11 Reasons Why Nebraska Should Lobby for Big Ten

[HandsyHobo]

Notre Dame, Penn State, MIT and Stanford are on this list for a reason. Nebraska is too, but it's not the same reason.
There is a reason they are at the top -- the academics are abysmal. It's easy to be an All-American when you go to Nebraska. This doesn't prove anything.
BTW, the decision is made by the school Presidents, not the ADs.

THIS.

I don't understand why there is such enthusiasm here for Nebraska to join the Big Ten, as inevitable as it may be. The same goes for Mizzou. A "better fit" for the proud, historic, kickass Big Ten Conference than the University of Notre Dame? Are you kidding me?

I honestly don't have a problem with the University of Nebraska (or "NU"; which is it?). More honestly, I just don't care about them. I don't care about their football team, I don't care about their garbage academics, I don't care about their tradition, and I most certainly don't care about their hundreds (thousands?) of insecure, annoying fans that live in the state of Iowa. If Nebraska joins the Big Ten, all of these dumb, dumb, dumb things become relevant to our lives. Is that something you REALLY want?

 

[SteveGarvey]

the nebraska-iowa would solve a lot of my heated discussions with my friends who are husker fans! shut them up for once

Yeah, unless Nebraska wins which will happen from time to time.

 

[tm3308]

THIS.

I don't understand why there is such enthusiasm here for Nebraska to join the Big Ten, as inevitable as it may be. The same goes for Mizzou. A "better fit" for the proud, historic, kickass Big Ten Conference than the University of Notre Dame? Are you kidding me?

I honestly don't have a problem with the University of Nebraska (or "NU"; which is it?). More honestly, I just don't care about them. I don't care about their football team, I don't care about their garbage academics, I don't care about their tradition, and I most certainly don't care about their hundreds (thousands?) of insecure, annoying fans that live in the state of Iowa. If Nebraska joins the Big Ten, all of these dumb, dumb, dumb things become relevant to our lives. Is that something you REALLY want?

Considering that Nebraska looks to be on their way back, I'd value what they bring as far as on the field material much more than what Notre Dame brings. Notre Dame (and their fans) are still living in the '70s. They've not done a damn thing to warrant their arrogance in 20 years. I get tired of hearing from them on message boards, watching them beat their chests as if they had Arnold's pecs, rather than Jeff Garlin's (which is the truth right about now). I can ignore a lot of it because it's not relevant to what we do in the Big Ten. But if they join, then it becomes all too relevant. Is that something YOU really want?

 

[burky247]

The Big Ten is about academics and research, not just football. Why would it be interested in a school like Nebraska?

I agree. Schedule them in the non-conference in football if you want. But don't add them to the Big Ten.

 

[HandsyHobo]

Considering that Nebraska looks to be on their way back, I'd value what they bring as far as on the field material much more than what Notre Dame brings. Notre Dame (and their fans) are still living in the '70s. They've not done a damn thing to warrant their arrogance in 20 years. I get tired of hearing from them on message boards, watching them beat their chests as if they had Arnold's pecs, rather than Jeff Garlin's (which is the truth right about now). I can ignore a lot of it because it's not relevant to what we do in the Big Ten. But if they join, then it becomes all too relevant. Is that something YOU really want?

Or divergence of opinion begins from a difference of perspective. My biggest concern at the end of the day is the academic standing of the Big Ten, not what the average citizen of Anytown, USA thinks about Big Ten football. I realize that's the biggest focus of this thread (and this forum, really), but I don't think it's the right mindset for assessing how big of a deal this is.

 

[fsanford]

When Nebraska joins the conference (and I like the idea), in all likelihood the big 12 will implode and be no more. No major conference will want the clowns for obvious reason and the clowns will have to join a newly formed minor conference or join a mid-major. Their status as a BCS team will be NO MORE.

Thus when we play the clowns (IF we are still forced to play them) the game will be reduced in stature simply because the clowns will be a reduced team. They will be similar to UNI or a Mountain West team like Wyoming or New Mexico most years. The clowns will not be able to recruit against Iowa anymore for the top talent in the state in almost all cases, which will be great.

So although some games will be tough, the games will be nowhere near what they are now because the clowns will be greatly outmanned (even more so than they are now) and most games will be over by half-time.

