Ducks Attack Message Board Forum

Sorry if this really doesn't deserve a distinct topic, but I was really fascinated by some of the comments of Kilkenny in an Oregonlive article from Hunt: http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindducksb ... end_p.html

"'We had, literally, five national championship coaches that showed an interest in our job,' Kilkenny said, although he didn't name them, irked at the widely reported notion that Oregon could find no takers. 'And three of them would have taken it.'"

How could this be? . . .

Yeah, is this really legit? If so, I want to know names.

How much money were they asking?

How badly was this search screwed up by the loose lips in the AD and the mis-information spread in the media?

That statement really pisses me off. Was Kilkenny trying to save face? If national championship coaches were interested, why weren't they hired? It's also a bad time to say that, right after you hire Altman.

duckgrad99 wrote:That statement really pisses me off. Was Kilkenny trying to save face? If national championship coaches were inter ested, why weren't they hired? It's also a bad time to say that, right after you hire Altman.

Not necessarily so, if it was felt that Altman offered the best chance to win (best bang for the buck). Unless we know all of the facts and situations that existed, it isnt reasonable to make any conclusions, based upon what WE may have felt WE wanted to happen..Kilkenny did fine, imo.....Second guessing, without knowing any facts, isnt reasonable....

Did PJ win a NC? He was never offered the job but would have jumped all over it.

ducksrock wrote:

duckgrad99 wrote:That statement really pisses me off. Was Kilkenny trying to save face? If national championship coaches were inter ested, why weren't they hired? It's also a bad time to say that, right after you hire Altman.

Not necessarily so, if it was felt that Altman offered the best chance to win (best bang for the buck). Unless we know all of the facts and situations that existed, it isnt reasonable to make any conclusions, based upon what WE may have felt WE wanted to happen..Kilkenny did fine, imo.....Second guessing, without knowing any facts, isnt reasonable....

I like the hire of Altman, but IMO, that statement by Kilkenny didn't need to be made.

duckgrad99 wrote:

ducksrock wrote:

duckgrad99 wrote:That statement really pisses me off. Was Kilkenny trying to save face? If national championship coaches were inter ested, why weren't they hired? It's also a bad time to say that, right after you hire Altman.

Not necessarily so, if it was felt that Altman offered the best chance to win (best bang for the buck). Unless we know all of the facts and situations that existed, it isnt reasonable to make any conclusions, based upon what WE may have felt WE wanted to happen..Kilkenny did fine, imo.....Second guessing, without knowing any facts, isnt reasonable....

I like the hire of Altman, but IMO, that statement by Kilkenny didn't need to be made.

It does because every one is reporting how this "terribley run search is finally over". If the media would stick to the facts & what they actually know, this wouldn't be a problem. I'm glad he said it. You may not like it because it makes you realize the panic mode many have been in the past few weeks was completely irrational but it doesn't make the hire or Altman look bad at all. It makes the chicken little's look like the fools they are.

It is definitely possible that "championship coaches" were interested, but that they likely had ridiculous salary demands. I'm sure Billy Donovan would have come to Oregon for $5 million a year. I also believe that Tubby Smith would have come here for $3.5+ million. With all of the scandals surrounding him in Louisville, Rick Pitino may have left for $4 million.

Steve Fisher has a national championship and I'm sure he would have jumped at the opportunity to come to Oregon

uostudent wrote:It is definitely possible that "championship coaches" were interested, but that they likely had ridiculous salary demands. I'm sure Billy Donovan would have come to Oregon for $5 million a year. I also believe that Tubby Smith would have come here for $3.5+ million. With all of the scandals surrounding him in Louisville, Rick Pitino may have left for $4 million.

Steve Fisher has a national championship and I'm sure he would have jumped at the opportunity to come to Oregon

Ok, well that makes more sense then. I wasn't thinking about the ridiculous salary possibilities.

duckgrad99 wrote:

uostudent wrote:It is definitely possible that "championship coaches" were interested, but that they likely had ridiculous salary demands. I'm sure Billy Donovan would have come to Oregon for $5 million a year. I also believe that Tubby Smith would have come here for $3.5+ million. With all of the scandals surrounding him in Louisville, Rick Pitino may have left for $4 million.

Steve Fisher has a national championship and I'm sure he would have jumped at the opportunity to come to Oregon

Ok, well that makes more sense then. I wasn't thinking about the ridiculous salary possibilities.

That's probably why they didn't sign any of those coaches. Kilkenny probably knew that the new UO president wouldn't sign off on paying a coach $3-5 million so went after someone that is probably more palatable to the wallet but equally as qualified.

duckgrad99 wrote:That statement really pisses me off. Was Kilkenny trying to save face? If national championship coaches were interested, why weren't they hired? It's also a bad time to say that, right after you hire Altman.

In the last 25 years your National Champion coaches are

Denny Crum (Retired)
Bobby Knight (Retired)
Larry Brown (Enigma)
Bill Frieder
The Tark (Cheater)
Coach K (x4)
Dean Smith (Retired)
Nolan Richardson (Retired)
Jim Harrick (Cheater)
Rick Pitino
Lute Olsen (Retired)
Tubby Smith
Jim Calhoun (x2)
Tom Izzo
Gary Williams
Jim Boeheim
Roy Williams (x2)
Billy Donovan (x2)
Bill Self

Not sure more than maybe 1 or 2 of that list would be interested.

ChrisC wrote:

duckgrad99 wrote:That statement really pisses me off. Was Kilkenny trying to save face? If national championship coaches were interested, why weren't they hired? It's also a bad time to say that, right after you hire Altman.

In the last 25 years your National Champion coaches are

Denny Crum (Retired)
Bobby Knight (Retired)
Larry Brown (Enigma)
Bill Frieder
The Tark (Cheater)
Coach K (x4)
Dean Smith (Retired)
Nolan Richardson (Retired)
Jim Harrick (Cheater)
Rick Pitino
Lute Olsen (Retired)
Tubby Smith
Jim Calhoun (x2)
Tom Izzo
Gary Williams
Jim Boeheim
Roy Williams (x2)
Billy Donovan (x2)
Bill Self

Not sure more than maybe 1 or 2 of that list would be interested.

So which of the above were referenced in this quote by Lariviere? Let the speculation begin.

“Not that Pat was promoting a particular person, but a name or two would come up,” Lariviere said. “I think at last count, we had five coaches who have won national championships who were interested in this job. ... There were at least two of them that I would not have allowed to be the coach at the University of Oregon, because they didn’t share the values we were looking for here (in) looking after student-athletes’ academic and personal success.”
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/si ... lkenny.csp

we can ponder, wonder and speculate who showed interest and
who would have come here. I'd be willing to bet they wont tell us.
They will do their normal spin on things and will still be the same
answer. The athletic dept image has some holes in it that's for sure.
bottom line tho, we have a coach now. worrying about the other wont
do us any good now. Hopefully he turns things around and we can forget
all about it. I'm sure something else will come up that we can worry about.
seems to be the pattern..... Go Ducks!!!

Since "family values" is part if Lariviere's criterion, having sex on the table of a public restaurant is probably a deal breaker... Cheating is out... You can look at the whole list and come up with things to speculate on.

Add in unrealistic salary expectations/demands, and there is reason to accept that the statement is true to a degree.