Beavs and Cougs don’t tuck in their tails and run they fight for what’s right! There were some flaky and weak commissioners and school administrators, let them be gone.
Hoping for the best. As I watched the BBall civil war last night and Stanford's Casey Jacobson was on the call for FS1, he kept reminding us this is the last PAC12 league game in the most played college basketball rivalry ever. My hope is her leadership pushes for WSU/OSU to compete for the best like her and her dad made sure she could play ball, even with the boys. Preserve whatever regional competitions that lead to both schools getting top games and matches. Keep playing the Stanford & Cal teams in all sports if you can. Push for annual NW competitions with both UW and UO. For example why shouldn't the bball teams still play a home & home series each year with their in state rival. It will only help the Beav and Coug's SOS instead of playing cupcakes. Like football, softball, cross country, baseball, volleyball, etc .all need to keep competing with these 4 leaving Pac school as much as possible. Leave the door open for them to come back. Back the Pac! Go Teresa!
If you can get them for home and homes to come to the Northwest I'd agree. I think you are being optimistic about how many non cupcakes will travel to Corvallis and Pullman.
You are right. Only question I have for you is when was the last time you took a trip to Pullman. I've only been once 10 years ago. I doubt I'll go again.
I've only been to Pullman once. That said I've only been to Eugene a lot more than that because I've lived most of my life less than 2 hours away from it. If I lived in Spokane, I probably wouldn't have gone to Eugene more than once or twice. However, i don't think an individual's frequency of travel to a particular place exactly mirror the propensity and rationale for a college athletic team to do the same. I've never been to Norman OK, College Station TX, or other such college football garden spots either, and god willing, never will, but other college athletic departments will show up there if the $ and circumstances are right.
Not disagreeing with your last statement. Not sure how often those 2 items will align for WSU to get quality visitors. We will see and as a Beav I know you are optimistic.
Gould is from Iowa?! I like her already. Having spent my career in Minnesota in sales and traveling frequently to Iowa, I have to say that I have never met an Iowan who I did not like. My next door neighbors in Minnesota were U of Iowa grads and native born. It is a state that still has and lives the essential values of America (cannot say that about Minnesota or Oregon which is why I am in Arizona now).
The world isn't as bad as you want it to be. Lots of good things everywhere, in both Minn and Oregon. Don't paint it to be bad just because it doesn't align with your political views.
Actually, the world is measurably / demonstrably as bad as I think it is. We have never had three wars underway at the same time since World War 2. We have never seen so much discord within our own country since the Civil War and such disregard for the law and our Constitution which binds us together by our institutional leadership. These are all measurable and widely reported. Most of this started since COVID and 2020 and was likely by design. And so, yes, the world is as bad as it seems, including the insanity and greed within college sports.
Where has this been “widely reported”, Brian? Additionally, we have had multiple conflicts occurring several times since the end of WWII. I might even argue that we are handling them better than we did, no credit to this administration. Of course, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq among others like Cyprus, the Balkans, etc., might argue otherwise.
The point is, we are dealing with some very dangerous conflicts constantly throughout the history of our planet. The problem these days is finding honest reporting, which, thankfully, we get with John’s columns.
Try reading a non-partisan (non-liberal) newspaper or watch a non-partisan news show and you will see it. If you are addicted to MSNBC and CNN you won't. They provide cover for the Establishment. I read and watch many different publications and can discern BS from truth. Here you go with a reference. Note that several countries (USA included) are fighting wars through proxies and get a pass in this graphic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts
Just can't let it go. Those Iowans you love so much want a lying criminal rapist who tried to destroy our democracy as our next president. Hide away in Arizona... I hear it's getting hotter there.
