basketball
M. Basketball. Romar Excited About Third Generation Huskies
Tags: basketball, Huskies, uw
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Do The Right Thing?
One look at Terrence Jones’ Facebook profile and you’re bound to see messages of hope, inspiration, and sheer idiocy.
People want to know a guy like Jones because he’s about to be famous. He’s 18 years old, and yet the world wants a piece of his ass because he wears a jersey and can dunk a basketball. They want to say they know a guy like that. That they’re friends with him, even in a virtual sense. That he acknowledged them once.
It’s always been that way with athletes. It’s called “jersey chasing,” and so many people are guilty of it.
There used to be a saying that you don’t meet your heroes, because they’ll only let you down. It’s why I’ve never said a word to Ken Griffey Jr., to be honest. I’ve seen him in person, been mere feet from him, but haven’t spoken to him. I don’t want to be disappointed. And the bar I’ve set for that guy is so high that only Superman could scale it. Who knows if Griffey can fly like that.
These days, that saying has gone out the window. Thanks to social networking sites, fans can be closer to their heroes than ever before. So close, in fact, that heroes barely exist anymore. Celebrities are just like us, stripped down to a user name and 140-to-420 characters of typespace.
Despite the connection we now have with our favorite athletes and movie stars, it doesn’t change the fact that many laypeople are still drawn to the idea of hanging out with someone famous. In sports, it just so happens that men and women alike are drawn to the very fabric of what defines an athlete, hence the term “jersey chaser.” Just by putting on a uniform, in some cases, a previously-average human being can become a superstar to normal folk. That’s powerful stuff.
Case in point, a man who, for his own privacy, we shall rename Toby.
Toby is one of the most notorious jersey chasers I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. A Seattle-based sports fanatic, he treats Facebook like a social gathering of bigwigs of which he is the host. Of all his virtual friends, I’d wager that upwards of 75% are people he doesn’t really know, but people he can brag about to whomever will listen.
The majority of Toby’s Facebook activity has something to do with his famous acquaintances. He bombards their walls with comments, mentions them in his status updates, and makes new “friends” on a regular basis. He’s like a kid collecting baseball cards. Except in this case, the cards are Facebook profiles and the people are real. It’s actually kind of creepy. But it’s reality. And more importantly, it’s his life. So we probably shouldn’t judge too harshly.
Toby is like many local sports fans who have found Terrence Jones on Facebook in recent days and have acted as his online adviser, imploring him to “do the right thing” when making one of the biggest decisions of his life. Toby, like so many others, has Jones’ best interests at heart, and knows that no matter what choice Jones makes, it will be a good one.
Translation: I care about you, so you should pick my school.
It’s a complete shame watching something like this go down. Jersey chasing at its absolute worst.
Amidst the veritable chalkboard of Jones’ Facebook wall, we have fans from newfound rivals Washington and Kentucky duking it out to see who cares more about the kid.
To see who can degrade the others’ school more harshly.
To see who can better describe everything that’s great about their team.
To see who can empower this young man, currently wrestling with a decision that will ultimately define who he becomes, to a greater degree.
Never mind that this kid is still in high school.
Never mind that these are grown adults, with jobs and careers fighting over someone who could be their son.
Never mind that this is an embarrassment to both programs and all those individuals involved.
This isn’t about doing the right thing, or caring about a young man who we don’t even know. In the end, Jones will choose one school, leaving the other school’s fans behind. When he makes his choice, half the people who are on their knees for him at this moment will stand up and walk away, likely upset, likely disappointed, likely bitter. His Facebook wall, however trivial, will be filled with conflicting messages of celebration and hate. It’s not fair to put that on some kid, whether you give a damn about him or not. And it’s up to society to realize that.
Our infatuation with celebrities or even pseudo-celebrities has trickled down to this: exploiting adolescents for the right to claim them as our own. Like Toby, we now “collect” famous people. And as it turns out, there is no limit to the type of person worthy of our collection. Even if he’s barely 18 years old. Even if he’s still in high school.
Terrence Jones is a great basketball player, and as a University of Washington fan, I’d love to have him on my team.
