The enlisting of state lawmakers in a brave bid to keep Big 12 Texas rivals together, whether in the Big 12 or an expanded version of the Pac-10, might strike some casual observers as strange, even inappropriate, but we wholeheartedly back such efforts. Yes, intrigue over conference expansions and Big 12 defections might be about football and TV, but it’s also about ensuring a bustling economy in Central Texas. It’s even about something as intangible as tradition. We hope that still counts for something in our state.

Taking their eyes off the ball in this case might result in legislators and our governor finding key sections of Texas hurt, especially in Central Texas and Waco. We presume none wish this. Happily, Neal T. “Buddy” Jones, a powerful lobbyist and former state lawmaker, is leading Baylor University supporters, fellow regents and others in ensuring that, whatever comes from machinations regarding the makeup of the Big 12, Baylor remains bonded with its traditional Lone Star rivals — the University of Texas, Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University.

These schools have long jousted with one another in sports ranging from tennis to basketball, track to football. But while they sometimes battle intensely as intercollegiate siblings, they’re ultimately united by heritage. Allowing big money over TV rights to put asunder these ties would be a moral tragedy, besides harming the economic picture for Baylor, Waco and Central Texas. Which is why Central Texans should now carefully acknowledge who among our state leaders is truly dedicated to maintaining this near-hallowed union.

Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott on Sunday finally gave credence to reports circulating for days, revealing that he had been authorized to pursue the league’s expansion. Initial reports indicated that the Pac-10 had designs on all members of the Big 12 South except for Baylor, a move that would effectively gut the league, especially as Nebraska and Missouri are entertaining notions of joining the Big Ten. At the moment, all eyes are on Texas, whose intentions could influence the fate of its Big 12 South partners.

As we noted this past weekend, we fervently believe in the intrinsic value and enormous potential of Baylor in the realm of academics and research. Its momentum in many areas is unstoppable. Yet there’s absolutely no denying that, whatever Baylor’s merit in so many realms, its continued membership in a prestigious athletic conference does much to draw the spotlight in terms of revenue, jobs and student enrollment. Respected economics professor Tom Kelly tells us that Baylor athletics had a $155.6 million impact on the local economy during the 2008 calendar year.

We obviously support the herculean efforts of Jones, Baylor regent Chairman Dary Stone, Baylor President Ken Starr (who in a press conference Monday alluded to an encouraging discussion with UT President Bill Powers) and others to make our state leaders acutely aware of all this. But we urge all who understand what’s on the line to offer their two cents to those who walk the halls of power in Austin and presume to know what’s best for Texans — all Texans.

RELATED SEARCHES

• Ken Starr, guest columnist: Baylor, other Big 12 Texas schools must stick together in any conference realignment
• EDITORIAL: Big 12 intrigue shouldn't make Baylor forget its potential in so many areas