And so it begins…

Nebraska does what Nebraska needs to do. They will head to the Big 11/12. The Big 11/12 will take them, and then pause.

“Jim is getting his hand forced, and he doesn’t like it,” the source told the Tribune.

But Delany might have no other choice if he wants to reel in Nebraska.

Another source with close ties to Big Ten officials suggested the league wants to add Nebraska and stop there – at 12 teams.

Whether it is a full hold, or merely a pause to see what happens next is unclear.

One thing I feel sure in assuming: Missouri is pretty much crapping their pants.

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Hey, a brief break from expansion babble.

Pitt’s non-con is just about finished. Shame they can’t tell everyone the details.

Pittsburgh needs to add just one more game to its non-conference schedule; then, the waiting game begins.

“For anybody who’s new to our conference, it’s something that’s eye-opening and concerning,” Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon said, “but being here 12 years, it’s just something that you’re used to. Patience is the best quality to have.”

Why does it take so much longer for the Big East to arrange its conference schedule?

Consider that the Big East plays 144 league games each season. None of the other five major conferences play more than 100. The Big East also has the most televised games, which throws even more wrenches into the scheduling process.

But the biggest problem may be that a handful of Big East teams share their home arenas with NBA and/or NHL franchises; some share with American Hockey League teams. The Big East has to work around those pro dates, and Odjakjian noted that the NHL usually doesn’t release its schedule until mid-July and the NBA often waits until the beginning of August.

Well, here are a few games with the dates set.

The SEC/Big East Invitational comes to Pittsburgh this year.

Pitt will play Tennessee in the fourth annual 2010 DIRECTV SEC/Big East Basketball Invitational at Pittsburgh’s brand new CONSOL Energy Center, ESPN announced on Wednesday. The game is scheduled for Saturday, December 11 and will be nationally televised on ESPN. The contest is part of a doubleheader at CONSOL Energy Center as Rutgers will play Auburn in the first game on ESPN2. Tipoff times will be announced at a later date.

So ex-RMU coach Mike Rice gets an early visit to Pittsburgh as well. Not a bad plan — even if the game itself with Rutgers and Auburn will be ugly.

The other half of the SEC/Big East Invitational will be held in Louisville — but hosted by Kentucky. Seton Hall-Arkansas and Notre Dame-Kentucky.

Meanwhile the preliminary rounds of the Coaches Vs. Cancer have Pitt hosting games on November 8 and 10.

First it is Rhode Island on the 8th. The 10th has University of Illinois-Chicago. The URI game will actually be a challenge. The Rams have been pretty good — and very good early in the year at scoring upsets.

Being an alum of a Big East school watching the Big 12 on the verge of absolute destruction is kind of like watching a bomb explode. It’s kind of cool to see the carnage, but you aren’t protected like all those assholes safely in the bunkers (Big 11, SEC, Pac-10 and ACC).

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I really can’t tell you, but this might be a better jolt than morning coffee.

An executive at a Big 12 school relayed to The World-Herald on Tuesday that he expects Nebraska to become a member of the Big Ten as early as Friday.

NU Chancellor Harvey Perlman has declined all interviews about conference realignment and expansion. He is expected to address the topic with the Board of Regents at its Friday meeting in Lincoln.

Direct confirmation from Nebraska of a conference change for the Huskers wasn’t immediately available. Sources at two other Big 12 schools told The World-Herald that their athletic directors have instructed them to be ready by week’s end for a briefing on probable Big 12 changes.

Nebraska A.D. Tom Osborne offered implicit confirmation Tuesday night that the timetable on national conference realignment has been accelerated.

On his monthly appearance on the Husker Sports Network, Osborne said:

“I think before too long — I don’t know exactly what that time frame is — we’ll be able to put this to bed,” then he jokingly added, “because I’m getting tired of it.”

That really doesn’t prove much, but everyone is getting more skittish by the day. There is definitely a sense that Nebraska is not going to bend to the Texas/Big 12 ultimatum.