Are you as excited as I? I know that I’m counting down the days to Christmas, and it’s not because of those presents that are sitting under the tree with my name written on them.

Rather, it’s because of the 5-game slate that the NBA has put together to kickoff the 2011-2012 NBA season on Christmas. With this in mind, what can an avid NBA fan expect from this 66-game schedule? Here are some my thoughts, including:

Young Teams Will Have the Advantage

That’s right, you Celtic, Lakers, and Spurs fans. Don’t be surprised if your teams start off real hot before fading. Having to fit 66 games into a 5-month season isn’t going to help the tired legs of Kobe, KG, Ray Ray, and many other stars who have been around for awhile.

With plenty of back-to-back games which must be played, and even back-to-back-to-back games being featured on every teams slate, injuries and fatigue are going to play a more decisive factor this NBA season.

That being said, this all bodes well for younger teams such as the Thunder, Trailblazers (if they can get rid of Brandon Roy), Bulls, Knicks, and most importantly, the Heat. With fresher bodies that don’t have quite as much wear and tear on them, the likes of D-Rose, KD, DWade, Carmelo, and Lebron will greatly benefit from this condensed season.

Look for one of these teams to be the last one standing when all is said and done. Of course, that could all change if the Lakers could add a Chris Paul or Dwight Howard. Ditto for the Celtics. But for now, I can’t see these older teams making it deep into the playoffs – especially not the Spurs, who showed why the regular season doesn’t matter last year.

Blockbuster Trades

Along the lines of the Lakers and Celtics trying to get Paul or Howard, there could be some big names moving cities in the coming months. Paul has already said that he doesn’t want to resign with the Hornets, and that he would like to go and play for the Knicks. It also doesn’t seem likely that Dwight ‘Superman’ Howard is going to stick around in Orlando much longer. If he does end up in a Lakers uniform, it could be death for the rest of the league.

As for other big names, Deron Williams may not be in a Nets jersey much longer, and there are reports that the Celtics are trying to move Rajon Rando to bolster their roster. Either way, these next few months are going to make for exciting times before the trade deadline hits.

A Few Surprises

Although you can always pencil in a handful of teams into the playoffs because of their talent, it should still be intriguing to see who will be this year’s rendition of the OKC Thunder. There are plenty of teams with great young talent, that should be able to make a name for themselves if everything factors out right.

The Grizzlies already showed their potential in the playoffs last year by beating the Spurs as the no.8 seed, and should be able to build off that momentum heading into this year.

The Jazz have put together a nice roster as well by shipping William’s expiring contract to the Nets in return for future all-star Derrick Favors and Devin Haris. Plus, rookie Gordon Hayward will continue to improve, and 1st-round draft pick, Enes Kanter from Turkey, has a lot of upside as well.

And don’t forget about those Clippers. With Eric Gordon, Deandre Jordan, and of course, Blake Griffin, that “other LA” team has one of the youngest and most dynamic rosters in the NBA. I wouldn’t be surprised if they made the playoffs this year if a team like New Orleans or Denver digress.

Last Thought

In closing, this shortened NBA season may just be a blessing for the league. After all, you don’t really need to play 82-games to make for an exciting season. With things the way they are, fans will be more tuned in, there will be more games played in a shorter amount of time, and those who haven’t already ditched their love for the NBA will be ready and roarin to cheer on their favorite team.

Of course, the league, teams, and owners do lose money by playing 16 less games. And as I mentioned above, the shortened season will hurt the play of some players, but overall, the NBA has got to feel lucky that they still have the capability to put a good product on the court this season.

I know I am.

As you probably were, I was also glued to the radio and ESPN, trying to get as much information as I could about the details of the molestations that have been going on for years.

That being said, after learning of Sandusky’s actions – and yes, although he denies them, we all know that he committed those crimes – I obviously didn’t feel any sympathy for Jerry, but I did feel a tinge for Joe Paterno and wondered what I would have done if I had been in his shoes dating back to 2001.

