Now that Bill Moos is going to announce his resignation as Athletic Director for the University of Oregon Ducks there is a lot of speculation as to his replacement. There is talk that Mike Bellotti will serve at least on an interim basis at both AD and Head Football Coach. I don't like this idea because each job is a full time job. I didn't like it when Rich Brooks had both jobs and he finally gave up the AD job just before the 1994 Rose bowl Season. There is talk that the new Track Coach Vin Lannana could become AD. However, he is tied up with the 2008 Olympic Track Trials that are coming to Hawyard Field. Therefore I will look elsewhere in my speculation and that is all it is speculation. My choices in no particular order are Jim Bartko, Bill or Greg Byrne.
Jim Bartko is an assistant AD at Cal. I met Jim when he was the Duck Athletic Fund Representative here in Southern Oregon and he would be a great choice. He knows Phil Knight and worked closely with him when he was at Oregon and we built the new addition on to Autzen Stadium. He knows the Oregon fans and he would be a great choice. However he has been at Cal a short time and he may not want to come back. But if the leftist there in "Baserkly" stall the new stadium improvements he may want to come home.
Bill Byrne was Oregon's AD in the 1980's and got our first Bowl bid in a looooong time to the Independence Bowl in 1989. He also got the Casanova Center built when no one though it could be done. Since leaving Oregon he has been the AD at Nebraska and is now the AD at Texas A&M. It's time to come home Bill!
Greg Byrne is Bill's son and a "chip off the old block." He was a Duck Athletic Fund Representative here in Southern Oregon and he was a real dynamo. Since leaving Oregon he has been an assistant AD at Oregon State , Kentucky and is now at Mississippi State. When he went to Oregon State I told him he would come back to the Ducks some day. I sure hated to lose him when he left the Ducks. Time to come home Greg.
Any of the three choice listed above would do a good job. (Picture on your left is Jim Bartko. Center picture if of Bill Byrne)
