Collegiate Hoops: KU to The Pac-10 Hurts Kansas State

Every since expansion talks started to heat up; there has been a lot of speculation about the Big 12 breaking apart.

The Big 12's status hinged on Nebraska and Mizzou; but now it's all up to Texas. 

Texas is reportedly leaving for the Pac-10, which killed any thoughts of the Big 12 staying intact.

This left the remaining teams in the Big 12 victims of conference expansions. Not only that, but there is no conferences with a lot interest in the other Big 12 teams.

Until today. The Mountain West Conference has an interest in KU and Kansas State, but hasn't made a huge push for either team. 

On the other hand, the Pac-10 has recently expressed am interest in the Jayhawks. 

After Texas A&M turned down the bid to join the Pac-10 in favor of the SEC, its mind has been set on the Jayhawks. In fact, the Pac-10 officials are supposed to be headed to Kansas City to speak with the Jayhawks.

Let's take a look at the possible departure of the schools:

Kansas to the Pac-10

This would be the ideal place for the Jayhawks considering that Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Texas Tech will most likely be in the conference. It'll seem like a new home because they'll be playing the same teams in both football and basketball.

From a football prospective, they are not the better team for a possible expansion. 

They were able to grab a few stellar seasons in the Big 12, but as of late, it has all vanished. 

From a basketball prospective, the Jayhawks could join the conference and not skip a beat. 

Kansas has, and always will be, a great basketball powerhouse. They're going to be set-up perfectly by the Pac-10. Joining the conference puts more money in the Jayhawks pocket; which allows them to acquire more scholarships

 

Now you're probably thinking about how good of a deal that is considering the fact that Kansas could have been homeless when all this played out. But if you understand what the word loyalty means, it's not.

 

Think about all the rivalries and history that will be diminished if Kansas decides to bail for the Pac-10.

 

Kansas and Kansas State have been linked for some time and the Kansas Board of Regents even stepped in and said they wanted this to continue.

 

However, with the current allegations about the Pac-10 reaching out for KU's service, could break apart this bond we all know as the Sunflower Showdown.

 

Think about the recruiting battles for Kansas high school recruits, or the grant money they split every year, or how about the fact that if they split Kansas State could be the loser of all this instead of Kansas.

 

I think the best possible situation for Kansas is to join the Pac-10 but I don't believe they'll be loyal in the eyes of many. They'll most likely be seen as money-hungry Jayhawks that left Kansas State to fend for themselves.

 

(This post was originally published on the Collegiate Hoops blog )