I'm a West Virginia mark and I'm not really fired up about them joining the league. The simple fact is that they're the best option out there.
I wouldn't mind Virginia coming on. The only reason is I like the campus and want an excuse to travel up there every few years. I'm not sure WVU can compete on the football field with SEC teams but the basketball will be nice. But, WVU adds more than Clemson and Virginia Tech. Other than TV ratings, they more than Mizzou. Oklahoma's not even an option.
UVA's faculty would force them to join the Ivy League before they'd let the athletic side even consider joining the SEC. The tail doesn't wag the dog in Charlottesville. West Virginia football would be consistently better than Kentucky, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State.
Exactly, but people mentioning Duke/Carolina is just dumb and OU wants no part of the SEC. I would however like to see the SEC re-invite Sewanne before WVU- it just makes sense.
Every city I have lived in the last ten years has had a substantial following -- a West Virginia diaspora if you will. They really really hate Virginia Tech too, which is reason enough for me to like them.
I'm sold that WVU is one of the top 4 options for the SEC, with Missouri, Maryland, and NC State. I'd take any one or any 3 of those. No to Florida State. Dream on with Duke/UNC. No to Clemson. [uck fay] no to GT.
I dont think that any of the four teams I mentioned earlier are realistic options - they wouldve told me "No" long before I fell so far down the list as to land at WVU. Mizzou is the best option available. New state. Decent sports. Huge television markets, pushes us further westward. And from a good friend who works with me and is a diehard Mizzou fan, he says that their fanbase is screaming for the SEC. Bring them in with aTm - bump Auburn and Alabama East - problem solved. GT/FSU/Miami/Clemson/Louisville will all be blackballed by other current members in those states, so they're out. I have no reason than to believe that OU wants no part of the SEC - but they're ideal, albeit seemingly unattainable. Would like UVA, too.
If the SEC adds only Missouri now, that means only one team from the west, probably Auburn, moves to the east.
