While candidate schools for Big 12 expansion were likely disappointed by the conference's decision not to expand and stand pat with its 10 members, several schools were "even angrier after the league’s afternoon conference call," according to sources cited by Brian Davis of the AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. During an hour-long session, Big 12 BOD Chair and Univ. of Oklahoma President David Boren said there was “zero discussion” about specific schools joining the conference. A source at one of the schools being considered for expansion said, “I can tell you personally I’m pissed off with the whole ‘No vote was ever taken’ because of the amount of hours we had to put into this." Another source said, “I’d say frustrated more than anything else.” Houston Board of Regents Chair Tilman Fertitta called the Big 12’s decision “extremely disappointing.” Fertitta: “You’d almost (want) expansion and us not being included than to have no expansion at all, because it would have told you something. I’m just shocked we went through this process and nothing happened" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 10/18). ESPN's Ryan Clark said, "I don't think it’s fair for them to put it out there and dangle the carrot in front of these guys and then just pull it out from under them without even a concession or the consideration they deserve” ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 10/18).
SAME AS IT EVER WAS: A DALLAS MORNING NEWS editorial states that given a "chance to take an affirmative step toward securing its future, the Big 12 Conference stayed true to form and did roughly nothing" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/18). In Dallas, Chuck Carlton writes the conference "looks exactly like it did July 19 -- still with 10 schools and still with a dysfunctional national image" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/18). In West Virginia, Mitch Vingle notes this was "anything but a good look," and it "wasn’t the Big 12’s finest hour in any sense." The conference "didn’t want to be seen as predatory, a la the ACC." But "instead of looking predatory, the league turned out looking clumsy" (CHARLESTON GAZETTE-MAIL, 10/18). In Dallas, Ben Baby writes, "This whole expansion situation was a mess since the summer, when the Big 12 was reportedly looking at 20 (!!) schools as growth options. All the politicking and speculation was for nothing and doesn't reflect well on the conference" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/18). CBSSPORTS.com's Dennis Dodd wrote the Big 12 is the "conference that cried wolf," a league that "doesn't know what it wants." The expansion process was a "taffy pull with no winner, but everyone still felt very sticky at the end." Dodd: "What a waste of time" (CBSSPORTS.com, 10/18). But in K.C., Sam Mellinger notes at least the Big 12 "came to the right conclusion this time." If the conference "somehow got their TV networks to buy out the pro rata clause in exchange for bigger payouts to the existing 10 schools ... the Big 12 played the expansion game deftly, and productively" (K.C. STAR, 10/18).
LOOK IN THE MIRROR? SI.com's Pete Thamel notes the "biggest loser" in the whole deal is "the league itself." The Big 12 "spent three months reinforcing its place as the fifth league among the Power Five conferences and the most vulnerable to be raided in the next decade" (SI.com, 10/18). In Austin, Kirk Bohls writes the conference was "wrong in not adding any schools" and it was "bad form for the league and bad business because no Power 5 conference is viewed as being weaker." Bohls: "The Big 12, it seems, is on life support" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 10/18). ESPN's Paul Finebaum said, "Long-term, this conference is dead." He added, "This league has been mismanaged, it is now dysfunctional. It is literally a laughingstock around college football the way this commissioner and the presidents have operated this charade” ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 10/18). In Waco, John Werner notes the Big 12’s leaders "appear to have no foresight as the conference is in danger of slipping farther behind some of the other power conferences in national visibility and overall strength." The leaders of the other Power 5 conferences "seem to understand that if you don’t grow you get left behind." Werner: "Not the Big 12" (WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD, 10/18). In Lubbock, Nicholas Talbot writes the Big 12’s "complete inaction on expansion shouldn’t shock anyone." It instead should "serve as a reminder of where the Big 12 is at in the pecking order of Power 5 conferences" (LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL, 10/18). In Orlando, Mike Bianchi writes the Big 12 "wasted everybody's time on its pathetic 'process.'" It marks another reason why the Big 12 is a "big joke when compared to other Power Five conferences." Bianchi: "Could you imagine the SEC, Big Ten or ACC going through such a buffoonish public display?" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 10/18). In Houston, Brian Smith writes, "Only the weakest of the Power Fives could blow it this bad" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/18).
REACTION FROM REJECTED MARKETS: In Tampa, Martin Fennelly notes it "looks like USF and every other school was taken for a ride by the Big 12" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 10/18). In Salt Lake City, Gordon Monson writes "BYU, and all the other so-called candidate schools, got played. Got played bad" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 10/18). In Hartford, Jeff Jacobs writes under the header, "UConn, Others Played For Fools By The Big 12 Circus Freak Show" (HARTFORD COURANT, 10/18). In Orlando, David Whitley writes the Big 12's "willy-nilly reputation is well earned and explains why schools like Texas A&M and Nebraska got out" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 10/18).
LOOKING FOR AN APOLOGY: FOXSPORTS.com's Stewart Mandel wrote the Big 12 "owes a whole lot of people an apology." Mandel: "It should apologize to the leaders at BYU, Houston and Cincinnati for dangling a coveted Power 5 golden ticket and inspiring them to publicly grovel for it. It should apologize to fans of Connecticut, UCF, USF and Colorado State for giving them months of false hope. It should apologize to administrators at SMU, Tulane, Air Force and Rice for putting time and effort into delivering needless presentations last month for invitations the league surely knew were never coming." It also should apologize to AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco "for treating it as a farm league team where the star players could get called up at any moment." Mandel: "The whole thing was like a twisted beauty pageant where nobody gets to wear the crown" (FOXSPORTS.com, 10/17). Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also said that the Big 12 "should apologize." Abbott had "previously tweeted his support for Houston being added" to the conference. Abbott on Twitter yesterday wrote: "The Big 12 owes a lot of people an apology. It punted on expansion & shanked its future. @UHouston deserved better" (AP, 10/18).
TWITTER REAX: Syndicated radio host Greg Swaim: "I'm going to laugh at #Big12 schools who get left out of a power conference when #UT and #Sooners screw them by leaving. Serves them right!" SB Nation's Steven Godfrey: "You know, it's kind of funny - the Big 12 was pinned down by a room full of media on Baylor questions, yelled 'expansion' and we chased it." Cincinnati Enquirer's Jason Williams: "Reflecting back, Bowlsby said it was 'transparent' process. Really? So why did Big 12 make everyone sign non-disclosure agreements then?" Houston-based KHOU-CBS' Daniel Gotera: "So the Big 12 is patting itself on the back for running a good expansion process? LOL. That's good stuff." Kansas-based KMAN-FM's Tyler Dreiling: "Republicans & Democrats: 'I bet there isn't an organization in America more dysfunctional than our parties!' The Big 12 Conference: lol hi."
