I can finally sleep easy at night.
Jody Runge and Bill Moos might be happy to put the past behind them and get on with their lives, but, damn, I am ecstatic.
Nobody ever thinks of the lowly reporters when a crisis hits. I’m frickin’ exhausted, and that’s not just a ploy to get some sympathy from my professors. Sure, I get my name in print every day, but do you actually take time to understand what I go through? Damn.
I don’t think anyone is more relieved than I am that the University has finally released the Bond, Schoeneck & King report, which Moos and other administrators have allowed to get buried in dust while sitting on their desks.
The Kansas City-based law firm, hired by Moos & Co. for about 1/20th of Runge’s future wealth — $24,500 to be exact — turned in its report April 24, yet everyone (with exception to the staff of The Register-Guard and their trusty inside sources) hadn’t heard a peep about what the Midwest big shots were saying about the future of Oregon’s most successful program.
I wasn’t allowed to see the report, but Runge sure was. And as much as she said the firm’s findings had nothing to do with her resignation as head coach of the women’s basketball program, in truth, it had a lot to do with it. It may have had everything to do with it.
Upon initial readings, the most alarming fact revealed by the report is that the majority — probably the vast majority — of the players with eligibility remaining said they would not return to McArthur Court if Runge was there.
Can you really blame them? I was intimidated by Runge just watching her at games from afar.
I don’t have anything personal against Ms. Runge, but I’ve written those five letters — R-U-N-G-E — so many times that I wake up at night trying frantically to stop my hand from twitching. She always treated me well, though. But, apparently, that wasn’t the case for those who were supposed to be closest to her.
Runge argued that some of the players just couldn’t accept their roles, many of whom were expected to take the belittling that Runge dished out like Gatorade.
The lady knew how to win. She’s a hard-nosed, straight-forward activist for women’s rights. And she accomplished a lot, perhaps more than any other coach in school history.
But as Moos has said, the health of the student-athlete comes before winning.
Which takes us to Mr. Moos. To her credit, Runge wasn’t the only problem in this mess. Moos could have handled things better as far as his candidness with the media and Runge. If not the public, Runge at least deserved that much.
Moos only added to the alleged miscommunication problems. In short, we could’ve all handled it better.
Regardless, I’m glad its over. Done with. Outta my life forever.
Trying to keep something positive in mind through the three months of turmoil, it seems that everyone ended up with something beneficial.
Ms. Runge will pick up a cool half-million dollars out of the deal, albeit aligned with a smeared reputation.
Moos will hire a coach, hopefully sometime before the end of the term, who will be successful but not so demanding of his resources.
The team will soon have their wish: a fun-loving, personable coach whom they can respect like a mother.
And I will be able to sleep easy, finally, knowing that I don’t have to deal with this ever again. Hopefully.