Conference Realignment

[TheCatInTheHat]

I figure, what the hell; we might as we embrace it...

[RondaeShimmy]

They really need to get that Wall built between California and AZ quick!

How did we just land a California recruit today?????

"Plus they're going to the Big 12 now and I'm very excited about that. Arizona is definitely on the come up right now."

Cal kids don't give a fuck about the pac 12.

[CalStateTempe]

[84Cat]

I'm at my granddaughter's birthday party and my daughter's father in law is a WSU alum. He is completely pissed off about the whole thing. WSU is screwed

[RondaeShimmy]

Dude is old as fuck, there's nothing groundbreaking or innovative about apple TV

[azcat49]

To be fair, the Harrison kid was previously committed to BYU so he was already in the Big 12

[KillerKlown]

Dude is old as fuck, there's nothing groundbreaking or innovative about apple TV

The way he was talking about it in this interview is like he was still trying to sell it. So inept.

[AZCatGirl]

It's amazing how Tempe hasn't run Crow out of town yet. Dude just doesn't get it. Meanwhile we're feeling like this:

[EastCoastCat]

Just covering up the tracks of ineptitude.

[UAEebs86]

So much innovation...

[azgreg]

[Capital Tiger]

Hey guys,

I'm an LSU Tiger fan and have been watching this thread all week for y'all's perspective on the pac-12 death march. It has been enjoyable to be a "part" of your group. Congrats on having survived and setting up your football team for the future. It was the right move and that was clear the moment the foggy details of the Apple+ TV deal was revealed.

Also, it seems like y'all really hate asu. It should be fun to have them with you in the Big XII.

I've been an secondary Arizona supporter since the halcyon days of Ortege Jenkins! https://youtu.be/SIwiYG1DSM8

[UAdevil]

Welcome!

[ASUHATER!]

I don't know if cal and Stanford's academic requirements would let them join the mountain west. They may just become independents if they don't get in the big 10

[Capital Tiger]

Oh yeah, PHXCATS was definitely wrong on his stance - "guys, let's stay in the Pac-X conference... Just see how it works out..."

And this is my first time learning about Michael Crow. OMG he really is the worst. So glad our dude is nothing like him. "guys, Apple+ TV would have been just the best..."

[azcat49]

Hey Pac-12, it’s been real. We had some good times — really good times — and some not-so-good times.

Banners have been hung, tournaments were taken over by our fans. The scent of roses was never picked up, but we’d rather not talk about that.

There were big games and crazy finishes, with #Pac12AfterDark being a rather terrifying thing. Unless you had DirecTV, in which case you were not affected by the late-night shenanigans. Or those that happened in the daytime, either.

But I digress.

All good things must come to an end, and so too must Arizona’s relationship with you.

We’ll miss you. Not really. OK, maybe a little. But not too much.

After all, being disappointed in your collapse is fair, but it’s kinda your own fault that things even got to this point. You made many mistakes, and now you’re paying the price.

Of course, we understand you were hoping this wouldn’t happen. You probably banked on the idea of keeping established rivalries, but unlucky for you ASU, Utah and Colorado are also heading for the Big 12 and UCLA was already off to the Big 10. So do you really expect us to lament the loss of Arizona vs. Oregon State, or the Wildcats vs. Cal? Maybe there is some sick person who enjoyed making the trip to Pullman, but that’s hardly the norm.

Nah, as your ship continued to sink it became clear the best course of action was to seek out a life raft, and one was thrown by the Big 12.

Maybe you see this as a safety conference, but you’re wrong. The Big 12 offers a solid media rights deal and stability. It also features excellent college towns and programs across various sports, some obvious.

I mean, Arizona vs. Kansas in men’s basketball? How about games against Houston or Baylor? Please and thank you.

Football has some excellent matchups too, and no doubt other sports will find healthy competition and in time will develop new rivalries. This will be fun!

Now, we understand there will be challenges with travel and perhaps even different styles of play within individual sports, and recruiting may have to adapt now without guaranteed games in the California, Oregon or Washington. But progress always comes at a cost, and if Arizona plays things right this one should be minimal.

Besides, that is no longer your problem to worry about and I’m betting Arizona’s leadership has considered all of this.

No, despite your last-ditch efforts to salvage things it became clear in recent days that your best ones were in the past. You may be the Conference of Champions, but today’s college athletics requires more than that. It requires more than history, traditions and Bill Walton.

If Arizona was to not only survive, but thrive it needed at least what the Big 12 had to offer. Maybe school president Dr. Robert C. Robbins said it best in a statement.

