The old "SEC" is better argument

[silvertip]

I heard Grant Hall talk about how much more money we make in the SEC over the big 12.  First of all this is not true.  It's about the same, in fact Missouri made as much money as we did last year. 

Secondly, even if it were true and like Grant said we have this great big nice stadium to play in I have one question.

Would you rather win in the old stadium than lose in the new stadium?

I vote for winning.

Since the new stadium opened in 2001, we have played 3 conference games a year in Fayetteville. Thru 2005 our record in those games was 6-9. We have played 2 significant non-conference games in Texas and USC. Lost both. So, counting the overpowering, manhandling victory we posted against Bama lost Saturday, our record  (only counting real opponents, not Weber State, etc.) in the "great big nice stadium" is:  7-11

Not impressive.

Well, the problem with that line of thinking---Nutt is the only coach we've had in the new stadium. There's nothing saying we couldn't do better at RRS with a better coach.

If you told me we would be stuck with HDN or a coach of similar skill for 30 years, then I would say move to the Big 12. But I would rather stay in the SEC & have a stronger coach.  WPS!!

[Root Hog]

Actually there are no 40,000 seat stadiums in the Big 12. More like 50,000 - still depressing though.

Here's a look at the rounded version comparisons:

Tenn. 102,000         Okl.     82,000
Ala.     92,000         A&M     81,000
LSU     92,000         Tex.     80,000
Geor.   92,000         Neb.    75,000
Flor.    91,000         Mizz.    62,000
Aub.    86,000         Colo.    54,000
S.Car.  80,000         Ok.St   53,000
Ark.     72,000         Tech.   50,000
Kent.    67,000        Bay.     50,000
Miss.    60,000         Kan.     50,000
Ms.St.  55,000         K.St.    50,000
Vand.   41,000         Iowa S. 50,000    
_____________        ______________
930,000 total            737,000 total

Exactly what I'm talking about.  Eight SEC stadiums seat 70k or more. Seven Big 12 stadiums are around 50k.  SEC is bigtime.  Big12 is akin to the Mountain West.  The BIGGEST stadium in the Big12 is comparable to the SEVENTH in the SEC.

[Hong Kong Sooey]

Actually there are no 40,000 seat stadiums in the Big 12. More like 50,000 - still depressing though.

Here's a look at the rounded version comparisons:

Tenn. 102,000         Okl.     82,000
Ala.     92,000         A&M     81,000
LSU     92,000         Tex.     80,000
Geor.   92,000         Neb.    75,000
Flor.    91,000         Mizz.    62,000
Aub.    86,000         Colo.    54,000
S.Car.  80,000         Ok.St   53,000
Ark.     72,000         Tech.   50,000
Kent.    67,000        Bay.     50,000
Miss.    60,000         Kan.     50,000
Ms.St.  55,000         K.St.    50,000
Vand.   41,000         Iowa S. 50,000    
_____________        ______________
930,000 total            737,000 total

Exactly what I'm talking about.  Eight SEC stadiums seat 70k or more. Seven Big 12 stadiums are around 50k.  SEC is bigtime.  Big12 is akin to the Mountain West.

Hmm, look at that...Arkansas would have very close to the best facilities in the Big 12.  Think recruits might be impressed?

[Root Hog]

It wouldn't be a pay cut.

In fact, the only difference between the conferences is that the middle tier of the SEC is typically stronger than the middle tier of the Big 12, although that is not always the case. 

There are bigger stadiums in the SEC as a whole, and that proves what?  That our facilities have more competition and are less likely to impress recruits from GA, FL, 'Bama?  That Tennessee has cut down the seat size to where it's really, really uncomfortable?  What's your point?

And we're not talking about the Mountain West, so that doesn't make sense.  We're talking about the Big 12.  Winning the MWC isn't going to put you in the NC or the BCS w/o quite a bit of luck.

Is this a joke?  The middle tier of the SEC has TWO teams (anyway you cut it) that have won national championships in the last 20 years and compete for it on a yearly basis.  The middle of the Big12 has FOUR teams that have never done anything-ever.

[Root Hog]

Actually there are no 40,000 seat stadiums in the Big 12. More like 50,000 - still depressing though.

Here's a look at the rounded version comparisons:

Tenn. 102,000         Okl.     82,000
Ala.     92,000         A&M     81,000
LSU     92,000         Tex.     80,000
Geor.   92,000         Neb.    75,000
Flor.    91,000         Mizz.    62,000
Aub.    86,000         Colo.    54,000
S.Car.  80,000         Ok.St   53,000
Ark.     72,000         Tech.   50,000
Kent.    67,000        Bay.     50,000
Miss.    60,000         Kan.     50,000
Ms.St.  55,000         K.St.    50,000
Vand.   41,000         Iowa S. 50,000    
_____________        ______________
930,000 total            737,000 total

Exactly what I'm talking about.  Eight SEC stadiums seat 70k or more. Seven Big 12 stadiums are around 50k.  SEC is bigtime.  Big12 is akin to the Mountain West.

Hmm, look at that...Arkansas would have very close to the best facilities in the Big 12.  Think recruits might be impressed?

We have very close to the best facilities in the SEC too.

[TheChicagoKid]

Let Colorado go to the PAC and Arkansas join the Big XII North Division. It makes a lot more sense geographically:

SEC West (avg distance 560 miles): Ole Miss: 400 miles, Mississippi St: 500 miles, Alabama: 550 miles, LSU: 620 miles, Auburn: 700 miles
SEC East (avg distance 800 miles): Vanderbilt: 530 miles, Tennessee: 700 miles, Kentucky: 700 miles, Georgia: 840 miles, South Carolina: 1000 miles, Florida: 1000 miles

Big XII North (avg distance 380 miles): Kansas: 280 miles, Kansas St: 350 miles, Mizzou: 350 miles, Nebraska: 440 miles, Iowa St: 470 miles
Big XII South (avg distance 450 miles): Oklahoma St: 200 miles, Oklahoma: 240 miles, Texas A&M: 520 miles, Texas: 540 miles, Baylor: 580 miles, Texas Tech: 600 miles

Being closer to schools in our conference would be better for fans (and the school) to travel.

More natural rivals... Football: Arkansas vs. Texas, Arkansas vs. Mizzou. Basketball: Arkansas vs. Kansas, Arkansas vs. Oklahoma St.

Let the SEC steal Memphis, Southern Miss, UAB, Louisville, or somebody...