Welcome to our humble abode. Pull up a seat and grab a glass for a sip from today’s Jug of News. Hit the jump for news from the Big 12 meetings held yesterday, conference expansion, KSU football tickets going on sale, conference expansion, a basketball recruiting rule change, and, finally, more conference expansion.
You may or may not have heard, but the Big 12 held some meetings yesterday. On the docket was discussion of proposed playoff formats (result: basically an “us too” to what the SEC had already supported) and conference expansion (result: Denials that the conference is even thinking about expansion. Did someone say something about expansion? What does that word “expansion” even mean?). In the end, nothing was truly decided, particularly on the expansion front. Basically, it was a big “Kumbayah”, look-how-much-we-all-love-each-other-just-the-TEN-of-us–did we mention we really like the number “10”–session.
I still say the league is back to twelve by the end of the summer, but there’s been a “disturbance in the force”, as I’m starting to hear that UT is quite adamant in their opposition to expansion, particularly with regards to reinstating the Big 12 Championship Game. However, with absolutely no leverage at this point, the league is finally in a position to force UT to bow to the best interests of the rest of the league, instead of the best interests of the Longhorns only. We’ll see if anyone’s spine is stiff enough for the task. Expect a new story to drop either later today or later this week, whenever I can put together what I’m now hearing about UT’s behind-the-scenes efforts into a coherent article. While you wait, check out our page dedicated to our coverage of conference expansion.
Never shy to begin with, basketball coaches can call and text recruits without limitations, due to a recent rule change, which takes effect on the morning of June 15. You can expect Semi Ojeleye’s phone to be blowing up, to name only one of Coach Bruce Weber’s many recruits, partly because he does things like this.
On the football front, single game tickets will be available on June 6. The Cats have an impressive home slate this season, including a visit from the Miami Hurricanes–a return trip after the thriller that ended in a win for the Cats after a heroic goal line stand. Speaking of schedules, The Oklahoman‘s Berry Tramel ranked the Big 12’s non-conference schedules. He expresses a decent amount of surprise with where KSU’s non-conference schedule ranks (#3), as well as general disgust with the cream puffs served up to most of the league’s teams in non-conference.
Finally, if you didn’t get a chance to read Monday’s “Jug Of News” post, please go back and do so. It was essentially an obituary to a wonderful young girl, Brenna Morgart, who happened to be a K-State rowing recruit, and whose life was taken far too soon. Brenna story is worth knowing.