UPDATED: Boren on Big 12, OU’s future in it (or out)
CAMPUS CORNER — So, OU prez David Boren talked today. I’ll get out of the way. Here’s what he said.
BOREN
“It’s too early yet to know exactly what the outcome will be. Our main responsibility will be protecting the interest of the University of Oklahoma, do what’s in the best long-term interest of the university and our athletics department and the fans. That’s what we’ll attempt to do to. Beyond that, while we haven’t been saying much publicly – frankly, on purpose, because we’re at the sensitive point of discussions among schools. Too much said in public reduces success of our goals rather than enhances it.
“We have to study the best options for ourselves and not lock ourselves into a course of action until we know what’s best for the university. We’re heavily involved. I don’t know how long it will be before clarity comes to us. My experience is that, in these kinds of things, it might be a matter of 72 hours, it might be a matter of two weeks. I don’t really think this is something that’s going to linger on beyond two or three weeks, from the outside. This has been consuming my life the last few days. It’s a fascinating challenge. We’re just in the search for what’s best for the university.
(what’s goal that cannot be compromised?)
“If I start discussing too much detail, I’d compromise. We obviously want stability in our conference relationships. We want partners that are above outstanding, both athletically and academically. A conference that’s strong is not only stable, but it’s one in which there are multiple relationships, along with sports, between university members. We have some great partners in the existing Big 12. We have interest from other conferences and other universities. It’s really attributed to the strength of the programs at the University of Oklahoma that there is so much interest in us. We have to carefully evaluate the various comments being made to us and various possibilities before we decide what’s best for the University of Oklahoma.
(disappointed this has happened again?)
“I hoped we had stability. I guess I’m just disappointed that the original Big 12 is not the same Big 12. I was extremely disappointed when Nebraska departed. I was disappointed when Colorado departed. Obviously, as you’ve tracked my plane flying here or there, you know that I would be disappointed that Texas A&M left. I was personally involved in trying to see if there was some way that that would not happen. So, it is a disappointment that those schools have left and that we face the challenge that we do today.”
SECOND HALF
(have to have 12 teams to be viable?)
“I don’t think anything has to be, at all. Everything doesn’t have to be done today. There’s nothing that says the conference will collapse at nine. We have a full season to play and all that to go through before …
“Obviously, I think eventually – that doesn’t mean one year, maybe it’s going to take two or three years … if we were eventually to get back to 12, I would feel better about it. On the other hand, we don’t know what’s going to happen. Some things are trends beyond the control of any one university. Is there going to be a continued trend toward consolidation? Or are we going to see conferences that are now 12 (teams) – and there are three of them, I guess – move to 16. Is that going to happen? Maybe that’s not going to happen. We’ve seen both. We’ve seen tendency toward consolidation and then you’ve seen some pushback in the very largest conferences that say it’s gotten too big. We’re trying to sort all that out.
“At this point in time, I’ll be very honest with you in saying I do not know with certainty, or perhaps even can’t hazard a totally intelligent guess as to what our final decision will be. But we are carefully looking over all the options. We are … there’s no school more active in the Big 12 more active than we are right now. Of course, Joe Castiglione’s a wonderful partner with me in being active in this process. Our regents are a very cohesive, supportive group in working with us. … I think that gives us a good leg up on anybody. Nobody has more unity in their university, of being ready to go in which direction is in our best interest and helps us.
(ball’s in OU’s court?)
“I’ll just put it this way: I think we’ve been ever since we became a member of this conference, we’re a very influential member of the conference. I think we remain a very influential member of the conference. I’ll just put it that way. Influential not only in this conference, but influential in athletics across the country. It’s a tribute to the strength of this program. I’ll put it this way: I don’t think there’s any chance OU’s going to end up being a wallflower.”
= Trav
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
[...] “It’s too early yet to know exactly what the outcome will be. Our main responsibility will be protecting the interest of the University of Oklahoma, do what’s in the best long-term interest of the university and our athletics department and the fans.” [...]
This is an easy decision…Super Conference Pac-16 here we come. It will lend immediate stability, excellent competition, and most importantly, a future. It’s time for OU to flex its collective muscles. This should and will be our decision for the good of our University.
