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Realignment monster swallows OU
Published: 9/21/2011 11:55 PM
Last Modified: 9/23/2011 9:15 PM

Tuesday night was a dark one for Oklahoma in the world of college realignment.

With just one sentence, the No. 1-ranked Sooners were slapped down to Earth.

"After careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference."

With that, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott changed everything. Oklahoma went from the driver's seat to the back seat.

There's been a lot of talk Wednesday about what it all means. Some suggest Tuesday's announcement was a blessing in disguise for OU and Oklahoma State because the two schools belong in the Big 12.

Others say OU and its president, David Boren, were just using the Pac-12 for leverage in their fight with Texas, that the school had little intention of moving West.

Both may be true, but unfortunately perception is reality. And the perception now is that OU is impotent as conference realignment crawls forward.

For confirmation of that opinion look no further than Austin. Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds' comments Wednesday sounded emboldened, as if he was waving Tuesday's setback in his rival's face.

According to the Austin American-Statesman, Dodds told a select group of reporters Wednesday that the Longhorn Network is non-negotiable and will not be compromised.

That hardly sounds like the conciliatory tone of a person ready to rebuild the Big 12.

All that's left for OU is the nuclear option -- fleeing with A&M to the Southeastern Conference. But that's something the Sooners have said all along they don't want.

Instead, what you're likely to hear over the next few days is a new commitment to the Big 12. Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe will resign, schools in the league will decide to share Tier 1 and Tier 2 TV money and everyone will claim victory.

What you won't hear -- Texas budging on the Longhorn Network or a real solution to the mistrust that created this mess in the first place.

It's too bad really. All along, Oklahoma played the role of statesman and equal to UT, while A&M played the petulant little brother. While the Aggies kicked and screamed out of the Big 12, the Sooners preferred to quietly flex their muscle.

In the end, however, A&M appears to have gotten what it wanted -- a move
to the SEC. OU merely got egg on its face.

Perhaps ESPN or FOX backs up the Brinks truck for a Big 12(minus)Texas network. But short of that, the resolution to this round of conference realignment figures to be as dissatisfying for OU as Tuesday was embarrassing.

Reader Comments

9 Total

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207869 (last year)

You've nailed it!

W. G. (last year)

Let the other nine teams (including TA&M) kick Texas out. Then invite TCU, Houston, and BYU to join.

Sancho (last year)

I haven't heard it discussed, but what about an OSU-OU-Mizzou move along with aTm to the SEC? Seems to make sense to me. Lose Texas and continue to play football in the state of Texas, along with the premier football conference in the USA.

mgpeters (last year)

It doesn't seem like OU is interested in the SEC. That's why you don't hear much about a move that direction. But if Texas continues to flex its muscle, OU may have to play that card.

love 918 (last year)

Do we assume the SEC wants OU (or OSU,Mizz)? Other than Arkansas (who already has a Tulsa pipeline), what SEC school would benefit from a presence in OK?

aTm is a great pickup for the SEC. It supplies Texas recruiting and Texas TV's.

mgpeters (last year)

I think they would take OU because it is a national power. It would be brand extension even if it might not expand the TV market. But by most accounts OU has no interest in the SEC.

mayhem (last year)

One thing that has not been mentioned in all of this is all of ou's NCAA infractions in the last 5 or so years in just about every sport. Do you not think that comes in play at some point. If you are caught cheating in everything what makes you think you are that desirable. Without Texas, ou does not look that good.

mgpeters (last year)

I don't think the NCAA stuff has anything to do with it. Ohio State, Miami or the SEC aren't struggling with realignment.

Fire The Politicians (last year)

Sancho has a good point. I just heard Mr. Peters talk about this on the radio. I am looking forward to tomorrow's paper and reading the Aggie emails that purportedly talk up the PAC 12 deal and in some ways discredit the spin OU-OSU put on this deal.

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Tulsa World Sports Editor Michael Peters has nearly 20 years of daily newspaper experience. A 1993 graduate of Texas A&M, he worked at papers in Bryan-College Station, Texas, Beaumont, Texas, and Galveston, Texas, before joining the Houston Chronicle as High School Sports Editor in 2008. While in Houston, he coordinated coverage of the 2008 Texas Class 5A state football championships and the 2011 NCAA Men's Final Four.

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