I thought it was because he could recruit to Corvallis, a town that is "impossible to recruit to", or that upon being hired he objectively noted that the talent he inherited wasn't good enough.
But, that's only part of it.
The bigger reason is because 90% of athletics is confidence and psychology. Robinson recognizes this better than any OSU coach. Period.
Listen to his weekly press conference: http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/orst-m-baskbl-sched.html
Highlights:
- He's getting nitpicky about little things/details
- Not taking playing well for granted
- The importance of closing out games/not getting bored. Mentions not boxing out during PSU. Flat out says it wasn't good enough.
- Admits they're an okay team, wants it to be a great team. Just needs to cut down mistakes to do that.
- Continue to give max effort and get better even during blowout wins.
- Tells players "you can't get away with this in the conference" when they perform poorly/sloppy, etc.
- Doesn't want the conference games to be a "surprise"…so need to treat OOC games as learning experiences where they give max effort and attention to detail.
- Put together the schedule to go 8-3/build confidence.
- Etc.
Just watch the interview for yourself. It is highly impressive and shows a guy who understands how to straight shoot (without being a jerk or Mr. Nice Guy), and understands the importance of detail, psychology, etc. So, not only do I love this coach because he recruits great talent to a place fans say is impossible to recruit great talent, but even more so because he "gets it."
Dick Vitale taking notice: http://espn.go.com/espn/dickvitale/story/_/id/7389806/dick-vitale-picks-surprise-teams-disappointing-teams
The Bleacher report has us as one of Pac-12 teams making the tourney this year. With our OOC schedule so weak, I think we need at least 11 wins plus 1, probably 2 wins in the Pac-12 tourney to make the dance.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/992042-pac-12-mbb-three-pac-12-teams-who-will-make-the-ncaa-tournament
I love coach Rob too but is he really that much better of a recruiter than Riley. Maybe he is better at finding the diamonds in the rough but if you go by the recruiting sites isn’t Rob about top 40 in recruiting and Riley like top 60?
40 vs 60 is a pretty big difference, and Robinson’s first class was ranked in the top 25 (maybe even top 20…I forget the exact number).
Another thing: Robinson seems to understand momentum. Meaning, expect even better classes if this year’s team makes an NIT/NCAA. What seems lost on Riley is seizing the moment and building upon current successes. Quizz Rodgers was a perfect example–he should have been able to land a stud RB. The 2006 team was another example–10 win season, but the 2007 was one of the worst recruiting seasons in recent history.
yeah but it college basketball when you take on a 5 guy class you are going to be ranked higher then a team that takes on 2 high four star recruits. I agree Rob is a better coach than Riley I just don’t think there is a huge gap in recruiting.
I’m not sure I see your point. This should all be a ratio since basketball programs recruit against basketball programs, not football programs.
i.e. Riley compared against other football programs = middle/lower middle.
Robinson compared against other basketball programs = top third.
Football recruiting improved a lot last year, and this year’s class is good. At least on offense. They still can’t recruit defense, and that’s going to kill them.
Robinson is in the 10th-15th percentile, while Riley is about the 50th percentile. 340 hoops programs vs. 120 football programs.
Is there really 340 D1 hoops programs? Wow. Didn’t realize there were that many.
I found this bit on wiki interesting: The 2010–2011 season was one of regression for Oregon State, with the team falling to a 5–13, ninth place finish in the conference and a sharply losing record overall. However Robinson professed to not being overly worried or disappointed, saying he was encouraged by the development of some of the underclassmen.
Robinson is closing in a .500 record at OSU. Pretty good given how bad they were four years ago. I still don’t understand why he played Haynes so much last year/didn’t go with more youth. I’d say that is his one error. Or, at least his one move I do not understand. It’s the reason I lost my cool with him briefly last season.
I got to hand it to Riley, he can recruit them walk-ons like no body else.
Oh yeah, he’s one recruit’n sumbitch.
This is a big turn around from the past few years in which you said multiple times you wanted Ruek to take over the mens team. A good record vs a slate of terrible to mediocre teams has changed that all of a sudden?
I just did a search for Rueck and it returned one result from January, in which I ask if a women’s coach has ever taken over a men’s program. Go ahead and search for yourself if you don’t believe me.