Would I Have Done the Same?

As many of you also know, Paterno and the President of Penn St. University were fired for their role in the Sandusky case. And although I wholeheartedly agree with the decision made by the Board of the University to let the legendary coach go, I’m torn in terms of how much blame to place on Paterno.

First of all, Paterno still hasn’t come out and made any official statements yet about his involvement in the case which many are viewing as a coverup. Did he actually understand the extent of what Sandusky was doing when Mike McQueary, his then grad assistant now leave-of-absence WR’s coach, confronted him in 2001 after he witnessed Sandusky showering with a young boy? Probably, but who knows.

Communication is an intricate process that often leads to misunderstandings. Secondly, did Paterno just feel too much pressure to uphold the goody-good image that Penn St. has donned for years?

Along those lines, we often try to view human nature from an optimistic point-of-view. But the truth is, the human race is very flawed. As Thomas Hobbes said, we indeed are very self-centered and even brutish by nature in many ways. That being said, is it really a surprise that Paterno didn’t failed to follow up with the Penn St. AD after reporting McQueary’s findings?

I would say absolutely no.

Reputation of University and Self

Back to my main point, what would I have done if I were in his shoes? I probably would have been scared to death to forever damage the reputation of the entire school as well.

Not only that, but Joe Paterno is a legend not only among college football fans, but he is an American icon and embedded in American culture because of his success on the football field and off. Plenty of men, young and old, have and still look up to JoePa. If I were him, would I have wanted to tarnish my own standing and credibility?

I would like to say that I would have followed up on the Sandusky showering incident, but odds are, I probably would have left the case alone as well. So before you walk around condoning Paterno as an evil man with no care in his heart for those helpless children (now adults), think about yourself for one second. Would you have done any better? Are you that much better of a person than a majority of the world’s population?

Now, I know that that statement may anger many people since we’re dealing with child molestation here. But without actually having to deal with this traumatic issue first-hand, its hard to judge someone else who has – especially someone who made the wrong decision and judgement call in dealing with the situation.

Final Thought

In closing, I as many of you, are saddened by the findings at Penn St. I was also troubled to see those Penn St. students, albeit the minority, trashing media vans and throwing up a commotion on campus.

There is going to be a lot of finger pointing done in the coming months, with accusations directed towards Paterno, McQueary, and especially Sandusky himself. That said, I hope that all of us will consider the circumstances that those outside of Sandusky were put through. Yes, they made the wrong choices, but who hasn’t had a major lapse in terms of moral judgement before?

There will be condoning and condemning done. But let’s leave those matters up to the judicial system and courts. If we do so, we’ll only be doing so in a hypocritical manner.

Of course, being at the game would be an even greater spectacle, but its no easy task flying all the way to Alabama just to catch a college football game. But, if you could convince your wife or friends to do it….it would be worth that plane ticket and all the other expenses involved.

That’s because this epic college football bout is most certainly the game of the year, and perhaps the game of the decade at that.

For All The Marbles in Nov.

You normally don’t get regular season games as big as this one. You see, whoever wins this game, can probably book their spot in the BCS National Championship game to be held in Jan.

LSU and Alabama, by far, are the two best teams in the country at this point and time. Sure, there are other top-dog teams such as Stanford, Ok. St., and maybe even Boise St. But those teams don’t have the depth, skill, and talent of an Alabama or LSU.

These guys are so good, that (ahem LSU) they can go ahead and suspend a couple starters and not miss a single step. Heck, the 2nd-string players on these two teams may even be better than the starters.

Basically, this is the toughest remaining test – or shall we say first, and only test – for these two SEC rivals that hail from the conference’s western division. If LSU can get past ‘Bama, or ‘Bama can get past LSU, it should be smooth sailing the rest of the way until the title game – and that includes the SEC title game in Dec. as well.

