TIME TO FREAK OUT AGAIN ABOUT CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT! THE BIG 12 IS DEAD! MAYBE!

[lock+load]

So, why move? $5 to $10 million extra a year will be sunk back into a program that will maintain the same winning percentage? If this is the case, all that can be said is you will be paying more money to coaches and ADs. The students will get a slight upgrade in facilities, but all of the history that makes your school special and unique is wiped from the slate so that you can win just as many games and championships as before.

Probably for the same reasons West Virginia wants to leave the Big East.

I feel like banging my head on the wall every time I read one of your responses. Why waste our time? This has nothing to do with West Virginia. The conversation is about Missouri.

[AllThingsKC]

Other than the "Kansas City factor," how is what Missouri is doing anything different than what West Virginia is doing?

People are saying Missouri is selfish and making a big mistake, while ignoring that West Virginia is doing the exact same thing, minus the KC factor.

[MidtownCat]

So, why move? $5 to $10 million extra a year will be sunk back into a program that will maintain the same winning percentage? If this is the case, all that can be said is you will be paying more money to coaches and ADs. The students will get a slight upgrade in facilities, but all of the history that makes your school special and unique is wiped from the slate so that you can win just as many games and championships as before.

Probably for the same reasons West Virginia wants to leave the Big East.

ATK, your little West Virginia = MU bit is pretty funny.

Aside from the reality that MU started this conference instability chaos last year with their overtures to the Big 10 and perpetuated it this year with the SEC through their own actions and West Virginia was stranded in a crumbling conference about to lose its AQ status through no fault of their own, the situations are basically 100% identical.

[kcjak]

So, why move? $5 to $10 million extra a year will be sunk back into a program that will maintain the same winning percentage? If this is the case, all that can be said is you will be paying more money to coaches and ADs. The students will get a slight upgrade in facilities, but all of the history that makes your school special and unique is wiped from the slate so that you can win just as many games and championships as before.

Probably for the same reasons West Virginia wants to leave the Big East.

ATK, your little West Virginia = MU bit is pretty funny.

Aside from the reality that MU started this conference instability chaos last year with their overtures to the Big 10 and perpetuated it this year with the SEC through their own actions and West Virginia was stranded in a crumbling conference about to lose its AQ status through no fault of their own, the situations are basically 100% identical.

Don't forget that both universities have been in their respective conferences anywhere from around 20 years to over 100.

[AllThingsKC]

So...do I have this right?

MISSOURI is the only university that started this whole conference realignment mess.

MISSOURI is the only university that has the power to hurt KC's economy.

MISSOURI is the only university that is causing instability in the Big 12.

MISSOURI is the only university will be the downfall of the SEC.

If all of that is true, Mizzou must be one powerful university.

[bobbyhawks]

There is a giant straw man being created, and its name is West Virginia. So what if West Virginia is doing the same thing (it isn't)? West Virginia leaving for the Big 12 is between WV and the Big East, an 8 team football conference that had been whittled down to 6 teams by early departures and seen WV's biggest rival of over 100 years leave. Do you think that is apples to apples? Is a 6 team Big East as stable as a 10 team (would have been 11 if MU had decided to stay), automatic BCS bid, tied for most BCS championship game appearances conference?

Our criticisms of Mizzou's departure have nothing to do with the SEC (and wouldn't have anything to do with the Big 10 or Pac 12 had they gone elsewhere). I could care less if the SEC made offers to anyone. What I care about is that MU decided to leave its history behind for a payout and some deep seeded desire to feel wanted. KU aside, there are a lot of memories with all of the other schools remaining in the Big 12. If the shoe were on the other foot, would MU want to continue to play KU if KU started a series of events that threatened to diminish the Big 12, went to the Big 10, and left MU behind to lick their wounds? I seriously doubt you would want to throw KU that bone. You can slap us in the face and tell us we like it all you want, but we as KU fans (as would you as Tigers) prefer a situation where everybody loses to one where only you win. Mizzou should have learned that a long time ago, but until recently this was not the case. MU fans and KU fans alike were often found cheering on one another (however infrequently) when it meant representing the Big 12 or Big 8 to the rest of the country. NCAA tournaments, bowl games, college world series... we stuck together as a conference. Now, there is really no reason for a KU fan to support or feel bad for Mizzou.

[AllThingsKC]

I'm surprised KU fans care so much about what Mizzou does. Because according to Bill Self, KU fans don't give a flip about MU.

[kcjak]

What's surprising is that most of the comments from Mizzou fans seem to be that only KU fans don't like the move to the SEC.

On a side note, anyone try looking at some of the news stories from SEC cities - I find it interesting how little press has been giving to the addition of Mizzou. Even in the Birmingham newspaper the big story about it today was how the geopraphic center of the conference moved a ways up the highway in AL from where it previously was.

