Seems to me that the Big Ten stands to lose a lot of credibility over this expansion brouhaha. Delany has often said that the Big Ten (11) won't actually invite any potential members, that the individual institution has to apply for membership and then the Big Ten (11) big wigs vote on them. If Missouri and Nebraska bolt early and directly apply to the Big Ten then it would force the Big Ten to vote yea or nay. If they vote 'no' then it would appear that they have been disingenuous with their expansion talk, Delany would be discredited, and the Big Ten ends up with egg on their face as they essentially condemn Nebraska and Missouri to the MWC(?) the Pac-10 grabs six of the Big XII and other potential candidates for Big Ten expansion get spooked and demand larger concessions from the Big Ten to be guaranteed a spot in their league, or they get spooked and go to the ACC or SEC and the Big Ten becomes the Biggest Loser.

The Big East will still be a big loser.  A big question I have is what is the ACC up to?  There's been zilch from them about expansion, they seem almost like another Big East, deer in the headlights type...  At least the SEC has made one or two comments about expansion, at least acknowledging that expansion is going on...  Marinatto's silence seems to be rubbing off on his ACC counterpart.  Did the ACC even have their summer meetings?