Last night, Clay Travis over at Outkick The Coverage provided the scoop on the SEC’s official website posting an announcement of Missouri’s addition. But the best part are the questions he’s also asking about the ramifications of such a move. After all, posting something personal online and then taking it back is much different than a move like this with the millions of dollars at stake and the level of exposure.
Travis writes, “The key question that hangs over SEC realignment now is what, if anything, changed to keep this from being officially announced already? The second key question? What are the legal implications of this degree of coordination existing while Missouri is still officially a member of the Big 12? The SEC would likely argue that this was merely an internal public relations release, but in front of the wrong Texas jury this could be a hundred million dollar mistake by the SEC. Somewhere Ken Starr is smiling.”
It’s that last point that could signal what’s to come if the Big 12 really wanted to place some sharks in the proverbial water. Remember when Texas A&M came out saying they were headed to the SEC and then had to back off of everything and take it inch by inch?
It’s the guy wanting to get with his ex-girlfriend and they actually already have a fling going. But they feel like they have to give everyone space before they officially announce anything to make all parties involved feel at ease with the situation. That’s what A&M had to do afterward, and Baylor even stepped up and raised the word “legal” in the process.
The SEC and Big 12 are going to be longtime enemies in some way after this entire mess is over. The SEC used their power to poach some key targets and this came after a conference was already licking its wounds from the loss of Nebraska to the BIg Ten and, in lesser ways, Colorado to the Pac-12. Missouri and Texas A&M are both prime targets that the SEC passed over other impressive schools to choose, and here’s a free “kick me” sign the SEC just posted on their own backs.
Perhaps the Big 12 will take the high road, let the schools leave without a fuss and allow the SEC to look stupid for a day by posting this in advance. But if someone with some power is actually smarting from all of this, here’s an open door that Travis notices.