Tradition, it’s not what it used to be
The grandfathers of the Big 12 Conference were the Missouri Valley and Southwest Conferences. The MVC was formed in 1907 with charter members Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Washington of Missouri. Iowa held dual membership in the Big 10. The SWC formed up in 1915 with Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Baylor, Arkansas, Rice and Oklahoma State.
In 1920, OU jumped to the MVC and, by 1921, after Iowa shifted to the Big 10 and Iowa State replaced them, the MVC had nine members: Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Washington of Missouri, Kansas State, Drake, Iowa State and Grinnell.
SMU joined the SWC in 1918; TCU in 1923.
In 1928, six members of the MVC formed the Big 6. They were Nebraska, OU, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri. In 1948, Colorado Joined and the conference became the Big 7. In 1960, Oklahoma State, which had been independent for a few years joined the Big 7 making it the Big 8. That same year, the SWC added Texas Tech. Houston joined the SWC in 1976.
Arkansas became one of the first programs to exhibit cranial rectal inversion (CRI) when, in 1992, they jumped to the SEC where they have for the most part disappeared.
After the Hog’s departure and SMU’s trip to the gallows, which helped kill the SWC, the Big 12 was established in 1996 with all of the former Big 8 and Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor and Texas Tech from the SWC.
With the creation of the Big 12, the heart of two conferences was preserved in a viable arrangement with north and south divisions. However, CRI lay dormant in the DNA of a several programs and would emerge in coming years.
When the SWC broke up, Rice, UH, and a severely impaired SMU down-graded to mid-major Conference USA. TCU spent years wandering to the WAC, to C-USA, to the Mountain West but, now, in a blatant example of CRI, has joined the Big East.
Then CRI, like the creature in “Alien,” reemerged in the Big 12. First Nebraska and Colorado bolted—CU to the PAC12, NU to the Big 10, and the tradition of the southwest and midwest that connected back to the creation of the MVC in 1907 and the SWC in 1915, tradition that had been preserved in the Big 12 took a hickey. Now Texas A&M, failing to notice what happened to Arkansas in the SEC and having come down with CRI, possibly after intimate contact with NU and CU, has decided to try and move east, further damaging the Big 12. Intimate contact: We don’t call NU the Corn Fairies for nothing and Ralphie, the CU mascot, is actually a Buffalo gal.
It’s not a done deal, yet, the Aggie move. Talk of Texas, Texas Tech, OU and Oklahoma State moving west to the PAC12 has died off and the possibility of a lawsuit to keep TAMU from leaving the Big 12 could stop the Cadet’s move east. The SEC has said they won’t take a new member who has litigation pending.
DDT sez, “Litigation, come on down.”
Let’s leave things the way they are, now. NU and CU are gone. No big loss in the case of the whimpering Ralphies. The Children of the Corn on the other hand, were an asset. But both are gone. Forget about them.
Damage has been done, however. Nebraska’s traditional rivals have been in the states around them: Kansas and Missouri and Oklahoma. They’ve thrown that away. And Texas A&M’s traditional rivals are in the state of Texas and in the Big 12. They would toss that.
The most ridiculous move is TCU going to the Big East. What on earth has Fort Worth got in common with Piscataway, Syracuse, Pittsburg, Louisville, Cincinnati, Tampa, Blacksburg and Storrs? TCU belongs in the Big 12, playing traditional rivals in the state of Texas. Too bad they don’t have the huevos rancheros to take the challenge.
Tradition. It’s not what it used to be.
In 1920, OU jumped to the MVC and, by 1921, after Iowa shifted to the Big 10 and Iowa State replaced them, the MVC had nine members: Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Washington of Missouri, Kansas State, Drake, Iowa State and Grinnell.
SMU joined the SWC in 1918; TCU in 1923.
In 1928, six members of the MVC formed the Big 6. They were Nebraska, OU, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Missouri. In 1948, Colorado Joined and the conference became the Big 7. In 1960, Oklahoma State, which had been independent for a few years joined the Big 7 making it the Big 8. That same year, the SWC added Texas Tech. Houston joined the SWC in 1976.
Arkansas became one of the first programs to exhibit cranial rectal inversion (CRI) when, in 1992, they jumped to the SEC where they have for the most part disappeared.
After the Hog’s departure and SMU’s trip to the gallows, which helped kill the SWC, the Big 12 was established in 1996 with all of the former Big 8 and Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor and Texas Tech from the SWC.
With the creation of the Big 12, the heart of two conferences was preserved in a viable arrangement with north and south divisions. However, CRI lay dormant in the DNA of a several programs and would emerge in coming years.
When the SWC broke up, Rice, UH, and a severely impaired SMU down-graded to mid-major Conference USA. TCU spent years wandering to the WAC, to C-USA, to the Mountain West but, now, in a blatant example of CRI, has joined the Big East.
Then CRI, like the creature in “Alien,” reemerged in the Big 12. First Nebraska and Colorado bolted—CU to the PAC12, NU to the Big 10, and the tradition of the southwest and midwest that connected back to the creation of the MVC in 1907 and the SWC in 1915, tradition that had been preserved in the Big 12 took a hickey. Now Texas A&M, failing to notice what happened to Arkansas in the SEC and having come down with CRI, possibly after intimate contact with NU and CU, has decided to try and move east, further damaging the Big 12. Intimate contact: We don’t call NU the Corn Fairies for nothing and Ralphie, the CU mascot, is actually a Buffalo gal.
It’s not a done deal, yet, the Aggie move. Talk of Texas, Texas Tech, OU and Oklahoma State moving west to the PAC12 has died off and the possibility of a lawsuit to keep TAMU from leaving the Big 12 could stop the Cadet’s move east. The SEC has said they won’t take a new member who has litigation pending.
DDT sez, “Litigation, come on down.”
Let’s leave things the way they are, now. NU and CU are gone. No big loss in the case of the whimpering Ralphies. The Children of the Corn on the other hand, were an asset. But both are gone. Forget about them.
Damage has been done, however. Nebraska’s traditional rivals have been in the states around them: Kansas and Missouri and Oklahoma. They’ve thrown that away. And Texas A&M’s traditional rivals are in the state of Texas and in the Big 12. They would toss that.
The most ridiculous move is TCU going to the Big East. What on earth has Fort Worth got in common with Piscataway, Syracuse, Pittsburg, Louisville, Cincinnati, Tampa, Blacksburg and Storrs? TCU belongs in the Big 12, playing traditional rivals in the state of Texas. Too bad they don’t have the huevos rancheros to take the challenge.
Tradition. It’s not what it used to be.
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