The most powerful booster in America

More importantly, how long till those boosters start demanding two-way radios in their boxes? They'll all be little Nixons, calling in plays!

 

They're not all little Nixons already?

 

Obviously, I come into this heavily biased... but this is the one line that aggravated me:

Really? But you couldn't find one, apparently?

"Some say" is a chickenshit device.

 

As dorky as it sounds, having the sound from the headphones might be kinda cool, assuming these guys aren't cutting in and saying, "You're calling a DRAW PLAY on 3rd and 11? Fuck YOU! I pay your salary. Pass for fuck's sake." It's probably the equivalent to listening to a police scanner during a big fire.

 

Investigate for what? Maybe there should be a rule preventing one billionaire from purchasing an entire athletic department as a personal plaything, but the NCAA won't pass it. As long as the money flows to their members, rather than as paychecks to players, nothing will be done.

Might as well call em the Nike Ducks, because that's who owns them, much like Oklahoma State athletics is now owned by T Boone Pickens. And, not coincidentally, both of those formerly downtrodden football programs are now doing better than ever before. Best way to permanently turn around a program nowadays is to find the right sugar daddy. The NCAA is damn well aware of that and ain't about to change it.

And, btw, expect Oregon basketball to rise up next after Phil's dollars just built this new home for the hoops program: http://www.addictedtoquack.com/2011/1/6/1917614/behind-the-scenes-matthew-knight-arena-photo-tour#storyjump)

 

I'd be shocked if Bobby Lowder doesn't. But the other reference to listening to a police scanner is apt. Kinda like fans at races listening to the pit crew feeds. Honestly this doesn't sound like that big of a deal, as long as the communication isn't two-way.

 

If they know the play before the play is run, it's a pretty big deal.

 

You couldn't do it for everyone in the stadium, but the bigger boosters having it piped into their box, I really don't see a big deal. It would seem counterintuitive to suspect Knight or Pickens or Lowder of playcalling espionage, at least until they decided they didn't like the coach.

 

I wasn't implying any espionage. But considering the levels coaches go to make sure the opposing team doesn't know what they're running, I'm surprised they would give this up. But, like most other things, when you give a certain amount of money, people won't say no to you.

 

Is it possible Oregon's proud tradition of god-awful uniforms is the sweatshop workers' way of striking back?

Oregon AD: Mr. Knight, we got the shipment of new uniforms today. We really appreciate it, but ...
Knight: Is something wrong?
Oregon AD: Well, it's just that ... well, they're piss yellow. And that's just the pants. The jerseys are green, the helmets are white. Nothing matches.
Knight: That can't be right. I ordered all green uniforms, with the all-white alternates. They're supposed to look spiffy.
Oregon AD: Well, sir, they don't. I don't know if we have time to get new ones before the season-opener, so I just thought you should know. We'll go out and play well so people don't notice, but people will laugh for a while.
Knight: I see. Thanks for telling me.
(Knight hangs up the phone, shakes a fist in the direction of Malaysia and grumbles, "You've won this round, Malaysia...")

 

Knight: No kid making two cents an hour is going to embarrass my favorite football team!!!

 

Let's not forget that Oregon dropped it's starting quarterback from the team over the off-season, then made their title run. Chip Kelly seems to get it on that front.

As for Knight...his Nike influence is all about creating a buzz around the university...and it's big among the 18-year-old set. Having the funky uniforms and the elaborate facilities is a huge drawing card...a much needed card when bringing prep All-Americans to Eugene of all places.