LOL!! And you want a brain-dead zombie for President, one whose team makes breaking the law and Constitution to undermine our Democracy an artform. I will take my guy who, unfortunately, basically ran the Democrat playbook to hold onto power (the Dems challenge EVERY election to the bitter end but maybe you make special exceptions for your team to undermine Democracy). All I know is conservatives have a fair chance to compete in AZ. Not in Oregon which is no longer democratic. Conservatives have no voice in state politics and that's a fact
If you are watching the rest of the world like I do, there are revolutions underway in many countries. Argentina just elected a libertarian who immediately fired half the government and balanced the budget for the first time in many decades (something this country needs to do). Italy just elected a libertarian as well, Giorgia Meloni, upsetting the political world there. Belgium, France, Germany are all in political chaos as is the UK. Africa is in chaos with daily massacres. Much of South American trouble is being transferred to the US with open borders. Trudeau has created a conservative backlash in Canada. But you say it is not the entire world?! It is the 1930s all over again and likely will have a similar outcome
Take an antidepressant and count your blessings everyday. Living in the muck and not looking beyond it to the good things will drive you to places you don’t need to go.
LOL!!! that is a pretty sad recommendation you make. That's just what we need in this country. Don't fix the problems just anesthetize ourselves (we already do in many ways). Maybe if you get lucky your anti-depressant will be laced with fentanyl and you will no longer worry about anything, right?
I used to think that there were 5% left wing wackos and 5% right wing wackos. Unfortunately it’s seems to be about 20% ( or more) on each side now. I’m dreaming about the day when anger anf disgust will be replaced by reason and patriotic thoughtfulness. Again, just dreaming. Lol
My guess is that Ms Gould would not have undertaken this job had she not seen a path forward and have confidence in her ability to succeed. On reviewing the success of motivated ladies in my family, us hairy legged armchair observers would be wise not to underestimate Ms. Gould's chances of success. Rather, we should expect it. She very well may prove to be exactly what the conference needs.
Only time will tell. Kliavkoff's hiring was heralded as a new start, a breath of fresh air and he as a savvy media insider, then......pfffft.
I hope for the best and wish Ms. Gould well but will reserve judgement on her as commish until tangible progress is manifested toward preserving the Pac-2 school's athletic programs at the highest level. That said, It's daunting to be in the position of that Corporal who was handed the Flag to hold toward the end of Custer's Last Stand, and as that massacre wasn't the Corporal's fault neither would it be entirely Gould's fault if she doesn't meet what may be unattainable expectations.
She MUST be fabulous because my maiden name is also Gould! My father, Bill Gould, was also astonishing. Goulds are amazing ! She is certain to accomplish earth shaking things. Hooray !
As I ponder John’s reporting and the thoughtful comments, I am reminded of the first scene in the long ago Cleopatra movie. The battle is over, Caesar stands atop the ridge above the battlefield and observes the funeral pyres below. “The stench of burning Roman flesh is no different than that of her enemies “ he observes. He could have been describing the demise of the Pac12. Just(exhaustingly) sayin’, Charlie
That is apropos. That is what modern woke society does, it erases and rewrites history. It is what all victors of conquest do back to ancient times. Eliminate the history of the place and there will never be an uprising by those who remember how good it was before.
The Pac-2 is waiting for the ACC to implode. The FSU decision, or settlement, will determine what's happening next.
Scenario 1: There is an ACC play involving Cal/Stanford....ideally some western division of the ACC. Cal and Stanford aren't going to be happy having all their student athletes travel for pennies of media dollars of what they've seen in the past.
Scenario 2: If the ACC survives, grab the best "properties" of the MWC to join the Pac-2 and rebuild the conference.
Personally, I see some combination of both to build out an ACC west with OSU, WSU, Cal, Stanford....plus SDSU and UNLV. Add SMU and Tulane in the west as well.
I agree on the Football side try to get Stanford, Cal back when ACC implodes and add SMU, SDSU, UNLV, and Boise State for all sports and create a 8 team football conference. Then add Gonzaga and try to get UCLA, Oregon, and Washington to come back for all other sports but football. Then you are back with Conference of Champions. I don't think SC will bite with its arrogance starting it all and they like being "national" like ND. The BIG10 might find releasing those other teams back in all sports but football might solve some of the silly problems in scheduling and traveling they will be seeing the next few years Their acquisition was primarily about football. UCLA might even be able to stop paying its Calimony. If USC is willing to come they should let them come too. I do like Gonzaga because they would really help the bball competition and is competitive in all sports despite no football. I don't want to see them in the Big12.
