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Really? You don't think there's a chance that through email, telephone call, letter, smoke signal or dinner conversation Slive might have mentioned to an A&M representative that the SEC would really like to make another run at the Ags?

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Really? According to you sips, the SEC never really wanted us in the first place...

The OP is being retarded, BU is suing the SEC. The SEC has to take action.

^ get some sleep and your brain may work better in the morning!

Either one of two things is happening:

(1) This move is just slowing things down so everyone can get their ducks in a row and make the right decision for school and conference without feeling rushed.

This isn't a bad thing. The decisions made now are going to impact schools and conferences for maybe the nex 50 to 100 years. Why make that decision over a 48 hour period?

or

(2) Really, at the end of the day, the conference commissioners wimp out when it comes to radical realignment.

Delaney, Slive and Scott are fine WEAKENING the Big 12. But killing and sending its remaining members off to strengthen other conferences? Not so much.

Truth be told these guys are cowardly *******s everyone.

After last years situation, I don't blame the SEC for wanting to make sure A&M is free and clear of any litigation possibilities. No the SEC did not have to take us. The 12-0 vote, even with the caveat was in support of our desire to move and took all the prior arguments off the table that A&M did not have an offer.

A&M should just go ahead and serve notice that it will be leaving the Big12 regardless on June 30, 2012. After all the BS and legal threats there is no way that A&M should remain in this conference past the original target date.

You are not putting this conference back together. It is fractured to that point that no one trusts the other and the acrimony that was created will last for generations.

[This message has been edited by Joe_the_Plumber (edited 9/9/2011 3:43a).]

Based on OP's history of predictions, I feel very good about being in SEC in 2012.

Baylor is just stalling to make sure they have a seat when the music stops.

Your options are to trust Luicci and BZ (people with actual sources) or the whiners that come here and start threads based on a hunch and something they heard Lionel Hutz say.

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the SEC does deserve some blame. They have imposed a condition that can never be met. Baylor is never going to waive their right. End of story.

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I agree.

The SEC is asking for something that is unprecedented. Hell, there were lawsuits when some Big East teams left for the ACC less than a decade ago. They got resolved. These things happen? Why is the SEC making this seem like a major issue?

The SEC is not living up to their commitment.

Theo,

They have known this is happening for weeks. Where did 48 hours come from?

MS,

If a contract has an exit clause, I don't see how you can hold A&M responsible for taking it. The new contract for television did not supersede A&M's right to exit. Baylor is basically saying because they spent more money than they had, it is up to us not to us our legally approved exit. It is incumbent upon the Big 12 to find a new member to keep the contract alive, not A&M. Lifting has said he spoke with the Fox executives who said the contract would survive without A&M. All the Big 12 has to do is add SMU or UH and the contact stays in place. So why can't A&M leave?

I agree with the OP.

If the SEC doesn't take us unconditionally, then we need start shopping around. The SEC has put an endless slew of hurdles in front of us, and now a hurdle that they know we can't get over. I just don't think they want us that bad.

Endless? You mean the one "we don't want to be sued" hurdle

Yes, that one.

for those saying go indy for a year and then join the SEC ... nothing in that situaion stops baylor from suing the SEC a year from now ...

and yes i know they would lose .. but they would lose right now as well

Has the Big 12 conference become the Hotel California of athletic conferences - You can check out any time you want but you can never leave?

Unfortunately, due to the timing of our notice of withdrawal and our efective withdrawal date we are a "Breaching Member" as defined by Big 12 bylaws. But would it make any difference if we weren't. I think not.

The current term, unless the bylaws were altered when Colorado and Nebraska left expires July 1, 2016. Conference membership was originally a 10 year term and membership automatically extends for an additional 5 year term at the end of each term, unless a member gives notice of withdrawal 2 years prior to the end of the term.

Would the plight of the conference and its lessor members be any different if instead of announcing our withdrawal effective July 2012
we instead announced we simply would not extend our membership past the current term (July 2016). I think not. The conference would still be weakened and left in a position where it would either have to replace us or additional members would seek other affiliations as well.
The Baylors of the world, would still be just as screwed. Baylor would still stand to suffer economic harm if the conference collapsed.

What Baylor appears to be saying is that despite bylaws that clearly specify an avenue for members to orderly withdraw, no member can leave without the threat of litigation because doing so under any circumstances will harm Baylor financially.

