Last night the Ducks lost to U$C in Men's Basketball at "The Pit" in Eugene. I watched the game on TV and it was good to see Phil Knight sitting court side at the game. The camera focused in on his smiling face near the end of the game as the Ducks were comming back from beind down by several points. The Ducks lost by 2 points 84-82.
Another potential candidate for Duck AD is Dave Heeke. He is presently the AD at Central Michigan University. Prior the that he spent almost two decades working for the University of Oregon athletic department from 1988 until he left in December of 2005. His final job was "Senior Associate Athletic Director/Chief of Staff" under AD Bill Moos. The questions are: 1.Does he want to move back to Oregon after being AD at Central Michigan for just one year? 2. Does Oregon want a protege of Bill Moos after paying Moos almost 2 million dollars to go away? What does Phil Knight think of Dave? What is clear is he is a bright guy who knows the job.
The picking of a new AD by University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer is one of the most important decisions of his time as President because it could and probable will determine whether Phil Knight will donate the money necessary to build a new basketball arena for the University. I love Mac Court but it's time is past.