But if he just so happens to renege on his verbal commitment and look instead to Kentucky or some other institution to provide him with an education both on and off the court, I’ll be okay. And you’ll be okay. And I guarantee you that the sun will rise in the morning.
At the end of the day, doing the right thing has nothing to do with some kid you’ve never met. It has nothing to do with these athletes and actors that you want to get to know. It has nothing to do with someone else’s personal choice, whether that be about college or something different entirely.
We all have differing opinions on how to do the right thing. It’s not my place, nor anyone else’s, to tell you exactly what that is.
All I know is that at this point in time, we are unfairly spreading that message to Mr. Jones, a high school student who has every opportunity to become the man that he wants to be.
And no matter how you look at it, that is just not right.
Filed under: Featured Articles
Tags: baseball, basketball, Featured Articles, Features, Jersey Chasers, Jersey Chasing, nfl, Terrence Jones
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WSU Athletic Foundation Events Tour Begins May 13 at King County
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Terrence Jones is a Dawg. . . Right?
Here at Montlake Madness, we take a man at this word. So, despite the still-unsigned-as-of-this-morning LOI, and the swirling rumors of cold feet, we’re keeping the faith that when Terrence Jones announced he was going to UW, he was telling the truth. Thanks Griffin, for keeping us up to date on the recruiting madness.
by Griffin Bennett – Staff Writer
After 4 months of prayers by Husky fans, they have been answered. Coach Lorenzo Romar has completed his greatest recruiting class ever at Washington and he has primed his team for a legitimate run at the Elite 8 in 2010/11. Terrence Jones is a fans’ dream: a 6 foot 9 inch SF/PF who can play four positions, and be an impact player at each of them. Give me one second, hold on. . .
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Terrence Jones may be the best recruit that the Huskies have had in years, but more importantly, he validates all of the feelings that we Husky fans have had for the past six years. We have claimed that we are a true Final Four contender and we finally have evidence that Romar’s program is one to be reckoned with. I’m not going to bother you all with some boring background on Terrence Jones. We all know who he is and why he is so good.
As a college player, his skills will be exceptional and he brings a level of talent that the Pac-10 hasn’t seen at his size and athleticism since….. anyone? He is a six foot nine inch small/power forward who plays with passion and an immense talent level.
Am I over hyping Terrence Jones right now? Maybe. Am I giving Terrence Jones the credit he deserves after dominating prep-level basketball? Absolutely. This guy is a bigger version of Quincy Pondexter. He can play the same position but can command the paint with a force that we haven’t seen since Jon Brockman. His three-point shooting form may need some work, but his shot falls and he is a scoring machine. Looking for a replacement for Quincy’s points and rebounds?
Just look at this projected starting lineup for next year:
PG- Abdul “Yung” Gaddy (or Venoy Overton) – Who cares who starts. Venoy is going to play more minutes regardless.
SG- Isaiah “Salute” Thomas – Preseason Pac-10 Player of the Year. If he’s not, my name is mud.
SF- Justin “Jrue who?” Holiday – Quick poll: Justin for four years or Jrue for one? My bet is even UCLA would choose Justin.
PF – Terrence “Demo-lisher” Jones – The missing link for our run to the Elite Eight and beyond.
C – Matthew “MBA” Bryan-Amaning – As opposed to his home country, on his way to winning the Revolutionary War against his critics.
Put your pants back on and clean yourself up. I didn’t even mention our bench: Gaddy/Overton, C.J. Wilcox, Scott Suggs, Tyreese Breshers, Darnell Gant, Terrence Ross, Aziz N’diaye and Desmond Simmons.
Wait….. WHAT?:
In the process of writing this article, reports have surfaced that Jones may have been brainwashed by Kentucky’s Coach Calipari. What’s new? Even after Terrence Jones legitimately chose the black Washington hat, Calipari decides that he won’t be embarrassed by losing Leslie and Jones on back-to-back days.
