let me give you an example.

When my son was being recruited there were several schools that told us they would offer him IF he would go on an official visit and IF he would agree to accept the offer. So officially they never offered but an offer was there IF he would do it the way they wanted it done.

Now I’m not saying that the BIG 12 ever told BYU that “we will offer you membership IF you accept these stipulations or IF you do it this way” but Holmoe’s statement certainly leaves the possibility open that an offer could have been made IF BYU would have agreed to certain things but wouldn’t agree so an official offer wasn’t made.

That is not uncommon in negotiations.