noDucknewby

I guess we know where the University of Spoiled Children got their entitled attitude.

Interesting article, I'm just not sure I agree with the basic premise that ND is the next B10 expansion domino. As much as I've always despised the preferential treatment of ND (going all the way back to the "Notre Dame Clause" of the BCS), I still believe that remaining independent in football is an inherent part of their identity. I think there's a very good chance they cut a deal with NBC even though they may have to accept less money. This is a university with a billion-dollar endowment, so a few million a year probably doesn't mean that much compared to their cherished independence. The real issue is playoff access and with the CFP almost certainly expanding to 12-16 teams, probably without AQs, their access will most likely be as good as anyone's while remaining independent. That said, I agree that no B10 expansion happens without their decision. If it's no then I still see the B10 moving forward, just maybe not as laid out here.

My take as well. Bo-Going to be hard to beat out for the opener at least, lots of SEC big game experience, clearly our best shot a giving Georgia a run. Butters-Really liked what I saw in the spring game, seems football smart, good accuracy. Ty-Physically imposing, great runner but just hasn't seemed to progress much since last year. Last year's coaching staff didn't do Ty or Butters any favors. Nothing against AB, he had some really good games and was pretty solid in the 4th quarter. That said he really struggled at times, and why he didn't get benched in the two Utah blowouts is beyond me.

Hate to say I told you so: Big Ten evaluating Cal, Oregon, Stanford and Washington from Pac-12 as further expansion considered - CBSSports.com WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM Could the Big Ten balloon to a 20-team (or more) league?

No cure for this nonsense except live snaps. Come on game day!

You've got to admit it, the guy's on a roll. He's pretty much calling his own shots and going forward he is in a better position for expansion than the SEC. Of course he covets ND, but it's my guess they reach a mega-deal with NBC and stay independent. Other than them, he pretty much has his pick of P12/B12 teams to choose from if he wants expansion and from what I'm seeing, he wants to be THE Alpha Dog conference, overtaking the SEC in that regard. The SEC is somewhat limited in expansion candidates, primarily because of the ACC TV deal locks in their most desirable programs long-term. Yeah maybe that gets challenged in court, or an outright buyout is negotiated, but that's expensive and complicated. All Warren has to do is invite UO/Fuskies and P12 becomes the new Mountain West (if it even survives at all). Nothing at that point would save them as a power conference. If I'm in his Machiavellian shoes I wait for ND, but once they are out I invite UO/Fuskies and Cal/Stanford and kill the P12. That would provide a 6-team pod (maybe throw in Nebraska) that could play each other every year and that takes care of 5 conference games on the West Coast. The other 3 or 4 could be home/away so each team in that pod would only play in traditional B10 territory 2-3 times a year. That also eases the travel burden on the other sports. Logistically it works better than just USC/UCLA and financially he could probably name his own price.

Yeah maybe, but BYU already has B12 invite and we already have the SLC market. That said BYU does have a national following and it would be great to see the Utah-BYU rivalry in the P12. Utah-Colorado is a bit of yawner.

The P12 has two choices: 1. Get off their academic high-horse and survive. 2. Stay the course and be a wannabe West Coast Ivy League with no access to the CFP. SDSU and UNLV should be given invites at 50% of the first TV contract, that fills out the south and adds TV value. Should also consider FSU and Boise State with the same percentage (or lower) as a longer-term investment.

Well this would doom two programs instead of (maybe) one. Wouldn't surprise me though, unfortunately.

P12 stuck between a rock and hard place. I can't imagine the conference surviving long-term with only 10 members. B12 merger out for now, ACC partnership is very complicated at best. So where do expansion candidates come from? The B12 is in the same boat although they have more of a cushion with 14 members and have no qualms about academic "prowess", so that gives them the advantage. Either way I just don't see both conferences surviving and if they can poach a couple of P12 schools then our conference is dead. In that scenario, I'd rather have SDSU and FSU and still be a conference. GK knows this. If he can't figure out how to get the P12 to 12-16 members, we're toast.

Sources: ACC, Pac-12 Discussing ESPN TV Partnership WWW.SI.COM The proposal between the leagues comes after the Big Ten’s addition of USC and UCLA. Interesting read, explains "loose partnership".