What to Expect

If you do tune in on Saturday night, you’ll most likely see an extremely fast, and hard-hitting game from beginning to end. You may see Jordan Jefferson, LSU’s change-of-pace QB, make a few big plays in relief. You will most likely see ‘Bama’s Trent Richardson rumble off a few big gains as he leaves LSU players in his wake.

Most importantly, you’ll see a hard-fought game between two teams that are very well-coached. Speaking of coaching, I’m hoping that LSU’s head coach, Les “The Mad Hatter” Miles, will pull the rope on a few of his patented razzle-dazzle plays.

Either way, its going to be a great game. Look for a close finish in regulation, or even an overtime game out of these two. LSU and ‘Bama have already played some really close games in the past 4 or 5 years – and those games came nowhere close to the hype surrounding this year’s game.

My Prediction

So I’m definitely no Vegas guru when it comes to picking a scoreline. But here’s what I think the final score will be: Alabama 26 – LSU 24. I think it will come down to a special teams play, either a made field goal or a blocked field goal, that will decide the fate of these two teams.

Also, I’m picking ‘Bama because of their home field advantage. The crowd probably won’t faze the Tigers too much, but it should still play a minor factor….and enough of one to help the Crimson Tide eek out a win on Saturday.

He thinks so. That’s why he put together a workout and invited all 32 NFL teams to come checkout his current skills. On top of that, ESPN televised the entire workout, and even sent Jerry Rice to report on the event.

Alas, not one NFL team showed up to the event, but according to TO…they definitely all took notice.

What to Make of His Attempt

Some people may look at TO and question his attempt at trying to get back into the NFL – and with good reason. First of all, he’s coming off of ACL surgery, which at his age, isn’t easy to overcome.

Secondly, he probably doesn’t have the speed to blow by opposing corner backs anymore. Adding to this point, TO didn’t even attempt to run the 40-yard dash at his self-created workout. Thirdly, TO comes with a lot of baggage that he has collected throughout the years as a member of the 49ers, Cowboys, Eagles, Bengals and Bills.

That being said, he still recorded a 1,000-yard receiving season catching passes from Carson Palmer last season as a Bengal. Those aren’t bad fantasy numbers by any stretch of the imagination.

Also, TO knows his body best, and said that he is healthy enough and in good enough shape to make it week-in and week-out on an NFL team. I for one, if I was an NFL owner or coach anyways, would certainly consider TO as a mid-season pickup. He’s a 6-time Pro-Bowler that could instantly add depth to any wide receiving corp.

Will He Latch On With a Team?

Now then, does TO legitimately have a shot of making a team? There are several teams with depleted wide receiver corps that could use some help. Take the Jags for example. On MNF, it was apparent that they need to find some help to bolster their passing attack.

Some sources have also noted that the Raiders could be a possible landing destination for TO now that Palmer wears the Black and Silver. Ultimately, TO is probably right…all 32 teams probably did take note of his workout.

And according to my intuition, I think at least one of those teams will give him a shot. After all, you could do a lot worse than TO. Sure he may be a pain in the locker room because of his personality. But bum knee and all, he can still help a bad team look a little better, and perhaps even give a contender the boost they need to make it to the Super Bowl.

Now all this is total speculation, but what isn’t when it comes to Terrell Owens? I just hope to see him in uniform again, if not for his play making abilities, for all the side shows that come with him playing football.

Hey, if he does come back, at least he can’t do any worse that Chad OC is doing as a Patriot right?

Alas, when you’re going 200-225 miles per hour, the chance of dying is much higher than running onto a basketball court or soccer field. Yesterday afternoon, reigning Indy-500 champion, Dan Wheldon of England, died after being involved in a 15-car pileup that sent him flying off an extremely fast-running racetrack. According to reports the injuries that he sustained were “unsurvivable.”

Changes to the Sport?

With the news of Wheldon’s death, questions obviously began to surface about whether or not the problem is linked to the track, the rules, or even the drivers themselves.