OU, OSU, Texas Tech and Texas to the PAC-16…don’t mess around this time. If Texas doesn’t commit, grab Missouri and be done with it. Texas can be independent, which is probably where they belong…they are becoming toxic anyway.
[...] president spoke today about realignment to The Oklahoman’s Travis Haney. The gist? That OU has been contacted by other conferences, and they are keeping their [...]
[...] comes to us," Boren said. "It competence be the make a difference of 72 hours, …Boren upon Big 12, OU's destiny in it (or out)NewsOK.com (blog)CFT: OU prez says Sooners could shaft Big 12NBCSports.comWhat Rivalry? Half Of OU [...]
There are Longhorn fans like myself that SERIOUSLY hope OU will take the lead in getting themselves, us, OSU, and Tech out of a dysfunctional Big 12-2-1, and into the PAC. I’m not privy to conversations between Boren and Dodds, but I’d bet they’re on the same exact page concerning conference realignment, public statements notwithstanding. Oh, and don’t believe everything agricultural has to say…UT is NOT a toxic conference member to OU, or anybody else. I don’t doubt our school would be happy to help OU get it’s network up and running. Like we say here in Texas…”Don’t have a network?…well get you one.”
coolhorn there is no way the Pac 12 takes any school with it own network. On top of that Fox owns the rights of the pac 12 network. There is now way ESPN will give control to Fox so that BEVO tv can function as part of the conference network. LHN is a 300 million dollar anchor that mean UT will have to be independent.
Larry Scott is the best commish in sports; Texas played him last year, thanks to Orangebloods and its source, UT’s loudmouthed women’s AD. No one in the PAC-12 wants Texas, the headaches and their arrogance. Oklahoma would be welcomed in a second. The 14th school? Don’t laugh–Hawaii. He wants this conference to be cutting edge and get the Pacific Rim on board.
Know how to tell an Okie from a Texan? In Texas all the BS is on the inside of the boot. They are proud they are full of it.
It’s a sad day when a learning institution from Oklahoma is perceived as a leader. It’s time for the other schools in the Big 9 to take a long, hard look in the mirror.
[...] as OU officials decide whether or not to stay in the Big 12. President David Boren was quoted by The Oklahoman. He said it’s too early to know what the outcome will be and that the main responsibility is to [...]
[...] permalink The full statement (not written by ESPN) – UPDATED: Boren on Big 12, OU’s future in it (or out) | OU Sports [...]
[...] permalink Originally Posted by SDClone NORMAN, Okla. — University of Oklahoma president David Boren says multiple conferences have shown interest in the Sooners recently and he expects to decide whether to leave the Big 12 or not within the next three weeks. The ESPN article is misleading… see Boren's actual quotes here… UPDATED: Boren on Big 12, OU’s future in it (or out) | OU Sports [...]
I didn’t mind Nebraska leaving, they saw the writing on the wall with the LHN last spring, same as the Ags to the SEC. What I can’t stomach is for us to want to include a bunch of WAC, Mountain West, whatever teams in the Big 12 just to survive. Houston? SMU?? Rice??? what do they bring? Weak football teams with crap traditions and fan support, forget about the other 20 or so men’s/women’s sports that they’d have to compete in. More headaches with BYU and their religious network with a football game or two thrown in. I say time to head west.
[...] President, David Boren (the president of the school?) was surprisingly blunt about things. “We have to study the best options for ourselves and not lock ourselves into a course of [...]
PAC 16!!! The era of the Super Conferences is here. Hello Cali recruiting grounds!!! More Stills, Clay, and Jefferson’s!!! Bring it!
[...] TranscriptBoren says discussion realignment emanate for OU won't dawdle as well longTulsa WorldBoren upon Big 12, OU's destiny in it (or out)NewsOK.com (blog)Daily Herald -KTUL (blog)all 289 headlines [...]
[...] “It’s too early nonetheless to know accurately what a outcome will be. Our categorical shortcoming will be safeguarding a seductiveness of a University of Oklahoma, do what’s in a best long-term seductiveness of a university and a entertainment dialect and a fans. … [...]
[...] Or is it time to abandon it and just enjoy football? Go Cyclones! These sum up last night: UPDATED: Boren on Big 12, OU’s future in it (or out) | OU Sports Orangebloods.com – The plot thickens to try to hold Big 12 [...]
