Comments on: Big 12 football: Where were Seminoles last autumn?

By: DavidE

DavidE — Tue, 22 May 2012 02:03:25 +0000

FSU is where Pitt and Syracuse were a year before they decided to leave the Big East.

Sometimes politicians will let an issue be discussed in public so they can see where different political players stand. Then they make a decision and call the political players in for closed door meetings. What will it take to get their support?

A year before Syracuse announced they were moving to the ACC, their BB coach Beiheim said they would never go to the ACC. Next year, he supported the move 100%. BB coach Dixon at Pitt, said it would be crazy to leave the best BB conference, the Big East, for anyone else. A year later, Dixon was all for moving to the ACC.

What happened? In their cases, they probably were in a closed door meeting where they were told the school was moving and did they want to be the school’s BB coach when the move was made.

Last year, FSU hadn’t reached a decision on what to do. The issue was still too new. By next year, changes will be made.

Look how Syracuse & Pitt kept their moves QUIET. They both had letters hand delivered to the Big East commissioner on a Saturday, and the next day – Sunday morning – the ACC presidents voted to accept them as new members. And not a word was in the media prior to this announcement.

By: tony

tony — Sun, 20 May 2012 16:22:56 +0000

oklahoma and texas are as huge as any in the sec. bigger then most ide say lsu and bama are an equal match with ou and ut. and as for team by team the big 12 top to bottom while not exactly even are very close the top 5 in each confrence are a dead heat in my opinion. the bottom half is where the sec pulls away but by very little. if florida state was to come into the big 12 and bring clemson with them, then which would be the toughest confrence. believe me i love the sec but if you honestly look at the sec teams only bama, lsu, aub. have been dominate ofthe last 7 or 8 seasons. florida has been in a slump, ole miss never was , miss st well theyre not impressive, uga is a top team but hasnt been the power house since west virginia beat them in the sugar bowl. tenn has done nothing since payton. ark has had a real good team every 3 yrs maybe. kentucky well they arent much off the hardwood. but as i said i love sec football and i will say i love the style of play in sec. but if fsu and clemson come in the 12 then these two confrences are very even maybe even tilted to the 12. with that being my honest opinion, ide like yours please in all honesty ..

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:48:20 +0000

It comes down to money…..the Big 12 has the money…While TAMU had other issues that made them seek other options, their football program was deeply in the red, and the SEC was waving a lot of $$$$ in front of them. Easy choice…stick it to UT and go for the $$$$ and any other benefits with recruiting in SEC markets. There is a lot of similarity with why FSU wants to leave. More money to a football program needing it, expansion of recruiting grounds, and a conference that seems to be falling apart – just like when NU and CU left the Big 12. So while, FSU may be playing games with the Big 12 and using it to bait the SEC, if the SEC really wanted it…I think they would have already grabbed it. The SEC is a proactive conference, not a reactive one. I think they are going to hold 2 spots open in case the Big 12 dies…holding out for the like of OU, UT (who could go independent or still end up in the PAC whatever) or OSU. The Oklahoma market would be a new market. That is what the SEC values.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 18 May 2012 16:47:32 +0000

It is the money. As long as FSU could balance the budget it wanted to stay in the better academic confines of the ACC, at least the president and faculty did and still do. With empty seats and a bottom line that is red that goes out the window. FSU needs to contact five other schools and present a package deal to the Big XII. Also, a great deal with the Big XII champion playing the SEC champion in a bowl game. With the Big 10 champ and the Pac12 champ in the Rose Bowl why not just add a plus one and the winners of those two games play for the championship?

By: Bruce

Bruce — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:29:57 +0000

While all good points, Berry, a few things have changed since last year. First even though it was unlikely FSU still thought there was a chance that the SEC would look to go to 16 immediately and that they were at least a fall back option. With the SEC hell bent in only expanding to new markets and raiding other marquee programs of the ACC (UNC, Maryland, VA Tech or UVA) FSU doesn’t want to get stuck in a conference that is going to likely be weaker in 5 years. Second they saw what a yawn the nation gave to the addition of Pitt and Syracuse and realized that the ACC had nothing left to fall back on except a Hail Mary from Notre Dame. Lastly the Big 12 is certainly a lot more stable now than it was 9 months ago. ATM was out the door, Mizzou was looking for a soft landing spot and the two big names were flirting with other conferences as well. Remember the UT to ACC rumors that were coming from fairly credible sources like Kirk Bohls? Since then the Big 12 has done everything right, landed the two best available options, got a TV deal that would pay FSU probably 7 or 8 million more a year and pledged solidarity backed by large amounts of cash. While I still think it’s unlikely they leave at least until the SEC raids the ACC, they at least let the world know they are doing everything possible not to be stuck holding the bag.

By: wilie

wilie — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:45:22 +0000

“Where were the Seminoles last season”. They were licking their wounds from being taken to the wood shed by lesser teams they were, on paper, supposed to beat. Just like OU. OU proved once again that tout, ink, & backing from their trained bobble-heads, in the media, don’t win games.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:34:14 +0000

Berry,

I agree with other comments… what changed is the contract extension with ESPN. The money is basketball money not football money… especially divied up among 14 teams.

My speculation is that FSU was betting on a restructured deal that more resembled the Big XII’s. So now the easiest way to get Big XII money? Join the Big XII.

-Richard

By: GP

GP — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:30:37 +0000

FSU didn’t make a move last year for one reason: The SEC had already decided on Missouri for the 14th team. It is no secret that FSU would kill to be in the SEC. So in order to get the SEC’s attention, FSU spreads rumors that they are interested in the B12. IF the B12 shows interest and starts “flirting” with FSU and seriously considers taking FSU, then the SEC will have to act. Why? Does the SEC really want the B12 in their territory? The answer is no. So that (presumably) will force the SEC to take FSU. IMHO, this is FSU’s true goal. And I believe why DeLoss Dodds is not interested in FSU. Because if this is a rouse, why bother.

By: jeff

jeff — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:47:01 +0000

West Virginia was a much better addition than adding a private Texas school with a 45K seat stadium. Like Pat Jones said, adding TCU equates a return to the Southwest Conference.

By: ACC Football Daily Links — Bobby Bowden Says Florida State Shouldn’t Join Big 12 | Atlantic Coast Convos

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:31:15 +0000

[...] Big 12 Football: Where Will Seminoles Last Autumn? (The Oklahoman) [...]