(06-04-2021 10:16 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote: (06-04-2021 09:16 PM)ICThawk Wrote: (06-04-2021 08:59 PM)schmolik Wrote: I thought the Pac-12 invited Colorado first to lock Baylor out as Texas Tech wanted Baylor in instead of Colorado. But it was 10 years ago.
Having lived through the situation, it was much more complicated than that with lots of moving pieces. I don't want to hijack this thread but would be willing to recount the movements (and non-movements) but only if Fighting Muskie OKs it since this is his thread.
I give special dispensation for nostalgic reminiscing of the 2010 realignment.
Having been graciously given dispensation, I reminisce as follows:
Larry Scott, PAC Commissioner, came up with a plan to add 6 schools to the PAC and become a major force in the Central Time Zone by adding a group of "power" programs to the PAC. This was partially in response to the Big 10 announcing it was considering expansion. His plan was to add 6 schools (CU, UT, TA&M, TT, OU and OSU). Colorado was contacted first and immediately accepted (they had never been really happy in the Big 8, let alone the Big 12, and had actually been somewhat PAC oriented for some years since almost 15% of their student body was from California, more than from any state other than Colorado).
During discussions with the remaining schools, it became clear that TA&M was NOT going to the PAC and had decided to go to the SEC. The PAC did NOT want Baylor (the PAC was not "thrilled" with TT & OSU but felt that was the price it had to pay to get UT & OU) and approached KU to fill in for TA&M. Scott went even so far as filing a flight plan from Austin to Lawrence. So, it was going to be CU (already accepted) and UT, TT, OU, OSU and KU.
However, in further talks with UT, UT began wavering, mainly due to the LHN. (UT wanted to retain it separately from the PAC). Talks broke down with UT and that brought the plan to a halt. Without UT (and TA&M), the PAC had little interest in adding the other schools (and that feeling seemed to be mutual with the prospective schools, though a year or so later David Boren then head of OU proposed that OU & OSU move to the PAC alone, which the PAC rejected). Now sitting at 11 members UU grabbed the golden ring as the only viable school anywhere between California and Colorado so the PAC 12 could hold a championship game as NCAA rules at the time required 12 conference members to do so. (The rules still do but the Big 12 and AAC have both received waivers.)
Hence, we are where we are today!