It's the college sports equivalent of trading up for a trophy wife or moving to a haughtier zip code, the difference being that American universities are supposed to prioritize academia over high-stakes status swapping. Princeton Review rankings? By dumping conferences and moving to new ones, schools are mocking the educational imperative and reminding us that money grabs are more important to them than how they're perceived in the classroom.
To hell with memories, loyalties and geography. A chaotic game of musical chairs is ripping the traditional paradigm from its roots, prompting a mad rush for the best options -- i.e., superconferences that generate the most television revenue -- before the music stops and losers are left to settle for humbler digs. Whether it's Nebraska heading to the Big Ten or Colorado leading a charge to the Pac-10 that inevitably includes Texas, Oklahoma and two other Big 12 schools, everything we've known about tradition and regional rivalries is about to undergo a seismic shift.
Remember how solid and prestigious the Big 12 seemed the last several years? As soon as Tuesday, when regents at Texas are expected to approve the Pac-10 move, the conference could cease to exist.
Meanwhile, the Pac-10 could have as many as 16 members while the Big 10 could expand to 13 or more, which will demand the conferences get the math right and change their names, among other surreal developments.
Targets In IRS Scandal Make Little Sense
Issa Comes To White House Rescue
Jindal Makes Bold Claim Over Tea Party Targeting Scandal
Reid Goes 'Nuclear'
Bill Maher Spoofs Tea Party Tax Forms
Radio Host Makes Shocking Claim About Shooting Hillary Clinton
New York Man Killed In Alleged Anti-Gay Hate Crime
Press Scandal Raises Huge Questions For The Future
Romney Hurls Criticism Over Scandals: 'I'm Not A Fan Of The President'
French President Signs Gay Marriage Into Law
Law Protecting Afghanistan Women Blocked By Conservatives
Twitter Will Damn Your Soul, Religious Cleric Says
Obama Appears Unscathed By Unfolding Scandals
These American Companies Refused To Sign The Bangladesh Safety Accord
VITO TO RESIGN MONDAY
Colbert At U.Va.: You Owe The Previous Generation Nothing
WATCH: Arianna Moderates Panel With The Dalai Lama
Fannie & Freddie Say It Would Be Too 'Awkward' To Meet With Foreclosed Homeowners
Tea Party Favorite Officially Nominated In Contentious Race
Major Commuter Train Crash
Coffee Run Led To Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker Arrest
Sea Turtle Numbers Rebound!
Bangladeshi Bloggers Face Constant Death Threats Since Arrest
Teen Who Died During Her First Solo Drive May Have Been Texting
North Korea Tests Missiles
Dem Effort Marked By Internal Wrangling
Has Obama Ever Praised A Whistleblower?
Navy Pilot Earns Degree In Combat Zone
GOP Hopes IRS Scandal Will Ensnare Unlikely Target
Alabama Immigration Law To Doctors: Papers, Please