“Our move to the Big 12 Conference will continue to raise the University’s profile by increasing visibility, growing our reach across the country and around the globe, expanding our pool of prospective students, providing more resources to support our student-athletes, and presenting them with greater NIL prospects,” he said. “We look forward to beginning a new era next year with fresh opportunities for athletics to fulfill its Wildcat Way mission to develop academic, athletic, and life champions.”

Profile ... Visibility ... Reach ... Globe ... NIL ...

All of these are important, and all would have been made more difficult due to the Pac-12’s collapse whereas now the school now gets to be a part of something that is quite literally growing.


Come on, you know it’s true.

So yeah, we had a good run. But at the end of the day we both know it was time for a change. We’re sorry that means leaving you behind, but it was what’s best for Arizona.

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/2023/8/5/ ... criticisms

[PHXCATS]

Oh yeah, PHXCATS was definitely wrong on his stance - "guys, let's stay in the Pac-X conference... Just see how it works out..."

And this is my first time learning about Michael Crow. OMG he really is the worst. So glad our dude is nothing like him. "guys, Apple+ TV would have been just the best..."

All good man. I really just don't want UA to be way behind in the next round. But after all the dust settled and a day to reflect, I miss the PAC-12 but I am relieved we are where we are

Hope to be in the B1G or SEC if they go super conferences in the future but that is years down the line. Just gotta live today and prepare for tomorrow

[PHXCATS]

I will fully admit I was wrong if the ACC blows up. I just don't see why espn wouldn't fight to the death to keep it with how profitable it is for them.

But if it blows up I would much rather have ACC schools join us in the Big 12 than UConn or Gonzaga

Figure if it blows up Florida St Miami Clemson and North Carolina go to the B1G or SEC. Take the next best ones. NC State. Pitt. Wake. Virginia. Virginia Tech

[azgreg]

Oh yeah, PHXCATS was definitely wrong on his stance - "guys, let's stay in the Pac-X conference... Just see how it works out..."

And this is my first time learning about Michael Crow. OMG he really is the worst. So glad our dude is nothing like him. "guys, Apple+ TV would have been just the best..."

Do us all a favor and go punch Jay Johnson in the dick.

[FreeSpiritCat]

Oh yeah, PHXCATS was definitely wrong on his stance - "guys, let's stay in the Pac-X conference... Just see how it works out..."

And this is my first time learning about Michael Crow. OMG he really is the worst. So glad our dude is nothing like him. "guys, Apple+ TV would have been just the best..."

All good man. I really just don't want UA to be way behind in the next round. But after all the dust settled and a day to reflect, I miss the PAC-12 but I am relieved we are where we are

Hope to be in the B1G or SEC if they go super conferences in the future but that is years down the line. Just gotta live today and prepare for tomorrow

Yes. Arizona is going to play far more competitive teams in the Big 12. Arizona stadium should have far more fans a game, even if it is the visiting fans. Arizona is going to have more money and exposure. Will we have an opportunity to start building a brand in football when the next media deals are signed?

[Capital Tiger]

Oh yeah, PHXCATS was definitely wrong on his stance - "guys, let's stay in the Pac-X conference... Just see how it works out..."

And this is my first time learning about Michael Crow. OMG he really is the worst. So glad our dude is nothing like him. "guys, Apple+ TV would have been just the best..."

Do us all a favor and go punch Jay Johnson in the dick.

No way sir! We all LOVE Jay Johnson on the bayou!

[Capital Tiger]

All good man. I really just don't want UA to be way behind in the next round. But after all the dust settled and a day to reflect, I miss the PAC-12 but I am relieved we are where we are

Hope to be in the B1G or SEC if they go super conferences in the future but that is years down the line. Just gotta live today and prepare for tomorrow

In all seriousness, I don't ever see the SEC expanding further west than we already are. We are a great league now, and truly don't need anyone else. The only moves that make sense are regional "protect our turf" moves: Taking Florida State, North Carolina, etc., so that the B1G doesn't get a foothold in the south. I would be shocked if anything happens with the ACC for minimum 10 years, however.

Arizona has much work to be seen as worthy of a B1G invite in the future, should they look to expand. Think about Oregon before Rich Brooks/Mike Bellioti. They broke through and won the Rose Bowl in 1994, and have been a consistent pac power for the last 30 years. Arizona needs to replicate that type of run to earn their way to the very top leagues. Good news is that there are no Goliaths in the Big XII. Go win there; build the brand; win the league; win a playoff game or two.

Overall, everyone would have preferred seeing the Pac stay together. But with the events that came to pass, you made the very best choice for your university that you could have. (Despite Mr. Crow's best efforts to sabotage.)

[ChooChooCat]

Hi guys.

[EastCoastCat]

Hi guys.

