Welcome to Tuesday Takes, where I give you four takes from the Big 12. It was a jam-packed week full of exciting news, but there were several things that caught my attention over the last few days.
The Big Announcement
Last week, during a conference game between Baylor and Colorado, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark announced that there were going to be some big changes coming to the Big 12 men’s basketball tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.
“Listen, I’m a first-mover, and our conference is a first-mover; that’s how we position ourselves,” Yormark said. “We’re going to be doing some things that’ve never been done in the collegiate space.”
While I am not exactly sure what he has in store for the tournament, I do know one thing. Yormark wants more attention and eyeballs on the Big 12, plain and simple. I know many out there are worried about the tournament being taken away from Kansas City, but keep in mind that the Big 12 is there through 2031 due to an agreement.
Yormark has always been an outside-the-box type of thinker, which is what this conference needs. He isn’t afraid to try new things, which I like, but I just hope that some things aren’t changed because the Big 12 basketball tournament in Kansas City is truly one of a kind already.
Leave BYU Alone
I am all for hostile environments in college athletics. It’s what makes sports fun. And who am I to judge someone for having a few beers while cheering on your team? I would be right there with you.
However, there are certain lines that shouldn’t be crossed, and it seems like too many people are crossing that line when it comes to BYU. One of those things is religiously charged chants. I don’t care what region you follow or what you believe in, but there’s no need to make attacks on people for their religion.
I am not going to say the chants that have been said about BYU, but it needs to end. Colorado was fined during football season for them, and now Oklahoma State during basketball season. Cheer for your team as loud and proud as you want, heck, boo the opposing team too, but please stop with the religious hate.
Brent Brennan’s Extension
A couple of days ago, Arizona announced that head football coach Brent Brennan would be receiving a contract extension that runs through the 2030 season. While I was highly critical of Brennan after his first season, where he went 4-8, I didn’t realize just how little time he had to put a team together.
He quickly turned things around in Tucson after going 9-3 this past season as the Wildcats looked like a Big 12 title contender in year two under him. I was too quick to judge him, and I admit that I was wrong. Brent Brennan is the right man for the job at Arizona, and I am glad they were able to lock him up for the future. Plus, with Noah Fifita coming back next season, the sky is the limit for that team in 2026.
The Streak is Over
After winning 23 straight games to start the season and breaking a Big 12 record, the Arizona Wildcats finally went down on Monday night in Lawrence. What made this even more historic is the fact that Kansas beat Arizona without their best player, Darryn Peterson, who was out with flu-like symptoms. That itself is another story, but either way, Kansas found a way to knock off the number one team in the country.
By no means should you sell stock in Arizona because we knew eventually it was going to come to an end. Everyone slips up from time to time, and it’s nearly impossible not to in the Big 12. The Wildcats will be fine and still likely get a one seed, but I also learned that Kansas, even without Peterson, may be a legitimate national title contender as well.
