If we are "respectable" we'd have winning records pretty much every season, or even near the top of the conference — that would be a bowl game pretty much every year, and likely better bowl games than we are getting now. A .500 record in basketball in the Big 12 should be enough to earn an NCAA tourney berth.

If we only get a couple of bowl games and maybe an NCAA tournament or two, we've had losing records most years and are not "respectable."

Beyond that, what is the option, the MWC? Back to Independence? If we aren't winning in the Big 12, no other power conference will give us an invite and independence isn't sustainable if we've had mostly losing records over the previous 5+ years.