We're No. 10! What Do We Do With Our Coach? And I'm Back (Sort Of)

by David Piper on Jan 23, 2009 9:12 AM PST in Oregon Ducks Basketball

Yes, I'm pulling an MJ.

After two months of retirement, the writing bug has started to itch again so, with a big thanks to Jared, I'm back on the keyboard and ready to go. Jared is our fearless leader now--I just the humble writer. My sanity is much better that way (plus, Jared is doing a better job than I ever did--Great job, Jared). But enough about Jared and I--lets get to 1,000 pound gorilla in the corner of the room:

Our basketball teams sucks. I'm talking epically bad. And its getting worse, not better. What are we going to do with our coach?

This isn't a fire Ernie post. Some are calling for that, and it's hard to say that they are not justified: Our record stands at 6-13, including a flawless 0-7 conference record. Even more deserving is that we are moving in the wrong direction, having some good moments early (How on earth did we beat Alabama and Kansas State?), while looking flat out incompetent as of late (all conference losses save UCLA were by double digits--and we lost to UCLA by nine). We are the worst team in the conference, and its not even close. At this point, you have to wonder if, not when, we'll win a game. The team isn't good at anything. The key veterans--Joevan Catron and Tajuan Porter--are significantly worse than they were earlier in their careers. And the freshmen aren't improving. Sure, they could still turn around and win 4-5 conference games, but there are zero signs of that happening.

Now, nobody held any grand illusions about this season. Nobody in their right mind expected this to be a tournament team. We knew they would struggle a lot at times. But we didn't expect they'd struggle all the time. Its a season that has clearly spiraled out of control. Now, we don't need to tell Ernie Kent that this performance is unacceptable, because I can tell you he's losing more sleep over it than any of us are.

But does Coach Kent deserve to be fired because of this?

Detractors would point out what I have above, and add that he's not the best strategist nor teacher of the game. His great seasons have all come with mature NBA talent (Freddie, Luke, Luke and Aaron Brooks). And he has never coached a good defensive team nor a competent big man.

I have always been an ardent Ernie supporter. And I have always pointed out the undeniable record. For a program that was basically garbage for sixty years, Ernie turned things around. He is the school's winningest coach. He has consistently been able to recruit top tier talent to an outdated, falling apart facility. He has been to five NCAA Torunaments and two Elite Eights.

I have also said that what makes Oregon unique from other athletic departments is that we are like a family. Bellotti and Kent have been our coaches seemignly forever. Both have had unparalleled success. We always want our famiily to be successful. No doubt, the best outcome is for our basketball program to be successful with Coach Kent. And his success has earned him some benefit of the doubt.

But has he earned this much?

I have said everything this season except fire Ernie. And even at this dark juncture for Oregon Basketball, I am not ready to utter those words. I want to wait and see how the rest of the season plays out. I want to give Ernie every chance to be successful, because what I really want is for this team to be successful again with Ernie Kent as the coach.

But I will look at things after the season, and, for the first time, I am going to seriously ponder those words, and wonder if in the long run, our program is better off with another coach. Believe me, I hope that I can honestly answer that question with a no.

Pat Kilkenny has said that he can't imagine a scenario where he is ready to ax Coach Kent after this season. But barring a major turnaround, as the losses pile up and construction on the new arena accelerates, there is going to be pressure on him to explore the option. Usually, the fan base is on one side or the other on such issues. This will be very different. Regardless of which way Kilkenny goes, it will be hard to fault him.

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Comments

All right, Twist… you called down the thunder? Well now you’ve got it! You see that? It says Addicted to Quack!
CGB is finished, you understand? Dave see’s a CGB threat, he warns the man typin’ it.
So run, you cur…RUN! Tell all the other curs the law’s comin’! You tell ‘em Dave’s comin’…and hell’s coming with him, you hear? HELL’S COMING WITH HIM!

