While the Big 10 Conference can be ridiculed for its inability to count, (see Math 10 for more on 10+1=11), the Big 12 Conference’s problem seems to be whether the term “Big” fits.

In the 1996-97 season, four members of the now-defunct Southwest Conference joined the members of the Big Eight Conference to form a “super conference” known as the Big 12.

The new teams, all hailing from the Lone Star state (the Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders, Texas A&M Aggies and Baylor Bears), were added to bring more prestige to an already premier conference in the Midwest.

Since joining the Big 12, these southern schools have made their marks on the traditional warm weather sports of track and field, swimming, golf, baseball and softball.

However, in football and men’s basketball (the two major collegiate sports), “major” loosely translated means “money making,” the big four have been less “big” than originally advertised.

Last year, the additions to the conference made only two key contributions to major college basketball: an NCAA Tournament team in the Longhorns, and an NBA draft choice in Tony Battie.

Other contributions? One team on probation and therefore banned from postseason play — Texas Tech.

This season, the Texas schools have combined for an overall record of 43-55, a .438 winning percentage. Not exactly deserving of the motto “Don’t mess with Texas.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, Texas and Baylor are tied for fifth place at 7-7, Texas is tied for seventh place at 6-8 and Texas A&M sits in the 12th position, winless in the hapless Big 12 Conference.

Everything in Texas is big, including the number of losses its basketball programs have had.

As the Big Eight, the conference annually ranked among the nation’s top three or four leagues. Since the conference added four teams, it has slipped considerably.

Major power rating companies, such as RPI and Sagarin, rate the division behind the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Southeastern, Big 10 and Pac 10 Conferences. Others also place the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA above the Big 12.

Kansas has been the conference’s lone representative in the Associated Press’ Top 25 much of the season, making the so-called super conference “super” in number only. Oklahoma State slid into the 25th spot in the poll earlier this week.

Out of tradition and pity, two other teams, most likely Oklahoma and Nebraska, will appear at the Big Dance in March. Four teams in the tourney. Four teams from the original Big Eight Conference.

The rating systems judge teams on overall competitiveness as well as strength of schedule. RPI lists only three conference teams, Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska among the country’s top 50. Meanwhile, Baylor is ranked 66, Texas Tech 80, Texas 116 and Texas A&M 224 (behind both Harvard and Yale).

The Sagarin ratings place only Kansas and Oklahoma State among the top 50 and rank the four Texas schools between 85 and 196. As a comparison, the Big 10 has six teams in the Top 40.

But this season, Lone Star state teams will make a few more notable contributions.

First, by sending two players to the NBA (Texas Tech’s shooting star Cory Carr and Baylor’s inside force Brian Skinner, who is also Waco’s second biggest hero behind David Koresh). Second, by Texas Tech accepting a berth in the National Invitation Tournament.

The most interesting basketball news out of the state this season is Texas A&M Coach Tony Barone’s “reassignment.”

In the old days, coaches were “fired” for being winless in conference play. Now with political correctness, they find themselves in other jobs at the end of the season.

Have these contributions been enough to offset the detrimental effects of the switch? No.

The biggest downfall of the new conference is the effect it has had on rivalries.

The expanded conference has diminished the significance of old Big Eight rivalries. Iowa State now plays Oklahoma and Oklahoma State (who belong to the Southern Division) once each season instead of twice.

Southern Division teams face members of the Northern Division once per year, which means that only every other season do the Cyclones play the Longhorns, Aggies, Red Raiders or Bears in Hilton.

Fans have a hard time getting involved in rivalries when they see teams infrequently. According to a recent survey, they also have no idea what an Aggie is.

It is also hard to build rivalries when schools are located far away from each other. The 1,000-plus mile drive or $250 plane ticket is not worth the trip south for most ISU fans.

Ask Texas Christian fans how many road trips they’ve taken to watch their team play the Hawaii Rainbows.

And while Iowans may be able to find Texas on a map, few Texans can return the favor. (Idaho is the state that grows potatoes, and Cleveland is in Ohio.)

Adding four teams to the league did not strengthen the conference in men’s basketball. It used to be Kansas and the seven dwarfs. With the addition of Wimpy, Sleezy, Stumbly and Terribly, it’s Kansas and the 11 dwarfs.

Well, at least the conference can take pride in its ability to count.

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Drew Harris is a senior in journalism and mass communication and political science from Peosta.