Maybe just a dream and hope, but I can see it happening.
Do we blame the former commissioner of PAC 12 for its demise? Seemingly bad a lot of bad decisions and no decisions. But ultimately the blame has to fall on the school themselves as they allowed all this happen. There was much negative that was written during this guy’s reign, but no one was paying attention. San Diego State and probably BYU or Fresno State should have been invited in years ago. Seems to me west coast media market should not have been that tough of sell. Enough shame for league demise to go around. So sad
And don't forget the responsibilities of the various university presidents who were, from all reports, the ones controlling everything. They, like the commissioner(s), were caught asleep at the switch. An entire conference went down the drain in a blink of an eye. The "brand" of the Pac-12 or Pac-whatever-it-is can't be worth much. Why any number of schools would want to decouple from their conferences to hitch their wagon to an on-life-support brand is beyond me. Those still hoping for a revival of the Pac-12 to me appear to be whistling past the graveyard.
I think the plan is to wait for a couple of conferences (Big12 and ACC are the candidates) to implode themselves and then rebuild from the pieces. No one expects schools from functional and high-paying conferences to make the leap
Seems to me there is too much pining over the Pac-12 and it's time to move on. No one anywhere outside of the northwest cares a hoot about the Beavers and Cougars. Even if they are able to cobble together some sort of new conference, there's no reason to believe it will even reach the level of what the old conference was in earlier days. Beavers and Cougars would be better to let go of the past and forge ahead to new horizons. Get in a conference and win a few championships. I see the upcoming football seasons for both teams as two fall-long snoozefests. Games mean nothing and records mean nothing. I wish this wasn't the case, but all this wishing and hoping with a new commissioner (why she was picked I have no idea) seems to me a waste of time.
One could also make the case that UO and UW have disenfranchised half of their states by moving to the Big-10. Most people in the PNW are quite familiar with all the Pac-12 member schools and locations--they've travelled there, have family or friends there, maybe even lived there.
You can't say the same for places like Maryland and Pennsylvania. The interest won't be the same. People outside UO and UW will give less of "a hoot."
We are all losers in the implosion of the Pac-12, some of us just more than others.
The only reason the Pac-12 brand is being kept afloat is because it is to OSU's and WSU's legal/financial advantage to do so. The average WSU or OSU fan doesn't give a rip what the entity is called that their football team ends up playing in as long as it has the necessary funding and media coverage to compete at the same level they have previously.
The only game in OSU's schedule I will be snoozing on is the exhibition against Whoregon.
I fully agree. I didn't intend any inference that the reasons for keeping the Pac-12 brand afloat aren't extremely consequential at this time., I was only responding to a post that was inferring that the continued use of the brand was merely a nod to sentimentality, when the fact is it is a pragmatic necessity at this point.
You care about what? What the name of the conference is if/when it gets re-built? I only care to the extent that OSU and WSU get maximum practical utility out of the name. If tagging it "Pac-12" is the moniker that does that, then I care about it until it doesn't provide any material advantage to those schools at which point the execs in charge can re-name it whatever brand name will serve it best financially and PR wise.
Oh, and I will admit I was conjecturing about whether the average OSU or WSU fan cares about what the conference is named going forward. But then so are you unless you're using the Royal "We" to refer to yourself in the 1st person.
