Nike's Phil Knight has branded Oregon into national power [Sports Illustrated article]

[pacmagic2002]

I knew of Phil Knight.....after reading exactly what he does with Oregon....he gets my respect.

Although its a major marketing ploy..........its pure genius

 

[whutizit]

great read.

 

[whutizit]

great read.

 

[ooiron manoo]

You guys didn't know about University of Nike @ Eugene, 

Hopefully the new basketball arena can get that program turned around.  I'm surprised more wealthy alumni of various schools don't try to do what Phil has done with Oregon regarding the improvment of facilities.  I know there are people who do it, but not nearly to the extent that Phil does.
It's done all the time.  Most private institutions have multiple Phil Knight's, however they sink their money into the academic and research portions of the University.

The three biggest schools in North America based on endowments: Harvard ($25 billion), Yale ($15 billion), and Stanford ($12 billion).  Stanford is the only one with a D1 program and they don't really care about their football team.  They care, just not on the level of an elite football school.

The clout Phil Knight has at Oregon is nuts, they should just make him the School President,

 

[ooiron manoo]

You guys didn't know about University of Nike @ Eugene, 

Hopefully the new basketball arena can get that program turned around.  I'm surprised more wealthy alumni of various schools don't try to do what Phil has done with Oregon regarding the improvment of facilities.  I know there are people who do it, but not nearly to the extent that Phil does.
It's done all the time.  Most private institutions have multiple Phil Knight's, however they sink their money into the academic and research portions of the University.

The three biggest schools in North America based on endowments: Harvard ($25 billion), Yale ($15 billion), and Stanford ($12 billion).  Stanford is the only one with a D1 program and they don't really care about their football team.  They care, just not on the level of an elite football school.

The clout Phil Knight has at Oregon is nuts, they should just make him the School President,

 

[fear the ibis]

Originally Posted by jville819

Originally Posted by mjd77

Hopefully the new basketball arena can get that program turned around.  I'm surprised more wealthy alumni of various schools don't try to do what Phil has done with Oregon regarding the improvment of facilities.  I know there are people who do it, but not nearly to the extent that Phil does.

The wealthiest alums of most schools don't care as much about athletics as Knight does seeing as how sports is the reason why he is the richest man in Oregon. 

Wealthy alums of big schools donate PLENTY to their alma mater.


They just donate to academics and specific colleges. They're just donating to Business/Engineering/Medical/Journalism schools and having buildings named after them instead of donating to the teams and having locker rooms named after them.

 

[fear the ibis]

Originally Posted by jville819

Originally Posted by mjd77

Hopefully the new basketball arena can get that program turned around.  I'm surprised more wealthy alumni of various schools don't try to do what Phil has done with Oregon regarding the improvment of facilities.  I know there are people who do it, but not nearly to the extent that Phil does.

The wealthiest alums of most schools don't care as much about athletics as Knight does seeing as how sports is the reason why he is the richest man in Oregon. 

Wealthy alums of big schools donate PLENTY to their alma mater.


They just donate to academics and specific colleges. They're just donating to Business/Engineering/Medical/Journalism schools and having buildings named after them instead of donating to the teams and having locker rooms named after them.

 

[th1nk]

CP just cringed

 

[th1nk]

CP just cringed

 

[professor ykk]

Phil Knight has donated plenty to the academic side of  the university. He built the law school and the library. Both are enormous sets of buildings that bear his name. Knight also has endowed chairs and professorships across the campus. He also donated 105 million to Stanford's business school(where he got his MBA) and 100 mill the the Oregon Health Sciences University for Cancer Research.

Sensationalism is what matters though, so I'm not surprised that those stats are almost always ignored, nor am I surprised that I was the first one in this thread to actually make this point.

 

[professor ykk]

Phil Knight has donated plenty to the academic side of  the university. He built the law school and the library. Both are enormous sets of buildings that bear his name. Knight also has endowed chairs and professorships across the campus. He also donated 105 million to Stanford's business school(where he got his MBA) and 100 mill the the Oregon Health Sciences University for Cancer Research.

