For the college sports junkie, the past few months of fandom have been particularly unpalatable. If you strung together all the headlines culled from Twitter feeds, they would sound like a remake of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”: “Realignment, tattoos, even Bill Russell sues / Shapiro taking down the U / Aggies’ Longhorn Network blues / Double reverse by TCU / What is Emmert gonna do?” So to mask the distaste on your collective palates, I’m here to provide the minty freshness of an off-the-beaten-path college hoops season. For those who don’t know me — and that’s pretty much all of you except my family and our dog, Lionel — I’m Ryan Marks, the third-year coach of the Texas-Pan American Broncs , and I’m a rebuildaholic. Similar to my stints at D3 Southern Vermont and D2 St. Edward’s (Austin, Texas), UTPA is a D1 program not without its challenges. The team I inherited in June 2009 was on probation with only half its scholarships filled. To boot, we compete in the Great West — the only D1 conference without an automatic bid to the Big Dance (why do we pay NCAA dues again?) and the only league in which the HQ is run out of the commissioner’s basement. (Foosball, anyone?) But we’ve made progress over the past 28 months — mostly off the court. The team has reflected great academic performance and community involvement, and our recent Midnight Madness introduced a squad superior to the ones that amassed just six wins in each of the past two seasons. Success will hinge largely on depth and the savvy play of our perimeter vets — Nick Weiermiller , Aaron Urbanus , Jared Maree and Brandon Provost — whom I’ve collectively nicknamed W.U.M.P., as in “The WUMPty dance is the Broncs’ chance to get over the hump.” When the season starts, you’ll recognize me as the pudgy guy pacing the sideline next to a stuffed penguin named P-Diddy. I adopted him as an unofficial mascot for my 2005-06 St. Edward’s team as part of my preseason theme. That year, the lesson was teamwork, and I showed my players March of the Penguins. P-Diddy has been with me ever since. This season, he’ll wear a T-shirt that reads “Live Big, Act Small.” That’s a reference to the documentary A Small Act, which is the source of our new motivational theme: You never know which small act will begin the domino effect toward more voluminous accomplishments, and you’re increasing your odds of making a difference with each additional small task performed. I’m looking forward to introducing you to the Broncs this season. Up next, I’ll recap early practices and look ahead to our much-ballyhooed Nov. 5 exhibition with the mysterious Mexican outfit from Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon. Go Broncs! Coach Ryan Marks is our behind-the-scenes guide through the trials and tribulations of a small D1 program. This is his first piece.
See the original post here:
Marks My Word: UTPA coach begins blog
Filed under Basketball by on Oct 25th, 2011. Comment. 
Texas A&M has officially been accepted as the 13th member of the SEC . Sunday, the SEC announced that Texas A&M will join the conference effective July 1, 2012, and will begin competition in all sports for the 2012-13 academic year. “On behalf of our presidents, chancellors, athletics directors, students and fans, I welcome Texas A&M University to the SEC family,” SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said in a release. “Texas A&M is a nationally-prominent institution on and off the field and a great fit for the SEC tradition of excellence—athletically, academically and culturally.” Earlier this month, the SEC presidents and chancellors voted and unanimously accepted Texas A&M’s application to become the 13th member of the league, but legal action from Baylor delayed the process. With the the Big 12 appearing to stabilize, it doesn’t appear as if Baylor will need to take legal action against Texas A&M and the SEC anymore. If any school does decide to take legal action, it will be dealt with at that time. Sources told ESPN’s Joe Schad that the SEC’s announcement is “unconditional.” Here is what Dr. Bernie Machen, chair of the SEC Presidents and Chancellors and president of the University of Florida said in a release about Texas A&M officially joining the conference: “The Southeastern Conference Presidents and Chancellors are pleased to welcome Texas A&M University to the SEC family. The addition of Texas A&M University as the SEC’s 13th member gives our league a prestigious academic institution with a strong athletic tradition and a culture similar to our current institutions.” Added Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin: “The Southeastern Conference provides Texas A&M the national visibility that our great university and our student-athletes deserve. We are excited to begin competition in the nation’s premier athletic conference. This is a 100-year decision that we have addressed carefully and methodically, and I believe the Southeastern Conference gives the Aggies the best situation of any conference in the country.” Here are some fun facts about your new SEC brother. Now, play nice guys: Texas A&M is located in College Station, Texas, which as of 2010 had an estimated population of 94,642. Texas A&M will be the third institution in the SEC to hold membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities , joining Florida and Vanderbilt. Texas A&M also has an enrollment of 50,000 students, which ranks as the sixth-largest university in the country, and has 360,000 former students worldwide. Last season, Texas A&M won three NCAA team titles (men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, and women’s basketball) and finished eighth in the distinguished Learfield Sports Director’s Cup all-sport rankings with 1090.50 points. Florida was the only SEC school to finish above Texas A&M, ranking fourth with 1212.25 points. Texas A&M sponsors 20 varsity sports. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, football, golf, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field and cross country. Women’s sports include basketball, equestrian, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field and cross country and volleyball. Texas A&M participates in every sport sponsored by the SEC except gymnastics and the SEC sponsors every sport the Aggies participate in except equestrian.
