Started By
Message
Possible Memphis to Big12 Implications
Posted on 7/20/16 at 1:30 pm
Posted on 7/20/16 at 1:30 pm
Reports are that Memphis is a possible target for the Big 12
My first thought is why would they target Memphis. Historically poor football team and have really fallen off in basketball recently. Memphis is a large city but the population is mostly a fan of Ole Miss, MSU, UT, or Bama so I don't see that they grab much market space here
But I also wonder what the implications to Ole Miss would be. I think in the first 5-10 years they would be very small. But in the future I could see students that would have gone to Ole Miss more strongly consider just staying home in Memphis and attend a P5 school and student athletes deciding they could just stay home and compete in a P5 conference. Especially if Memphis were able to have a couple of strong years.
I'm not scared of Memphis joining the B12 but I do think it could negatively affect us down the line.
What is the boards opinion?
My first thought is why would they target Memphis. Historically poor football team and have really fallen off in basketball recently. Memphis is a large city but the population is mostly a fan of Ole Miss, MSU, UT, or Bama so I don't see that they grab much market space here
But I also wonder what the implications to Ole Miss would be. I think in the first 5-10 years they would be very small. But in the future I could see students that would have gone to Ole Miss more strongly consider just staying home in Memphis and attend a P5 school and student athletes deciding they could just stay home and compete in a P5 conference. Especially if Memphis were able to have a couple of strong years.
I'm not scared of Memphis joining the B12 but I do think it could negatively affect us down the line.
What is the boards opinion?
4
Posted on 7/20/16 at 1:43 pm to POCKET
The Big XII will be a defacto Big 8/Big East in a matter of years once Texas bolts for the Pac 12.
I also don't think you are giving Ole Miss enough credit for the amount of goodwill we've built in the past 4 years. We've taken full advantage of the money influx, the national exposure, and the benefits that come with that by winning big games on the national stage in football and in other sports along the way (basketball at times, baseball, softball, soccer). We have more sidewalk fans in Memphis and surrounding places than ever before because of those factors.
Memphis will never be at our level or IMO cut into it enough that it will hurt us as long as we do our job correctly.
I also don't think you are giving Ole Miss enough credit for the amount of goodwill we've built in the past 4 years. We've taken full advantage of the money influx, the national exposure, and the benefits that come with that by winning big games on the national stage in football and in other sports along the way (basketball at times, baseball, softball, soccer). We have more sidewalk fans in Memphis and surrounding places than ever before because of those factors.
Memphis will never be at our level or IMO cut into it enough that it will hurt us as long as we do our job correctly.
Posted on 7/20/16 at 2:29 pm to DingDongEddieStrong
Lulz frick Memphis. It will be Cincinatti, Colorado State, BYU, and Boise State IMO.
Posted on 7/20/16 at 2:40 pm to DingDongEddieStrong
Have you spent much time in Memphis? There are tons of SEC fans, yes, but the city, at least in the moment, is all Tiger. Justin Fuente energized that fanbase more last year than Tommy West ever did, and Mike Norvell has recruited so well by Memphis standards that Memphis fans are actually following recruiting in July, before he's even coached a game. It helps that Sports 56 AM is pro-Ole Miss and carries our games, but almost all other local coverage skews heavily towards Tiger High. Ole Miss and UT make up the majority of the second tier, and MSU/Arky are the third tier.
I think Houston forced the XII's hand by meeting with the Pac 12. It doesn't make sense to me from a market share standpoint that they add UH, but it makes perfect sense in a Texas only gives a shite about Texas things standpoint, so I think UH is probably one of the two if they decide to expand (though supposedly they're also interested in UConn and BYU as football-only members, which makes no sense considering UConn is a basketball school and BYU will punch your players in the nuts and otherwise try to blow their knees out). I think Memphis is at a massive disadvantage facilities-wise because the Liberty Bowl is a shithole, and there's not exactly much the city or school can do to improve the structure itself with the money available. Their baseball field likewise is a joke, though they do play big games (i.e. Ole Miss) at Autozone Park. Obviously, the FedEx Forum is one of the nicest and largest arenas a college basketball team can play in, and they would have sell outs even this past year with limpdick Pastner at the helm.
As far as recruiting implications are concerned, I'd look at blue chip kids from Houston and Lubbock who decide to stay at UH and TT instead of going to Texas or aTm. There just aren't many of them. Yeah, there may be more security for a kid who wants to stay in Memphis, but, as long as Memphis isn't in the SEC, Ole Miss will always have that advantage on them. Not to mention, plenty of parents want their gifted sons to get the frick out of Memphis during their years as a young adult, but Oxford is almost as close to Downtown Memphis as Collierville is without actually being considered a suburb of the Bluff City.
