MEGA Conference Realignment and lawsuits Megathread: Stories, Tales, Lies, and Exaggerations

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I was meaning to refer to SEC schools. But you have a point. I'd add Northwestern and OSU to close to major airports. DCA to College Park on METRO isn't too bad.
Gotcha.
Can’t see a football team taking the Metro though and Columbus would still require to fly to a hub first.

I still think weather would be difficult. When was the last time UM beat even a moderately decent school in sub 32* or snow?

Not trying to be confrontational. I just think we’re asking for perennial 7 win seasons in the Big ten even though most of the schools are garbage.
 
Flugauer today: "The Big Ten and SEC are expanding in the next 24 to 36 months."

Didn't clarify whether that meant announcing expansion or new schools actually belonging to either of those two conferences.

If it's the latter, it's falls in line with what some here have been posting for months or more: Canes and other ACC schools in their new homes in time for either the 2027 or '28 football season.
BREAKING NEWS:

I, The Empirical One, can emphatically and OFFICIALLY state from my well placed sauces, that College Football will be played in the Fall of 2025 and 2026.

My info is rock solid on this and my word is beyond question.
 
Gotcha.
Can’t see a football team taking the Metro though and Columbus would still require to fly to a hub first.

I still think weather would be difficult. When was the last time UM beat even a moderately decent school in sub 32* or snow?

Not trying to be confrontational. I just think we’re asking for perennial 7 win seasons in the Big ten even though most of the schools are garbage.
You have valid concerns. If money and the P2 were not an issue, I'd prefer to stay in ACC. I live in Chicago area so BIG would be good for me to get some games assuming we win of course.
 
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the top 5 BBQ restaurants in Houston, Texas, based on flavor, consistency, accolades, atmosphere, and overall reputation:

1. Truth BBQ

Location: Washington Ave, Houston
Style: Central Texas-style BBQ

Why It Stands Out:

  • Brisket King: Their brisket is tender, juicy, and perfectly barked—consistently ranked among the best in the state.
  • Sides That Slap: Their creamed corn and tater tot casserole are fan favorites.
  • Accolades: Featured in Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ Joints; Bib Gourmand from Michelin.
  • Ambiance: Rustic, modern spot with a hip vibe and lines out the door—worth the wait.

Pro Tip: Get there early. When it’s gone, it’s gone.​


2. CorkScrew BBQ

Location: Spring, TX (just north of Houston)
Style: Old-school Texas BBQ with serious craft

Why It Stands Out:

  • Michelin Starred: Received a Michelin star in 2024—a rare honor for any BBQ joint.
  • Balanced Smoke: Meats are smoked low and slow, with a balance of flavor and tenderness that doesn’t overpower.
  • Customer Love: Beloved for its consistency, friendly service, and no-frills approach.

Highlight Dish: Brisket and pork ribs. Don't sleep on their cobbler either.​


3. Pinkerton’s Barbecue

Location: The Heights, Houston
Style: Modern Texas BBQ with Gulf Coast influences

Why It Stands Out:

  • Rib Royalty: Known for meaty, sweet, and smoky beef ribs that are massive.
  • Creative Sides: Jalapeño cheese rice and duck & sausage jambalaya make it more than a meat palace.
  • Vibe: Chill, outdoor-friendly space with a good beer selection.

Accolades: Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide; featured in Southern Living.​


4. The Pit Room

Location: Montrose, Houston
Style: Eclectic, Tex-Mex BBQ fusion

Why It Stands Out:

  • Unique Flavors: Smoked meat tacos with homemade flour tortillas, housemade chorizo, and juicy brisket tacos.
  • Sausage Game: Some of the best BBQ sausage in the city—made in-house.
  • Atmosphere: Casual with an indoor/outdoor setup and a full bar.

