Some quick thoughts of the day and an interesting quote from Bruce Rasmussen for Creightonians (and Missouri Valley types) to chew on:
1. Got hold of the Creighton A.D. on Tuesday afternoon. I asked him point-blank if he had talked to anyone in the Big East Conference about a possible league of basketball-first schools.
Ras: “I wouldn’t comment on that.”
Here’s the quick background. Syracuse and Pittsburgh are leaving the Big East for the ACC. The Big East, which met Tuesday night, is in red-alert mode. There’s talk of Big East schools leaving to merge with the Big 12, there’s talk of adding schools (East Carolina? What? Furman isn’t available?).
I have several friends who cover the Big East who say the “hoops” schools in the Big East (there are 16 Big East basketball schools now) are fed up with the football schools in the league and aren’t going to be held hostage to this game. So, that group, including Georgetown, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Providence, Villanova (though ‘Nova has offered to go D-I in football), Marquette and DePaul, would break away and form their own basketball-minded league, complete with ESPN deal, no doubt.
My chums say that Dayton, St. Joe’s, Xavier and Butler better be on call. I say Creighton could be part of that group of possible invites, too. And now we have Rasmussen’s “no comment.”
CU’s boss added this, though: “We’re not unhappy with the Valley. In fact, we like where we are. But ever since I’ve been at Creighton, for 30 years (32 now), Creighton has had a consistent stance. If a conference of private Midwest schools, schools with like missions to Creighton, became available, we would look at that.”
The question is, would Big East Hoops be interested in the Jays? I’m guessing Xavier and Butler would get a look first. And St. Joe’s because Phil Martelli is a big name in Eastern hoops circles.
Now, should Creighton be interested? Well, the Jays would listen hard, as Ras said. But I submit that the Jays are better off in the Valley, in terms of being able to win and compete for NCAA bids, than in an East Coast-heavy league where the majority of schools know how to recruit that regional seaboard. What’s more, CU has a hell of a coach who knows how to win in the Valley and recruit the Midwest.
Would the Hoyas and St. John’s fill the CenturyLink Center? Probably. But so do Bradley and Northern Iowa now. Winning fills the building, not the opponents.
We’ll see what happens to the Pac-12, Big 12, Big East, etc. Lot of dominoes have to fall before we get to Creighton. But fall they might.
2. The Oklahoma/Texas/Big 12 saga just gets stranger and stranger by the day. Today’s offering: OU will consider staying in the league if Dan Beebe is fired, and there are “major reforms” to the Texas Longhorn Network, was a beaut.
Well, the Big 12 and Beebe should tell OU to go eat a fish taco, or something to that effect.
Not because Beebe doesn’t deserve to be removed. He does.
The bottom line is, you can’t let one school win that kind of power play. If the Big 12 fires Beebe over this, it’s more of a joke than we imagined. And we have big imaginations.
So the Big 12 jettisons the Beebster and OU stays. What kind of league is that? What will OU want next? Home field every game? An extra cut of BCS league money or else we’ll bolt?
By the way, does OU even have a real Pac-12 invite yet? Or is the Pac-12 wavering now? Or, is this OU’s way of getting the Pac-12 to let its wing man, Boone Pickens, come to the party?
My friends in the OU media tonight are intimating that OU is still leaning heavily toward the West, and this is just a way to say they tried to save the Big 12, but it’s all Texas’ fault. If so, this is unnecessary. We already know this is Bevo’s fault.
You know how that goes, when you want to make yourself look good, ask for outrageous demands that you know won’t be met, and then walk out the door. Well, we tried.
I don’t see any way Texas alters its network. Or, starts handing out its $300 million from ESPN like Robin Hood. For one thing, ESPN is calling the shots there. Secondly, Texas, to my mind, likes Beebe and wants him around. And why the hell not?
In fact, if Texas is planning on staying in the Big 12 and running a watered-down version, perhaps with Boise State or TCU, then it will need the Beebster as its wing man.
Whatever happens, the Big 12 can’t budge on Beebe. You can’t let one school hold a league hostage. It would be like if a group of players went to the A.D. and said fire the coach or we’re gone. The A.D. should stand by his coach. Inmates can’t run the asylum. And that’s the best description I can come up with for the Big 12.
3. Missouri to the SEC? I don’t want to jinx it, but my friends at Mizzou usually take care of that. Anyway, I like it, for a couple of reasons.