If they go to the XII, that would probably really hurt our basketball recruiting in Memphis, except for the kids who are determined to leave Memphis. Most kids in the Mid-South would probably wanna hoop it up for Tiger High over Ole Miss regardless of what conference they're in. I'm not sure if it would affect baseball recruiting at all because Memphis puts about as much money into baseball as Ole Miss does into gymnastics.
I think Houston forced the XII's hand by meeting with the Pac 12. It doesn't make sense to me from a market share standpoint that they add UH, but it makes perfect sense in a Texas only gives a shite about Texas things standpoint, so I think UH is probably one of the two if they decide to expand (though supposedly they're also interested in UConn and BYU as football-only members, which makes no sense considering UConn is a basketball school and BYU will punch your players in the nuts and otherwise try to blow their knees out). I think Memphis is at a massive disadvantage facilities-wise because the Liberty Bowl is a shithole, and there's not exactly much the city or school can do to improve the structure itself with the money available. Their baseball field likewise is a joke, though they do play big games (i.e. Ole Miss) at Autozone Park. Obviously, the FedEx Forum is one of the nicest and largest arenas a college basketball team can play in, and they would have sell outs even this past year with limpdick Pastner at the helm.
As far as recruiting implications are concerned, I'd look at blue chip kids from Houston and Lubbock who decide to stay at UH and TT instead of going to Texas or aTm. There just aren't many of them. Yeah, there may be more security for a kid who wants to stay in Memphis, but, as long as Memphis isn't in the SEC, Ole Miss will always have that advantage on them. Not to mention, plenty of parents want their gifted sons to get the frick out of Memphis during their years as a young adult, but Oxford is almost as close to Downtown Memphis as Collierville is without actually being considered a suburb of the Bluff City.
If they go to the XII, that would probably really hurt our basketball recruiting in Memphis, except for the kids who are determined to leave Memphis. Most kids in the Mid-South would probably wanna hoop it up for Tiger High over Ole Miss regardless of what conference they're in. I'm not sure if it would affect baseball recruiting at all because Memphis puts about as much money into baseball as Ole Miss does into gymnastics.
This post was edited on 7/20/16 at 2:45 pm
Posted on 7/20/16 at 3:36 pm to TOFTR
Memphis is getting in. Alan Graf is tell all of his close friends.
Posted on 7/20/16 at 3:57 pm to DesotoRebel
i wonder what Mike Glenn has to say
Posted on 7/20/16 at 4:28 pm to POCKET
memphis won't go to the big 12 and we will cancel the series with them
From there, I hope we schedule home and home games with Notre Dame and Georgia Tech. Notre Dame for the national recognition and it looks amazing saying we beat them. Ga Tech because there are lots of rebels in atlanta so the turnout will be good and it helps croot'n
From there, I hope we schedule home and home games with Notre Dame and Georgia Tech. Notre Dame for the national recognition and it looks amazing saying we beat them. Ga Tech because there are lots of rebels in atlanta so the turnout will be good and it helps croot'n
Posted on 7/20/16 at 4:45 pm to DocHoliday11
We're playing Georgia Tech 2022-Atlanta 2023-Oxford
Posted on 7/20/16 at 4:48 pm to Rebel Land Shark
Posted on 7/20/16 at 5:23 pm to POCKET
Does BYU want nothing to do with a conference? I feel like the PAC 12 is a tad too secular for their taste, but their principles don't exactly mesh with the chain-loving flyover states either. still they are a great school with a huge following, a good bit of money, and a solid athletic department.
Also taking Memphis over UCF is a laugh riot too. I would think BYU, UCF, Colorado State, USF, ECU, and Cincinnati are all more attractive options.
I still can't believe the Big 12 just had two thumbs up their asses when Louisville wanted in
Also taking Memphis over UCF is a laugh riot too. I would think BYU, UCF, Colorado State, USF, ECU, and Cincinnati are all more attractive options.
I still can't believe the Big 12 just had two thumbs up their asses when Louisville wanted in
Posted on 7/20/16 at 9:45 pm to tigerbait2010
quote:
Does BYU want nothing to do with a conference
I believe BYU refuses to play on Sunday making them a scheduling nightmare.
Posted on 7/20/16 at 10:07 pm to YouDontKnowBro
If the Big 12 adds BYU it is likely they will be a football only in the conference.
This post was edited on 7/20/16 at 10:34 pm
Posted on 7/31/16 at 1:11 pm to POCKET
I think if Memphis were able to get into the Big 12 and have a couple of successful seasons then it would become a threat to the SEC schools in the region. I know a lot of schools in the SEC are not the biggest fan of recruiting Memphis kids because of all the shady shite that goes on with the coaches in the city. It would be a great move money wise for Memphis but at the end of the day they do not have Justin Fuente anymore and I think Norvall wont be anywhere in the same ballpark in terms of ability and recruiting
Posted on 7/31/16 at 7:06 pm to Jma313
I doubt that Memphis, even in the Big 12, would be any threat to nearby SEC teams.
Page 1 of 1
Latest Ole Miss News
Popular
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News