I live in SD. That stadium is in Mission Valley. It is nice, but VERY hot during early Fall games (watch the tape of tje Arizona game for reference.. it was miserable, and the place was almost empty). Just like games at the Q were for the Bolts (traitors) games. Just fyi if planning a road trip. It isnt a late December pleasant day/evening like the Holiday Bowl. Much more like a trip to the desert.
Nov 2, 2022·edited Nov 3, 2022Liked by John Canzano
I would be in favor of adding San Diego State. I am also holding out hope that UCLA will not follow through with their decision. I thought it was interesting the timing of Bill Walton breaking his silence. I wonder if the pressure on UCLA School leaders is beginning to have some impact? Did you get the impression that Walton was, like a good politician, waiting to see which way the chips would fall? Just wondering why he had waited so long
Nov 2, 2022·edited Nov 2, 2022Liked by John Canzano
PAC tends to pair schools in areas. (UW, WSU; Uo, OSU; ASU, UA; UCLA, USC; Stan, Cal; Col, Utes) If SDSU is taken in, then would they go by the same method and pair something within the region?
If so that would make the push for UCLA to reverse course through Regents stronger than maybe initially expected?
If not then that would have Fresno or UNLV in proximity... SMU would seem too far away from anyone.
Considering the refusal to talk, it would seem that UCLA is far more in expected play?
Hey John: I did not hear your podcast with big Bill, but I did read what you wrote about him. He is a smart dude but I think he either smokes too much or the Jerry Garcia in him has taken over. As I have told you before, UCLA and USC were very smart to join the Big 10. It is all about money; $70 million or so per year to each and the Pac-12 is looking at maybe $30 million each per year if they get a new tv deal. Walton wants UCLA to be like it was when he played there, That was just 50 years ago. I saw him play in Eugene and Portland for UCLA. I saw him help the Blazers win their only NBA championship in 1977. Loved his skills, and I do love the Grateful Dead. The Pac-12 does not need to add another team unless you can get a Big Name school to join. The Pac-12 is so far behind the SEC in football that it is sad to me as a lifelong Duck fan of just 60 years. To those who say that UCLA will regret leaving the Pac-12, I strongly disagree; forty million dollars more per year than the Pac-12 is my best reason. That much money can go a long way to all the other sports in the "conference of champions" Give Chip Kelly and Lincoln Riley each $40 million more than they get now to their schools. They can pay their players and recruits now above the table. They can lure players to their school that may only have one year left of college eligibility left. like USC's good qb. If you are a high school player and are heavily recruited, and your dream is to play in the NFL, you grab the most money you can get right out of high school. If you do not make the NFL, you still can get paid from your school. Huge money runs the world, and it makes sports on tv possible. ESPN is worth more in billions of dollars than ALL sports teams combined. Think about that and go ahead and fact check me. Unless the Pac-12 can pull a dream out of cyberspace, and pay each school somehere near what the SEC or Big-10 pay theirs, , which could only happen if ESPN decided to take the Pac-12 and save them, they are doomed as far as playing with the big boys in football. I love our new coach in football at the U of O, and I knew he was a good hire. Same for Bo Nix. No final four for the Pac-12 for years in football or probably basketball, and they are doomed as far as catching up soon. Very simple; money talks and s___ walks. GO DUCKS. p.s. is it possible to have a paid subscription to the Bald Faced Truth, that does not auto-renew monthly? I bought several for friends and did not know there was auto-renewal. I miss being a paid subscriber , and the only reason I am not is for the reason I just mentioned. my new e-mail is donaldroberts258@gmail.com and I do read you everyday! I am still on substack as DONNIE DUCK'S LATEST. God Bless you and family, and am asking for prayers for my best friend, a black mini-jaguar, kitty named Shadow, whom has been here for three years and is now in semi-critical conditon in hospital
John, I just listened to your John & Jon podcast with Bill Walton....or should i say the "Bill Walton podcast" with a few comments from John & Jon? haha That being said I thought Bill had a lot of really good comments and info. Maybe UCLA doesn't get the OK to leave the Pac 12? If so then we lose USC traitors, keep UCLA, but also gain SDSU. That would be fine with me. Your thoughts?
An unbalanced league would work with 11 members with an even number of conference games (i.e. not the current 9), but you can't have an uneven number of members *and* an uneven number of games - it just doesn't pencil out mathematically unless you want different teams playing a different amount of conference games, which seems the option of last resort.
Taking SDSU as a full member and another football only member seems the most likely option to me, as other sports already play an even number of games, so they can handle it. Maybe SDSU as full, one of SMU/Boise/Fresno/UNLV as football only, and Gonzaga in all other sports.
