135 COMMENTS

  1. Upgrade. I like. Doesnt make me any more likely to drive to Corvallis for a game next year, but I’ll at least pay more attention.

  2. Where did you hear this? If so, I’m cautiously optimistic, as I hope he is here for a while. Finally, a decent hire in MBB.

  3. Saw on Twitter from a BeaverBlitz.com writer that it’s wishful thinking. Hope Angry’s sources are more reliable (they usually are)!

  4. Think of Howland as a hired gun. No, he’s not going to be that guy who stays or will cozy up to donors or fans. He’s going to get the job done and then move on. He has had success where ever he has gone and then moved on up (except UCLA)

  5. Sincerely hoping this isn’t true. I just remember Ben Howland teams with grind it out, boring games as the norm and talented players that jumped ship late in the era. Not a fan of this hire if it happens. Good luck getting players to come as well; he really only recruited well because of UCLA, not because of him. Rather a guy like Stoudamire who players would like more, has NBA connections, and could get those couple recruits instate as well as not leaving a sour taste in the mouths of guys. I could honestly see him as a Fred Hoiberg type guy.

    • “he really only recruited well because of UCLA”

      You really show your ignorance with that statement

      • He’s obviously a great recruiter and thatguy is wrong. However, he pissed off a lot of AAU coaches while in UCLA. Hopefully all is forgiven by now, but it’s a concern.

      • Right, that one comment shows my ignorance. Pitt was good, sure. I’ll admit that, but the program left at UCLA (more recent example) was in shambles, the players were out of control, just a bunch of trouble. You’re willing to accept that for more wins? I’d be willing to bet the players would be more out of control with Howland at the helm. Graduation rates and criminal offenses don’t matter to some of you.

        When I say who would be a good candidate, you want a strong recruiter who will work hard, play an exciting brand of basketball, and is young and hungry. Go ahead and get the guy who So Cal AAU programs hate; get the guy who was allegedly abusing players and letting character issues go if the team was doing better.

        He’s a good coach, sure. Probably going to do the quickest turnaround job. But get someone else and you might mess around and actually build a program that is a more attractive destination for future coaches.

        • I think you’re putting too much stock in a “report” that had little factual basis. If we run down the integrity list of Dohrmann stories and resolve them with percentages as a value for truth it would look like this:
          Minnie – 70%
          tOSU – 40%
          UCLA – 15%
          oSu – 3%

          You need to take a long hard look at your single source for this caricature of Howland you’ve created in your head. If you want to reconcile it with anything other than truth and reality, then you’re good.

          There were some issues to be sure. Ironically, someone my father knows told him via hearsay that Howland thought he had another Bill Walton on his hands with Reeves Nelson. And he just didn’t know how to talk to the kid to the point of extreme frustration. And he talked to the kid many many times. It was just not in front of everyone and their mothers. Some of us learn to praise in public and punish in private. And when the advice you’re given is something like, “Do what Wooden would have done. He had Walton to deal with,” you kinda get stuck being someone you’re not treating a real situation with something that no linger exists.

          In the end he wasn’t “doing” anything to lose his team. But he was letting them go. He was just in over his head for that particular situation. He’s not John Calipari or Phil Jackson.

          Sue him.

  6. The following is from Eggers article in the Tribune:

    http://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sports/219541-80327-eggers-taking-a-deep-look-at-oregon-state-basketball-post-craig-robinson

    SNIP
    But De Carolis twice gave contract extensions to Robinson, an egregious move that put the athletic department behind a $4-million eight-ball. After the past football season, De Carolis chose not to pay bonuses to assistant coaches for playing in the Hawaii Bowl that were written into their contracts. Granted, money is tight at OSU, but it still created some friction within the program.

    And De Carolis hired LaVonda Wagner, then took too long to fire her as women’s basketball coach, leaving Rueck to inherit what amounted to an intramural program when he arrived four years ago.

