Talk about a shot out of left field. Or, in a really bad joke, the left coast.

I talked to several people today about who was going to be named the new president of the NCAA. No one knew. The nation's largest athletic body, and often it's most criticized, was very tight-lipped about its decision. Things were so crazy that early today I heard a rumor that retiring Indiana Senator Evan Bayh may be the named announced by the executive committee.

Instead the UW community heard stunning news, when the NCAA announced the Washington President Mark Emmert would be named the fifth chief executive in NCAA history.

Emmert replaces Myles Brand, who died of cancer last fall. He is the second consecutive president with deep Pac-10 ties, after Brand, who was president of the University of Oregon.

For those who think this will mean the Pac-10 gets favorable treatment, stop. It doesn't. While he won't assume duties for a few months, one of the first things the body is going to do after this announcement is lay out its punishment on USC. Don't expect Emmert to say anything negative about the infractions committee.

No, what those who read my blog, most with northwest ties, should really be thinking about here is UW. Despite the fact that the state was in a deep recession, billions in debt, Emmert kept UW afloat and enrollment steady. It required tough cuts, but he made them. In a fundraising effort aimed at raising $2 billion, the school raised $2.8 billion on faster timetable under his leadership.

I have admired the work Emmert has done since he took the job in 2004. He cleaned up the athletic department, then watched it thrive, winning more national championships in his tenure than in the school's long history before him. He was not afraid to make leadership changes or tough financial decisions. He oversaw the cutting of a sport.

And I can forever say that I shook his hand at the last graduation he led at UW.

Obviously a couple of questions immediately arise, with the first being: why would he leave? Well, aside from his pay being doubled (he was already one of the highest paid university presidents in the country at over $900,000), this is frankly a new challenge. He said that and I agree with it. In a letter to the UW community, he wrote:

The NCAA is one of the nation's most influential collegiate organizations. Leading it offers a chance to shape the educational and athletic experiences of over 400,000 young people and to work with more than 1,200 universities, colleges and conferences to make intercollegiate sports a competitive, healthy, integral part of the growth and maturation of student-athletes. It also presents a new set of challenges for me. I am very excited about taking on these challenges and the opportunity to work with so many university and college presidents.

It isn't quite the equivalent, but it is close to being the president of every major university in the country. His influence may even be greater and his budget surely will be. The NCAA is in the midst of finalizing an $840 million deal with CBS to continue televising the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament.

Said Washington Men's Basketball Head Coach Lorenzo Romar:

"President Emmert is one of the most impressive persons I've ever met. Obviously, you hate to see someone go that is that talented and so supportive. But at the same time, it is an unbelievable oppotunity for him. The NCAA will be better as a result of his leadership."

The other question many will ask is: 'what does this mean for Scott Woodward, Emmert's close friend who has worked with since his days at LSU. Woodward immediately responded by saying that he will be stay put in his position as athletic director, where he plans to be for some time.

That good news aside, this is a great hire for the NCAA and a huge loss for Washington. Many will say negative things about Emmert, mostly in reference to some of the financial issues out of his control, but they are not deserved. The University of Washington is a better place because he was the president. Like I said before, he becomes the second consecutive head from the Pac-10, which would seem to indicate that the governing body really respects the way Pac-10 schools are run. Emmert often called athletics, "the doorstep to the university."

A couple of interesting notes to think about:
- Could Mark Emmert be the leader who takes the NCAA toward paying players? It is no secret that the issue is a major one and it will be staring Emmert in the face.

- Will he also be the one that changes the BCS? Obviously that is the biggest athletic question he will face in the coming years.

- A note on the NCAA executive committee: it's chair is Oregon State University President Ed Ray. Just worth noting.

I know it sounds like I just have glowing praise for everyone, but I should also note that Emmert has large shoes to fill. Myles Brand changed the way the NCAA was run, especially from a transparency standpoint. Frankly, the body, which is well-known as rigid and a relative unknown, really opened up during Brand's tenure. He was very well liked and respected.

It would be shocking if Emmert doesn't get the same treatment. To put it bluntly, he now takes the head job at what amounts to the fifth major professional sports organization (after MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL) in the country. This one, however, is by far the largest and most difficult, with far more competing interests and the whole academic component. Expect Emmert to be a good leader of that organization.

Which is why I reiterate: this is a big loss for UW.