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New Big 12 affiliate member

You would think geographically they would have switched with Little Rock

I'm not sure that was an option. I watched a Neil Erisman interview after it was announced that Little Rock was joining the Pac12. He was asked why they didn't join the Big12 and he said some coaches voted against their admission. Said they didn't want another John Smith protege coaching in the conference. Called their decision short sighted.
 
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It looks like Fresno’s only decent wrestler is at 141...🤔🤔
 
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I'm not sure that was an option. I watched a Neil Erisman interview after it was announced that Little Rock was joining the Pac12. He was asked why they didn't join the Big12 and he said some coaches voted against their admission. Said they didn't want another John Smith protege coaching in the conference. Called their decision short sighted.
It was a option and almost done. And then the other coaches in the Big 12 did vote to not allow them in .
 
I don't have a strong opinion of not letting UALR in or not but that seems like an incredible dumb reason. It is not like John is going to be coaching for another 20 years.
 
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It was a option and almost done. And then the other coaches in the Big 12 did vote to not allow them in .

I know it was voted down a year and a half ago, that's the interview I referred to. But OHkie suggested a conference swap with CBU Are you saying the B12 coaches voted that down recently also?
 
I could foresee absorbing the PAC 12 but that would add Pendleton and Erisman, as Smith Protégés. Or a realignment with our affiliate members that would make more geographical sense, I would love to see a yearly dual with ASU who very quietly went into Iowa this weekend with similar if not better results than the Pokes had a couple weeks ago.
 
I've also seen rumblings that Mizzou might rejoin the Big12. Anyone else hear that?
 
I would have pretty mixed feelings. From a pure wrestling perspective it would be good. However, I hate the idea of throwing lifelines in select programs to schools who ditched the Big 12.

I could swallow my pride for just wrestling. This conference desperately needs a shot in the arm.
 
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They chickened out of the Challenge, thats twice, why give them a third. :(

From a pure wrestling perspective we need our confernce to improve and by a good margin for several reasons but namely I think it will help our team prepare for and win a NC.

So as much as I hate Missouri and love them struggling in their current situation I could overlook their leaving the conference to allow them back only for wrestling.
 
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From a pure wrestling perspective we need our confernce to improve and by a good margin for several reasons but namely I think it will help our team prepare for and win a NC.

So as much as I hate Missouri and love them struggling in their current situation I could overlook their leaving the conference to allow them back only for wrestling.
I agree but the big point of the Cowboy Challenge and having Mizzu in it was to have a tough mini tournament before conf to help makeup for matches and peak at end of year. This wouldve given them and us a leg up on the b10 going into NCAA as b10 wrestlers have had very few matches this year and wouldve given two chances to learn from tough matches before tampering for NCAA. And Mizzu backed out cause said it was too close to conf. Well then sounds like they think there conf is tough enough and thus shouldn't want to be in ours.
 
John said yesterday that the Pac12 rejected CBU, but he didn't know why. Said he was glad the Big12 accepted them.
 
The big 12 commission would not accept Missouri because they were in and chose to leave the conference. I don’t think they will ever let them in. And it was OU which brought up too much Smith influence if UALR is allowed in.
 
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The big 12 commission would not accept Missouri because they were in and chose to leave the conference. I don’t think they will ever let them in. And it was OU which brought up too much Smith influence if UALR is allowed in.

Such dumb, short-sighted thinking. I would guess OU would be one of the first schools to see benefits from Arkansas continuing to develop real DI talent.
 
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I'm not sure that was an option. I watched a Neil Erisman interview after it was announced that Little Rock was joining the Pac12. He was asked why they didn't join the Big12 and he said some coaches voted against their admission. Said they didn't want another John Smith protege coaching in the conference. Called their decision short sighted.
That’s ridiculous. Short cited for sure.
 
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I agree but the big point of the Cowboy Challenge and having Mizzu in it was to have a tough mini tournament before conf to help makeup for matches and peak at end of year. This wouldve given them and us a leg up on the b10 going into NCAA as b10 wrestlers have had very few matches this year and wouldve given two chances to learn from tough matches before tampering for NCAA. And Mizzu backed out cause said it was too close to conf. Well then sounds like they think there conf is tough enough and thus shouldn't want to be in ours.
Could "too close to conference" mean they were afraid that someone in the event (from any team) would test positive and that would force Mizzou to sit guys for the conference tourney? Is that a possibility?
 
Could "too close to conference" mean they were afraid that someone in the event (from any team) would test positive and that would force Mizzou to sit guys for the conference tourney? Is that a possibility?
The Challenge was 5 weeks out from NCAA. If you are going to get covid prob the best time as plenty of time to recover. And moreover if any of their top guys missed MAC due to covid they wouldve got an AL into NCAA. It would be worse to send backups who caught covid, came back gave it to starters a week later. I'd say they were ducking to protect records & seeds using Covid as excess.
 
Heck Missouri left the Big 12 in 2012. I don't know who all makes those decision, but they don't even have the same Athletic Director anymore, and probably a whole host of other staff turnover. If they wanted back in, I'd say let 'em. Maybe there could be harsher penalties for leaving again.
 
Heck Missouri left the Big 12 in 2012. I don't know who all makes those decision, but they don't even have the same Athletic Director anymore, and probably a whole host of other staff turnover. If they wanted back in, I'd say let 'em. Maybe there could be harsher penalties for leaving again.
It wasn't wrestling that made the decision it went way over their head. Missouri joining the SEC when they had a chance was a financially smart move for sports in general but not so good for the wrestling program. I would think this was a football decision. Football is the foundation of most college sports programs. I don't know any of the details maybe Missouri could have stayed in the Big 12 when all the other programs went to the SEC? However if they had that option why would they choose to go into the MAC? If they chose to escape competition then allowing them back now would be more questionable.
 
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