Jon Joseph

I think that if you are not invited there is no sense in applying. However, I have no doubt that PK back-channel reached out to the B1G and is still doing so today. But B1G expansion has as much or more to do with FOX than it does B1G leaders.

Wasn't that Cruise's client? Nevertheless, great post. To show the movie is great but dated I believe the client ended up with a $3M deal.

86?

Would the revenue share amount go up as it did with the 3 schools you mentioned? This would be up to FOX and not the B1G. Perhaps CBS/NBC could be cajoled to come up with more money? Is $40M enough to make a move that means horrendous travel for CBB and the non-revenue sports?

Great take. Link to applying for admission?

The conference is doing something right. Pac-12 Football: Biggest Pac-12 transfer portal winners and losers DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM The Pac-12 is king when it comes to improving via the transfer portal. Which team out west is the best at that game, though?

Great take and I certainly agree with the math but Oregon and UW would not be joining the B1G at a full revenue share. I expect if an offer is extended that the media money will be somewhat north of the Pac-10 new media deal but not close to a full share. So, out of the gate, Oregon would be competing in a conference as a 'junior member.' Without a full media share can the Ducks finish higher than Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and USC? In a 12-team football playoff with 6 highest ranked champs in the field, I do not see the B1G/SEC getting more than 3 AL teams in the field. Had we had a 12-team playoff seeded like the field will be in 2024, Utah would have been in the top 4 and would have received a first round bye. We'll see what kind of media deal the Pac-10 puts on the table but I am not that convinced, especially with a lesser share and much increased travel expenses, that the grass will be that much greener in the B1G.

Oregon vs UCLA is on the Pac-12 Network on the east coast at 9 PM. ESPN is showing ASU vs Arizona at 11:30 PM. This in a nutshell is the geography problem the Pac-10 and GK trying to negotiate a new media deal, have to deal with. And as to the 9 PM broadcast the Network has but 14M subscribers. Hats off to Larry and the 'bozos' who allowed Larry to run wild. GO DUCKS!

Standing is an issue for CAL, no doubt, arguably taken care of by the undetermined 'tax' UCLA will have to pay. If CAL, Stanford, Oregon, and Utah go to the B1G and the four corners schools to the B12 the best remedy for OSU and WSU might lie in bringing an anti-trust claim? I think there is an anti-trust concern in the B1G about offering Oregon and UW a spot in the B1G before the conference breaks up with the four corners schools departing? But all of unsourced talk about the Pac-10 going away is just that, talk. Talk we will will continue to hear until such time as a Pac-10 new media deal is solidified.

The unsourced spin beats on.

More idle speculation which we will hear until the details of the Pac-10 deal are released.

Where will the money come from to add Oregon and UW? FOX after tying up LA is not bidding for the new Pac-10 media rights. If FOX doesn't approve further expansion it will not happen without a streaming component for west coast games. FOX does not want ESPN anywhere near LA. ESPN is bidding for Pac-10 rights but ESPN's parent Disney is cost-cutting. And with Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC a year earlier than expected, in 2024, not 2025, ESPN will have to come up with an additional $140M a year earlier than planned. What share will Oregon and UW receive from the B1G? The schools would likely be offered more than they will earn from the Pac-10 deal but will not be receiving a full share as will USC, UCLA, Northwestern, and Rutgers among other B1G members. Will it be enough to entice Oregon and UW to leave behind Oregon State and Washington State and to subject its athletes to travel akin to what pro teams on the west coast face? With the CFB playoff expanding to 12 teams in 2024 and with the 6 highest ranked conference champions in the field if GK can come with money equal to or above the B12 money and bigger revenue shares for success in the CFB and CBB tournaments does it behoove Oregon competition wise to join the B1G? (It is also rumored that the field for the NCAA CBB tournament is going to expand.) On average, 35% of athletic revenue is generated by media deals. Oregon athletics brought in over $100M last season with a comparatively crummy media deal and playing on a crummy network. I'm not sure it is a slam dunk that if offered a spot in the B1G that Oregon will automatically accept.