I stood up for Robinson for 2.5 years. Last year I did get a little frustrated because of the Calvin Haynes situation. I don’t think there’s any inconsistency there.
And a good record versus bad teams is a huge step for this program. Why down play it? They weren’t just beating these teams, they were demolishing them. It bodes well for conference play. Now, there is still a ton to prove, but Robinson’s a master of psychology and “getting it”…you don’t hear any of the “we have to find out who we are” crap or the insinuations that OOC schedule doesn’t matter, etc. The guy just gets it. Listen to the interview.
Your search doesn’t cover comments, because I distinctly remember a comment from you saying you thought Robinson could recruit, but not coach. And several times you’ve intimated through your comments that maybe the mens program would be better off with Rueck. I think you’ve been on the fence for 2.5 years, while being overly impressed with his recruiting ability.
I’ve been reading your blog almost since the beginning Angry, and I’ve never gotten the impression that you really liked Robinson as a coach. I’m not trying to attack you, I just think it’s severely out of place that all of a sudden this year you love everything he’s doing. That’s why I’m asking what’s changed, because I guarantee that if you went back and read your comments from the past two years they wouldn’t support what you’re saying now.
For the first two years I loved him. Last season I waffled mid-season because while I still loved his recruiting, I could not for the life of me understand why Haynes/Wallace got so much time over the young guys. I also didn’t understand why they played so much 1-3-1 zone when it clearly didn’t work (guy open for 3 in the corner every time). Aren’t I allowed to waffle in that case? In retrospect, I still don’t understand why Robinson did that. I guess he thought the alternative would have been worse? So yeah, for half of last season I turned on him, but if you read the comments I even did that that begrudgingly because I knew 3 years was still “new” for a coach, and I kept saying “let’s see what he does with his guys” before unleashing theRueck diatribe. Regarding Reuck…he’s done amazing things. I honestly still believe he’d make a great men’s coach. Don’t you? Is that comment off base? I mean, if Robinson left that’s who I’d want to coach the men.
Moving on…I am still not sure I love Robinson as an X/O coach (not enough set plays/too much motion offense). That much is true. But I love him as a recruiter and motivator (i.e. he’s mastered the psychology of coaching/he understands the ebb and flow of emotions…he “gets it”…with “it” being how life and emotions work..)–those two things have never changed. And his rotation has improved so much since last year. Yes, last year I questioned his X/Os. You’d have to have been crazy not to. I think you can still question them to be honest. Do I think he is a great tactician? No. But he is great in every other facet, and with the talent he’s brought in it has covered up any tactical flaws.
I just appreciate that trait (i.e. motivation/psychology) so much more after the past two football seasons. Riley does not understand motivation (e.g. he didn’t realize that playing Castro vs Sac St sends the message that Castro was needed to beat Sac State–that is a terrible message to send. Conversely, benching Castro vs Wisconsin sends the message that he conceded that game). I could give hundreds of examples…literally. You can think of them on your own I’m sure.
Re-read what today’s article is saying. It is not saying he’s a great coach. Never once said that. It is saying he’s mastered the psychology of it and what makes a team great (detail, confidence, etc). And for that I have a man-crush on the guy. X/Os…so so. Don’t like some of his calls at the end of games, etc. But, verdict is still out.
I’m gloating about Robinson today because as you know I think sports are 90% confidence/psychology/mentality (see Boise State, et al), and it was so refreshing to watch Robinson’s interview this morning. The guy gets it.
What frustrated me most with Coach Rob was playing the seniors last year. They really destroyed the chemistry and were awful. I could see why he was doing that, but I wanted the younger players to play badly. Once they left this is the result. Yes, the Beavers have played bad teams, but they’ve blown them out. The Beavers also beat Texas, who is a good team and I think will be a NCAA Tourney team, they also virtually lost at the buzzer to Vanderbilt on a night where they did not play well. This team is much different from past years, they’re exciting to watch, quick, athletic and nobody in the Pac-12 wants to play them.
I love what Craig has done with them this year. He’s basically done away with the 1-3-1 zone D and is playing at a very high tempo. He’s a good coach and this year is showing that. He’s letting them do what they do best. He puts them in a position to succeed. That’s much different from a certain coach.
