Barfknecht: Beebe says don’t expect anchor sites for finals

Memo to Arlington, Texas, and Kansas City, Mo.: Don’t count on becoming the anchor sites, respectively, for the Big 12 football championship game and the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.

Second memo to Nebraska football fans: You can exhale now.

Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe said Monday that the league is likely to continue moving the football and basketball events around.

“I think we’re still in the mode of just looking at the best possible sites,’’ he said. “We’re not considering permanency with identifying any particular site at this point.’’

The recent success of the football title game at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington and the basketball tournaments in Kansas City has led to heavy speculation that those two cities would lock up those events.

But that has never fit the Big 12’s operational structure on title events.

In the past, the football title game has been held in Kansas City, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and St. Louis. Basketball has been in Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Dallas.

For 2010-11, football will return to Arlington and basketball to Kansas City.

Decisions on championship sites starting with the 2011-12 school year are expected at the league’s June meetings in Kansas City, Beebe said, because host cities will need that much lead time to prepare.

Site selection is expected for a five-year run, though Beebe noted that the last time sites were picked, the league’s board of governors only went three years out.

Beebe met with the league’s news media Monday before being sequestered the rest of the week in Indianapolis as part of the NCAA basketball selection committee.

Other topics addressed:

• The Big Monday announcing team of Brent Musburger and Bob Knight:

The Big 12 provides feedback to ESPN on announcers, but the network has the final say. Beebe said he has enjoyed Knight’s work in the studio in the past. And he likes Knight’s explanation of the game as a courtside analyst without the hyperbole.

“Like any job, there can be ways to improve it,’’ Beebe said. “We’ll talk to ESPN privately about things we think about that. And our institutions can, too.’’

• Expansion of the NCAA men’s tournament bracket from 65 to 96 teams:

Beebe said he entered those discussions “skeptical,’’ but now is more open to further talks. Two points Beebe said to note: BCS commissioners worry that the expansion will devalue current conference tournaments, and BCS leagues won’t settle for less revenue from an expanded field.

And here’s a tidbit to win a cool drink from a friend:

Ask how much of the NCAA’s annual overall budget is derived from the men’s basketball tournament (through its TV deal, ticket sales and corporate sponsorships). The answer, Beebe said, is 98 percent.

Hoop review

Let’s take a final lap around the court with the start of the Big 12 tournament only one day away:

• How much arguing will there be about the All-Big 12 voting?

A lot. The talent level was so deep that it would be hard to go wrong with about any combination. I’d be happy to take the second team and go play the first team. And you could find five pretty good ones not on either list to challenge those selected.

My first-team ballot: James Anderson, Oklahoma State; Sherron Collins, Kansas; Ekpe Udoh, Baylor; Donald Sloan, Texas A&M; Jacob Pullen, Kansas State.

Second team: Cole Aldrich, Kansas; Marcus Morris, Kansas; Damion James, Texas; Denis Clemente, Kansas State; LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor.

Player of the year: Anderson. Coach: Frank Martin, Kansas State. Newcomer: Udoh. Freshman: Alec Burks, Colorado.

• Kansas, Kansas State or Baylor will win this week’s Big 12 tournament.

How do I know? I don’t. What I do know is that no team worse than a No. 3 seed has ever claimed a title. And those are your top three seeds.

• Who’s hot and who’s not coming to Kansas City?

Kansas has been hot all year. Baylor has won seven of its past eight, and really seems to have hit stride.

Oklahoma and Texas Tech lead the not-so-hot list. The Sooners have lost eight in a row, and coach Jeff Capel sounds like he can’t wait to get away from his team. Tech either can’t play defense or doesn’t bother to, having allowed 83 points a game in this skid.

Also note that Texas, at one time the No. 1 team in the country, has won away from home only once in the past 45 days.

• Does it make any difference if anyone is hot or not in regard to NCAA tournament berths?

Not really. The Big 12 has seven virtual locks for NCAA bids, and no matter what happens in the first two rounds is that likely to change.

• The Big 12 has shown its strength by improving in league RPI for three straight seasons, and now is No. 1. So if the league is so good, why has Kansas won six consecutive titles?

Good players. Good coaching. Great tradition. But such a run is amazing at a time of such league-wide improvement.

• What’s the biggest sign of work to do?

The coaches picked a first, second and third team for All-Big 12, plus nine honorable mentions. Of those 24 players, every school was represented but one — Nebraska.

Contact the writer:

444-1024, lee.barfknecht@owh.com

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