University Of Missouri To Move To The Big Ten …I MEAN SEC…LOL RUMORS WILL BE RUMORS [MIZZOU] [Predictions][Updating]

Should this most recent moves by the ACC and the PAC 12 force the hand of the B1G (new big ten logo) and the SEC I think the B1G needs to focus on picking up MIZZOU.  The article below shares most of my sentiment, but misses one key point. The University Of Missouri has the best journalism school in the country.  Many of the most famous reporters have graduated from their and having them all become B1G fans could be huge for TV coverage and sports writing coverage.

ORIGINALLY POST HERE

It feels like eons ago, but in May 2009, I wrote this:

If and when the Big Ten decides to expand, Missouri should be at the top of Delany’s list.

Keep in mind that back then, expansion wasn’t a front-burner issue for the Big Ten and its commissioner, Jim Delany. I reiterated in the post that Notre Dame remained the best realistic addition for the Big Ten (and still does to this day). Regarding Nebraska, the team that eventually joined the league, I expressed reservations about the Huskers’ ability to leave the Big 12.

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AP Photo/Paul BeatyImportant decisions regarding expansion are on the horizon for Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany.

We all know what happened next. The landscape changed, and the Big Ten made the right call by adding Nebraska. Missouri remained in the Big 12 and came out looking bad after itsgovernor publicly advocated for the school to join the Big Ten. It wasn’t the right approach with the Big Ten, and Missouri took some heat.

Fast-forward to today, where Realignment Round 2 is upon us, and everyone in these parts wants to know what the Big Ten will do. While leagues like the Big Ten and SEC aren’t under the same pressure to react as, say, the Pac-12 and ACC, if the seismic shift is upon us, Delany will have to act.

The commish says he isn’t being proactive at the moment, reiterating that the Big Ten doesn’t need to be reactive to what others are doing.

Yet, if and when Delany does act, Notre Dame should be his top priority. And if the Big Ten adds multiple schools, Missouri should be part of the mix.

I’ve gone back and forth on Missouri, which certainly has some pluses but doesn’t move the needle nationally like some of its former and current Big 12 brethren. The Tigers wouldn’t be a home-run addition like Nebraska or Penn State, but they might be a ground-rule double.

If the Big Ten has to go to 16 teams — and trust me, this would be a reluctant expansion — Missouri brings more value than some other options being discussed.

A few reasons why:

Member of the American Association of Universities

Success in two major sports programs (football and men’s basketball)

Would have natural rivalries with Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska

Has upgraded its facilities, which are some of the best in the Big 12

Has presence both in the St. Louis and Kansas City markets. Should the Big Ten also add Kansas, also an AAU member, it would dominate both markets.
The Big Ten’s East Coast options seem limited after the ACC’s actions both to add teams and to protect itself by raising the exit fee for members. But none of the East Coast options are home runs. A Big Ten that includes both Notre Dame and Penn State is very relevant in New York City and other Eastern markets.

Missouri could be an SEC expansion target as well, but the school seems to be a better cultural fit in the Big Ten. Kansas might not be a bad option, either, as its AAU status and national powerhouse men’s basketball program are two big pluses. If the Big Ten adds both schools, it adds a terrific rivalry.

Again, Notre Dame should be the Big Ten’s top expansion priority if all the complex details of adding the Irish can be worked out. But if a multi-school expansion is on the horizon, and indications are it could be, Missouri should be part of the mix.

***********************************UPDATE*************************************

Nate Silver, a statistician known for his work on baseball and politics, took on a new challenge in The New York Times this week: figuring out which college football teams are the most popular in the country.

In this article, Silver extrapolates data from Google searches, TV markets and census information to come up with an estimate for the number of fans by team.

Interestingly enough, Silver’s study concludes that the three most popular teams in America all play in the Big Ten. Ohio State is No. 1 with more than 3.1 million fans, followed by Michigan with more than 2.9 million and Penn State at more than 2.6 million. Notre Dame is fourth and Texas is fifth. (Surprisingly, Texas A&M ranks sixth, ahead of every SEC team, which may help explain that conference’s interest in the Aggies).

Silver also lists the popularity of teams by conference. Here is his breakdown of the Big Ten (numbers on the left represent national ranking):

1. Ohio State: 3,167,263
2. Michigan: 2,921,066
3. Penn State: 2,642,275
12. Wisconsin: 1,441,955
15. Iowa: 1,273,954
18. Nebraska: 1,230,558
20. Michigan State: 1,145,819
27. Illinois: 965,087
28. Minnesota: 963,581
44. Indiana: 636,954
46. Purdue: 624,944
54. Northwestern: 514,540

“The Big Ten can afford to be picky,” Silver writes. “Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State are the three most popular college football teams in the country, according to our study. Seven Big Ten teams, including new addition Nebraska, rank in the top 20 nationally. And all but one Big Ten school is in the top 50, the lone exception being Northwestern, which has the Chicago market and strong academics going for it.

