Ktmguy2018 No. 1 Share Posted August 10, 2023 I struggle to understand how dense the gray matter must be to make statements like this after joining a brand new conference. I mean, this is like meeting your in-laws for the first time and telling Aunt Bee that you don't like her house. Mr. AD director, maybe the Mountain West has locations more suitable for you. Arizona State athletic director makes instant enemies in Big 12 TROJANSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Shockingly insensitive remarks from Arizona State AD Ray Anderson have already infuriated #WestVirginia... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 2 Share Posted August 10, 2023 No one is happy about the conference realignment... Except Fox and ESPN. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennsylvania Duck Moderator No. 3 Share Posted August 10, 2023 ASU’s Ray Anderson apologizes to WVU for Morgantown comments Ray Anderson, the Arizona State vice president for university athletics, apologized on Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta Wednesday for his remark about never wanting to travel to Morgantown when his Sun Devils face the West Virginia Mountaineers as members of the Big 12. “I promise I’m not going to Morgantown,” Anderson said alongside ASU president Michael Crow on Saturday. “I’m going to assign that to (deputy athletic director) Jean Boyd. He can go to Morgantown. But send me to Texas and the rivalry with Arizona and starting a new one with BYU and Utah and Colorado.” WVU represents the longest logistical road trip for the Sun Devils when they depart the Pac-12 for the Big 12 following the 2023-24 academic year. But Anderson said Wednesday on Bickley & Marotta that his comment was “in jest” and regarding the cold winter weather. Anderson added that he called West Virginia athletic director Wren Baker to personally apologize... ASU's Ray Anderson apologizes to WVU for Morgantown joke ARIZONASPORTS.COM Ray Anderson, the Arizona State VP for university athletics, apologized for a comment he made in jest about Morgantown... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDuck Moderator No. 4 Share Posted August 10, 2023 On 8/10/2023 at 1:45 PM, Pennsylvania Duck said: ASU’s Ray Anderson apologizes to WVU for Morgantown comments Ray Anderson, the Arizona State vice president for university athletics, apologized on Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta Wednesday for his remark about never wanting to travel to Morgantown when his Sun Devils face the West Virginia Mountaineers as members of the Big 12. “I promise I’m not going to Morgantown,” Anderson said alongside ASU president Michael Crow on Saturday. “I’m going to assign that to (deputy athletic director) Jean Boyd. He can go to Morgantown. But send me to Texas and the rivalry with Arizona and starting a new one with BYU and Utah and Colorado.” WVU represents the longest logistical road trip for the Sun Devils when they depart the Pac-12 for the Big 12 following the 2023-24 academic year. But Anderson said Wednesday on Bickley & Marotta that his comment was “in jest” and regarding the cold winter weather. Anderson added that he called West Virginia athletic director Wren Baker to personally apologize... I am sure he was joking about it. The issue with texting, those reading it can't detect it being a joke. One of the bad things about texting, not having the ability to see face to face/talking in person. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goutes18 No. 5 Share Posted August 10, 2023 No way was he joking. Said he was referring to the cold weather, but said he would go to Utah and Colorado?? This is the same idiot that hired Herm Edwards. I am embarrassed to be linked to him and ASU in our new conference. No wonder they have seen a huge drop in their athletics since he was hired. PS - I am going to miss being in the same conference as the Ducks and will be cheering for them in the BIG! 2 11 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie No. 6 Share Posted August 10, 2023 On 8/10/2023 at 2:52 PM, Goutes18 said: ... PS - I am going to miss being in the same conference as the Ducks and will be cheering for them in the BIG! Yes, Ducks and Utes have had an interesting rivalry going. Sad to see the teams heading to different conferences. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioDuck No. 7 Share Posted August 10, 2023 On 8/10/2023 at 12:23 PM, David Marsh said: No one is happy about the conference realignment... Except Fox and ESPN. My fear, and almost my hope, is that they are destroying the very product they are messing up for the rest of us. FOX and ESPN will sing another tune if most (or at least a significant number) of us just stop watching. Then their media markets won't mean anything. