The conference brought this disaster on themselves. Academia, once again, demonstrated it has no clue about business, technology or a vision of the future. The previous commissioners didn't have the leadership skills, sense of urgency or integrity to successfully move the conference forward.
Kinda like elections...you get what you deserve. And the collateral damage can be incalculable.
I understand that you don't want to alienate readers, though any discussion of the demise of the PAC must squarely lay significant blame with USC. First, they torpedoed expansion and investment by private equity, then led UCLA into leaving the conference and setting the dissolution in progress. While many entities contributed to the demise, USC's inflated sense of self worth and greed was the driving force.
If that was a viable alternative it was worth experimenting with. I was under the assumption that there was an exit clause or a re negotiation period or phase after the initial year. You don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater!
As much as USC (and UCLA) are to blame, private equity was not the answer long term. Those guys are vultures, and would have gutted the Pac in the future.
It would have been worse than where it currently stands with Oregon State and Washington State — I would much rather they have the assets.
After all the news and settlements yesterday, college sports is dead. The Pac 12 breakup was just a precursor to all this madness. The Pac 12 will not come back because there will be nothing to come back too. Unions, salary caps, collective bargaining agreements, etc., are just around the corner. That's a fact, not an opinion. Maybe as soon as next year. The sad part is, college athletics started as a way to not only provide friendly competition, but also provide scholarships to athletes that might not have been able to afford a college education otherwise. Now, through greed and donor egos, education is no longer a part of any of this. For every athlete that will now earn a few million dollars during their college athletic career, there will be hundreds or even thousands that will lose that free education that college scholarship would have provided. For all those who say they are fighting this for "social justice" and to stop the exploitation of inner city athletes, once again the narrow minded "I want mine now!" thinking will have just opposite effect and worsen the plight of the down trodden, eliminating an outlet they had to rise above their inherited social status. And even those who will now earn "their" money in college athletics, only 5% at the most earn enough to be life changing money and have the talent to continue a career in their sport. The other 95% will complete their athletic eligibility with no education, no ability to manage their money, and be back in poverty where they started, for the rest of their lives. Yet, everyone is celebrating this as "progress". The reality is this is one of the biggest set backs in Ametican social justice history, but years from now so many idiots will wonder how it all happened. Look no further than where we are right now for that answer.
Yes and sadly you’re spot on. The decimation of all that was good and productive to a social structure decline. It is a dark and sad day and the pall of a rainswept pioneer cemetery looms large in my consciousness now.
John, always good stuff from you. It's very painful that it all went down this way.
From USC and UCLA making the first decision to CU followed by UW and Oregon. The Big-12 had their hand in creating this mess no doubt, but the real idiots were the ones that declined the ESPN deal that ultimately went the Big-12.
John, Thank you for covering the end of a special conference, a special place for all of us. I think Bill Walton, Chip Kelly, Mike Riley and others have accurately conveyed most everybody's feelings of sadness, and even anger. I hope you will keep the conference alive in your future columns.
Bobby Moore, Dan Fouts, Ken Woody, Sonny Sixkiller, Ronnie Lee. Lew Alcindor, Gary Payton, Billy McChesney, Pre, Mac Wilkins, Don James, Dee Andros, power t backfield. Elway and Harrington. Tom Graham was the best Duck football player ever.
Hats off to the winner of the Women's NCAA Golf Tournament. #1 Stanford defeated UCLA 3-2 to win the trophy. The Pac-12 made history on the way out.
Never before in the history of the Women's tournament and the Men's NCAA Golf Tournament going back to 1939, had the Final 4 featured four teams from the same conference. In the semifinals, Stanford defeated USC and UCLA defeated Oregon.
The irony of the Conference of Champions performing at championship caliber in its final season continues.
Great observation on the NCAA Final 4 of Women's golf, all Pac12 schools. Let's hope a PAC12 team wins the NCAA softball College World Series where we still got 3 left in the superregionals with each going to a different conference next year-UCLA, Stanford, & Arizona.
Then have the PAC12 win the men's World Series as parting PAC12 shot. I'm going for the Beavs, who will be the highest seeded PAC12 school, for their 4th championship this century. It would be fitting that the last PAC12 NCAA champion goes to a school that still can call it self a PAC school next year, even if it's just 2.
“The Pac-12 billed itself as the “Conference of Champions.” It certainly was, at times. On other occasions, it operated like a dysfunctional mess, led by presidents and chancellors stuck in mud. Conference leaders made horrible strategic decisions and hired the wrong commissioner — twice.”