I also have always loved how honest Craig has been. He’s not a guy who will sugarcoat it, that’s something you have to respect.
I think this is a NCAA Tournament team. I think they’ll go 14-4 in conference play, win a game or 2 in the Pac-12 Tournament, maybe win it and play in the Big Dance.
Craig has done a good job but he’s still a young head coach. He’s learning and getting better. Substitution patterns have been really good this year. In previous years I know that was an issue, but this year he’s letting guys play a little more now.
Got to say, I think Cunningham comes back next year, the 2012-2013 squad is going to be insane. Probably will be the Beavers best team since the ’82 team. They will do big things. I really love where the program is headed. Fun times.
I’d suggest that Coach Rob has been monitoring the comments on this board and realizes that there’re been observations made by the more astute participants that Coach Rob needed to pay attention to.
He’s now speaking out about addressing some of these issues.
My hat’s off to him and the “astute” participants on this board who have made such fine contributions. I’m learning from those folks who post here all the time.
P.S. Here’s hoping he’s been working on his game management too. We’ll know soon enough.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnqUwXua2Zs
i liked but didn’t love the the robinson hire when it was made. obviously by the end of the CBI run i thought i was a home run, and may go down as the best move ever made by bob de carolis. these past two years ive backed off of that stance a tad but i still maintained that i wouldn’t stop calling him an exceptional coach unless things didn’t change drastically this year. obviously they have.
i definitely agree that he’s fantastic from a psychology/mentality standpoint. nobody can deny what he accomplished in first year was unbelievable, and he was able to do it because he got every single bit he could out of a group that was usually noticeably undermanned in just about every facet but played their asses off and kept a great attitude. i think the same can be said of this year’s team, with the obvious difference being they are incredibly gifted, athletic and talented. the truly big success may still be a year away (although maybe not..) but i’m thrilled about the future of beaver basketball if coach robinson sticks around.
Comparing Riley and Robinson?? LOL.
I absolutely cant imagine Robinson standing on the sidelines during a bad loss, with a silly smile on his face. Hey, maybe he did?
I recall talk on here about Robinson not being able to coach, the past couple years, after he didnt follow up the CBI tourney win with a winning season. Last year, when he favored the seniors over younger, apparently better talent, it did appear he might not be much of a game coach.
But it seems to me that is all erased now, as he has this team working hard and motivated. I say that is coaching. Something Riley cant do, as shown by the losses to weak teams.
So I think there is no comparison between them. And I am not talking about the Riley of 2007 and back, but the Riley we have now.
You guys are smoking dope. Riley won a sun bowl, Robinson won an Fing CBI. They have beaten one BCS school this year. He was not done much in the PAC 12 yet. He may have some recruits but he has accomplished nothing yet. This is his forth year and he has not reached a tourney. I say if he does not reach the tourney this year with a gumby schedule let him go. Riley plays the toughest schedule every year. Robinson plays the shityest schedule in the land. He is a joke. How much does his dumb ass brother in law help recruiting. When Newt is in Washington and no pres visits for the Beavs will people listen to Coach Rob.
Because I’ve made the same mistake in the past, and I can clearly see where you are right now… I must advise you to wait until you come down off the hallucinogenics before you post anything.
Clearly, it would be a joy for everyone if Newt were to gain the GOP nomination. But I don’t think even Madden ’14 will have that wrinkle.
Sorry.
You guys want Riley gone but Robinson has not even played in a NIT. What a double standard you idiots.
Riley has had his own recruits for almost a decade (you idiot). Robinson is in his first year with his own recruits (you massive massive idiot).
How’s that feel, idiot?
I am already impressed that “CR’s own” are blowing out lesser competition. Next realistic step would be his first plus. 500 league record. I think he really needs to achieve that this year in a wide open P-12. 10-8, 20-10 overall is doable, it might only be “NIT worthy”, but that’s ok for a jumping off point.
Once again idiot what has Coach Rob accomplished. What meaningful game has he won. Ralph laughs in his grave. Has he even got 7500 people to a game? DeCarrolis has made basketball so irrelevant and Rob has done nothing to change it. I got to games at 2:00 and waited in line in school Now you can still show up at tip and sit where ever the fuck you want. The program is still a joke. Riley is respected nationally. Pick your battles fool.
