Sooo.... Ernie

Reports finally are surfacing that Ernie Kent is gone -- Not just that he will be fired, but that he WAS fired Feb. 22 and is just coaching out the year.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/huskies/archives/196866.asp

Of course, now the Few rumors start.

It is official, Ernie's contract is terminated. LINK

Ernie had a .576 winning percentage. But the last couple years were very poor. I missed the UP-UO game this year, but watching the Ducks in the Pac-10 tourney, it was hard to see an organized set offense

The ESPN crawl just said Oregon is prepared to make Tom Izzo the highest-paid coach in college basketball.

Tom Izzo says that's news to him.

I would stay in East Lansing if I were him.

I'd love to see him turn them down. "You're Nike money is no good here, Phil."

Haha and Michigan State will somehow miraculously become an adidas sponsored school overnight...

You have to admit, if he took the job it would be hilarious to hear the Oregon fans next year asking why the Ducks didn't win the Pac 10, get ranked in the top 10, and go to the Final Four. He's Tom Izzo, right?

Oh, I'm enjoying this entire thing thoroughly, watching ducks fail at things brings me back to a simpler time...

Have you seen this latest post on oregonlive?

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2010/04/oregon_basketball_pat_kilkenny.html

Brad Stevens? I mean hot name obviously, but haha not exactly a flashy play guy... And Frank Martin? Oh man if nothing else that would be entertaining as hell... Who else is next to add on? James Naismith? maybe Red Auerbach? Adolph Rupp? oh wait, NO... Buck Williams!

DaTruRochin wrote:Buck Williams!

Only if he wears the sweet goggles on the sideline!

So it looks like Creighton's Dana Altman is the man:
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksbeat/2010/04/oregon_basketball_ducks_close.html

Not a "flashy hire" but still a very good one as far as I'm concerned (And honestly I think the right kind of hire the program needed for the long run). Now we'll see if he has the cojones to re-up the UP/UO playing series, hopefully he doesn't abandon his mid-major roots...

FURTHER: Haha don't read the comments afterward, the blowhardedness gave me a nose bleed... Some people even suggesting Terry Porter, a guy who has never coached college or recruited would be a better option than Altman, and half wondering who he is, questioning his ability because they were only in the NIT this year... Haha this is the reason why I can't stand sports radio...

The latest on the reasons for Ernies departure are a real shocker. His big saving point over the last couple of seasons was that his players graduated. Now it turns out they weren't even qualified students.

I hope Altman got a guaranteed contract, 'cause when the NCAA is done with them, there won't be much left.

Anybody calculated how many UP games will be vacated?