I want to be like Mike. No, not that one (Jordan)! I'm sure most of you heard last week that Mike Bellotti stepped down as the Athletic Director of the University of Nike ... oops, I mean Oregon! The reason he gave at the press conference was that he was afforded his dream job as an analyst with ESPN, and couldn't pass it up.
It made perfect sense after I rammed my head in the wall 5 or 6 times. Mike was a California Kid who grew up in the Bay. He played football at UC Davis before coaching at Cal State Hayward, Chico State, and as an assistant coach at Davis. These were steps he took to become an assistant coach at Oregon. He was the offensive coordinator for 5 years under Rich Brooks before being named the Oregon head coach in 1994. He held that position for over 14 years before stepping down to become the Athletic Directer at Oregon. Mike won 2/3 of his games as the head coach. These were steps that he took to become an ESPN college football analyst. This makes about as much sense as Wolfgang Puck working as a fry cook at McDonald's.
It doesn't make much sense to give up a $2.5 million dollar contract to work a job for about $150,000. Living your whole life on the West Coach and have the desire to move back where the mother ship is in Bristle, Conn.? Having spent my fair share in the great northeast (sarcasm), I can honestly tell you that late fall and winter sucks! But, once again, it is his "Dream Job." Good luck, Mike, and see you at San Jose State in a couple of years ... your next "Dream Job"!
"Wise Guy"
Belloti left Oregon because Oregons sports program is almost as corrupt as UNLV's used to be.. Half of the football team has felonies.... Maybe Steve Lavin can teach him what professionalism really means in sports while they both work for ESPN..
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I agree with you except the Steve Lavin part. He was a used car salesman with slick hair. There was this "under current" of cheating and wrong doing when he coach & that is why he didn't last long. It is amazing how after a few years away he is this export. Todd Bozeman was the same way at Cal.
ReplyDeleteAS for Tark. He always said his kids at Long Beach State traveled in jeans, t-shirts and sneakers and UCLA players all had 3 piece suits and Italian shoes and drove fancey cars. The UCLA players came from the same poor areas of the cities as Long Beach state. Where did the clothes and cars come from. Wooden was a great coach...maybe best ever at any level but they cheated just like every other program. Pete Carrol said he is just like Wooden. If I don't know what is happening, my program is clean.
Steve Lavin's dad was "Cap" Lavin, Pete Newell's buddy & guru, during CAL basketball's great 1950's teams,, Also a great friend to coach Wooden..
ReplyDeleteI think Tark was talking about the kids from $UC i mean USC, not Ucla.. Walton, Alcindor, Marques Johnson, Reggie Miller lived on campus.. NO cars & $$ like the kids from Notre Dame & USC, where ALL the $$ is.. Catholic Schools have all the $$$... I love you sports guy, you havent changed a bit, loyal to your schools too..