It should come as no surprise that NASCAR and Indy drivers are pushing the limits of their sport much like extreme sports athletes are. The faster you go, the better chance you’ll have of crossing the finish line first – its as simple as that.

But how much is too much? Drivers obviously know of the risks involved with their sport, but are they or their sport’s ruling heads putting them at too grave of risks?

Its an issue that I don’t know enough about to have an educated opinion, but it seems that restrictions can be made on tracks and top speeds to reduce the possibility of deadly accidents occurring without hindering the skill of drivers and excitement of the sport.

Great Tribute

On a side note, the 5-lap tribute ran by the rest of the drivers in the field was very touching and spoke volumes about how they felt towards Wheldon. The tribute laps were ran after the race had been canceled and after the drivers had learned about Wheldon’s death.

On top of the tribute laps, countless tweets flowed in from NASCAR drivers, F-1 drives, and celebrities who offered their condolences to Wheldon’s family and friends.

Wheldon was obviously very well respected among his racing peers, and probably for good reason. He seemed like a good character, with a level head and temper (unlike many race car drivers), and was most importantly a family man as well.

Sadly, Wheldon leaves behind a wife, a two-year old son, and a six-month old son as well.

The racing and sports world will most certainly miss Dan Wheldon. We hope all the best on his family during this tragic ordeal that they must go through.

You probably wouldn’t have known this if all you had done was check the final score of the Denver-San Diego game on Sunday as you flipped through your ESPN app. That final score line read: Chargers 29 – Broncos 24.

Not really a blowout-type score is it? So what changed then?

The answer equates to one change that was made – bringing in Tim Tebow for Orton.

The Spark

The second Tebow came into the game, you could tell even on TV, that the atmosphere in Sports Authority/Mile High Stadium had completely changed. The fans got a whole lot louder and rowdier, and more importantly, the Bronco players seemed to hit another gear that hadn’t been seen all year.

To make a long story short, the first few drives with Tebow at the helm didn’t produce many results. But as the game wore on, Tebow was able to engineer a few scoring drives and almost completed a hail-mary pass on the last play of the game that would have given Denver the victory.

Alas, Denver dropped to 1-4, but they found their QB for the time being in Tim Tebow. And oh, was it the right move for John Fox to make at this point in time.

Tebow Named Starter

As of today, Tebow was named the starter for the Bronco’s week 7 matchup against the Dolphins (they have a bye this week). As is customary, the news spread like wildfire across sports talk shows and radio.

That’s because, just earlier this year, Tebow was sitting as the 3rd-string quarterback for the Broncos behind Orton and Brady Quinn. He couldn’t throw a pass accurately, his mechanics were still suspect, and he still had a hard time reading coverages and defenses.

Well guess what? He still has troubles doing all the above.

So why do some people believe that he needs to be starting for Denver? Granted, there are plenty of anti-Tim Tebow pundits out there who never think he’ll succeed in the NFL.

But I’m not one of them. No, I agree with those who think Tebow needs to start. You see, he has something that very few quarterbacks possess – charisma, leadership skills, and the fire to motivate a team….oh and he can run the ball pretty nicely as well, which doesn’t hurt.

You could tell from the Chargers game on Sunday that the team responded differently to Tebow in comparison to Orton. There was no “fire under their bellies” while Orton was under center. But with the change, the wideouts ran their routes harder, the running backs hit the gap just a little quicker, and the offensive line made a fuller commitment to pancaking the opposition to the ground.

And not only did the offense rise to the occasion, but the defense and crowd (as mentioned above) rose to the occasion too. Heck, even the coaching staff was pumped up.

This is precisely what the Broncos need. They need a leader over the better arm right now. They need a winner over the better quarterback right now.

And that man is Tim Tebow.

He Won’t be Perfect, But He’ll Win Games

I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that Tebow will lead the Broncos to a .500 record this season. That means that they’ll have to win 7 of their last 11 games. No easy task for a team that hasn’t looked very good, but I think it will be done – because of Tebow.

