College football in America was rocked to the core by recent news of conference expansion and realignment. Moderate spectators and rabid fans alike were no doubt anxiously anticipating the outcome of these sudden developments. With Nebraska’s departure to the Big Ten Conference and Colorado to the PAC-10 Conference, the Big 12 Conference was rumored to likely dissolve quickly thereafter, with Texas and and handful other Big 12 schools possibly headed to the PAC-10.
One of the teams looking to follow the money train to the PAC-10 was Baylor University. Texas Governor Rick Perry has been vocal about his preference that Baylor be included in any conference realignment that also includes the other Texas teams in the Big 12 – Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech. Furthermore, Baylor launched an all-out effort in the Texas Legislature to make certain that they were included in the move to the PAC-10.
Orangebloods.com reported that this effort seemed to be falling short. Originally, Colorado, with its big money Denver television market, had agreed to leave the Big 12 with Texas and Co., leaving Baylor as the odd-man out with no financial leverage to speak of. What’s more, the website also cited sources stating that “some schools in the Pac-10, including California-Berkeley, have a real issue with adding an institution with religious ties like Baylor to the conference.”
Should this be a surprise? Probably not. California-Berkeley has never been shy about its liberal bent. In 2005, the school’s website posted an article stating that only 12% of the incoming freshman population considered itself to be conservative on such issues as abortion and same-sex marriage. Liberalism continues to subvert our country through many avenues, now college football can be included.
Ultimately, the dust settled and the Big 12 stayed together with ten teams and a great sigh of relief was heard around the sports world coming out of Waco. Sadly, Baylor would have been jobbed otherwise. Not because of their football record, their academic status, or their ticket sales. No, they would be pushed out mainly because of their ties to Jesus Christ.
Good luck to Colorado, the cultural and economic fit for the PAC-10.