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Commissioner Bob Bowlsby has referred to what the Big 12 is about to step into as it moves toward expansion as a sellers market.The conference is selling salvation for two to four schools that are clamoring for a spot in the Power Five and all the amenities (mostly lots of money) that goes with moving up in the world.Through open records requests to Big 12 schools, the reporting of other news organizations and statements released Wednesday by several obvious suits, here are the candidates (alphabetical order):BYU -- The Cougars have a huge national following, a history of competing at a high level and an affiliation with the Church of Latter Day Saints that prohibits the Provo, Utah-schools teams from competing on Sundays. This is not a small inconvenience. Nor will it keep BYU from possibly getting strong consideration. And as a football independent with its other sports in the West Coast Conference, BYU doesnt need to be coy and maybe could cut a football-only deal.BYU is known for its academic excellence and I believe we have an exceptional athletic program, athletic director Tom Holmoe said in a statement. As I have stated before, I would like to see our student-athletes compete at the highest level.Boise State -- The Broncos bring a top-notch football program, and an improving athletic program in general.Central Florida -- It has enormous enrollment (60,767) and is located in a recruiting hot bed, with a growing population in Orlando. The football was awesome a few years ago (BCS win against Baylor) and terrible last year (0-12).Cincinnati -- The school has just expanded and upgraded old Nippert Stadium, which now seats about 40,000. The football team has become a steady winner and moving into Ohio would not only give the Big 12 an eastern bridge to West Virginia but maybe open up some solid recruiting territory. The Big 12 is very Texas dependent when it comes to recruiting.South Florida -- Kind of like American Athletic Conference rival UCF, but not as big (48,973 enrollment) and not as much recent football success. However, right now, USF football is trending up. Wednesday was probably not the best day to announce the NCAA was investigating the athletic program.Connecticut -- Perhaps no school suffered more from conference realignment than UConn, a longtime Big East member that was shoved from college sports main stage. Sure the football was always so-so, but UConn basketball was a power and a powerful brand. With the Big 12 no longer talking about a conference network, that foot in the New York and Boston television markets might not be as appealing.Colorado State -- The school has been doing what you do when you want to get noticed. Expanding stadiums, investing in facilities and coaches. Big 12 schools have lots of alumni in Colorado, especially the Denver area. Fort Collins is about 65 miles straight north, pretty and growing. Maybe the Rams can replace what the Big 12 lost in Colorado?Memphis -- The Tigers have a notable sponsor in FedEx CEO Fred Smith, an alum who has promised his companys sponsorship to the Big 12. The football has been mostly irrelevant but is coming off a couple of excellent seasons. Basketball is top-shelf and so is the FedEx Forum where the team plays. School officials are quick to note how the universitys academic profile is on the upswing.The University is prepared to take action when opportunities to increase the level of positive attention and exposure for our city, campus and Athletic Department are presented, athletic director Tom Bowen said in a statement. The University of Memphis continues to gain national recognition for its advancements in research, teaching and student accomplishments, and the Athletic Department is one part of that winning combination.Houston -- A new on-campus stadium is sweet, and the Cougars picked an excellent time to be coming off a 13-1 season and a Peach Bowl victory under everybodys dream coach, Tom Herman. But will Herman be here longterm? If Houston is in the Big 12, that helps the cause a lot. Being in Texas is either a deal-breaker for a conference that already thinks Houston is Big 12 country, or a good way to lock up a part of the state that has been infiltrated heavily by the SEC since Texas A&M joined.At the University of Houston we are certainly honored to be mentioned as a progressive institution that places a competitive emphasis on both academics and athletics, athletic director Hunter Yuracheck said. As a Tier One research institution and Phi Beta Kappa member, Houston has seen a reinvigorated spirit in Athletics. We have returned our proud University to the national spotlight and we aim to compete on the highest levels as we build Champions for Life. Our mission will not change.San Diego State -- Getting the Texas-centric conference into Southern California makes some sense from a recruiting standpoint.Tulane -- Sounds a little crazy considering recent athletic success. The American thought it was buying low in Tulane and it still hasnt turned around. The Big 12 provides a lot more benefits (i.e. money) and the Big 12 likes New Orleans, where it plays in the Sugar Bowl. Ian McCoshen Jersey . The International Olympic Committee released the official list of bid cities on Friday after the deadline for applications had passed. The candidates -- all previously announced in their own countries -- are: Almaty, Kazakhstan; Beijing; Krakow, Poland; Lviv, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; and Stockholm. Cheap Panthers Jerseys China . