Search and Destroyed

Peter E.

April 18, 2010 - 5:44 PM

The Ducks' search for a head basketball coach will continue after Mike Anderson of Missouri becomes the latest in a long line of coaches that have turned down the job. The search has been going on for nearly two months now, and there is definitely a growing urgency to fill Ernie Kent's vacancy with the April 30th deadline looming large for season ticket holders to reserve their seats in the new Matthew Knight Arena. As frustrating as the speculation and rejection of myriad coaches coming to Eugene has been, it's really allowed me to gain new perspective on college basketball coaches' loyalty and the likely future of Ducks basketball.

Mike Anderson's explanation for why he's staying at Missouri speaks to his character: "it's certainly flattering anytime another university notices what your program is accomplishing and when I was approached by Oregon, I decided to listen, but it was simply with my family in mind. All that quick conversation did was reaffirm that Missouri is home to us." Just change the "_____ is home to us," and this has been a consistent response to the Ducks from many names like Mark Few, Tubby Smith, Jamie Dixon, Tom Izzo, Mark Turgeon, Steve Alford, and Brad Stevens. Sure the Ducks' inability to fill the vacancy is frustrating, and as a fan I would love any of these coaches to hold an Oregon clipboard. However, this only raises my esteem for college basketball because these coaches show some really strong character. They are not like John Calipari that jump to the highest bidder and recruit one-and-done guys; they are dedicated to their universities and their communities even though they are declining Nike, a new arena, and a higher paycheck. In turn, they instill strong values in their players with commitment to family, community, and their universities. I find that very admirable.

So what does this say about the Ducks? First of all, I think these coaches are foolish for not wanting to move to Eugene. I can't think of a better quality of life than Eugene offers, and we have the best facilities in the country and very loyal boosters. On the other hand, I like that many coaches have snubbed the Ducks. Pat Kilkenny and Phil Knight (perhaps the most prominent Ducks boosters and heads of the coaching search) had this grand delusion of luring a high-profile coach to open the brand new Matt Knight Arena and take the team to the next level, but they've discovered that that is not going to happen. I'm glad that we're not going to get a John Calipari that is motivated by money. We're going to end up with a good, up-and-coming coach that is also affordable. The coach we'll most likely land will make the move because it makes career sense to move to a bigger program with potential, and the new arena and Nike will just be added bonuses. This is the way it should be: although coaches are a commodity, in a sense, they should be teachers and mentors to their players, not corporate sellouts that win by sleazy recruiting and morals.

In conclusion, I'm glad we haven't landed a big name coach by offering a higher salary and Nike perks. Hopefully it will put a chip on our players' and fans' shoulders, and we'll be better for it both on and off the floor. Whoever we land, a new face in a new arena should be enough to change the product on the floor. And if we can't land a coach like Randy Bennett of Saint Mary's or Eric Reveno of Portland, then maybe it's time we put those Nike dollars to use and take out a full page ad in Sports Illustrated.