News flash. No fan wants to help UT. They are on their own. LHN was their kiss of death. Independent is the route they should take. Only 2 people in Oklahoma wanting to help, according to the DOK, is Boren and JC. Wake-up Horn’s, you ask for it and you got it.
[...] upon Big twelve re-alignmentNorman TranscriptOklahoma To Decide Big twelve Future Soon?HoopsWorldNewsOK.com (blog) -KTUL (blog)all 324 headlines [...]
[...] come out and make some definitive statments confirming what the fanbase had suspected all along. UPDATED: Boren on Big 12, OU’s future in it (or out) | OU Sports I wanted the PAC 16 last year, and I want it now even [...]
[...] Condsidering All The OptionsSB NationBoren sounds off upon Big twelve re-alignmentNorman TranscriptNewsOK.com (blog) -KTUL (blog)all 336 headlines [...]
[...] “It’s too early nonetheless to know accurately what a outcome will be. Our categorical shortcoming will be safeguarding a seductiveness of a University of Oklahoma, do what’s in a best long-term seductiveness of a university and a entertainment dialect and a fans. … [...]
I had hoped I would never need to say this, but I am against moving to the Pac 10. Most of the teams there are two time zones away. I just don’t think it would be good for the fans at all. Aren’t the fan important too? I love the sooners, but President Boren please don’t take us to the Pac 10.
I had hoped that the Big 12 would seek out a good program or three to add to our conference. If everybody starts bolting for other places to play, it will be a sad day.
[...] you read Boren’s comments in their entirety, the situation sounds awfully dire for the Big [...]
Boren’s statement is pure PR. This is propaganda coming from a career politician (former governor and US Senator) who is very skilled at this sort of thing. Let me explain: whatever change happens there will be a lot of unhappy Sooner fans who will be sad to some great traditions be thrown by the wayside for the interests of money. There is already a public perception out there that OU is simply being led around by Texas. Boren’s statement is a simply propaganda to make it look like he has the best interests of OU at heart in the decision making process, in order to minimize the public backlash with an unpopular conference move.
But in reality, Boren does NOT seem to have OU’s best interests at stake: 1) he insists on keeping the tie with OSU even when it is obviously limiting OU’s options (Big Ten and SEC). 2) he insists on staying glued to Texas even when the relationship is hurting OU’s national prestige.
Boren’s speech is pure PR.
[...] league. So it looks like Pac 12 Football or rather Pac-16 football will be here soon. Read Boren’s comments here, the situation doesn’t sound good for Big 12 “It’s Beebe’s belief that if Texas [...]
[...] the Big 12 to keep the Longhorn Network in a Big 12 that definitely won’t have Texas A&M, very likely won’t have Oklahoma and, by extension, Oklahoma State, and possibly won’t have Missouri, either. UT could [...]
[...] they’ve decided to try to hold the Sooners hostage – this is the school that’s made statements on wanting a league with stability. I’m not thinking getting sued and threatened by their supposed conference friends trends [...]
[...] superconferences seems doomed to fail. “Some things,” Oklahoma president David Boren told The Oklahoman, “are trends beyond the control of any one university.” But Baylor’s goal [...]
[...] superconferences seems doomed to fail. “Some things,” Oklahoma president David Boren told The Oklahoman, “are trends beyond the control of any one university.” But Baylor’s goal [...]
[...] the Big-12 ship (prematurely) before being left behind, I believe that when all is said and done, comments made by President Boren set this entire cascade in motion. I hope I’m wrong, but it certainly doesn’t sound [...]
Amazingthread. In addition- I was searching on your www RSS or email subscription. Have You got any?
Am I the only one who thinks your blog theme is quite awesome? I’m guessing perhaps its a custom theme which you bought? Regards, Pete.
Highly rated post. I be taught a thing completely new on completely various blogs everyday. Deciding on one particular . stimulating to learn the paper material from other writers and understand a little one thing from their web-site. I’d like to apply selected of this content material on my weblog you are thoughts. Natually I’ll give a hyperlink here we’re at your internet-site. Recognize your sharing.
[...] permalink Complete transcript from OU president Boren: UPDATED: Boren on Big 12, OU’s future in it (or out) | OU Sports [...]