The SC fans act like Tojans line was more talking about what a Trojan product covers.
That said, SC fans may not be as bad as BYU fans in person but their actions by destroying the Pac 12 seems worse to me.
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The writing was on the wall for quite some time before their departure.
And, USC was one of the worst aspects of the Pac-12, in my opinion.
Their leaving should have been a boon.
I understood. Zoobs need an even bigger Trojan product.
Zoob Magnums?
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Count me as a fan of playing BYU every year in every sport. Intense games, exciting environment, almost always a sellout, an historic rivalry. Love taking them down, and now it has conference implications as well. Yankees/Sox, Duke/ UNC, Auburn/Alabama, Lakers/Celtics, Army/Navy, tOSU/Michigan, Dodgers/Giants, All Blacks/Springboks. Would be a shame if those games went away. These are the games that vault athletics to the next level. Utah/BYU does that for us. The downside is if someone takes it too far ā like Harvey Updike.
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Iām sure youāve all heard of mansplaining. We may need to coin the term ābamasplaining.ā
(Just joshing you, Bama.)
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At the risk of taking a contrarian and partisan position, give the Big-12 an honest try before trashing it, both in terms of schools and locations. Itās not nearly as bad as some make it seem. To cite a couple of cities that Iāve visited, typically while traveling for work, Ames is within easy reach of a flight to Des Moines and a place I enjoyed visiting. Iāve been to Lawrence more times than I can count, including last fallās football game with KU, and always leave looking forward to my next visit. While Iāve only been to Manhattan twice, I likewise had a great time, both while there and on the drive to/from Kansas City.
I can say the same for every other Big-12 destination that Iāve visited, with Lubbock, Stillwater and Morgantown still awaiting my first trip and me confident that Iāll enjoy them in like manner. Then again, I enjoyed visiting Laramie, back in the day, so perhaps its my perspective that every place has something to discover and enjoy, even cities like Battle Mountain, Nevada, and Pine Bluff, Arkansas. If youāre looking for cosmopolitan destinations or knock-em-dead scenery, you may find many Big-12 destinations disappointing. If viewed as an adventure in discovery, theyāre great places in my book, with a football or basketball game thrown in for good measure.
One final thought: Consider figuratively unpacking your bags and making the Big-12 your home, rather than constantly looking for an exit elsewhere. It may or may not come. Until thatās known, youāll enjoy it and your future conference mates more if you settle in for the long haul.
I struggled with BYU fans, who constantly griped about the WCC and were always looking to go somewhere else. I decided from the get go to treat it as BYUās home unless something changed, and not worry about what it was not. As a result, Iām deeply grateful for the 11 years that BYU spent there and enjoyed all of the destinations. Even Stockton (Pacific), which typically isnāt considered the golden spot in the Golden State, had things to offer that always left me glad I went there, beyond just a basketball game.
Itās going to be nice being back in the same conference, with the Arizona schools and Colorado thrown in for good measure. See you, officially, on July 1.
To me thatās why the Holy War is one of only four protected, annual rivalries in the Big-12, along with UA/ASU, KU/KSU and Baylor/TCU. I suspect thatās also why itās scheduled for early November, rather than Thanksgiving weekend. As nice as it would be to end the season with that game (which I think will happen in the future), I also see what Bret Yormark is doing. Chances are the Holy War will get top billing when itās played and bring more eyeballs than at a slightly later date. Iām willing to do that for that sort of TV and national coverage, both for our schools, the rivalry and the Big-12. Yormark is no dummy and has repeatedly impressed me with his vision and actions.
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To be fair itās Inland Empiresplaining. Iām Alabama fan because of family ties to the university. Iām like any Southern Californian who thinks they know better foreveryone. lol
They have their charms. Not a bunch of them. That said, all solid gameday environments.
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I donāt think anybodyās trashing the Big12. Itās just not a good fit. And the U of U administration obviously feels the same way. If this helps: āBig12, itās not you, itās us.ā
That said, everyone gets that for this particular bizarro moment in time in the college sports landscape: itās a viable place for Utah and a couple other schools to sitā¦ and carries some benefits for all, otherwise it never would have come to be. Same goes for Cal/Stanford-ACC, among others.
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What would be a good fit, in your opinion?
The PAC-12 was nearly perfect.
Nopeā¦It WAS perfect. Unbelievable that it collapsed.
At this point, the only thing better than what we have currently is to get invited to a western pod of a Big 2 conference that would resemble the old P-12. I see that as a 50/50 prospect at best. I donāt think we got that serious of a look from the B1G the last couple of years which is what makes me uneasy about a future invite.
I think the rumors of a checklist from the B1G to improve our prospects was their way of letting us down easy.
Weāre going to have a fight on our hands because ā in addition to the ACC schools that I think B1G/SEC would be more than happy to fill their ranks with and then lock the doors ā if the door opens out west again, weāll have the AZ schools and Colorado, not to mention KU, OkSt, and maybe another TX school or two to compete with. Itās gonna be a close shave if the razors are brought out at all.
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I hear you. That makes sense.
What I am reading from this is that you feel that the Big 12 is the best fit for Utah, unless a western pod of a Big 2 conference is created.
How do others feel about @FountainOfUteās assessment?
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One final thought: Consider figuratively unpacking your bags and making the Big-12 your home, rather than constantly looking for an exit elsewhere
I dont think anyone complained about being in the PAC12 and no-one wanted to leave. The PAC fell apart due to hubris and greed. We had to move when the Levee broke. Iām glad weāre not tied to a ridiculous 100 year contract.
The Zoobs wined incessantly when we left the Mountain West. They expected to get picked up by the PAC as well. They think their institution of learning is well above ours - and many others. Itās not.
The Mountain West didnt collapse. They could be thriving there, as we were thriving in the PAC. If we never played them again I would be delighted. Others disagree. Playing the Zoobs is like having to play with your annoying cousin.
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The PAC 12 fit like a Trojan, till it broke.
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They do have the lard on their side.
I hope that is what happens. It would be best for us on many levels, I agree.
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Some 30 years ago, I made my philosophical peace with the reality that BYU was never going to be part of the Pac. It was an oil/water mix, so I wasnāt one of those who complained when Utah left. While I wasnāt thrilled about it, I also knew that the Pac would never choose BYU, no matter how much it brought to the table, financially speaking, and focused on enjoying whatever came instead. It was what it was and is why I enjoyed independence and the WCC, never complained once.
The background for my earlier comments about figuratively unpacking oneās bags and making the most of oneās circumstances stems from my days at Ricks (dating myself, big time, and not near the end of its existence either). I had roommates who let it be known that they couldnāt wait to get out of that cold and windswept pit in Idaho, so that they could enjoy life and be happy. I didnāt say much, but thought how unfortunate it was to feel like life and happiness didnāt begin until something better came along (substitute getting out of the Big-12 in this context). I was too busy having fun and making the most of Rexburg and every other place Iāve ever lived or visited to worry about that.
Same with the WCC and Big-12
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Good philosophy, enjoy where you are and and who youāre with.
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