One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou

Posted by Tom Fornelli

While Missouri hasn't made it official yet, it's generally accepted knowledge that the school will announce that it's leaving the Big 12 for the SEC at some point in the near future. Which means that the Big 12 is already putting plans together to find a replacement for Missouri should it leave, and rumors have West Virginia as being the favorite to be that tenth school.

Something that one Big 12 school official confirmed to the Austin American Statesman's Kirk Bohls this weekend, and the official also went on to say that the Big 12 would be better off with West Virginia than it would be with Missouri.

“I’d say West Virginia is the leader in the clubhouse," the school official told Bohls. "I think we’ll come out better than before. I’d rather be with someone who wants to be with our conference than anybody who doesn’t.”

“West Virginia has better football than Missouri, better basketball than Missouri, a better budget than Missouri and more passion among its fans than Missouri. They’re better, anyway you turn ‘em. The travel’s not good but that’s it.”

Well that's no way to convince Missouri to stay.

Bohls also talked to another Big 12 administrator who wasn't nearly as rough on Missouri, and also said he's not sure that West Virginia would be the best candidate to replace it.

“The only place where there’s an advantage for West Virginia is better football,” the second official said. “Their academics is not as strong. If there’s any thought about what’s best for the student-athlete, we’ll go with Louisville.”

So the two likely candidates to replace Missouri are still West Virginia and Louisville, and the favorite depends on who you ask. So all we really know at this point is that Missouri is going to leave and that the Big East is squirming.

