On September 2, Big 12 commish Dan Beebe sent a letter to SEC commish Mike Slive that stated, in part, “the Big 12 Conference Board of Directors unanimously authorized me to convey to you and their colleagues in the Southeastern Conference that the Big 12 and its members will not take any legal action for any possible claims against the SEC or its members relating to the departure of Texas A&M University from the Big 12 and the admission of Texas A&M into the SEC …” [Click here to see the PDF of the letter.]

If you think this sounds familiar … yes, five Big East schools sued Miami and Boston College to try and prevent them from leaping to the ACC back in 2003. That failed.

Clearly, the entire Big 12 was on board with Texas A&M leaving the conference. So why, five days later, has Baylor pulled this lawsuit stunt? [Conspiracy theory: Texas is somehow involved.]

This kind of feels like the scene in Indecent Proposal where Woody lets Demi go off with Redford, but then Woody realizes the mistake he’s made when his loser friend talks about it over dinner … and Woody races to catch the chopper. Woody is left standing on top of the building, screaming and nearly in tears at the grave mistake he’s made. Did Baylor suddenly realize that after the Oklahoma/Oklahoma State news this weekend, the Big 12 was going to crumble, and Baylor would be left begging for an invite to Conference USA or Western Athletic Conference?

The bigger question, I suppose, is how Baylor didn’t see this coming. How shortsighted and pathetic are the leaders in the Big 12? What an embarrassing year. Going back to 2010, the league just let Colorado and Nebraska walk (Pac 12, Big Ten, respectively). Then Texas A&M passed on a rumored SEC invite. Then the entire league let Texas hop in bed with ESPN to form its own network. Only now is everyone panicking, but of course it is too late.

Baylor’s lawsuit will fail. Texas A&M will go to the SEC. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and two others schools – TBA? – will leap to the Pac 12 to form the Pac 16. Either Texas will be in that group, or Texas will go independent (I’ll put the ACC option at an unscientific 2.1 percent). Desperation is not a good look, Baylor. Give it up.

Previously: Texas A&M Has Left the Big 12. So Who Will the SEC Invite as the 14th Team, Missouri or Virginia Tech?