You mean Riley WAS respected nationally. As even someone whose head is up his ass as far as yours is must know, he’s 8-16 the last two years with many losses to teams he had no business losing to. Does Sac ST. and losses to the three worst teams in the league in 2010 register with you or his your head totally embedded in your rectum to keep you from noticing? Also, what would your reply be to a Hall of Fame NFL QB who has expressed to me how predictable and pathetic the Beaver offense is?
BTW, Riley has won not 1 but 2 Sun Bowls. Wow!!! What a great coaching effort. 11 years and the best he’s gotten us to is the Sun Bowl. Seems to me Harbaugh took only 4 years to take a 1-11 Stanford team to a smashing BCS Bowl victory. Not to mention Chip’s 3 BCS bowls in 3 years. Lastly, ask Urban Meyer just how respected Riley is these days. The joke right now is clearly our football program, not basketball. Pull your head out and face reality before you make an even bigger fool of yourself. 8-16 over the last 2 years, exceedingly deserving of respect, no doubt about it Don! PS His Pac-12 record is now below .500
Tell me a less respected basketball team in the PAC-12.
Simmer down big guy
Respect in what way? You might have a point if you were referring to Jay John’s last team, but I am not sure what you mean by “respect” in the CR era. I think he earned immediate respect when he got a bunch of losers to play .500 ball his first season.
Sure, It’s been a mixed bag on the floor since then, but I think CR has been very candid about his long term plan and what he was going to accomplish when he had his own recruits. If you want to do Riley comparisons, let’s see if CR drops a couple of 20 loss seasons seven years from now, then we can talk.
“Tell me a less respected basketball team in the PAC-12.”
A? You want to limit the list to just one?
really though? I’m not trying to say Robinson should be disrespected but I’d say most pac ten coaches are respected. Kevin O’neil is prolly the only one I’d say most people would chuckle at but he has coached as like 12 schools now ha. Really Sendek is getting heat but I think we all know he is a good coach especially Xs and Os wise, chemistry not so much. The only other guy would be Howland who I think is a good coach but definitely not fit right for UCLA.
I mean we don’t have Tim floyd in the conference anymore.
Where do you get “coach” from “team”? Did I miss a comment?
Bone is a good X’s and O’s guy, but he has no business leading student-athletes.
O’Neill is a joke.
Sendek has told his recruits that he’s going to speed up ASU’s game forever, and he has yet to do so. I guess that makes him a straight shooter who doesn’t lose recruits to transfer at a high rate.
And there are murmurs here in Eugene that Altman’s demeanor makes Lavonda Wagner look like Stuart Smalley.
Top coaches in the league? Monty first, then I think Boyle is next. Miller and Romar are great recruiters who are better than average coaches. But Coach Rob schemes really well against both with lesser talent. Given equal talent (like this year?), he would chew them up and spit them out. I like the long range feel Dawkins is building at SU. Krystowiak knows his hoops, but he gets a pass for a couple years.
And Howland gets to live by the Wooden sword. UCLA can have have most any recruit it wants, but if they don’t go there, he’s to blame. He’s a good coach who can’t seem to recruit to UCLA to fit his needs. What does that say about the guy? He gets stars because it’s UCLA, but he just can’t fill in the supporting roles to make the team work.
So, going back to “teams” who are less respected than OSU, I would say we’re one of four who are recognized as a traditional hoops destination. UCLA, UA and Utah are the others. Cal and UW have enjoyed moderate success from time to time over the years at a fairly sustained rate. SU and Nikegon had a good spell under a single coach’s tenure, but not much more. USC and ASU have had flashes of brilliance followed by scandals or ineptitude. And Wazzu has a history of getting a good coach for a couple years… who then leaves for greener pastures… while the program flounders until the next good coach comes along.
That leaves CU, who I think is underrated both as a historical program and as one right now under Tad Boyle. I really like the players Boyle is bringing in, and I think he’s a helluva X’s and O’s guy. The best thing to ever happen to CU hoops was when Jeff Bzdelik left for Wake Forest. Bzdelik is just a tool.