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 8 Share Posted August 11, 2023 On 8/10/2023 at 2:52 PM, Goutes18 said: I am going to miss being in the same conference as the Ducks and will be cheering for them in the BIG! I feel the same, and I believe you can kick-butt in the Big-12. I'll be pulling for you! 1 1 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 9 Share Posted August 11, 2023 On 8/10/2023 at 3:26 PM, OhioDuck said: My fear, and almost my hope, is that they are destroying the very product they are messing up for the rest of us. FOX and ESPN will sing another tune if most (or at least a significant number) of us just stop watching. Then their media markets won't mean anything. Hey... I wrote an article about that. Now I think it has a whole lot of flaws to it looking back a year but my dream is we see something good come from this slog... But I'm not feeling too hopeful at the moment. The Eventual College Football Renaissance FISHDUCK.COM The Great College Football Schism is Coming, and it will leave College Football divided between the... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 10 Share Posted August 15, 2023 I have said this many times, but the pageantry, rivalries, and traditions of college football are major endearments for many of us that serve to differentiate the college game from the soulless NFL. No wonder so many of us are p-ssed of at Fox and ESPN for ripping so much that away from us. I personally know of at least three old duffers like me who say that they are done with the college game now that it has become "semi-pro football" full of kids who care more about $$$ than the spirit of the game that they (the fans) loved. I would not be at all surprised if significant numbers of former college fans find other opportunities to occupy their leisure time on Fall Saturdays. Thanks Fox and ESPN! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 11 Share Posted August 15, 2023 On 8/14/2023 at 10:32 PM, Nevada Dawg said: I have said this many times, but the pageantry, rivalries, and traditions of college football are major endearments for many of us that serve to differentiate the college game from the soulless NFL. No wonder so many of us are p-ssed of at Fox and ESPN for ripping so much that away from us. I personally know of at least three old duffers like me who say that they are done with the college game now that it has become "semi-pro football" full of kids who care more about $$$ than the spirit of the game that they (the fans) loved. I would not be at all surprised if significant numbers of former college fans find other opportunities to occupy their leisure time on Fall Saturdays. Thanks Fox and ESPN! I find myself that so much of my daily life is wrapped up in Ducks football (for good or ill) and if I was to stop following it I don't know what I would do instead. I would say read more... but I do a whole lot of reading via Ducks news... I guess I could read more other stuff... but I read a lot of non-fiction and do a lot of research for my job so I don't feel like I need to do more of that either. I am hoping that things may snap back to some semblance of what we all love but I doubt that is going to be quick. I actually think it could take a decade or two for people to fully realize what they have lost. I don't have an NFL team or any interest in the NFL (I root for my pro Ducks but I don't follow their teams all that closely). I don't have a NBA team... though I was once a Blazer's fan (when I was in middle school) but now I don't care, their season is too long and the playoff is way to drawn out. I have a connection to Oregon as an alum and that gives this more meaning to me, but so much of that is also steeped in the Civil War and that relationship with Oregon State. I recently drove though Corvallis and had a strange urge to want to paint everything green and yellow. So losing those sort of things will hurt. The Rose Bowl's importance is all but gone and replaced with the playoff which I will probably rant about in a future article. So much is gone... but sadly I don't know what we replace it with besides nothing. Well, maybe FCS football, that is looking more and more like what college football used to be... or at least it looks a whole lot more to the product it has always been. But yet again... I don't have a connection to Portland State (my local FCS team)... so it's the same problem I have with the NFL. