How Nebraska Ended Up In the Big Ten

[Clyde Tester]

http://omaha.com/article/20100830/BIGRED/708309872/-1

There is some really fascinating stuff in this article about how everything shook out. Here's how the Omaha World-Herald presents the article:

The World-Herald recently dug deeper into Nebraska's decision to jump to the Big Ten, a landmark shift that in 2011 will end a century of athletic traditions but open a new chapter for the Cornhuskers in one of the nation's most prestigious athletic leagues. The paper's examination included the most extensive interviews to date on the topic with Delany, Perlman and NU Athletic Director Tom Osborne.

The paper's examination revealed many misconceptions about how and why the change unfolded. It also revealed a high drama featuring inside tips, surprises, powerful players, back-channel contacts, cloak-and-dagger meetings, tough bargaining and big stakes.

It is a very lengthy article but well worth a read IMO.

 

[eker0016]

I love how Delany made this some kind of super secret agent rendezvous and then proceeded to woo Nebraska with powerpoint presentations about how much money everybody would make.

Osborne didn't bring anything, except be straight shooting and tell them why Nebraska was a good fit for the culture of the Big Ten.

I think Jim Delany is living in some fantasy world where he is the 6th most important and influential person in the US and his charge by the schools of the Big Ten is to make as much money as possible at any cost necessary.

 

[Schnauzer]

Awesome read... Thanks for sharing it

 

[Gopherhurrin]

I'm so unexcited about the Huskers.

 

[Clyde Tester]

This kind of thing makes it sound like a movie. Who knew that athletic administration was so cloak and dagger!!??

To this day, Perlman, Osborne and Delany won't say where they met on May 25.

Perlman will describe it only as “a very remote private location'' far from both Big Ten country and Nebraska. It's a secret, Perlman said, because the Big Ten may use it for future business.

They went to considerable lengths to keep the meeting under wraps.

Because Osborne is a well-known figure who tends to attract attention, it was agreed he and the chancellor would fly separately. Perlman was joined by Joel Pedersen, the university's general counsel. Few on any of their staffs knew the reason for their travel.

After staying overnight in a city and eating breakfast separately to preserve their low profile, Perlman and Osborne received cell calls summoning them to meet a car outside. They then rode to a rural location about an hour outside the city.

They were greeted by Delany, Big Ten Deputy Commissioner Brad Traviolia and the conference's legal counsel.

 

[mnboiler]

That was a great read. I wish I could have been "in the know" for the entire realignment saga, but that was the best insight I have read to date about the subject.

And eker0016 Delany may not be the 6th most important and influential person in the US but in the world of American sports I would put him third. Behind ESPN's President and Roger Goodell. If Bud Selig wasn't so terrible at his job I would put him ahead of Delany too.

 

[DarrenTheGreek]

Delany recalls Osborne saying at one point during the culture discussion, “There are some things that are more important than money.''
In this case, Delany saw a great cultural fit. It's safe to say that Nebraska's stock had climbed considerably, he said last week.

I would put rivalries over a century old as one of those things more important than money. Hopefully Delaney does too.