Baylor AD: Let's Keep 10-Team Big 12 Together

Baylor is predictably coming out and arguing for the Big 12 to stick together. Unfortunately, their arguments likely hold little weight with the rest of the conference for the same reason the Pac 10 didn't invite them to their conference: They don't bring much to the table.

Sorry, Baylor. Not trying to rain on your parade but you're not calling the shots in the Big 12. Texas is.

Here's what Baylor AD Ian McCaw had to say on Friday afternoon...

"The entire nation is watching to see whether there is in fact a focusing upon the vitally important questions that have been raised, including by Congressman (Chet) Edwards in his letter (Thursday). Vitally important questions have been raised now by Senators (Chuck) Grassley and (Tom) Harkin of Iowa. There are a myriad of questions that merit analysis and answering of before the major disruption to this wonderful conference."

Translation: I'll bring in Congress if I have to.

"What we do know is that there is a lot of sentiment and sympathy throughout the conference for keeping the conference intact; an enormous amount of sympathy and support for keeping the conference intact."

Translation: Obviously having the four Big 12 schools bolt for the Pac 10 is more financially rewarding for them so I'm going to try and play the sympathetic card.

"We do not want the welfare of student-athletes to somehow not be fully considered. We earnestly hope that the welfare of our student-athletes will be a very heavy factor and that this process should not simply be driven by money."

Translation: It took me 15 minutes of talking before I realized I forgot to mention: What about the children? Think about the children!

"I am not going to make a predictive judgment or speculate as to whether time is on the side of the integrity of the Big 12 Conference or not. But what I do know is John Adams famously stated, `In trial, facts are flinty things' and there are a whole array of facts that we think cry out to be closely analyzed."

Translation: Just give me some more time. Surely I can convince Texas to stay!