>> Mizzou is a good fit. Football is No. 1 at Missouri, not hoops. Draw a line across the state,and the southern half of Missouri is very similar to Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky. It leans toward the South.
>> Can Mizzou compete in the SEC? I say yes. My esteemed colleagues Sam McKewon and Dirk Chatelain will say I’m crazy, but I don’t see why MU can’t compete in the West. The Tigers beat the hell out of Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl a few years ago, they won at A&M last year and they can compete with Ole Miss and Mississippi State, not to mention Vandy, Kentucky and Tennessee. This year, Missouri would beat Georgia. It’s the top shelf — ‘Bama, LSU, Auburn, Florida — that will be a problem. But who in the country is beating them anyway? Oklahoma? Texas? Nebraska? No.
Will they win the SEC? Probably not in this lifetime. But then, they aren’t exactly dominating the Big 12, are they?
Why stay in a watered down Big 12 where, yes, Mizzou could probably win a bunch and maybe get that BCS bowl bid. But what kind of glamor-less league are you recruiting to? Mizzou and A&M have underachieved historically. The SEC makes them try harder, hire smarter, spend more. Plus, the SEC brand helps them recruit. Put Mizzou in Florida, along with Texas and St. Louis and K.C., and we’ll see what happens.
>> Finally, would a watered down Big 12/Big East – the Big Leftover Conference — be here in five years? Ten? Even with Texas running the ship, how long will Texas stay? Join the SEC and you know you’re set for life, basketball, other sports, etc.
It’s a no-brainer.
4. In all this commotion today, I forgot to call Trev Alberts. Does UNO hoops playing in the Ralston Arena mean there won’t be a UNO arena in the foreseeable future?
That’s all for now. Your turn.
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Tom I love your writing and read it every chance I get. But today you just lost me a little with the profanity. Must we? Does it really add to the context? Do I have to screen sports articles for my kids now? Sure, I’m old-fashioned, but it just seems out of place.
I don’t recall seeing any of George Carl’s 7 words in this article. Perhaps it was in yesterdays paper and I missed it. On a further note, I just want the dust to settle on the conference realignment. It’s really becoming a headache. Just get it over and let’s move on. My guess is after the super conferences emerge then they’ll break away from the NCAA
Dear Richard,
I have to admit, I didn’t think this was really heavy material, but I skimmed through it a second time after reading your post. I guess by “profanity” you are referring to Shatel’s use of the word “hell”? If that’s the problem, I would suggest you don’t stop with screening his articles in the future; you should also keep your kids away from church, using the dictionary, and, most definitely, interacting with their school friends. You might want to consider a different path: simply lighten up a little and relax that sphincter (notice how I avoided using a word that would offend you?)
While I didn’t totally scour this article, would someone point out the “profane” word/words to me? Where?
What the hell is Richard talking about?
I was in church Sunday and heard the word “hell” used several times.
Alright, Richard, at least ONE sane person has to side with you. For the rest who have forgotten what a cuss word is, that’s really sad. You know better. Just because Richard is standing up for clean language doesn’t mean he deserves to be poked fun at. Grow up.
Tom you have so many ifs, ands, or what abouts in this piece my head is spinning. I mean who would of thunk all of this could effect Creighton? And then to add UNO at end… whew… my head is gonna explode just thinking about all the possibilities now.
I agree with Richard. Tom is too good at writing quality material to stoop to the use of profanity.
Tom re: you can’t let one school win that kind of power play, that horse is long out of the barn see Texas, the university of.
Tom –
I often enjoy what you write and find you to be a talented writer. But this time, I stopped reading after your first point – about Creighton and the Big East – and almost threw my computer over all of your rationale for the Jays staying in the Valley. First, CU will never — NEVER — be able to compete at the highest level of college basketball on a consistent basis if it stays in the MVC. Sure, they may get there once every so often, and I have every belief that Coach McDermott will get them there a la Northern Iowa. But where was Northern Iowa this year? And probably next year? And why? Players. A player has, and will always, want to go play where they can be exposed to the best competition and to be seen by as many people as possible on TV. Wouldn’t you? Do you think the top players are going to settle for playing in the Valley ever? And so I think that this is what Creighton should push for. To be among the best. I’m glad that Rasmussen might be open to the idea of playing in a high-profile basketball conference and not settling for something less than Creighton deserves. And I’m really disappointed that you think the Valley is Creighton’s best option. Your point about the Valley schools filling the arena is sort of true — fans fill the venue because it’s the place to be, but what if the newness wears off? What do you have then? Do you want to watch Indiana State or do you want to watch Georgetown. And if you are playing Georgetown, and Marquette and Villanova, etc., don’t you think that Creighton could attract players for that. Sorry for the long rant here, but Creighton deserves the best if it can get it, and if you think that the Valley is the best, Tom, you’re just plain wrong.
