Mizzou still awaits word from the SEC
Mizzou still awaits word from the SEC
BY VAHE GREGORIAN Posted: Friday, November 4, 2011 12:00 am Accidentally or not, the Southeastern Conference on Oct. 27 flashed an extensive announcement on its website that Mizzou would be joining it in 2012.The next day, the Big 12 left Mizzou off a list of expected members next year as the league announced West Virginia coming aboard.The intentional and direct delivery of the news appeared days away, especially when MU chancellor Brady Deaton canceled a scheduled nine-day trip to India that was to begin Tuesday.Yet, Thursday came and went with still no clarification of a timetable by Mizzou, and there is little likelihood of it being today. The Mizzou football team will be leaving for Waco, Texas, and the SEC is engrossed in playing host for top-ranked LSU's visit to No. 2 Alabama.
Mizzou's move remains a foregone conclusion, but a highly-placed college athletics source spoke for many when he said, simply, "What's the hold-up?"
Few know with precision, and they're not telling.
But the crux is Mizzou wanting to leave for 2012 with no legal complications and minimal exit fees, and that cause may be helped by the conference indicating it plans to be without Missouri and interim Big 12 commissioner Chuck Neinas' spoken stance that it would be "viable" without Mizzou.
Yet, the withdrawal perhaps is complicated by the Big East intending to jam West Virginia for 27 months after notice, per Big East bylaws.If West Virginia can't go in 2012, and it's now suing the Big East as part of the effort, the Big 12 would be left with nine schools if MU were gone.The Big 12 has said it needs 10 to supply inventory for its television contracts, thus leading to possible legal entanglements with MU that MU and the SEC likely would want unsnarled before proceeding.The hold-up might end as promptly as early next week. Or, of course, the devil in the details might muck it up longer.
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Mizzou still awaits word from the SEC
