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OXON HILL, Md. -- On the day he was put in charge of baseball in 1992, Bud Selig said his new job was hopefully relatively short term.But if youre asking me what relatively short term means, obviously this morning I dont know, he said.Maintaining power for more than 22 years, Selig oversaw a revolution in baseball that included interleague play, the expansion of the playoffs from four teams to eight and then 10, dividing each league into three divisions with wild cards, instituting video review to aid umpires, revenue sharing to help small-market teams and 20 new big league ballparks.He also presided over the first cancellation of the World Series in 90 years, an attempt to use replacement players for striking big leaguers and the unchecked rise and later crackdown on illegal steroids. He was head of baseballs labor policy when owners were found to have conspired against free agents.Seligs imprint was recognized Sunday when the 82-year-old was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Todays Game Era Committee.We were a sport resistant to change, he said. I believe in those years as commissioner, thats the most change in baseball history.Selig became the fifth of the 10 commissioners voted to the Hall, joining Kenesaw Mountain Landis (1920-44), Happy Chandler (1945-51), Ford Frick (1951-65) and Bowie Kuhn (1969-84). Every commissioner who has served at least five years is in Cooperstown.Im happy for him. I think its deserved, said Fay Vincent, the commissioner Selig helped force out. I think that after 94, Bud really got the point very clearly. I think Bud realized in 94 there was no point in trying to test the union anymore.Selig headed the group that purchased the Seattle Pilots in bankruptcy court in 1970 and moved the team to Milwaukee. A protege of Detroit owner John Fetzer, he became chairman of the owners Player Relations Committee in early 1980s and directed strategy at a time owners were found to have colluded against players during three offseasons, leading teams to pay players a $280 million settlement.Assisted by Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, Selig was appointed to the newly created position of chairman of baseballs executive council two days after Vincents resignation.Even I didnt understand the dimension of the problems we that we faced at that time, Selig said.He repeatedly said he never would become commissioner, but he blocked Texas Rangers owner George W. Bush from taking the job, leading Bush to run for governor of Texas and later president.After presiding over the strike and labor talks that led to an agreement in 1997, Selig finally was elected commissioner in July 1998 and accepted new contracts in 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2012. He announced in September 2013 that he would retire in January 2015.Revenue rose from about $1.7 billion in 1992 to just under $9 billion in his final season.Bud will go down in history as the No. 1 commissioner that has served baseball, and without question, Peter Ueberroth, baseballs commissioner in the late 1980s, said as Seligs retirement approached.Selig repeatedly said baseball had been stuck with economic rules designed when it was small business in the early-to-mid 20th century.We were living in a system that was archaic, hadnt been changed since what I call the Ebbets Field-Polo Grounds days, he said. There are a lot of small-market clubs that would tell you today they wouldnt be in business.While attendance boomed until the Great Recession and many teams helped start regional television networks, national TV ratings declined for baseball along with most other programming. Losing the 1994 World Series to a 7 1/2-month players strike and widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs before the start of testing with penalties in 2004 were low-points in his tenure.Yes, it was terribly painful, broke my heart, he said of losing the Series. But it served I think as a great lesson, and we took it.Baseballs labor deal announced Wednesday runs through 2021, ensuring 26 years of labor peace since the last strike.Steroids use increased through the 1990s, culminating in offense records that broke the season home run mark of Roger Maris and the career standard of Hank Aaron. Many of the hitters later were found to have used performance-enhancing drugs to build muscle.Steroids were not a baseball problem. Steroids are a societal problem, Selig said. For from a sport that never had a testing program, we came a long ways. Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys . The return match will take place next Wednesday. Udinese leads Fiorentina 2-1 in the other semifinal. Napoli staged a second-half comeback from two goals down after Gervinhos opener and a stunning strike from Kevin Strootman. Nike MLB Jerseys China . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. http://www.cheapjerseysnike.com/ . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys China . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. The Big 12 board of directors meets Monday in Dallas and the topic of expansion will be addressed.Not necessarily decided, but definitely addressed.Maybe after three months of vetting, analyzing and interviewing potential new members the presidents and chancellors will decide the Big 12 Conference should add schools. Maybe they will even decide which schools to add.Or maybe they will decide 10 members are enough for the smallest Power Five conference and stick with what they have.Or maybe they will decide not to decide and keep college footballs never-ending story going.It is impossible to know which way this will go, but news reports from Big 12 country over the last month suggest the conference has cooled on the idea of expansion.The only public statements that provide a hint at which way the Big 12 is leaning have come from Oklahoma President David Boren, who once called the conference psychologically disadvantaged by having only 10 members.First, Boren said expansion should not be considered a given. Then, responding to reports citing unidentified sources that he had changed his position, Boren released a noncommittal statement in late September.I do not know where the speculation came from, but Oklahoma has not yet taken a position on expansion, he said.Consultants have provided data to conference leaders showing expansion could increase the Big 12s chances of reaching the playoff and the bottom lines of its members.The Big 12s television contracts with ESPN and Fox call for the networks to provide increases to cover the addition of new members. So two new schools would mean an extra $50 million or so each year through 2025.The new members would, as is standard, receive a partial share of conference revenue for the first three or four seasons in the league. The old members would split the rest.More money and a better chance to make it to the playoff. So why wouldnt the Big 12 expand?THE CHOICESBig 12 officials held face-to-face interviews with 11 schools during September: Air Force, BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Connecticut, Houston, Rice, South Florida, SMU and Tulane.None is an obvious choice.- BYU has had the most football success and is a national brand, but the Cougars other sports dont play on Sundays and the schools honor code has received scrutiny from LGBT advocacy groups.- Houston received an endorsement from the governor of Texas and some public support from the University of Texas, but promoting an in-state competitor could make winning and recruiting more difficult for current members.- Cincinnati, South Florida and Central Florida provide new media markets and recruiting territory, but limited history of success on the field. And those media markets dont have as much impact for a conference that is not likely to follow-up expansion with its own television network.- Colorado State would put the Big 12 back in a state that is home to many of its schools alumni, but it is not the flagship university of that state.- Connecticut has a national brand, but its for basketball.- Football-only membership probably makes the most sense for Air Force. Maybe for BYU, too. But is that woorth it?- Rice, SMU and Tulane have strong academic profiles, but it is highly questionable whether they could compete in football.ddddddddddddCONSENSUSAny decision would require agreement from eight of the Big 12s 10 presidents, though do not be surprised if the conference publicly claims unanimity about whatever is decided.So first eight of the 10 schools would have to agree on expanding. Then eight of the 10 would have to agree on whom to invite. If you have followed the Big 12, consensus has not been its strong suit.DILUTIONThe Big Ten is experiencing this now. The addition of Maryland and Rutgers means less opportunity for Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin to play Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State.Thats not great, but the Big Ten offset that with the financial gains. Expanding the conferences footprint to the Northeast corridor boosted the value of the Big Tens cable network and increased its exposure into a highly populated area where lots of its alumni live.The addition of two more teams to the Big 12 would mean fewer games against Oklahoma and Texas for many of the current members, but without the ancillary benefits because the Big 12 wont be getting a cable network.THE BIG 12 DIDNT REALLY WANT TO DO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACEIn June, the Big 12 announced it was paying out $30 million apiece to its members and the expansion talk seemed to be put to rest.In late July, Commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Boren emerged from a CEO meeting and announced the conference would explore expansion, making the league again seem unstable.What changed? The Atlantic Coast Conference announced with ESPN that it would start a network and extend its TV contract and the grant of rights that helps bind the schools through 2035. Seeing the ACC strengthen its position, along with having the Big 12s pro rata deal clearly spelled out, moved the Big 12 presidents to do a deep dive on expansion.LONG-TERM FLEXIBILITYStanding pat. Dream big.Maybe the ACC network is a dud and six years from now Florida State and Clemson are pondering how to escape that grant of rights. Maybe Pac-12 falls behind the rest of the Power Five and its members look at the Big 12 as more fertile territory.MONEYESPN and Fox were reportedly not thrilled about the idea of paying for a bigger Big 12. Would the networks be willing to pay the Big 12 a smaller amount to stand pat in return for an extended contract and grant of rights?CHAMPIONSHIP GAMERegardless of expansion, the Big 12 has plans to bring back its football championship next year. So theres more new revenue and another game for the College Football Playoff committee to consider.OKLAHOMA AND TEXASUltimately, the long-term stability of the Big 12 is predicated on Texas and Oklahoma happily remaining in the conference. At some point the Longhorns and Sooners have to decide if they want to be the most powerful members of the Big 12 or just another member of another conference. And adding teams to the Big 12 now doesnt change that.---Follow Ralph D. 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