"When Bellotti attempted to shake the hand of Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson after the game, Robinson offered his left hand. His right was swollen and battered from the Ducks' defense."

by MarineCorpsDuck on Jan 23, 2009 9:57 AM PST reply actions

I warned him

I definitely warned him. Now I will not rest until I hold his scalp in my hands.

--Dave
Addicted to Quack, SBN's Oregon Ducks blog

by David Piper on Jan 23, 2009 10:08 AM PST up reply actions

Other than a gameday post, have you ever had a post on here that hit 469 comments?

"When Bellotti attempted to shake the hand of Oklahoma State quarterback Zac Robinson after the game, Robinson offered his left hand. His right was swollen and battered from the Ducks' defense."

by MarineCorpsDuck on Jan 23, 2009 10:11 AM PST up reply actions

don't feed his ego

--Dave
Addicted to Quack, SBN's Oregon Ducks blog

by David Piper on Jan 23, 2009 10:15 AM PST up reply actions

But he’s our leader! Our overlord!

Whatever TwistNHook wants, he shall reci- wait… what am I talking about?

It's spelled "S-H-U-G-S-D-E-A-D-H-Y-D-R-O-S"

by JShufelt on Jan 23, 2009 10:17 AM PST up reply actions

Nobody willing to serve you jdraft is deserving of being your leader

I will dismember each of his limbs and spread them across the far corners of SBN. Let it send a message to all tyrants and despots out there that the citizenry of ATQ will not succumb to unreasonable demands.

--Dave
Addicted to Quack, SBN's Oregon Ducks blog

by David Piper on Jan 23, 2009 10:21 AM PST up reply actions

someone bring this man the head of TwistNHook!

It's spelled "M-A-R-C-H-I-N-G-B-A-N-D."

I support inroywetrust in his support of The VD Special in his support of me supporting Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by Takimoto on Jan 23, 2009 11:06 AM PST up reply actions

I’m SO on it!

It's spelled "S-H-U-G-S-D-E-A-D-H-Y-D-R-O-S"

by JShufelt on Jan 23, 2009 11:18 AM PST up reply actions

Doing my part.

I have applied for a federal SBA grant from the Obama Administration, which will fund for several years the salary, expenses, daycare and falafel and fruit juice for two hundred tree sitters at the UO- California Annex. The tree sitters are loyal planet-changers and Obama tool-cravers so I expect it to be funded at the requested level.

Just doing my part to save the economy. Thought you’d want to know.

If you can't get your Dick Enright, get your Dick Harter

by Old Ducker on Jan 23, 2009 2:58 PM PST up reply actions

Welcome back, Dave!

Great thoughts. I particularly agree with the sentiment about how great it is to have both Kent and Bellotti as long-time head coaches. Both have overseen dramatic turnarounds for their respective Oregon teams.

Anyways, it will be great to have more of your insight again, since that is what brought many of here in the first place.

by ntrebon on Jan 23, 2009 10:06 AM PST reply actions

Good to see you back, Dave.

Great post, as always.

It's spelled "S-H-U-G-S-D-E-A-D-H-Y-D-R-O-S"

by JShufelt on Jan 23, 2009 10:19 AM PST reply actions

Had a short talk with Joe "Not Quite As Big An Asshat In Real Life" Giansante last night at the Cooler

He’s just as frustrated as all of us, which was comforting to hear. He didn’t explicitly say “Fire Ernie,” and I’m not one to make conjecture, but we did talk about how we’ve taken steps backwards in conference, so who’s to blame?

It's spelled "M-A-R-C-H-I-N-G-B-A-N-D."

I support inroywetrust in his support of The VD Special in his support of me supporting Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by Takimoto on Jan 23, 2009 11:14 AM PST reply actions

He shouldn’t be an asshat on the air. I’ve heard great things about him on a personal level, but he still needs to be more mindful and respectful of what he says on broadcast.

It's spelled "S-H-U-G-S-D-E-A-D-H-Y-D-R-O-S"

by JShufelt on Jan 23, 2009 11:18 AM PST up reply actions

agreed

form my experiences with him, he’s a great Duck sports fan. Some people are just better broadcasters than others I guess.