One thing I am really enjoying with my paid subscription is all this inside information from you John. It is well worth what I am paying to know I only have to go one place to know what is happening and that I can ignore the rumor mill. Saves me a ton of time and anxiety. ---- Thanks!
Seems like a Texas footprint would really bump up the deal. I like SMU and the Dallas Market, also a school whose upped there game recently is UT San Antonio....that's a nice market and SA is the fastest growing city in Texas!
I keep hearing Commissioner K talking about concluding a media deal before addressing expansion, and I keep wondering if this isn't backwards. The reason for expansion is to gain more inventory of games in more markets to increase the value of the package. I realize there is always some language to allow reopening and an adjustment if the league does in fact expand and add inventory, but it seems that will be curbed in the amount of increased payout that will occur from media partners that already budgeted multiple years out (and built out their other programming based on time slots to fill) based on a signed contract. I would think you would be better positioned in negotiations to offer a beefier overall package to the carriers from the beginning. It doesn't seem to be sound business, not that the universities or the conferences have a track record of good business decision making.
Fresno State makes sense because it has appeal from entire Central Valley, from Bakersfield to Sacto and even farm country north of Sacramento, where people identify more with agricultural California than Bay Area. Fresno State also offers a nice Cal State system pairing with San Diego State. And with California lawmakers now allowing PhD programs at Cal State schools, Fresno can up its academic standing.
Add Fresno State and you wrap up all of California that is available without LA.
I didn't know that about Delany! It's funny because of all the expansions in the past few decades, his expansions are the only to fail. If the Big10 could go back in time and not invite Rutgers or Maryland, they would.
That situation is similar to this SDSU situation. The Big10 added Rutgers because Rutgers is close to NYC. We are considering SDSU because SDSU is close to LA. SDSU, like Rutgers, has almost no following or tradition of success. The next person we see wearing an Aztec t-shirt will also be the first.
But if ESPN wants SDSU, it will happen. It sure looks like just an extra mouth to feed.
The Aztec helmet is cool though. It needs more contrast to show up better.
An interesting tidbit... The Athletic Director at SDSU is John David Wicker who used to be at WSU in Pullman when Jim Sterk was the AD and Sterk's mentor was/is Kevin White.
I live in SD. That stadium is in Mission Valley. It is nice, but VERY hot during early Fall games (watch the tape of tje Arizona game for reference.. it was miserable, and the place was almost empty). Just like games at the Q were for the Bolts (traitors) games. Just fyi if planning a road trip. It isnt a late December pleasant day/evening like the Holiday Bowl. Much more like a trip to the desert.
I would be in favor of adding San Diego State. I am also holding out hope that UCLA will not follow through with their decision. I thought it was interesting the timing of Bill Walton breaking his silence. I wonder if the pressure on UCLA School leaders is beginning to have some impact? Did you get the impression that Walton was, like a good politician, waiting to see which way the chips would fall? Just wondering why he had waited so long
PAC tends to pair schools in areas. (UW, WSU; Uo, OSU; ASU, UA; UCLA, USC; Stan, Cal; Col, Utes) If SDSU is taken in, then would they go by the same method and pair something within the region?
If so that would make the push for UCLA to reverse course through Regents stronger than maybe initially expected?
If not then that would have Fresno or UNLV in proximity... SMU would seem too far away from anyone.
Considering the refusal to talk, it would seem that UCLA is far more in expected play?
