Horns247 Board

Dodds has a lot of pull and has earned his place as a power guy in the B12, however, I don't think he is in charge of the expansion of the conference. He has major say so, but all schools now realize we are all locked into this conference and threats of taking your ball and going home no longer work.

Each team will vote with themselves in mind and there is no longer any reason to appease Texas, Texas isn't leaving for another conference any time soon.

Sure he is personally on a quest for ND, but that don't mean everyone else goes for it. I think he can manage to keep the door open for them, but I don't think he can block other moves like FSU just because he has a side deal in progress with ND. Screw ND. We can move on and not have to cater to a program who currently isn't relevant.

If you guys think ND is more likely to move to the Big 12 with Clemson and FSU, then the Texas admin would beg to differ with you.

I don't think they are more likely to move with FSU and Clemson, but I don't care. I would rather have FSU and Clemson than wait on ND. I want teams in the Big 12 that want to be here and are in good recruiting areas.

ND brings a National audience and I would be excited to bring them in, but not at the expense of FSU, which is a better football program over the last 2 DECADES, and has a brighter future. Plus, if we could somehow land GT and Louisville or VT to go along with FSU and Clemson, then we would have a great conference.

Bottom line is Dodds needs to look no further than the Big East to see what happens to your conference when you sit around and wait for ND to join. Imo, you add FSU, Clemson, and possibly 2 more teams and let ND decide what they want to do later. If they join later then great. If they don't so what, we will have done what we needed to do to remain a top conference.

We can't be reactive and stay strong as a conference. We need to continue being proactive, and expansion with FSU does that.

Two birds in the hand beats one peacock in the bush.

so we need to add Navy and Pitt to get NotreDame's interest? I'm really thinking that NotreDame will not move football to a conference in my lifetime, no matter if it's Big10 or Big12. Their not exactly a college football relic but they are not as significant as they used to be but they still think they are. Isn't their ratings on NBC fairly low?

A lot of folks struggle to grasp the concept of a long term investment. If anyone believes FSU even remotely provides the long term value Notre Dame would bring to the conference, they are sorely mistaken. Notre Dame has a truly national following that no one else can touch from a distribution standpoint (although Texas and some schools might draw greater TVs due to large market saturation). If the folks that negotiate these deals invite FSU, I am all for it. If Deloss believes it is in Texas's best interest to wait a bit on Notre Dame, I'm for that as well. There is no reason to be jumping all over FSU like a 17 year old with an erection, because for the time being, FSU and co. have nowhere else to go. Why not let things play out for a year or so, if need be, and be sure we get it right rather than get it fast.

While conference additions/changes cause buzz and excitement among fans, Texas absolutely benefits the longer the league stays at 10 teams, so long as waiting does not adversely impact eventual growth. A 10 team league, with no conference championship, gives us a straighter path to a BCS game, with a smaller $$$ split. It is not cowardice that makes this preferable, but pure common sense.

If expansion is truly inevitable and the Big XII decides Notre Dame, FSU, GT, Clemson etc. are the choices we want now, I am willing to wait a while to let that happen as long as the waiting does not cost us an opportunity with the top choices. If waiting creates undo risk, I am sure the conference will make a move this summer. If not, who knows, maybe UNC or someone similar might become available as we vet our options. Just chill out and recognize that Dodds and Bowlsby will have a better handle on all of the financial dynamics and time frames than we do, so there is no reason to continue to live your lives in a realignment panic.

I think what he's been saying is that Dodds and company have little interest in expansion that doesn't include Notre Dame, but absolutely zero interest in expanding beyond 12 teams no matter who they are.

So if FSU and Clemson (or any two teams) join, then expansion is over in their minds and there's no room for Notre Dame or anyone else.

Good post and now everyone might understand why ND does not want to join a conference nor feels pressured to do so and why everyone wants them in their conference. I don't care if they haven't done squat on the field in awhile the fact remains the are a draw, they make money, they are considered to be on a level very few teams/schools in the country reside.

I am with you on this. i really don't think Dodds wants to move beyond 10 but if he did then his compromise would be 12 with 1 of those being ND. It still may not play out that way but it might be what he is trying to do.

When I see Swarbrick holding hands with Bowlsby, Neinas, Dodds, Castiglione on a stage in front of the cameras only then will I believe it. But no sooner.

I agree with you. Now their non football might move over. Just wish it would have happened sooner. Skylar is a senior this year.

IT is the worst Texas site on the WWW.

As a former subscriber, take it from me, you'll get more info here from Bobby, Gerry, Jeff, etc in one day than you will from IT in a month.