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Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott, after hearing Texas was putting the proverbial kibosh on the creation of the Pac-16, said he thought he had a deal. Texas never made it official, and the reasons for their sudden hesitance have been a source of some specualtion. Texas, at the very least, probably broke an obscure bylaw of The Bro Code.
It's cool, though. No biggie, Scott says.
Scott said he never felt he had an agreement in place with Texas that would have led to the Longhorns, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Texas A&M joining the Pac-10.
"In my experience in professional sports and college sports, nothing's ever done until it's done," Scott said.
"We developed this plan with our eyes wide open. We knew that this would be seen as a very bold stroke and there would be all kinds of reasons why it might not be possible at the end.
Colorado served as a "stake in the ground" for the deal, but when the rest of the teams didn't follow, Scott gave Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe a congratulatory phone call. "In my experience in professional sports and college sports, nothing's ever done until it's done," Scott said.
"We developed this plan with our eyes wide open. We knew that this would be seen as a very bold stroke and there would be all kinds of reasons why it might not be possible at the end.
Scott believed an "tsunami" of political pressure from Texas A&M and Baylor caused Texas to reconsider, as well as fear of what the creation of a Pac-16 would do to the rest of collegiate athletics.
That would fall in line with what colleague Andy Katz reported earlier in the week, with help coming from all corners to make sure the Big 12 stayed together.
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