I expect that and wish him well for the next five seasons at Washington State. His wife wants to be there, and the family atmosphere around this year's team just might translate into keeping at least some of the pieces intact for next year. I know that goes against all the prevailing logic in today's college game, but so does WSU being 23-8 this season. Nobody saw that coming except Kyle Smith, and maybe nobody expects him to stay at WSU -- except Kyle Smith. Go Cougs.
Andrej Jakimovski's shoulder injury wasn't mentioned, and has not got a lot of coverage, but Washington State's prospects could be impacted by it if he can't get a lot healthier with a week off.
At 100%, WSU is a legit threat to win it, but whether they can be 100% is something to watch closely.
Honestly, I wouldn't hate it if we kept Jaki out entirely this week. That would give him two weeks off between the end of the regular season and the tourney to heal up.
Congrats on your two year anniversary on taking the plunge on yourself. Your writing is superb. And a big thanks for keeping the subscriptions so affordable. I always look forward to your next column.
Heading to Vegas tomorrow to see the Cougs. I am a bit worried because they have not played very well down the stretch and play a lot better as the hunter and not the hunted. Jakimovski's shoulder injury is a huge problem and he is the only starter who has played in this tournament. Rice, Wells and Jones need to play well. History tells me Wazzu will lose by ten to the Stanford/Cal winner, but nobody cares about history anymore. Wazzu will win it all and end up playing the first round of the NCAA tournament in Spokane. Go Cougs!
I posted this once, but for some reason it didn't show up. Kyle Smith said in his news conference today that Jakimovski looks good in practice and will play on Thursday. He got hit in the shoulder early in the UW game and got "something like a stinger," Smith said. It's possible if he got hit again, he might have to sit, but for now, he's playing.
USC has the talent to win this thing, but Andy Enfield hasn't won a critical game since I was in a phone booth telling an operator I wanted to make a collect call...
I’ll watch, but honestly, no game will match watching my grandson and his teammates win the OSAA 5a boys State basketball championship last weekend with a buzzer beater miracle shot! 😁 in my view, there is nothing more fun or pure amateur to watch.
The reason they are in 5a is due to the fact the none of the valley schools want to come over the pass in winter to play. 3 of the schools over here qualify as 6a and they do travel to the valley to play some 6a schools. 2 years ago, Summit played in 6a and played in the championship game, losing only to Tualatin. The league over here will be 6a again as population growth
Well that's good to know, since it then will be fair competition. Putting a school like CV in the same class as three almost twice its size isn't fair.
Here are several 5a schools enrollment most of whom made the bball tourney:
Bend High 1743
Woodburn 1701
Summit 1527
My View 1393
Wilsonville 1212
Putnam 1106
Redmond 928
Note that Summit has only about 300 more students than Willson ville while they have about 200 fewer students than Woodburn. Summit beat both teams, but the enrollment disparity is not that large either way. Also, keep in mind that in most districts, students can choose their high school and this clearly affects sports like bball. Enrollment size is not the only factor.
Then you have schools like Tualatin that are bigger than most 6A. If there were a 7a they, and a couple other schools would qualify. But they play 6A, a similar enrollment disparity of Summit being in 5a.
The OSAA does the best they can with the geography they are dealt. And then you have private schools, like the Catholic ones that actively recruit, even as far away as Australia!
Interesting piece. I appreciate the network of knowledgeable sources you have developed. This season, the last for the conference, appears to be as usual - a couple good teams and a jumble of also rans.
For me, one play bespeaks the Ducks season. It occurred during the late first half of the Cal game in Berkeley. Cal’s leading scorer took a hard fall and remained down as play continued. The Ducks had a five on four advantage but rather than work for a good shot, a Duck player jacked up a three from the corner. It missed, close but no cigar. Is it the coach or the players or the injuries? Regardless, the season was a perfect storm for mediocrity!
RE: Oregon State and the end of the line for Pope: I think Pope will set himself free. He showed incredible loyalty returning to Oregon State for Coach Tinkle when there were much better programs and maybe more NIL $$ available to him if he jumped. He won't make that mistake twice. He's gone. So should Tinkle be. He seems like a great guy and a solid bball mind from the 70s-80s. But it is the 2020s and his style has not translated. The Beavers need someone like Gary Payton as HC to rejuvenate a once-great program. Ralph Miller proved you could get city kids to play in Corvallis. And that was a time when the mid-Valley was a lot more unknown and a lot more agrarian than it is today. With the added incentive of NIL, the Beavers should be able to recruit with the right coaching staff. It is time to reboot.