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph No. 12 Share Posted August 15, 2023 On 8/10/2023 at 11:12 AM, Ktmguy2018 said: I struggle to understand how dense the gray matter must be to make statements like this after joining a brand new conference. I mean, this is like meeting your in-laws for the first time and telling Aunt Bee that you don't like her house. Mr. AD director, maybe the Mountain West has locations more suitable for you. Arizona State athletic director makes instant enemies in Big 12 TROJANSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Shockingly insensitive remarks from Arizona State AD Ray Anderson have already infuriated #WestVirginia... This is the guy who was hired by ASU President 'I never met a Larry I didn't like,' Crow. Who in turn hired Herm Edwards, a guy who Anderson repped when he was an agent before taking the ASU AD job. He is and was as unqualified as Hermie. The NCAA hammer is about to come down on his and Crow's head. The NCAA walking away from a plea bargain with Jim Harbaugh for COVID recruiting violations is not a good sign for ASU. I feel sorry for Dilly for being caught up in this mess. But I feel relieved that Oregon will soon be escaping this kind of idiocy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatOrlando No. 13 Share Posted August 15, 2023 Michael Crow accepted the job at ASU, he had one big goal in mind, to transform ASU from a well known party school, to a respected AAU institution. To that point he has done a good job. He cares very little about the athletic side, I know he was a track and field star at Iowa State, he included that in his get better letter , saying he is "SUPER EXCITED" to join the Big 12. It's well known he was a major supporter of the PAC leadership. He was just happy to have his programs connected with academic heavyweights that shared his view that academia is the main focus of a University. Sports provide a nice little distraction , makes the school a bit of money, and brings a bit of attention. He basically got drug screaming into the Big 12, Arizona was like big brother dragging little brother into the league, like it was his first day of school. The media around the Phoenix area has been torching Ray Anderson for years. Crow refuses to admit the guy sucks at his job. They are golfing buddies after all. It's really quite humorous, I have seen the major shift in perception since I moved to Arizona in 2012. In those 11 years I have seen ASU vs Arizona debates over sports fanaticism really diminish. Arizona cares about it's sports teams. ASU doesn't. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuackAttack No. 14 Share Posted August 15, 2023 He’s worried about going to Morgantown because of how loud it is! I’ve been to a TCU game there and it was by far the loudest place I’ve seen a game! Yes, louder than Autzen and you play there in October with the wind whipping and you freeze your @$$ off. ASU is used to 80 degrees. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuckFan33 No. 15 Share Posted August 15, 2023 On 8/10/2023 at 3:26 PM, OhioDuck said: My fear, and almost my hope, is that they are destroying the very product they are messing up for the rest of us. FOX and ESPN will sing another tune if most (or at least a significant number) of us just stop watching. Then their media markets won't mean anything. Unfortunately, boycotting doesn't really work in sports where people's connection to the products are bound by highly emotional and competitive factors. I for one, could never stop watching the ducks or the conference they play in, no matter what happens amongst the media landscape. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 16 Share Posted August 16, 2023 On 8/14/2023 at 10:46 PM, David Marsh said: I am hoping that things may snap back to some semblance of what we all love but I doubt that is going to be quick. I actually think it could take a decade or two for people to fully realize what they have lost. David, I absolutely loved your post and hope that you are right about this. But I fear that younger fans will never come to realize what has been lost. Surely new rivalries will arise for all of us to become excited about, at least we can hope. Maybe something like Oregon vs. Wisconsin could become an item for example--but these could, as you suggest, take a good while to emerge. One thing that was discussed during the decision to admit Texas and OU to the SEC was that the move would NOT undercut any traditional SEC rivalries while also retaining the entering schools important ones, such as the Red River Rivalry and reinstating other important rivarlries of yesteryear, e.g., Texas-Arkansas, Texas-Texas A&M. If I sound like an SEC homer here I am sorry, but I think that the SEC expansion will be smoother and far less disruptive than that of the B1G. