PARKERSBURG-Trying to find time to be a parent can be difficult for anyone, but try wearing the shoes of West Virginia University Director of Athletics Oliver Luck these days. At Parkersburg South to watch his daughter Emily, a senior on the Morgantown volleyball team, take on the host Patriots in a triangular with Bridgeport, Luck took a few moments to discuss his role in the ongoing saga known as conference realignment.
"Well, I try to be a dad to my kids whether they are in college or high school," explained Luck. "My youngest is still a middle schooler. So when I go to their games, I just try to be a dad, enjoy things and root them on."
Making that even more difficult to accomplish these days is Luck's involvement in the ever-changing map of college sports and, in particular, WVU's place in the Big East.
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Oliver Luck
"It's a busy time, there's no question about that. I can't imagine, quite honestly, doing all of this without a cell phone and lap top because you can stay up with what's happening, what's the latest and, you can communicate with the people you need to be talking to."
Those individuals include WVU president James P. Clements, other Directors of Athletics around the Big East as well as commissioner John Marinatto and WVU's Board of Governors.
" I spend, and have spent a lot of time, with the other Big East athletic directors, both football and basketball schools if you will, as well as with the commissioner and staff of the commissioner. I feel as though I am married to these guys. We talk multiple times a day. It probably occupies 75, 80, 85, 90 percent of my daily working hours."
Through it all, however, the former-Mountaineer quarterback that the most important thing he and the rest of his staff can do is stay silent on the subject until the time is right. Regardless of how painful that might be to fans of the old gold and blue around the country.
"I realize that the lack of information is frustrating to a lot of people and I would feel the same with if I were a fan. But again, we feel our best policy is to stay mum, be quiet. All Mountaineer fans can rest assured that the university, all the various pieces of it, including president Clements and our Board of Governors, were all working very hard to make sure that our future is secure. But, other than that, I won't say too much."