l3oogieman Since: Sep 19, 2011	Posted on: October 26, 2011 8:06 pm One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou LOL...WVU gets kicked back out even before it ever comes in.......what is this SH*&!!!!!!! [ Reply to Comment ]
natrone23 Since: Dec 14, 2010	Posted on: October 26, 2011 1:57 pm One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou And you wonder why we want out... Good luck WV! [ Reply to Comment ]
Sabshire Since: Jul 22, 2008	Posted on: October 26, 2011 6:24 am One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou so ya'll have 2 wins like utah does, ha, even kansas has a bcs win. the fact is, mizzou is battle tested week in and week out. hard to say that about the big easy conference. but hey, ya'll may step in and beat oklahoma, ok st, texas, etc. good luck and know this, it will be a hell of a lot harder to win games in a real conference. I agree the Big12 will be a much tougher conference for WVU to compete in than the Big East. But I think that the program will be able to compete well. If not immediately then sooner rather than later. I don't know much about Missouri football, I really only watched them play back in 07 when they were the number 1 team and WVU was the number2 at the time. I used to watch A&M alot when they played back in the 80s and 90s when their defense was nicknamed the "wrecking crew." And even began keeping up with Oklahoma St. after WVU played them in the 87 Sun Bowl and they won by two points with Mike Gundy, Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders. I've also enjoyed watching Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska teams play in the past. A whole lot of tradition in the Big12 and it's a shame that they've come so close to folding lately. Its a given that teams playing in the Big12 are battle tested as you say but I do think that only holds any real significance if those teams are good ones that are being battle tested and they play other teams out of conference. WVU has good tradition as well and gets good athletes in all sports. The style of football they play fits in more with the SEC and the Big12 now more than it does with traditional east coast teams as well. Basketball may be a change WVU though because I think Big East play is a bit more physical than the brand they play in the Big12. But the one thing that has hurt the Mountaineers has been recruiting marquee athletes to play for us in the Big East conference. Especially when you have to compete for them with other conferences that surround the Big East. Hopefully that will change now. But that's only hurt us in depth not in talent. As a Mountaineer fan it will definitely be exciting to see how they compete if they do indeed move into the Big12 with all those storied tradition rich teams coming to play at Mountaineer Field. I for one am looking forward to it if it happens. [ Reply to Comment ]
pigskinpage Since: Oct 4, 2007	Posted on: October 25, 2011 10:16 pm One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou so ya'll have 2 wins like utah does, ha, even kansas has a bcs win. the fact is, mizzou is battle tested week in and week out. hard to say that about the big easy conference. but hey, ya'll may step in and beat oklahoma, ok st, texas, etc. good luck and know this, it will be a hell of a lot harder to win games in a real conference. [ Reply to Comment ]
twocoach Since: Jan 17, 2008	Posted on: October 25, 2011 5:38 pm One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou "KU is still Mizzous little brother in all this realignment talk. Well at least Mizzou fans can finally feel they are relevant, since people are talking about them. The rallying cry for Mizzou fans: "Wait 'till next year" isn't going to make make them relevant in their new conference any more than they are relevant in their current one. Interesting to hear his comments on adding WestVa since twocoach has been OPINIONATED on not adding a poor education school. You lose an AAU member like Missouri...to add a school that promotes beastiality as a major. Like KU." I have not made ONE comment about the academic portion of realignment because I am smart enough to know that it has NOTHING to do with the situation. You can roll out all the silly crap about what degrees you can get and what the endowment is and what school is an AAU member. The fact is that if you haven't caught on to the fact that those things make NO DIFFERENCE in this conversatiuon, well then there just isn't any point in discussing it further. Bottom line, WVU was picked over Louisville because WV has a better football team than Louisville. Period. This isn't complicated. [ Reply to Comment ]
l3oogieman Since: Sep 19, 2011	Posted on: October 25, 2011 1:56 pm One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou Buford....Im not quite sure what im in denial about??? Are you saying WVU isnt getting to go to these other confrences because of our fans reputations?? Thats stupid!!! I dont care how people may look at me beacuse im cheering over a sporting event. Can you say you know me or what im about just be watching me cheer for my football team??? Im just trying to see where you are coming from with the whole denial thing. What am I denying???? Im a fan and will continue to be when has it become a bad thing to cheer for your team???? [ Reply to Comment ]
Buford62 Since: Jul 9, 2010	Posted on: October 25, 2011 11:39 am One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou The BIG EAST Commissioner, big guy Marinatto, says he will require any schools leaving the BE to stay for 27 months. How can that happen if he re-inforces the BIG EAST with 8 to 12 new schools. Once the conference reaches 8 football schools, how can this guy hold these schools for a 27 month period ? I'm sure the BIG EAST will be in some lawsuits over this issue once it reaches 8 members. The reason for the 27 months was to give the league the opportunity to build back it's league to 8 football members, which it's competition would begin on July 1st. of a given conference football year. [ Reply to Comment ]
MasterAgain Since: Oct 30, 2008	Posted on: October 25, 2011 11:34 am One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou If I were you WVU, I'd stay away from the Big XII. It's a complete mess. You're going to left to find your way alone just like KState and Iowa State. [ Reply to Comment ]
MasterAgain Since: Oct 30, 2008	Posted on: October 25, 2011 11:28 am One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou No winners. Doesn't matter who the Big XII adds, the conference is still going to fold. Look, Texas and OU have tried to leave twice in teh past year and a half. The only thing holding that up, is the Longhorn Network. As soon as the Longhorn Network fails, Texas is going to the PAC 12 and taking OU with them. Period. The LHN has no carrier, just lost 2 of it's biggest sellers in high school football and Big XII conference football. Without those, the LHN can't make money. Game over. Texas is playing nice right now, but make no mistake, when the LHN fails, they are going straight for all the money to be made in the PAC 12. [ Reply to Comment ]
Sabshire Since: Jul 22, 2008	Posted on: October 25, 2011 11:20 am One Big 12 school official won't miss Mizzou A summary just for those that don’t know too much about WVU athletics. I could add more but why. WVU Football & Basketball Facts Football --2 BCS bowl wins vs. the SEC & B12 champions. “Unlike Utah beating an SEC runner up WV didn’t lobby Congress for inclusion into the NFL when they won these games. LOL” ---Overall Record: 691-454-45 ---Record against B12: 10-7 ---Record against SEC: 22-19-2 ---14 Conference Championships: 6- BE, 8-Southern Conference ---Stadium Capacity: 63500 Basketball ---Last 5 years 5-NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1st round, 2-Sweet 16s, 1-Elite 8, 1-Final 4 and 1- BE Championship. [ Reply to Comment ]

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