John-as I recently said, I enjoy your writing style and the perspective you bring to what you write about. That's why I subscribe. However, it seems that a lot of what you write about is the PAC 2. I really wish you'd widen your lens a bit and include some pieces about the Thorns and Timbers once n a while. I get it that many, if not most, of your readers aren't into soccer. However, soccer is here to stay in the U.S. and gaining in popularity among kids (and adults). There are many story lines to follow with Portland's two pro soccer teams. For example, the news yesterday that the Timbers have dropped their new signature sponsor due to allegations of sexual misconduct by the company's owner. This move no doubt is connected to the furor that was caused when the Timbers covered up similar behavior by their former GM and the Thorns' manager. I hope you will take my comments seriously and begin to include some content about the Thorns and Timbers.
Soccer is the dumbest sport on earth. You can’t bet on it. It ends in a tie 60.% of the time and it’s inane to have the shootout decide after the game is over. Offsides should be legal the shootout should come first and the goal should be much smaller w no goalie too or incrementally bigger.
It's hard to respond to you without being sarcastic, so I can't resist. You know, something like "what makes you an expert on dumbest"...."oh, never mind".
Google how often soccer games end in ties and you'll find "A tie in soccer is called after each team has scored the same amount of goals after the full 90 minutes of game-play. On average, soccer games end in a draw 14-20 percent of the time."
One can bet on ANYTHING.
Never calling off sides. Really? Maybe they should do that in hockey and football, too.
One thing you and I might agree on is that off side calls in soccer seem awfully subjective. I don't like how often players "flop". I also don't like stoppage time. I'd much prefer that refs stop and start the clock when play is stopped instead of coming up with some random number of minutes in stoppage time.
Wow what a great column, sir. Stating the obvious, Teresa Gould has an opportunity to create a lasting legacy by working relentlessly to resurrect one of the nation’s great athletic conferences and build it into something modern, bright, strong and entertaining.
I’m hopeful Gould will do it. This is no time for custodial management. It’s a time for vision, fresh thinking and optimism.
Love your stuff John, but I’d like to read more about the rest of schools rather than what’s left of the old PAC-12. But, if I were part of the PAC-2, I would insist on immediately creating an iron alliance with San Diego St, Fresno St, UNLV & UN Reno with the express intent of forming a new conference. Start there and announce a firm start date. If others wish to join, let them petition the six members to join, listen to their intentions, what they bring to the table, and go from there. This business of waiting and flailing, is what doomed the PAC after Kliafkoff took over. They will need to be bold. The PAC-2 has some known coffers now and they need to use it before it’s spent posturing around, complaining, feeling left out. Build their brands and build a new conference now. Use some of that money to pay buy out fees of your new members. You don’t have much, but you have enough. Use it wisely.
Fine. Start with the 6 above iron alliance schools and Boise can petition the new conference for admission. If accepted, Boise pays their way in. While Pac-2 does have new resources, those resources are not unlimited. If Boise is accepted, that would make 7. They need at least one more. But beyond the six, they pay their own way in. Gotta move fast.
Beavs and Cougs don’t tuck in their tails and run they fight for what’s right! There were some flaky and weak commissioners and school administrators, let them be gone.
Go Gould, Go Beavs, Go Cougs
I love the fighting spirit of the Beavs and Wazzu. Give ‘em hell Teresa!
Lets see how this goes... interesting time.
Hoping for the best. As I watched the BBall civil war last night and Stanford's Casey Jacobson was on the call for FS1, he kept reminding us this is the last PAC12 league game in the most played college basketball rivalry ever. My hope is her leadership pushes for WSU/OSU to compete for the best like her and her dad made sure she could play ball, even with the boys. Preserve whatever regional competitions that lead to both schools getting top games and matches. Keep playing the Stanford & Cal teams in all sports if you can. Push for annual NW competitions with both UW and UO. For example why shouldn't the bball teams still play a home & home series each year with their in state rival. It will only help the Beav and Coug's SOS instead of playing cupcakes. Like football, softball, cross country, baseball, volleyball, etc .all need to keep competing with these 4 leaving Pac school as much as possible. Leave the door open for them to come back. Back the Pac! Go Teresa!
Too late
Don't be shortsighted. Texas and Texas A&M are getting back together after a few years of separation.