    The Robinson situation is analogous to that of Wagner. De Carolis dragged his feet in both cases before finally pulling the trigger.

    I’m not sure how school )resident Ed Ray will look at all of this. It may be that De Carolis — who told me last year he’d be interested in staying beyond the end of his contract — will lose his job. Or be told that he’ll be allowed to finish out his deal but then be forced to retire. At 61 and battling the effects of Parkinson’s disease, it might be a good plan for all.

    For now, De Carolis has one of the most important decisions in recent athletic department history on his plate. He took the right step in ending the Robinson era. The next step is hiring a replacement who can bring on a return to Miller time — or maybe something even better.
    SNIP

    Come on Dr. Ray tell bobby it’s time for him to move on.

  7. I think we need something like this, if it’s Howland I say go with it and give it 100% try and see if it works. He has run several programs and knows what needs to be done. I am not so sure it would bejust a stepping stone.

    Having said that iI think Hollins and Porter make interesting candidates, although they don’t have college experience they do provide NBA cred and coach good defense, so that would be a good fall back plan, better then giving Stoudamire a shot with no HC experience.

  8. Love this hire if true. I plan on making a few games and as they improve will attend more. Be great if Howland can work his 3 years and the Dance magic at OSU. Think he will be the guy who does it once we hear this is official.

  9. In the recent past, we have read about the real and perceived failings of the ex Beaver BB coach. We have read slurs and slights related to the OS AD and how he has disrespected rather than kissed the feet of hallowed donors. We have read about a basketball assistant who abandoned ship during the critical week of recruitment to sell his self to the devil,m recruit the very same kids, for a lousy $20k on top of an existing $125k salary. We have read about petty and jealous football assistants who rather than give money back following a crappy season, are chirping with backstabbing gossip about how they were cheated out their much deserved bonus money. And then you read the back story about Brandin Cooks. It takes my breath away to read about his drive, his hard work, his focus and his overall desire to overcome the odds to succeed without having to go Machiavelli. I am only connected to Beaverland by a thread. But he makes me proud to be a Beaver follower.

  10. And can we end the “nobody wants this job” bullshit? Both of these guys have been successful on the big stage. Hollins did a great job with mismatched talent at Memphis.

      • That’s pretty obvious. Porter and Hollins on the phone, wanting the job. Howland apparently wanting it. Tinkle wanting it. Any of those would be better than CR. So I think wheever, it will be an upgrade. And the new hire will get some of the fans back and help recruiting.

        • Where did you get the information about Tinkle? I think he’s a good coach and gets MT to the NCAA because they win the Big Sky – but I think the only time they made it to the 2nd round was when Krystkowiak was coaching. And a couple of years ago the Syracuse drubbing was, well, a drubbing.

    • Seriously.. It also makes me want to punch the who would come to Corvallis to replace Mike Riley crowd square in the face. Basketball is in an awful position and there are worthwhile A- / B+ candidates raising their hand for the job.

      Can you imagine what the football gig would solicit?

  11. Seems to me one thing is sure — BDC has someone in mind, has made approaches, maybe already made up his mind. The time between firing and rumors of a new coach just too damn short.

    The OSU way seems to be to get someone with ties to the school, the old “family” shtick so I wonder about Howland.

    I think I would like someone on the way up, someone with aspriations, bound to put good energy into the job. I hope its a good choice, but with BDC in charge, I have worries!

  12. Money and length of deal are the current holdups. Hoping Angry is right and terms with Howland have been generally reached but can’t be finalized until 5/14 because today’s official job posting has to remain open for 7 days by state law.

    That said Hollins is interesting and Porter also but I still take Howland I think. Will he take 5 or 6 years around 1.75 million? If he stays within reason we close otherwise Hollins will gladly take it.

    Both probably take OSU dancing within 4 years. Howland probably best bet for advancing. Getting exciting and hope we get our press conference on 5/14 next Wednesday and don’t have to wait til Thursday or Friday. :)

  13. I’ll be happy with either Howland or Hollins. Both really good coaches. Porter also a respectable option but a tad behind the others IMO. Beaver basketball looking up!

