t.u. went behind everyone to negotiate with CBS to try for a Notre Dame like deal where they go independent. CBS declined. They blocked our initial interest in the SEC (which we were happy if they came too) but then negotiated with OU to form the Big XII. The thing is, it wasn't their idea for the SWC to join the Big 8, but they just didn't like the initial idea where everyone would come. Here's a quote from the president of K-State.
Quote:
Wefald: Geez, this guy from Kansas State trying to get all of us to join the Big Eight. They probably viewed me as kind of a humorous figure. In 1990, I don't think too many other ADs were really thinking of this kind of merger. I think 11 of the 16 schools were there [at the meetings]. This was just for initial discussion. Here, it's on the table: Are there benefits to a merger? Instead of eight and eight, we'd be 16. The conversation went on for 30 minutes, and Bill Cunningham, I would say he had an attitude. He was a brilliant fellow, but I think he knew that too. So 30 minutes into the meeting, he says, "We are not interested."
They had Bullock strong arm us into a deal they already negotiated. They worked to move the Big XII conference championship game from a North/South rotation to a permanent Dallas game. The worked to have the Big XII offices in Dallas. The deal for the south to get the baseball tournament and the north to get basketball turned into basketball rotating to the south. Here's K-State again.
Quote:
Wefald: I voted for everything Texas wanted. Whatever they wanted was fine with me.
They sold their media rights thereby crippling any efforts to form a conference network. Then even after almost destroying the conference, they still insisted on an unequal distribution of funds.
That's just what we know for a fact. Considering how much other smoke is around their activities, surely there is more they have been up to in the last 30 years. Not once in the last 30 years has t.u. made any effort to sacrifice an ounce of power for the betterment of the conference. In their wake of destruction, they have destroyed three conferences (SWC, Big 8, Big XII). And now we are getting back together.