The series will mean even less in the future than it does now, which is even better. And eventually, Iowa will rotate the clowns with UNI every 3 years on our schedule because it won't make any sense to have both of them on our schedule, except to help out their budgets.

If Texas or Oklahoma leaves then the Big 12 will implode, if they do not leave the conference remains in tact. Texas or Oklahoma leaving is like removing a load bearing wall from inside your house. Nebraska leaving is like knocking out a window. Looks bad initially, but it can be replaced fairly quickly


But lets say somehow Nebraska and Missouri leaving the Big 12 causes armageddon..

There are currently 65 BCS football schools, now your theory is that somehow there will be this 4 conference 16 team per conference and 1 school gets left out. You hope is that it is ISU, I get that. Though not sure how you figure this will happen.

Clearly KSU and Kansas could not go to a new conference together for the same arguement that ISU cannot join the Big 10 because Iowa already has the TV market covered. Baylor? They have even less to offer, and we all know the story of how they would not even been admitted to the Big 12 if not for lobbying by a certain Texas governor. So lots of uncertainty

I would argue, if there is this epic conference re-alignment, the number of schools that fall under a BCS would go up to 70, with the addition of Utah BYU and any combination of Boise State, Houston, Memphis, TCU, Fresno State and others.

Conference sizes could range from 12 to 16 in size and there would
be 5 of them.

In the Big 12, if Nebraska and Missouri leave, Oklahoma and OSU move
to the North, a couple of other teams are added to the south for Texas to pummel. You now have it set up so that Oklahoma and Texas meet in the Big 12 championship game year in and year out in that big new Texas Stadium.

Due to the revenue sharing inequities of the Big 12, Texas may have to actually take a pay cut if they were to ever leave the conference.

 

[tm3308]

Or divergence of opinion begins from a difference of perspective. My biggest concern at the end of the day is the academic standing of the Big Ten, not what the average citizen of Anytown, USA thinks about Big Ten football. I realize that's the biggest focus of this thread (and this forum, really), but I don't think it's the right mindset for assessing how big of a deal this is.

Well like I said, I couldn't care less about the academics aspect. Adding a Nebraska hurts the overall academic prestige of the Big Ten, but it's not going to hurt the prestige that Northwestern has, is it? Or Iowa, for that matter. All I care about when it comes to expansion is the athletic aspect. I realize that the bigwigs care about much more than that. But since all I am is a fan of college sports, I'd rather see Nebraska or Pitt get in, as opposed to Rutgers.

 

[jshawks]

9. Doesn't the Big Ten make it harder to play for the national championship?

This isn't about championships or non-revenue sports, etc. It's about positioning your school — and football program — in the absolute optimum place to make money and thrive. Nebraska would more than hold its own in the Big Ten. All those years Ohio State played for the BCS title? It was because the Buckeyes cruised through the Big Ten.

Athough I would love to see Nebby in the Big 10 this line about OSU cruising through the Big 10 is hilarious. It insinuates that Nebraska would do the same. LMAO. Penn State thought the same thing in 1993, and while they have been competetive and won a couple of times they haven't "cruised" through the Big 10...neither would Nebraska.

 

[tm3308]

If Texas or Oklahoma leaves then the Big 12 will implode, if they do not leave the conference remains in tact. Texas or Oklahoma leaving is like removing a load bearing wall from inside your house. Nebraska leaving is like knocking out a window. Looks bad initially, but it can be replaced fairly quickly


But lets say somehow Nebraska and Missouri leaving the Big 12 causes armageddon..

There are currently 65 BCS football schools, now your theory is that somehow there will be this 4 conference 16 team per conference and 1 school gets left out. You hope is that it is ISU, I get that. Though not sure how you figure this will happen.

Clearly KSU and Kansas could not go to the same conference for the same arguement that ISU cannot join the Big 10 because Iowa already has the TV market covered. Baylor? They have even less to offer, and we all know the story of how they would not even been admitted to the Big 12 if not for lobbying by a certain Texas governor. So lots of uncertainty

I would argue, if there is this epic conference re-alignment, the number of schools that fall under a BCS would go up to 70, with the addition of Utah BYU and any combination of Boise State, Houston, Memphis, TCU, Fresno State and others.

Conference sizes could range from 12 to 16 in size and there would
be 5 of them.

