UICSAlum wrote:Yikes! That statement from Madame Commish is a verbal bitch-slap if ever there was one.
UIC's replacement in the Horizon League would undoubtedly be a school leaving their current conference, and the Horiz would want the replacement joining the league this year, rather than waiting until 2023. Looking vindictive and petty when you are recruiting replacement candidates is not what one would normally want to do
She could (and probably should) have said "We have reconsidered and decided that although we were within our rights to deny relief, the Horizon League's committent to the well-being of student-athletes is paramount and transcends any differences the League may have with member institutions. We therefore reinstate eligibility to UIC student-athletes for post season competition effective today. At the same time, we implore UIC to join us in toning down the rhetoric surrounding this matter. Lets all move on, and may the best teams win."
But instead she opted to Flame the Flames. So I wonder:
Did her boss(es) make her do it?
Was there a threat of a lawsuit?
Or, has the bad publicity surrounding the UIC situation made its way into negotiations with Ballermine or whoever they are trying to replace UIC with?
Also, someone should look at that commissioner's statement as an example of a terrible response to public controversy. When backtracking on a position because of bad PR, the idea is to look magnanimous and sufficiently contrite. The statement attempts to shift the blame, which is stupid, because they already lost that battle, or they wouldn't be in the position they're in.
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