I guess I feel like Gloria Nevarez, who got her contract extended for another 4 years during this mess, is equally to blame. Maybe it's my own perception, but I recall hearing "my experience as a lawyer" way too many times during this shitshow. She was a summer associate for a hand full of months before moving into collegiate athletics. That does not present a whole lot of litigation experience or real-world legal know how outside the ivory towers. And sorry, she's had more jobs than most people I know...like 9. Some with very short tenures.
She got totally worked by Theresa Gould and 2 weak PAC schools. Cutting through it all, we have a weaker make-no-sense conference and everyone outside of MWC knows it. At this point, I wish the MWC could use some of the cash to help Montana and Montana State to make the jump. Maybe in time that would be a cool "make-sense" conference. Not a big fan of brining on board a bunch of FCS schools, but having flagship schools from Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, in a conference at least makes some regional sense (forget about time zone revenue). Hawaii, UTEP an NIU is just silly and I'd be laughing if I were a PAC fan.
And for everyone blaming the lawyers and calling them profiteers, I totally get it. The only thing worse than lawyers are their uninformed clients with unreasonable expectations.
I love Wyoming sports, I will support the Pokes, but a merger should have happened. Gloria and MWC failed.