I am way calm compared to the Riley haters like angry
Why don’t you Riley LOVERS take a look at last years football games. If you do and still come away supporting our stupid coach Riley, then you don’t know squat about college football. The only thing that got me through the last season is watching other college teams play and how dedicated and motivated their players and coaches were toward winning. When changes are needed other coaches make the changes, they have new plays, larger playbook and adjust to what is needed to win games. Riley refuses to change anything. He’s on the sideline chewing his stupid gum and putting on his chap stick. Riley is nothing but a joke and all you Riley lovers out there are the idiot’s because you support him staying on.
Wow, does anyone have any Christmas cheer left over? Easy does it fellas. Everyone breath.
How young was our QB? How innexperienced was our Offensive Line? How was our depth at DT? How was our Linebacker play? There were only 6 players that started at their position from start to finish in football last season. That’s not having consistency with a young team. That’s like starting Jared Cunningham for a half, then taking him out for the rest of the game and maybe playing him a little bit in the next game with an odd rotation and then never seeing him again…ya, that’s exactly how Riley used Katz. Not saying the level of talent was the same, but Katz was a major part of the offense in 2010. So that’s why I bring up that comparison. So I say, give Riley one more year to win more than 3 games and if he doesn’t then he needs to rethink his psychological side of the football program.
Is the bar set at three games now?
Oh Riley is fine, and Don is drunk and high. So what’s different about this conversation?
Riley puts too much stock in what his subordinates say and do rather than just leading them to success. Don eats funny little pieces of paper with colored dragons on them.
… same difference….
I guess I don’t need to point out that one is Muslim, and one is Riley?
Like it or not, Riley is driving this bus at least another 8 years. I guess we have the option of becoming another band wagon fan of the O’s, or Dawgs. Come next year we will all be rooting for the Beavs to win, even after the past few years. We may be rooting in front of a TV or radio, not wanting to waste money on the game day experience. I have been thinking about Riley’s refusal to change. I think with Langsdorf and Banker its like a BBall pitcher who is down 5 to 3 and just gave up a two run homer. Some coaches would bench the pitcher and some would have faith in the pitcher to pull it out. I think Riley knows they just gave up a few homers, but he has faith his guys will pull it out. Now I have no idea if that faith is delusional or not, it’s just an idea. I have enjoyed the basketball games so far and it appears Robinson has a little more passion for the game than others. My only concern is that the Beavs look like a perimeter team. They have done well on the 3’s, but will the Pac 12 allow them to continue?
I think they just play smart ball. Devon and Angus get a lot of buckets at the rim, they are 1st and 2nd in the Pac-12 in FG %… aka they get a lot of buckets at the rim. If the opposition zones them, they still attack the rim, and they’ve been knocking down perimeter shots consistently of late. This is not a team that’s going to disappoint in the league. The question is, how big is their ceiling? I’d be a bit disappointed with 10-8, but that might be realistic while also showing an improvement over previous squads.
Never said I love Riley. I think we need to update and simplify like many of you suggest. I just think it is funny in this stream that Robinson and Riley are compared and Rob is called a top 15 coach when he has accomplished nothing and Riley has had some success in the past.
Come on man!
When we’re talking recruiting, Coach Rob is in the top 10th-15th percentile, and Riley is at the 50th percentile. Wehre did you laren to raed?
Whenever some weak-minded pollyanna wants to make excuses for Riley’s poor recruiting, they always bash Corvallis and OSU as “undesirable” in some way… usually intimating that the town and school are sub-standard, therefore, a horrible destination. The reality is that the program and the coaches are what usually draw kids to a destination. Anyone who wants to whine about big city kids wanting to attend school in a big city, a sunny location, a place where they have X-boxes in their lockers… those whiners ignore reality and make excuses which help them in their denial. And I’m tired of those pollyannas bashing my school and hometown for the sake of their denial.
And if you think winning the Sun Bowl is a greater accomplishment than winning the CBI, then you have a screw loose. No, the CBI isn’t a worthy goal. But neither is the Sun Bowl. Why settle for one and not the other.
Hell, both were won in the same city, but the hoops accomplishment was done on enemy territory where they actually care about that sport, not in a half empty stadium… in a city which cares little for football… against another traveling team.
Get your argument straight first, then try to type it out. But don’t make up irrational parameters then attack imaginary foes.
You can’t base basketball recruiting on 1 years ranking. In basketball some schools take on 5 in a class others take on 1 or 2. If Riley took on 70 kids in one class it would be ranked top 25. That is all I am saying.
