Thought this was interesting from 247Sports.....
While Oklahoma and Texas prepare for their final season in the Big 12, a lot has been made of their pending move to the SEC. A number of opinions were shared during Big 12 Media Days, as expected. But some staggering remarks came from the Big 12's Deputy Commissioner, Tim Weiser, during an interview with KC Sports Network.
The portion of the interview that primarily went viral was Weiser's claim he felt Texas' move to the SEC wasn't based on finances, but affiliation. Weiser said he felt Texas, in his example, would rather 'get beat by Alabama than Kansas State, or Florida than Iowa State'. While this instantly drew out the initial reactions, a comment made afterwards was equally notable. With this decision, allegedly, made by Texas, Weiser then stated he felt that Oklahoma was 'reluctantly' brought into the move alongside a program that has long been seen as an unspoken partner.
"In Oklahoma's case, I'm not as convinced that was the issue for them," Weiser said. "I think they were more of what I would call the reluctant bride, that kind of felt like if we don't go, what happens to the Texas vs. OU football game, basketball game and all the things that we know from an OU-Texas standpoint are really important."
"I kind of felt like if I was in Oklahoma's case, it would've been hard for me not to think about the long term," Weiser added. "Don't we want to be affiliated with Texas and, now, these other schools?"
Bringing this comment up to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, he started off by saying he wasn't aware of the statement. But, after taking a brief pause, he gave his side. Emphatically denying this concept, the SEC's leader wanted to let it be known each program made the decision to move on their own at the highest level.
"Let me be clear," Sankey said. "That's fiction. Period. That's fiction."
"The outreach was from both, equitably," Sankey added. "It was done at a presidential level, directly and clearly. Joe Harroz and Jay Hartzell were both equally clear about their interest in joining the Southeastern Conference."
Weiser may have felt that one made the decision because of the other or because of a wanted change in perception. But Sankey felt strongly neither were ever the case during the process of finalizing the move. Texas and Oklahoma, in his eyes, simply wanted to join a conference based on the direction its taking.
"They, as I recall, said 'We've watched how you've led', which is a compliment to me, how our group has made decisions and how we function, and they want to be a part of that," Sankey said. "Clear as I can be."
While Oklahoma and Texas prepare for their final season in the Big 12, a lot has been made of their pending move to the SEC. A number of opinions were shared during Big 12 Media Days, as expected. But some staggering remarks came from the Big 12's Deputy Commissioner, Tim Weiser, during an interview with KC Sports Network.
The portion of the interview that primarily went viral was Weiser's claim he felt Texas' move to the SEC wasn't based on finances, but affiliation. Weiser said he felt Texas, in his example, would rather 'get beat by Alabama than Kansas State, or Florida than Iowa State'. While this instantly drew out the initial reactions, a comment made afterwards was equally notable. With this decision, allegedly, made by Texas, Weiser then stated he felt that Oklahoma was 'reluctantly' brought into the move alongside a program that has long been seen as an unspoken partner.
"In Oklahoma's case, I'm not as convinced that was the issue for them," Weiser said. "I think they were more of what I would call the reluctant bride, that kind of felt like if we don't go, what happens to the Texas vs. OU football game, basketball game and all the things that we know from an OU-Texas standpoint are really important."
"I kind of felt like if I was in Oklahoma's case, it would've been hard for me not to think about the long term," Weiser added. "Don't we want to be affiliated with Texas and, now, these other schools?"
Bringing this comment up to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, he started off by saying he wasn't aware of the statement. But, after taking a brief pause, he gave his side. Emphatically denying this concept, the SEC's leader wanted to let it be known each program made the decision to move on their own at the highest level.
"Let me be clear," Sankey said. "That's fiction. Period. That's fiction."
"The outreach was from both, equitably," Sankey added. "It was done at a presidential level, directly and clearly. Joe Harroz and Jay Hartzell were both equally clear about their interest in joining the Southeastern Conference."
Weiser may have felt that one made the decision because of the other or because of a wanted change in perception. But Sankey felt strongly neither were ever the case during the process of finalizing the move. Texas and Oklahoma, in his eyes, simply wanted to join a conference based on the direction its taking.
"They, as I recall, said 'We've watched how you've led', which is a compliment to me, how our group has made decisions and how we function, and they want to be a part of that," Sankey said. "Clear as I can be."
