Conference Realignment..?

[pdub]

You do you.

[Sparko]

The PAC-10 have decided to pretend nothing has happened. That should defy history.

[InfiniteJ]

I attended KU because I was a KU fan.

Same here, in a round about way.

[Cascadia]

I attended KU because I was a KU fan.

Same here, in a round about way.

Grew up in Kansas as a huge Jayhawks fan and was like “fuck it, at KU I can go to a shit ton of KU games, why not?”

[twocoach]

and i’m not at all trying to deny that athletics is driving this bus. i’m just saying that as an alumni, former employee, and lover of all things KU, i’d like to see the university in a conference that values more than just football…err, athletics, above all else

A conference is for athletics. Is determines which teams the athletic programs compete against and how much money they get for that athletic competition.

Why are you try to make an athletic conference be for things that aren't related to athletics?

[NewtonHawk11]

and i’m not at all trying to deny that athletics is driving this bus. i’m just saying that as an alumni, former employee, and lover of all things KU, i’d like to see the university in a conference that values more than just football…err, athletics, above all else

A conference is for athletics. Is determines which teams the athletic programs compete against and how much money they get for that athletic competition.

Why are you try to make an athletic conference be for things that aren't related to athletics?

Kind of wondered this too. But I let it slide as I didn't care that much about it. The only think a conference may do for academic is create some sort of research alliance, but that still seems like a stretch.

[Sparko]

You hear "culture of a conference" as a kind of code-speak excuse for leaving others behind. There used to be some truth to it in the Missouri Valley days.

[KUTradition]

and i’m not at all trying to deny that athletics is driving this bus. i’m just saying that as an alumni, former employee, and lover of all things KU, i’d like to see the university in a conference that values more than just football…err, athletics, above all else

A conference is for athletics. Is determines which teams the athletic programs compete against and how much money they get for that athletic competition.

Why are you try to make an athletic conference be for things that aren't related to athletics?

that’s a good point

i’ll admit, perhaps i’m making more out of perception than necessary, assuming perception is the only way conference membership impacts a university outside of athletics

i’d rather KU be associated with schools in the B1G or the PAC over the sec, for reasons other than just athletics

and maybe i’ve got an inflated view of KU’s academic/research and cultural place in all of this, and KU really does fit better in the sec (but i don’t think so)

[pdub]

Every one of them are in states that fought to keep slavery in the USA.
F em.

[twocoach]

and i’m not at all trying to deny that athletics is driving this bus. i’m just saying that as an alumni, former employee, and lover of all things KU, i’d like to see the university in a conference that values more than just football…err, athletics, above all else

A conference is for athletics. Is determines which teams the athletic programs compete against and how much money they get for that athletic competition.

Why are you try to make an athletic conference be for things that aren't related to athletics?

that’s a good point

i’ll admit, perhaps i’m making more out of perception than necessary, assuming perception is the only way conference membership impacts a university outside of athletics

i’d rather KU be associated with schools in the B1G or the PAC over the sec, for reasons other than just athletics

and maybe i’ve got an inflated view of KU’s academic/research and cultural place in all of this, and KU really does fit better in the sec (but i don’t think so)

Here's an interesting article: https://universitybusiness.com/title-ho ... versities/

Seems like it's more of the "if you aren't changing conferences then you aren't worth having" feel more than any actual tangible benefit. Old white men with money trying to justify their bloated salaries by "doing something".

[ChalkRocker]

and i’m not at all trying to deny that athletics is driving this bus. i’m just saying that as an alumni, former employee, and lover of all things KU, i’d like to see the university in a conference that values more than just football…err, athletics, above all else

A conference is for athletics. Is determines which teams the athletic programs compete against and how much money they get for that athletic competition.

Why are you try to make an athletic conference be for things that aren't related to athletics?

Conferences can be about more than just athletics, although admittedly, sports are what bring the schools together. And to the extent that one is or may be about more than athletics, I suppose it speaks to the “culture” of a conference.

e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ten_Academic_Alliance

[KUTradition]

Every one of them are in states that fought to keep slavery in the USA.
F em.

not gonna lie…this feeds into perception

as does their states’ stances on reproductive rights

those are the states, generally, that are rated lowest in education and healthcare outcomes

but golly gee can them boys chuck around that pigskin! woohoo!

[twocoach]

and i’m not at all trying to deny that athletics is driving this bus. i’m just saying that as an alumni, former employee, and lover of all things KU, i’d like to see the university in a conference that values more than just football…err, athletics, above all else

A conference is for athletics. Is determines which teams the athletic programs compete against and how much money they get for that athletic competition.

Why are you try to make an athletic conference be for things that aren't related to athletics?

Conferences can be about more than just athletics, although admittedly, sports are what bring the schools together. And to the extent that one is or may be about more than athletics, I suppose it speaks to the “culture” of a conference.

e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ten_Academic_Alliance

But is anyone really that upset that the list of schools change that work together on such initiatives as:

cooperative purchasing and licensing
course sharing
professional development programs
library resources
information technology
international collaborations
faculty networking
participant in Google Books Library Project

I doubt it. In theory, adding more schools to the conference should increase cooperative purchase power, widen the footprint of schools collaborating and schools in which you can share courses.

[ChalkRocker]

A conference is for athletics. Is determines which teams the athletic programs compete against and how much money they get for that athletic competition.

Why are you try to make an athletic conference be for things that aren't related to athletics?

Conferences can be about more than just athletics, although admittedly, sports are what bring the schools together. And to the extent that one is or may be about more than athletics, I suppose it speaks to the “culture” of a conference.

e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ten_Academic_Alliance

But is anyone really that upset that the list of schools change that work together on such initiatives as:

cooperative purchasing and licensing
course sharing
professional development programs
library resources
information technology
international collaborations
faculty networking
participant in Google Books Library Project

I doubt it. In theory, adding more schools to the conference should increase cooperative purchase power, widen the footprint of schools collaborating and schools in which you can share courses.

To be fair, that's not the rhetorical question you posed.

But no, I doubt anyone got upset when Univ. of Chicago went to an affiliated status in their Alliance, any more than it upsets anyone that their conference has areas of emphasis that go well beyond the playing field. Again, I suppose it speaks to the "culture" of the conference.

[Overlander]

Every one of them are in states that fought to keep slavery in the USA.
F em.

Yep

[DCHawk1]

Every one of them are in states that fought to keep slavery in the USA.
F em.

Factually false.

[pdub]

Texas - yup.
Arkansas - yup.
Louisiana - yup.
Mississippi - yup.
Georgia - yup.
Tennessee - yup.
Florida - yup.
Bama - yup.
South Carolina - yup.

Kentucky - eh, border state but kinda just generally fuck Kentucky and their fan base.
MIZZOU - border state but they were slavers through and through as they were part of the MIZZOU Compromise which promised a slave state, themselves, to a free state, yours truly. Also not just generally, but entirely, fuck MIZZOU and everything about them.

[DCHawk1]

"Every one of them are in states that fought to keep slavery in the USA."

Well...except the ones that didn't.

Good job. Good post.

[CrimsonNBlue]

not gonna lie…this feeds into perception

as does their states’ stances on reproductive rights

those are the states, generally, that are rated lowest in education and healthcare outcomes

So . . . in other words, the state of Kansas would fit right in?

[CrimsonNBlue]

Every one of them are in states that fought to keep slavery in the USA.
F em.

Factually false.

GoodDC