Best For: BBQ lovers who want something different with bold flavors.​


5. Gatlin’s BBQ

Location: Oak Forest, Houston
Style: Texas BBQ with soulful Southern roots

Why It Stands Out:

  • Family-Run Feel: Started as a family operation and kept that warmth.
  • Smoked Turkey & Ribs: Standouts that rival the best brisket in town.
  • Southern Sides: Think dirty rice, collard greens, and yams. You’ll leave full and happy.

Best For: Traditional BBQ with soul and heart.​


Bonus Mention:

Killen’s BBQ (Pearland, just south of Houston)
  • Known for prime beef brisket, pork belly burnt ends, and upscale BBQ dining.
  • Highly ranked in statewide BBQ lists—some consider it #1 in greater Houston.

Want a map, specific hours, or a plan for a BBQ crawl? I got you.

I randomly ate at Gatlin's like 8 years ago. It was pretty good BBQ. This is solid info.
 
Much better than the ACC

Much worse then the SEC

It's possible we'd be the only Big Ten school located in the Southeast, at which point we'd be the P2 travel equivalent of the University of Hawaii in the Mountain West
Good chance our closest B10 school is Ga Tech, unless they manage to get FSU + Miami.
 
Nobody is being kicked out of either conference ... to much politics involved and potential for nasty law suits. What is more probable is that by 2030-2031 a "super league" of the top 40-48 brands will be formed ... the NFL model ... "NFC / AFC" with divisions ... that will be the PRIME BIG GAME programming focus of the media partners who want to optimize the monetization of key broadcast slots. Then the other conferences will be limited to regional streaming apps etc., and will essentially be feeder programs to a degree, to the "Big Time Commercial College League".
Oh...teams gonna get kicked out...either walking through door on thier own or thrown through the front bar window

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btw word on the street is several SEC teams are pointing at ACC's uneven revenue model...

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Good chance our closest B10 school is Ga Tech, unless they manage to get FSU + Miami.

You could be right mi amigo. Time will tell.

I tend to think we're behind both Duke and GA Tech in the SEC's pecking order — not with ESPN for sure, but in the minds of the 16 school presidents.

1) Atlanta > Miami (larger and much more centrally located)

2) Those other two schools are higher-rated academically

3) Duke's cachet in basketball

4) The popular perception that the Miami Hurricanes are a renegade football program (on top of the stadium rental)

5) Perhaps most importantly, while UGA and UNC would almost certainly go to bat for their in-state rivals, does anyone here believe UF (or a freshly-invited FSU) would support Miami's inclusion in the SEC?
 
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So now we’re basing the future of the University on our inability to win games in cold weather …

I mean we did get out Mario’d by Schiano, and Midwest Mario is at Illinois… yea… we ****ed…

I don’t remember never winning in the Big East because of weather…
 
I’ve stated basically the same thing.
Going to the Big10 would be a travel/playing nightmare.
I hate the SEC, but, traveling 1000 miles to our closest opponent and SFLA players, whether from here or not, cannot acclimate to that weather in a day.
Right now we play BC once in a blue moon away in November. You think the Big10 is going to schedule our away games in September and early October? No, we will be going to Minn, OSU, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, PSU, Meatchicken and Rutgers in November and if we somehow make the CCG and whatever playoff system is contrived by then, we will be playing in frigid conditions in December.
Take it from a SFLA Boy that played football year round getting stuck living in Cleveland for several years and Denver for 6 months after basic training in San Antonio. 100 degrees in Texas was a cakewalk. I froze my *** off in Ohio and couldn’t run a mile in Denver when I first got there despite being in peak physical condition.
You acclimate, but not in days.
Peak physical condition after Air Force Basic Training? I don't know if that's possible. Haha.

Just messing with you as an Army retiree.
 
So now we’re basing the future of the University on our inability to win games in cold weather …

I mean we did get out Mario’d by Schiano, and Midwest Mario is at Illinois… yea… we ****ed…

I don’t remember never winning in the Big East because of weather…
Syracuse was in a dome. We still play BC, Temple was so bad, the BE dumped them and Rutgers was terrible at the time. Who am I missing? UConn? What was their record from 2000-2003?

