Utah to the PAC 10

[E.J.]

YES!!!!!!

http://www.pac-10.org/genrel/061610aaa.html

June 16, 2010

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- The Pacific-10 has extended an invitation to the University of Utah to join the Conference. A press conference will take place in the Rice-Eccles Stadium tower at the University of Utah tomorrow at 1 p.m. MT/12 p.m. PT.

[E.J.]

Oh...and I am going home shortly to have a big glass of bourbon and a fine cigar!

YES!!!!

[ucla695]

And all of this for a conference play-off and the money that comes with it.

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by ucla695

And all of this for a conference play-off and the money that comes with it.

Are you still mad about 2007?

[ucla695]

Originally Posted by E.J.

Are you still mad about 2007?

2007? I assume UCLA lost to Utah at something.

Naw, just don't like the sound of the PAC 12.

[kgoings]

Originally Posted by ucla695

2007? I assume UCLA lost to Utah at something.

Naw, just don't like the sound of the PAC 12.

Maybe they will just call it the PAC?

[The Poet]

I can see how this is good news for the Utes, but for the Pac-11 it's really pretty poor consolation for its original targets of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, or Oklahoma.

No offense, but there it is.

[acarr]

Originally Posted by The Poet

I can see how this is good news for the Utes, but for the Pac-11 it's really pretty poor consolation for its original targets of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, or Oklahoma.

No offense, but there it is.

Yeah not too happy about either addition to the Pac.

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by The Poet

I can see how this is good news for the Utes, but for the Pac-11 it's really pretty poor consolation for its original targets of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, or Oklahoma.

No offense, but there it is.

No offense taken....could not care less if it is poor consolation. The Utes go from being a have not, to a have....how they get there....I could give a chit... Going from a 1.5M television payout to an 8-12M payout....know what that does for an athletic program....??? That is just the start of the football money that rolls in for these AQ conferences.

By the way, how they got there was a SOLID athletic program and being a research institution.......the mid 30's television market didn't get the trigger pulled....

Added bonus, I think the Utes can compete immediately in the PAC as currently structured.

[E.J.]

This would be icing on the cake....

http://espn.go.com/blog/pac10/post/_...it-north-south

Pac-10 will likely split North-South
June, 16, 2010 Jun 165:18PM ETEmail Print Comments27 By Ted MillerIt appears increasingly likely that the Pac-10 will split into six-team North and South divisions once Utah and Colorado join the league.

While Pac-10 officials won't confirm this, it seems that Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn was promised a spot in the south division with USC, UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State. Utah will become the sixth member and the Buffaloes' travel partner from the Mountain Time Zone.

Consider this from a Denver Post story this afternoon:

Playing in a south division instead of a north with the Bay Area, Oregon and Washington schools was a must for Colorado to accept an invitation. Its largest out-of-state alumni base is in southern California.

"That is a huge boost for us," Bohn said. "The southern division for the University of Colorado provides many opportunities that are keys to reaching our alumni to our recruiting and to enhance media exposure that connects best to the Denver market."

So it's fait accompli, unless Bohn is mistaken (and a source told the Pac-10 blog Tuesday that no other arrangement has traction with conference administrators).

There are then four remaining mysteries, other than what the conference will be called -- Pac-12 seems most logical.

What will be the format of a conference championship game? Will it be played at a neutral site or on the home field of the No. 1 seed?
When will Colorado and Utah join the conference? It seems there's growing momentum for both to join in 2011-12.
Will Utah and Colorado add enough juice for the conference to start its own TV network?
And, finally, when the new TV and media contracts are signed, how much will the per team revenue increase? Can the conference even approach the $17 to $22 million distributed by the SEC and Big Ten?

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by E.J.

Added bonus, I think the Utes can compete immediately in the PAC as currently structured.

Judging by last year, they can compete in basketball. And with the slam that USC football just took from the NCAA, they can likely compete in football too.

Baseball, against those Arizona teams? Beach volleyball, against UCLA? Fat chance.

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by The Poet

Baseball, against those Arizona teams? Beach volleyball, against UCLA? Fat chance.

I was only referring to gymnastics....

[ucla695]

I was only referring to gymnastics....




Just a watering down of talent...

[The Poet]

Originally Posted by ucla695

I was only referring to gymnastics....




Just a watering down of talent...

Yeah, I got a beam she can balance upon.

[ucla695]

Originally Posted by The Poet

Yeah, I got a beam she can balance upon.

EJ, are you in UT? We still have a house in Park City, and my sister was a UTE. I am stoked for Utah to be in a BCS conference too. My wife and I live in Boise now, but we are back in Park City at least once a month in the winter and periodically in the summer. If you are in the Salt Lake area, we should get together for a smoke sometime.

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by Pistol

EJ, are you in UT? We still have a house in Park City, and my sister was a UTE. I am stoked for Utah to be in a BCS conference too. My wife and I live in Boise now, but we are back in Park City at least once a month in the winter and periodically in the summer. If you are in the Salt Lake area, we should get together for a smoke sometime.

Yes, in SLC. Would love to get together for a drink and smoke sometime....

Originally Posted by E.J.

Yes, in SLC. Would love to get together for a drink and smoke sometime....

Done and done! I'll let you know the next time we are in town.

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by Pistol

Done and done! I'll let you know the next time we are in town.

Excellent!