There are plenty of not cupcakes to play not known as Knight School.
If you can get them for home and homes to come to the Northwest I'd agree. I think you are being optimistic about how many non cupcakes will travel to Corvallis and Pullman.
You can't be a lifelong Beaver fan if you're not an optimist.
That is the beauty of being positive!
Exactly, Chuck! And it’s a good lace to be!
You are right. Only question I have for you is when was the last time you took a trip to Pullman. I've only been once 10 years ago. I doubt I'll go again.
I've only been to Pullman once. That said I've only been to Eugene a lot more than that because I've lived most of my life less than 2 hours away from it. If I lived in Spokane, I probably wouldn't have gone to Eugene more than once or twice. However, i don't think an individual's frequency of travel to a particular place exactly mirror the propensity and rationale for a college athletic team to do the same. I've never been to Norman OK, College Station TX, or other such college football garden spots either, and god willing, never will, but other college athletic departments will show up there if the $ and circumstances are right.
Not disagreeing with your last statement. Not sure how often those 2 items will align for WSU to get quality visitors. We will see and as a Beav I know you are optimistic.
As often as possible….love it
Gould is from Iowa?! I like her already. Having spent my career in Minnesota in sales and traveling frequently to Iowa, I have to say that I have never met an Iowan who I did not like. My next door neighbors in Minnesota were U of Iowa grads and native born. It is a state that still has and lives the essential values of America (cannot say that about Minnesota or Oregon which is why I am in Arizona now).
The world isn't as bad as you want it to be. Lots of good things everywhere, in both Minn and Oregon. Don't paint it to be bad just because it doesn't align with your political views.
Well said.
Actually, the world is measurably / demonstrably as bad as I think it is. We have never had three wars underway at the same time since World War 2. We have never seen so much discord within our own country since the Civil War and such disregard for the law and our Constitution which binds us together by our institutional leadership. These are all measurable and widely reported. Most of this started since COVID and 2020 and was likely by design. And so, yes, the world is as bad as it seems, including the insanity and greed within college sports.
Where has this been “widely reported”, Brian? Additionally, we have had multiple conflicts occurring several times since the end of WWII. I might even argue that we are handling them better than we did, no credit to this administration. Of course, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq among others like Cyprus, the Balkans, etc., might argue otherwise.
The point is, we are dealing with some very dangerous conflicts constantly throughout the history of our planet. The problem these days is finding honest reporting, which, thankfully, we get with John’s columns.
Try reading a non-partisan (non-liberal) newspaper or watch a non-partisan news show and you will see it. If you are addicted to MSNBC and CNN you won't. They provide cover for the Establishment. I read and watch many different publications and can discern BS from truth. Here you go with a reference. Note that several countries (USA included) are fighting wars through proxies and get a pass in this graphic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts
Just can't let it go. Those Iowans you love so much want a lying criminal rapist who tried to destroy our democracy as our next president. Hide away in Arizona... I hear it's getting hotter there.
LOL!! And you want a brain-dead zombie for President, one whose team makes breaking the law and Constitution to undermine our Democracy an artform. I will take my guy who, unfortunately, basically ran the Democrat playbook to hold onto power (the Dems challenge EVERY election to the bitter end but maybe you make special exceptions for your team to undermine Democracy). All I know is conservatives have a fair chance to compete in AZ. Not in Oregon which is no longer democratic. Conservatives have no voice in state politics and that's a fact
You could possibly say this about the U.S., but it is not the entire world.
If you are watching the rest of the world like I do, there are revolutions underway in many countries. Argentina just elected a libertarian who immediately fired half the government and balanced the budget for the first time in many decades (something this country needs to do). Italy just elected a libertarian as well, Giorgia Meloni, upsetting the political world there. Belgium, France, Germany are all in political chaos as is the UK. Africa is in chaos with daily massacres. Much of South American trouble is being transferred to the US with open borders. Trudeau has created a conservative backlash in Canada. But you say it is not the entire world?! It is the 1930s all over again and likely will have a similar outcome
"Lighten up Francis"
Take an antidepressant and count your blessings everyday. Living in the muck and not looking beyond it to the good things will drive you to places you don’t need to go.