In the Big 12, if Nebraska and Missouri leave, Oklahoma and OSU move
to the North, a couple of other teams are added to the south for Texas to pummel. You now have it set up so that Oklahoma and Texas meet in the Big 12 championship game year in and year out in that big new Texas Stadium.

Due to the revenue sharing inequities of the Big 12, Texas may have to actually take a pay cut if they were to ever leave the conference.

The problem is that several of the best candidates to fill voids in the Big 12 are in Texas. TCU and Houston won't add much money to the conference (and the money is a problem for just about everybody but Texas/OU as it is right now). BYU and Utah are Pac-10 candidates. Then what? Boise is another Pac-10 possibility, and they are quite a ways north. Don't forget that Colorado is yet ANOTHER possibility for the Pac-10. It all depends on which schools get poached, both from the Big 12 and non-AQ conferences.

If Nebraska, Mizzou, and Colorado all leave, that leaves 3 holes in the North. Adding TCU or Houston does little for revenue, as the Big 12 already owns all of Texas thanks to UT, TAM, TT, and Baylor, and geographically they don't make sense. So we'll exclude them for now.

Now say the Pac-10 takes Utah, as well. That leaves BYU and BSU as the remaining possibilities to fill the void in the North. BYU fits in okay (pretty big trip, though). Boise is a LONG way from Big 12 country, even compared to Colorado.

If TCU/Houston WERE to join, then OU/OSU would likely get moved to the North division. Either that, or there's total division realignment, as well. The Big 12 has plenty to be worried about, and Nebraska/Mizzou are very important pieces. A lot of schools aren't happy with how the revenue gets dispersed as is. Take away the KC/STL market, and there's even fewer dollars going around. Which means that we could be having this discussion again very soon if the Big 12 survives this round of expansion.

 

[fsanford]

The problem is that several of the best candidates to fill voids in the Big 12 are in Texas. TCU and Houston won't add much money to the conference (and the money is a problem for just about everybody but Texas/OU as it is right now). BYU and Utah are Pac-10 candidates. Then what? Boise is another Pac-10 possibility, and they are quite a ways north. Don't forget that Colorado is yet ANOTHER possibility for the Pac-10. It all depends on which schools get poached, both from the Big 12 and non-AQ conferences.

If Nebraska, Mizzou, and Colorado all leave, that leaves 3 holes in the North. Adding TCU or Houston does little for revenue, as the Big 12 already owns all of Texas thanks to UT, TAM, TT, and Baylor, and geographically they don't make sense. So we'll exclude them for now.

Now say the Pac-10 takes Utah, as well. That leaves BYU and BSU as the remaining possibilities to fill the void in the North. BYU fits in okay (pretty big trip, though). Boise is a LONG way from Big 12 country, even compared to Colorado.

If TCU/Houston WERE to join, then OU/OSU would likely get moved to the North division. Either that, or there's total division realignment, as well. The Big 12 has plenty to be worried about, and Nebraska/Mizzou are very important pieces. A lot of schools aren't happy with how the revenue gets dispersed as is. Take away the KC/STL market, and there's even fewer dollars going around. Which means that we could be having this discussion again very soon if the Big 12 survives this round of expansion.

I think the Pac 10 and Big 12 will form their own network at some
point.

What I know about the Pac 10 through friends I have in the UCLA adminstration, they really think differently. There will be a lot of focus on the academic piece and schools like Stanford, Cal are not going to add schools for the sake of Athletics. It has to be be a fit academically and socially will not happen, period. And my understanding is that all 10 schools have to agree to add a new member.

BYU to the Pac 10 is a long shot at best. I look at Cal and I look at BYU
and I see oil and water if you know what I mean. Based on what I was
told BYU would not pass the smell test.

Utah maybe, but they are considered not far removed from BYU.

Colorado, possible, a much more liberal school that matches the Pac 10 culture a bit more.

Anyway fun to speculate, I suspect in the the end the Big 10
will add 1 or 3 schools so they can set up that championship game at
season's end. If Notre Dame changes their mind, its 1. If they don't
it could still end up just being Missouri or Mizzou +2.

I read that this year the Big 12 championship game in Dallas generated
around 10 or 11 million in revenue this year for the conference.
I am am sure a Big Ten championship game at Ford Field would generate some Big $$.

I know I would like to see it happen.