Sankey interviewed by The Athletic...

[Maroon Eagle]

Two sections of interest:

For about a month, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has listened to the wide range of reactions to his conference’s impending expansion, the most pointed being Washington State president Kirk Schulz’s referring to the SEC as “predatory.”

Now Sankey has a response.

“I certainly like the president at Washington State,” Sankey told The Athletic. “I think he’s forgotten that in 2010 the conference in which he currently resides recruited half of the Big 12 members to join its league.”

Sankey went on to point out that the Big 12 contemplated expanding in 2016, the Big Ten added Nebraska in 2011 and Maryland and Rutgers in 2014, and the ACC raided the Big East in the mid-2000s by adding Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College.

“In this circumstance, the SEC didn’t initiate this contact,” Sankey said, doubling down on those reports. “The two universities reached out to us. We’ve not been active in seeking members. I think President Schulz’s description is inaccurate, imprecise and is not representative of the history of conference membership expansion.

Like all of the Power 5 conferences, the SEC is run by the presidents of the schools. Those 14 people were the first on each campus to learn the news, and they were aware by the second week in May, a source told The Athletic.

For more than two months, the news about Texas and Oklahoma’s interest stayed at the presidential level. Several league athletic directors confirmed that they were not ​​privy to any information until just prior to the news was leaked.

“We found out a few days before it was public,” South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner told 107.5-FM, his school’s flagship radio station. “It went fast.”

Link: Here.

 

[patdog]

“I certainly like the president at Washington State,” Sankey told The Athletic. “I think he’s forgotten that in 2010 the conference in which he currently resides recruited half of the Big 12 members to join its league.”

Sankey went on to point out that the Big 12 contemplated expanding in 2016, the Big Ten added Nebraska in 2011 and Maryland and Rutgers in 2014, and the ACC raided the Big East in the mid-2000s by adding Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College.

“In this circumstance, the SEC didn’t initiate this contact,” Sankey said, doubling down on those reports. “The two universities reached out to us. We’ve not been active in seeking members. I think President Schulz’s description is inaccurate, imprecise and is not representative of the history of conference membership expansion.

Mike drop.

 

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Point of information:

"[FONT=&quot]Prior to his appointment at KSU, President Schulz served in a variety of administrative roles during nine years at Mississippi State University. As vice president for research and economic development from 2007 to 2009, he guided MSU to significant advances in landing research grants and contracts. He was dean of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering from 2005 to 2007 and director of the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering from 2001 to 2004."[/FONT]

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Yep. Schulz's history at MSU is well known to several folks here.

And Schulz is basically speaking to his audience -- the Cougars sports fans & more importantly empathizing with the folks at Kansas State where as you've noted he used to be President.

 

[turkish]

Ol Kirk!

 

[aTotal360]

That explains a lot.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

I was a student gopher for a little while in Dr. Shulz' Dean's office. I hadn't thought about that man in over a decade. Interesting to see where he's moved up.

 

[MSUDAWGFAN]

Point of information:

"Prior to his appointment at KSU, President Schulz served in a variety of administrative roles during nine years at Mississippi State University. As vice president for research and economic development from 2007 to 2009, he guided MSU to significant advances in landing research grants and contracts. He was dean of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering from 2005 to 2007 and director of the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering from 2001 to 2004."

He was on my committee while I was in grad school. I had him for a class. Really liked him a lot. Still do. But I will say, he is a politician. As Maroon Eagle stated, he is speaking to his audience.

 

[missouridawg]

I was a student gopher for a little while in Dr. Shulz' Dean's office. I hadn't thought about that man in over a decade. Interesting to see where he's moved up.

His wife was an excellent EE teacher. Took several classes from her.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Poor Mike...