Decision Time for the Big 12

Today’s Slate lacks something very important: any new news items since yesterday’s Slate. That means that the only link you get this morning is to your benevolent despot’s rehash of a very long Saturday in Norman, which you should go read if you haven’t.

But that doesn’t mean there’s no news today. Indeed, it’s quite the opposite, as the Big 12 presidents are meeting to decide the fate of expansion once and for all. Or so we presume. This afternoon, there will be a press conference. Something will be announced.

And no matter what that something is, all hell will break loose.

There are a couple of interesting details to consider heading into this afternoon’s dog and pony show, however.

1) The press conference will be carried live on BYU.tv.

This is a pretty important detail. Sure, it’s possible that Brigham Young is simply being hopeful here. But it beggars belief that a school would take the risk of not only carrying the press conference, but promoting it with the implication that it will involve something BYU fans are going to want to hear, if there isn’t a positive outcome in store. It may not be membership in the conference; a scheduling alliance is certainly something which could occur.

But it’s almost impossible to believe, given this information, that the Big 12 isn’t doing something with the Cougars. You don’t broadcast your own rejection.

2) The Cincinnati Enquirer has made a point of confirming it will have reporters present at the presser.

This is a bit different, as it’s not the university itself being represented. But one has to suspect that the Enquirer wouldn’t be sending reporters — plural, per all reports we’ve seen — just to ask questions in a press conference about why the school they cover didn’t make the cut.

This doesn’t imply that Cincinnati is getting in, but it does imply that someone at the Enquirer knows something.

3) Nobody else is confirmed to be attending.

This, of course, is the minor detail which ties the other two together. If there are only two schools who, either via their local media or their own broadcast arm, are expressing their interest in this afternoon’s festivities, that’s a clue.

It doesn’t mean BYU and Cincinnati are getting the golden tickets. We’re not selling that, and we have no insider information to lean on here. But it does indicate that we very well might have two new members to discuss over dinner tonight, and if so we have a pretty good idea who they probably are.

Stay tuned this afternoon, and we’ll keep you informed.

One last item: Soccer tonight, 6pm, Allison South Stadium in Springfield, Mo. K-State (4-7-3) takes on Missouri State (3-7-3). Hopefully, they’ll actually play two halves.