Now, Tebow will not be perfect. Along those lines, it may get downright ugly at times when he plays. Drives will stall like they did on Sunday. His throwing motion and slow release will lead to interceptions. He may fumble the ball a few times after deciding to pummel a defender instead of sliding at the end of a run.

But even then, he’ll still find a way to win games. It’s what the guy has been doing his whole football career dating back to his days as a Gator and probably even back to high school, junior high, and kindergarten.

Somehow, Tebow has that uncanny ability to find ways to win. It’s an ability that can’t be taught, which is why its so special when a QB has it. This doesn’t mean that he’s a superhuman…the Broncos are still going to lose games with him at the helm. They don’t have the talent to be a playoff team.

But they’ll win more than they will lose through the rest of the season. Mark my words.

In my opinion, these collapses have been bad for the Rex Sox and Braves organizations, but great for everyone else. Attendance has been down in ballparks across the country and with a 162-game schedule, who cares to follow the MLB unless there is some drama involved?

Hoping for a Play-in Game or Two

As it stands right now, the Cardinals have caught the Braves in the NL wild card race, and the Rays have caught the Red Sox in the AL wild card race. With just one game remaining in the regular season, all four teams are going down to the wire here.

Tonight, the Braves get the Phillies and the Cardinals get the Astros. Unless the Phillies decide to rest all their starters, my bet is on the Cardinals to clinch the wild card spot considering the sorry state of the Astros.

In the AL, the Red Sox have managed to lose 4 out of 5 to the Orioles, who they will play one more time tonight. The Rays, meanwhile, get the Yankees who have already clinched home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs. I think both teams will win…setting up a play-in game for the wild card spot.

Hopefully, the Cardinals and Braves either both win or lose to set up two play-in games for tomorrow, before the playoffs start on Friday.

Why The Choking?

Switching gears, do you wonder what has caused the Red Sox and Braves to play like 5-year old girls over the last month or so? Me too.

But if I had to answer that question, I would center it around a lack of leadership in the clubhouse. If Bobby Cox was still the manager of the Braves, they wouldn’t be playing for their playoff lives tonight.

As for the Red Sox, I believe Terry Francona is a good manager, but some piece of the puzzle is missing with that baseball team. All the talent in the world is there, but guys aren’t stepping up when the pressure is at its highest. Is that Francona’s fault or the players?

It’s probably a mixture of both.

Final Thought

I’ve pretty much been rambling this whole blog post like a drunken sailor but I’ve got one more thing to say. Isn’t it ironic that after 161 games, 2 of the 6 MLB playoff spots still haven’t been decided? Aren’t we always complaining about how long the baseball season is?

Perhaps the schedule is perfect as it is. Oh and may I add, the BCS is the best system in sports and pigs will travel to the moon one day as well.

•English Premiership – Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Aresenal
•La Liga in Spain – Barcelona, Real Madrid
•Bundesliga in Germany – Bayern Munich
•Serie A in Italy – AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus

Outside of these 10 clubs, no other team has truly had the chance to hoist a Cup Trophy of any sort. Although some fans enjoy this sort of dominance, the lack of parity found in European soccer makes for a lack of suspense and drama.

It’s like Nascar – you know that Jimmie Johnson is going to take home the title at the end of the year.

But due to a number of factors that have occurred in the past several years, parity is slowly creeping into European Soccer – and none too soon. Following are a few reasons why the playing field is slowly leveling itself out.

Economic Downturn

With the drop in the economy since 2008, clubs are quite as wealthy and well-off as they have been in the past. With less money, the big-time clubs have become somewhat more conservative with the way they spend their money on big-time players.

Not only that, but many dominant clubs have gone on selling sprees in order to improve their bottom line. Liverpool got rid of Fernando Torres last season and didn’t replace him with a big name, and Arsenal likewise, has cleaned house this season by getting rid of Clichy, Nasri, Fabregas, and more big names that have helped the club to success in the past without signing players to replace them of the same caliber.