LOL!!! that is a pretty sad recommendation you make. That's just what we need in this country. Don't fix the problems just anesthetize ourselves (we already do in many ways). Maybe if you get lucky your anti-depressant will be laced with fentanyl and you will no longer worry about anything, right?
Their rioting in Africa…starving in Spain…hurricanes in Florida…and Texas needs rain…
They are rioting in Africa, strife in Iran, hurricanes…..
They’re
I used to think that there were 5% left wing wackos and 5% right wing wackos. Unfortunately it’s seems to be about 20% ( or more) on each side now. I’m dreaming about the day when anger anf disgust will be replaced by reason and patriotic thoughtfulness. Again, just dreaming. Lol
Oh that didn’t take long for politics to enter into a sports thread. Atta baby!
The essential values of America?
The fact you'd have to ask that question points to the problems Brian's alluding to...
My guess is that Ms Gould would not have undertaken this job had she not seen a path forward and have confidence in her ability to succeed. On reviewing the success of motivated ladies in my family, us hairy legged armchair observers would be wise not to underestimate Ms. Gould's chances of success. Rather, we should expect it. She very well may prove to be exactly what the conference needs.
Only time will tell. Kliavkoff's hiring was heralded as a new start, a breath of fresh air and he as a savvy media insider, then......pfffft.
I hope for the best and wish Ms. Gould well but will reserve judgement on her as commish until tangible progress is manifested toward preserving the Pac-2 school's athletic programs at the highest level. That said, It's daunting to be in the position of that Corporal who was handed the Flag to hold toward the end of Custer's Last Stand, and as that massacre wasn't the Corporal's fault neither would it be entirely Gould's fault if she doesn't meet what may be unattainable expectations.
I think you forgot “hairy apes “ too. LOL
Exactly!
Well played, Al. Charlie
Gould?
She MUST be fabulous because my maiden name is also Gould! My father, Bill Gould, was also astonishing. Goulds are amazing ! She is certain to accomplish earth shaking things. Hooray !
As I ponder John’s reporting and the thoughtful comments, I am reminded of the first scene in the long ago Cleopatra movie. The battle is over, Caesar stands atop the ridge above the battlefield and observes the funeral pyres below. “The stench of burning Roman flesh is no different than that of her enemies “ he observes. He could have been describing the demise of the Pac12. Just(exhaustingly) sayin’, Charlie
It’s over. History is now being e whitewashed in effect.
That is apropos. That is what modern woke society does, it erases and rewrites history. It is what all victors of conquest do back to ancient times. Eliminate the history of the place and there will never be an uprising by those who remember how good it was before.
GMAFB
If only I knew what that meant.
Urban dictionary can be your friend.
Thanks for the shout out; turns out I'm more of a suburban guy anyway, Charlie
No beer for you! 🤓
And there's a reason stautes should not be torn down, but its happening all over the country. The left has gone insane.
If you are talking about Civil War confederate statues, they should be torn down. No statues for those fighting to enslave others.
Thanks for your note. Your assessment could well be the most accurate in the end.
Well said as you always do, Charlie!
The Pac-2 is waiting for the ACC to implode. The FSU decision, or settlement, will determine what's happening next.
Scenario 1: There is an ACC play involving Cal/Stanford....ideally some western division of the ACC. Cal and Stanford aren't going to be happy having all their student athletes travel for pennies of media dollars of what they've seen in the past.
Scenario 2: If the ACC survives, grab the best "properties" of the MWC to join the Pac-2 and rebuild the conference.
Personally, I see some combination of both to build out an ACC west with OSU, WSU, Cal, Stanford....plus SDSU and UNLV. Add SMU and Tulane in the west as well.
