If Oregon doesn't hire Randy Bennett

[Mr. Crimson]

They are very very dumb.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Someone is worried about Few leaving the "capital of fat girls who think the are hot" and meth to return to Eugene. Starting to come face to face with reality huh?

Honestly I would be fine with Bennett, I think he is a good coach. And I think he might be one of the top names on the secondary list. However Oregon is going to throw a bank account full of commas and zeros to try and lure someone from the first list, Few, Turgeon, Dixon and maybe one or two others. If they can't get one of them Bennett will be right there.

[LiveCoug]

If Randy Bennett bolts SMC for Oregon, he is very very dumb.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

If Randy Bennett bolts SMC for Oregon, he is very very dumb.

I know you are trolling me a little, but I'll bite anyway.

More money, nicest arena in college hoops opening next year, a roster with talent (Oregon and St. Mary's played this year and Oregon gave away a win), and a P10 that is down and ready to have someone rise to the top. Oregon isn't a great job, in fact I have argued with friends here that it isn't even a top 75 job in the country. However it is a much better job than St. Mary's.

[Guest]

St. Mary's could be a pretty good gig, if you got paid enough to live there. Oridna/Moraga is a beautiful area. It's the job Rick M always talked about getting.

I've always like St Mary's, it's where all the super hot Catholic girls in my HS (and Napa) went - the ones who didn't get into a UC.

The Associate AD there is a good buddy of mine from HS too.

[Mr. Crimson]

Someone is worried about Few leaving the "capital of fat girls who think the are hot" and meth to return to Eugene. Starting to come face to face with reality huh?

Honestly I would be fine with Bennett, I think he is a good coach. And I think he might be one of the top names on the secondary list. However Oregon is going to throw a bank account full of commas and zeros to try and lure someone from the first list, Few, Turgeon, Dixon and maybe one or two others. If they can't get one of them Bennett will be right there.

Considering Few isn't taking the job I was making other recommendations.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Considering Few isn't taking the job I was making other recommendations.

Maybe you are right, pretty strong rumors here that Billy Donovan is being interviewed this week and the offer is $4 mil a season.

Of course last night KXYL TV in Spokane reported that "Few is leaning towards taking the Oregon job." So if not Donovan, then Few? (That was my attempt at SU wordplay.)

[cougjunkie]

St. Mary's could be a pretty good gig, if you got paid enough to live there. Oridna/Moraga is a beautiful area. It's the job Rick M always talked about getting.

I've always like St Mary's, it's where all the super hot Catholic girls in my HS (and Napa) went - the ones who didn't get into a UC.

The Associate AD there is a good buddy of mine from HS too.

WHere did you go? Justin Siena?

[Mr. Crimson]

Maybe you are right, pretty strong rumors here that Billy Donovan is being interviewed this week and the offer is $4 mil a season.

Of course last night KXYL TV in Spokane reported that "Few is leaning towards taking the Oregon job." So if not Donovan, then Few? (That was my attempt at SU wordplay.)

KXLY is claiming they never reported it.

My Few thoughts are this. He's not a money guy and has more than he can ever spend. He's huge about fishing and his family and hates the booster crap. Oregon means less time with family and fishing and much much more booster crap. But it is home and his Alma Mater.

I know Oregon wants a glamour hire here. But I truly believe the right hire would be Randy Bennett.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

KXLY is claiming they never reported it.

Damn you KXLY! You have turned my BIL into a liar, and I will never trust him again.

[scottie]

For those interested, this is what ESPN Insider said about the Oregon job this morning (is NM a Nike school?):

Alford out of the running at Oregon?

Ernie Kent is out at Oregon. Who will warily step into Kent's well-worn shoes at Oregon?

The current list of possibilities is strong. Randy Bennett of St. Mary's leads a long list of coaches who have their teams in the Sweet 16 this season.

The search will be complicated by the news that Oregon AD Mike Bellotti will also step down to pursue broadcasting opportunities, leaving the school's athletic department without a head during a crucial time.

The Oregonian newspaper reports that Belotti will continue to assist the university through the end of April, and that national search firm SpencerStuart will handle the nitty gritty of the coaching search.

One name that has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Belotti is current Oregon track coach Vin Lananna, who has some experience as an AD at Oberlin College. In Nike's backyard, you'd better believe a track and field coach has some mojo.

P.J. Carlesimo became the name célèbre in late February but in town recently, Carlesimo would neither confirm nor deny his interest. So to the general public, P.J. is quiet but Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports the ex-NBA coach has been informing his friends that he wants to be a head coach again, even if the gig is a college - and not NBA - one.

Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett was a dark horse until his Gaels made short work of a higher-seeded Richmond team from the A-10, then upset Villanova to make the Sweet 16. The only thing standing in Bennett's way is the rather silly objection that Ernie Kent also came to Oregon from the small school in Moraga, CA. The Gaels breakout season includes a WCC tourney win over Gonzaga, home of another coach the Ducks are courting -- Mark Few.

The remainder of Hunt's A-list has a distinctly midwestern flavor to it, including Butler's Brad Stevens, Tubby Smith at Minnesota, Northern Iowa's Ben Jacobson and Scott Drew of Baylor. All three have prior commitments to the NCAA tournament this week.

Associate head coach Mike Dunlap was not prominently mentioned until last week, when Hunt wrote "Associate head coach Mike Dunlap is expected to interview, and Kenny Payne could be retained by the incoming coach."

New Mexico's Steve Alford was a popular candidate, but Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis says the school hasn't fielded any phone calls, and may have a contract extension in the works to keep Alford in Albuquerque.

With several candidates still in postseason play, expect the Oregon job to stay open for a while. After exhibiting so much patience with Kent over the years, there's no point in rushing to judgment in Eugene at this point.

Oregon's talking about:

* Mark Few - Gonzaga chief is clubhouse favorite, but may like where he is just fine.
* Mark Turgeon - A&M is out of the Dance, so former Ducks asst. can expect a phone call.
* Jamie Dixon - Former UCLA aide would want big bucks to leave Pitt.
* P.J. Carlesimo - AD would consider hiring someone not currently a head coach.
* Brad Stevens - Butler coach is young and smart, but has zero west coast ties and is currently coaching his team in the Sweet 16.
* Tubby Smith - Out of the Dance, may listen.
* Steve Alford - New Mexico hasn't been contacted, but may offer contract extension to be safe, says SI.
* Ben Jacobson - UNI coach makes more sense for the Iowa opening, but he'd have to listen if the Ducks called. Currently the hottest name in coaching after upsetting Kansas.
* Scott Drew - Yet another midwestern name. May be right where he wants to be at Baylor. Also coaching in the Sweet 16.
* Randy Bennett - Gaels have upset Richmond and Villanova in tourney. May be enough to talk fans into hiring another SMC guy.
* Mike Dunlap - Kent's top assistant will get a look.

Andy Katz Blog

Nike rules the school in Eugene.

"Mike Bellotti's decision to step down as athletic director makes it even more clear that former AD and influential Oregon booster Pat Kilkenny will make the hire with the nod from Nike's Phil Knight, who has invested in Oregon as much as any high-profile alumnus at any other school. Don't be surprised to see the next Oregon coach coming from the family of coaches who work with Nike. The next Oregon coach has be someone who can sell the program to the boosters and aid in filling the arena and the boxes. Gonzaga's Mark Few gets first crack, and then it could down the line with elite Nike-sponsored coaches such as Minnesota's Tubby Smith and recent Nike addition Jamie Dixon of Pitt. The level of interest for any on these coaches is unknown."

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/features/rumors

[Portland Ute]

KXLY is claiming they never reported it.

My Few thoughts are this. He's not a money guy and has more than he can ever spend. He's huge about fishing and his family and hates the booster crap. Oregon means less time with family and fishing and much much more booster crap. But it is home and his Alma Mater.

I know Oregon wants a glamour hire here. But I truly believe the right hire would be Randy Bennett.

There is no fishing in Oregon? Hmm... Interesting.

$4 million per year? LOL! It's no wonder Utah can't compete. BYU is darn lucky that Rose buys into the whole "higher calling" bit.

$4mil per year? Yikes.

[Mr. Crimson]

There is no fishing in Oregon? Hmm... Interesting.

Not what I was saying Port. I'm saying Few's been here like 20 years and has a very nice life. There is great fishing in Oregon, of course Few would never get to do it because of all the time he'll spend massaging the thighs of boosters and the other requirements of the Oregon job.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Not what I was saying Port. I'm saying Few's been here like 20 years and has a very nice life. There is great fishing in Oregon, of course Few would never get to do it because of all the time he'll spend massaging the thighs of boosters and the other requirements of the Oregon job.

I hope I am high enough on the ladder to qualify for one of these thigh massages, regardless of who the coach is. Sounds fun.

[CJF]

ESPN Insider is now throwing Dave Rose onto the list. That would suck. I agree with Crimmy. Oregon should hire Bennett.