(Image Source: TexAgs.com)
BRAD GALBREATH
ANCHOR MEGAN MURPHY
You're watching multisource sports news anlaysis.
Will they -- or won’t they.
Texas A&M’s move from the Big 12 to the SEC is reportedly on hold….for now. The latest in the conference soap opera involves eight Big 12 schools threatening a lawsuit against the Aggies, preventing the school from leaving for a new home.
ESPN’s Andy Katz explains how the situation seems contingent on which way the wind blows -- in Oklahoma....
“Now from what I was told from sources that have direct knowledge of this conference call, that the remaining schools would be willing to waive their rights to sue Texas A&M or SEC, if they got a commitment from Oklahoma that they would remain in the Big 12.”
But is Oklahoma willing to stay? Apparently Sooners head football coach Bob Stoops doesn’t care if the rivalry game with Texas were to end. Here’s Oklahoma City’s KOCO.
“I don’t think it’s necessary. I know one wants to here that. Life changes. It changes, you got to changes with it. People find other rivalries, you find other places to go.”
The school with no place to go might be -- Baylor. The Bears were the first school to threaten legal action. Butch Alsandor of KHOU in Houston hints at Baylor’s real concern…
“There’s a lot of speculation out there. Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, they will probably move to the Pac-12 and form a super conference. Then there’s even talk that Kansas, Kansas State, and Mizzou might even move to the Big East. So that would leave Iowa State and Baylor out in the cold.”
Texas A&M president released this statement in response to Baylor’s threat.
“We are disappointed in the threats made by one of the Big 12 member institutions to coerce Texas A&M into staying in Big 12 Conference.”
Sports Illustrated notes Baylor President Kenneth Starr is no stranger to controversy…and won’t likely back down.
“Kenneth Star was independent council during the impeachment of President Clinton and among other investigation into the Clinton Whitehouse. So this is somebody who did his job despite a lot of public criticism after what he was doing.”
So where will the conference dominoes land? Several reports indicate -- it could be two weeks before the picture starts to clear up.