View original post here:
Texas A&M officially accepted into the SEC
Filed under Baseball, Basketball, Football by on Sep 25th, 2011. Comment.
Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said the Longhorns have proposed equal sharing from the Big 12 ’s network TV appearances, a plan that has yet to be voted on by the Big 12… Source: Baxter Bulletin
See more here:
Neinas contacted about Big 12 Commissioner’s position
Filed under News by on Sep 23rd, 2011. Comment.
Back to the commissioner, he got hosed and thatâs too bad, but he had no choice. Beebe sold his… Source: NBC Action News Kansas City
Visit link:
Jack: Big 12 is still a mess
Filed under News by on Sep 23rd, 2011. Comment.
The new-look Pac-12 has decided not to expand again for the time being, as it already appears to be positioned for long-term success based upon the maneuverings of Larry Scott. But the commissioner doesn’t diagram plays or make jump shots. For the Pac-12 to regain the stature it once had as a basketball conference, programs will have to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. Traditional powers Arizona and UCLA have done so on the recruiting trail lately , Washington has been consistently good in recent years, and the rest are looking to establish themselves. Will an offseason defined by change lead to a more dangerous Pac-12? Here’s a quick peek … Two newbies : The Pac-12 no longer has its teams playing in the true round-robin format due to the arrival of Colorado and Utah. The Buffaloes are coming off a year in which they won a school-record 24 games, and the Utes bring with them a championship history. For the coming season, though, it’s unclear how either team will do because they’re both in transition. Colorado loses its top four scorers, including Alec Burks to the NBA draft lottery after the bouncy guard’s sophomore season. The Buffaloes and second-year coach Tad Boyle do add three transfers, including former Utah leading scorer Carlon Brown.
See the original post:
An offseason roundup of the Pac-12
Filed under Basketball by on Sep 21st, 2011. Comment.
LOS ANGELES – They kept saying it, but no one seemed to believe them. Stanford and Arizona will not be squaring off against any new teams in conference play any time soon. Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott announced on Tuesday night that the conference wil Source: USA Today
See the original post:
Pacific-12 decides not to expand
Filed under News by on Sep 21st, 2011. Comment.
Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott pulled the plug on possibly adding Texas, Oklahoma or other schools, notifying his conference presidents late Tuesday night that the league was staying put at 12 teams, temporarily giving renewed life to the Big 12 but severely limiting those two schools’ options.
Excerpt from:
No move to Pac-12 for Horns; conference is staying put
Filed under News by on Sep 21st, 2011. Comment.
