Most Recent Wilner Mailbag. Lot of Food for Thought

[lownslowav8r]

 

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Wilner: The Hotline doesn’t foresee the Pacific Northwest powers ever joining the Big 12, no matter how dire the Pac-12 situation becomes — even if, for example, the Arizona schools and Utah were to follow Colorado’s lead and flee the conference.

 

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Wilner: Arizona is clearly the Big 12’s next target. The Wildcats fit geographically and have the basketball brand the Big 12 covets in its 14th member. (Connecticut is also under consideration.)

Commissioner Brett Yormark’s strategy has been obvious (and smart) since last fall: Secure a media deal, then pursue the most receptive Pac-12 school, Colorado, in an attempt to destabilize the league and start a chain reaction.

 

Perhaps that reaction never materializes. Maybe it only extends to Arizona. Or maybe it leads to the Wildcats, Sun Devils and Utes all leaving for the Big 12.

 

The saga isn’t over. But to this point, he has completely outmaneuvered Kliavkoff.

 

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Wilner: While the San Diego media market isn’t quite as large as Denver and the surrounding area, according to Nielsen, it’s close enough to be immaterial. And from a recruiting standpoint, SDSU’s location is substantially more important to the Pac-12.

 

 

Meanwhile, the Aztecs’ major sports have performed better than Colorado’s versions over the past decade.

 

So yes, that swap would constitute an upgrade on several fronts.

 

 

https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/football/mailbag-next-steps-for-arizona-and-northwest-powers/article_acd28428-2d98-11ee-8e93-679c1eb1f586.html

 

 

Edited July 29, 2023 by lownslowav8r

[Charles Fischer]

I appreciate the thought given as to why the Big-12 and Oregon/Washington are not a good fit from either side's perspective.

 

I like how it is written a couple of times how "Oregon is striving for the Playoffs."  This is good branding of the present goals, helpful for ranking voters, recruits, and national respect.

 

"But anyone expecting bold action from the Pac-12 presidents is setting themselves up for disappointment.

The group talks about a strategic approach that anticipates “where the puck is going.” In reality, it’s unable to see the puck until the conference gets whacked in the mouth."  

 

Do you feel that you have been misled by your sources inside the Pac-12?

Wilner: Not at all, and here’s the reason: To a significant extent, our coverage of the media rights process has leaned into 1) sources in the sports media industry who are unaffiliated with the conference and 2) on-the-record comments by the university presidents.

I suggest reading the rest!

[lownslowav8r]

Yeah, Wilner is not impressed by our current presidents. They need to get "off the pot" or they will fall in, taking the PAC with them. 
 

Good article. 

[Cacker Guy]

Wilner:  

 

But anyone expecting bold action from the Pac-12 presidents is setting themselves up for disappointment.

The group talks about a strategic approach that anticipates “where the puck is going.” In reality, it’s unable to see the puck until the conference gets whacked in the mouth.

 

[idontrollonshobbas]

I wouldn't expect expect entrepreneurial agility from university presidents.  The mindsets are antithetical to one another.

 

The Pac-(fill in the blank) university presidents are like East German Trabant factory apparatchiks when the Wall fell down and BMW/Mercedes/PorscheVW opened dealerships in Leipzig.

 

Flatfooted.

 

 

 

 

[Jon Joseph]

As an old ice hockey player who lost a few chicklets to errant pucks, I can say with certainty that Yormack has taken Kliavkoff into the corner and gotten away with a cross-check, an elbow-check, and a high-stick.