XPost: or.politics, talk.politics.guns   
   From: summer@breeze.com   
      
   In the aftermath of Oregon and Washington leaving the Pac-12 for the Big   
   Ten, Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes offered an adamant stance   
   Friday night opposing the defections of both programs.   
      
   Barnes, Oregon State’s AD since 2017, stated during an interview with The   
   Oregonian that he was “furious” to learn of the moves mainly due to the   
   conference-wide implications going forward. The Big Ten’s decision to   
   unanimously accept Oregon and Washington further damaged a shaky Pac-12   
   landscape that now has just four schools after losing Utah, Arizona and   
   Arizona State to the Big-12.   
      
   “The great history and tradition of this conference has been severely   
   damaged,” Barnes told The Oregonian’s Nick Daschel. “The best interest of   
   the student athlete hasn’t been served. Traveling to the Eastern seaboard   
   multiple times a year is not in the best interest of student-athletes.   
      
   “I’m furious because it puts this university in harm’s way and our student   
   athletes in harm’s way. There’s some damage done that we’re going to have   
   to mitigate.”   
      
   In regards to the reportedly tense negotiations prior to Friday’s news,   
   Barnes went on to reveal the Pac-12 was “literally hours away from a deal   
   that everybody could embrace” before talks broke down. The turbulent   
   period, in Barnes’ eyes, was among the worst he’s seen in his career.   
      
   “I’ve never seen so many last-minute decision and twists and turns as I’ve   
   seen through this process,” he said. “Conference realignment just doesn’t   
   make sense anymore. What this enterprise was built on was regionality and   
   rivalries. That is gone. That is leaving the Pac-12. Some of the most   
   special pieces about our model is regionality of competition and   
   rivalries. Those things are forgotten.”   
      
   With the Pac-12 continuing to flounder, Barnes also addressed where things   
   stand regarding Oregon State’s future, noting the program intends to work   
   with the remaining Pac-12 schools while continuing to explore all options.   
      
   While discussing a timetable, Barnes noted the program will “move   
   expeditiously” but stressed it will take some time. According to Yahoo   
   Sports’ Ross Dellenger, a possible move for the remaining four Pac-12   
   schools could be a “merger or partnership with the Mountain West.”   
      
   “Our intent is to work with the remaining Pac-12 members; it’s a strong   
   option,” said Barnes. “We’ll look at other opportunities. The timing is   
   something we want to pursue as soon as possible, but we have some time to   
   get it right.”   
      
   https://www.si.com/college/2023/08/05/pac-12-oregon-state-response-oregon-   
   washington-big-ten-news-conference-realignment   
      
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