It doesn't make much sense to play the blame game when it comes to conference realignment. TV partners, conferences, schools, you name it, all had some role in the changing landscape in college football over the past 24 months.
I'm not sure he was exactly casting blame on anyone, but interim Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas had some things to say on the most recent happenings in the Big 12, i.e., Missouri's exit out of the Big 12 and into the SEC.
"The one thing that gets lost is we're in this predicament because the SEC invited Missouri," Neinas said. "But the SEC was willing to play with 13 [rather than 14] next season. We made an offer to Missouri that was financially beneficial to stay for another year. Missouri made the decision not to accept.
"We had a teleconference call with those in the SEC, Big East, ACC, Mountain West and Conference USA. We all agreed we could save money and avoid litigation if all held serve for 2012-13. All agreed. But Missouri made a very selfish decision. It's been very disruptive. Missouri gave us notice in November [of 2011] and it's pretty difficult to move forward then."
It's sounds like he wasn't all the happy with Missouri calling their decision "selfish," but from the sounds of it, maybe the SEC is the party to be looking at here.
According to Neinas, they had a conference call which included the SEC and everyone agreed to stand pat for next season. But yet somehow Missouri still received an invite and suddenly it falls on them to turn it down? I don't know. Like I said in the beginning, blaming anyone is pointless.
If you want to play that game, you could also lay it at the feet of Nebraska, Colorado, and Texas A&M for deciding to leave, or the Big 12 itself for failing to do whatever it took to keep all the schools together. Or the Big Ten for expanding. Or the TV networks for throwing cash around like its Monopoly money. The list goes on.
Neinas did come out later on Thursday afternoon with some quotes to the Kansas City Star to clarify some of his earlier comments.
“Mike Slive (SEC Commissioner) said that he could live with 13 teams (for 2012). He advised Missouri not once, but twice. Mike also advanced our proposal to Missouri as did our (Big 12) chairman, Burns Hargis. Missouri declined and said they wanted to go in ’12."
“They knew full well what would happen if they went in ’12 because it was a domino theory,” opening up further conference chaos across the nation.
“That’s exactly what’s happened,” Neinas said.
Now the Big 12 is in a tough spot, West Virginia is in a tough spot and the Big East is in an even worst spot. Sure, Missouri may be at fault in the short term, but unfortunately that runaway train had been picking up steam for a good two years now. And honestly, once you decide to leave a conference as Mizzou did, it seems to makes sense to move forward sooner rather than later.
As for the Big East, Neinas also had this to say about his conference colleagues to the East. "The Big East gets on planes and flies all over the country inviting other schools," Neinas said. "But they raise hell when West Virginia wants to come to the Big 12?"
Again, what is the Big East supposed to do, just sit on their hands when West Virginia, Syracuse, and Pitt announce they are heading for the closest exit? They're doing the exact same thing the Big 12 did and is still doing. Again, no one to blame, or probably better said, everyone is to blame. All they're doing is trying to procect their interests just as the Big 12 is doing by insisting West Virginia be in the league next season.
Hopefully this circus gets put to rest sooner rather later. Unfortunately, with the Big 12 still considering going back to 12 teams, it isn't likely to be over soon. When and if they make their next move, other dominoes will continue to fall.
Ten years from now are these schools and conferences going to be in a better place? Financially maybe, but money isn't everything. It's easy to wonder what some of these schools will think when they look back at what they left behind.
