Jim Delany's shot across the NCAA's bow

I wonder if Big-10 commissioner Jim Delany and Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott have been chatting things up.

We all remember Larry Scott's attempt to make the Pac-16 last year. I personally think he was onto something. There is strength in numbers...and a lot of money too.

That sort of strength puts you in the position move things where you want them to go.

Jim Delany is of the same mind.

Let's be fair to Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany: When Delany speaks in this USA Today article on the problems plaguing major college athletics and the potential "fundamental changes" (to use Delany's Big 12 counterpart Dan Beebe's term) that might result, he's clearly not expecting the NCAA's power conferences to secede from the current model:

"Don't blame structure," Delany says, "until you have a group of core presidents, athletic directors, commissioners and coaches who are willing to embrace real change" and are shot down.

That's a lot of people to all wrangle onto the same page. But if that "group" is "shot down"?

"At that juncture," he says, "then I think it's fair to look at how else you get it."

Delany's not spelling it out, but he doesn't have to. "How else you get it" means one thing and one thing only: taking the Big Ten's (and the SEC's and Pac-12's and I guess the Big 12's and ACC's) ball and going home to a post-NCAA college athletics superleague.

Delany will do anything to keep the Big 10 at the head of the table and if in the process he steamrolls lesser teams or conferences then so be it.

The NCAA can't be happy with these comments.

Frankly, I am surprised that Delany would even bring this up right now...especially with his most popular team in the NCAA's crosshairs. Sure, tOSU will always be a big name but they could be crippled for near future and that takes some of their luster off the Big 10's pearl.

Don't get me wrong, this is coming...I say within five years. This cripples the NCAA as the super-conferences would dictate things going forward.

But Delany isn't in a complete position of strength...yet

You know the golden rule.....