Outside of Boston, None of the Big East schools have weather even remotely comparable to the Midwest and upper Midwest. That whole Gulf Stream thing….
Same reason Britain is mild even though it’s further north than Chicago.
 
Peak physical condition after Air Force Basic Training? I don't know if that's possible. Haha.

Just messing with you as an Army retiree.
No problem, inter service rivalries ;).
The guy in the bunk next to me was former army, I got honor grad, he didn’t lol. Not to mention I trained an Army Intel detachment in Germany. None of them were better than me in football which we played on base a lot. One of my brothers was 82nd airborne, another a Marine. We were comparable in athletic ability. Actually I was a lot faster than my Marine brother.
 
So now we’re basing the future of the University on our inability to win games in cold weather …

I mean we did get out Mario’d by Schiano, and Midwest Mario is at Illinois… yea… we ****ed…

I don’t remember never winning in the Big East because of weather…
Such an overblown thing lol. We played at BC on Black Friday at the end of November two years ago and beat the brakes off of them. Anyone whos played football knows the cold thing matters for all of like 5 minutes before you start running around and sweating. Not to mention all of the heaters and whatnot on the side lines.
 
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No problem, inter service rivalries ;).
The guy in the bunk next to me was former army, I got honor grad, he didn’t lol. Not to mention I trained an Army Intel detachment in Germany. None of them were better than me in football which we played on base a lot. One of my brothers was 82nd airborne, another a Marine. We were comparable in athletic ability. Actually I was a lot faster than my Marine brother.
The Army is just jelly....

🤣🤣🤣🤣
 
Such an overblown thing lol. We played at BC on Black Friday at the end of November two years ago and beat the brakes off of them. Anyone whos played football knows the cold thing matters for all of like 5 minutes before you start running around and sweating. Not to mention all of the heaters and whatnot on the side lines.
BC was 3-9 that year.
Again, I will ask the question.
When was the last time UM beat even a moderately good team in sub 32* or snow?

It doesn’t affect lineman or defenses much, it does effect QB’s and WR’s and affects RB’s and WR’s not used to running in snow.

How many times have you played football in snow? Just curious.
 
BC was 3-9 that year.
Again, I will ask the question.
When was the last time UM beat even a moderately good team in sub 32* or snow?

It doesn’t affect lineman or defenses much, it does effect QB’s and WR’s and affects RB’s and WR’s not used to running in snow.

How many times have you played football in snow? Just curious.
As someone who grew up in MA and played pop warner all the way through college in the northeast, I can tell you for a fact, it is incredibly overstated the effect that cold weather has. I played at LEAST a game or two every year in frigid and cold conditions. Considering the technology that is available for players (heaters, hand warmers, insulated coats, etc) and the fact that after running around for a few minutes your body naturally makes you warm, using the cold as an excuse is BS. Snow is a different story, but is something that will affect both teams. No teams are practicing regularly in snowy conditions.

And also, when is the last time Miami HAD to play in the cold against a good team?
 
The Army is just jelly....

🤣🤣🤣🤣
lol.
Honestly little difference between USAF, Army and Navy basic training. Even Marine corp boot camp isn’t what it used to be.
The first three are even softer now with integrating chicks into coed training resulting in lower standards. It’s your training after Basic that matters. Seals, Rangers, PJ’s, Airborne etc., that’s where the difference lies.
The average Army enlisted seldom works with another service. I worked with the Army extensively in Germany, Worked in an elephant cage with the Navy at NSG Homestead Card Sound and JTF 4 NAS Key West, had three Marines in my Intel class and a Marine Top as an Intel instructor, even the Coast Guard at Opa Locka OID.
As well as having a Marine father and brother, an Army brother and another USAF brother.
Not bragging, just saying I’ve had more insight into the different services than 90% of former military.
 
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