The Sicatoka

I agree the GOR seems as written nearly unbreakable. But FSU made noise this week that they were "misled" with questionable information to get them to sign it. Not sure if that could be a fracture line in the contract. And others are claiming an ACC media deal that expires in 2026 or 2027 could be used to break the conference and the GOR. All sound wonderful, but until that GOR is broken it's pretty iron clad.

I've bought from Nelson in Fergus Falls. I would again.

He's not wrong. The "academic mullahs" of Cali-Stan would rather athletics be "Ivy" level at most. And WasSU and OrSU? Do a hard evaluation of each without the PAC aura and luster. WasSU is not even the best DI academic school in a ten-mile radius from its own campus! Yes, Idaho has better academics.

I'm going to channel my inner "Sioux Volley" (I do miss you man, RIP). Sorry for the "lecture tone". Do NOT think like sports fans and throw together a bunch of schools that would be cool together. Think strategic partnerships. Think business and dollars. Do you bring what you take, or more. And think like a university president (which unfortunately often negates the first two). The PAC12 (a week ago) was only worth $20M per share. That was with UW/UO/UA/ASU/CU/UU/Cal/Stan!

Who's paying exit fees ($34M for MWC!; $18M for AAC) to go to a conference with $7M per share (MWC) or NO (PAC) media deal.

Be sure to use the good stuff from the 1970s; the new stuff lets the zoomie-waves through.

I think UND's moves and statements over the last month (Alston awards, Chaves/FBS article) are a tell. Chaves said it; I believe him.

Cal suddenly may have a wee-tad-tiny-bit of a fiscal problem. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Memorial_Stadium#Renovation_financing

First, I'm as guilty as any. That said, let's keep this college hockey expansion. Keep the Conference Affiliation stuff in that thread: https://forum.siouxsports.com/topic/16061-conference-realignments-take-2/ Thank you.

My "$30-32M and they'll bite" number ... https://twitter.com/Matt_Fortuna/status/1687585734658592768?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^tweetembed|twterm^1687585734658592768|twgr^32bd0148694778f973b490b32b0803e15b176321|twcon^s1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcsnbbs.com%2Fthread-974435.html

If the BXII is going to keep going: San Diego State. SDSU before 'zaga or UConn. It locks up the only other way into SoCal. The Arizona schools would be giddy.

Cali-Stan only sees two conferences worthy of their great and magnanimous presence: B1G Ivy League You might be able to sway me to add the ACC to the list. They will not be associated with Boise, Wyoming, or KState and WVU.

Stanford? Probably. Cal? ... They have an $18M annual mortgage payment on their FB upgrades. (That's 60% of UND's total athletic budget.) Cal went to the UC system regents and made UCLA give them some money when UCLA left ... "Calimony".

I invoked "Vegas Route 91" early on; same pattern emerging.

The MWC has a nasty poison pill: a $17M two year notice buy-out; $34M with only one year notice. None of them are that flush; if they do something they do it as a group. And will Cali-Stan be in a group with Boise State and Wyoming?

Apologies to George Strait, but ... Pacific 4 by morning ...

Please keep on topic: Recruiting. Put the Conference Alignment talk here: https://forum.siouxsports.com/topic/16061-conference-realignments-take-2/ Thank you.

So Cali-Stan and WasSU/OrSU. How long are the Silicon Valley smugs going to stay with the unwashed of Corvallis and Pullman? They were palatable when USC/UCLA/UW/UO were around to talk to at cocktail parties, but now?

And then there were four ...

Why'd my ears start ringing?

Meredith Baxter-Birney the new mascot?

The tweet with Brutus Buckeye and the Oregon duck back on July 25 ... hmmm ... Has all this been pre-ordained and they're just putting on a drama. https://duckswire.usatoday.com/2023/07/25/cryptic-post-with-ohio-state-buckeyes-and-oregon-ducks-mascot-draws-big-ten-questions/

Knight site, how/where data and methodology.

https://knightnewhousedata.org/about#aboutdatameth

Like I said ... https://forum.siouxsports.com/topic/16061-conference-realignments-take-2/page/313/#comment-1314759