De La Rosa faces Jordan Lyles. De La Rosa is 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA this month. | Forum

Commissioner Bob Bowlsby has referred to what the Big 12 is about to step into as it moves toward expansion as a sellers market. Youth Cowboys Jerseys .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. Wholesale Cowboys Jerseys . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St. Cowboys Jerseys From China . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. http://www.cheapcowboysjerseyschina.com/ . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. HOUSTON -- In what has already become another tough season, the Houston Astros have had little reason to celebrate. That changed on Monday when Brandon Barnes gave the American Leagues worst team plenty to smile about. Barnes hit a last at-bat, two-out RBI ground-rule double in the 12th inning to lift the Astros to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies in interleague play. Matt Dominguez singled off former Astro Wilton Lopez (1-2) to start the inning. He was replaced by pinch-runner Ronny Cedeno and he advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. The Rockies intentionally walked Jose Altuve with two outs before Barnes connected on a double which sailed into the corner of right field to score Cedeno and give Houston the win. "It was probably the best time Ive had on a baseball field," said Barnes, who entered the game an inning earlier as a pinch-runner. "It was true joy, true emotion. It was awesome. It was a blast." Paul Clemens (2-2) struck out two in a scoreless 12th for the win. It was the first time Houston had won on a last at-bat this season. Manager Bo Porter hopes it will give his team, which was coming off a three-game sweep by the Athletics, something to build on. "I think these kind of wins are definitely something that can catapult you forward from just an energy standpoint," he said. "Finding a way as a team and to come out on top, that momentum can carry over." Carlos Gonzalez drove in a run with a double in the first, and Jonathan Herrera made it 2-0 with a sacrifice bunt in the fourth. Carlos Pena hit a two-run double for Houston to tie it at 2 in the fourth. The Astros loaded the bases with two outs in the 11th, but Jimmy Paredes flew out to end the inning. Wilin Rosario singled to start the 10th, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and third on a fly out. Houston intentionally walked pinch-hitter Michael Cuddyer and Travis Blackley struck out pinch-hitter D.J. LeMahieu to end the threat. The Rockies had several opportunities to put the game away, but came up empty again and again, stranding 15 batters. "Its difficult to win that way, when you leave over 10 runners on base and not being able to get the big hit," Gonzalez said. "Its frustrating." Houston starter Bud Norris yielded eight hits and two runs in seven innings. Jhoulys Chacin pitched seven-plus innings for the Rockies, allowing five hits and two runs with a season-high nine strikeouts. It was the most strikeouts this season by a Colorado pitccher, and came against a team which leads the majors with 494 this season. Womens Cowboys Jerseys. Eric Young hit a leadoff double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and made it 1-0 on a double by Gonzalez. Colorado loaded the bases with no outs in the third. But Norris was able to escape the jam by retiring Troy Tulowitzki before Rosario grounded into a force out that left Young out at home and he retired Jordan Pacheco. Nolan Arenado doubled in the fourth and reached third on a sacrifice bunt. Colorado pushed the lead to 2-0 when he scored on a sacrifice bunt by Herrera. Chacin sailed through the first three innings and struck out the side in the second. Houston didnt get a hit until Jose Altuve singled with one out in the fourth. Altuve stole second base before Jason Castro walked in the fourth. Chacin struck out J.D. Martinez, but Altuve stole third base on the play. Penas double sent Altuve and Castro home and tied it at 2-all. Norris ran into trouble again in the fifth when he walked Fowler to start the inning. Tulowitzki singled to send Fowler to third before a wild pitch allowed Tulowitzki to advance to second. The Rockies came away empty-handed when Norris struck out Rosario before a groundout by Pacheco ended the inning. Norris allowed the leadoff hitter to get on base for the fifth time in seven innings when he allowed a single to Young to start the seventh. Fowler followed with a walk, but just as he had several time before, he worked out of the jam, this time by sitting down the next three Rockies. "He was absolutely fantastic today," Porter said of Norris. "Early in the game when he got into the bases-loaded jam, I just felt like he really did a great job of understanding who was in the batters box and how he was going to attack them. He kept his composure and just made quality pitch after quality pitch." NOTES: Martinez tied a single-game franchise record by striking out five times. ... Houston optioned OF Robbie Grossman to Triple-A Oklahoma City after the game. The team said they would make a corresponding move on Tuesday. ... This two-game series wraps up on Tuesday when Colorado left-hander Jorge De La Rosa faces Jordan Lyles. De La Rosa is 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA this month. ... Cuddyer was out of the lineup a day after bruising his right forearm after getting hit by a pitch, but pinch-hit in the 10th inning. ... The ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by 90-year-old WWII veteran Pat Duncan, who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. Cheap NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From ChinaCheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys' ' '