The Big 12 celebrates its 10th birthday this coming season, and commissioner Kevin Weiberg took the chance to address several issues in the conference. Though North teams aren't performing on the gridiron against the South, major changes aren't likely.

Issues such as the conference's addition of instant replay were discussed at Big 12 media days last week, in addition to the move to a 12-game football schedule next season. The prevailing question to football coaches came with the competitive distance between the Big 12 North and South divisions. Whether this comes across all sports is up for debate, but six coaches had to answer for the North division's record.

South teams operate with an average $8 million more than North teams across all sports, even if the two divisions have a nearly equal number of teams. Texas leads the conference with a $70.6 million budget, according to its 2004 Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act, and Iowa State holds the smallest budget with $27.7 million.


<a href='http://www.dailytexanonline.com/media/paper410/news/2005/07/26/Sports/Big-12.Takes.A.Long.Look.At.Itself-964232.shtml' target='_blank'>B12 look at itself</a>

Gee, Texas has a bigger budget than Iowa State?!! Who knew!


:rolleyes:


In the words of a current great thinker, "Don't have a cow," Big 12 conference. I'm confident Kansas hoops and Cornhusker and Buffalo football hold their weight in terms of the B12's contract values. Let's see what happens when Stoops leaves Oklahoma in a rebuilding process and Nebraska returns to form, then we'll talk.

Missouri is the biggest culprit here, IMO. There's no reason I can find why they've not become a bigger player in sports. There is no major in state rival, a larger market than many other midwestern schools, large enrollment... Yet the've been underachievers since the conference was founded. If they find an identity in either major sport then this topic is essentially moot.

GunnerFan Wrote:Gee, Texas has a bigger budget than Iowa State?!! Who knew!


:rolleyes:


In the words of a current great thinker, "Don't have a cow," Big 12 conference. I'm confident Kansas hoops and Cornhusker and Buffalo football hold their weight in terms of the B12's contract values. Let's see what happens when Stoops leaves Oklahoma in a rebuilding process and Nebraska returns to form, then we'll talk.

Missouri is the biggest culprit here, IMO. There's no reason I can find why they've not become a bigger player in sports. There is no major in state rival, a larger market than many other midwestern schools, large enrollment... Yet the've been underachievers since the conference was founded. If they find an identity in either major sport then this topic is essentially moot.

Missouri has been an enigma to me. As far as I know, they are the only 1a school in the state. They have good football players at the high school level, especially around St. Louis and Kansas City. They should have a top 25 team every year. They haven't cracked the top 10 since 1969.

The only thing I can figure is that they're losing their in-state recruits to the B10 and B12. That's really a place a good young enthusiastic coach could make his mark if he had institutional backing.

Perhaps, Gary Pinkel, the coach they've had for 4 years can get them over the hump. He played some teams close last year, and the preceding year had a pretty good record.

Good luck, MO.

Jim

I absolutely hate the Big XII. It ruined what was one of the top rivalries in the nation when they ended the NU-OU day after thanksgiving game. I miss the Big 8.