Boren to decide OU's conference fate within 3 weeks

[thebigabd]

http://espn.go.com/college-football...ren-says-school-interest-multiple-conferences

 

[BigTime]

Pretty crazy stuff. I'm anxious to know what's going to happen!

 

[WTSooner]

I trust Boren to get it right.

 

[coolm]

Boren is going to put OU in the best Academic situation he can get ... which will be the Pac-10 unless some miracle occurs.

I happen to like that approach in the long run so I trust his decision also.

 

[MNsooner]

Boren is going to put OU in the best Academic situation he can get ... which will be the Pac-10 unless some miracle occurs.

I happen to like that approach in the long run so I trust his decision also.

I think you are right and I think that is a good thing for OU.

 

[qwertyqaz]

Agree with the previous two posters.

I trust Boren to do the best for the University (read: what is best academically). Sports programs are secondary and they'll adjust to wherever we go. But I would love to go to the Pac Conference...I was praying we would when the last cycle of musical chairs played out a year or so ago...hoping we're in the Pac this go-around.

 

[AdaSooner]

Boren is going to put OU in the best Academic situation he can get ... which will be the Pac-10 unless some miracle occurs.

I happen to like that approach in the long run so I trust his decision also.

^ This

I think the Big 12 has reached a point where it is no longer salvageable. For that reason alone, it may be time to cut our losses, move to the best conference available and avoid the inevitable. That would appear to be what will almost surely be the Pac-16 at some future date.

However, that move may depend on the Pac 12-16's willingness to accept our instate rival to the north. The political pressure to drag the Aggies along will be intense.

 

[Tony]

The Oklahoman just published this story which makes it sound like going to the Pac-12 is almost a formality, and certainly the #1 option.

http://newsok.com/article/3601037

 

[Sid]

I'm glad Joe passed on that clown from Marquette. His hayseed act would not have played well on the west coast. Since Lon already has experience recruiting in the western part of the country, he should not have any trouble attracting good players to play in the PAC 12. KU should be a dominate force in CUSA/MWC.

 

[bocabull]

I have a feeling Stoops is driving this discussion.

He wants to further open the California recruiting pipeline. Can't say I blame him. I just wish there was a way for Kansas to come instead of OSU or Texas Tech. Frankly I would take Houston over Texas Tech too. You put Houston in the Pac-16 and that would assist TV ratings from Houston whereas Tech brings nothing to the table.

 

[coolm]

I dont think anyone is driving it except Boren. IMO OU has a few choices and Boren will take the most academically advanced option.

As a sports fan it would be nice to see all those SEC matchups (although I think it''s too much), but it's not all about that. The PAC is very good academically and it's much more of a benefit to OU than the SEC. In fact, I think we'd be lucky to be part of the PAC (along with UT). The Cali recruits would just be a added benefit.

 

[Sawyer]

I don't think conference affiliation really has a whole lot to do with academics (other than the Big 10 with the CIC). Washington State and Oregon State aren't exactly academic powerhouses...

 

[bocabull]

I don't think conference affiliation really has a whole lot to do with academics (other than the Big 10 with the CIC). Washington State and Oregon State aren't exactly academic powerhouses...

LOL @ sawyer. Seriously. Are you trying to imply that the Big 10 can hold a candle to the pac-10 academically? That's effing hilarious. Obviously the pac is the best academic conference and it's not even close.

If we have to change conferences I'm hoping for the pac because maybe associating with the stanford/cal/ucla/usc people of the world will rub off on Oklahomans. Moving to the SEC is definitely the intellectually shallow move. That's why gomer (A&M) fans demanded the move.

 

[coolm]

actually it does make a difference because you end up with activities and functions together.

 

[qwertyqaz]

Actually sawyer, things like university to university consortia relationships, interlibrary loans, etc do involve academic conference affiliation. Plus there's a variety of less concrete things from conference affiliation that are boons to schools, particular in a conference as strong academically as the PAC.

