Has it really been nine years since Oregon’s 2017 Final Four team? Dana Altman is in Year 16, and as steady as the program progressed from his first year in 2010 to the high point of the Final Four in 2017, the program has steadily, and equally, regressed.
Injuries have decimated the Ducks this year, and when one of the injured players is your leader, floor general, and best player in Jackson Shelstad, it can have devastating consequences. Everything that can go wrong has for the Ducks. Even Mr. FishDuck took a break from his study of FanDuel National Championship odds, and in particular NCAAF latest news to share his pain about the Oregon Mens Basketball program this year.
This year is an outlier in the career of Dana Altman; nobody is calling for his job. But, it has been no secret that Altman has had troubles adjusting to this new world of NIL. He admits it himself. For X’s and O’s diehards like Altman, guys who just want to coach, having to manage the business side of the sport is not what they signed up for.
Oregon football has a GM. Is it time for basketball to do the same? (Photo by Gary Breedlove)
Marshall Malchow is the General Manager for the Oregon Ducks football program. Is it time for the Ducks to hire a dedicated general manager for basketball? Several schools, including Arizona, Baylor and Duke, among others, have one. While the Ducks, not known for pinching pennies, do not. Which is surprising, considering Oregon’s innovative attitude and knack for being out in front of things.
Altman finds his coaching staff sufficient to handle the roster building. But, why not have somebody who is dedicated to the task and can, at the very least, take some time-killing legwork and administrative duties off your hands? As well as all the “salary” negotiations. It does not make sense.
Are we at a point where the powers that be impose a General Manager on Altman and the program? Afterall, the program has not been trending in the right direction.
It would seem that something must give.
But, through this drudgery of this season we endure.
As college sports become more and more like pro sports, it seems a shame that the Ducks cannot tank the rest of the season and be rewarded with the rights to the top high school recruit in the country. Or, something like that. What a shame that this horrible season has to go to waste.
But, do not worry; I am sure we will get there…
Darren Perkins
Spokane, WA
Top photo credit: Gary Breedlove
Natalie Liebhaber, the FishDuck.com Volunteer Editor for this article, works in financial technology in SLC, Utah
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Darren Perkins is a sales professional and 1997 Oregon graduate. After finishing school, he escaped the rain and moved to sunny Southern California where he studied screenwriting for two years at UCLA. Darren grew up in Eugene and in 1980, at the tender age of five, he attended his first Oregon football game. His lasting memory from that experience was an enthusiastic Don Essig announcing to the crowd: “Reggie Ogburn, completes a pass to… Reggie Ogburn.” Captivated by such a thrilling play, Darren’s been hooked on Oregon football ever since. Currently living in Spokane, Darren enjoys flaunting his yellow and green superiority complex over friends and family in Cougar country.