[MidtownCat]

What's surprising is that most of the comments from Mizzou fans seem to be that only KU fans don't like the move to the SEC.

On a side note, anyone try looking at some of the news stories from SEC cities - I find it interesting how little press has been giving to the addition of Mizzou. Even in the Birmingham newspaper the big story about it today was how the geopraphic center of the conference moved a ways up the highway in AL from where it previously was.

The vast majority or the national media think the move to the SEC by MU is ill-conceived.

The SEC folks could really care less.

Essentially the only media members that have positively spun this are the DeArmond cheerleaders.

[kcmetro]

I'm surprised KU fans care so much about what Mizzou does. Because according to Bill Self, KU fans don't give a flip about MU.

I don't think many KU fans care that MU is going to the SEC. Our only concern is how it will affect KC and the Big 12 basketball tournament. Otherwise, the move doesn't matter. Just look at Nebraska. KU and NU had over 100 years of playing each other, and they left. I haven't seen anyone crying this year that we aren't playing Nebraska. Likewise, no tears will be shed next season when we don't play Mizzou.

It was a great rivalry, but life moves on. Change really isn't that difficult to embrace once it's upon us. I'm excited about KU playing TCU and West Virginia, and whoever else may join the Big 12 in the years to come. I'm also looking forward to seeing how MU does in the SEC. I still follow Nebraska and Colorado scores, so I'll be doing the same with Mizzou.

[AllThingsKC]

I've decided I'm already bored with the SEC. Mizzou should move again.

[Highlander]

.

[bobbyhawks]

As a KU fan, I care about MU leaving. I think most KU fans who say they don't care are probably just trying to make a jab at MU fans by claiming it is no big deal. Personally, the 100+ years of rivalry truly mean something to me. I think it is great that our history traces back to the Civil War. Beating MU in football was an important goal while I was in school (mostly because we weren't very good), and beating MU in basketball was certainly one of the most satisfying things of the season. So, to say that it means nothing would be to ignore the added pleasure we got from beating you.

MU is a moderately attractive beauty queen, and she wants to compete for Miss Universe before she has won Miss Missouri. The pageant is now over. Don't act shocked when the old friends you stepped on to get where you are don't want things back to the way they were. It hurts KU to end this rivalry, but not as much as being left behind by someone who thinks they deserve better.

[AllThingsKC]

Of course MU feels like they deserve better than KU. KU should feel the same way about MU.

So, what would KU do if MU was staying, and they got an invite to the Big 10/Pac-12/SEC/take your pick?

Would they stay in the Big 12 only because of MU? Would they feel like they deserved better than a school that has a worse basketball program and has never won a BCS game?

If KU would stay, kudos to them for caring about loyalty. But, if KU isn't going to look out for KU, who will? KSU? Probably not. MU? Nope.

[kcmetro]

Of course MU feels like they deserve better than KU. KU should feel the same way about MU.

So, what would KU do if MU was staying, and they got an invite to the Big 10/Pac-12/SEC/take your pick?

Would they stay in the Big 12 only because of MU? Would they feel like they deserved better than a school that has a worse basketball program and has never won a BCS game?

If KU would stay, kudos to them for caring about loyalty. But, if KU isn't going to look out for KU, who will? KSU? Probably not. MU? Nope.

If the conference was unstable and the B1G offered KU a spot, they'd take it. But the conference isn't unstable anymore. As long as you have UT and OU, you're in good shape.

As for the SEC and Pac 12, I don't see those as good fits for KU. KU isn't a football school, so going to the SEC would piss off a lot of KU fans. There's nothing appealing about getting our asses kicked in football and playing a bunch of schools in bball who don't care about bball (besides UK & Florida).

The Pac 12 is too far west and 2 time zones away, so that wouldn't be a very good fit either, unless it was with a bunch of former Big 12 teams in an east division.

[AllThingsKC]

So, if KU felt like the Big 12 was unstable, and the Pac-12 (or SEC) was the only option, would KU move or would they stay loyal to MU?

Since it's a matter of opinion, I guess there is no wrong answer.

[KCPowercat]

Nobody is asking your team to stay "loyal" to KU.....time to move on. It's over. Good luck in the SEC.

[AllThingsKC]

Nobody is asking MU to stay loyal to KU, true. Instead, people are saying, "OMG! MU doesn't care about loyality or traditions!"

[phxcat]

You are constructing quite the straw man army, aren't you? If you had done this last year, you may have built up enough straw men that Missouri may have kept it's ninth congressman!

[AllThingsKC]

I'm using just as many straw men as KSU and KU fans who try to convince themselves the Big 12 is perfectly stable now. Seems to ignore the reason why 1/3 of the conference left. But, if it makes you feel better about the Big 12, go with it.