TopFrog
Lifelong Frog
FWST: Stability of nucleus is Big 12's first priority
By Jimmy Burch
jburch@star-telegram.com
GRAPEVINE -- Big 12 athletic directors met Tuesday to discuss steps to stabilize its nine-member nucleus and plot a course for expansion after Monday's announcement that Texas A&M will join the Southeastern Conference for the 2012 football season.
Iowa State's Jamie Pollard, chairman of the Big 12 athletic directors, said he feels "really comfortable" about the league's future despite ongoing speculation about Missouri's interest in joining the SEC. But Pollard acknowledged members must "prove" their solidarity to outsiders before they can lure expansion candidates to a league that has discussed operating with nine, 10, 12 or 16 teams in the future.
"Actions have to speak louder than words," Pollard said. "Ultimately, we'll have to prove it because there will always be doubters. The most important piece right now is the solidarity among the nine ... so that we can be stabilized before we entertain whether [membership] should be nine, 10, 12 or 16. At the end of the day, the right number will appear and we'll talk about the positives." ...
By Jimmy Burch
jburch@star-telegram.com
GRAPEVINE -- Big 12 athletic directors met Tuesday to discuss steps to stabilize its nine-member nucleus and plot a course for expansion after Monday's announcement that Texas A&M will join the Southeastern Conference for the 2012 football season.
Iowa State's Jamie Pollard, chairman of the Big 12 athletic directors, said he feels "really comfortable" about the league's future despite ongoing speculation about Missouri's interest in joining the SEC. But Pollard acknowledged members must "prove" their solidarity to outsiders before they can lure expansion candidates to a league that has discussed operating with nine, 10, 12 or 16 teams in the future.
"Actions have to speak louder than words," Pollard said. "Ultimately, we'll have to prove it because there will always be doubters. The most important piece right now is the solidarity among the nine ... so that we can be stabilized before we entertain whether [membership] should be nine, 10, 12 or 16. At the end of the day, the right number will appear and we'll talk about the positives." ...