Top 25 w.r.t. walk-ons?
wrt to the fucking stupid star system
LOL. Man, you are living in the PAST. Yeah, Riley was once upon a time, a good coach. But he sure as hell aint now. He stands on the sidelines with a silly smile on his face as HIS team gets whipped. Riley won a Sun Bowl….Yeah….IN THE PAST.
So I stand by what I said…..RIGHT NOW — no comparison. Riley has given up on winning and cant even get his team to beat a Sac State. Three programs in the conference had better records than us, … and FIRED THEIR COACHES.
How good is Robinson? I dont know. Like is said, he is only just this season coaching with all his recruits. So far, looking GOOD.
One thing I dont see mentioned on Robinson, he has this team playing tough D….and that is really important. They keep doing that and they will win a lot of games.
Riley CAN coach, but will he choose to do so again? I dont know what happened to him, but something changed. If he doesnt get to a bowl game next year, the school is nuts to keep him. And I am not saying Robinson is a great coach. School is still out on that. But I think its pretty obvious that he at least CARES.
And one of the biggest 2013 prospects to consider OSU football next year will not come to OSU for the football program. Eddie Vanderdoes will come for Pat Casey and Marty Lees first. If it were up to the football staff, he’ll be playing in the Bay Area for college.
Jack the CBI is a joke. It is filled with teams with losing records Most established teams won’t play in it. It is for small schools and mid-majors looking to the future. Forget Riley and look at just Rob big picture. What has he done? Hell Eddie Payne had the best recruiting class with Benjamin, Cunningham, Bickerstaff, knight, Brady and Greene and what did he accomplish. Jack as usual you are trying to out think the room and are just a pompous ass.
Usually those who use the word pompous are just projecting.
I’m not saying the CBI is the end all. If YOU WOULD BOTHER TO READ you would see that I was saying the Sun Bowl is a lesser event than the CBI. That’s all. I don’t know why you read one thing and understand another, but it can’t make you productive.
Is the CBI really better than the Sun Bowl? I disagree on that one.
Sun Bowl: get paid ~1mil to play in it.
CBI: have to buy your way into it.
Sun Bowl: probably have a top 40 team.
CBI: After the NCAA and NIT, your team is in the 100 range.
This is CR’s first real season since it’s his guys. Riley has had his guys for almost a decade. I agree with Helmsley that comparing them is difficult for many reasons. All I know is CR has a much better mindset and higher ceiling.
CBI – Pay a fee which was more than recouped by the gate.
Sun – Get paid a set amount which barely (if at all) covers the cost of travel and lodging for the team for a weekend game (one, maybe two nights)… let alone a whole week of lodging.
CBI – When all was said and done, it was an imaginary positioning of #96 in the nation (64 in the NCAA, 32 in the NIT, no CIT at that time). That was good enough to be in the top 30% of D1 programs. And it was a postseason run, which shows Coach Rob can motivate his team to be better in a tourney than it was during the regular season.
Sun – When all was said and done, nobody really placed any value on the bowl win itself. Riley’s teams were ranked in the final top 25 a couple times in his career. But that position was not due to the respect garnered from the #11, 12, 13 ranked bowl game or a final position earned by a tourney.
If it was, then we are arguing that Utah is a top 40 program? Or since the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl is now the equivalent of the Sun Bowl in Pac 12 alignments, that means Cal is a top 40 team? I know Texas is ranked #24, and Ga Tech is #33. If Cal and/or Utah wins their bowl, does that mean they get ranked above those contrived rankings?
I would say the current Sun Bowl is about as prestigious as the current CIT. At the time OSU played in it, it was probably just comparable to the CBI. Until there’s an actual play-off system, we just need to sift through muddy waters to figure it out.
The CBI is not a joke. OSU went with a losing record, and beat a series of teams with winning records. That took coaching.
Yes, the CBI is not something to brag about, but for a team coming off an 0-18 conference mark, it is a big accomplishment and a stepping stone. An indication that the new guy can coach.
Taylor — You need to start your own blog…. Call it BeaversSatisfiedWithLosing….
Oh, how I dislike all the parsing and subparsing, comparing, predicting, ranking – ugh!
