Role allows Corrigan chance to see friends

Steve Carp

Tuesday, Aug. 4, 1998 | 11:21 a.m.

Once you're in college athletics, it's hard to completely divorce yourself.

Even though he's 70 and has done just about everything a person can do in college sports, Gene Corrigan still has something to offer. At least the eight schools that are leaving the Western Athletic Conference next year believe he does.

The former NCAA president and Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner said he's looking forward to meeting with the eight schools that are breaking away from the WAC. The transition committee for the yet-to-be-named league will meet Aug. 17 at the MGM Grand hotel-casino.

"They have a wonderful opportunity and I think it'll be fun to get involved," Corrigan said from his Virginia home.

"I like a lot of the people. I know (San Diego State athletic director) Rick Bay, (Utah AD) Chris Hill and (Wyoming AD) Lee Moon very well, and I've known (UNLV's) Charlie Cavagnaro a long time.

"Plus I think the world of (Colorado State president) Al Yates and (UNLV's) Carol Harter. These are very good people, very bright people."

Corrigan, who retired from his ACC post a year ago after 10 years as commissioner and spends most of his time on the golf course, said nothing has been finalized yet as far as his participation as a consultant.

"I'm going (to Las Vegas) to hear what they have to say and they'll get a chance to hear me and if everything works to everyone's satisfaction, we'll go from there," he said. "But at 70 years old, it's a lot easier to be a consultant than to be the commissioner. I'm not interested in being a commissioner again."

Corrigan said he is intrigued by the idea of a conference that prefers to be small in an age where leagues are looking to expand.

"For these people to go back is a big step," he said.

"They're going against the trend that bigger is better. They want to go back so they're playing each other in football and home-and-home in basketball. You don't see that much anymore, especially because of the money and the TV."

Corrigan, who was able to institute a revenue-sharing policy for the ACC while he was commissioner, said the goal of being financially viable will be the new league's biggest challenge.

"Money is always a problem, especially in Division I," he said. "You've got a couple of schools doing very well and the rest are trying to catch up and not everyone has the means to do that.

"One of the things I was proudest of during my time at the ACC was we got to the point where we were able to split the money equally between the nine schools. A lot of the time, it's a case of the rich getting richer."

Corrigan said he doesn't sense that from the eight departing WAC schools.

"I believe these people (the departing WAC schools) are committed to doing it right and I admire them for that."

Corrigan said the best thing he can do for the fledgling league is to allow himself to be used as a sounding board.

In addition to being a conference commissioner and having worked at the highest level of the NCAA, he has coached, worked as a sports information director and been an athletic director at Notre Dame.

"I'll try and give them all my experience wherever it's needed," he said.