It's spelled "M-A-R-C-H-I-N-G-B-A-N-D."

I support inroywetrust in his support of The VD Special in his support of me supporting Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by Takimoto on Jan 23, 2009 11:22 AM PST up reply actions

or not suck at his job

that would help also.

--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Jan 23, 2009 11:24 AM PST up reply actions

Not sucking...always a good idea.

At least for most career paths.

At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

by JConant on Jan 23, 2009 5:29 PM PST up reply actions

on Oregon…“this is the only good football team Boise will play all year, and that includes their bowl game…”

haha I think the guy is hilarious

by coolconman on Jan 23, 2009 5:48 PM PST up reply actions

Ernie needs to pull a Danny Glover

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrE9apbs0Pk

--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog

by jtlight on Jan 23, 2009 11:26 AM PST reply actions

You know what really grinds my gears?

When I know that a team has talent and just cant seem to win. Nothing gets under my skin more. Why can we not seem to win a freaking conference game. Just one? This is horrible send off for Mac Court.

I bleed grellow. Maybe I should get that checked out.

by spaceman21 on Jan 23, 2009 12:05 PM PST reply actions

My take

Ernie Kent has taken the basketball program to new heights, and I’m grateful for that. He’s a tremendous recruiter who brings in good guys who keep their noses clean and do well in school. These are all great attributes that we should applaud. However, with the entire arena thing on the horizon, the program needs a coach who both the boosters AND the players are behind.

That being said, I think he needs to go. In many ways, he’s a victim of his own success. But if you look at some of the down seasons recently, even those teams showed signs of life and competitiveness in making games close. This team is just abysmal. At the beginning of the season, I was thinking along the lines of a 7th place finish with an outside chance of sneaking into the NIT. We can blame youth, but if you look at well-coached teams where other freshmen and sophomores are being relied upon, they don’t just crumble.

It frustrates me that Oregon State, a team with less talent on the roster, is able to go out and hustle and give a very admirable effort most nights. Why can’t we do that?

And, on that note, I’d rather keep Ernie instead of losing him and bringing in Mark Few. Remember Monson? He was the up-and-coming golden child, making the transition from the Zags to a big conference program (Minnesota). He didn’t fare very well.

Look at it this way, if we were in the NBA, we'd be completely amped up for a high probability of landing the #1 lottery pick...

by travissimmo on Jan 23, 2009 2:15 PM PST reply actions

I'm not ready to run Ernie out.

But… I’m not sure you can compare what Dan Monson did at Gonzaga in two years as head coach to what Few has done in 10 years. If it happened under the right circumstances, we’d be lucky to land Mark Few as a head coach.

And… Is anyone else starting to wonder if we really do have more “talent” than Oregon State? Sure we have guys who had higher ratings as recruits, but I’m not seeing that translate into talent, yet. Catron, Porter and Longmire sure don’t look terribly talented.

by JConant on Jan 23, 2009 5:13 PM PST up reply actions

Welcome back, old friend.

I think you should keep this moniker. I like it more. WoodburnDave just has a pedo ring to it, it seems.

Is a mancrush on LeGarrette Blount considered beastiality?

Addicted To Quack [dot] com; !Holy Masoli!

by qrsouther on Jan 23, 2009 3:42 PM PST reply actions

It's spelled "M-A-R-C-H-I-N-G-B-A-N-D."

I support inroywetrust in his support of The VD Special in his support of me supporting Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by Takimoto on Jan 23, 2009 6:04 PM PST up reply actions

MJ metaphore

So what were you doing while you weren’t blogging, it would have to be broadly related but in a lower division.

NBA great is to failed minor league baseball player as SBN original Oregon blogger is to What?

Perhaps thank you cards? Both blogging and blogging thank you cards broadly represent writing much like NBA greatness and baseball suckitude broadly represent athletics. Though I’m not sure if the gulf is equivalent. Whats lower than thank you cards? phone book entries?

by bradLL99 on Jan 23, 2009 8:01 PM PST reply actions