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Jim Roakd's avatar

I am a Beav! But Dana Altman is , in my opinion, one of the best basketball coaches in the country. He just plain wins and he does by turning good players into great players. He is just one hot shooting guard turning into an ice cube, away from having won a national title ( Florida).

Oregon is lucky to have Altman

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BackDoor's avatar

Altman has slipped by every Pac12 coach in wins except Lute Olson. More than Mike Montgomery, Wooden, Miller. Has a lot in common with the guys he has passed ....keep your mouth shut publicly, focus on the players, win games. That will be a Pac8/10/12 legacy that will receive little attention when compared with coaching occupants in other major conferences.

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Daniel P.'s avatar

Agreed. He is a great coach!

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Bill's avatar

Lanning had no previous warning about the seriousness of the injury. He was doing what he was asked to do. It was just unfortunate timing.

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John Canzano's avatar

Agree. Felt bad for him.

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jon joseph's avatar

Lanning's job is to always be selling the program. Unfortunate timing but not on DL. I hope the young man will fully recover.

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Bill's avatar

John, can you ask Lanning about it and post his response? That would be helpful I think.

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Farrier Irene's avatar

Where was Oregon AD at the time?.. Kissing you know whose you know what.

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Todd H.'s avatar

I kind of feel like the football team thing should have been a halftime event. Why squeeze it into a timeout? Looks even worse with the injury though. Fans, including me, were distracted away from the severity of injury.

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Bill's avatar

Yeah, I don’t disagree with you about that. I have no idea how that developed or who was in charge. But I bet that Lanning will address it. I’m sure he feels bad and will hear about the blowback if others besides Canzano comment.

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Paul Roth's avatar

Thanks for your accurate and sensitive description of the debacle that was that timeout celebrating the football team while Barthelemy was lying on the floor in agony. One thing you didn't mention was that Rob Mullens was sitting right there just like three feet away from the young man. I thought he might realize the situation and rush over to stop the proceedings but he just sat there. It was truly cringe-worthy, and as you stated, tone deaf. But it's what a lot of people who still bother to go to home basketball games have come to expect from UO marketing and gameday ops. Have you noticed that whole swaths of seats have now been curtained off for men's Pac-12 games (except for AZ)? Embarrassing.

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jon joseph's avatar

Yes, Dana, times have changed.

Once upon a time yelling STFU at the opposing student section would have gotten you kicked out and suspended for more than one game. But that was yesterday when there was a modicum of civility in the sports world and the world in general.

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Keith Dickey's avatar

The MKA game experience is not good and has gotten worse over the years. It feels very manufactured and scripted leaving hardly any room for the fans to impact the game as it flows. Less is more sometimes.

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Todd H.'s avatar

I miss the raucous days of the old tinder box Mac Court. The atmosphere was unmatched. But having no elevators, and about two urinals... I don’t miss it THAT much. But I agree, it’s becoming more clinical.

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Kurt in Philomath's avatar

I feel the same way about OSU home games for men's and women's hoops. Everything is so scripted and stale. They all follow a formula they're told by some marketing gurus to follow. You coouldn't beat the atmosphere at Gill or Mac Court back in the 80s and early 90s. It was all natural.

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BackDoor's avatar

It appears the college programs are trying to follow an NBA model for manufacturing atmosphere. The atmosphere at Gill and Mac was created by students, and players, and quirky coaches (Miller and Harter)...and the then ticket prices. Wish we could recapture that. Bring back the Lone DeRanger? Maybe it's too easy to see games now with so many televised instead of making a sacrifice to attend and be "part of it."

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Doug D.'s avatar

I'm a Beaver as well and think Oregon is fortunate to Altman. Not only is he a good man but a great coach. John, it isad to see the last 2 articles on the Ducks basketball and no mention of the Beavers sweep of the Arizona schools.

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John Palmer's avatar

Not terribly important but Interesting what you said about a ‘scripted’ performance at time outs. I was in the Beaver basketball band (and marching band) in the 70’s. It was our goal to keep the momentum/enthusiasm to a max. We played certain music at time outs to keep the crowd energized based on what was happening in the game at the time.

Beaver football games today have the same ‘scripted’ events as you mentioned in this article. Just when the team has great momentum driving down the field a time out would be called and then an introduction of the 1926 basketball team with their families. I am not saying that the 1926 team shouldn’t have recognition but the timing is……Really??

I do like there are no dead spaces and you are entertained the entire time you are at a game. But agree that the scripted entertainment need a review. I sent this same option to the Beaver survey.

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Jeff Shearer's avatar

We felt the same way and mentioned it on the Beaver survey. It’s important to keep the fans and momentum going!

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David Gulickson's avatar

“For 40 years that I was doing this,” he told me, “the worst thing that could be said about you is that you bought players.

“Now, that’s part of the equation.”

There’s a new breed of coach necessary in today’s version of major college basketball. Some of the experienced coaches have been able to adapt...some are struggling

GO DAWGS

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Brenda F's avatar

I had the same thought about OSU last Thursday night when they beat Arizona...game day is too scripted. I know it's scripted, but they need to have flexibility when something happens. I watched OSU get ahead by a dunk, time out was called, and instead of having the band play the fight song, there was nothing while they set up for some fan game. And having ANY 'entertainment' while a player is hurt is simply inexcusable.

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David Gulickson's avatar

The first rule of managing a live event is to “pay appropriate attention...”

GO DAWGS

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Bob Best's avatar

Happy to see your thoughts:I don't throw around 'Go Ducks', ........Please and Thanks

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Jerry's avatar

The highlight for me was watching a couple of girls (yours) shooting hoops after the game. So much more fun! Thanks to Anna for posting.

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Jen GH's avatar

I was hoping the Ducks could contain Love but they didn’t...and doesn’t appear HC Lloyd can contain Love’s mouthing off either. I’m very sad about Keshawn’s injury, as he has been playing really well. Tough to lose a game and a player for Coach Altman, so I understand his somber mood. I think the team has potential but they need to step it up defensively, and look out for Pope when they play the Beavers in a few weeks.

I’m giving Lanning a pass; not happy that someone in charge didn’t make a quick decision to postpone his appearance with the serious injury on the floor.

PS. I enjoyed seeing your girls on the court making baskets!

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Todd H.'s avatar

Arizona brought the hurt to Oregon. Literally. Yesterday was sobering. I hurt for Barthelemy. Been there. But as I watched from Section 213, I had to think how out of sync we’ve looked since Dante and Bittle have come back. When can we expect the “jell” we had, without those guys, but with them?

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Ed's avatar

I like Altman, but most successful coaches loose their edge at the end. What is happening is inevitable. This could be his last year. Oregon better watch out for Wazzu in a couple of weeks. The Cougs will beat the Ducks. Go Cougs!

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Todd H.'s avatar

Coaches are pretty loose.... 😏

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RICHARD KROKUM's avatar

It is sad watching what is happening to college sports. It has been brought about by media companies greed and power with an inept NCAA and lack of leadership by most college administrations and ADs.

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David Gressett's avatar

I would not be surprised if Altman leaves after this season. I see a lot of parallels as to what is happening with UO MBB and what happened with David Shaw and Stanford football. You could see that Shaw was burned out perhaps over how Stanford would not be able to compete anymore with the NIL and the transfer/academic rules at Stanford. Not that UO is Stanford academically but I can sense that Altman has had enough of the new recruiting

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Brad Weekly's avatar

Could not watch but did listen the radio broadcast - and that was painful enough. The Ducks are talented and have some depth. What do they value? The team, each other, Benjamins and Beats?

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