Ducks make it official
by John Berkowitz on Mar 17, 2010 4:54 AM PDT
17 comments
Oregon made the firing of basketball coach Ernie Kent official yesterday. Kent was the winningest coach in program history with a 235-173 record since was hired in 1997. Kent was a good coach who did well at a place where it is hard to recruit top basketball talent. He led his team to two elite eight appearances during his tenure at Oregon. If there was any real knock on him it was inability to keep what litte top flight in state talent from attending other schools.
Oregon wil open a fancy new arena next season and you can expect the Ducks to try to make a run at Gonzaga head coach and Eugene native Mark Few to start the search off. Another named mentioned was former Sonic head coach and all around coaching vagabond PJ Carlesimo. Louisville's Rick Pittino is another name I have heard bandied about in the press. The thinking on that one is maybe he wants a fresh start after it became public he has an affair and was then blackmailed.
I think Oregon made a mistake by firing Kent who has been on shaky ground ever since details of his own maritial affair became public a few years back. Kent was first first all an Oregon alum who had played under Dick Harter as one of the infamous Kamikaze Kids. His roots at Oregon are deep just like Washington's Lorenzo Romar's are. It is tough to replicate that type of loyalty and commitment when you are out shopping for a big name.
Anyway it is hard to a believe a guy that took his team to the elite eight twice over the past ten or so years is out on the street looking for a job. If Kent wants to continue coaching he should have no problem finding another job. As for Oregon they shouldn't have too much trouble landing a competent new coach. The new arena will be an attractive recruiting draw and should give the new coach a running start. Too bad they didn't give the guy who got them there a shot at that run.
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So the green and yellow fire their coach officially 1 day before
St Pats day. Memories are short in coaching, more like what have you done for me lately. I hope we never get to this point with Lorenzo, who is now the Dean of Pac 10 coaches. It was messy enough when Barbara Hedges canned Lynn Nance, and Lynn didn’t go quietly. I believe Ernie Kent will find a job soon, as i agree with you, he is a good coach. Perhaps like Bob Bender a job as a deep assistant in the NBA.
Nance
Lynn Nance was a disater and that was unfortunate because after all he was an ex Husky. The guy could coach but he was a poor fit at UW. If you can’t get along with your players you aren’t going to get the chance to teach them anything.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 17, 2010 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions
Correct
Honestly the biggest indictment of where Oregon’s basketball program is today is that Oregon Fan’s hardly care about the firing…..two straight years of absolutely terrible basketball will do that to you. Even the most staunch Kent supporters agree that is was time for him to go.
According to Kent he was fired a year ago
According to Ernie Kent he was actually fired a year ago but given the option of resigning or coaching one more season.
Oregon is the land of secret commitments, secret suspensions, and secret firings.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 17, 2010 10:09 AM PDT reply actions
A month ago
His quote was that he was called into Belotti’s office on Feb. 22nd of this year and given the option of leaving then (mid-season) or finishing the season. He decided to finish the season at that time. His press conference was all class and you’ve gotta hand it to him for deciding to finish the season.
That’s actually not true. Kent and Killkenney put a plan in place last year when they gave Kent an extension that had benchmarks for him to hit this year. When Oregon returned from their So Cal, late Feb, road trip it was apparent that one of the big benchmarks (.500 Pac 10 season) would not be possible.
Bellotti and Kent met at that time and Bellotti gave Kent the opportunity to step down there or finish off the season. Kent decided he wanted to stay and finish the remaining 5 games. The only thing “secret” about it was that they didn’t hold a press conference to tell everyone until after the season was finished. Whether that was Kent’s idea or Bellotti’s is anyone’s guess.
Hey, I'm Quinn. What's your name?
Addicted to Quack
It’s a gamble that Oregon is taking. They were spoiled by the Elite 8 teams, and obviously think they should be an annual NCAA Tournament team, immune from the down years that Kent has had.
I’m not sure Kent is a great teacher, but he’s a pretty good recruiter. I think he’s got enough talent accumulated there for the next coach to reap the benefits the next couple of years. Dunigan in particular could develop into a lottery pick.
They are making a big investment in a new facility and they don’t think that Kent is the guy that will get it done. They lose a lot of Midwest connections with Kent. when you hire a new coach you start over and it is a crap shoot unless you bring in a huge name. I don’t think Oregon will pick up that huge name.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 17, 2010 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions
Think they can get Few to leave?
I don’t see him leaving, not needing more money and having a great thing going on. I like how Ducks fans just assume he would want to leave his dynasty to head to Eugene and take on a project just because he’s from there…
Bird Law in this country isn't governed by reason.
by whiskey chainsaw on Mar 17, 2010 12:28 PM PDT reply actions
I don't see Few leaving
He has a great niche over at Gonzaga and almost an auto entry into the tournament every year. Oregon would be a different story. Much tougher league even in a down year like this season.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 17, 2010 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Wouldn't be too upset
As a Zag fan, I wouldn’t be extremely upset if Few left. I just don’t see him getting us past the plateau that we’ve been at for the last ten years. He keeps missing out on recruits to UCLA, UO and UW.
So it would sort of suck if he left, but I’d be very intrigued to see what someone else might be able to accomplish in Spokane. Go Zags, and Go Huskies.
You don't want to lose Few
Gonzaga will always be Gonzaga…it is never going to be Kentucky or UCLA.
As time goes on he will put together teams capable of getting to the final four. It isn’t as easya s it seems. Change coaches and you guys can easily be back to square one with the magic generated over the past 15 years coming to a grinding halt.
If I was a Zag fan I would light a candle every day that Few remains as coach.
by John Berkowitz on Mar 18, 2010 6:43 AM PDT up reply actions
Zeeehjee, you would be a fool to even for a second debate the merits of a post Few era BY CHOICE.
Be careful what you wish for, my friend. Enjoy what you have— an unprecedented success and a small private school that is a big time national program.
When I lived in Colorado I saw about 4 UW games a year, and about 20 Gonzaga games. Still, Gonzaga will never pull the tip top talent, and to think someone else can get more out of it than Few is nuts.
Bird Law in this country isn't governed by reason.
by whiskey chainsaw on Mar 21, 2010 8:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Dumping Few
makes even less sense than Cal dumping their FB coach.
There was a song that went
“You don’t know what you got til its gone.” Careful what you wish for, there is no assurance that anyone can do what Few has done, let alone improve. There is nothing in Spokane, or at Gonzaga that guarantees future success. Ask Husky football fans. If UW football can hit bottom in less than ten years, so too can Zag hoops. Just a thought.
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