… the awkward timing of last night’s press conference that is.
1. Even though it’s not official, UH wanted positive news out there about joining the Mountain West to help counteract the huge negative story about the class action lawsuit against the university for identity privacy lapses.
2. UH didn’t want the “good” news to get lost on Friday, the day when much fewer eyes and ears are on the news. You put bad news out on Friday, but not good news.
3. 7 p.m. at Bachman Hall, same time as the start of the UH volleyball match? This sent a clear message that this had become an Upper Campus deal, that this was President M.R.C. Greenwood’s action and the big dogs had taken charge.
4. The announcement on Thursday night has put UH in a rare situation of (at least, perceived) leverage. WAC commissioner Karl Benson made a counteroffer to UH today — which Benson said was approved by the WAC presidents yesterday. If this offer for UH to keep its football team in the WAC had surfaced before the announcement of intention to leave, things might look quite different today.
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Something else to think about for doubters: If UH had gotten dangerously ahead of itself by making the announcement last night, words to that effect from the Mountain West probably would’ve come out by now.
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As Gomer Pyle used to say, “Surprise, surprise, surprise!”
Although I’d written several times and spoken to a few people about the possibility of UH joining the Mountain West, I considered it a huge longshot. I didn’t see how UH could convince the MWC that the advantages of having it in the conference outweighed the disadvantages. But they did it.
Game balls to President Greenwood and Rockne Freitas for making it happen and Jim Donovan for setting groundwork several weeks ago.
HOWEVER … That press conference was really strange. Probably would’ve been better to wait until the deal was finalized and not have to dance around it.