Hard feelings may show at upcoming WAC meetings

Steve Carp

Friday, May 29, 1998 | 11:02 a.m.

The stage is set for a battle royale of heavyweight proportions between 16 influential people.

Monday's meeting of the Western Athletic Conference presidents in Monterey, Calif., figures to produce plenty of fireworks in the aftermath of the blockbuster announcement that half the league is leaving the WAC to form its own conference.

UNLV, Air Force, Brigham Young, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah and Wyoming said Tuesday they are leaving the WAC as of June 30, 1999. The decision left the remaining eight teams -- Fresno State, Hawaii, San Jose State, Rice, Texas-El Paso, Texas Christian, Tulsa and Southern Methodist -- scrambling in trying to figure out what to do.

The aftermath has produced some hard feelings, especially from those schools not invited to join the new league.

"I think there's going to be some lively discussion," UNLV President Dr. Carol Harter said of the three days of scheduled meetings on the Central California coast. "But there are issues we still have as a conference which we must deal with, like scheduling."

WAC commissioner Karl Benson said: "I'm sure it will be awkward, but I expect everyone to act in a professional manner and attack the tasks at hand.

"It won't have the same camaraderie as in the past. It will probably take on a more professional, businesslike atmosphere. But that's understandable given the climate right now."

The eight defectors plan to meet separately during Monday's session after the 16 schools huddle together that morning. There are plenty of matters to discuss, not the least of which is whether the group of eight becomes a group of nine.

A conference call among the eight presidents Wednesday failed to resolve the matter of whether or not to accept a ninth member. Both Hawaii and Fresno State are very interested.

Hawaii supposedly is willing to pay a travel subsidy to the other eight schools to defray costs if the Rainbows are included. Hawaii used to pick up the tab for schools coming over to the Islands for football and basketball.

However, it is likely the costs would have to cover the nonrevenue sports, such as baseball, soccer and tennis, for the proposal to be seriously considered. Travel costs were a key point for why the WAC split Tuesday.

The subsidy would probably cost Hawaii in excess of $500,000.

Fresno State President John Welty said he had lobbied presidents on both sides but told the Fresno Bee, "It wasn't clear they were receptive to considering a ninth team."

Colorado State President Al Yates, who is the point man for the fledgling yet-to-be-named league, said the matter of whether to add a ninth team will be a key issue Monday when the eight schools meet separately.

"It's not a matter of pros or cons on the individual schools but rather the total number of schools," Yates said. "We could only get agreement on these eight. I haven't heard from either Fresno State or Hawaii about their intention of wanting to join."

Yates said a meeting among the eight CEOs separate from the remainder of the WAC may get a lot accomplished.

"It certainly makes sense for us to find time and plan for the future," he said. "The big issue is, 'Do we want to proceed with a ninth school?' Right now, I can't answer that. We'll know more perhaps on Monday."

The likelihood of Benson making a last-ditch attempt to get the eight defectors to change their minds virtually is nil.

"My understanding is in talking to President Yates is that they're too far down the road at this point to turn back," Benson said. "What we have are two different groups with two different agendas with urgent issues to discuss on both sides.

"But there is some important (WAC) business to discuss. I just don't know what decisions will be made."