Pac-10 fan Rice not interested in taking commish job

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Former Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice is a big fan of Pac-10 sports, but she's not interested in becoming commissioner of the conference.

Rice was approached about the opening and was flattered by the opportunity, her spokesman, Colby Cooper, said Tuesday.

Cooper says Rice wants to pursue teaching and writing at Stanford University. She was a professor and provost at the Pac-10 school before joining the Bush administration.

Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen is retiring July 1 after 26 years. League spokesman Jim Muldoon said in an e-mail the league office has not been part of the search and he could not confirm whether Rice was approached. The search is being handled by a committee of university presidents.

Rice is a big pro football fan and once said her dream job would be NFL commissioner. Before Roger Goodell succeeded Paul Tagliabue as commissioner, Rice's name was sometimes mentioned as a possible candidate.