It still seems unreal that we are in the SEC. Like a dream. It is something that should have happened for us a long time ago, but we are finally here.

Our struggle to move was excruciating and daunting. I really feel that MU "rode" our coattails. I think MU can be a good SEC member long term, but you always wonder what they will do if the B1G ever comes calling.

WVU is not a long term XII member. They just don't fit, and are only in it for lack of options. It makes you wonder if they would have been better off to bide their time in the BE.

Did the SEC get the right school?

West Virginia is on par with tech..no one wants to go to Morgantown or Lubbock.....you can attend school at each place by knowing your SSN....I'm sure we'd all rather have some acc schools (unc, nc state, fsu, etc).
But mizzo brought a lot of TV sets with Missouri population.

Mizzo was the best slive could do

OP, i have had similar thoughts. Mizzou was the right choice as they are a better all around institution.

I would not be surprised if the SEC and WVU had conversations about being #14 prior to inking the preferred Mizzou. WVU, imho was the SEC's safety school.

I think you have to hope Mizzou embraces the SEC. I think if the Big 10 called right now, they'd probably be gone. But once the SEC money comes along, and their football culture is built up just by being in the SEC, in 5 years... In 10 years, i am not so sure that would be the case. (but then again, who really knows?)

No , WV was a perfect fit academically with the Big 12-2 !

Yankees.

NO!
NO!
NO!

WVU is a big bag of sh*t as a university. It also carries no significant TV markets.

The SEC is a BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP. New members need to grow the economic pie before they get a slice. That's what Mizzou and A&M did. WVU would just be another mouth to feed.

Want nothing to do with WVU. Terrible school, worse fans, and no one lives in WV. A few years of decent football teams after everyone left the Big East that mattered means nothing.

Mizzou is an AAU school that pulls their weight financially and has the potential to be a South Carolina type school, maybe better.

considering we can't beat them at home i wouldn't disparage them

WVU would have similar results to Mizzou on the football field. Financially, they do not offer more than Mizzou.

It's about TV markets. St Louis and KC vs Morgantown and Charleston?? Mizzou was the right choice.

No.

Mizzou

there are those who ask the same about texas a&m. give mizzou some time. They will adapt or look for an escape route. There are plenty who would willingly take their place.

This is a fascinating topic for a thread, considering that both Mizzou and A&M have yet to win their first SEC football game.

0-1 losing to a top 10 team. It's not like we played ole miss.

3 biggest cities in West Virginia with population:

Charleston 51,400
Huntington 49,138
Parkersburg 31,491.

Perhaps, they would have been a good addition to UIL District 5A-17.

The reality is that FSU, Ga Tech and Clemson were never in the mix because the SEC schools in Fla, Ga and SC formed a voting block adverse to adding another conference member from those states. Plus, Slive wanted to expand the SEC footprint, another reasons those schools were never considered. So that just meant schools in NC and Va were under consideration. Scratch Duke. We don't need another Vandy. So that mean that it would be Mizzou or NC State/UNC/UVa/VaTech. Va Tech tried for years to get into the ACC with its cross state rival, so that was one of those Okla and Okie Lite deals. Can't take just one, have to both but we only had room for one. As to UNC, as you know it is foremost a basketball school which is why it will never leave the ACC, the country's premire BB conference. So realistically, Mizzou's only competition was N.C. State. NC State would have been preferred only because it is a better geographical fit because it is closer to other SEC East schools. But since the NC State had no interest in leaving, that resulted in the spot going to Mizzou. I'm sure the conference had WVa in mind as a backup plan, although they probably were not too happy about it if they would have been forced to go in that direction.

NO, WVU is not an AAU school

NO, WVU is a small population state

NO, WVU has no "brand" in football or basketball

NO, WVU is too far north

NO, UK and UT are already in the SEC and they have better booze

NO, WVU has too many couch burnings for the SEC

Missou is a respected academic institution with AAU status. That's worth alot to me.

Missou bring attractive TV markets and fits in nicely with the SEC's footprint.

But placing Missou in the SEC's Eastern Division was just absolutely ridiculous. Why give divisions directional names if you're not going to follow those directions?

West Virginia's fan base is just plane nasty. I didn't and don't want them anywhere near the SEC. I'm glad Slive told them no thanks. Bevo 10 schools will not be so happy with their addition after their first trip to Morgantown.

I dont often agree with KM but I agree on this. Innthis round of expansion we needed tv sets, academics or a top shelf basketball school, WVU brought none of the three.
Mizzou was a bit riskier for sure (WVU would have been a zero flight risk), but there still wasn't much of a choice.

Guys, i dont think the OP was saying Mizzou was a bad move on paper.

I think he was more questioning their desire to be in the SEC. That they would likely bolt for the Big 10 if given the chance. At least WVU would want to be there.

Would Mizzou leave? I think the longer they stay, the happier they are, and the less likely they would go Big 10 if given the chance. However if Delaney called Mizzou tomorrow and said, "Pack your bags," dont you think they'd go?

That being said, i dont see the Big 10 expanding again for awhile, so i think its a moot point, because by the time they do, Mizzou will be so wrapped up in the SEC, they wouldnt want to leave anymore.

I agree with the east/west conference geography question. Don't Like it the way it is set up, but better than Leaders/Legends.

It was said earlier, that I don't "regret" Missouri being in the SEC, I just wonder where their heart is.

I think that if the SEC ever goes to nine games, then Auburn can go east Missouri west. This would require Alabama to play a 6-2-1 rotation to preserve their game with Tennessee and Auburn. Everyone else could play a 6-1-2 rotation.

This might make MU fit in better.

Mizzou is going to struggle in ether the east or west. Do they have the guts to 1-23 like South Carolina did is the bigger question. Georgia Tech dropped out because Bobby Dodd could not beat Bear Bryant and look how it turned out for their football program. Bear Bryant could not beat Neyland but he did not drop kentucky from the SEC.

The SEC does not give you the wins it just gives you the opportunity to compete against the best for the respect of earning the wins.

quote:

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It's about TV markets. St Louis and KC vs Morgantown and Charleston?? Mizzou was the right choice.

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Winner.

Some of you guys need to look at a map. Yes, it's called the SEC East, but it's really the SEC North (Mizzou, Vandy, UK, UT) and East (SC, UGA, UF). Before I first looked at it on a map, I didn't see Missouri as a fit. But, when you take the time to check out the actual geography, it makes sense. While one could make argument that an ACC school would have been preferable, the ones that were willing would not have been bringing new markets to the conference. And, new markets for the SEC network were the driving forces behind the economics of the move--there were other factors, such as competitive strength and academics, but, as to money, Missouri was hands down the best option out there.

if only for fan safety, i'd answer with a resounding "no."

their academics are an utter embarrassment as well.

twk,

You understand anything with "north" in it will not fly in the SEC. just like in the SEC it is shakers and not pom poms.

Yes, I understand. Maybe they should go non-geographical like Mason & Dixon, or blues & country, or Lynard Skynard & Allman Brothers.

BTW: when they try to hand me one of those "shakers" in Tuscaloosa or Oxford, I'll ask them what's up with the pom poms just to see if I can get a rise out of them.

[This message has been edited by twk (edited 9/24/2012 7:48p).]

He'll no. Gawd, it's not close.

Morgantown is as far from Pittsburgh as A&M is from Houston. While they aren't the #1 school in Pittsburgh, its not uncommon for people from that area to wind up at WVU (agreed they would the same folks from Dallas who wind up at Tech but its still eyeballs).

He!! no! My sorry arse school had trouble beating Akron. You think we wanna screw with the couch-burners?