Are you kidding me?

So let me get this straight.
I get it that it's passed the 11th hour in fact it's probably a minute to midnight.
I get it that a proposed second tower to house the Hamilton Wentworth District Public School Board may have been explored to some degree over the years.
I get it that the Board has probably made it's mind up after a lot of considered discussion and debate, I mean when you release drawings of where you're going it pretty much means you're going.
I get all that.
What I also understand is the Board has not yet signed a deal with McMaster  giving up 100 Main Street West to the University. I also know that an important part of this deal is the City of Hamilton's leasing move at the Robert Thompson Building which allows the Board of Ed temporary space for it's staff while building on the property at Crestwood with the Public Health Department consolidating there afterwards. I also know that many councillors will not spend one penny more than is budgeted to get a lease done with Yale Properties which IS still an issue.
Given those facts I wonder why on earth the former Councillor for Ward 2, the current Mayor of Hamilton, one Robert Bratina would not support a motion to direct staff to approach the Board one more time with a proposal to explore a long term very friendly lease at the back of City Hall? The proposal to re-open very late in the hour discussions came from the current Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr. His explanation in short. We have never formally said to the Board that we want them to remain a part of the downtown core, indeed he suggested it might be a bridge to enhancing relations between the two legislative bodies.
As the debate went around the table it appeared the motion might fail since there seemed to be a great deal of reluctance to get involved in another legislative entities back yard, to be seen to be meddling in an area where the City has no jurisdiction. Indeed Ward 9's Brad Clark suggested this Hail Mary pass to the Board left him uncomfortable since obviously the Board on it's own using it's own experts had finally come to this decision as is their right. Surprisingly at least to me the Mayor echoed many of those same comments suggesting that for years as the Ward 2 Councillor he too had attempted to keep the Board downtown but at this late hour with the Board clearly going in another direction this was not the time to interfere in someone else's jurisdiction.
In one of the most impassioned pleas to at least throw the pass and see what happens Ward 8's Terry Whitehead called the Board's decision to vacate the downtown and build their new offices on a significant green space off of Upper Wentworth with 4 hundred parking spaces to boot, was "asinine".
The vote was finally called after a second speech from Farr to at least throw the pass and see if there could be a completion. In favour of directing staff to approach the Board regarding the second city hall tower site  were Whitehead, Jackson, Collins, Merulla, Morelli, Farr, Powers and Pasuta. That drew some slight gasps as people realised the motion was passing. Against were Mayor Bratina and Councillors, Partridge, Ferguson, Johnson, Pearson and Clark.
Where I come from if there is still time left and your quarterback can throw the ball 70 yards into the end zone to see what might happen, that's the play you call. You don't drop your knee to the ground and let that time tick off the clock when you are losing and losing we will be when those jobs move out. As I carry on the analogy is the Mayor not in his role somewhat related to any coach who's message always must be do not give up until there is no time left on the clock. Isn't that what we try to instill not only in professional but amateur sports?
It seems to me if you are going to wear the chain of office you need to lead the way no matter how lost the cause might be. Council with all due respect to the Board and its decision is simply saying with this motion we really really really want you to stay downtown, won't you please at least examine this possibility before all T's are crossed and I's dotted. It's a reasonable and responsible thing to do considering millions of city taxpayers dollars are on the line here.  The Mayor in my opinion failed the  litmus test of leadership on this occasion. It's a shame.