Of course ESPN doesn't have to let them out of their current GOR, that's why the ACC is trying to entice them with more programming. Any renegotiated ACC deal in conjunction with the P12 would have to be on ESPN's terms, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. I just don't see how we can trust ESPN not to just herd Clemson, Miami, FSU and UNC into the SEC. I'm not a lawyer, but I believe if the P12 and ACC voluntarily dissolve to form another conference, the GOR becomes moot. I can't imagine the feeding frenzy if that were to happen, though.

Absolutely. We get the ACC out of their horrid TV deal and the SEC and B1G come in and cherry-pick the top names. Maybe this is just a scheduling agreement? I just don't see how any of this pencils out. George better know what he's doing. For us, the B1G still the best option IMHO.

I guess that's the point I'm making, as a member of a lesser conference we would have to go undefeated and have a lot of other variables fall into place as happened with Cincinnati. Not a good position to be in. And that's assuming that the Power 2 even allow other conferences to participate in the new CFP. An NFL-style breakaway league is probably the end game IMHO.

Couldn't agree more. There are lots of factors contributing to the demise of college football, going all the way back to the BCS which began the process of diminishing "The Granddaddy of them All". Blame it on ESPN, blame it on SEC dominance, blame it on corporate/university greed, blame it on whatever you want but the bottom line is the game as we know it is not coming back. Yep life goes on and the law of the jungle is adapt or die, we just need to find our niche and move on.

Not seeing this as a bad thing, it seems that we may have options. That is of course, accepting the fact that college football as we know it is dead and we need to move on Since this whole thing broke, I've been thinking Stanford would be attractive to the Big10 to help lure in ND, plus of course their academic prowess and Bay Area media market. Unfortunately I just don't see the P12 surviving as a power conference. Our road to the playoffs will be harder if we join the Big10, but if we don't we'll have no clout at all, just hoping that the new CFP in whatever form it emerges throws us a bone like they did to Cincinnati.

REPORT: Big Ten’s ‘wish list’ for conference expansion includes ND, Oregon, Stanford, UNC SPORTS.YAHOO.COM The Big Ten reportedly has its eyes set on four additional teams for expansion Sorry Fuskies.

Yeah fun's over now.

Just got back from vacation mostly avoiding internet and news, then I come to this? WTH?! I figured the sheet would hit the proverbial fan somewhere while I was gone, maybe Ukraine or the stock market, not the Pac-12 in the offseason. Not happy.

Come on, no-brainer as a Duck fan NOTHING is worse than losing to the Fuskies!!!

OK this is a generational thing for sure, but my old football coach used to say (among other gems) "If I'm not yelling, it means I've given up on you." A little hyperbolic maybe, but nonetheless effective. Granted these are different times, but as long as the player isn't physically assaulted he should take his lumps (which Hutson did to his credit) for a dumbass personal foul that hurt the team. Yeah I'm a little old school, sue me.

The bar is still set pretty high in my book, DL inherits a well-stocked cupboard. To me a successful season always starts with beating the Fuskies and the Beavers, then P12 Championship. A win over Georgia and/or a trip to the CFP makes it an exceptional one and of course a natty is the ultimate goal. Third time's a charm.

OK George is saying a lot of the right things and I'm cautiously optimistic he's got this thing headed in the right direction. That said, he's got no real successes at this point. The so-called "Alliance" doesn't have any scheduling agreement and can't agree on CFP expansion, so it's pretty hard to call that much of a positive. GK's success (or failure) will be judged by the new TV deal, playoff expansion and in the meantime getting P12 teams into the existing CFP. Everything else is indeed "fluff".

I think you can make a decent argument that black and white are neutral colors, so I guess I'm OK with it. Still prefer green/yellow combinations though. Love the recent "Nightmare Green" color, very dark but still in duck color spectrum at least. Just glad we're not seeing the gray/white schemes we saw during the Chip years.

My top 5- Riley (only one with playoff appearances and conference championships). Whittingham (Steady Eddie, always competitive, utilizes talent well). Smith (does more with less than anyone in the league). Chip (living on past successes, but those still count I guess). Shaw (yeah I suppose running out of options) Up and coming- Jake Dickert Jed Fisch Train wreck- Herm Edwards