Crimson Red Sports

Colorado released a statement last week saying they would fight any move allowing Oklahoma and Ok. State to PAC-12. Colorado said they moved to PAC-12 to get out of Big 12 and out of the same division as Oklahoma and OK ST.

Colorado better shut up. The Pac-12 would dump them in a New York minute to get Oklahoma.

Colorado released a statement last week saying they would fight any move allowing Oklahoma and Ok. State to PAC-12. Colorado said they moved to PAC-12 to get out of Big 12 and out of the same division as Oklahoma and OK ST.

Link?  No way they come out and make a statement that sad and pitiful.

Translation

"Oklahoma boys are big and mean to us"

CU president leery of Pac-12 adding more teams - The Denver Post.

University of Colorado president Bruce Benson said this morning he is wary of further Pac-12 expansion, particularly if Colorado is placed in an "East" division with former rivals from the Big 12 such as Oklahoma and Texas.

Benson said he would discuss the situation with university chancellor Phil DiStefano later today. Expansion talks have heated up in the aftermath of the Big 12 losing Texas A&M last week, and widespread speculation that Oklahoma and Texas might now bolt, possibly to the Pac 12.

"One of the reasons - and there are a lot of reasons - we got in the Pac 12 is to play regularly on the West Coast," Benson said. "When I hear things like East-West divisions, we're going back to the Big 12 again. I don't know who's possibly going, but I sure don't want to get shorted out of the West Coast."

The Pac-12, which expanded with Colorado and Utah last spring, could possibly become the Pac-16. Oklahoma officials have indicated its priority, if the Big 12 doesn't stay solvent, is joining the Pac-12. Should OU commit to a move it could push others to join, such as Texas, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.

"I'm not happy at all if we go that way," Benson said. "I'm sure I'll make a lot of noise."

Big 12 football: Colorado not excited about Pac-12 expansion

Benson said… I just don’t want to change this dynamic. Every year we’re in Northern and Southern California. We want that. Every year we’re in Arizona. We want that. We’re in Washington. We want that.”

“I believe that we should have a robust academic atmosphere among all schools in the league,” Benson told the Post. “What schools have cinch courses or gut courses? We don’t have any and never will. The Pac-12 doesn’t. Some Big 12 schools do.”

But Benson also hurled salvos at Texas. “We’ll wait and see,” Benson said. “We’ll see what Texas does with their (Longhorn) network. Texas likes things Texas’s way.”

“That’s kind of how I look at it,” Benson said. “I just don’t want to change this dynamic. Every year we’re in Northern and Southern California. We want that. Every year we’re in Arizona. We want that. We’re in Washington. We want that.”

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_18834617


http://blog.newsok.com/berrytramel/2011/09/08/big-12-football-colorado-not-excited-about-pac-12-expansion/

I can't figure what TX wants in all this shifting.  If Big12 ends up Big9 and retains an auto BCS berth, then that should be good for TX since they'd be the strongest team almost every year.  Even if they took in SMU and became Big10 (oops! that name's already taken...) TX would still be top dog with virtually automatic ticket to major bowl.

If Texas goes indepndent, I think in the long run it will hurt them, especially in basketball and baseball and even football.

Texas Tries to Persuade Sooners to Stay. "Stay Just a Little Bit Longer" - Jackson Brown. "I added that for dramatic effects".

By PETE THAMEL
Published: September 12, 2011


The Texas and Oklahoma athletic departments have historically been defined largely by their rivalries on the field. With the fate of conference realignment hinging on them, they are now locked in an administrative staredown.

Two Big 12 university officials who have been briefed on the meeting said that Texas officials flew to Oklahoma on Sunday to attempt to dissuade the Sooners from their stated intent to explore joining the Pacific-12 Conference. It did not go well; the Texas officials returned to Austin and reported little progress.

“It was not a productive meeting,” said an administrator at a Big 12 university with knowledge of the meeting. “Texas went there with the thought of beginning the process of putting back together the Big 12, and Oklahoma wasn’t as receptive as Texas had hoped. That doesn’t mean it’s the end of it.”

I hope they enjoy those 1200 to 1500 mile trips they make for games, at least 2 or 3 times a year. I just don't see the Oklahoma folks blending in with those California and Oregon folks.