  14. Howland seems the best and wisest pick. Very little chance of disappointing based on proven and repeated success building quality teams and programs. What he did at Pitt and NAU with quick turnarounds and 3 straight Final Fours at UCLA make him the frontrunner and who you have to give his best shot at the reigns. Too good of an opportunity to not secure. Really hope he is our coach next week as it very likely means OSU is returning to the Dance.

  15. The Hollins mention is highly interesting. No offense to Terry. I loved him as a player, but as a coach he hasn’t really shone. I do feel now that we’ve mentioned him we need to announce that his alma mater does indeed now have a basketball team.

    Anyway, with Hollins, Porter and Damon all in the mix, all we need now is for Steve Blake and Damian Lillard to express interest.

    I thought the Hollins suggestion the other day was a joke. If he’s serious about getting out of the NBA and going to college, I’m all in for him. That would be not only be a very very major coup for OSU. We would get an awesome coach and mentor in the process.

    • I forgot that the loss to my Gophers in the NCAA’s was the the last straw that got him fired.
      Tubby got shit-canned after the next game.

  16. Interesting the Hollins and Porter have reached out to OSU. If true, definitely interview them and get a sense of why they would want the job. Don’t see guys jumping from the NBA to the NCAA. Those kind of hires would get the donors excited(I am a donor, though not one with any influence). If they come cheaper than Howland, they might be worth it.

    Here’s my order of picks
    1. Howland
    2. Hollins
    3. Porter
    4. Tinkle (He’s only here because he’s an established HC)

    That’s it. No to everyone else.

    • Porter wanted the job when we hired CR as well. He’s gained a little coaching experience since then. I don’t think it would be a bad option. I’m a little on the fence with Howland for reasons already stated. That’s not a bad list though, and I could get behind any of those hires.

  17. I don’t know enough about any of the candidates to have an opinion so the only thing I’m hoping for is OSU ends up with a coach that emphases the fundamentals at both ends of the court and that they can recruit. Imo there’s no way a coach at OSU can bring in the talent that a coach at UCLA can so that makes teaching the fundamentals at OSU even more important.

    One thing I wonder about the guys who only have NBA coaching experience is have they shown that they know how to teach the fundamentals? The guys they’re working with for the most part have already been trained on what to do. At the college level by the time a kid is an upperclassman you can tell if he’s been taught, but at the pro level is it that obvious?

    Howland says: “…“One thing I take great pride in is that if you go back and ask NBA scouts which players were best prepared to play in the NBA, I think our name would be mentioned.”…”

    Just wondering: Does being prepared to play in the NBA mean the same thing as being prepared to win at the college level in a program that isn’t stocked with 5 star athletes?

  18. Hollins with Damon coming back home to be an assistant(and being groomed to eventually take over the head job with his recruits) is my A+ scenario at this point.

    Hollins w/o Damon is next.

    Porter( would get boosters excited and he actually coached well as a head coach until the gm forced him to coach a different style. Kerr wanted offenseive players but porter is a defense first coach)

    Howland

    Anybody else

    • Howland w/ David Grace as head assistant would be ideal. Proven college coach and a proven college recruiter. Hire the sure thing Bobby!

  19. In looking at the various sports stories I see that the top recruiters in men’s and women’s basketball have been hired away. The one that really stuck in my throat was the women’s coach going to the ‘ucks.

    Yet another negative for bobby?

  20. Add Musselman to my list of ok hires. Background looks good and he appears to be a safe hire. Scratch Hollins due to his likely jump back to the NBA.

    The interest that coaches are showing is good for OSU. If Howland is indeed the choice, they won’t have to overpay since they can leverage the interest from the other candidates.

    I expect the hire to happen late next week because of Oregon laws. One being they need to interview a minority candidate. Helps that Porter and Hollins called first instead of the other way around.

