Going Somewhere Else Seems To Be In Vogue

  Another unraveling and reshaping of the college athletics landscape is taking place. With the end result not yet in sight. 

What predicated this seismic shifting of the collegiate alignments? Money, of course.

The rich—namely the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten—have the most in the pot, with plenty more headed to their individual coffers. Then there is the enigmatic Big 12 Conference, flush with its own new media deal and ready to pounce on a carcass.

That carcass belongs to the Pac !2 Conference. Which is falling apart at the seams because the TV rights deal that its commissioner secured was a pittance compared to that of the big boys. 

The first real crack in the Pac 12 came when the biggest schools in the biggest market—the University of Southern California and the University of California, Los Angeles—were courted by the East Coast and Midwestern monolith: the Big Ten. With the megabucks that the Big Ten will receive in its media rights deal, it caught the attention of the SoCal schools which harbor aspirations of playing for national championships. 

The desire of the Big Ten to be bi-coastal and the lure of the money for the two interested schools led to a nice marriage. But they weren’t the first schools to leave home in the latest rounds of conference swapping. 

The award for abandoning their domain and leaving their longtime rivals behind went to the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma. Those two long-standing opponents who seemingly are tied to the hip, joined the SEC for the money and to restore glory to their programs. All the partners in the SEC were ecstatic to have these schools join their ranks in 2024. Once again, money talks. 

When the rights deal for the Pac 12 was not coming across fast enough, the members became jittery. The University of Colorado, always an odd fit in the Pac 12 along with the University of Utah, saw greener pastures in its old home—the Big 12. The University of Arizona, another add on in the Pac 12 besides the actual West Coast members, became more cautious about its future. And whatever Arizona did, Arizona State would do the same, since they were tied together in the Arizona Board of Regents (Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff is the third public university under the control of the ABOR).

Thus, this week the skies opened up. Colorado, already approved for Big 12 membership, now has been joined by Arizona State and Utah. Suddenly, the Big 12 has 16 schools in its ranks. 

The other part of the equation as to why the Big 12 swelled so suddenly came from the suddenly ravenous Big Ten. Before the trio of schools became Big 12 members on Friday, it was the Big Ten which plucked the University of Oregon and the University of Washington from the Pac 12. 

Sure there was concern about the travel which the Southern California schools would endure. Not such a problem anymore with the two new additions. I can see three divisions in the Big Ten if it stays with this number—18. The Western schools plus Iowa and Nebraska could form one division. Put Rutgers, Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State with the Michigan schools and that’s a nice division. The Indiana and Illinois members could group with Minnesota and Wisconsin. Easy to create a nine game conference football schedule, along with  a terrific basketball schedule. 

I heard that USC wanted to be away from Oregon, which has tormented the Trojans in football. I think that the reduction of travel and monetary costs coupled with the big infusion of cash can eradicate any bad feelings. 

What will happen with the Pac 12? All that is left right now are the University of California, Stanford University, Oregon State University and Washington State University. There remain persistent rumors that Cal and Stanford could be in the Big Ten fold, having already been vetted. That would be twenty schools. A behemoth. With maybe the Western Athletic Conference, a step down from what the Pac 12 was, will be the landing spot for WSU and OSU—and the Bears and the Cardinal. 

But this conference switching might not be over yet. Florida State is very unhappy with the money it received from the Atlantic Coast Conference. It is paltry compared to SEC money. Clemson, another football giant, is apparently thinking the same thing. Would the SEC schools be willing to take in two top-notch football programs and share the wealth

What’s more, where does Notre Dame, that hybrid independent, fit into the scheme of conference realignment? The Irish have that funky tie in with the ACC for football and is imbedded for all other sports. What may stop any of these money seekers is the agreement which binds them to the ACC into the next decade unless any school is ready to pay an exorbitant exit fee for their freedom to find a better landing spot. Until funding sources (boosters, the Saudis) can be found to pay off the ACC. 

The ACC will survive with a loss of Clemson and Florida State. Even if Notre Dame leaves, too. Connecticut, the orphan football program within Big East Conference, where it is as dominant as ever in basketball—the Huskies are reigning NCAA Men’s champs—would love to be member and rake in the dollars.  

No, a lot more is going to happen in college sports. It is sad to see the rivalries developed over years fold like a house of cards. I saw that with Texas and Texas A&M when the Aggies left the Big 12 for the SEC. Now that rivalry will be reignited. However, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State will not be battling for state-wide supremacy anymore after this season—although it is the Sooners which have dominated the series. Ditto Oregon-Oregon State and Washington-Washington State. Done. Just like it will be with Cal and Stanford with the newly-minted Big Ten schools after decades of playing. 

There is no collegiate governing body which oversees these kinds of conference switches. For if there was, this discussion would not be happening. 

Switching from college to the pros, the New York Yankees came under fire for not being more active at the trading deadline. GM Brian Cashman traded for two relievers, one of which will be a decent addition to one of the top bullpens in baseball. 

Not addressed was the anemic hitting lineup, with poor defenders at the corner outfield spots. Nor was starting pitching bolstered, with Cashman relying on the return of lefty Nestor Cortes this weekend. Plus the weakness at catcher went unresolved. 

Cashman said that this team, 3.5 games out of an AL Wild Card slot at the start of the week, was a group of professionals which needs to play better. Really? How?

Giancarlo Stanton may be starting to hit homers again. He is remains a liability. Aaron Judge is back, yet it is clear he is hindered by his toe ligament injured against the unforgiving concrete at Dodger Stadium. While Harrison Bader, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Gleyber Torres have been hitting of late, that trio does not inspire fear in too many pitchers. 

Then there are the two debacles which took place this week. First, Domingo German, he of the perfect game heroics, trashed the clubhouse in a drunken rage. He is gone for the season, receiving the treatment he needs for his substance abuse addiction. 

Adding to German’s untimely exit was the news that Anthony Rizzo has finally been diagnosed with concussion-like symptoms resulting from his May collision with Fernando Tatis ,Jr. of the Padres. Whether it was the suspect Yankees medical staff, which has seen numerous players land on the IL for long stints, missing the obvious signs that Rizzo could no longer hit with any power and was missing pitches he should clobber, or Rizzo not fessing up about how he really felt, this is a tragic scenario for a beloved Yankee. 

Who knows if the medication prescribed by a neurologist will work? Hockey and football players have had to retire because of head trauma. Rizzo is 34 in a couple of days. His baseball future is sadly up in the air.

Sure the Yankees beat Houston in the first game of a four game set after losing two of three to Tampa Bay. Judge is going to be periodically rested. Against his desires. The failure of starter Luis Severino to rebound into his previous star-like form will hurt greatly. Moreover, the schedule is not very kind to the Yankees—while facing some teams with worse records—the vast majority of teams sport better records, beginning with the Atlanta Braves. 

Watching this team flounder makes me not want to watch at all. At least it is better than the Mets, who jettisoned top players including future Hall of Fame pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. The Mets were just swept by Kansas City, a very bad club—one that the Yankees swept a little over two weeks ago.

Not to worry, Yankees fans. The final three games of the season are in KC. How meaningful will they be? I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

The way things have been going in 2023, maybe the Yankees and Mets could join a new league? Going somewhere else seems to be in vogue.