Bill Moos remembers the month, day, hour and minute that he heard the news.
He remembers who told him, what was said and the immediate feeling that shot through his body — as if someone had punched him in the gut while he was gazing skyward.
The date: April 17, 2000. The time: 11:52 a.m.
Moos was seated in his athletic director office in the Casanova Center when he received a phone call from Howard Slusher, the attorney for Nike CEO and Oregon donor Phil Knight.
Slusher informed Moos that Knight was halting all funds toward his alma mater in response to the University’s decision to join the Worker Rights Consortium, a labor monitoring organization that’s strongly rooted against companies like Nike.
“That was a heck of a blow,” Moos said.
Moos promptly called University President Dave Frohnmayer to share the disheartening news.
That night, Knight made a call to Moos to explain to him why he had decided to “cut ties” with his beloved Ducks.
“That was a tough phone call,” Moos said. “It was tough on him. I could feel at that time how much the University meant to him, and how much he was hurt by what led up to his decision.”
Moos recalls that day while he speaks on a different day that will stay etched in his memory: Sept. 26, 2001.
He’ll remember it as the day he opened up his statement to the media gathered at Knight Library with the words, “It’s just great to be at a press conference where I can smile.”
Of course, that smile that just couldn’t be wiped off Moos’s face was a result of Knight making the announcement that he was back as a full-fledged donor to the University. That also meant that the $85 million Autzen Stadium expansion, which Moos has repeatedly stressed as being critical to the Athletic Department’s future, was back on track and scheduled for completion in time for the 2002 season.
Really, it’s not that surprising to see Knight back in the mix. The decision to separate himself from the University was made with the mind of a hurt businessman and not the heart of a proud Ducks fan.
Since April 2000, the University has ended its arrangement with the WRC and has done everything it can to keep Knight as part of its family.
“To see the re-establishment of this relationship is breathtaking,” Frohnmayer said.
Anybody that has had the chance to witness Knight’s love for the Ducks can only imagine how tough the past year-and-a-half must have been.
I’ll never forget seeing Knight get absolutely trampled on by the student section at McArthur Court as students stormed the floor after the “Miracle at Mac” on March 2, 2000. He was warned to leave his courtside seat, but wouldn’t budge.

And after the Ducks scored six points in the final six seconds to pick up the improbable win against Arizona State, Knight acted like he actually enjoyed getting run over by crazed fans.
“It was well worth it,” he said. “That was one of the great games in Mac Court history. Absolutely fabulous.”
Later that month, Knight was seen in Buffalo, N.Y., to watch Oregon play Seton Hall in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Nothing special there, right? Well, after cheering hard in the men’s heartbreaking overtime loss that morning, he joined Moos on a cross-country flight back to Eugene just in time for the Oregon women’s hoops team’s NCAA Tournament contest that same evening.
That’s literally going the extra mile for your school. Knight could very well just write the fancy checks and stay distant, but he loves to get involved.
Which is why on Nov. 4, 2000, when Knight attended his first Oregon football game of the season in the coldness of Pullman, Wash., I knew that this day would come eventually. That was the first day that he had returned as a fan and was the first important baby step in winning him back.
He attended the next week’s game at home against California as well as the Civil War game in Corvallis. And there was no happier man on the field of Qualcomm Stadium on Dec. 29 in San Diego than Phil Knight when Oregon beat Texas.
“We beat Texas! We beat Texas!” he screamed as he hugged everyone in sight.
And now, he’s officially back. For good, this time, I’d imagine. The issues with the University have been worked out and the bonds of trust, which Knight had said were shredded, are now mended.
“It’s been an interesting 18 months,” Moos said.
Ones that few people will ever forget.