Reports continue to pour in that Coach Romar was two blocks away for Jones’ announcement as NCAA rules stipulated that he was not allowed on the premises. Yet somehow the rules allow a coach to call (or answer a call) from the same player minutes later while he’s still in the same room? This seems a little fishy to me. I’m in no way stating that Coach Calipari broke any rules, but sometimes a person’s reputation precedes them whether it is deserved or not.
Coach Calipari is an amazing coach. He is a great X’s and O’s coach as some people have argued against, but his recruiting techniques have rubbed more than one person the wrong way. Is what he does against the rules? In many (or all) cases, probably not. He is a dedicated man who truly is passionate for his programs and cares about his players. If I had a kid who was being recruited by Coach Cal, I would trust him with my child’s safety. Other than that, he is my personal arch-nemesis for the rest of natural born life.
Never have I hated a single human in the realm of college basketball more than Coach Calipari. Fool me once (Cousins), shame on you. Fool me twice (Kanter), shame on me. Fool me three times? It’s all out war.
After a couple deep breaths, I have calmed down. Coach Romar plans on meeting with Terrence Jones Saturday morning and I fully believe he will wind up becoming a Husky. Think about it this way: Would you rather be Kentucky in this position or Washington? I stated on Wednesday that I was 60& confident that Jones was a Husky. Today, I’d say I’m 75% sure. I’ll take those odds given the potential reward. This might not be the conventional way, but beggars can’t be choosers.
If there was a single human being on this planet that you wanted to talk to Terrence Jones Saturday morning, wouldn’t it be Coach Romar? Keep the faith guys.
What to Wait For:
Book your tickets to the Maui Invitational because if we play Kentucky there could be some fireworks. Regardless of Jones’ decision, that match-up will be more personal than any Husky game since the Aaron Brooks punch rematch with the Ducks. Is your Thanksgiving usually boring, ending up in drunken arguments like mine? Why not gather that essence of evil and travel to beautiful Hawaii.
Gather that energy and direct it at Calipari and his army of one-year Storm Troopers. Did I mention that Michigan State, UConn, Virginia, Oklahoma, and Wichita State are involved as well? Think about that line-up real quick! Bennett (I’m not related, I SWEAR!), Calhoun, AND Calipari. It’s a who’s who of Husky enemies!
Wrap Up:
Patience is a virtue (so I’m told) and we will end up victorious on this one. If anything, it will only add to the fire that already sits under the Huskies. 2010/11 is set to become a special year and I thank all of you readers for letting me be apart of this. Husky Nation is not one that is easily destroyed. We are a group of dedicated fans who put our teams in front all else. In the words of my favorite wrestling group of all time:”I GOT TWO WORDS FOR YA!!!!! BOW DOWN!”
Tags: basketball, Huskies, Storm, uw
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M. Basketball. Huskies Sign Highly-Touted Terrence Ross
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Terrence Jones Reconsidering Washington
Multiple sources have confirmed that Jefferson High School (Portland, Ore.) basketball recruit Terrence Jones is not yet a member of the Washington Huskies.
Along with former high school teammate Terrence Ross, Jones announced in a press conference on Friday afternoon that he would be committing to play college basketball at the University of Washington. Shortly thereafter, the story took a turn for the worse for Dawg fans.
Reports indicate that minutes after the press conference was complete, Jones received a phone call from University of Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari. Jones then spoke with Calipari for approximately fifteen minutes with what Percy Allen of The Seattle Times described as a “pained” look about him.
Following the phone conversation with Calipari, Jones huddled in the gym with his close friends and family to further discuss his decision. The Letter of Intent he was supposed to send to Washington and coach Lorenzo Romar remained untouched nearby.
Interestingly enough, Jones admitted to reporters earlier in the afternoon that he was unsure of his college choice up until the moment he made his decision by picking a Washington hat off a table in the midst of the press conference. That uncertainty apparently carried over into the evening.
As of 7:00 p.m., Jones’ LOI remains unsigned and he is once again mulling his future options, which now include Kentucky.
More to come as this story develops.
Filed under: Husky Basketball
Tags: basketball, Huskies
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Proof That Basketball Does Not Need Referees
?