I agree on the Football side try to get Stanford, Cal back when ACC implodes and add SMU, SDSU, UNLV, and Boise State for all sports and create a 8 team football conference. Then add Gonzaga and try to get UCLA, Oregon, and Washington to come back for all other sports but football. Then you are back with Conference of Champions. I don't think SC will bite with its arrogance starting it all and they like being "national" like ND. The BIG10 might find releasing those other teams back in all sports but football might solve some of the silly problems in scheduling and traveling they will be seeing the next few years Their acquisition was primarily about football. UCLA might even be able to stop paying its Calimony. If USC is willing to come they should let them come too. I do like Gonzaga because they would really help the bball competition and is competitive in all sports despite no football. I don't want to see them in the Big12.
Maybe just a dream and hope, but I can see it happening.
I look forward to seeing/hearing what Commissioner Gould’s plan and path forward is for the PAC.
You go, girl! Tremendous challenge (opportunity?) for Gould and the PAC-2. Wishing them nothing but success.
Do we blame the former commissioner of PAC 12 for its demise? Seemingly bad a lot of bad decisions and no decisions. But ultimately the blame has to fall on the school themselves as they allowed all this happen. There was much negative that was written during this guy’s reign, but no one was paying attention. San Diego State and probably BYU or Fresno State should have been invited in years ago. Seems to me west coast media market should not have been that tough of sell. Enough shame for league demise to go around. So sad
Kliavkoff gets 20-25 percent in my book. Presidents and chancellors get a larger share. Larry Scott, too. And TV, too.
Larry Scott was an amoral opportunist and a blood sucking leach.
And don't forget the responsibilities of the various university presidents who were, from all reports, the ones controlling everything. They, like the commissioner(s), were caught asleep at the switch. An entire conference went down the drain in a blink of an eye. The "brand" of the Pac-12 or Pac-whatever-it-is can't be worth much. Why any number of schools would want to decouple from their conferences to hitch their wagon to an on-life-support brand is beyond me. Those still hoping for a revival of the Pac-12 to me appear to be whistling past the graveyard.
I think the plan is to wait for a couple of conferences (Big12 and ACC are the candidates) to implode themselves and then rebuild from the pieces. No one expects schools from functional and high-paying conferences to make the leap
Seems to me there is too much pining over the Pac-12 and it's time to move on. No one anywhere outside of the northwest cares a hoot about the Beavers and Cougars. Even if they are able to cobble together some sort of new conference, there's no reason to believe it will even reach the level of what the old conference was in earlier days. Beavers and Cougars would be better to let go of the past and forge ahead to new horizons. Get in a conference and win a few championships. I see the upcoming football seasons for both teams as two fall-long snoozefests. Games mean nothing and records mean nothing. I wish this wasn't the case, but all this wishing and hoping with a new commissioner (why she was picked I have no idea) seems to me a waste of time.
One could also make the case that UO and UW have disenfranchised half of their states by moving to the Big-10. Most people in the PNW are quite familiar with all the Pac-12 member schools and locations--they've travelled there, have family or friends there, maybe even lived there.
You can't say the same for places like Maryland and Pennsylvania. The interest won't be the same. People outside UO and UW will give less of "a hoot."
We are all losers in the implosion of the Pac-12, some of us just more than others.
Well played, John, mucho reality!, Charlie
I respectfully suggest you devote your attention to something other than the Beavers or Cougars.
The only reason the Pac-12 brand is being kept afloat is because it is to OSU's and WSU's legal/financial advantage to do so. The average WSU or OSU fan doesn't give a rip what the entity is called that their football team ends up playing in as long as it has the necessary funding and media coverage to compete at the same level they have previously.
The only game in OSU's schedule I will be snoozing on is the exhibition against Whoregon.
"The only reason the Pac-12 brand is being kept afloat is because it is to OSU's and WSU's legal/financial advantage to do so."
Yeah. That sounds like two pretty good reasons to me.