We truly are in the conference from hell

The SEC is just being careful. I read yesterday that they retained a law firm in Charlotte for advisement as to how to proceed. They also brought in lawyers from Birmingham that had assisted them when they were negotiating with ESPN on their last contract.

Things are moving slowly, but the SEC is doing something!!! The people at LSU simply said that lawyers are being gathered at Birmingham. Perhaps they want to comb through the fine prints or they are readying themselves for legal warfare.

edit for double post.

[This message has been edited by The Sockster (edited 9/9/2011 7:33a).]

BL and BZ have pretty much said the lawyers on the SEC/A&M side are working on a solution.

starr's last minute backstabbing is only going to temporarily stall the inevitable, the break up of the big12.

What he did will likely seal baylor's fate in terms of having no chance in hell of having a home in not only a major conference but a mid major.

No one is going to put up with a conference mate that will pull this type of crap the minute they do not get what they want.



[This message has been edited by viva torrente (edited 9/9/2011 7:37a).]

Failor's best hope was always a C-USA or MAC conference. I wonder, though, if their latest stunt may make these clubs wary of welcoming the 'Sue 'em' Bears.

The Big 12 cant do anything right now either.

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I agree with the OP.

If the SEC doesn't take us unconditionally, then we need start shopping around. The SEC has put an endless slew of hurdles in front of us, and now a hurdle that they know we can't get over. I just don't think they want us that bad.

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...and why do we still want to go to the SEC when they have made it obvious that they do not want us by putting all types of hurdles in front of us? By voting us in on condition of no legalities they gave a hint to the other Big XII conference members to block us legally. By doing so they save face by saying, "We wanted TAMU, but we could not accept them due to legalities" thus saving them the trouble of not only saying no to us, but also being able to brag about the superiority of the SEC as one conference that one want to be in while being cliquish and sticking to their own.

As I said earlier in previous threads, they do not consider us one of them. We Aggies are being played and tu is not only laughing at us but also the SEC as well...

BJC
TAMU Class of '96

Increase their TV market by 42% and they don't want us.It will happen.

Honestly I am think that yall guys is let this situation and Baylor gets to you.

I think there is other reason that this is happening and nobody really talking about it but when you see post upon post of people complain and upset about that. It seem like this is winning for Baylor.

It is DOUBT

Before this happened, everybody was happy and excited but after what happened, then doubt started to kick in and everybody was trying to blame TAMU and SEC because not being aggresive, some people are willing to start look into other conference (Baylor will still block them), or even going Indy (it is a pain to schedule).

Right now, you guys are in the SEC and Mike Silve, SEC Lawyers and TAMU Lawyers is doing everything to make sure that this mess goes away, so you guys is official in. Believe me, Baylor and BIG XII wants the fans, boosters, and others to fret, worried, and doubt about what is going on but they are very busy behind the scene.

Besides, like I say last night "Tort" Case like this can last over a year maybe more, and nobody wants that.

[This message has been edited by NekiEcko (edited 9/9/2011 10:23a).]

The Chicken Ranch, you really have no idea what you are talking about and you need to quit posting on the subject.

BMX- not sure what you're talking about, but then I'm not sure you do either.

The bottom line is that the SEC needs to change its position unless there is an unlikely scenario looming where Baylor signs a waiver. Otherwise, this aint happening anytime soon.

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Just because we haven't heard anything all day doesn't mean that things aren't in motion.

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Agree!

Boulder Sooner what's your opinion? do u want OU to stay in big 9?

being an independent for any amount of time is a dangerous position to in and staying in the big 12 is not an option.

The level of legal ineptitude on this thread is astonishing. The fact that there is an exit clause from the Big XII contract has absolutely nothing to do with the tortious interference claim -- which is the claim that has teeth. That claim implicates, primarily, the $1.2B Fox TV deal -- which would presumably fall apart when and if the Big XII does the same (it's been reported that the contract has a composition clause -- meaning that if the Big XII loses any teams the contract may be null and void). And none of this takes into account potential breach of contract claims against ESPN for inducing teams to leave their current conferences. You can bet they're working behind the scenes with the SEC their other television partners to avoid those potential claims. And yes, I'm a lawyer, and have seen suits with way less merit than these result in large sums of money.

[This message has been edited by WFCall73 (edited 9/9/2011 10:39a).]