I, for one, am of the belief that basketball would be a much better game if it was self-officiated.
We grow up playing self-reffed pickup games and it only fuels our competitive desire, while simultaneously teaching us to know right from wrong.
If we travel, we call our own travel.
If we commit a foul, we call out our foul.
If we get ticky-tack hacked on the wrist, we know not to say anything. Everyone understands that weenie fouls don’t exist.
It’s a democratic environment, too. If there is any disagreement on the matter at hand, the matter at hand is decided upon by majority rule. If debates cannot be settled immediately, you shoot for it. A made basket means you win the argument. A miss means you lose. It’s the proverbial “ball don’t lie” situation. Rasheed Wallace had it right.
Basketball referees only detract from an otherwise pure game. They tend to be more visible and more vocal than officials in other sports, and as a result you have guys like Joey Crawford (the ref from the above video) who enjoy their role as showmen, as the center of attention.
Officials are supposed to be robots, more or less, who objectively call the game.
But the fact is officials are human, just like the rest of us, and cannot be counted on to remain wholly objective in every situation. Humans are emotional creatures, and as a result that leads to human subjectivity from time to time.
Refs, like anyone else, can let their emotions get the best of them every now and then and allow those emotions to influence their body of work. That happens most frequently in a sport like basketball, where an intimate environment allows for constant interaction between the officials, the players, the coaches, and even the fans. That doesn’t exist to nearly the same degree in sports like baseball or football.
You’d never hear me say this about any other sport besides basketball, where the presence of officials slows down the action and invites deception, best exemplified by the act of flopping. Would flopping ever fly in a self-officiated game? Only if you like getting punched in the face.
Anyways, I thought you all might enjoy a video that only serves to point out that basketball officials are not a necessity in what is otherwise a fantastic game. The fact that a pompous bastard like Joey Crawford isn’t man enough to reconsider his blatantly erroneous misinterpretation of the rulebook in the context of such an important game is a disgrace to the sport and to athletics in general.
And on top of that, I took you through that whole rant without one mention of Tim Donaghy. He’s the icing. The rest is just cake.
Filed under: Other Sports
Tags: baseball, basketball, football, nfl
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Terrence Ross Gives a Hint of Good Things to Come Friday for Dawgs
In advance of what he hope will be even bigger news on Friday, Staff Writer Griffin Bennett profiles Terrence Ross, who we more-or-less believe is certain to announce his commitment to attend UW on Friday. His high school teammate, Terrence Jones? We’re not so sure, but we’re posting the Ross piece today in hopes that we’ll be Jonesing it up tomorrow!
Terrence Ross commits/ leans / signs / announces he’s a Dawg (right?)
by Griffin Bennett — Staff Writer
It’s no secret that we’ve been praying to get both Terrences from Jefferson High in Portland for some time now. According to Terrence Ross’ post on his Facebook page he has “a BIG suprise for the skool [he’s] taken a visit to…” That school was UW on Monday.
If that wasn’t enough of a sign, in a Facebook message to Zagsblog.com (http://www.zagsblog.com/2010/04/25/terrence-ross-leaning-toward-washington/) he wrote “I am going to Washington because of the great relationship I have with the team and coaches. I thought it would be the best choice for me and I would fit in with the team.” Scout.com also has reported that Ross actually signed his letter of intent while in Seattle and wants to wait until Friday to officially announce his decision at his high school.
Ross’ Journey to Montlake:
Terrence Ross is a 6’5’’ Portland, Oregon native who began his high school career at Jefferson High School. After getting into some academic trouble at Jefferson, he and his mother became worried that Ross’ college career might be in jeopardy. They made the decision to homeschool Ross for his sophomore year while still being able to play for Jefferson. Terrence Ross and his Democrat teammate Terrence Jones dominated the Oregon basketball scene their first two years and won the state championship in only their sophomore year. Ross was awarded Oregon’s 5A State Player of the Year Award after his amazing performance.
With continued academic struggles, Ross transferred schools to Montrose Christian, a boarding school in Phoenix. Ross continued his basketball dominance while playing at Montrose with other future stars like Duke-commit Josh Hairston and 2012 top prospect Justin Anderson. Montrose became a nationally ranked team and with their success went Ross’ college prospects.