I’ve been laid up and watching a lot of PAC-12 hoops. I love the sneaky pick of USC to at least get to the title game. And no, none of us at OSU want to set Pope free…..but I can think of someone else who should go….regardless the cost.
Colorado would face Washington State in the semi-final if both teams win their 2nd round game. Still going with your prediction of Cougs win it all though. :)
My bad! Was going with my gut on who was ready to play and didnt look at bracket. I’ll go with AZ v WSU in final and Cougs to win it all! Thanks for the correction. I am a serious PAC 12 fan.
I know OSU can not afford to fire Wayne Tinkle because the buyout given him by Scott Barnes. (Thanks so much Scott for your stupidity.) I would hope he would see that he is no longer wanted in Corvallis and do the right thing, resign. Otherwise next year will see the Beavers finish last in the Pac-2 and the WCC.
I wish I could be that optimistic. The question is can they keep what talent they have. My confidence in the coaching staff being able to recruit is not very high.
While Mr Tinkle seems to be a good person, see Brett Hollins, i hope he flys home with the team after the Tourney. He didn't after the '21-'22, and to me, that showed lack of Leadership and Example. Disappointing.
Between NIL & the transfer portal, there will be coaches with a need shopping in Corvallis. It will be tough to keep all the better players heading off to the WCC.
Instead of a huge buy out why not wait to see if another team makes an offer and match or exceed the offer if you want to keep the coach and can afford it? This is what we see in the 'real world of business.'
People who attach their self worth to a college sports team are sad. And when a college sports team attaches its self worth to a billionaire owner, it's even sadder. Know your place.
Another non sequitur. You are consistent my friend.
Oregon State would not and has not accepted money from Phil Knight. right? You might want to look into this 'inconvenient fact.' Phil has also given money to Stanford where he went to business school. Much of his giving to UO is in facilities used for academic purposes. He and Penny Knight have given over $2B to worthy causes including gifts to Phil's alma mater.
Know my place? Come on Man! I love the irony. OSU's place is in the G5/6 for CFB and CBB, independent for baseball, and FCS for all other sports.
"Pat Casey dared to call a meeting with Nike founder, and University of Oregon alum Phil Knight to ask for funding. He not only got the meeting, he got the money, helping spike an upgrade in facilities that now rank among the conference's best."
There've been rumors......and that's all they are. Rumors that Knight was the anonymous $50M donor for the Reser westside? That wasn't true, it was the Reser's who gave that money. Rumors that Knight paid Casey's salary so he wouldn't go to Notre Dame. That wasn't true either.
After spending $2B on duck sports, Oregon has an NIT level MBB team, a WBB that's terrible and a baseball program that makes you ask, why did Oregon bring it back?
Football: after buying every recruit possible, ducks have missed CFP last 9 years in a row.
Nothing says "Yes, you've already been fired, but we're letting you coach the conference tournament anyway because we have no shot at winning" than getting your name listed wrong in the big tournament preview. Good luck in all future endeavors, Mark [Mike] Hopkins! Husky fans like me will not miss you.
Please Stanford, stay away from Kyle Smith! -signed, every Coug fan
I know. I know. But you gotta know someone is coming at him.
Yeah... I expect that and will wish him well (so long as he doesn't end up at UW). And I do expect Stanford to come calling.
I expect that and wish him well for the next five seasons at Washington State. His wife wants to be there, and the family atmosphere around this year's team just might translate into keeping at least some of the pieces intact for next year. I know that goes against all the prevailing logic in today's college game, but so does WSU being 23-8 this season. Nobody saw that coming except Kyle Smith, and maybe nobody expects him to stay at WSU -- except Kyle Smith. Go Cougs.
UW?
The Marv Harshman of this century.
Wow! There is a historical reference. Well done!
After attending a few PAC-12 tournaments, I LOVE the “Anybody but Arizona” t-shirt idea.
Andrej Jakimovski's shoulder injury wasn't mentioned, and has not got a lot of coverage, but Washington State's prospects could be impacted by it if he can't get a lot healthier with a week off.
