Here's why Gov. Butch Otter issued the press release saying he "won't intervene" in the BSU-UI football rivalry spat: He was asked about it after his speech to the Boise chamber today by Idaho Statesman reporter Dan Popkey. "The governor told him, he said, 'Personally, my personal view is I'd like to see that rivalry and that game continue, but Dan, honestly, I've got to see what authority I have in order to do that," said Otter's press secretary, Jon Hanian. "He said, 'I need to find that out and let you know.'" Then, Hanian said, "It didn't take long to determine."

Said Hanian, "We have not gotten any request from the university. ... We were just responding to a question."