    On the surge of articles about stoudamire, here’s a quote from the Arizona papter “It’s not microbiology,” Hansen wrote. “It doesn’t matter how old you are or how many dues you’ve paid — if you can recruit two or three really good players, if you can hire a lieutenant wise in the ways of X’s and O’s, you can win.” Is he talking about Robinson or Stoudamire?

      • I just about choked when Garrett praised CR on having 94 victories but made no mention of the level of competition the Beavs were playing in preseason. How many of those wins were against cupcakes? Worse yet how many times did a CR team get humiliated by one of those cupcakes? Hint: one is one to many.

        By scheduling the teams he scheduled bdc did his best to give CR a chance of making it to post season play. And when they failed to make it based on wins, he bought OSU a ticket to post season play. Need I mention that in the last game (farce) they couldn’t even win that one.

        It’s time to move on bobby and don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

        • “I just about choked when Garrett praised CR on having 94 victories but made no mention of the level of competition the Beavs were playing in preseason.”

          We’ve played cupcakes for decades, but he still had the best win% since Ralph Miller.

          • Yeah… the dead horse isn’t even in the room anymore. Can we stop the CR whining and move on? I think Grady puts a nice bow on the gift, but that’s about it.

    • Common sense was outside the AD?

      Didn’t we all agree that this was Coach Rob’s year to prove himself? There were some people who claimed making the NIT would be enough. But I think the consensus would have been he makes the dance or he leaves.

      I thought it should have happened with better timing. And the “If I’m fired…” quip burned me. But it was just finally time for him to leave.

  21. I’ve come around on the Howland hire. The year away from coaching may be very beneficial.
    Personally, I am a little gun shy because of the Tubby Smith experience here in Minneapolis.
    He was burn’t out from the expectations at Kentucky and although there was an immediate uptick in
    the quality of the defensive play, the recruiting did not work out and the UGLY offensive play turned everybody off. My fear is that Howland is in a similar boat. They guy is obviously a very good coach and would bring some credibility to the program. He could get recruits to UCLA with the school brand, but can he get them to Corvallis with his less than fuzzy personality. Kids are different than when he started in Westwood eleven years ago. Does he have the drive it will require to recruit and develop the players needed to make Beaver basketball respectable? Tubby didn’t, but probably worth a shot.

    • Tubby Smith made the NCAA tourney 3 of the 6 years he was there, and the NIT a couple more. His worst season was 17-14.

      Similar boat? I’ll take it.

      • Then you should be punchy happy when the football team gets to the New Mexico Bowl.
        His best conf. record was .500(twice) and he won a grand total of one NCAA game. Team always got worse as the season wore on and his players seemed to regress skill wise the longer they were in his program. I agree with girl….I want more …….
        AT&T TV Commercial, ‘We Want More’ Featuring Beck Bennett …
        ? 0:30? 0:30
        http://www.ispot.tv/…/at-and-t-we-want-more-featuring-beck...
        Feb 25, 2013
        However, your parents won’t let you because there’s only a little. If you really like something …

  22. Can’t seem to find any excitement for Howland; he will be an improvement no doubt but I just have this feeling that Stoudamire is gonna be a big time coach one day and I’d like it to be in Corvallis. Oh well, at least Robinson is gone

    • Damon Stoudamire has 2 fewer years of head coaching experience than Craig Robinson had when we got him. I’m sure Damon’d be able to recruit, but he’d really need an X’s and O’s assistant to help out so why would we want him as the head guy. I don’t want us making a risky hire like that. Howland can recruit and coach.

          • What is the evidence that successful coaches have to be on their 2nd (or more) head job? Plenty of guys have great success at their first stop even in major conferences

            Kevin Ollie-UConn
            Roy Williams-Kansas
            Jim Boeheim-Syracuse
            John Caliperi-UMass
            Tom izzo-Michigan State

            Those are guys off the top of my head whose first head coaching gig was at a major school and each had plenty of success there.

