Some great ODE photos here, by Nate Barrett, Michael Arellano, and Mason Trinca. Also – did anyone know UO has a hockey team? And has anyone been paying attention to how badly Paul Westhead is doing as Women’s BB coach?
Announced attendance for Friday’s loss to Stanford was 1,812. But like most home games this season, the actual attendance appeared to be no more than a few hundred.
Those fans who remain are by definition fiercely loyal, driven to show support for the players and armed with vivid memories of an era under Jody Runge when the Ducks averaged more than 5,000 fans over a three-season stretch from 1998 through 2001.
A little history from old posts:
George Schroeder in the RG had a good column on this:
… But seriously, keep in mind the last three high-profile openings at Oregon were filled by white guys, and essentially without a search. Bellotti moved up to athletic director. Chip Kelly moved up to head football coach. Paul Westhead was hired as women’s basketball coach as a friend of Pat Kilkenny. Each hire was justifiable. Each guy was qualified, and might have been the best fit. But there wasn’t a traditional search, or much chance provided to any other qualified candidates.
ESPN had a recent article on Jody Runge, former UO basketball coach, now unable to get a job. The current UO coach is Paul Westhead. His contract – an order of magnitude or so more lucrative than hers, and signed by Frohmayer and Kilkenny, is here.
2/3/2013.
UO Hockey? Is this Mullins’ next pet project?
My spouse and I went to watch them play earlier. Very sloppy. Lots of fouls. Tons of fun.
It’s ice hockey and it’s a club sport http://clubsports.uoregon.edu/ We’ve got Bass Fishing too. I imagine they aren’t so interested in gathering fans, it might scare away the fish.