Really? Who is shooting at them? "Under Fire?"
The process takes as long as it takes and there is no one that can say anything about it except those making the decision and I want them to take all the time they need. There is only one cycle that matters and that is the college cycle from July 1 through June 30. After that, it is all gravy.
As we have 7 weeks to go on this matter to meet this years deadline, I would not worry about it much. If the process needs more time than that, we have all of next year as well. Plenty of time and those upset about the timetable should go find a new hobby.
At every level of social media people are trying to pick the conference apart
Regional media outlets have joined the chorus from putting down the possible schools to ridiculing the leadership of the conference
National media such as CBS have begun regular hit pieces on the BIG 12--the latest from CBS trumpeting discord at OU and blowing up anything negative that happens while ignoring or dismissing the positives completely.
Media are ridiculing the data they are compiling before they've even compiled it, proclaiming no one is worthy, making up all sorts of wild scenarios the BIG 12 should do before expanding (i.e. expand the playoffs instead as if the BIG 12 controls that). And its all bad press based on emotional outbursts, dislike of the conference, coveting of BIG 12 schools and disregards factual information about the schools in question and the process.
We hear about "anonymous sources" supposedly saying this or that disparaging the conference improving itself, and its taken as valid evidence-- while factual scientific studies of the likelihood of making the playoffs is dismissed off hand because they don't understand it.
Look online and there are 20 to 50 severely negative articles towards the BIG 12 and schools in it. Slamming leaders and schools in the conference and any move they attempt to make. WVU has been bashed in many of these articles and discussions .
None of these people worked against any other conferences growth and future plans, but suddenly everyone but the leaders of the BIG 12 are experts at proclaiming the BIG 12 doomed--largely because they want BIG 12 schools to move somewhere else. People are actually publishing articles about that--that the conference should do nothing but sit back so a few can move to other conferences while the rest are dropped down. The negativity is completely out of control and only the BIG 12 can stop it. By making some decisions.
Now every detail of meetings with the schools is coming out as the press can get them--exposing everyone to possible release of information that other conferences have kept private. Exposing their potential future members to public ridicule and scorn.
Investigation is fine, but an endless amount of time is NOT needed. There's nothing more pressing than the issues at hand. They should be having special meetings at this point and getting through it, not waiting months and months and months which just fosters the idea that they are inept--and that is what is being projected (and written and talked about). Make a decision and stick with it. It doesn't take 180 days to determine the financial viability of candidates or to read their resumes or determine which fit the profile best, or if the league is going to admit any of these new programs at all or abandon any and all improvements.
In the meantime the conference is getting trashed and weakened and their solutions, leaders and the conference are being bashed. If they had gotten to it and made their decisions they would instead be moving forward with them and the negativity would not have grown to this point or as large as its going to get in another several months. They are making the decisions harder than necessary and weakening their negotiating power should they choose to make improvements for the future.
