You know just an ESPN reporter (not an executive or anyone with real knowledge) who was talking on a Memphis radio show catering to that audience with his "not West" comment about B12 expansion...

http://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=14430934

If B12 had a a big desire to only go East for the sake of WVU being out on an island would it be prudent at all for the president of that university to say anything positive about BYU and the B12?

I'm more of the mind to think that Gee wanted to make a comment like that to move the needle further for expansion than I am of the idea he couldn't think of anything else to say to someone prodding him for an answer on a specific school. He could have easily said something like "are they a land grant university?", "do they fit the geographic footprint?" or "do they fit the culture?" - you know something dumb like others have said...

You don't often get to be president of a university by not having some ability to be PC or know when and when not to talk about certain things. I know it may not seem like it but I'm guessing many of the things we react to and think "are they dumb or just stupid" are really things that these guys are plotting/planning to do to move the needle with the other presidents/stake holders...