Because clubs are cutting back on their spending habits, injury and depth concerns have also played a bigger role in the past few seasons. One or two key injuries have meant that managers have had to replace their star players with mediocre, second-string talent at best. Whereas in the past, substitutes off the bench were just as strong, if not stronger in different areas of the game, than their starting counterparts.

New players

It should come as no surprise that the fate of a club, at least financially, depends on the wealth of their owner(s).

If you’re owner has tons of money just sitting around, waiting to be spent on top-notch players and coaches, you’re obviously going to field a strong side.
In the case of several teams which were formerly very average on the pitch, like Manchester City, their sides have become significantly stronger due to new and richer ownership.

Lets take Man City for example. Always the “little brother” club of Manchester United, the team was bought by the ruling family of Abu Dhabi in 2008 – making City the richest club in the world.

Consequently, City’s fortunes on the pitch began to change drastically as the team went on a spending spree to get the best players available. By becoming the richest team in the world, City has quickly supplanted the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, and even Chelsea in the top tier of the Premiership.

Better Academies

Lastly, teams are always improving their youth academies in hopes of bringing world-class “homegrown” players up through their ranks.
Teams are signing kids at a younger and younger age, and scouting of young talent has become more and more sophisticated in the past decade and several years.

Consequently, teams are hitting the jackpot with more and more youngsters who are going on to become star players once they hit the senior ranks.

This phenomenon is allowing for poorer clubs to counteract the financial might of the aforementioned “big-time” clubs. Now, instead of having to compete on the transfer market for the best players, clubs are turning to their own farm systems and ranks to find the best players available.

What The Future Holds

Bayern Munich has already lost their foothold on the Bundesliga, and Juventus has basically fallen from the ranks of top dogs in Serie A. Likewise, Liverpool and Arsenal are struggling mightily to remain among the elite in the Premiership as teams such as Tottenham and Aston Villa are beginning to take their places.

Hopefully, we’ll continue to see a shift towards more parity in European Soccer. It’ll certainly make for more meaningful games week in and week out, and tighter title races to be had in the future.

Yesterday’s “NFL Kickoff Special” on NBC couldn’t have been scripted any better by the two past Super Bowl Champions. There was a kickoff returned for a touchdown by a rookie, a punt returned by the new guy for a touchdown, plenty of scoring, two really good quarterbacks on display, hard hitting, and fantasy owners drooling the entire evening.

Rodgers and Brees are Elite

If you missed the game last evening, you truly missed out on watching two of the best quarterbacks in the business pick there way through secondaries that were simply overwhelmed. Both Aaron and Drew were already in mid-season form as the two passed for a combined 700+ yards, six tds, and no interceptions.

Outside of Brady, Manning, and Rivers, there is no one else on the planet that has the skill sets possessed by these two QBs.

Cobb Turns Two Mistakes into Two TDs

Rookie Randall Cobb from the U of K, had himself quite the evening as well. From returning a kick 108 yards to paydirt to recording his first TD reception, the former Wildcat standout definitely turned some heads.

Ironically, both his scores came on mistakes on his part. First of all, you should never return a kick that has been booted 8 yards deep into your endzone. On any other given day or play, he may have been stopped at the 10-yard line. And on his touchdown grab, Cobb actually ran the wrong route according to Rodgers. Luckily, Rodgers was able to read where Cobb was headed and hit him with a perfect pass.

But hey, you can’t really argue against a guy who scores twice in his first-ever NFL game, can you?

What Lockout Hangover?

For those of you worried that the NFL and its quality of play may have taken a hit due to the lockout…well, one thing is for sure, the elite teams of the league haven’t seemed to miss a beat. Sure rookies such as Cam Newton and Andy Dalton may be completely lost come Sunday, but who isn’t as a rookie quarterback starting their first game?