Early in his senior year, Ross verbally committed to play for Gary Williams at Maryland. He was ranked as one of the top shooting guards in the country and is widely regarded as having one of the “most pure” three-point shots in his class. The honeymoon with the Terrapins ended badly on New Year’s Eve as Ross informed Coach Williams that he would be re-opening his recruitment. When asked why he de-committed from Maryland, Ross said “I didn’t think that Maryland would be a good fit for me. Once I really took the time and thought about it, I thought that I should view all of my options.”
Shortly after that, on a trip home to Portland for the holidays, Ross shockingly decided to leave Montrose and go back to Jefferson High to finish out his senior year where it all started. Ross transferred back because his “mother thought it would be better if she could oversee [his] school work. She wanted to make sure that everything was going well.” Ross tried to re-join the Jefferson basketball team to help his old teammate Terrence Jones finish their senior year strong. Unfortunately for Ross, the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) has a strict policy that states that all mid-year transfers are ineligible, no exceptions. His high school basketball career ended right there but his recruitment only picked up steam.
While at Montrose, former teammate Terrence Jones had become the prized gem of the west coast for many college programs. Naturally both Ross and Jones began to shop themselves around as a package deal starting in late January. Ross quickly shortened his list of suitors to five: Washington, Oregon, Kentucky, Kansas and Oklahoma. These just happen to be almost identical to Terrence Jones’ final five list as well. As time began to progress, Ross and Jones started to influence each other in their own preferences. While never verbally, Jones seemingly eliminated Oklahoma and Oregon and Ross followed suit. This is about the time that Husky Nation started nervously checking every blog for any news about where these two were leaning. The game of tug-o-war over Ross has apparently ended as Ross fell in love with Romar and the rest of the team.
What this means for teammate Terrence Jones:
Ross’s commitment can only help and since we have one scholarship left we are all connecting the dots in our minds. They were always considered a semi-package deal, but lately Kansas’ Josh Selby has tried to convince that Rock, Chalk, Jayhawkin’ is better than Bowing Down. Since we all know that this is crazy talk, it is a good sign that one of his best friends, who has him on speed dial, now wears the purple and gold. Also, you can never discount Darth Calipari. Speculation had said that if C.J. Leslie, who was thought to be a heavy UK lean, committed to Kentucky then Jones would look elsewhere. However, Leslie committed to N.C. State this week, stating that he wants to stay closer to home and play with his friend (take notes Mr. Jones).
While conventional wisdom would say that this is a bad sign, but I think Jones has already made up his mind and this decision came a little late to actually matter. Multiple sources have predicted that Jones will commit to UW on Friday with Ross, but you’ll have to excuse me for not being overly confident. Since saying “I have a good feeling” is no longer enough analysis, I’d have to say I’m 60% sure we will have more than one Jefferson star named Terrence on the roster next year.
What to expect from Ross in 2010/2011:
Ross’ skills could warrant him more playing time than most freshmen that come into UW. His skill behind the arc is said to be very strong, but it’s his athleticism at the SG position that makes your mouth drool. If that last video isn’t enough, this one might make you miss Clarence Trent a little less. Regardless, our SG position is currently being filled by I.T. That doesn’t mean that Ross won’t be in the rotation. I’d expect to see him battle with C.J. Wilcox and Scott Suggs for minutes at the 2/3 spot. Coach Romar loves to ride the hot hand, so I’ll refrain from speculating on his minutes or averages because it could be as high as 15 minutes or as low as five per game.
Maybe more importantly, there has been speculation that Ross might be ineligible next year due to his academic problems from his past. However, according to Ross himself, he says that he will be completely eligible and there are no other reports that state otherwise. Until I hear something to the contrary, I’d say I’m 95% sure he’ll be enrolled at Montlake next year. Beyond ‘10/’11 though? His ceiling is incredibly high. The Dawgs haven’t had a guard with this much NBA potential since Brandon Roy. As some have said, he could end up becoming a better pro-prospect than Terrence Jones.