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. http://www.cheapfloridapanthersjerseys.com/?tag=adidas-aleksander-barkov-jersey . JOHNS, N. Colton Sceviour Jersey . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. Evgenii Dadonov Jersey . Aaron Harrison scored a 22 points for Kentucky (6-1), which has won four in a row following a Nov. 12 loss to current No. 1 Michigan State. Julius Randle overcame a scoreless first half and added his sixth double-double in as many games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Afghanistan 283 for 4 in 47.2 overs (Rahmat 100*, Najibullah 89*, Wheal 2-51) v Scotland Match abandoned Scorecard and ball-by-ball details Scotlands first ODI at home in more than two years ended in frustrating fashion, with the first game of the two-match series against Afghanistan finishing in a no result. Yet the partisan Afghanistan crowd got their moneys worth - and a steal it was for the ￡10 charged at the gate - before play was abandoned with Afghanistan at 283 for 4 in 47.2 overs, courtesy Rahmat Shahs maiden ODI ton and a career-best 89 not out from Najibullah Zadran.The visitors kicked off their seven-match European ODI tour in menacing fashion, Rahmat and Najibullah producing a record fifth-wicket partnership for Afghanistan in ODIs. They added an unbroken 157 - the fourth best for any wicket in ODIs for Afghanistan - after coming together at 126 for 4 in the 31st over.While Rahmat ended the day ahead of Najibullah in the runs column, the 23-year-old left-hander evoked a more emotional response from the vocal Afghanistan supporters in the crowd, with chants of Na-jib! Na-Jib! Na-Jib! growing louder after each six.Rahmat was on 40 before Najibullah faced his first ball, and the frenetic rollercoaster ride began three balls into the 32nd over, when an edged drive off Alasdair Evans barely eluded the reach of wicketkeeper Matthew Cross for the first of Najibullahs nine fours. His second boundary in the following over, a Brad Wheal half-tracker creamed over midwicket, was a portent of what was to come.After Rahmat brought up his fifty off 88 balls with back-to-back pulled fours, Rahmat turned the steering wheel to Najibullah, who flashed two more boundaries, before rain stopped play for the first time with the score at 180 for 4 in 39 overs. A 100-minute break ensued with lunch taken early to ensure no overs were deducted.Upon resumption, Rahmat briefly became the aggressor with four more boundaries before Najibullah took over. He targeted Evans midway through the 42nd and a booming drive over mid-off was the first of five sixes. A single off Wheal in the 43rd brought up his fifty in 35 balls before he smashed two sixes off debutant Ruaidhri Smith over mid-off in the 44th over. Najib then shifted his focus to the midwicket fence in the 46th, haammering a free-hit from Safyaan Sharif into the practice nets before Evans was heaved over the same region to end the 47th.ddddddddddddAmid the fireworks supplied by Najibullah, Rahmat inconspicuously made his way to 99 for the start of the 48th and a single took him to three figures in 123 balls.Najibullah was on 87 off 52 balls and with 17 balls remaining in the innings, he looked set to break the Afghanistan record for the fastest ODI century, jointly held by Karim Sadiq against Netherlands and Mohammad Shahzad against Scotland in 72 balls.Rain, however, had returned to impact proceedings, the free-hit in the prior over came after Sharif - struggling to grip the damp ball - bowled a beamer that cleared Najibullahs head by two feet and was desperately knocked down by a leaping Cross to prevent five extras. After Najibullah pushed for two on the second ball of the 48th, the umpires took the players off for good.Scotland had made a reasonable start, after inserting Afghanistan, with Wheal producing extra bounce to clip the shoulder of Noor Ali Zadrans bat as Cross snapped up the chance in the third over to make it 7 for 1. Shahzad survived a strong lbw shout from Evans in the following over, while on 6, and then feasted on the fast bowler for three boundaries in a see-saw eighth over. Evans, however, hit back with a full ball to have Shahzad lbw for 26.Rahmat joined Javed Ahmadi for an assured 53-run stand that was broken when Ahmadi couldnt keep a Sharif yorker out. Captain Asghar Stanikzai made 20 before Wheal beat him for pace with a short ball and had him fluttering a pull to Con de Lange at mid-on. Wheal got carried away with the short-ball strategy against Rahmat and Najibullah, and paid the price with inflated figures of 2 for 51 in nine overs. It was Evans, though, who struggled the most to find a consistent length and was left nursing the most expensive figures of the day - 1 for 73.The two sides return to the Grange on Wednesday, with more promising weather on the horizon, for the second and final match of the series. Afghanistan then depart for Belfast, where they will take on Ireland in a five-match ODI series. ' ' '