One Final Time: Missouri Chancellor Says There Never Was A Big Ten Offer

On May 10, Kansas City became the center of the college football world. That's because 810-AM WHB's Kevin Kietzmann reported that the Big Ten had extended an offer to Missouri to join the conference.

Since 810 WHB is an ESPN affiliate, that was the lead story on SportsCenter that evening. The blogs blew up. Newspapers picked it up. Everyone was talking about it.

Presumably, everyone was also tuning into 810 WHB as well.

The problem? Everyone involved denied it -- on or off the record.

And once again at Missouri's press conference Tuesday afternoon, Chancellor Brady Deaton said there never was an offer from the Big Ten.

The Big 12 is now in place and considering the alternatives, everyone seems to be happy about that. So, if there actually was an offer from the Big Ten, now would be the time for Missouri to admit it. Because it would then look like they pledged their loyalty to the conference and, in a way, helped "save" the Big 12.

And at a time when Missouri should be concerned about the way they're being perceived, this would have been a victory in the court of public opinion.

Yet Deaton denied there was an offer.

I think that's about as clear as anyone can make it: There never was an offer.

Yet Kietzmann is sticking with his story.