Mind the Time Zones!

All this talk about Texas A&M bolting from the Big 12 to join the SEC if invited may result in the ultimate demise of the Big 12 Conference.  It shouldn't happen, though and there is a very good reason.  The league still has solid enough programs and solid membership even without the Aggies.  What is wrong with a league that features Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State and Missouri?  Nothing at all that adding a Houston, Texas Christian (or SMU)  and one other non Texas school would not correct.  The league would be back to twelve and still very solid in multiple sports.

Instead there are  reports that Oklahoma may be flirting with the Pac 12 and that partner Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech might wind up joining them.  That makes no sense.

I am not going to even try to talk about dollars and cents, but rather dollars and sense.  It makes no sense to be tied into a league with the bulk of its membership two time zones away.  Would the dollars that joining such a far flung league--even if an "Eastern" division of the league were constructed?

Retaining the Big 12 and expanding it by two or three schools makes the most sense.  It would keep a major conference in the middle of the country.  It would keep basketball powers like Kansas and Kansas State conference affiliated.  It would make it much easier for fans of all teams support their schools in person when playing on the road.

If you are old enough to remember the old Southwest Conference it was very common for fans of the schools to travel en masse to see their football teams play in the other venues around the loop.  That was lessened with the breakup of the SWC and the establishment of the Big 12.  It would virtually disappear with the end of the Big 12 and the top football programs spread from the Pacific to Atlantic coasts.

The Aggies in the SEC will likely play in the Western half of the league.  That still involves going pretty far afield.  Any schools affiliating with the Pac 12 will be even more challenged.

I say, if the Aggies want to move. let them.  But don't kill the Big 12.  It can still be a viable league by just adding two or three schools.  The schools are available to make the jump--namely TCU and Houston without harming the large conferences they presently play in.

I sincerely do believe, however, that the Aggies and Longhorns should always play non conference battles in all sports.  Geographically it makes sense.  The rivalry would even have chance to be greater.  Imagine:  The Texas A&M Aggies of the SEC vs the Texas Longhorns of the Big 12.  It becomes a conference as well as a school rivalry just like in the old days of the Oklahoma Sooners of the Big 8 vs the Texas Longhorns of the SWC.  Nothing was wrong with that rivalry was there?