Love the take. Love the logic. But IMHO it doesn't fly. Why play nice with people who out-outright lied to you, went behind your back, and then trumpeted how smart they are compared to dummy you? Congrats on your HS victories that BTW sound like a lot of fun but we are talking multi-millions of dollars here. We are talking about a 100+ old conference torn apart by a television conference looking to make more money for itself. There is no intrinsic value; only monetary value in the manner in which the PDs as described above treated their Pac-12 partners. This is far different from Oklahoma and Texas leaving the B12 which had been assembled and reassembled many. many times over the history of the Conference of Champions. Still, I do not necessarily disagree with your recommendation; lots of upsides and downsides to be considered.

NEVER A DOUBT! RIGHT?

Instead of 'dogging it' let's fight back! At least take one or more lives out of 'the cat.' The wussies (insert 'p' if so desired) that lied and hid away in their closets while plotting the demise of a 100+ old conference. Stabbing 'friends' in the back was once accepted. Accepted before laws granting recourse against the stabbers were introduced and passed. Even back when, the assassins of Caesar were paid back by his adoptive son Octavian. Query? Does a season ticket holder at Stanford have standing to sue the above-referenced PDs and the California Board of Trustees? CAL? Probably eliminated as a plaintiff due to its overseer board of trustees falling in line. But Stanford and possibly a backstabbed Stanford, donor, season ticket holder, etc., could possibly be allowed standing under California law and authorized to proceed against these back stabbers? I for one would like to know what influenced the CA Regents to OK this chicanery. Why go down without a fight?

The Pac-10 has already invited the SC/UCLA beach volleyball teams to compete in the Pac-10. Why enable the departees. This is as silly as the ACC allowing Notre Dame to play all of its sports in-conference except for football where ND is served up 4 to 6 conference games every season and ND hockey that plays in the B1G. COVID season? ND was invited into the ACC as a 'conference member' and in effect stole a final 4 spot from another team.

LOL! Spot on regarding CA law. I am admitted to practice in California, Massachusetts, and Nevada, but inactive in all 3. I very much doubt that any of the above would give me CLE credit for my diatribe. But I am sick of ESPN and FOX 'destroying conferences' and the leftovers bending over and taking it in the tailpipe. At least Bob Bowlsby called out ESPN; GK in regards to FOX may as well be a sphinx.

Therein lies the rub. Do you blow off the B1G by bringing suit; or, by sharing the proposed litigation to be filed prior to filing do you put more pressure on the B1G/FOX and force an invitation possibly at a full revenue share? By doing so the plaintiffs arguably would have some form of leverage on the B1G, FOX, and SC/UCLA as regards their objecting to Oregon and other Pac-10 members joining the B1G. Leverage that without litigation does not exist. Being angry I realize does not often lead to measured decisions. But I think it is incredibly slimy of Kevin Warren to outright lie to the B1G's long-term Rose Bowl partner and for Folt in particular to lie by omission if indeed SC was in discussion with FOX and the B1G when she led the charge not to expand into the central time zone. This would have cratered the B12 and left one fewer player on the field to negotiate with the 'Pac-20.' I do recognize that many of today's Pac-10 problems were self inflicted but SC and UCLA were part of those who did nothing to rein in Larry Scott. SC and UCLA received the invite based far more on location than on on-field and on-court results.