My questioning of Robinson early on was how much was he, the coach, willing to learn? What was he doing to get better as a teacher of basketball. Does he have mentors – who does he talk to? I’ve not seen a report or an article which speak to that, but that seems to be the OSU culture – they’ll decide what to tell you.
A couple of threads ago, JackBeav explained what Devon Collier does that’s right when blocking shots (I think it was shot-blocking). Is that Devon’s natural ability, his pre-OSU coachng or something he’s learned while at OSU or all 3?
Having blasted comparisons, I now offer one – Mike Riley’s and CR’s life experiences are completely different and I’m not in the least referring to the POTUS. I can’t predict how that will play out, but it seems to me that CR has the advantage.
Coach Rob has mentors named Pete Carril and Bill Carmody, and he still talks to both. Articles in the past have talked about how he attends Blazers and other pro practices and takes elements away which he incorporates into his own. He speaks clearly and to the point, and reality does not contradict what he says.
And he doesn’t sigh and huff about Corvallis and Gill being substandard elements in his recruiting endeavors. He does speak about a practice facility being needed to remain competitive going forward. But that context is more one of logistics when talking about all the different sports who need to share Gill for practices and events and getting all the kids to take their necessary classes at the right times to schedule those practices and events.
But his tone when talking about Gill and the hoops fans is one of respect for tradition. It’s more of an East Coast thing when you hear about places like Cameron Indoor Arena or the Palestra. But a full house at Gill once had that old school charm and mystique nationally. That’s why the OSU hoops program is still a respected identity in the history and tradition of NCAA hoops. Those East Coasters and even Midwesterners have a longer memory than we do on the West Coast when it comes to that tradition. And when Coach Rob speaks about it happening once again at Gill, I have no reason to doubt that it will be as true as anything else he says.
Now compare that to a football program in a constant search for an identity… one that makes excuses for this and that but still doesn’t manage to get any respect in its own state despite all the excuses.
Thanks for that – apparently I missed the articles to which you refer. BTW – how is the practice facility coming along?
I’ve been told we’re inches from the finish line for financing, and they will break ground in March. I’m not sure on the date, but March is what I’ve been told.
Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about the actual physical plans.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:bB-m-wol6vYJ:oregonstate.edu/dept/facilities/cpd/sites/default/files/pdf/BasketPrFacilityStfRpt_0.pdf+oregon+state+basketball+practice+facility&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi20-vu7xszso3fUVFfAXQocJye2MTGUM75hwvFR__x2VvZ55C8fhvdFNRhbHeKz_Fiw27t18AURMTwTaEBWU46J0oMd724I4GkQ7GBnk2sXLBEdLv2M0Y17iWFKstKIT6BE3gj&sig=AHIEtbRXmDwW21LcEKDXeMC0U1GynsRsIw
As I understand it the practice facility was originally going to include seating which would allow some sports to hold their events there instead of in Gill.
IF the basketball team is starting to generate fan excitement and thus hopefully donor excitement, why not delay building it and go back to the original plan?
I think Craig Robinson has done alot to restore excitement to the OSU program. He has been able to recruit higher quality athletes and fully accepts responsibility when performances do not reach expectations. This year should be a blast to watch and next year looks very promising as well. Once we get the basketball practice facility the program should be able to sustain at a higher level.
To preview Thursday’s Pac-12 opener against the Huskies I interviewed UW media for insight.
OSU @ UW Pac-12 Opener Q&A:
http://beaverbyte.com
For those who want to see just a little more of the future Beavs, here’s a link to the Cal State All-Star Game. #4 in white is Chris Brown (dark helmet, RB) and Cleveland Wallace (yellow helmet, CB). #33 in blue is Devian Shelton. #5 in white is Nate Iese (TE). He looks pretty good IMO.
You’ll see the difference between Byron Marshall (#10 in white, RB) and Brown here. And you’ll see why I think Marshall will be good in Nikegon’s option system but would not make a good pro-set RB. But you’ll also see what I so love about Chris Brown. He breaks off a couple good runs. Probably the best series to watch for him begins at the 36:30 mark.
http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/2011-cal-state-all-star-game/17b3411sn?from=sp^en-us&src=CPPlayer%3aendslate%3atitleBar^link%3auuids