Perlman has zero interest in being a rock star. He doesn't crave the limelight, and he didn't pull off this hire or publicly dress Bo down out of some desire to see his mug on TV or in the papers.
Harvey is a very smart man. He has a more-than-adequate background in law, and he rarely makes a move that isn't well-calculated. The notion that this hire was a "whim" is completely false. Harvey doesn't wake up one day and decide to replace Tom Osborne.
I think you're responding to my post regarding the weird lack of cohesion in this transfer of the AD mantle, so I'll quote your post (which includes nothing I really disagree with,) here.
Nothing you wrote I overtly disagree with. I too believe Harvey to be of significant intelligence, actually stated as such, and I certainly never thought that a guy like Perlman would wake up one day and say, "that's it! I've had it! I'm hiring a new AD within the week!" That's ridiculous, and Perlman would never make such a vital decision regarding the entire AD of his university without careful consideration. You didn't quote my post so again I tread carefully because I'm not sure if your sentiments were in direct response to my own, but in no way did I ever intimate that I thought this was a decision made on a whim. Again, as I made note that Harvey is not a stupid man, than this is somewhat implicit. Only a complete idiot would endanger his reputation and his university based on a fleeting instinct. And I DO believe Harvey cares deeply about the university. He has come across in certain ways over the years in interviews or speaking opportunities, but not once would anyone say he had an apathetic, indifferent demeanor.
What I posted I made sure to qualify immediately that it was based on pure conjecture and thus should be taken lightly. I made care to do that in order to definitely state that there was no evidence based argument being made, merely an exploration of an opinion that frankly formed as I posted. I do not think those musings are thoroughly devoid of any feasible possibilities, however.
When I referred drawing attention to himself, I suspect (again, you did not quote me) that you made an immediate conclusion that I was proposing Perlman harbored a desire to usurp Osborne's position in the public eye, and in fact yearned to be the one held in that vast degree of esteem. And I can see where this could be deduced from my post. However, it was not the limelight I considered Perlman coveted, but rather the acknowledgement of the prominence of his position. (Which is substantial.) I do not think it is a wild leap in logic to think that someone who has worked as hard as Harvey has to achieve his position may harbor some resentment toward the idea that he was going to have to capitulate to the local (national) legend in terms of a decision that was the president of the university's to make.
And Perlman is kind of a big deal anyway. During the BCS/Playoff debates of, (what, two seasons ago?) Harvey Perlman was front and center addressing the national media. That was a pretty important message being conveyed by the president's as a group, in the face of widespread and still growing opposition, and the fact that Perlman was one of the major voices chosen to represent them speaks volumes as to his competence, as well as the regard his peers have for him.
I can see someone who has achieved all that finding it irksome to defer to anyone regarding a decision that should be his to make. The motivation I had in mind when I wrote that post was not, "put me on the news." It was, "pay me my just dues."
There is a terseness currently regarding this transferal process. Osborne sending a one note missive to the new AD is significant to me. Where does this come from? And why did it happen? (And, will it disappear in a short time and be revealed as nothing but yet another conflagration over what turns out to be nothing?)
These are all smart, competent, and prestigious people who are, like I said, people...not Vulcans. Everyone has pride. I think it is certainly possible that Harvey felt like he was not receiving the leeway a man in his position of authority ought to be afforded.
But as I started and ended with, pure hypothesis, which, by the way, I am not stating with any sort of absolution. I haven't been to Lincoln since last Saturday night, and there sure as hell isn't a red Neb phone in my bedroom which rings whenever something important happens in Lincoln.
As to the A&M situation? That was ill conceived. The only purpose I saw as I wrote that post seems far less unlikely upon reappraisal. I don't think that was done out of an attention seeking pursuit, I think
that immediate response to that isolated incidence, may, in fact, have leaned more towards voicing opinion on a whim as opposed to carefully considering a response. I loudly state, I
don't know. But if I was forced to bet, I'd put money on Perlman handling that a different way.
