Utah Utes Expansion Dreams Crushed!

Responding to recent rampant internet rumors that the University of Utah is bidding farewell to the Mountain West Conference and heading for the PAC-10 were addressed just minutes ago by PAC-10 commissioner Larry Scott.  In an unexpectedly quick move to extinguish speculation, Scott stated unequivocally that the PAC-10 was not committed to any form of expansion just yet.

Disappointed Ute fans would be deflated even further when Scott responded directly to the rumor that Utah was actively being considered as a potential expansion option by stating that although the PAC-10 was considering expansion they “would not do anything as rash or stupid as inviting Utah.”  Scott quickly stepped back from his comment by insisting that he actually meant to say the PAC-10 did not want to "act rashly and end up doing something stupid that they would later regret.” 

Does this mean that Utah is going to be left out of the PAC-10 party?  It’s hard to say.  Salt Lake City’s ABC-affiliate is reporting that reliable sources, suspected to be internet message boards, have confirmed that Utah joining the PAC-10 is all but a done deal. 

Furthermore, there was a noticeable increase in the purchase of Utah merchandise today in the PAC-10 footprint as a FANZZ store in Visalia reported that it sold a crimson red Utah hat to a fan.  However, eyewitness accounts cast doubt on the circumstances of the situation and suggest that the "Ute fan" was in fact a University of Miami fan who purchased the hat after her found the store was already sold out of Miami hats with their iconic U logo.

Ironically, perhaps the biggest stumbling block to Utah’s inclusion in the PAC-10 may be their most popular program: the Red Rocks, Utah’s women’s gymnastics team.  Apparently several PAC-10 schools have expressed concern over the success of Utah’s dainty ladies as they are worried they will have difficulty competing against the Utes for the top tiny girls in the nation.

What is certain is that nothing has been decided yet. It’s possible that the PAC-10 has decided to extend an invite to Utah based on the strength of their basketball program, knowing that the Utes will do little to disrupt the current balance of power in the conference.  Brigham Young University was reportedly the top target of the PAC-10 until their recent string of lop-sided victories against PAC-10 schools in both football and basketball, worried the conference that they would become BYU’s collective whipping boy.  It looks like that success has come at a price, as Scott said in a February 2 interview with the San Jose Mercury News that inviting BYU would be the equivalent of the conference collectively slitting their wrists, knowing that their pampered boys would be dominated by the mature men BYU regularly fields.

What will the future hold?  If only we knew.