I couldn’t agree more, Doug. If (and that is a big if) Creighton gets the opportunity to play in a conference like the Big East or whatever it will be called, they should jump at it faster than I would jump at the chance to eat that delicious fish taco you wrote about. True, the Jays have been able to pull some good crowds over the years, but imagine how much more consistent and energized those crowds would be if we had national programs coming to town week-in-week-out. We got our panties in a bunch when Kentucky came to town for an NIT game.
On the recruiting front, this would be great. Top-notch players are few and far between in the Mo Valley. I love the conference, but when stars emerge in this league, it is usually b/c the bigger schools were caught sleeping (Doug Mc being overlooked b/c Barnes was his teammate is a prime example). There are simply not that many shows in Omaha, and Jays bball could become a huge player – yes, bigger than they are now. We might not be able to win that conference, but we could compete for NCAA births in a league that gets 5-6 every year as opposed to maybe 2.
Ras is a great AD, and I know he understands the bigger picture. The Jays should do everything they can to try and make a leap forward. If it doesn’t work out, the Mo Valley is still a great home. I trust is Ras and Fr. Lannon to do what they can to make things work.
To Doug M and Mike M: you Creighton Basketball fanatics amuse me. Creighton always has been, is, and always will be a mid-major. Deal with it, live with it, become one with it. The extreme top 1% of Crieghton fans are always hoping, against hope, that Creighton will be the next Gonzaga or Villanova. Here is tip: I have been following Jays’ hoops since 1967, the administration doesn’t want it. And I respect that. So just be happy with them playing Evansville, Wichita St, Northern Iowa, and move on. Geeessh!
A mid-major that is a joy to watch. In a league where team ball is number one over an individual player carrying a team on his shoulders. I’ll take the Valley over ANY BCS league. And, I’m not there because it is “the place to be.”
At least you agree that it is a mid-major. So you are dealing with it. But the 1% of CU fans that really believe that CU is on the verge of being the next Georgetown need to get over it and move on. So, while CU is playing Evansville, Nebraska down the road is playing Indiana. Go Big Red, baby!!
You mean while Nebraska is getting killed by Indiana. Nebraska is and always will be little brother to Creighton in basketball deal with it. Especially when we are in the Catholic conference and you are still getting blown out.
I think Evansville would beat NU this year.
Why would someone be so worried about the 1% of a teams fans? Then I saw the “Go Big Red, baby.”
The Catholic Conference!! What the heck is that? Our Lady of Lourdes playing St Joan of Arc at Creighton Prep. Like I said, Go Big Red. I’d rather see Nebraska put up a fight against Indiana than another boring Evansville – Creighton matchup. Boooorrrrrrinnnngggggg! Oh, that’s right. I don’t watch that stuff. I’d rather watch The View with Joy Behar than that stuff.
Yeah the View is more exciting than watching Nebraska get blown out again. Evansville beat Nebraska this year by the way. If there is only 1% CU fans, than UNL has 0%. Have fun being Little Brother, oh and maybe you have heard of the Catholic basketball schools, Georgetown, Villanova, ND, Xavier, Marquette. Yeah pretty good but UNL fan knows nothing about Sports.
Nebraska has a basketball team?
