Tom Hansen of the Pac-10: We'd leave BCS over plus-1 format

[Lefty]

The Pac-10 needs to get a new commissioner. Hansen sucks.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19985785/

 

[Gaddabout]

You can replace the commissioner, but you've done nothing to address that sleepy attitudes of the presidents at Stanford, UCLA, et al that really run the Pac-10. I don't think this day is imminent, but I do think the horizon will be visible soon when the Pac-10 will be broken in two. USC, Washington, ASU, and Oregon may just give the Pac-10 the proverbial middle finger and join a conference that likes to actually compete on the highest stage. USC is the big vote, though. It would take a lot -- a LOT -- for them to give up the Rose Bowl. If all the other conferences created their own championship ... that might be the thing that did it.

New conference that realigns the alienated Pac-10 programs and the rogue Big 12 programs?

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

ASU and Arizona aren't going anywhere without each other. The ABOR has ensured this has always been and always will be the case.

And your inference that ASU is big-time while Arizona is not (sad reality is neither athletic department as a whole can be considered anything above marginal) is laughable at best.

 

[Mulli]

I wish ASU could compete on a higher stage.

 

[Gaddabout]

ASU and Arizona aren't going anywhere without each other. The ABOR has ensured this has always been and always will be the case.

And your inference that ASU is big-time while Arizona is not (sad reality is neither athletic department as a whole can be considered anything above marginal) is laughable at best.

Heh. Wasn't my reference or my intention, and fully understand the ABOR position. Simply pointing out that ASU would not want to be in a non-BCS conference and would probably drag UA kicking and screaming wherever it went. UA is a fence sitter when it comes to football issues. Sometimes votes with the academic block, sometimes votes with the jockery. I was including USC, ASU, Oregon and Washington as the distinct jockery schools. Those four schools almost always vote in favor of athletics when academics is a concern. Would be my guess that UA would take the high-ground on the issue as long as it could.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

True, but money ranks above both academics and athletics for any school. If some other conference offers UA and ASU more TV money and exposure then they'll gladly leave despite academic issues. Time will tell, but someone will want both schools whenever the time comes with the anticipated Phoenix-Tucson megalopolis comprising more than 10 million within a couple decades.

And UA does want to be a part of a BCS conference for financial reasons despite their sometimes academic voting.

 

[Gaddabout]

The Rose Bowl will always provide the most money, but eventually conferences will be weighing the total package of bowls. I don't know how much the current Pac-10 configuration is all that enticing to other bowls because only two or three teams actually travel well compared to the rest of the country -- and they're all in the northwest. The only good thing the Pac has going for it is the schools being situated in all but one of the West Coast's biggest markets (San Diego), though USC/UCLA has everything south of Monterey covered well in terms of television interest.

I will be interested how long Stanford, Cal, and UCLA maintain their interest in big-time football as the SEC drives this bus. The SEC and Pac's academic interests are at direct odds. Appears to be headed towards some kind of collision. Washington and USC are the only two stronger academic schools on this side of the country that have also embraced athletics without shame.

 

[Rivercard]

These presidents embody everything that's bad about college football. Nothing but selfish A-holes with no regard for what's best for the athelete, the fans, and the sport in general. "Protect the sancity of the Rose Bowl"??? You gotta be kidding me! Here's a news flash, The Rose Bowl is no more special than any other bowl game. Nobody outside of your myopic PAC 10 and Big 10 gives a rat's ass about the Rose Bowl. I say screw em.... let them refuse to play in a 1-off. We can watch the recruits slowly bail from those schools as they look elsewhere for teams interested in playing for a championship.

 

[Lefty]

ASU and Arizona aren't going anywhere without each other. The ABOR has ensured this has always been and always will be the case.

And your inference that ASU is big-time while Arizona is not (sad reality is neither athletic department as a whole can be considered anything above marginal) is laughable at best.

That is true. ASU did not want to join the Pac-10 and the UofA did, but the only way they were getting in was if ASU accepted. Eventually the Devils agreed.