Hey John: I did not hear your podcast with big Bill, but I did read what you wrote about him. He is a smart dude but I think he either smokes too much or the Jerry Garcia in him has taken over. As I have told you before, UCLA and USC were very smart to join the Big 10. It is all about money; $70 million or so per year to each and the Pac-12 is looking at maybe $30 million each per year if they get a new tv deal. Walton wants UCLA to be like it was when he played there, That was just 50 years ago. I saw him play in Eugene and Portland for UCLA. I saw him help the Blazers win their only NBA championship in 1977. Loved his skills, and I do love the Grateful Dead. The Pac-12 does not need to add another team unless you can get a Big Name school to join. The Pac-12 is so far behind the SEC in football that it is sad to me as a lifelong Duck fan of just 60 years. To those who say that UCLA will regret leaving the Pac-12, I strongly disagree; forty million dollars more per year than the Pac-12 is my best reason. That much money can go a long way to all the other sports in the "conference of champions" Give Chip Kelly and Lincoln Riley each $40 million more than they get now to their schools. They can pay their players and recruits now above the table. They can lure players to their school that may only have one year left of college eligibility left. like USC's good qb. If you are a high school player and are heavily recruited, and your dream is to play in the NFL, you grab the most money you can get right out of high school. If you do not make the NFL, you still can get paid from your school. Huge money runs the world, and it makes sports on tv possible. ESPN is worth more in billions of dollars than ALL sports teams combined. Think about that and go ahead and fact check me. Unless the Pac-12 can pull a dream out of cyberspace, and pay each school somehere near what the SEC or Big-10 pay theirs, , which could only happen if ESPN decided to take the Pac-12 and save them, they are doomed as far as playing with the big boys in football. I love our new coach in football at the U of O, and I knew he was a good hire. Same for Bo Nix. No final four for the Pac-12 for years in football or probably basketball, and they are doomed as far as catching up soon. Very simple; money talks and s___ walks. GO DUCKS. p.s. is it possible to have a paid subscription to the Bald Faced Truth, that does not auto-renew monthly? I bought several for friends and did not know there was auto-renewal. I miss being a paid subscriber , and the only reason I am not is for the reason I just mentioned. my new e-mail is donaldroberts258@gmail.com and I do read you everyday! I am still on substack as DONNIE DUCK'S LATEST. God Bless you and family, and am asking for prayers for my best friend, a black mini-jaguar, kitty named Shadow, whom has been here for three years and is now in semi-critical conditon in hospital
John, I just listened to your John & Jon podcast with Bill Walton....or should i say the "Bill Walton podcast" with a few comments from John & Jon? haha That being said I thought Bill had a lot of really good comments and info. Maybe UCLA doesn't get the OK to leave the Pac 12? If so then we lose USC traitors, keep UCLA, but also gain SDSU. That would be fine with me. Your thoughts?
An unbalanced league would work with 11 members with an even number of conference games (i.e. not the current 9), but you can't have an uneven number of members *and* an uneven number of games - it just doesn't pencil out mathematically unless you want different teams playing a different amount of conference games, which seems the option of last resort.
Taking SDSU as a full member and another football only member seems the most likely option to me, as other sports already play an even number of games, so they can handle it. Maybe SDSU as full, one of SMU/Boise/Fresno/UNLV as football only, and Gonzaga in all other sports.
One thing I am really enjoying with my paid subscription is all this inside information from you John. It is well worth what I am paying to know I only have to go one place to know what is happening and that I can ignore the rumor mill. Saves me a ton of time and anxiety. ---- Thanks!
As an alumnus of SDSU I can only say this….. GO AZTECS!
Maybe it's just me, but I don't want to watch SDSU play anyone in the PAC.
Poach Kansas and K-state from the Big12... both of those are more interesting to me as a fan.
Plus you get Kansas basketball and a long standing rivalry.
Seems like a Texas footprint would really bump up the deal. I like SMU and the Dallas Market, also a school whose upped there game recently is UT San Antonio....that's a nice market and SA is the fastest growing city in Texas!
I keep hearing Commissioner K talking about concluding a media deal before addressing expansion, and I keep wondering if this isn't backwards. The reason for expansion is to gain more inventory of games in more markets to increase the value of the package. I realize there is always some language to allow reopening and an adjustment if the league does in fact expand and add inventory, but it seems that will be curbed in the amount of increased payout that will occur from media partners that already budgeted multiple years out (and built out their other programming based on time slots to fill) based on a signed contract. I would think you would be better positioned in negotiations to offer a beefier overall package to the carriers from the beginning. It doesn't seem to be sound business, not that the universities or the conferences have a track record of good business decision making.
Fresno State makes sense because it has appeal from entire Central Valley, from Bakersfield to Sacto and even farm country north of Sacramento, where people identify more with agricultural California than Bay Area. Fresno State also offers a nice Cal State system pairing with San Diego State. And with California lawmakers now allowing PhD programs at Cal State schools, Fresno can up its academic standing.
Add Fresno State and you wrap up all of California that is available without LA.
How likely will UCLA honor Bill Walton's plea to reverse B10 offer and return to P12?
I didn't know that about Delany! It's funny because of all the expansions in the past few decades, his expansions are the only to fail. If the Big10 could go back in time and not invite Rutgers or Maryland, they would.
That situation is similar to this SDSU situation. The Big10 added Rutgers because Rutgers is close to NYC. We are considering SDSU because SDSU is close to LA. SDSU, like Rutgers, has almost no following or tradition of success. The next person we see wearing an Aztec t-shirt will also be the first.
But if ESPN wants SDSU, it will happen. It sure looks like just an extra mouth to feed.
The Aztec helmet is cool though. It needs more contrast to show up better.
An interesting tidbit... The Athletic Director at SDSU is John David Wicker who used to be at WSU in Pullman when Jim Sterk was the AD and Sterk's mentor was/is Kevin White.
And that clause that only allows Power 5 for consideration to B12? Might be the dumbest clause in college sports history.