Legendary Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph always intended to fight until the end. To continue until the victory he promised his people was won.
It wasn’t until he realized the battle was unwinnable and too many of his men had fallen that he conceded with the words immortalized in his “I Will Fight No More Forever” speech.
Maybe it’s time the powers-that-be in the Pac-12 study it. Or at least watch the movie.
Sure, there are some disputes about the validity of that tale, and the stakes were far higher than the silliness of college sports. But it’s a story that has always resonated with me, and the setting of the Pacific Northwest is at least apropos.
Pac-12 supporters are not going to want to hear this and their fan bases are going to be really mad about such a suggestion, but it’s time for the battle to revive the conference so it can somehow reclaim its spot among the elite of college sports to end.
There just isn’t a real path to victory, and the longer this goes on, the more damage that is being done to the brand, which is the only thing the league still has.
Seriously, if you want to see irate people pontificate about a subject online, just get off the political blogs and do a deep dive into Pac-12 and Mountain West discussions on Reddit and social media. Yikes.
But it’s time to find a way to cool the temperature on the debate a bit. It’s time for a merger.
Little progress
Both leagues have given it a go to try to stake their claim as the premier conference west of the Rockies. Neither has been able to gain much ground.
All the posturing and negotiating have left both leagues short of where they need to be as they shop their media rights and look to establish their long-term viability in the changing landscape of college sports.
The sad reality for both leagues is that neither is likely built for the long haul. While the Mountain West appears to be in better position than the Pac-12, that’s not exactly a high bar. Even the league’s formal statement Wednesday reaffirming the commitments of its member institutions was immediately met with questions about why such a statement was necessary if that were true.
That’s the level of absurdity this has reached.
Plus, much of the money the league promised to keep teams like UNLV and Air Force around is tied up in litigation with the Pac-12, which is where things could start to fall apart.
The Pac-12 itself is flailing and still in need of at least one full-time member for formal conference recognition after some high-profile rejections, along with reports of slow progress on a media rights deal to the point some of the breakaway Mountain West schools have to be questioning their decision.
But the Pac-12 brand does still carry some weight, and the collection of schools that are involved are stronger overall than those that remain in the Mountain West, which also isn’t going to break the bank in a television deal as currently constructed.
Based in Las Vegas
A merger has always been the best option, and sources close to both sides have confirmed those talks have taken place at some point, as Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez and Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould, former colleagues, face the dilemma of pondering a deal that is likely going to signal the end of one of their leagues.
Leadership structure is likely a major sticking point, but it shouldn’t be. It’s pretty clear which conference has been run better through this process. A combination of the Mountain West leadership and the Pac-12 name is a great starting point for a league that should, of course, be headquartered in Las Vegas.
As long as Gonzaga is still on board for basketball, it would create a prestigious West Coast hoops league that would also be right in the mix for playoff bids in football.
The dropping of all the lawsuits would save a whole lot of money, and the combined media rights would be more attractive in the market.
It seems so simple, but it would require admitting the fight hasn’t been worth it.
So please, go read Chief Joseph’s words.
“I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever.”
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
