Let’s cut Big Ern a little slack
Posted on 08. Feb, 2010 at 11:00 am by SKI in NCAA Basketball, Oregon Ducks Basketball, PAC-10 Basketball
With the ducks offense looking like a rec league game and the defense playing like it’s the NBA all-star game duck fans including me have been looking for the solution to this problem. And the solution seems unanimous now in that Ernie has to go.
As I go through the list of coaches in my head that I would love see coach the ducks I come across a problem. Most of these coaches I’m thinking of are already coaching at other schools and coaching better programs than Oregon. So why would these great coaches leave the schools they are at now to come coach a team that is 6-22 the last 2 years in-conference.
The Answer is they wouldn’t. Unless they have an ungodly sum of money thrown at them.
This brings me back to Big Ern. For how much people are hating him right now they are forgetting all he has done for the Oregon Basketball Program. He has taken us from the perennial doormat and has turned us into fans that expect our team to make the NCAA tournament on a regular basis now. He has been producing NBA level players and doing things at Oregon that no one under 80 would have thought the ducks could do.
He has 4 20 win seasons (Last one was 1974)
He has won a Pac-10 title (Last one was 1939)
He has gotten to the NCAA Tournament 5 times (Including 2 Elite 8′s)
If Duck fans in 1996 were told Ernie would do all this in 12 years they would have wanted him to get a lifetime contract. Shit every Duck fan blew their load in 95 when the Duck’s just made the tourney. And they got crushed by Texas the first round. So for all Ernie has done here I would say that he is the best coach that Oregon has ever had.
But…..
With these last 2 years and the new arena to be completed for next year it is the right time to get a new coach, but should we fire Ernie with no prospect of a new coach to come in. I mean if were going to get a top level coach if we fire Ernie (please let it be Lavin) then I’m all for firing Ernie today, but if were going to be stuck with someone who we don’t plan on being our coach for the future I think we owe it to Ernie to let him coach the first year at Matt Court. He is pretty much the reason we got this new arena.
Well him and Uncle Phil of course.
So what’s one more year for old Big Ern. At least no matter what we won’t have to watch Porter get abused on D and jack shots from all over the court.
Somebody get me Steve Lavin’s number ASAP.
This is how Lavin rolls
11 Responses to “Let’s cut Big Ern a little slack”
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Kinger
08. Feb, 2010
Is that top picture from the second half of the Arizona St or Arizona game?
Stake
08. Feb, 2010
Beaver game…anyone going to see “Buckets Blake” and “Big Easy Lofton” of the Globetrotters? (Besides Kinger)
Steve
08. Feb, 2010
Well. despite the mixed message of the article…..no, let’s not give Ernie the benefit of the doubt. He’s gotten too much benefit already. It is just time for the UO to replace him.
You, dear neophyte writer, know nothing about recruiting coaches and you know nothing about the marketability of the UO basketball coaching position. How do you know who is qualified and who is available?
I’m pretty sure the athletic department can handle the issue. That’s why they paid the big bucks and you, dear writer, are relegated to this insignificant blog.
Scott
08. Feb, 2010
Steve, why the personal comments? You disagree with the writer. That’s fine. Everybody wants to hear your opinion, that’s what these blogs and comments are for. But the personal comments are juvenile and kind of Beaverlike. Disagree but don’t put down someone else, especially a fellow duck fan, assuming you really are one.
brewSKI
08. Feb, 2010
First off Steve I’m glad you think our site is shitty yet you read multiple articles and comment on them. I appreciate the support.
On your comment about how I know nothing about recruiting coaches your right. I have never been an AD of a university so I am inexperienced at hiring coaches Im sorry. You clearly must have worldly experience in how to hire coaches so I will come to you for all questions from now on,
And again you hit it on the head in my lack of knowledge of how marketable Oregon athletics is. I thought referring to Phil Knight as uncle Phil might have cleared that up but I must be mistaken. I’m sorry again.
And for you to be confused by mixed messages I’m sorry. I’ll dumb down everything just for you. Ok Steve
Are we friends now
Bad_Social_Skills
08. Feb, 2010
Hi Steve!
Kinger
08. Feb, 2010
Oregon basketball isn’t marketable at all.
sluy
08. Feb, 2010
First of all, nobody calls him “big ern.” You lost all credibility after that.
Big Tourney Ernie
08. Feb, 2010
Blame all of this on Tajuan Porter.
brewSKI
08. Feb, 2010
I call him Big Ern so theres at least 1 person
bbryan
09. Feb, 2010
+1 for calling him Big Ern
+2 for getting an athletic director to comment on our site.