[Redrum]

The UT  OrangeBlood website is now saying:

With Nebraska expected to formally announce later today it will join the Big 10, the wheels of the Pac-10 merger are officially in motion. In fact, sources have indicated to Orangebloods.com that four Big 12 South teams are locked and loaded to join the Pac-10 and an announcement date has been set. (supposedly Tuesday)

So far OrangeBlood has been fairly accurate in it\'s reports.  It was one of the first to announce that the Big 12 was informing members privately that the conference was going to blow apart.  They were also on the Texas/OU-to-Pac10 story early.

But notice that Texas A&M is not in the announced package.  Reports are that A&M is talking to the SEC,  but would have to bring in another school.  Who better than the little orphan chile,  Mizzou?   It borders on three SEC states.   It would also provide Kathy the answer to her prayers...yearly home and home series with Missouri and Texas A&M.  Her head might explode from the conflicting loyalties,  but what a way to die, yes?

[Redrum]

The UT  OrangeBlood website is now saying:

With Nebraska expected to formally announce later today it will join the Big 10, the wheels of the Pac-10 merger are officially in motion. In fact, sources have indicated to Orangebloods.com that four Big 12 South teams are locked and loaded to join the Pac-10 and an announcement date has been set. (supposedly Tuesday)

So far OrangeBlood has been fairly accurate in it\'s reports.  It was one of the first to announce that the Big 12 was informing members privately that the conference was going to blow apart.  They were also on the Texas/OU-to-Pac10 story early.

But notice that Texas A&M is not in the announced package.  Reports are that A&M is talking to the SEC,  but would have to bring in another school.  Who better than the little orphan chile,  Mizzou?   It borders on three SEC states.   It would also provide Kathy the answer to her prayers...yearly home and home series with Missouri and Texas A&M.  Her head might explode from the conflicting loyalties,  but what a way to die, yes?

[washingtonismoney]

Let\'s say A&M goes to the SEC. That leaves us with a Pac-15, which is an odd number. Who\'s the 16th team? Utah? Baylor? Kansas?

[washingtonismoney]

Let\'s say A&M goes to the SEC. That leaves us with a Pac-15, which is an odd number. Who\'s the 16th team? Utah? Baylor? Kansas?

[needle]

Why not Colorado State?

[needle]

Why not Colorado State?

[Canalejas]

Kansas is a better school than Utah and Colorado State.  But right now their athletic department is a bit of a mess.  Also, they may have a hard time leaving Kansas State behind.  Their basketball appeal is undeniable, but we all know that football matters much more.  Some rumors have the Kansas schools looking east to join the Big East.  Otherwise their only option may be the MWC.

Utah has had some recent success on the field.  They would bring a market about the same size as would be provided by Kansas, and one not already covered by the Pac11.  The thing Utah really has going for them is that they really want to join us.  It wouldn\'t be a shotgun marriage like it would be for aTm.  Geographically, they make sense as part of an AZ/CO/UT pod to go along with CA, NW and TX/OK pods.  (Not saying that we would schedule in pods for football, but maybe in other sports.)

Colorado State would be a more natural rival to CO, but we may not want redundancy in markets anymore, their stadium is much smaller than Utah\'s and, consequently, they have much smaller home crowds.  They haven\'t made any noise on the field recently, so Colorado State would not give the conference much more in terms of reputation.

My vote would be for Utah.

[Canalejas]

Kansas is a better school than Utah and Colorado State.  But right now their athletic department is a bit of a mess.  Also, they may have a hard time leaving Kansas State behind.  Their basketball appeal is undeniable, but we all know that football matters much more.  Some rumors have the Kansas schools looking east to join the Big East.  Otherwise their only option may be the MWC.

Utah has had some recent success on the field.  They would bring a market about the same size as would be provided by Kansas, and one not already covered by the Pac11.  The thing Utah really has going for them is that they really want to join us.  It wouldn\'t be a shotgun marriage like it would be for aTm.  Geographically, they make sense as part of an AZ/CO/UT pod to go along with CA, NW and TX/OK pods.  (Not saying that we would schedule in pods for football, but maybe in other sports.)

Colorado State would be a more natural rival to CO, but we may not want redundancy in markets anymore, their stadium is much smaller than Utah\'s and, consequently, they have much smaller home crowds.  They haven\'t made any noise on the field recently, so Colorado State would not give the conference much more in terms of reputation.

My vote would be for Utah.

[yvonne]

[flash=200,200]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTbc98uqofI[/flash]

[yvonne]

[flash=200,200]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTbc98uqofI[/flash]