This last part here is for Terrence Jones only. Everybody else can stop reading:
Ok, Terrence it’s just you and me. Now I know I’m just some guy who writes for free on a blog that’s not even mine, but I just want you to hear me out. I know going to Kentucky or Kansas is a “sexier” pick than coming to UW but you could be the missing piece here. A Final Four run is completely possible with you in our starting line-up. The city of Seattle (which is about 1,000 times better than Lawrence and Lexington combined) and all of Husky Nation has desperately wanted a team that can bring a national championship in a major sport to the area. All of the pieces are assembled and all that is needed is to add one more Husky warrior who wants to finally put the Northwest on the map. Will you be that man? Will you stand-up and lead us to the promised land? Show the nation that there is more to life than flashy coaches and ESPN hype. Terrence, do you know what’s there beyond that court? IMMORTALITY! TAKE IT! IT’S YOURS!
Thanks for coming!
Tags: basketball, nfl, uw
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W. Basketball. Jackson Names New Husky Basketball Assistant Coach
Tags: basketball
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M. Basketball. Date Set for WSU’s Hardwood Matchup with K-State
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Top 11: Candidates For University of Washington President
The University of Washington lost its president on Tuesday when Mark Emmert opted to take on the same role with the NCAA. Somehow, I can’t blame him.
Despite a limited background in college sports, Emmert was a visible figure in the athletic departments at each of his last two schools, Washington and Louisiana State. As chancellor at LSU, Emmert was largely credited with helping build the foundation that brought the school two BCS National Football Championships. At Washington, he replaced embattled athletic director Todd Turner with current AD Scott Woodward, and also played a significant role in the hiring of football coach Steve Sarkisian.
With Emmert moving on to Indianapolis to hold court over the world of collegiate athletics, the UW will undoubtedly begin a search for the next president at Washington. While we will likely not be solicited for advice during the hiring process, we’d humbly like to suggest 11 viable candidates who could capably step into the role of Top Dawg and fill Emmert’s shoes.
11. Beverly Cleary
She’s the author of those Ramona chapter books you read as a kid.
She’s also a 94-year-old UW alum.
I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that 94 might be a little old to run an entire university. Whatever. You’ll thank me when she starts handing out free cookies and making nap time part of the curriculum.
10. Bill Clinton
A dark horse for the position, Clinton is rumored to have a strong background in presidential roles. He also might be looking to get away from his wife, the U.S. Secretary of State, and Seattle could be the perfect place to do just that.
Though certain infidelities dot his past, the liberal environment around the Washington campus should provide a welcoming haven for the Arkansas native.
9. Tim Lincecum
Heavily endorsed by the school’s pot-smoking community, Lincecum would revolutionize the role of university president.
Working directly with the state, we could expect the campus of the University of Washington to become a marijuana-legal zone. Major renovations for the baseball stadium could also be anticipated, and classes would eventually get moved from an 8:30 a.m. start time to around noon.
Campus convenient stores would no longer charge for snacks, and shoes would be optional.
Lincecum would likely become the first UW president to move his office into a tree house, and lecture halls would be replaced by instructional solariums.
8. Patrick Duffy
Whether you know him as Bobby Ewing from Dallas or the dad from Step By Step, one fact remains: Duffy is a 1975 UW alum.
More recently, the famous television actor has been spotted doing ads for a hearing aid company, which means three things. One, I’m getting old. Two, he’s getting old. And three, he’s probably not very busy right now. Which essentially means that he’s free to take on the new challenge of president of his alma mater.
Fun fact: Duffy is the uncle of Tim Lincecum’s San Francisco Giants teammate Barry Zito. So it’s entirely possible that he could team up with Lincecum to help run the university.
7. Terry Swanson
Many of you may not know who Terry Swanson is. Rest assured, he’s one of the best candidates for the position.
A professor of geology at UW, Swanson is the one faculty member on campus who I can assure you loves his job.
The primary instructor of the school’s Geology 101 class (aka Rocks for Jocks), Swanson (pictured, at right) once earned himself a standing ovation from a lecture hall of over 700 students back in 2003. Seriously. I was there. Never saw anything like it again.
