Big 12’s discussions to add UConn have stalled
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Pete Thamel, ESPN
The Big 12’s conversations about potentially adding UConn as a member have stalled, commissioner Brett Yormark said Thursday morning.
“Following detailed discussions with my conference colleagues alongside UConn leadership, we have jointly decided to pause our conversations at this time,” Yormark said in a statement. “We will instead focus our attention and resources to ushering in this new era of college athletics.”
Last month, UConn officials met in person with Big 12 athletic directors at their league meetings in the Dallas area. The meeting included athletic director David Benedict and board chair Daniel Toscano, sources said. It included a conversation about how UConn would invest in football in order to be competitive in the Big 12.
The plan for UConn would have been coming into the league in football in 2031 and sooner in other sports.
Per sources, the talks stalled and ended up being tabled because of the timing. With the initial season of the 16-team league underway and schools facing looming decisions in the House case and figuring out revenue share, adding membership simply wasn’t a priority.
The decision to table the talks doesn’t come as a big surprise. Back when UConn emerged as part of the talks last month, an aura of skepticism hung over the Huskies potentially being added.
At the time, ESPN reported that there needed to be some votes added for the league to get the votes of 12 of the 16 Big 12 presidents it would have needed to add UConn. A source summed up the talks at the time this way:
“There’s a far distance between conversations and anything that would happen,” the high-ranking Big 12 source said.
The Huskies have long been coveted by Yormark, who sees college basketball as an undervalued asset. UConn has the best combination of men’s and women’s basketball teams in the country, as the men’s team has won the past two national championships. It also touches the New York market, which would in theory add value in any upcoming television deals.
Yormark said in the statement, “As Commissioner, it is my responsibility to explore a variety of value-creating opportunities on behalf of the Big 12.”
The Big 12 has been considered the country’s top basketball league in recent seasons, which would have only been amplified with the addition of the Huskies.
UConn has played in the Big East since the 2020-21 season after playing in the American Athletic Conference from 2013-14 through 2019-20.
In a similar vein, the Big 12 had talks with Gonzaga, but those did not come to fruition.
CLEVELAND — Andres Gimenez singled home Jose Ramirez from second base in the 10th inning as the Cleveland Guardians clinched a playoff berth in dramatic, fitting fashion, beating the Minnesota Twins 3-2 on Thursday.
With Ramirez on second as the automatic runner, Minnesota reliever Caleb Thielbar (2-4) struck out Josh Naylor and the Twins walked Lane Thomas intentionally to face Gimenez.
Cleveland’s second baseman then hit a 3-2 pitch into right to easily score Ramirez.
As the All-Star third baseman rounded third, Cleveland’s dugout emptied onto the field in celebration as the Guardians posted their MLB-leading 42nd comeback win and second straight in extra innings.
The Guardians are the second AL team to qualify for the postseason, following the New York Yankees, who locked up a spot Wednesday night.
Cleveland now has a chance to possibly end baseball’s longest active World Series drought, dating to 1948 when the team was known as the Indians.
The Twins threatened in the 10th, loading the bases with one out against Eli Morgan (3-0). But the right-hander got out of the jam by retiring Carlos Correa on a foul pop and Byron Buxton on a liner to right.
Cleveland’s bullpen, which has carried the team all season, combined for 5⅔ hitless innings.
Rookie Kyle Manzardo homered for the Guardians, who lowered the magic number to clinch the AL Central title to three.
The Twins, who are trying to hold on to a wild card, fell into a tie with Detroit for the final spot. The Twins own the tiebreaker.
It’s been an unexpected season for the Guardians, who went 76-86 last season while saying goodbye to beloved manager Terry Francona after 11 years. They figured to be competitive, not one of baseball’s best teams.
But it’s all come together under first-year manager Stephen Vogt, who before spring training had never even filled out a lineup card.
Cleveland took control of the division in mid-April, and the Guardians have had sole possession of first place for all but one day the past five months.
And while All-Stars Ramirez, Josh Naylor, Steven Kwan and Emmanuel Clase led the way, it’s been contributions from youngsters up and down the roster that has kept Cleveland consistently among the league’s best teams.
The Guardians overcame losing ace Shane Bieber in the first weeks of the season, and Vogt spent most of the season plugging holes in his rotation due to injuries and ineffectiveness.
Blanked over the first four innings by Cleveland rookie Joey Cantillo, who allowed just one run over 12 innings in his previous two starts, the Twins scored twice in the fifth off the left-hander to go up 2-1 on Manuel Margot‘s double.
The Guardians tied it in the sixth on Brayan Rocchio’s sacrifice fly.
Manzardo put the Guardians up 1-0 in the first with his fourth homer and second in three days. Manzardo finished with three hits, and since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Sept. 1, he’s batting .357 (15 of 42) with four home runs and seven RBIs in 16 games.
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