Interview with the A.D.

Dave Reardon interviews UH athletic director Herman Frazier, who talks about ohhh what might've been.

"I think what people need to understand is we're not making any excuses in not getting (the schedule) done in a timely manner," Frazier said. "There have been mitigating factors all the way through the process. As we kept trying to close a deal, other things would happen that opened it up."

Frazier said he has worked with "24 different scenarios" regarding the schedule, going back to last fall.

...

"We may have gotten a little bit greedy," Frazier said.

"I miscalculated, because at the end of the day, too many people were involved in it, because somebody wanted to do this, and somebody wanted to do that," Frazier said, citing the involvement of ESPN as a matchmaker in situations involving up to four teams at a time.

"When we were talking about six home games vs. eight home games, I should've just knuckled down and done it myself."

Frazier said he could have booked a 2007 schedule late last year that would have included Texas A&M and either North Carolina State or Texas Tech, all on the road. Louisville on the road was also an option.

But he wanted to hold out for more home games.

"In November we could've done it. Do I regret it? Now, yeah. I need a game," Frazier said Friday.

There are a lot more details, so definitely read the entire article. But here's one more excerpt:

"As soon as this fiasco is over, we're gonna get future years done and get us out of the market. We have teams knocking on the door for '08 and beyond," Frazier said, but added. "They ain't jumping at us (for 2007), though."

Still, he said he remains optimistic for a full 13-game schedule in 2007.

"We never said it would be a 12-game schedule," Frazier said. "We've got options."

Well, it still sounds like there's plans for two I-AA teams on the schedule, which sucks. In any case, it's a great interview by Reardon. It has what normally would be three months worth of Herman Frazier quotes.

But wait, there's more! In another article, Herman Frazier defends his record.

"With the exception of the schedule, we've passed every other test," he said.

He also said he isn't trying to pass blame and accountability.

"It's like I told the Board of Regents when they asked about the schedule," he said. "'It starts and stops with me.'"

Some of Frazier's statements, especially in regard to the schedule, have sounded more of hubris than humility, and haven't played well to UH fans -- especially when they were led to expect a complete schedule or something close to it on several occasions and none was delivered.

Frazier has not been as accessible to the media as predecessors Ray Nagel, Stan Sheriff and Hugh Yoshida, and often provides quotes through a spokeswoman. This approach has not helped his public image.

"Certain people in the print media have their own agenda," Frazier said.

Guess that means no sit-down with Ferd Lewis anytime soon?

It's great that Herman is talking more, being accountable, and seeming to have learned a few lessons from all of this (plan years ahead, no more empty promises). If he can get two I-A teams to round out the 07 schedule, all is forgiven! Drinks for everybody! I may be dreaming though.