Tom, forgive me if I am mistaken, but isn’t your logic contradictory? Creighton should stay in the valley instead of trying to compete with those big name schools on the east coast. But Missouri shouldn’t be concerned with It’s chances of competing against SEC football program? Your logic comes across as sound because, as with any controversial subject, you can make an intelligent argument for either side. But try not to argue both sides of a similar argument in the same article…
I TOTALLY DISagree with Tom, and I’m going to tell you why. SEC, is NOT that good Tom. In 08 Ole Miss had 4 losses, but beat a HIGHLY seeded Florida Gators by 1 point. So they lost 4 games, and 2 of them to NON ranked teams In ’09, what ridiculous ranking were they? You got it 10th in the nation!!! Here’s even a bigger JOKE about the SEC, Last year the ENTIRE SEC teams, BUT….1. Beefed up on the Sun Belt Conference, as NON conference schedules, with ONLY Tenn. facing a ranked team (Oregon and got blasted ). BUT, allowed 10 teams of the SEC in bowl games, BUT denied Kan St a bowl bid, because they said they didn’t play ENOUGH quality teams.( WOW and the SEC did huh?) NOT to mention the BIG JOKE RANKINGS on the SEC. They rank 1/2 or MORE in the TOP 25 every year. WHY??? Beef their schedules on cup cake teams, then coming into conference games, they’re UNdefeated, which makes it look so much better. The SEC is a JOKE, it’s ALL VERY syndicated on the SEC to return for a National Title. All they face is EACH OTHER!!!! So when Bowl games come around, they can put everything they got into 1 SINGLE GAME!!! That’s NOT being better Tom, that’s referred as POLITICS!!!!!! I like the OLD WAY of rankings, if you don’t play NON conference QUALITY contenders, then the BOWL game you go to, WON’T be a QUALITY BOWL game neither. That would END this rediculous SEC phony jabroni crap.
Attention Tom: the newspaper is not the right sort of place to use a phrase like “fish taco”
just sayin…….
Hugh,
Tom is originally from Southern California, and they actually have fish taco’s out there. It’s not a euphemism, if that’s what you were getting at. ; )
The PAC12 is not expanding. OU just lost its leverage. They are going to want out now more than ever. I would expect the SEC to pounce on OU to go with aTm, again Missouri is left as the odd program out. This is a chance for Delaney to get involved and encourage Missouri and Oklahoma to apply to the B1G. OU versus the old Big Ten works the same way as Nebraska – lots of TV viewers for that. Plus you bring back NU v. OU every year. And Missouri too versus NU and OU along with Iowa and Illinois. Missouri would love it. OU would have to decide between the B1G and the SEC. OU favored the PAC over the SEC so I would not rule out the B1G over the SEC. Question is whether B1G wants more than 12 and whether they would want OU without Texas. Maybe Delaney feels the same as PAC commish but I’m not so sure – he understands college football and it’s history better. OU would be a huge get even if the PAC does not think so. B1G could then sit on 14 and continue to wait out Notre Dame. If ND ever caves then someone like Kansas or Rutgers gets in.
I think Oklahoma has agreed to take Oklahoma State with them wherever they go so that complicates things a little.
The one thing Tom has right in this article is that no conference wants Texas as they are now (LHN). The Big 12 doesn’t want Texas with the LHN. Pac-?, SEC, ACC, and B1G might take OU, and even OSU as a concession to get OU. But none of them will take Texas. Texas’ bully actions in the Big 12 the several years shows them to be trouble makers. None of these conferences wants or needs a trouble maker.
“Fish Taco”? Really? Is that what folks are getting their underpants in a twist about? Maybe that phrase makes your mind go straight to a classless euphemism if you’re in junior high, have never been to the west coast, or never eaten Mexican food anywhere but Taco Bell- but Tacos De Pescado (fish tacos) are a Baja/So-Cal favorite. It’s no more offensive than telling OU to enjoy their guacamole burger (oohhh… that sounds dirty, too!!!).
I’m assuming the term “fish taco”was used to mean that Beebe should tell OU to move out west where, you can them at every street corner food truck, but the situation is that we are in Omaha, Nebraska. Here we eat steak and burgers and its use here is lost on many. When you Google the term “fish taco” one of the first results is the urban dictionary definition, which, in the context of what Tom was writing, is completely fitting – in a foul and disgusting way, but fitting. I would suggest changing “fish taco” to In-N-Out Burger or as Crowe1856 mentioned, a guacamole burger. Yeah, s guacburger sounds disgusting to me too, but there’s no history of it being used to describe anything close to a fish taco.
Yep, as to number 3 the B1G can forget about ever talking again to Mizzou. I get the idea they really resented getting snubbed last year. As the saying goes: “Hell hath no fury like a Tiger scorned!”
Do you really think the Big 10 is worried about Mizzou?