“The only plausible additions that would allow the Big Ten to improve upon its average of about 1.5 million fans per team are Notre Dame (2.3 million fans) and Texas (also 2.3 million). But good luck adding those schools.”

And here are some numbers for oft-mentioned Big Ten expansion candidates:

23. Missouri: 1,084,889
32. Rutgers: 937,874
40. Kansas: 768,002
47. Connecticut: 618,724

Silver acknowledges that these numbers are only estimates, but it gives you an idea of where teams stand — and which ones would bring the most attention and eyeballs in an expansion scenario.

This Is What A Volcano Looks Like From Space. [PICTURES]

If you ever wonder what it looks like when a volcano erupts from outer space the pictures are below.

This May 23, 2006, photo released by NASA shows the eruption of Cleveland Volcano, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, as photographed by an Expedition 13 crew member on the International Space Station. The image captures the ash plume of the very short-lived eruption. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center)

In this June 16, 2010 satellite image provided by NASA, Papua New Guinea’s Manam Volcano releases a thin, faint plume, as clouds cluster at the volcano’s summit. The Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite took this image. The clouds may result from water vapor from the volcano, but may also have formed independent of volcanic activity. The volcanic plume appears as a thin, blue-gray veil extending toward the northwest over the Bismarck Sea. (AP Photo/NASA)Seen here on on June 12, 2009 in the beginning stages of eruption is Sarychev volcano. This was the sixth eruption since 1946, making it one the busiest volcanoes on Russia’s Kuril Islands. (Photo: NASA)

The Real Moby Dick. [Picutres] [VIDEO]

So we finally did it. We found the real Moby Dick. He is an albino humpback whale.

Migaloo, the only documented albino humpback whale in the world, thrilled cruise passengers on Saturday, when he was spotted off Cairns, Australia:

“The famous whale enjoyed clear skies and low winds and dived repeatedly into the blue depths before surfacing every 10 to 15 minutes GBR Helicopter Group director Deborah Ross said the footage taken by cinematographer David Farmer and pilot Chris Rose, of Chris Rose Flying Films, would be given to the BBC, which is producing a documentary on Migaloo. ‘We’ve made it a professional goal to make sure we get Migaloo recorded so we can help protect him because he is so precious,’ she said. ‘This is the first time Migaloo has been filmed anywhere professionally in the world.’”

 

 

Migaloo, which means “white fellow” in one of Australia’s indigenous languages, was first spotted in 1991, when he was believed to be less than 5 years old.

Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/2010/08/worlds-only-documented-albino-humpback-whale-reappears.html#ixzz1YQkh7V4g

 

Cool Earth Fly Over GIF.

Saw This Randomly Online.

One of the coolest GIF’s I’ve seen online so far. Earth fly over by satellite.

 

Here Are The Future Stars Of Football. [VIDEOS]

This first video is highlights from the junior year of high school of an athlete I have been waiting years to reach college sports.  This is NO JOKE Barry Sanders Jr. Yes he has the same name as his father and judging by these high lights looks to be destine to walk in his fathers footsteps at tail back for a very lucky football coach next year.

Highlights of star wide receiver Dorial Green – Beckham from Hillcrest High School in Springfield, MO. In the top 100 on rivals.com Dorial passes what recruiter call the eye test with flying colors.  You can watch his highlight real over and over again and he never even looks like he is trying hard.  Basically football comes easy to this kid, and in MO state high school football he is a man among boys.

2010 Highlights of Johnathan Gray, RB from Aledo H.S. This RB just has pure speed. He is gonna be a homerun threat every time he gets the ball.

Hopewell Area HS in Aliquippa Pa. has one of the Nation Top RB, in Jr. Rushel Shell. In two season at Hopewell the Jr. has 4,255 and 43TD!!!! Shell is 5-11, 215 pounds that has size, speed, quickness, power, and etc. Rushel can run between the tackles and can get to the outside in a hurry!!!!! If Shell stays health, this young man will have a great Jr season in 2010 and will be 1 of the Nation top RB in the 2011 Class!!!! Good Luck Rushel Shell!!!!

Foo Fighters Protest Concert Against The Westboro Baptist Church

Maybe more people should start picketing their picketing…lol This was a great idea and would love to see more people make these idiots at the WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH look bad.

On Aug. 30th, 2011 Westboro Baptist Church called for a picket of the Foo Fighters show in Kansas City. They had a little something up their sleeve. God Bless America.

 

The Wild And Wonderful Whites Of West Virginia Is A Riot [VIDEO REVIEW]

From the people who brought you Jackass The Movie, comes an interesting documentary about a family of Appalachian Tap Dancing Hicks.  Produced by Johnny Knoxville this entertaining piece drew my attention and has since been circulating through my group of friends with wild reactions.  This movie depicts the real life of some of the craziest, red necked, down home dirty white trash you have ever seen in your entire life…and they are PROUD of it.

My favorite part of the below video is at 1:16

“Our lifes just been a party and we just living like its a story, that we already dead but we still alive too, and we get to tell about it” –Jesco White

This video below is the official trailer for the movie, censored of course.