That was a close one!

So I am finally confident that the dust has settled on the expansion/contraction/formal execution of the Big 12 conference. I am a die hard KU fan and because of this I have been relegated to sitting idly by while nefarious forces (mainly Texas, the Big Ten, and the Pac-10) try to force my beloved Jayhawks out of their happy home. I myself have been holding my breath and trying to read any information on the subject for the last few weeks and I have come to the conclusion: I absolutely hate rumors! I blame myself for getting so worked up about this situation because I don't have to read the news but it's almost impossible to ignore when they are talking about the fate of my Alma Mater. Although no one has a clue what really goes on behind closed doors everyone in the media is quoting a "confidential source" that knows someone, who is affiliated with, a friend of the person, who mows the lawn for a decision maker in the program. For the love of God just tell me who who we're going to play next year!

Unfortunately no one had any idea what was going to happen and we all had to watch the fallout unfold one leaked headline at a time. Because the rumors got out of control the Big 12 was made to look like a second rate conference that no one wanted to be a part of. What, you ask, started this overnight exodus from the Big 12? The short answer is of course money. It's no secret that colleges make a ton on their athletic programs and because of this they are constantly evaluating how they can find additional streams of revenue to bolster their programs. Because the Everyone saw an opportunity to make money and no one wanted to tip their hand in this high stakes game of B.S.

In the end Nebraska left for the Big Ten (although they now have 12 teams), Colorado headed for the Pac-10 ( who also has 12 teams after adding Utah), Texas and the rest of its mindless affiliates decided to stay put in the Big 12 (which is down to only 10 teams)...for now. Mizzou made a pathetic attempt to save face while pleading to keep the conference together after they found out they were snubbed in their bid to join the Big Ten. And all the while KU, K-State, Baylor, and Iowa State were tight lipped and stoic about the whole process while no doubt shitting their pants at the thought of what cut rate conference they would be able to get into if things went bad.

So how did the the Big 12 go from the verge of extinction to overnight basketball super conference? Easy, everyone promised Texas a lot of money. Not only will many teams need to pony up a bribe for the chance to get smoked by the Longhorns in football on an annual basis but also much of the money that Nebraska and Colorado will pay for leaving the conference is going to...guess who? Plus the Big 12 has agreed to allow Texas to pursue its own TV contract that they alone would gain the revenue from. Holy crap! Texas just mugged every remaining team in the Big 12 for millions and they had to smile about it! Somebody get Texas a cigarette after that f-job!

At first I was extremely worried that this debacle would spell doom for the history and the rivalries that KU and the Big 12 have cultivated over the years. If Texas left they would have taken the rest of the Big 12 South with them and left the four stepchildren in the north to fight for table scraps (i.e. the Mountain West Conference....ugh). This was an unflattering situation to say the least. The thought of playing a perennial powerhouse like Air Force or Wyoming just didn't stack up to the type of rivalries we have in the status quo. Not to mention the irony of any team in Kansas being part of a conference with "mountain" in its title is enough for me to veto this move (note: there is a mountain in Kansas! Mount Sunflower 4,039 feet above sea level. But I still don't want anything to do with the MWC...sorry).

Now that this crisis is over and I don't have to worry about driving to Utah for an 'effing conference game next season, I'm trying to reconcile my emotions about this whole ordeal. I am still somewhat upset that the media circus surrounding this event made legitimate Big 12 universities look like a bunch of lepers that would contaminate "superior" conferences. But more than that I'm pissed that Texas gets to be courted by multiple conferences at once only to bluff its way to a huge payday. I am more aware than I would like to admit that Texas is a necessary evil to tolerate if we want to have any resemblance to the Big 12 that we have come to know and love but that doesn't mean I have to like it. On the bright side maybe this will be just the motivation that others in the Big 12 need to stick it to the burnt orange bastards when they face them in conference.

I'm pretty sure I have learned two things from this experience. The first is that money will always win over preserving tradition. And the second is that no one at any of the league offices can count how many teams are actually in their own conference! I guess the only numbers they are interested in counting have $$$ in front of them.