I fully agree. I didn't intend any inference that the reasons for keeping the Pac-12 brand afloat aren't extremely consequential at this time., I was only responding to a post that was inferring that the continued use of the brand was merely a nod to sentimentality, when the fact is it is a pragmatic necessity at this point.
Wrong. We care.
You care about what? What the name of the conference is if/when it gets re-built? I only care to the extent that OSU and WSU get maximum practical utility out of the name. If tagging it "Pac-12" is the moniker that does that, then I care about it until it doesn't provide any material advantage to those schools at which point the execs in charge can re-name it whatever brand name will serve it best financially and PR wise.
Oh, and I will admit I was conjecturing about whether the average OSU or WSU fan cares about what the conference is named going forward. But then so are you unless you're using the Royal "We" to refer to yourself in the 1st person.
Wrong you are. Mr. Fish Breath.
John-as I recently said, I enjoy your writing style and the perspective you bring to what you write about. That's why I subscribe. However, it seems that a lot of what you write about is the PAC 2. I really wish you'd widen your lens a bit and include some pieces about the Thorns and Timbers once n a while. I get it that many, if not most, of your readers aren't into soccer. However, soccer is here to stay in the U.S. and gaining in popularity among kids (and adults). There are many story lines to follow with Portland's two pro soccer teams. For example, the news yesterday that the Timbers have dropped their new signature sponsor due to allegations of sexual misconduct by the company's owner. This move no doubt is connected to the furor that was caused when the Timbers covered up similar behavior by their former GM and the Thorns' manager. I hope you will take my comments seriously and begin to include some content about the Thorns and Timbers.
Soccer is the dumbest sport on earth. You can’t bet on it. It ends in a tie 60.% of the time and it’s inane to have the shootout decide after the game is over. Offsides should be legal the shootout should come first and the goal should be much smaller w no goalie too or incrementally bigger.
Offsides in soccer is to keep games close, artificially so, in my opinion.
It's hard to respond to you without being sarcastic, so I can't resist. You know, something like "what makes you an expert on dumbest"...."oh, never mind".
Google how often soccer games end in ties and you'll find "A tie in soccer is called after each team has scored the same amount of goals after the full 90 minutes of game-play. On average, soccer games end in a draw 14-20 percent of the time."
One can bet on ANYTHING.
Never calling off sides. Really? Maybe they should do that in hockey and football, too.
One thing you and I might agree on is that off side calls in soccer seem awfully subjective. I don't like how often players "flop". I also don't like stoppage time. I'd much prefer that refs stop and start the clock when play is stopped instead of coming up with some random number of minutes in stoppage time.
I have got to believe she will be an improvement over Mr K
Wow what a great column, sir. Stating the obvious, Teresa Gould has an opportunity to create a lasting legacy by working relentlessly to resurrect one of the nation’s great athletic conferences and build it into something modern, bright, strong and entertaining.
I’m hopeful Gould will do it. This is no time for custodial management. It’s a time for vision, fresh thinking and optimism.
Love your stuff John, but I’d like to read more about the rest of schools rather than what’s left of the old PAC-12. But, if I were part of the PAC-2, I would insist on immediately creating an iron alliance with San Diego St, Fresno St, UNLV & UN Reno with the express intent of forming a new conference. Start there and announce a firm start date. If others wish to join, let them petition the six members to join, listen to their intentions, what they bring to the table, and go from there. This business of waiting and flailing, is what doomed the PAC after Kliafkoff took over. They will need to be bold. The PAC-2 has some known coffers now and they need to use it before it’s spent posturing around, complaining, feeling left out. Build their brands and build a new conference now. Use some of that money to pay buy out fees of your new members. You don’t have much, but you have enough. Use it wisely.
Fine. Start with the 6 above iron alliance schools and Boise can petition the new conference for admission. If accepted, Boise pays their way in. While Pac-2 does have new resources, those resources are not unlimited. If Boise is accepted, that would make 7. They need at least one more. But beyond the six, they pay their own way in. Gotta move fast.