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyToBeADuck No. 17 Share Posted August 16, 2023 Many great comments on this thread. Many PAC 12 personnell in leadership positions carry an arrogant air about themselves that will not play well with their new conference brothers. Usuck and huskie whining and arrogance will not play well with BIG fans. In the BIG you dont get to claim mythical or preseason titles. You have to earn your claims. Some people will blend effortlessly and be respectful of the opportunities in front of them. Others? As for boycotts. I guess it depends on your priorities and how passionate one is about them. Each of us has a line in the sand over whats right or wrong. Those differences are the foundation for a great forum, a great community, even a great athletic conference. IMHO, once the games start the passion, enthusiasm and interest will flow. In 2024, the big games will be even bigger. With the exception of maybe 5 schools, the best teams will be in 2 conferences. The matchups will be CFP level in some circumstances. That drives ratings and dollars. I will still watch on a Saturday in late November when Montana plays Montana State or Boise State play Fresno State. Why because its great college football. I will watch Iowa vs Wisconsin or Purdue vs Indians because it will matter to our Ducks Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC snd ESPN are betting you will too. Its frustrating on one level but exciting on another levels. I am glad that i will get to see this in my later years. Our Ducks are positioned to take advantage of these grest changes. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph No. 18 Share Posted August 16, 2023 On 8/10/2023 at 11:12 AM, Ktmguy2018 said: I struggle to understand how dense the gray matter must be to make statements like this after joining a brand new conference. I mean, this is like meeting your in-laws for the first time and telling Aunt Bee that you don't like her house. Mr. AD director, maybe the Mountain West has locations more suitable for you. Arizona State athletic director makes instant enemies in Big 12 TROJANSWIRE.USATODAY.COM Shockingly insensitive remarks from Arizona State AD Ray Anderson have already infuriated #WestVirginia... Par for the course for this guy who hired his former client Herm Edwards and for the guy he reports to, Michael Crow, president of The Larry Fan Club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph No. 19 Share Posted August 16, 2023 On 8/10/2023 at 12:23 PM, David Marsh said: No one is happy about the conference realignment... Except Fox and ESPN. And come 2031 the accountants at Oregon and UW. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 20 Share Posted August 16, 2023 On 8/16/2023 at 1:50 AM, Jon Joseph said: And come 2031 the accountants at Oregon and UW. As it's four teams in the B1G on the west coast the books won't be as bad as I feel they would have been. However... When Washington asked for more money for travel I think we got a hint at the cost. Washington wanted their layout to be closer to 40 mil to start. Oregon has enough support to weather the storm... But we'll have to track the revenue numbers I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph No. 21 Share Posted August 16, 2023 On 8/16/2023 at 11:41 AM, David Marsh said: As it's four teams in the B1G on the west coast the books won't be as bad as I feel they would have been. However... When Washington asked for more money for travel I think we got a hint at the cost. Washington wanted their layout to be closer to 40 mil to start. Oregon has enough support to weather the storm... But we'll have to track the revenue numbers I think. It will not be all that lucrative through 2030 but come 2031, Oregon and UW have been promised a full share of the then-new B1G media deal. This will be a B1G time payday for Oregon and UW. As to travel, among others The Athletic's Stewart Mandel sees the 4 West schools as permanent B1G opponents with the games against one another to kickoff for the most part at 7:30 Pacific time. He believes that any game involving an Eastern time zone school will kick off earlier in the day so as not to kick off at 10:30 PM East Coast body-clock time. Games against Central time zone schools are also most likely to kick off at 7:30 Pacific. BUT, the games will not be played on Larry's Loser Network and will get Full Monty media coverage on the B1G Network and also ESPN which cannot ignore B1G conference games. Late tee times stink, but you take the money ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 22 Share Posted August 16, 2023 On 8/16/2023 at 8:55 AM, Jon Joseph said: Larry's Loser Network and will get Full Monty media coverage on the B1G Network and also ESPN which cannot ignore B1G conference games ESPN games have been awful the past few years. The production quality has been low and the announcers garbage. Oddly enough I thought the Pac-12 network did a better job with production and commentary for those late night games. Just no one could watch them. I would hope those late night games at least make it onto Fox or FS1. The B1G network has better distribution by far that the PAC but it'd be nice not to be relegated to a conference network. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