Having developed a working relationship with many of the school’s athletes (hence the Rocks for Jocks alias for his course), Swanson could immediately provide the same influence over the athletic program that Emmert did before him.
The fact that the students already enjoy Swanson’s presence would perhaps make him the most beloved president in Washington’s long and storied history.
6. Joel McHale
The host of The Soup on E!, as well as the star of NBC’s Community, McHale is a Seattle native who graduated from Washington in 1995 with a degree in history. Surprisingly, the 6’3″ actor also spent two years as a tight end on the Husky football team in the early-’90s.
Blessed with the ability to charm audiences and entertain large groups of people, McHale could easily woo boosters and secure funding for various projects at the school. His diverse background at Washington (in addition to his athletic accomplishments and bachelor’s in History, McHale also holds a Master in Fine Arts degree) would enlighten the 38-year-old to a varying degree of would-be supporters, cementing his role as the most amicable president of all-time.
5. Bob Condotta
The University of Washington beat reporter for The Seattle Times, Condotta means more to Husky fans than many individuals currently employed by the school.
In spite of the fact that Condotta didn’t attend UW, his vast wisdom of the university — and more specifically the university’s athletic department — would make him an ideal candidate to replace Emmert. His ability to create wonderfully-worded prose on the purple-and-gold would only help his cause.
4. Paul Schell
Schell is best known to area natives as the former mayor of Seattle, a role in which he served from 1998 through 2001.
Many folks, however, may be unaware that Schell was once employed as the dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Washington in the mid-’90s.
Of course, at age 72 such a drastic career move for the presently-retired Schell could be a tough task, but we like to think he’d be up to the challenge.
And yes, there is a certain bit of scandal surrounding his past foray into politics, most notably with his handling of the WTO riots of 1999. But hey, look on the bright side. At least he’s not Greg Nickels.
3. Warren Moon
The early favorite amongst University of Washington fraternity members, Moon is a 1978 alum who famously led the Husky football team to a Rose Bowl victory (over Michigan) in that same year.
A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the 53-year-old Moon has had his legacy tainted by just the right amount of public disrepute you’d expect of a president. In the past, the ex-signal-caller has been accused of domestic abuse and DUI, charges which were later dropped or lessened.
The fact that Moon has kept himself on the straight-and-narrow for the past couple years should be enough to help him lay claim to the vacant position. His philanthropic work in the community will further endear him to those crazy hippies that want to save the world and all that junk.
2. Rainn Wilson
Best known as Dwight Schrute on the NBC sitcom The Office, Wilson is a Seattle-area native who attended the University of Washington once upon a time.
If he could possibly channel his Office character, Wilson would turn UW into arguably the most efficient four-year institution in the entire country. It might not be a fun place to work or go to school, but costs would undoubtedly remain low and things would get accomplished at a blistering rate.
A self-proclaimed independent, Wilson is a fervent moderate who represents ideals in all political parties. His varying beliefs could help him relate to a wide array of people on his way to the top.
1. Lorenzo Romar
The one man who could arguably run for president of anything in Seattle and win, Romar has all the traits one would seek to lead the university.
A UW alumnus and the third all-time winningest coach in the history of the basketball program, Romar bleeds Husky colors and embodies everything the school is looking for in a president. He’s a winner, a proven leader, a stand-up individual, and one of the best representatives of the University of Washington.
In all seriousness, Romar might not be ready to take on the challenge of school president just yet, but a few years from now he might very well have Dawg fans singing Hail To The Chief.
Filed under: Top 11
Tags: baseball, basketball, football, nfl, uw
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Found: CraigsList Want Ad For Oregon Basketball Coaching Vacancy
In case you missed it, the University of Oregon just hired former Creighton head basketball coach Dana Altman (pictured, at right) to assume the same position in Eugene. While Altman is a decent enough guy with an above-average coaching pedigree, he was probably the school’s tenth or eleventh choice for the vacant post previously held by the infamous Ernie Kent.
