There’s a familiar scene in just about every movie involving a high school, during which the dorky protagonist walks into a crowded cafeteria and looks for a place to sit down.
The camera pans around the room, and we see tables filled to capacity. No one wants to sit with our protagonist.
Even at the tables that aren’t filled, students carefully shift their items around so that empty space is filled. Finally, the protagonist sits down at an empty table. Cue the tears.
So, what does this have to do with anything? Well, Oregon has become that nerdy kid during its search for a new basketball coach.
Ernie Kent was fired on March 16. It has been just over a month since the quest for a new coach began, but it feels more like a year. The list of candidates that have fallen through is so long that I’ve officially lost track.
Jamie Dixon, Brad Stevens, Mark Few, and most recently Mike Anderson. Those are just a few of the names that have come up on Oregon’s radar, and each has had the same answer: thanks, but no thanks.
And then there was the ridiculous rumor about Michigan State’s Tom Izzo. We won’t officially count that, as Oregon affiliates claim that an offer was never made. But there was clearly some consideration, as things like that don’t generally pop up out of thin air.
So, to get back to our metaphor, each of these coaches represented the popular kids shifting their food around to make it clear we were not welcome. And so, entering the second month of this frantic search, the Ducks are still standing helplessly in the middle of the cafeteria.
I can’t say I’m surprised about all of this. I was against firing Ernie Kent in the first place, partially because I was skeptical the school could hire someone better. It always seemed like Oregon had an inflated sense of self when it came to basketball.
Uh, guys? Since 1961, we’ve made it past the first round of the NCAA tournament twice, both times under the guidance of Kent. We’re not, and never have been, a basketball powerhouse.
That’s why it was ludicrous to think someone like Tom Izzo, or even Mark Few, would ever come coach in Eugene. Why leave a cushy, well-paid position for a middle of the road (at best) Pacific-10 Conference team? Oregon can offer more money, but that’s about it. College coaches may be mercenaries by breed, but even they can see when it’s not worth the extra millions.
There was a case for firing Ernie Kent. I didn’t agree with it, but I won’t deny that it was there. I’ll even admit a part of me was excited to see what the future held. I wondered what the administration and Nike held up their sleeves.
Apparently, nothing. It has become clear that Mike Bellotti, Pat Kilkenny, and the rest of the athletic department had no real plan when it came to finding a new coach. They figured it would work itself out.
It didn’t, and the Ducks are the laughing stock of the nation right now.
Still, some hope remains. Randy Bennett of St. Mary’s remains available, as does Baylor coach Scott Drew. And yet, as The Oregonian’s John Hunt reports, Bennett and Drew coach at Adidas schools. Apparently, that doesn’t fly with Nike.
This isn’t time to be picky-choosy, fellas. Just get something done.
To go this long without a coach is simply unfair to both current players and potential recruits. If we as fans feel jerked around, can you imagine how the players feel? These guys signed up to play with Ernie Kent. They had no idea they would get caught in the middle of this fiasco.
So find somewhere to sit down soon, Oregon. The food is getting cold.
[email protected]