Yup
As Pogo prophesied long ago; “We have met the enemy and he is us”
The final PAC 12 event should be an ultimate fighting match between Larry Scott and George K. Fans would pay big time to see either of those guys submit. My money would be on Scott. Skinny but crafty and elusive.
Can’t help but look into the future when the Glitz of being a Big 12 or BIG member is going to wear off after fans and Alumns tire of the long flights , the expense of constant game travel to different Time Zones,
And the huge necessary
increase now in Ticket prices and Alumni / Fan Dues . The departing “10” have created a Monster that will devour itself over time . Utter stupidity is masked by the self deprecating Egos
Of money hungry Sports CEOs who have NO clue about tradition and money sense . RIP Pac 12, you were the best Conference ever created !
I wanted revenge in a way I thought possible but not probable. They played their idiot games with history like a poor bastards child who deserved both but I digress.
Lots of great memories for us who’ve grown up with the PAC-8 on upward. Sadness for us as well. Our adult kids have the same feelings as we do. Our grandkids will not. They’ll be able to observe and cheer for these same schools in conferences they’re familiar with and have memories of their own. The intensity of being a fan won’t diminish or change. Fans are fans. School traditions will continue. Sports will always be a release, no matter what form it takes.
The conference brought this disaster on themselves. Academia, once again, demonstrated it has no clue about business, technology or a vision of the future. The previous commissioners didn't have the leadership skills, sense of urgency or integrity to successfully move the conference forward.
Kinda like elections...you get what you deserve. And the collateral damage can be incalculable.
I broke finally. Anger to rage to sorrow to goodbye and forever more…
I understand that you don't want to alienate readers, though any discussion of the demise of the PAC must squarely lay significant blame with USC. First, they torpedoed expansion and investment by private equity, then led UCLA into leaving the conference and setting the dissolution in progress. While many entities contributed to the demise, USC's inflated sense of self worth and greed was the driving force.
It’s like selling your soul and then wondering what happens
I think going with Apple TV or Amazon is also selling your soul. Glad it went this direction.
If that was a viable alternative it was worth experimenting with. I was under the assumption that there was an exit clause or a re negotiation period or phase after the initial year. You don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater!
As much as USC (and UCLA) are to blame, private equity was not the answer long term. Those guys are vultures, and would have gutted the Pac in the future.
It would have been worse than where it currently stands with Oregon State and Washington State — I would much rather they have the assets.
After all the news and settlements yesterday, college sports is dead. The Pac 12 breakup was just a precursor to all this madness. The Pac 12 will not come back because there will be nothing to come back too. Unions, salary caps, collective bargaining agreements, etc., are just around the corner. That's a fact, not an opinion. Maybe as soon as next year. The sad part is, college athletics started as a way to not only provide friendly competition, but also provide scholarships to athletes that might not have been able to afford a college education otherwise. Now, through greed and donor egos, education is no longer a part of any of this. For every athlete that will now earn a few million dollars during their college athletic career, there will be hundreds or even thousands that will lose that free education that college scholarship would have provided. For all those who say they are fighting this for "social justice" and to stop the exploitation of inner city athletes, once again the narrow minded "I want mine now!" thinking will have just opposite effect and worsen the plight of the down trodden, eliminating an outlet they had to rise above their inherited social status. And even those who will now earn "their" money in college athletics, only 5% at the most earn enough to be life changing money and have the talent to continue a career in their sport. The other 95% will complete their athletic eligibility with no education, no ability to manage their money, and be back in poverty where they started, for the rest of their lives. Yet, everyone is celebrating this as "progress". The reality is this is one of the biggest set backs in Ametican social justice history, but years from now so many idiots will wonder how it all happened. Look no further than where we are right now for that answer.
Yes and sadly you’re spot on. The decimation of all that was good and productive to a social structure decline. It is a dark and sad day and the pall of a rainswept pioneer cemetery looms large in my consciousness now.
Draft night: bling and bespoke suits - says it all.
John, always good stuff from you. It's very painful that it all went down this way.
From USC and UCLA making the first decision to CU followed by UW and Oregon. The Big-12 had their hand in creating this mess no doubt, but the real idiots were the ones that declined the ESPN deal that ultimately went the Big-12.
Pulitzer
John, Thank you for covering the end of a special conference, a special place for all of us. I think Bill Walton, Chip Kelly, Mike Riley and others have accurately conveyed most everybody's feelings of sadness, and even anger. I hope you will keep the conference alive in your future columns.
Bobby Moore, Dan Fouts, Ken Woody, Sonny Sixkiller, Ronnie Lee. Lew Alcindor, Gary Payton, Billy McChesney, Pre, Mac Wilkins, Don James, Dee Andros, power t backfield. Elway and Harrington. Tom Graham was the best Duck football player ever.
