OT Oregon May Go After Billy Gillispie

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lol

The list of names NOT on their list would be shorter than the list that are!

If we are to believe all the stories and rumors, their search for a coach is as awful as their school colors!

Better them than us.
 

Well, after coach after coach turns their back, you start digging through the trash...
 

Can't say I've been impressed with the way Oregon has handled this search. Rumors abounding from everywhere about everyone from Tom Izzo to Mark Turgeon to Jamie Dixon to Tubby Smith to Brad Stevens and so on without any definite evidence indicating there was serious interest from any of them. Now it's apparently on to Billy Gillespie amongst others amidst all the mess about landing a bigger name.

Having watched this situation is leading me to somewhat agree with Gary Parrish that a lot of schools have no idea what they're actually doing when it comes to hiring a coach.
 

From proven top-shelf guys like Few, Dixon, Izzo, Turgeon & Smith, then stooping to Billy Gillispie? It is refreshing to know that money can't always buy you everything (the best), even if your name is University of OregoN(ike).
 


It's become one of the prevailing opinions about the Oregon coaching search that bigger names (Izzo, Stevens, Smith, Dixon, Few) were thrown about by Oregon as a PR move to try and raise the profile of the job opening, as if it were on the level to attract these great coaches. If this is the case, are we witnessing it backfire now? There's almost no name out there that could possibly measure up to those in terms of prestige. How will the fan/alumni base react when Oregon plucks a second- or third-run coach or some up-and-comer with no name recognition?
 

I have thought that Billy Gillespie will just hold out for Pat Knight to get canned at Texas Tech sometime this season and then take over there and get back to Texas where he appeared most comfortable.
 

Honestly, I don't know why a coach wouldn't want to take that Oregon job. I mean, the Ducks will be moving into a brand new $227 million arena next season, and they are apparently willing to pay very well. Plus, it seems like the Pac 10 would be an easier conference to win than some of the other top leagues, and you know that Phil Knight would provide the team with anything and everything you could ever want from Nike. Not sure if coaches are turned off by the thought of Phil Knight having too much influence in the program, or if it's the location of the school that has caused the delay in hiring someone, but I'm a little surprised it hasn't already been filled.
 

Minnie Soda said:
Honestly, I don't know why a coach wouldn't want to take that Oregon job. I mean, the Ducks will be moving into a brand new $227 million arena next season, and they are apparently willing to pay very well. Plus, it seems like the Pac 10 would be an easier conference to win than some of the other top leagues, and you know that Phil Knight would provide the team with anything and everything you could ever want from Nike. Not sure if coaches are turned off by the thought of Phil Knight having too much influence in the program, or if it's the location of the school that has caused the delay in hiring someone, but I'm a little surprised it hasn't already been filled.
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Oregon isn't exactly a popular destination for a couple of major reasons: 1. They currently don't have an AD. This is a huge problem. If you don't know who your boss is going to be, it's hard to sign on the dotted line with full confidence. 2. The athletic department out there isn't exactly looked on in the most favorable light. Several football players have not only been arrested and charged with crimes, but have also addmitted their guilt. Add to that the Mike Bellotti "buyout" mess, the lack of an AD, and the possibility of Phil Knight looking over everybody's shoulder out in Eugene and things are really tricky. Therefore, not at all surprised they are having some difficulty finding a coach.
 



All good points, MRJ. The lack of an AD, more than anything, is probably causing the delay. I don't think the fact that some football players have been arrested would have too much influence on finding a coach. That's football's problem. If it had been basketball players who had been arrested, then that'd be an issue. Still, though, at the end of the process, I wouldn't be surprised to see a pretty solid coach take that job, because it really has an awful lot of potential. The Nike benefit and a new arena are two things that can be pretty darn attractive to 18-year old kids.
 

Minnie Soda said:
All good points, MRJ. The lack of an AD, more than anything, is probably causing the delay. I don't think the fact that some football players have been arrested would have too much influence on finding a coach. That's football's problem. If it had been basketball players who had been arrested, then that'd be an issue. Still, though, at the end of the process, I wouldn't be surprised to see a pretty solid coach take that job, because it really has an awful lot of potential. The Nike benefit and a new arena are two things that can be pretty darn attractive to 18-year old kids.
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Agree about the football stuff to a certain degree. If anything, it speaks to the athletic department possibly being a bit unstable. The Bellotti buyout is a bonafide mess however and since that falls on school and athletic administrators directly, that probably isn't helping either. But I agree that the AD situation is the biggest problem. Hard to put your faith as a coach (or any employee for that matter) in an invisible boss.
 

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