maintain what little status it has as a power 5 or 4 or whatever conference. If the Pac 12 does not expand, it is likely to LOSE teams and meet the same fate as the Big 12/8. If this conference stands pat, or worse, adds mid major programs, why would programs like Oregon and USC stick around? Why would UCLA and Stanford stick around? What happens if Oregon and USC decide to join the Big 10 or Big 12 (assuming it exists 6 months from now). Right now there are 3-4 teams in the Big 12 who are terrified of being left out if the Big 12 disbands and the remaining 8 teams go to the Big 10, ACC, pac 12. TCU and West Virginia are probably shitting bricks right now. But that will be most of the Pac 12 if the Pac 12 starts losing schools.
Second, lets's just drop the academic superiority stuff. Ya UCLA/Stanford, even USC, are good academic schools. But the Pac 12 is not an adademic conference. Please. ASU? CU? WSU? Arizona? lol. lol. lol. News for you: every power 5 conference has some great academic schools and every power 5 has some hilarious jokes. For every ASU, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, there's a UCLA, Duke, Michigan, Vanderbilt. It's about sports at this point. And money.
The new Pac 12 commish would be wise to be on the phone right now talking to the likes of Baylor, Texas Tech, TCU, Iowa State, OK state, KSU, and Kansas. Poach 2-4 of those schools and the Pac 16 looks a lot different.
This guy needs to be writing for ESPN. What a thoughtful analysis.