            I just don’t buy the need for head coaching experience, I don’t mind getting someone with some but making it a requirement limits your search far too much IMO. I just think it’d be a mistake to throw out the resumes of any coach without head experience without doing due diligence on them first.

          • You can’t look at the successful coaches pool and then pick out the ones where it was their first stop. You have to look at the whole pool of coaches who are (or were) at their first head coaching job in a major, and then count the successful ones within that pool. I’d put good money down that that number is smaller then the number of proven successful coaches who continue success in a lateral move.

          • willing to bet but you don’t know. Neither do I. I just don’t see how eliminating an entire group of candidates based on 1 item gets you the best candidate. Howland might be the best candidate but I am far from convinced that he is the best simply because he has been a head coach.
            I think a younger more energetic guy with the drive to prove they can be a great head coach is as good of a bet (if not better).
            I’d love to see the numbers some time but I am far from convinced you have to find someone that has head coaching experience and am certain eliminating everyone who hasn’t from consideration is foolish.

          • Eliminating all who have zero experience is not foolish. It’s playing the percentages. That’s a pretty wise thing to do when the percentages have kicked you in the nards time and again.

          • If you say so…I’d love to see the proof that hiring assistants that haven’t been head coaches works less often than hiring head coaches that were fired (Howland). If you have those numbers I’d love to see them.

          • I’m assuming you’re talking about assistants being hired on the high major level and not running a mid-major first… like Calipari ran a mid-major btw.

            I’ve not run the numbers, but just looking at who is and isn’t successful doing so, it’s pretty intuitive. Those who come from a very strong coaching tree have a better chance at success. But the successful are also not a majority within that subset.

            On the flip side, we have two assistants (Damon and Grace) who have not put in the work to get that mid-major job. Grace tried and failed at NAU a couple years ago. Yet we’re supposed to believe he’s qualified to take over a high major program when he can’t go out and get a low major job? And that low major is only partially respectable because of the modicum of success it enjoyed two decades ago… under the guy who is being considered heavily for this high major job.

            If Damon and Grace aren’t applying for any and all jobs, then just applying for this one tells me they just want the easy track. And they respect the OSU enough to think we’re easy. At least Musselman is going after jobs and getting people to talk to him. We know he wants to be a head coach because his actions and habits say so.

          • You also didn’t look at who they were assistants under for years before getting their first jobs. Williams was under Smith forever. Izzo… Jud. Ollie… Calhoun. Calipari was something of an anomaly, but he did learn the game from Brown and Evans. Boeheim was under Roy whatshisname, and after a long search for a coach they resigned themselves to their version of Jimmy Anderson. We should have been so lucky.

  23. Enough with the risky hires. OSU hired assistants twice and they didn’t work out. Need a proven coach that knows x’s and o’s and solid assistants that can recruit. Howland, Hollins, or Tinkle. Enough said.

  24. I don’t want anymore feel good bullshit about David Grace or Damon Stoudamire. No assistants, no mid-majors……it’s Howland or go home and accept another 24 years of aimless wandering.

    I would also make Howland smoke More cigarettes, drink scotch in the locker room after the game and scowl deeply whenever a player dribbles the ball instead of passing. It’s Howland or it’s over.

  25. From Caleb Saulo’s biography page on the OSU website:
    http://www.osubeavers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=207912427&DB_OEM_ID=30800
    “… is contemplating a career in law enforcement …”

    Uhh Caleb, which part of law enforcement is it you plan on getting involved in?

    OSU football: Saulo arrested, released for probation violation
    http://www.gazettetimes.com/sports/beavers-sports/football/osu-football-saulo-arrested-released-for-probation-violation/article_098dc460-d584-11e3-a7ad-0019bb2963f4.html

    A snippet from the story:

    According to documents, Saulo “completed nine days of work crew and … was sent home with no credit on his last day of work crew for intentionally damaging a tree on the courthouse lawn with a shovel.”

