Big 12 commish steps down
by Mizzou Matt 9/22/11
WANTED: Individual to take the reigns of the Big 12 athletic conference. Requirements: Must know how to say "No" to the University of Texas.
That would be nice, wouldn't it? To have a commissioner that knew how to say no to schools that ask for too much? Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe stepped down today after demands by Oklahoma that he step down. The demand came on the heels of the PAC-12 deciding to not expand to 16 teams, which would've included the addition of Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. The Sooners said in no uncertain terms that if they were to stay in the Big 12, "Dan Beebe has to go." After Beebe stepped down Thursday morning, the interim commissioner is Chuck Neinas, who was the commissioner of the old Big 8 conference. The Big 8 later became the Big 12 in 1996 when the Big 8 and the Southwest Athletic Conference merged.
As far as the possibility of a move to the SEC, Mizzou chancellor (and chairman of the Big 12 board) Brady Deaton stays mute about it. Deaton did say that the Big 12 is reactivating their expansion committee to consider if new members will be admitted.
