Oklahoma's David Boren flip flops on Big 12 expansion

The Big 12 spring meetings in Dallas are well underway. The first day saw Texas throwing its weight around saying the league is fine and there is no reason to expand.

The second day the press conference with the athletics directors canceling their press conference with the media due to their meetings go long.

Everyone was treated to Oklahoma president David Boren who spoke to the media there. Before we get to what he said on Thursday, here is what he said back in January about the state of the Big 12.

"The Big 12 is disadvantaged when compared to the other conferences in three ways. We do not have at least twelve members, we do not have a conference network, and we do not have a championship game,” Boren said in a statement he released to OU Daily. “I think that all three of these disadvantages need to be addressed at the same time. Addressing only one without addressing all three will not be adequate to improve the strength of the conference."

Just six months later at these meetings in Dallas, he did a completely different tune on the conference.

"Where does the data take us and what strategy makes the best sense? This conference is so strong. We're not in a weak position; we're in a strong position," he said. "We'll evaluate all of that and also look at who the possible partners are. … I've tried to keep an open mind and I think that's the spirit of the conference membership. I would not want this group to be reporting four or five months down the road that this decision was made very carelessly."

Outside of the data that was presented from Research Navigation about the simulations surrounding adding teams and the improved chances to making the College Football Playoff on a consistent basis, not much has changed to say that the Big 12 is now in a position of power.

Continuing on strength, Boren wants the Big 12 to be in position to be able to strengthen itself with additions down the road because he foresees another round of realignment. So, by saddleing themselves with teams that are not extremely strong now could hurt them in being a player down the road. The logic makes sense but why would anyone see the Big 12 as a great conference to land if the super conference model comes to pass.

The Big 12, and Boren, seem to be putting on an elaborate showing of The Emperor's New Clothes, because the Big 12 is kidding itself if they see themselves as a league that will be on par with the SEC or Big Ten.