They’re not interested in the Tigers, and not affected by their ‘scorn’
Seriously? I think MO sits real close to IA State on the B1G wish list. I don’t think there is much MO can do to the B1G. Am I missing something?
I have to disagree with your comments on OU trying to run out Dan Beebe. Your logic appears to be flawed, stating that OU should not be allowed to use it’s leverage to have him removed. I think it fair for OU to point out the obvious lack of leadership that is being provided for the Big XII conference. That fall on Dan Beebe feet. I say OU is stating the obvious, and Beebe will only be removed if the other within the conference follow OU lead.
Amen, Lube. Tom’s talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Tom,
Texas has and tried to dictate what the Big XII has done since it’s inception. Now Oklahoma wants to end the Texas/Beebe thing and rightfully so! The problem being is now Mizzou has an opportunity with the SEC. If I am Mizzou, were gone with TexAM leaving the insecurity/Texas rule of the BigXII. Oklahoma is not going any place soon as the Pac 12 voted not to expand at this time and the BIG will not take Oklahoma with the boat anchor of Oklahoma tied to them. Maybe then instead of call it the BigXII it can be “The Big 8″?
Tom, you must be fired up today…you said H-E-double hockeysticks twice in the same column… :)
Tom, that hat has got to go.
Has anyone counted the number of Big 12 teams (5) in the top twenty? Add in Nebraska (6) and look how strong the Big 12 looks. How sad this is.
What I don’t get is why all the fuss now. Didn’t A&M and OU have a chance to complain about this last year when NU was objecting to the Bevo league? There seems more to this than is being reported.
I say two conferences of 24, each with 4 divisions of 6 teams apiece with NFL style playoffs at the major bowl sites and a four at large teams to make the brackets work. Leave Texas out of it and let them play themselves 12 times on their own network and televise all the HS games they want. Wouldn’t that be a classic case of “be careful what you ask for, you might get it?” Yes, I know it won’t happen but still it would be sweet justice.
Tom,
Let me see if I get this right. It’s not OK for Oklahoma to want Beebe out because “The bottom line is, you can’t let one school win that kind of power play”. But it’s OK for Texas to be the one school winning with that kind of power play? Sadly, many of the Big 12 schools didn’t have the vision Nebraska and Colorado had. It doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to demand a fix when they realize a bad situation. Beebe’s actions the past 2 years are more than enough to justify firing him. Oklahoma is finally stepping up and saying it’s time.
I am so happy to tell Tom – Why don’t you go eat a Fish Taco or something to that effect. Beebe’s gone, and your logic was as flawed as most people commenting on this article said. If you have an axe to grind with OU, just write that. Don’t sit and write it under the cover of Bevo.
I totally disagree Tom, Mr Beebe needed to go a long time ago…say two or three years back. He turned into Texas’s little lap dog and did their bidding to put the Longhorns in the drivers seat of the Big 12, which set in motion the death of a once great conference in the process.
Where were the objections when TX wanted the conference headquarters moved to Dallas, where were the moans of displeasure when TX wanted the championship game moved to Dallas, where were the shouts of protest when TX demanded the right to create their own network and keep every dollar for themselves….but, demand the largest cut of the soon to be negotiated Big 12 contract? Nowhere, nothing, nada……except for CO and NE who chose to leave for greener pastures instead of fighting a losing battle. Everyone that remained sat quiet, closed their eyes and hoped for the best.
The Big 12 is the proverbial Titanic Tom, its taking on water and sinking fast. The Huskers and the Buffs bailed quickly with A&M not far behind them. OU and OU State have just realized that they need to shop for a new home as well, so how can the confernece survive? It can’t.
Finally, someone had the guts to step up and demand the removal of the cancer that is Mr Beebe, a little too late to save the conference, but at least it happend. You know that none of the little Texas schools were going to speak up…so that rested on the shoulders of the Sooners….good for them, he needed to go!
“The bottom line is, you can’t let one school win that kind of power play. If the Big 12 fires Beebe over this, it’s more of a joke than we imagined. And we have big imaginations.”
Ridiculous statement in this context. Texas has already had that kind of power in the B12 since day one, and if OU can put one in their solar plexus, this is the time to do it. Ou has ruled the B12 on the field, and in my opinion, for them to allow Texas (Beebe) to push everyone around all the time is not in their, or anyone else’s best interest. It’s about time someone pushed back. Go Sooners ! ! !