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Q1: No billion-dollar entity (like the SEC) should blow off any type of threatened lawsuit without first studying the possible worst-case outcomes. If Baylor was to file a tortious interference claim, what would the school’s odds be of winning such a case?

AL: There are about a thousand variables involved, and I don’t know at least 100 of the relevant facts. But with that lawyerly disclaimer in mind, in a nutshell, I think that if it turns out that A&M initiated the contact with the SEC, it’s going to be tough for Baylor to prevail. Assuming that A&M is actually breaching its contract with the Big 12 by leaving, then Baylor would have to show (1) that the SEC intended to cause A&M to leave the Big 12; (2) that the SEC’s actions actually did cause A&M to leave; and (3) that damage to Baylor resulted. If A&M made the initial overture to the SEC instead of the other way around, it’s going to be tough for Baylor to establish that the SEC’s actions caused A&M to do something it wasn’t already inclined to do. So, the SEC’s actions wouldn’t be the proximate cause of A&M’s departure, in which case the lawsuit fails. The other problem for Baylor that I see is establishing damages. If Baylor can establish causation, I would guess Baylor could plausibly claim that it will suffer damages based on the loss of revenue resulting from a weakened Big 12, but the extent of those damages would seem to me to be really, really speculative. I’m not sure they can be calculated with any degree of certainty. How much money is Baylor going to lose if A&M leaves? I’m not sure how you can calculate that. That’s partly why the Big 12 probably included a penalty clause in its contract with A&M in the event that if a team leaves the Big 12 that clause forces the departing team to pay the Big 12 when they leave — because it’s tough to predict how much damages will be in these situations… and it’s a way to insure the Big 12 gets paid something.

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http://www.mrsec.com/2011/09/breaking-down-the-legal-threats-to-the-sec/

Anyone have updated news?

You people are amazing. The chances that A & M does not end up in the SEC are about zero.

If Oklahoma "saves the Big 12" the SEC can take you with no risk. So why not wait a week or two to see if that happens? If Oklahoma bolts then the SEC can decide whether the invitation is worth the risk of a lawsuit. even in that scenario BU's claims against the SEC are weaker because the SEC can point to Oklahoma as being the cause the conference died.

So if the SEC waits on OU it either has no risk or smaller risk. But you want them to take a stand now? Why?

Because your fanbase is into instant gratification and becuase your oversized egos do not allow you to comprehend that Baylor is causing you to wait a few weeks to open your Christmas present. Someone needs to do an airdrop of anti-anxiety medication on College Station.

@Foldberg

If someone presented you your new corvette for Christmas, handed you the keys and said - "Enjoy!" with 2 seconds later some guy that hates you runs up and says, "Nope! Gonna stop you.." You know it wont work, and you just have to wait 2 weeks, you'd be pissed as well. We'll calm down eventually, but not for a few days...

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You people are amazing. The chances that A & M does not end up in the SEC are about zero.

If Oklahoma "saves the Big 12" the SEC can take you with no risk. So why not wait a week or two to see if that happens? If Oklahoma bolts then the SEC can decide whether the invitation is worth the risk of a lawsuit. even in that scenario BU's claims against the SEC are weaker because the SEC can point to Oklahoma as being the cause the conference died.

So if the SEC waits on OU it either has no risk or smaller risk. But you want them to take a stand now? Why?

Because your fanbase is into instant gratification and becuase your oversized egos do not allow you to comprehend that Baylor is causing you to wait a few weeks to open your Christmas present. Someone needs to do an airdrop of anti-anxiety medication on College Station.

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If it doesn't matter what A&M does, why the threats of lawsuits from Baylor?

beerad: please prove otherwise! There are many other posters that feel the same way as I do, just read this thread alone!

Should we all quit posting?

BJC: I hope you are wrong, but you may be spot on....unfortunately.

[This message has been edited by The Chicken Ranch (edited 9/9/2011 11:14a).]

[This message has been edited by The Chicken Ranch (edited 9/9/2011 11:15a).]

Sure I understand the hate being directed at us (not to be interpreted as merited-we are playing the only card we have been dealt and it is lloking more and more like we played it pretty well)but asking the SEC to jump in to the fray at this point (emphasizing at this point)is just silly.

Maybe A&M becomes a free agent. As someone suggested earlier wait two years and then leave. Meanwhile, ramp up recruiting and continue improving the facilities and the academics. Expand the search into the big 10 and see what happens.