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Big 12 Realignment: Alabama Welcomes Mizzou To SEC, If They'll Go... East?

So Mizzou, you guys sure about this? 

The University of Alabama is apparently in support of the Tigers joining the conference, according to Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News, if - and it's a weird, petty if - Missouri joins the SEC's Eastern Division. Why? Because, according sources, Alabama doesn't want the addition of geographically western teams Mizzou and A&M to force a shift in the division alignments.

Sure, we get it: the Tide doesn't want to lose blood rival Auburn or its annual third-Saturday-in-October battle with Tennessee. Right? Not exactly, according to Solomon:

According to the sources, Alabama has two objectives: Keep its annual cross-division rivalry game against Tennessee, and not watch Auburn move to the East and possibly grow its recruiting presence in talent-rich Florida and Georgia.

Memo to Missouri: Get used to this type of pettiness in the SEC, where even the tiniest of potential football recruiting advantages becomes dissected.

We know what you're thinking, Tigers: Why defy logic and create a bizarre division alignment just to appease the latest tinfoil hat conspiracy between the fans of Auburn and Alabama? Well, if you join the SEC, you'll just get used to it.