Cemetery Hill update on Big 12

May 27, 2012, 4:21 PM

http://clemson.247sports.com/Board/22/Sundays-Clemson-Big-12-Update-GT-Miami-and-ND-included-9811761

CF24713 posts
Behind The Wall
First this is the first "Behind The Wall" info Cemetery Hill has for the new Clemson 247Sports. This is for all the 247 members or whoever has decided to come visit the new Clemson 247Sports. In the next 7-14 days these nuggets will be for our VIP subscribers. We hope you value these and will join us.
This is info I've accumulated from my contacts about this situation.
-Think, about all the things you read etc. Who did they come from? Do they cover the story? How long have the covered the story? Got me? Don't concern yourself with GT or Miami. No one at either school at any level is covering this or has any good information. In fact Miami went out of their way to deny Big 12 activity in an interview.
-No one and I mean no one covers this story in their out loud voice for GT, Miami and ND. Why? Nothing to it.
-GT early on told the Big 12 we're not interested, thank you. Now there is info they have had contact. That's literally all I can confirm. I speak with Baylor 247's Brian Ethridge frequently about any and everything re: the Big 12 expansion. Just remember GT has nothing to do in any scenario with Clemson, FSU or teams 11 & 12. Everything we've been told points to that and that GT doesn't carry that cache.
-Notre Dame: their role in this is controlled by the decision the BCS makes for the new 4 team playoff. Understand these things-
-Notre Dame is under contract with NBC until 2015
-They want to stay independent. Their choice in this whole deal comes down to whether the new BCS is based off rankings or in fact is the conference champion model is used. Everything we hear points to the conference champion model and must be ranked in the top 6. If this happens ND goes in to the Big 12 and the fun begins with taking GT or Pitt most likely as 14.
-Miami?? Ridiculous garbage to even think they would leave. Again no one from Miami covering this because it won't happen and there is no story. They told the Big 12 that it didn't fit their model and Texas was happy as they don't play nice.
Regarding Miami, according to my contacts it's thought they will lose more scholarships than USC did as penalty from the NCAA. The information I received is the NCAA has even more damning evidence such as video and pictures of the wrong doings and they intend to make an example out of Miami. They will be crippled after the penalties are announced and thus useless. The average attendance for a given Miami game is what? 10,000?
Clemson, the BOT and TDP
-The Big 12 meetings are 5/30-6/1 We've heard to expect "rubber stamping" talks to give Clemson and FSU with the formal ok to invite. Fwiw my contacts have told me the comments last week by Wilkins and TDP made were viewed as "landscape and succession" comments.
-Publicly it appears FSU is out in front of this but my contacts tell me Clemson has been very coy and strategic in this whole process and has their ducks in a row.
-Shortly after the Big 12 meetings I'm told to expect another BOT meeting. Various contacts point to the focus being to appoint someone to negotiate for Clemson.
-The Big 12 can't offer until Clemson and FSU declare they are looking and leave the ACC formally.
-The new Big 12 commissioner Bowlsby will be announced formally 6/15.
-Due to the fluid nature of this situation I am told the timing is unclear yet but that my contacts believe by June's end there could be a resolution is in place for all this.
- TDP retires in a year. One could view this as his "white whale" or a "legacy" move. He would be forever remembered if he pulls this off right?
-Lastly the notion that "the talks have just begun" "this isn't as far along as you might think" "this group or that group legitimately doesn't know anything about this" is all posturing. It's true that many don't know about this but that doesn't mean this hasn't been going on behind the scenes for awhile.
-This more than ever is the time to lie, cover tracks, stonewall the media because this is the biggest sports story at Clemson since 1981. You don't just wake up a month from the BCS meetings and start talking about this. Leaks happen a lot of times in these situations from lesser media to stimulate strong denials that keep the masses unsteady and unsure about what really is happening.
Also remember no one wants to be denied in public. This way if something ever does fall apart denial is there for both.
On the Big 12 end the best info possible is with Brian Ethridge http://baylor.247sports.com/ Brian's Twitter @truthorbear247
As always check here for the Dude of West VIrginia or his Twitter @thedudeofwv
The best and accurate FSU info is with Ingram Smith @ingramsmith and Bud Elliott @tomahawknation

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Cemetery Hill update on Big 12

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