At 100%, WSU is a legit threat to win it, but whether they can be 100% is something to watch closely.
Jaki is such an important cog in this Cougar team.
Honestly, I wouldn't hate it if we kept Jaki out entirely this week. That would give him two weeks off between the end of the regular season and the tourney to heal up.
Agreed.
Fantastic point.
Congrats on your two year anniversary on taking the plunge on yourself. Your writing is superb. And a big thanks for keeping the subscriptions so affordable. I always look forward to your next column.
Heading to Vegas tomorrow to see the Cougs. I am a bit worried because they have not played very well down the stretch and play a lot better as the hunter and not the hunted. Jakimovski's shoulder injury is a huge problem and he is the only starter who has played in this tournament. Rice, Wells and Jones need to play well. History tells me Wazzu will lose by ten to the Stanford/Cal winner, but nobody cares about history anymore. Wazzu will win it all and end up playing the first round of the NCAA tournament in Spokane. Go Cougs!
Mr. Ed,
Have a good time.
I posted this once, but for some reason it didn't show up. Kyle Smith said in his news conference today that Jakimovski looks good in practice and will play on Thursday. He got hit in the shoulder early in the UW game and got "something like a stinger," Smith said. It's possible if he got hit again, he might have to sit, but for now, he's playing.
USC has the talent to win this thing, but Andy Enfield hasn't won a critical game since I was in a phone booth telling an operator I wanted to make a collect call...
Oregon vs Washington State.
Ducks win this in OT and head to the Big Dance!
GO DUCKS 🏀
I’ll watch, but honestly, no game will match watching my grandson and his teammates win the OSAA 5a boys State basketball championship last weekend with a buzzer beater miracle shot! 😁 in my view, there is nothing more fun or pure amateur to watch.
Summit should be good in 5A, since it is really a 6A school.
The reason they are in 5a is due to the fact the none of the valley schools want to come over the pass in winter to play. 3 of the schools over here qualify as 6a and they do travel to the valley to play some 6a schools. 2 years ago, Summit played in 6a and played in the championship game, losing only to Tualatin. The league over here will be 6a again as population growth
In Central Oregon is exploding.
Well that's good to know, since it then will be fair competition. Putting a school like CV in the same class as three almost twice its size isn't fair.
Here are several 5a schools enrollment most of whom made the bball tourney:
Bend High 1743
Woodburn 1701
Summit 1527
My View 1393
Wilsonville 1212
Putnam 1106
Redmond 928
Note that Summit has only about 300 more students than Willson ville while they have about 200 fewer students than Woodburn. Summit beat both teams, but the enrollment disparity is not that large either way. Also, keep in mind that in most districts, students can choose their high school and this clearly affects sports like bball. Enrollment size is not the only factor.
Then you have schools like Tualatin that are bigger than most 6A. If there were a 7a they, and a couple other schools would qualify. But they play 6A, a similar enrollment disparity of Summit being in 5a.
The OSAA does the best they can with the geography they are dealt. And then you have private schools, like the Catholic ones that actively recruit, even as far away as Australia!
Not sure what school you refer to as CV??
John,
Interesting piece. I appreciate the network of knowledgeable sources you have developed. This season, the last for the conference, appears to be as usual - a couple good teams and a jumble of also rans.
For me, one play bespeaks the Ducks season. It occurred during the late first half of the Cal game in Berkeley. Cal’s leading scorer took a hard fall and remained down as play continued. The Ducks had a five on four advantage but rather than work for a good shot, a Duck player jacked up a three from the corner. It missed, close but no cigar. Is it the coach or the players or the injuries? Regardless, the season was a perfect storm for mediocrity!
Love the “Canzano says…” I’m shooting for the moon LOL…Oregon beats WSU in OT
RE: Oregon State and the end of the line for Pope: I think Pope will set himself free. He showed incredible loyalty returning to Oregon State for Coach Tinkle when there were much better programs and maybe more NIL $$ available to him if he jumped. He won't make that mistake twice. He's gone. So should Tinkle be. He seems like a great guy and a solid bball mind from the 70s-80s. But it is the 2020s and his style has not translated. The Beavers need someone like Gary Payton as HC to rejuvenate a once-great program. Ralph Miller proved you could get city kids to play in Corvallis. And that was a time when the mid-Valley was a lot more unknown and a lot more agrarian than it is today. With the added incentive of NIL, the Beavers should be able to recruit with the right coaching staff. It is time to reboot.