During my career as a corporate attorney, I served as a member of The American Bar Association's RICO Cases Committee. The Committee was chaired by the author of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO,) George Robert 'Bob' Blakey. RICO, Title IX of the Organized Crime Control Act was signed into law in 1970 by president Richard Nixon. Since its adoption at the federal level state RICO Acts has been passed by the majority of states including California and Oregon. 'Predicate Acts' to bring a case under RICO require the use of wire and mail fraud being used to commit a series of ongoing crimes. I very much doubt that when FOX, B1G Commissioner Kevin Warren, the B1G board of directors (B1G college presidents,) USC, and UCLA the potential defendants (PD) 'discussed' USC and UCLA leaving the Pac-12 to become a full revenue-sharing member of the B1G that telephone calls and email contacts were not part of the discussions between and among the aforementioned parties. At the time of the discussions, the Pac-12, B1G, and the ACC had formed an alliance that in part included an agreement not to poach one another's member schools. This agreement was not in writing but The Statute of Frauds does not require such agreements to be in writing to be enforceable. All of the PDs including broadcast partner FOX were well aware of this agreement. Additionally, at a time when the Pac-12 had to opportunity to add B12 teams after Oklahoma and Texas announced both were leaving the conference to join the SEC Conference, USC president Carol Folt was the person who most vehemently objected to the Pac-12 moving into the central time zone. The vote against expanding was 9-3. The votes of the Pac-12 members have not been disclosed but certainly, the three-member institutions would have standing to file suit as would the ten-member schools 'defrauded' by Folt failing to disclose her discussions with the PDs. Many believe that her objection to expansion came when USC and also UCLA voted against expansion and were in contact with one or more of the PDs regarding the Trojans and Bruins' move to the B1G. If not a RICO violation if Folt, USC, and UCLA were in contact with one or more of the PDs, it is most certainly a breach of the fiduciary duty owed by the Trojans and Bruins to the other members of the Pac-12 conference not to disclose contacts with the PDs while voting against the expansion of the conference. One could also argue that FOX as a Pac-12 broadcast partner also owed a fiduciary duty to the conference. And the B1G's alliance agreement was well known to B1G commissioner Warren acting on behalf of the B1G. There is no doubt that Kevin Warren lied to both ACC commissioner Jim Phillips and Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff (GK) about not going after ACC and Pac-12 conference members. Indeed, this could have been a tactic among the PDs to lull GK into a false sense of security. This is violative of any number of California statutes requiring full disclosure and fair dealing. Likely also a violation of similar state statutes across the Pac-12 footprint. We no longer live in a world of caveat emptor ('buyer beware.') If the Pac-12 had added the 'orphaned' B12 schools in whole or in part the B12 would not exist as a Power 5 conference today. FOX along would ESPN would be bidding for the expanded Pac-12 media rights making adding a streaming entity a luxury and not a necessity. If the predicate RICO acts are met, RICO provides for full recovery of the plaintiff's legal fees and expenses and treble damages. This being the case if the predicate acts did occur I believe any number of legal firms would be willing to take such litigation on contingency; the plaintiffs would be responsible for the firm's expenses but would not be charged for billable hours. I think proving damages with a new media deal including the LA schools versus one not including the LA schools would be easily accomplished and would run in the millions of dollars. As noted above if the plaintiff(s) won the case damages would be tripled. It is the world of academia in which Pac-12 sports compete and academicians are not prone to litigation. But to allow the PDs to destroy the conference or simply alter its long-term financial health should in my opinion not go unpunished.

FYI, Texas Tech had the most plays from scrimmage in 2022. Search plays per scrimmage and the entire list of P5 and G5 programs # of plays run in 2022 should pop up. I believe this information is on the ESPN website.

And what high handicapped golfer does not love a mulligan.

Yes. Thanks for the correction.

Great take. First, I want to see no potential starters injured in spring ball (duh.) 2nd, totally agree D and special teams must improve. Something on the D-side of the ball was missing last year. I hope in the 2nd season of Lanning guys on D will 'get' Lanning's system and play to their potential. Thanks for suiting up for Oregon but Sewell seemed to be often missing in action last season. 3rd, It would help the cause to find a quality TE out of the portal. The 2 TEs portaling out respectively to Miami and USC hurt the depth of the TE room. Nix needs an athletic safety valve TE; especially with 4 new starters on the OL. Thanks again for the great take.

I understand your POV and in general, I agree. But for the WSU women to win the tourney and be included in the Women's Tournay is a heck of a story.

Won't be eliminated. Why? $$$$$$$$$