Pac-12/Big 10/Big 12 Realignment

[StevensTechU]

He'll get a pretty good quality undergrad education at Michigan, in addition to playing baseball.

And he'll almost certainly want to tell everyone he knows how good his degree is, because he wouldn't be a Michigan Man if he didn't.

I only know one Michigan grad (my wife’s close friend’s husband) and I don’t see him often but when I do he quickly informs me that he’s a Michigan grad. I thought that was just him, but apparently not.

I lived in NYC for a while, and my office (Manhattan finance people) was largely grads from Villanova, Boston College, Cornell and Michigan. Nobody talked about the academic prowess of their school except for Michigan grads, and wasn't just one guy or woman.

Very inflated sense of self. They're basically washington grads.

[alxtw]

He'll get a pretty good quality undergrad education at Michigan, in addition to playing baseball.

And he'll almost certainly want to tell everyone he knows how good his degree is, because he wouldn't be a Michigan Man if he didn't.

I only know one Michigan grad (my wife’s close friend’s husband) and I don’t see him often but when I do he quickly informs me that he’s a Michigan grad. I thought that was just him, but apparently not.

I lived in NYC for a while, and my office (Manhattan finance people) was largely grads from Villanova, Boston College, Cornell and Michigan. Nobody talked about the academic prowess of their school except for Michigan grads, and wasn't just one guy or woman.

Very inflated sense of self. They're basically washington grads.

I was living in HK a decade ago and part of the finance scene over there. Some of my friends in finance over there and had completed their undergrads at Michigan actually never gloated or even brought up their Michigan degrees. There were a couple other friends I made throughout my time living in different parts of Asia that I didn't even know went to Michigan for their undergrad until very later on. But I'd imagine that might not be the case if a person grew up in Michigan or worked in Michigan or on the east coast after graduation?

One thing I found consistent, in this neck of the woods, is that Washington grads still feel their education and UW academics are on par to that of Berkley, and not far behind Stanford.

[StevensTechU]

When I lived in Seattle, I had a manager outright say uw was a better school than Stanford. Naturally, I thought he was kidding. He was not.

Oregon currently sits at #105 in the US News national rankings. # 48 among public schools. For context, we're tied with Utah and Arizona, and barely a hair behind Colorado.

washington is #55 (19 among publics). Michigan is #25 and #3 (behind UCLA and Cal).

[Phalanx]

When I lived in Seattle, I had a manager outright say uw was a better school than Stanford. Naturally, I thought he was kidding. He was not.

Oregon currently sits at #105 in the US News national rankings. # 48 among public schools. For context, we're tied with Utah and Arizona, and barely a hair behind Colorado.

washington is #55 (19 among publics). Michigan is #25 and #3 (behind UCLA and Cal).

That's a favorable list. Forbes had Michigan 25, UW 33, Oregon 150, OSU 158. The Times Higher Education has Michigan 14, UW at 17, Oregon didn't even make the 177 school list (OHSU was tied for 63rd).

[buckmarkduck]

When I lived in Seattle, I had a manager outright say uw was a better school than Stanford. Naturally, I thought he was kidding. He was not.

Oregon currently sits at #105 in the US News national rankings. # 48 among public schools. For context, we're tied with Utah and Arizona, and barely a hair behind Colorado.

washington is #55 (19 among publics). Michigan is #25 and #3 (behind UCLA and Cal).

UO would be much higher if not for the state of Oregon taking away OHSU, and also limiting programs UO and OS can offer. Both should be able to offer Engineering if they want.

[woundedknees]

The state of Oregon chooses to limit "academic prowess".
How forward thinking...

[StevensTechU]

The state of Oregon chooses to limit "academic prowess".
How forward thinking...

Public universities should be tools for the state, IMO. Without owing anything to the public and prospective students, a school will do what's best for its other constituents- current students, faculty, and alumni donors. One of the things those groups have in common is reaching for higher rankings, and the easiest path to get there is becoming more and more exclusive.

Invest in sh*t that doesn't matter like high end dorms and marketing, attract students from families with deep pockets regardless of statehood or nationality, reject as many as you can, climb the rankings.

I hate being the guy who recommends government oversight, but you see what I'm saying here. You could tweak the model from its current state, maybe get a little benefit, but I think the general design is justified and you'd hurt the whole state and its future college-aged students if you effectively privatized the school. If Oregon was ranked #300, or was feeling outsized political pressure for whatever the hot button social-political topic of the day was, maybe I'd sing a different tune, but it doesn't, and it already enjoys plenty of excesses without a longer leash.

[greenyellow]

Some big news as USC AD Mike Bohn has unexpectedly resigned.

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[buckmarkduck]

The state of Oregon chooses to limit "academic prowess".
How forward thinking...

Public universities should be tools for the state, IMO. Without owing anything to the public and prospective students, a school will do what's best for its other constituents- current students, faculty, and alumni donors. One of the things those groups have in common is reaching for higher rankings, and the easiest path to get there is becoming more and more exclusive.

Invest in sh*t that doesn't matter like high end dorms and marketing, attract students from families with deep pockets regardless of statehood or nationality, reject as many as you can, climb the rankings.

I hate being the guy who recommends government oversight, but you see what I'm saying here. You could tweak the model from its current state, maybe get a little benefit, but I think the general design is justified and you'd hurt the whole state and its future college-aged students if you effectively privatized the school. If Oregon was ranked #300, or was feeling outsized political pressure for whatever the hot button social-political topic of the day was, maybe I'd sing a different tune, but it doesn't, and it already enjoys plenty of excesses without a longer leash.

The problem is the state barely gives enough money to UO, to make it worth filling under their rules. It’s like 72 mill compared to OSU getting 229mill.

[greenyellow]

Looks like the Big Ten is still having issues finalizing their media deal and coaches/ADs/presidents aren't happy with some of the details that are only now coming out.

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[pezsez1]

B1G members being that upset over slightly smaller net gains shows how unlikely it is that Oregon would be invited anytime soon. This is all about the Benjamins baby.

[greenyellow]

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[wepto]

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The Nebraska president just predicted 2-4 Pac-12 teams will join the B1G within the next few years.

[buckmarkduck]

The state of Oregon chooses to limit "academic prowess".
How forward thinking...

Public universities should be tools for the state, IMO. Without owing anything to the public and prospective students, a school will do what's best for its other constituents- current students, faculty, and alumni donors. One of the things those groups have in common is reaching for higher rankings, and the easiest path to get there is becoming more and more exclusive.

Invest in sh*t that doesn't matter like high end dorms and marketing, attract students from families with deep pockets regardless of statehood or nationality, reject as many as you can, climb the rankings.

I hate being the guy who recommends government oversight, but you see what I'm saying here. You could tweak the model from its current state, maybe get a little benefit, but I think the general design is justified and you'd hurt the whole state and its future college-aged students if you effectively privatized the school. If Oregon was ranked #300, or was feeling outsized political pressure for whatever the hot button social-political topic of the day was, maybe I'd sing a different tune, but it doesn't, and it already enjoys plenty of excesses without a longer leash.

The state of Oregon gives UO far less than OSU. UO could drop the state all together, which people have wanted to do for decades, and go private.

[DuckzRule]

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The Nebraska president just predicted 2-4 Pac-12 teams will join the B1G within the next few years.

Hoping Oregon is one of them...

Now, seriously speaking, the Pac-12 is in a very bad situation right now and I think there's no way to save the conference unless the biggest of miracles happens.