(07-31-2016 09:41 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(07-31-2016 08:58 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  [quote='pkptigers07' pid='13430514' dateline='1469925223'] What P5 conference uses travel partners for basketball scheduling? Are there P5 schools that don't charter?

The major driver for travel partners in G5 conferences that use them would be traveling costs (which unlike a lot of scholarship costs are incremental hard costs, actual additional checks to write that have to clear).

But the complaint regarding WVU in the Big12 is not traveling cost so much as impact on athletes.

It's not an argument to expand, but if you are going to expand, and if pursuit of new markets and new recruiting grounds means you are not going to expand within a bus ride of your existing schools, adding a travel partner to an existing school on an island would reduce the incremental adverse impact of the new addition on the affected team sports.

However, anybody counting CSU as a potential travel partner for BYU cannot consistently also consider Memphis to be a "long way away" from the Big 12 schools. CSU/BYU is 470 miles via I-80, 540 miles via I-70. Memphis is 477 miles to Norman, OK, 472 miles to Stillwater, OK. It's 90+ miles closer to the Oklahoma schools than Iowa State.

It's really odd, but Memphis is closer, on average, to every current Big 12 school than is Houston.

Geophaphy will not apply to every Big 12 expansion candidate. Just like academics or the amount a corporation is willing to give to the conference will not apply to every candidate.

(07-31-2016 07:18 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  No need to blow brains out or jump off bridges. Realignment will not end with ... This is not the end. There is no end.

Yoda couldn't have said a wiser thing!

My standing predicition, as demonstrated by the WAC --> MWC split, is that it's just a matter of time until each megaconference splits so that their longtime core can return to playing each other, each year. Also to reduce travel time and cost, especially when air travel becomes prohibitive (hopefully this will be many decades down the road, for us currently living).

Until then, let the money-grabs and traditions-killings continue.

(07-31-2016 07:18 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  No need to blow brains out or jump off bridges. Realignment will not end with this Big 12 expansion no matter how many they take. There will always be the threat of more expansion by the Big 10, the ACC, SEC, PAC12 and even the Big 12 again some day which will again have a trickle down affect. This is not the end. There is no end.

Tell this to the Memphis, UH, and Cincy posters......lol.

(07-31-2016 01:23 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(07-31-2016 07:18 AM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  No need to blow brains out or jump off bridges. Realignment will not end with this Big 12 expansion no matter how many they take. There will always be the threat of more expansion by the Big 10, the ACC, SEC, PAC12 and even the Big 12 again some day which will again have a trickle down affect. This is not the end. There is no end.

Tell this to the Memphis, UH, and Cincy posters......lol.

I buy that. In fact, I agree with it to an extent. I think the P5 will grow to about 72-80 before splitting. Maybe more.

But it's better to get in now rather than later.

I don't have a single clue what the big 12 will do just like anybody else. In 2011 they were supposed to take Louisville and WVU then settled on WVU. So I don't know what they will do. I will start with the two no brainers in Cincy and BYU. After that Houston and UCONN seem like the best 2 options after that by a mile. UCONN gives you the best athletics program and the strongest brand and Houston has the most football potential as seen by the middle of the pack big 12 schools fear of the cougars joining.

Obviously geography will be zero factor as WVU is already in the league doing just fine and it should not be a factor. Big 12 isn't in a position to be picky with no p5 candidates available so geography should not come into play this round. Take the best programs available UH, UC, Uconn, BYU and call it a day. To me this doesn't require much work or research if you going by the eye ball test. UCONN and BYU should be able to give you some financial kick back with their brands. Its not like the big 12 has a ton of options and most of them have a lot of warts. Which is probably why they were holding out hope a p5 school would fall into their lap. However just take the best available and build the league from there. I guess I don't see why its so difficult.