Jim Williams is basically saying the ESPN buddy was bragging about getting BYU on the cheap. All those years of Holmoe talking about ESPN being a great partner to the University was a bald face lie.
Deep down, ESPN was terrified of paying BYU true market value. They knew if BYU got it's own deal worth over $50 million a year, it would trigger a domino effect. ALL of the blue bloods would go independent and demand their true worth. Drop the dead weight.
And what about the BCS and later the Playoff Committee? How do they look at BYU and say, "Yeah, you don't deserve a seat at the table. You don't bring any, uh, value."