Comments on: Examining The SEC’s Budgets Over A Six-Year Span

By: WryObserver

WryObserver — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:04:52 +0000

@MoKelly
You sound like an Arkansas fan, not a Missouri fan. You finished 3rd in your own division, lost to the two teams ahead of you (and were dominated) and didn’t play Georgia, who won the East. Sorry, that is not top tier. Georgia won their division. As I said 4th best. In the SEC, not too shabby. Admittedly, you had a very good year, but one year does not make a great program. It is continuity. Certainly Arkansas has been on the rise, and you may even be better this year. Top tier teams challenge to win the conference every year. Arkansas isn’t quite there yet, but one day they may be. And that is no slam. That is Missouri’s task as well.

By: MoKelly

MoKelly — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:33:04 +0000

Well, I would have to disagree. Arkansas was 11-2 last year (only losses were to Alabama and LSU). I find it quite hard to believe that in 2011 anyone would really say Arkansas was 4th in the SEC. In 2010, Arkansas was 10-3. That is what I meant by upper tier and, to be honest, I would be quite thrilled if Missouri got to that level in the SEC. It is much much better than also-ran.

Careful on high expectations right away — its a good way to be disappointed even if Mizzou does well.

By: WryObserver

WryObserver — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:25:52 +0000

John, how do you account for the fuzzy math that some schools use in showing capital expenditures? If a given school has a capital campaign to add on to their stadium, do those dollars get shown as a part of their athletic expenses at the the time they pay for the improvements, or is that accounted for separately? If it is included, it can skew budgets drastically.

By: WryObserver

WryObserver — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:20:48 +0000

@MoKelly
Move us to the upper tier like Arkansas? Arkansas isn’t upper tier in the SEC. They had one good year and still finished about 4th in the conference. Missouri has put together a master plan for the program, and SEC membership is only a part of it. As a Missouri alum, I would be disappointed if all we wanted to do was be an also-ran. Instead, I think you will see coordinated growth in fundraising, facilities and sports programs at Missouri, starting now and continuing for several years. If it was just to get a few million more a year in revenue, Missouri joining the SEC makes a lot less sense for those of us who care about the program. Missouri looks at the SEC as a more fair, stable playing field where they have the opportunity to be excellent.

By: MoKelly

MoKelly — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:24:59 +0000

I give Missouri and its Board loads of credit for having the guts to make the move to the SEC. It was a bold and gutsy move – even considering the increased money we are expected to make in the SEC vs. Big 12. Just think of the risk the Board made in moving away from the Conference Missouri had been in forever, the rivalry with Kansas, the possibility of being beat up in a very very strong Conference and the money that will need to be raised to upgrade facilities and budgets to be competitive.

However, in my mind, this is the exact challenge and change the school needs at this point. It will make Missouri better and quite possibly move us to the upper tier like Arkansas.

By: jwolfe

jwolfe — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:22:06 +0000

@John at MrSEC one more thing, I understand your point better now that you explain that you view the conference change as related to net proceeds. I’m sure anyone would agree that the opposite would be less logical and it’s a part of a the big equation that FSU is discussing just like Missouri did.

By: jwolfe

jwolfe — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:15:52 +0000

@John at MrSEC I’m not a Missouri alum. I post a lot of comments. I’m not picking a fight and you know it. Just find out what really happened and quit trying to blame someone else for what could be a good story if you just follow up a little more

By: John at MrSEC

John at MrSEC — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:20:48 +0000

jwolfe…

Well, we’ve got a few posters from each school who just come to our site each day just to pick fights. They think every post is somehow negative about their school. Your two posts today make you the first such fan from Missouri to qualify. Congratulations.

I think most folks would look at Missouri’s athletic budget, the Tigers net loss in 2011, and their slow growth over six years and deduce that making more money in the spread-the-wealth, stable SEC would be a good thing.

John

By: jwolfe

jwolfe — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:43:46 +0000

ok, I’ll bite, why did the Missouri spending push them toward the SEC. Because the official line from the President and board was that they would pay a huge fee to the big 12 and be committed to spending a lot more.