Dana Altman has officially been installed as Oregon’s head men’s basketball coach. Now, the final touches in preparation for the 2010-11 season can begin.
A couple roster spots still need to be filled, as do a couple assistant coaching spots. (Rumor has it Kenny Payne and Yasir Rosemond may be retained.) Matthew Knight Arena needs a lot of work. Last, but certainly not least, the schedule must be set.
The Register-Guard tantalized Duck fans with the news of a possible matchup against the Duke Blue Devils, the defending national champions, at the Rose Garden on a date to be determined. The news broke on April 23; the schedule has not been set as of yet, but Oregon ought to be working hard on finalizing it.
I love the idea and wholeheartedly endorse it, with one caveat: Play the game at McArthur Court.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way right now: The reason Oregon wants to play Duke at the Rose Garden is for money. Duke is allowing senior forward Kyle Singler a chance to play in his home state (a common practice for the Blue Devils, who recruit nationally) and commands a strong presence. Oregon can, and will, command a lot of money to put this game on at whichever venue they choose.
So let’s try a little thought experiment. Stay with me here:
Duke takes the floor at Mac Court for pregame shootaround. It feels like … home. Cameron Indoor Stadium is 70 years old and seats just 9,314 people; its intimate atmosphere has made it one of the toughest home courts in college basketball. Singler cannot help but smile as he works on free throws; the Medford native has fond memories of winning the 2007 6A state championship. The Blue Devils marvel at the unusual architecture and tiers of seats. Comparisons between the two are inevitable.
In comes a steady stream of students, stuffing Section 10, yellow-clad and irritable after a night of camping out for one of Mac Court’s most anticipated games ever. The signs are held high and the insults fly from the Pit Crew. Sophomore transfer guard Seth Curry is nothing like his older brother, and the brothers Plumlee will be reminded of their unfortunate appearances. What head coach Mike Krzyzewski will hear would make a gossip columnist blush.
Slowly, the building begins to fill in around them, the four tiers a sea of green and yellow and black and white, with some blue mixed in from the hometown Medford crowd.
Announced attendance will be a sold-out 9,087 but everyone knows that at least 11,000 people will be packing the aisles and squeezing into seats. That doesn’t count the television audience — possibly a national one — eager to kick off the new college basketball season in style as the college football season hits its climax.
Wait, the Duke players say, what is this? The student section is emptying, single file, shuffling off to God-knows-where in this cramped arena. Business as usual, then; game time is a few minutes away.
Oregon, our alma mater / We will guard thee on and on … the fight song builds from the depths of Mac Court as the students line up at the locker room doors. They sing, they yell, they cheer, they mosh. A beast is rumbling beneath the court. Kyrie Irving, the Blue Devils’ freshman guard and one of the most sought-after recruits in the nation, perks his ears up. Welcome to college basketball, kid.
The cheers reach a fever pitch as, seconds later, the Ducks resurface. The Pit Crew returns to its seats. Excitement is boiling over as Miles Plumlee prepares for the jump ball against Michael Dunigan. Mac Court gets louder, louder, louder, louder still. Nolan Smith touches his ears. Wait … did the shot clock just move?
For the sake of brevity, let’s skip ahead 40 minutes of game time. Duke 59, Oregon 57; this one’s been a grind. E.J. Singler takes the ball to midcourt and heaves a shot just as his older brother goes from sixty to zero into Jeremy Jacob’s screen. Just as the clock hits zero and the buzzer sounds. Just as all the air and all the noise are sucked out of the building…
Off the backboard. Into the basket. Oregon 60, Duke 59. The nation’s top-ranked team at the beginning of the season falls.
Welcome to the college basketball season.
The students rush the court. Pandemonium ensues. Alumni cheer heartily as the mass of yellow at midcourt grows bigger and bigger. And bigger. Neither Singler can feel anything, or hear themselves think. Krzyzewski hurries up to Altman, shakes his hand, and heads off the court. His team trickles down to the visitor’s locker room behind him.
Money and other factors at play will make this scene little more than a pipe dream.
But oh, what a scene it could be.
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