Give us something pithy Choo…

[azcat49]

The PAC is going to sue Fox and ESPIN for collusion

[UAEebs86]

The PAC is going to sue Fox and ESPIN for collusion

[PHXCATS]

The PAC should. They absolutely have a strong case.

[CatsbyAZ]

My guess is Stanford went begging to the B1G first. They should feel pretty insulted by B1G instead pursuing Oregon, a state school far below the academic reputation of Stanford. Nevertheless, I won't miss sharing a conference with Stanford or Cal. And I never want to share a conference with Oregon or Washington again. Duck and Huskies fans are the worst.

[TheCatInTheHat]

Uhh...made the mistake of reading Hansen this morning before my two cups of Pike. Trashes Tucson, the place he's lived for 40 years. Calls it Death Valley; the neighbors must love that. But he only did it for the money. (Yeah, those big-money medium market newspaper guys.) And of course, the Big XII is going to suck. Because watching TCU, Baylor, Houston, Texas Tech, Kansas St, and yes, West Virginia, is so much worse than watching Oregon St with their rabid rodent helmet or always-mighty Cal. What must really suck is going through life with Eeyore's attitude. If your life's so crappy, change it; otherwise, look in the mirror at the cause of it all. And once his buddy Wilner finishes up his persuasive essays on what caused the demise of the Pac-12, what's left? The entire west coast worrying about poor Stanford and Cal? Not me; I'm into schadenfreude.

[ChooChooCat]

The PAC should. They absolutely have a strong case.

Lol what's their case exactly?

[PHXCATS]

So now we really gotta get in the weeds of all this

What will scheduling look like?

1 protected 8 rotating
1 protected 8 random
4 4team pods with 6 rotating

Basketball I hope it is two protected home and homes and our two are Kansas and asu

[dmjcat]

https://247sports.com/college/washingto ... 213778406/

https://arizonasports.com/story/3530385 ... ast-ditch/

https://kslsports.com/503417/big-12-foo ... -anderson/

[Chicat]

https://247sports.com/college/washingto ... 213778406/

Canzano and Mandell being the primary sources for this story that the remaining 9 were ready to sign the GOR to stay in the PAC makes me think it’s bullshit. There’s no way Arizona was signing that deal. And if they were, why didn't anyone indicate the deal was good enough to keep the conference together?

I think writers are trying to cover their ass after putting out obvious disinformation from their sources with agendas.

[Irish27]

https://247sports.com/college/west-virg ... 58/?page=1

[azcat49]

ASSU are such punk ass bitches

[RondaeShimmy]

At least the big 12 members all know to hate asu from the start

Utah too

[Chicat]

https://247sports.com/college/west-virg ... 58/?page=1

Arizona will be the darling of the new members.

Arizona State will assume their typical place as being the assholes who track dogshit in on your new carpet after refusing to take off their shoes.

[EastCoastCat]

These guys will really get a first hand look at a hated rivalry. They will be floored when they see us root for basically 2 teams - us and whoever is playing ASSU.

[FreeSpiritCat]

[azgreg]

[azcat49]

Our Big 12 friends are going to know why we call ASSU the scum really fast. Usually fans just hate one player of a non rival, now they will hate the whole school

[KillerKlown]

ASU hated from coast to coast and it's not even because their good. Sad!

[CalStateTempe]

Way to make a first impression asu.

[AZCatGirl]

This is a pretty spot on epic rant.

[Irish27]

I wonder if any of the athletes from Stanford, Cal, Oregon State and Washington State will look to transfer to the UofA in the next year? The non-revenue sports could definitely benefit from a transfer or two.

[FreeSpiritCat]

I wonder if any of the athletes from Stanford, Cal, Oregon State and Washington State will look to transfer to the UofA in the next year? The non-revenue sports could definitely benefit from a transfer or two.

That is a great point. Maybe the Cats can get football players from OSU or Wazzu. There won't be much available for basketball.

[Postmaster]

I’m not sure why anyone thinks asu is out “rival” anymore. The bands and the pep squads did joint routines at halftime last game. The PA guy gave some speech about unity and sportsmanship.

[Postmaster]

Does he not know Utah and Colorado have been in the same conference for the last decade?

[ASUHATER!]

These guys will really get a first hand look at a hated rivalry. They will be floored when they see us root for basically 2 teams - us and whoever is playing ASSU.

Because honestly outside of Utah/BYU there aren't any real intense rivalries in this new big 12 now that Texas and Oklahoma are going to be gone. I mean Kansas and KSU are rivals and Texas Tech/TCU/Baylor/Houston are all old big 8 or whatever rivals but none of them really consider each other their main rivals. Our rivalry with ASU is absolutely the biggest and most intense in this new conference.

[U.P. Zona Fan]

This is a pretty spot on epic rant.

That was great!!