So here is my last thought on the recent conference realignment. A work colleague of mine used to describe the appearance of “sharks and minnows” that would show up when any endeavor was thrashing about for survival. In this case, the endeavor was the PAC 12 media deal, and the shark is the B10 and the minnow the B12. The B10 started the process by grabbing the two California teams in the largest media market, thereby almost ensuring the endeavor’s media deal would fail, and then as the thrashing continued, the B12 peeled off the weakest member, Colorado, and then the B10 returned to take two more bites, Oregon, and Washington, and then finally the B12 grabbed the remaining 4 corner schools to create travel partners and regional rivalries.
I am sad to leave the PAC 12, it was a great regional conference of like-minded institutions, but the only thing we can count on is change, so while this cycle of realignment may be coming to an end, there will be more in the future. All we can do as fans is to continue to support the athletes that so well represent the U.
As always, Go Utes!