    The court then issued a show-cause motion for Saulo to explain why he didn’t complete his work crew obligation. The arrest warrant was issued after Saulo didn’t show up for an April 28 hearing.

    ——————————-
    I’m sure any prospective law enforcement agency will be really impressed with behavior like that.

  26. Howland or Stoudamire ?

    I ran three different financial models using historical attendance data and ticket revenue from the John’s era and Robinson Era.

    Scenario 1: Robinson coaches for 3 more seasons before being replaced, attendance declines year over year to a season low of 46.1K with only 1236 season ticket holders left in the 2017 season. With a new coach for 2018, attendance improved 50% per year for the first two years and reaches the peak of 105K/yr two years after hiring the new coach.

    Scenario 2: New Coach hired for 2015 season. Attendance immediately peaks at 105K/yr. (attendance the first year of CR was 104.6K/yr).

    Scenario 3: Robinson coaches for 3 more seasons before being replaced, attendance declines year over year to a season low of 46.1K with only 1236 season ticket holders left in the 2017 season. With a new coach for 2018, attendance improved 50% per year and peaks at of 129.6K/yr (75% of Gill capacity).

    Scenario 4: This is a ‘best case’ scenario where the new Coach is hired for 2015 season. Attendance immediately peaks at 105K/yr. (attendance the first year hits 105K/yr and achieves 75% of Gill’s capacity in year 2 of having the new coach (but still less than Matt Court attendance).

    Comparing Scenario 1 vs. 2:
    Revenue improves $1.6M over 10 years.
    CR’s buyout costs $4M, leaving BDC with a $2.4M problem (assuming new coach’s salary is the
    same as CR’s)

    Comparing Scenario 3 vs. 4:
    Revenue improved $2.2M over 10 years.
    After CR’s buyout, BDC has $1.8M problem.

    If Howland needs $1.5M/yr, BDC has a financial issue and the CR mistakes remains his legacy that can’t be fixed in his tenure. BUT, if BDC can somehow hire Stoudamire for less than CR’s salary AND can convince Ray that attendance can reach 75%, the CR mistake can ‘go away’ in their minds.

    If i could place a wager on this one, i’d bet BDC can’t pull the trigger and hire Howland. Instead, we’ll get the cheapest alternative and BDC retires in a few years convinced that he’s done the right thing. #SMH

  27. Andy Katz just tweeted that Howland withdrew his name

    ‘Former UCLA coach Ben Howland has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Oregon State job, a source with direct knowledge told ESPN.’

    • Luck O the Beavs coincidentally carries with it a 1% probability of happening. Just so happens the Beavs hit that 1% like a bullseye every time.

          • Ooooh! Ooooh!

            Martial keyboard arts!

            Since we love you, and since this is apparently “nouns are verbs” day, we’re just going to aikido you while you try to jiu jitsu us.

          • Lol you guys are so immature. I commented on how inaccurate you guys are and I’m called a “pussy.” Jack/whiskey, not sure why the both of you have to be such bullies and douche bags but I’ll back up my words. If you guys want a little competition, we’ll get the both of you into the gym, sign some waivers and test that aikido background… No keyboard talk here.

          • Dude… we love you. Why you hatin’?

            I’ll meet up with you any time. But it’s more than likely going to be for a cold beer. I won’t lift my pinky while I drink with you if that’s what’s getting your keyboard all stomped on at the moment.

            Immature indeed my young keyboard warrior. Immature indeed.

            I am curious. Of all the dos, I would have pegged you for a senchado kind of guy. Why jiu jitsu?

  28. It only took 20 hours for that prediction to come true —

    “I’d bet BDC can’t pull the trigger and hire Howland. Instead, we’ll get the cheapest alternative and BDC retires in a few years convinced that he’s done the right thing.”

    The math is predicting the outcome. .

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