The Pac-12 will not expand, and will remain a 12-team conference, commissioner Larry Scott announced on Tuesday . For now, if Texas and Oklahoma want to leave for another conference, it’ll have to be one that isn’t the Pac-12. Here’s Scott’s full statement: WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — In light of the widespread speculation about potential scenarios for Conference re-alignment, the Pac-12 Presidents and Chancellors have affirmed their decision to remain a 12-team conference. Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said, “after careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference. While we have great respect for all of the institutions that have contacted us, and certain expansion proposals were financially attractive, we have a strong conference structure and culture of equality that we are committed to preserve. With new landmark TV agreements and plans to launch our innovative television networks, we are going to focus solely on these great assets, our strong heritage and the bright future in front of us. What was that about a “culture of equality?” As the serving Big 12 blogger, I’m not quite sure what that means. And you thought things were awkward in the Big 12 already … Is equal revenue sharing on the way? Will the league keep commissioner Dan Beebe now that Oklahoma’s leverage to be given what it wants to stay in the Big 12 is gone? What happens to the Longhorn Network now? Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have repeatedly stated that wherever one goes, the other will go, so unless the SEC changes its mind and expands to 16 teams, that option is out. Even more interesting days ahead for a fascinating few weeks in the Big 12.
Continued here:
Texas, OU won’t head to the Pac-12
Filed under Football by on Sep 21st, 2011. Comment.
The ACC has just upgraded to Expansion 2.0. The first version was good. It was on the cutting edge. And, despite a few bugs in the system (no titles for Miami), it’s still functioning properly. The second version, though, runs much faster. The ACC’s decision to accept Pittsburgh and Syracuse as its newest members came swiftly, efficiently, and was a far tidier process than the last time the conference decided to expand. In a matter of a week, the ACC decided further growth was in the best interests of the conference, and seemingly overnight, it became a reality. With ACC football teams hosting four ranked opponents for the first time in league history and making a statement in three of those games, this was a monumental weekend in ACC history. While other BCS conferences are tiptoeing around the ever-shifting landscape, hoping their programs don’t fall through the cracks, the ACC has rapidly reestablished and reaffirmed its stability. Now everyone else wants in on Expansion 2.0. Texas? Please hold. Notre Dame? We’re sorry, the commissioner’s line is busy. Rutgers? Take a number, please. Syracuse? Bienvenido a Miami. ACC commissioner John Swofford, who directed the ACC through Expansion 1.0 when it added Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College in 2004 and 2005, said at least 10 schools have contacted the ACC about possible membership, and why shouldn’t they? The ACC has only further solidified its future with the decisions that have been made in the past week. The recently approved $20 million exit fee it would cost schools to leave all but eliminates any chance of member schools bolting for another conference. The addition of Pitt and Syracuse will further boost the league’s image as one of the best basketball conferences in the country. It will bridge the geographic gap between Boston College and the rest of the conference. It will add intrigue to the ACC football championship. The reputations of Pitt and Syracuse will only enhance a conference already steeped in academic pride and tradition. When asked what concerns she had about the state of the Big East that might lead to the $5 million decision to leave it, Nancy Cantor, chancellor and president of Syracuse University, said she was looking for some “stability.” She didn’t have to look far. “Obviously as my colleagues have all said,” she said, “we needed to look carefully at the stability for us going forward in terms of us being able to support our athletics department to the extent that gives quality opportunities for our student athletes, and I think that match is just perfect for us.” Expanding to 16 teams still remains a possibility for the ACC, but the league can be choosy. It’s like looking for a home when you know you don’t need to sell yours. It’s more fun when there’s less pressure. The ACC can sit back and watch as the Big 12 implodes, the Big East dissolves and the SEC wonders what to do now that poaching an ACC team is a much more unrealistic possibility. The ACC took control of expansion before expansion took control of it. It’s a new version of the ACC, and considering the uncertainty surrounding it, this one looks like an upgrade.
View post:
ACC gets ahead of expansion — again
Filed under Basketball, Football by on Sep 18th, 2011. Comment.
But there are other options for the Longhorns, like the ACC, which would allow Texas to keep its own revenue without having to share with every other member. SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said Monday that the 12-member conference… Source: ESPN
Read the original post:
Source: Oklahoma not near decision on Pac-12
Filed under News by on Sep 13th, 2011. Comment.