He definitely had higher offers last year, and stayed loyal. Hard to blame him if he jumps this year.
I’ve been laid up and watching a lot of PAC-12 hoops. I love the sneaky pick of USC to at least get to the title game. And no, none of us at OSU want to set Pope free…..but I can think of someone else who should go….regardless the cost.
Pam's prediction: Colorado and Washington State in the Final -- the Cougs win it all.
Colorado would face Washington State in the semi-final if both teams win their 2nd round game. Still going with your prediction of Cougs win it all though. :)
My bad! Was going with my gut on who was ready to play and didnt look at bracket. I’ll go with AZ v WSU in final and Cougs to win it all! Thanks for the correction. I am a serious PAC 12 fan.
I know OSU can not afford to fire Wayne Tinkle because the buyout given him by Scott Barnes. (Thanks so much Scott for your stupidity.) I would hope he would see that he is no longer wanted in Corvallis and do the right thing, resign. Otherwise next year will see the Beavers finish last in the Pac-2 and the WCC.
The WCC coaches I spoke with last week in Las Vegas all seemed to think OSU would finish in the middle of the pack.
I wish I could be that optimistic. The question is can they keep what talent they have. My confidence in the coaching staff being able to recruit is not very high.
The WCC is OSU's ticket (and probably Coach Tinkle's) to a soft landing.
While Mr Tinkle seems to be a good person, see Brett Hollins, i hope he flys home with the team after the Tourney. He didn't after the '21-'22, and to me, that showed lack of Leadership and Example. Disappointing.
IF OSU can keep the nucleus of Pope & Bilodeau & KC, then their junior year will be very entertaining. And Pope is nothing if not loyal.
Between NIL & the transfer portal, there will be coaches with a need shopping in Corvallis. It will be tough to keep all the better players heading off to the WCC.
Agents vs ADs is Heavyweights vs Lightweights.
Instead of a huge buy out why not wait to see if another team makes an offer and match or exceed the offer if you want to keep the coach and can afford it? This is what we see in the 'real world of business.'
People who attach their self worth to a college sports team are sad. And when a college sports team attaches its self worth to a billionaire owner, it's even sadder. Know your place.
Another non sequitur. You are consistent my friend.
Oregon State would not and has not accepted money from Phil Knight. right? You might want to look into this 'inconvenient fact.' Phil has also given money to Stanford where he went to business school. Much of his giving to UO is in facilities used for academic purposes. He and Penny Knight have given over $2B to worthy causes including gifts to Phil's alma mater.
Know my place? Come on Man! I love the irony. OSU's place is in the G5/6 for CFB and CBB, independent for baseball, and FCS for all other sports.
Have a nice day.
from 2014 column in The Oregonian
"Pat Casey dared to call a meeting with Nike founder, and University of Oregon alum Phil Knight to ask for funding. He not only got the meeting, he got the money, helping spike an upgrade in facilities that now rank among the conference's best."
https://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/2014/05/pat_casey_dared_to_dream_and_n.html
Have heard rumors that some other donations have been made by P. Knight as well (Penny) (to keep donations quiet).
There've been rumors......and that's all they are. Rumors that Knight was the anonymous $50M donor for the Reser westside? That wasn't true, it was the Reser's who gave that money. Rumors that Knight paid Casey's salary so he wouldn't go to Notre Dame. That wasn't true either.
After spending $2B on duck sports, Oregon has an NIT level MBB team, a WBB that's terrible and a baseball program that makes you ask, why did Oregon bring it back?
Football: after buying every recruit possible, ducks have missed CFP last 9 years in a row.
Ever hear of the term Return on Investment?
Grade C-
Ouch
FCS exists only in football. Do you not know anything about college athletics?
Amazing arrogance. Talk about consistency
Don’t forget WCC Women’s Champion Portland Pilots who qualified for March Madness!!!
Nothing says "Yes, you've already been fired, but we're letting you coach the conference tournament anyway because we have no shot at winning" than getting your name listed wrong in the big tournament preview. Good luck in all future endeavors, Mark [Mike] Hopkins! Husky fans like me will not miss you.
My bad. Being from the bay, that hotel gets me every time.