"The first question I ask is "why am I waiting?". If the event causing me not to be able to land isn't likely to change before it's time to divert, then the answer is "immediately". Why wait?"
I wonder if the hairs were getting active on the back of some necks; and hoping there was not going to be a need for a hold or G/A at VLC. Reading into the quote above it relates to the old adage of "it's better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, rather than being in the air wishing you were on the ground."