SEC Expansion: "ficts" vs "faction" UPDATED

UPDATE - I won't update every time the wind changes this weekend. But the strongest gale now has FSU, Mizzou and Clemson joining TAMU. That and VA Tech is happy where they are.

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The truths and the half-truths at this point are all so intertwined it's easy to get caught up in the wicked web that is being spun in the land of the Big 12 10 9...whatever. It seems by the time someone with knowledge tweets or clicks Publish!, the news is old or already being disputed.


But I found this piece by Travis to be a fair assessment of both what is known, what could be and what is very unlikely. Truthfully, I both find this stuff compelling and repulsive. I guess I'm intrigued because I think the SEC stands to win this "arms race" towards mega conferences. But I'm against the idea of expansion simply on its basis. I kind of like things the way they are, but it seems that the idea of super conferences is a matter of when and not if. So...here are my thoughts:

• It appears Mike Slive is nearing third base rounding third base sliding into home with the $exy TAMU. But for the record, they started the heavy petting in the first place. (FWIW...looks like the next BoR meeting in College Station is on Monday)
• After A&M is where I think it gets interesting. VA Tech seems most logical to me. Florida (and Georgia for that matter) don't want FSU for basic, age-old territorial issues. Clemson would come next, but SCU has a similar argument against them. NATS...bwahahaha! (All that aside, there are some serious rumors of FSU following A&M. Guess anything is possible.)
• Memphis...Louisville...please. 
• Oklahoma I just don't see happening. A&M has all but divorced Texas' whoring ass, but OU and Okie State are still married at the hip. One set of alumni with 10 gallons permanently affixed to their craniums is enough. We don't need three.
• Will Vandy be forced out? I just don't think so. Meaning, I haven't seen anything substantial that tells me it is even a possibility. Have I seen message bored posters that make viable points as to why it makes sense? I guess. But that's a long way from kicking a strong academic school to the curb in an age when the 'Dores continue to be a pretty smart looking feather in Slive's pimp'N cap.
• North Carolina. Wait...we'll come back to spit our tobaccky.
• The hoops. While we're raking in football dollars, can we raid some good basketball schools and officially make the SEC the best hoops conference as well? To do that would seem to take a miracle...and act of God...Mike Krzyzewski crapping his pants. Or maybe all three. All I know is my head just starts spinning when I try to fathom the variables.
• Now, back to NC. Travis makes a case for why Slive might make a play at Duke. But I just can't believe they'd listen. I know, I know. It doesn't make sense that if the NCAA athletic world were to start crumbling around the ACC that there wouldn't be some schools with solid basketball programs that might consider jumping to a historically football conference. But I also know that in wine and cheese country reality takes a back seat to full court presses.
• However, if the SEC were to look into the state of NC (and when you're evaluating geographical regions where Slive might want to establish a televise footprint NC just makes sense) I think I'd only want Duke. For these reasons: 1) I already hate them 2) it'd finally answer the question of how many rabid Dawg fans you can fit into a high school football stadium and 3) it would finally force the dookies to play us in basketball.
• North Carolina would've been nice, but I think they're about to be castrated. Bad timing Heels. Sorry. And NC State...nah thanks. Wake...call us when your football fans equal the number of lacrosse fans. Plus you stole JT3's brother from us. (All that aside, there are just as serious rumors as the FSU ones that UNC is lined up. So...whatevs. AwwBarn can show the Heels the ropes down heyuh!)

What'd I miss? More specifically, how do you feel about a bloated SEC?