Different cultures / histories may lead to voting blocs within the Power 5 >>>

http://mrsec.com/2014/06/big-ten-pac-12-...decisions/

... They are motivated by lawsuits coming down the pike that figure to have a greater impact on the more monied schools of the Power Five than those less affluent schools of the other FBS conferences (though the AAC wants to be included in the autonomous gang). A vote of the NCAA board of directors will decide the matter later this summer...

...Who will wield the most power if/when a new Division IV or an autonomous Power Five is created? Yesterday, the Big Ten put forth a statement supporting the letter sent out by the Pac-12 presidents in mid-May.

The takeaway? The 26 schools of the Big Ten and Pac-12 are likely going to form one voting bloc in the autonomy/Division IV world to come. Now take a look at what is being proposed by the Pac-12 and, for the most part, backed by the Big Ten — less time on the field/court for athletes, tougher academic standards for postseason play, guaranteed scholarships, eased transfer rules, etc. Think your friendly neighborhood SEC football coach would be in favor of such proposals?

Southeastern Conference presidents and chancellors are in a tight spot (to borrow a line from “O Brother Where Art Thou?”). Many would be in favor of just those types of notions. But their schools also benefit financially from being the Kings of Football and football might not best be served if some of the Pac-12 proposals become the law of the autonomous land.

Like it or not, the Big Ten and Pac-12 are viewed as athletic conferences as well as “big academics” leagues. The SEC? Not so much. There are exceptions to the rule, of course, and no SEC schools are diploma mills. But the Big Ten and SEC do have very different reputations when it comes to the views of pointy heads. The Big Ten boasts some of the biggest research schools in the country. The SEC is seen as a jockocracy (which is why Slive and league’s presidents are pushing the SECU academic initiative in order to “advance the academic reputation of SEC universities beyond their traditional regions”). The SEC has also raised its academic standards in recent years....

...In a new 65-school structure, the Big Ten and Pac-12 will likely push academics first — not that that’s a bad thing — in such a way as to level the football playing field with the boys down South. For that reason, don’t be surprised to see the SEC and Big 12 buddy-up when it comes to votes on new rules and new regulations. Their 24 schools share more in common with one another than with the Big Ten and Pac-12 schools. Yes, there are fine schools in the Big 12, but that league is also seen as a football-first conference by many...If each league’s schools vote in solidarity — and the league commissioners would push them to do so — the Big Ten/Pac-12 bloc would boast 26 votes while the SEC/Big 12 alliance would boast 24 (if we’re correct in assuming those two would see eye-to-eye most often). That leaves the ACC and its 15 votes as the deciders, as former President Bush might say. Fifteen ACC votes plus 24 SEC/Big 12 votes equals 39 which is exactly 60 percent of 65 votes.

In other words, even if the SEC and Big 12 do pair up on many issues and their member institutions do vote unanimously, they would still need every possible ACC vote — including Notre Dame’s — to win a vote.

There are a lot of variables in this piece, to be sure. Will 60 percent actually be the threshold? Will the Big Ten and Pac-12 partner up while the SEC and Big 12 do likewise? On how many issues will those leagues hold differing points of view? Who will the ACC schools align themselves with? And can the ACC schools all be counted on to vote in unison?

The point being — the battle over autonomy might be decided this summer, but a bigger battle for power within those autonomous five conferences is fast approaching.

Order into chaos.
It's past being funny.
If you have your suspicions,
Follow the money.

If the long term viability of their "model" is at stake *and* it makes the difference --- this might be a motivation for the Big 12 to add a couple of 'votes' to their conference.

The SEC is a joke.

(06-04-2014 09:09 AM)holyterror Wrote:  Order into chaos.
It's past being funny.
If you have your suspicions,
Follow the money.

SEC is communist yet right wing republican……….. just a casual, accurate observation. They resemble Russia.

(06-10-2014 04:05 PM)ChapelHillTiger Wrote:  SEC is communist yet right wing republican……….. just a casual, accurate observation. They resemble Russia.

2nd one today. Awesome!

(06-10-2014 04:05 PM)ChapelHillTiger Wrote:  SEC is communist yet right wing republican……….. just a casual, accurate observation. They resemble Russia.

Russia is Right Wing?

TripleA ??

(06-10-2014 05:59 PM)Downtown Tiger Wrote:  

(06-10-2014 04:05 PM)ChapelHillTiger Wrote:  SEC is communist yet right wing republican……….. just a casual, accurate observation. They resemble Russia.

Russia is Right Wing?

Right wing communists, no less!

(06-10-2014 06:11 PM)TigerBill Wrote:  

(06-10-2014 05:59 PM)Downtown Tiger Wrote:  

(06-10-2014 04:05 PM)ChapelHillTiger Wrote:  SEC is communist yet right wing republican……….. just a casual, accurate observation. They resemble Russia.

Russia is Right Wing?

Right wing communists, no less!

o no...I kind of get what he's saying. There's the have-nothing communists who still believe in sharing the wealth equally because they have none. And then there's the right wing communists, who are in power, have most all the wealth and don't want to share.

(06-10-2014 04:05 PM)ChapelHillTiger Wrote:  SEC is communist yet right wing republican……….. just a casual, accurate observation. They resemble Russia.

Yeah, we knock the SEC but would join in a second if invited. I do believe there is quite a divide between particularly the SEC on one side & the B1G and PAC on the other (along with Notre Dame). The B1G disdain for the SEC is deep-seated, multifaceted and has been growing for years. The origin, IMO, is that the B1G as its Big 10 predecessor controlled the polls, the media and the money for most all of the 20th century and they involved the PAC in the Rose Bowl & some inter-sectional games to expand their dominance - at least on paper & through the media. They avoided FB competition against the upstart SEC through most of the 20th century to protect their media supported dominance in the polls. In their perfect world they would have OSU or Mich play USC for the mythical Nat'l championship each year in the Rose Bowl. And the academicians of the B1G/PAC certainly believed they dominated academically, politically & socially, & gave full support to the belief.

As media TV grew, control was difficult as SEC teams were beating Big Ten teams with some regularity in TV arranged games. As FB power within the SEC gained broad media acceptance, it led to more money being invested in the SEC & today the SEC dominates college FB and has reaped the financial rewards that come with it. The B1G & the PAC want their dominance back & now are faced with competing against 'outsiders' to gain it. Nonetheless, the B1G & PAC administrations will continue to do what they do best - attempt to manipulate the media & the process to regain their long held perception of dominance - if only in the media. All the while, the SEC has learned how to play politically too. And one thing for sure, left to the SEC, the B1G & the PAC, they will continue to further limit 'members of the club' every chance they get, with each faction attempting to dominate within the 'club'.