I have a very, very good friend of mine who is a Cal Grad and a big sports fan with season tickets to the Bears. We have travelled together for sporting events (Cal and Other) together for 25 years.
I was talking to him the other day, and we were discussing the potential outcome for Cal Athletics. I stated that I would personally love both Cal and Stanford in the Big Xii, but they are a non-starter because they are not interested in the Big Xii. He brought up the Academic Card, which made me laugh. I mentioned that while Cal, UCLA, Stanford, USC and Washington are definitely at a certain level, the rest of the Pac Schools are no different from the Big Xii schools academically.
Crickets from him about that. I find it odd that Cal and Stanford would rather cut off their nose to spite their face. USC and UCLA are leaving. So, they have four realistic options IMO: A re-constituted Pac with a few MWC additions. UW and Oregon leaving and the Pac leftovers merging with the MWC, going Independent in Football and joining the Big West for other sports or joining the Big Xii. I find it odd that Cal would potentially turn down a Big Xii lifeboat offer if made - especially if other schools leave the Pac.