The Ducks began their well-chronicled search for a strong basketball mind over a month ago when they fired Kent after 13 seasons at the helm. After attempting to lure a plethora of big-name coaches with large sums of money (Mark Few, Tom Izzo, Tubby Smith, Jamie Dixon, just to name a few), the university was forced to adjust their qualifications for the ideal job candidate. We came across their most recent want ad a few days ago on CraigsList. Take a look.
Head Basketball Coach (Eugene, OR)
Date: 2010-04-20, 12:00 PM PDT
Reply to: job-bhpcgs-1712412759@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
Semi-prestigious university based in Eugene, Oregon is seeking a head coach for its men’s basketball program.
Job duties are as follows:
- Maintain guidance over up to 20 young men who have been known to get in trouble from time to time (trouble includes shooting firearms at defenseless water fowl, as well as associating with convicted criminals).
- Caress boosters’ egos (figuratively).
- Carees boosters’ daughters (literally).
- Provide revenue streams for university and market basketball program to prospective sponsors.
- Talk to teens and pre-pubescents with applicable talent and convince them to attend the university and join basketball program.
- Act as a liaison between wealthy, billionaire entrepreneur and academic institution of employ.
The ideal candidate will possess the following traits:
- Willingness to look ridiculous in front of large groups of people.
- Willingness to travel for long periods of time.
- Willingness to deal with large doses of verbal abuse from young adults.
- Willingness to remain faithful to one’s spouse, if engaged in a committed, monogamous relationship (preferred, not required).
- Willingness to avoid travel to nations south of the United States and north of Guatemala (preferred, not required).
- Willingness to wear green-and-yellow clothing, as well as black, white, and pink, often in unflattering combinations.
- Ability to talk to children and sell them on the benefits of hanging out with you.
- Ability to win basketball games, or at least not lose that badly.
- Ability to carry a pulse for upwards of 300 days per year.
- Ability to speak English (preferred, not required).
- Ability to lift upwards of 50 pounds and stand for hours on end.
- Ability to blow a whistle.
- Ability to pee standing up (preferred, not required).
The following is a list of specific details related to this position:
- Location: Eugene, Oregon (slightly north of hell, far south of heaven).
- Compensation: DOE (Hint: More money than you are qualified to earn for the things you’ve accomplished in your professional life).
- Full-time/Part-time: This is a full-time job, but you can probably skate by with a part-time effort for the salary you’ll be making.
- Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster. Recruits, please do.
- Phone calls about this job are okay. Looking for anybody, really. Tell your friends.
- Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests (except in instances that involve cash donations to the poster and their respective place of business).
PostingID: 17125900000000
Filed under: Other Sports
Tags: basketball, nfl
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Last, but not least
And with their final pick in the 2010 NFL draft, the Seahawks lost their collective minds.
How else can you explain drafting a player who began his college career as a linebacker, finished it as a combination tight end/H-back and you’re projecting him as a wide receiver?
“That’s where you take a guy like that,” general manager John Schneider said this afternoon when asked about Kent State’s Jameson Konz.
That is where the Seahawks selected Konz – with the 245th pick overall, and a compensatory pick at that.
Konz’s numbers just added up to taking a shot on his potential. He weighs 223 pounds. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds. He has a vertical leap of 46 inches.
“He can jump over the two us standing up straight here,” is the way coach Pete Carroll put it.
Konz (it’s pronounced Cons) is more concerned with making the leap from Kent State to the NFL.
“A lot of is natural,” he said of his off-the-chart workout numbers. “But a lot of it is hard work. I go out and bust my butt in the weight room. I will do anything I have to do to try and be the best player on the field.”
For the record, he never played basketball at Lake High School in Hartville, Ohio – despite his impressive-plus leaping ability.
“The entire time growing up, my basketball coach in high school was begging me to play,” he said. “But my focus was on football. Looking back, I wish I had done that a little bit. He definitely wanted me to play. But I had to turn him down because my focus was on football.”
Tags: basketball, draft, football, nfl, Seahawks
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Tags: basketball
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Tags: basketball, Storm
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