So many …
Can’t forget Steven Jackson and Jonathan Smith, either ! Or Pete Pifer, or Earth quake Bill Enyart- my college Pal and a Prince of a Guy !!!!
Love this Michael!
Thank you
How appropriate that the end of the PAC-12 is on Memorial Day. Interesting that the 108 medals equal the age of the deceased conference.
Whether you believe in karma it has been created by those that should be educated and wise, the traitor 10 administrators and the commissioners.
May the fallen ones for whom the holiday was created Rest in Peace.
It took ALL 10 of the remaining university presidents (left after USC and UCLA were out) to betray the conference.
Thank you, JC.
Hats off to the winner of the Women's NCAA Golf Tournament. #1 Stanford defeated UCLA 3-2 to win the trophy. The Pac-12 made history on the way out.
Never before in the history of the Women's tournament and the Men's NCAA Golf Tournament going back to 1939, had the Final 4 featured four teams from the same conference. In the semifinals, Stanford defeated USC and UCLA defeated Oregon.
The irony of the Conference of Champions performing at championship caliber in its final season continues.
How did 'They' screw 'This' up?
Great observation on the NCAA Final 4 of Women's golf, all Pac12 schools. Let's hope a PAC12 team wins the NCAA softball College World Series where we still got 3 left in the superregionals with each going to a different conference next year-UCLA, Stanford, & Arizona.
Then have the PAC12 win the men's World Series as parting PAC12 shot. I'm going for the Beavs, who will be the highest seeded PAC12 school, for their 4th championship this century. It would be fitting that the last PAC12 NCAA champion goes to a school that still can call it self a PAC school next year, even if it's just 2.
“The Pac-12 billed itself as the “Conference of Champions.” It certainly was, at times. On other occasions, it operated like a dysfunctional mess, led by presidents and chancellors stuck in mud. Conference leaders made horrible strategic decisions and hired the wrong commissioner — twice.”
Yup
As Pogo prophesied long ago; “We have met the enemy and he is us”
Pride
Ego
Incompetence
Envy
Lack of focus
All contributed to the demise of the PAC - R.I.P.
Great game for OSU yesterday
GO BEAVS
20 meter shot put by an Oregon duck women yesterday too!
Thanks for this
The final PAC 12 event should be an ultimate fighting match between Larry Scott and George K. Fans would pay big time to see either of those guys submit. My money would be on Scott. Skinny but crafty and elusive.
On the Pac12 Network…
I got a better idea but they already have me surveilled probably
John.
Can’t help but look into the future when the Glitz of being a Big 12 or BIG member is going to wear off after fans and Alumns tire of the long flights , the expense of constant game travel to different Time Zones,
And the huge necessary
increase now in Ticket prices and Alumni / Fan Dues . The departing “10” have created a Monster that will devour itself over time . Utter stupidity is masked by the self deprecating Egos
Of money hungry Sports CEOs who have NO clue about tradition and money sense . RIP Pac 12, you were the best Conference ever created !
There will be regret. Not by all. But but some in a deep way.
I'm a Utah Ute fan living in Scottsdale. The last 12 years have been the best of my life as a college sports fan.
I'll be there today with tears in my eyes.
These semifinals… are special
The demise of the conference is a complete shame. It never should've happened.
Agree. Didn’t need to go that way.
John,
Thanks for the nice tribute to our old Pac 12.
I grew up as a Pac 8 guy and attended WSU when it was still the Pac 8.
Lots of great memories.
It was a great ride.
Go Cougs!
You’ve seen it all
Yes sir. The good, the bad and the ugly.
Now on to bigger and better for Wazzu. Go Cougs!
That’s the right attitude…
I’m now a fan
The memories will live on….
There could have been so much more.
I wanted revenge in a way I thought possible but not probable. They played their idiot games with history like a poor bastards child who deserved both but I digress.
Well yes they do and if she was your lover they haunt you forever
Lots of great memories for us who’ve grown up with the PAC-8 on upward. Sadness for us as well. Our adult kids have the same feelings as we do. Our grandkids will not. They’ll be able to observe and cheer for these same schools in conferences they’re familiar with and have memories of their own. The intensity of being a fan won’t diminish or change. Fans are fans. School traditions will continue. Sports will always be a release, no matter what form it takes.
I wonder if the connection will be as strong with the changes
I truly think they will. Sports has gone on for thousands of years and there will always be fanatics! Go Ducks!!
I remember the knot hole gang! Tickets to the next game on peoples windows too. Don Essig was my elementary school PE teacher!