The biggest worry with the lockout may be the amount of injuries that start piling up in the first few weeks of the 2011 campaign. With less time to get back in shape and football-ready, don’t be surprised if guys start going down left and right. After all, plenty of players have already gone down in the preseason and during much-shortened training camps.

What’s On Tap Sunday

Looking ahead, there are some juicy match ups slated for Week 1 of the NFL 2011 season. The rival Steelers and Ravens will go at it in Baltimore in a game that will feature plenty of trash talking…as always. Also, the Falcons and Bears will tussle in Chi-town as two of last year’s NFC playoff teams go head-to-head. It will be interesting to see if Jay Cutler’s improved mechanics and footwork will make a difference this season.

Perhaps the most emotional game of the evening will come between the Jets and the Cowboys. America’s team will play in the heartland of the Meadowlands, in primetime, against Rex Ryan’s Jets on the 10th anniversary of September 11. Ryan has already said that he and his team are deeply honored to host this highly emotional game. Expect to see many tributes to the 9/11 attacks during the game as the sports world commemorates and remembers the terrorist attacks which struck NYC just 10 years ago.

The Texas A&M Aggies announced today that they plan on leaving the Big 12 for greener pastures by July 2012, with those pastures hopefully being in the SEC. Not only does this move deal a blow to the once proud Big 12, which is now down to nine teams, but it may just be that catalyst that starts everything rolling towards a future of four super conferences in collegiate sports.

What now, Big 12?

So what will the Big 12 do now that they’ve lost Nebraksa, Colorado, and Texas A&M? They could either look to add another team to the conference or stay pat. Possible options of teams that could join the conference include Notre Dame, BYU, SMU, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and even Air Force.

My guess is that none of these teams, or any other teams for that matter, will join the Big 12 for now. Pigs will fly before Notre Dame decides to move to the Big 12, and BYU is pretty happy being an independent program right now.

SMU hasn’t recovered from the death penalty and field a horrible football program, and I just don’t see the long-shots of Pitt, Louisville, or Air Force fitting into the league right now. Then again, I couldn’t have ever predicted some of the changes that happened last summer.

Also, as long as the Big 12 is able to retain Texas and Oklahoma, they should do fine…that is until more movement begins to take place.

SEC to 16?

Now that the SEC has added a 13th team to their conference, there is talk that more teams will be added – perhaps even three teams, which would create a 16-team conference. There are definitely teams to pick from in the Big East and ACC, and it may just be a matter of time before the likes of Clemson Georgia Tech make their way over to the SEC.

Let the Super conferences Begin!

If the SEC does succeed in expanding to a 16-team super conference (and possibly more), I don’t think it would be long before the Pac-12 and Big Ten follow suit. The Pac-12 could raid a few more schools from the Mountain West and the WAC, and the Big Ten would have their pick of Big 12, Big East, and ACC schools.

Lastly, the remaining schools from the Big East and ACC that were left out of the Big Ten and SEC would create their own conference.

How I See the Super Conferences Shaping up

This is how I think things would shape out if there were four super conferences:

Pac-12:
• 12 current teams plus Boise State, BYU, Air Force, Hawaii, and perhaps Fresno State and San Diego State for a 16-18 team conference

SEC:
• 12 current teams plus Texas A&M, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami, and Louisville for an 18-team conference

Big Ten:
• 12 current teams and Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, and TCU for a 16-team conference

ACC/Big East/Big 12 merger:
• From the ACC: Maryland, NC State, Wake Forest, Duke, Boston College and Virginia
• From the Big East: Cincy, UConn, Rutgers, USF, Cuse, and West Virginia
• From the Big 12: Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and either Texas Tech or Oklahoma St. or both
*16-17 team conference

Of course this alignment would leave some teams out in the dust to fend for themselves or create their own “mid-major” conferences.

What do you think?

If you read this post, let me know what you think of it. Do you agree that there is a good chance we are moving to super conferences one day? Do you think the Big 12 will stay put for now? Do you agree with my future super conferences?

Post a comment if you have any quality feedback!