But I do have to agree with sawyer...the Big 10 is NOTHING to sneeze at academically. Michigan, Illinois, tOSU, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Northwestern...I mean these are GOOD schools folks. Of course, PAC is awesome in that regard as well

 

[Sawyer]

LOL @ sawyer. Seriously. Are you trying to imply that the Big 10 can hold a candle to the pac-10 academically? That's effing hilarious. Obviously the pac is the best academic conference and it's not even close.

If we have to change conferences I'm hoping for the pac because maybe associating with the stanford/cal/ucla/usc people of the world will rub off on Oklahomans. Moving to the SEC is definitely the intellectually shallow move. That's why gomer (A&M) fans demanded the move.

Average rankings at US News:
Pac 10+: 80
Big 10+: 57

The Big 10 only has one school with a ranking lower than the Pac 10's average (Nebraska).

There are some elite schools in the Pac 10 without question. Stanford, Cal, USC and UCLA can match up against four schools in any conference, including the Ivy. But the conference as a whole is nothing special.

The Big 10, on the other hand, has only a couple Universities that would really qualify as elite (Northwestern, Michigan), but there are no weak spots. Every school in that conference is damn good.

The SEC, for what it's worth, has an average ranking of about 96 (closer to the Pac 10 than the Big 10 is...). They have one elite school at the top, several very good schools in the top 100 (UF, UGA, Alabama, Auburn, and presumably A&M), and a handful that drag the rankings down (Mississippi State, Ole Miss, etc).

If you think the academics at Cal and Stanford are going to be interested in mingling with midwestern rubes (their point of view, not mine; they'd look at Mizzou the same way), you're sadly mistaken.

The biggest difference between the Big 10 and other conferences is the CIC. I'm sure there's a certain amount of academic cooperation that goes on among all conferences, but the Big 10 is on a completely different level. The Big 10 brings the possibility of significant, TANGIBLE academic benefits. Other conferences simply don't.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go finish watching academic powerhouse Notre Dame get their asses handed to them by lowly USF...

 

[bocabull]

There are only 8 schools in the BCS conferences ranked in the prestigious top 25 academic institutions in this country.

4 in the Pac (Stanford, Cal, USC, UCLA)
2 in the Big East (Notre Dame, Georgetown)
1 in the ACC (Duke)
1 in the Big 10 (Northwestern)
0 in the others.

The Pac is dramatically head and shoulders above all the other conferences COMBINED, let alone compared to any single conference.

 

[Sawyer]

Source?

US News has Vanderbilt at 17, plus Virginia and Wake Forest tied at 25 (with Michigan and North Carolina also inside the top 30).

I'd still like to hear about the tangible benefits being in an athletic conference with Cal and Stanford provides for a school like OU.

 

[triplefatty]

Source?

US News has Vanderbilt at 17, plus Virginia and Wake Forest tied at 25 (with Michigan and North Carolina also inside the top 30).

I'd still like to hear about the tangible benefits being in an athletic conference with Cal and Stanford provides for a school like OU.

Absolutely nothing.

Seriously, the one thing to take out of this conference re-alignment is the nations hard on for academically rich, snobbish and inclusive schools.

Yeah, because the mission of the University of Oklahoma (educate everyone) and Stanford University (educate the privileged few) are totally in-line.

It's really too bad people living in the plains aren't content with themselves, but have to run to California schools to be secure with their value.

 

[luckyc1423]

Absolutely nothing.

Seriously, the one thing to take out of this conference re-alignment is the nations hard on for academically rich, snobbish and inclusive schools.

Yeah, because the mission of the University of Oklahoma (educate everyone) and Stanford University (educate the privileged few) are totally in-line.

It's really too bad people living in the plains aren't content with themselves, but have to run to California schools to be secure with their value.

this clown needs to be booted off the forum....I sure hope no one offended by above statements.

Somebody give this d-bag a pacifier. Go cry somewhere else.