Sensationalism is what matters though, so I'm not surprised that those stats are almost always ignored, nor am I surprised that I was the first one in this thread to actually make this point.

 

[Retroballer]

Man if i was that rich Southern New Hampshire University would be the freshest team in DII

 

[Retroballer]

Man if i was that rich Southern New Hampshire University would be the freshest team in DII

 

[ooiron manoo]

Originally Posted by Professor YKK

Phil Knight has donated plenty to the academic side of  the university. He built the law school and the library. Both are enormous sets of buildings that bear his name. Knight also has endowed chairs and professorships across the campus. He also donated 105 million to Stanford's business school(where he got his MBA) and 100 mill the the Oregon Health Sciences University for Cancer Research.

Sensationalism is what matters though, so I'm not surprised that those stats are almost always ignored, nor am I surprised that I was the first one in this thread to actually make this point.

I'm sure he has, but that is not what the article is about.

The article is more about Knight's influence on the Oregon program, and how it's basically his very own "pro" franchise.  The only other booster I could think of that has that much influence is Boone Pickens at Oklahoma State.  Knight basically runs the athletic department.  All the traditional powerhouse programs have major donors, but not ONE that has enough influence to hand pick an AD, Head Football Coach, Basketball Coach, etc. 

Bellotti didn't leave on his own, it was a bold move and the right one even though it is a PR nightmare.  Having him warm the AD seat, and then resigning was genius.  I'm sure Penn State and Texas wish they would've thought of that.

 

[ooiron manoo]

Originally Posted by Professor YKK

Phil Knight has donated plenty to the academic side of  the university. He built the law school and the library. Both are enormous sets of buildings that bear his name. Knight also has endowed chairs and professorships across the campus. He also donated 105 million to Stanford's business school(where he got his MBA) and 100 mill the the Oregon Health Sciences University for Cancer Research.

Sensationalism is what matters though, so I'm not surprised that those stats are almost always ignored, nor am I surprised that I was the first one in this thread to actually make this point.

I'm sure he has, but that is not what the article is about.

The article is more about Knight's influence on the Oregon program, and how it's basically his very own "pro" franchise.  The only other booster I could think of that has that much influence is Boone Pickens at Oklahoma State.  Knight basically runs the athletic department.  All the traditional powerhouse programs have major donors, but not ONE that has enough influence to hand pick an AD, Head Football Coach, Basketball Coach, etc. 

Bellotti didn't leave on his own, it was a bold move and the right one even though it is a PR nightmare.  Having him warm the AD seat, and then resigning was genius.  I'm sure Penn State and Texas wish they would've thought of that.

 

[johngotty]

Originally Posted by ooIRON MANoo


All the traditional powerhouse programs have major donors, but not ONE that has enough influence to hand pick an AD, Head Football Coach, Basketball Coach, etc. 

I'd guess that most universities don't have the cash or resources Knight has either though.

 

[johngotty]

Originally Posted by ooIRON MANoo


All the traditional powerhouse programs have major donors, but not ONE that has enough influence to hand pick an AD, Head Football Coach, Basketball Coach, etc. 

I'd guess that most universities don't have the cash or resources Knight has either though.

 

[ooiron manoo]

Originally Posted by johngotty

Originally Posted by ooIRON MANoo


All the traditional powerhouse programs have major donors, but not ONE that has enough influence to hand pick an AD, Head Football Coach, Basketball Coach, etc. 

I'd guess that most alums Oregon doesn't have a lot of alums with the cash or resources Knight has either though.

Now it's right. 

 

[ooiron manoo]

Originally Posted by johngotty

Originally Posted by ooIRON MANoo


All the traditional powerhouse programs have major donors, but not ONE that has enough influence to hand pick an AD, Head Football Coach, Basketball Coach, etc. 

I'd guess that most alums Oregon doesn't have a lot of alums with the cash or resources Knight has either though.

Now it's right. 

 

[antbanks81]

thanks for posting, it was a great read! I don't blame him, I'd do the same for my schools if I had his financial status

 

[antbanks81]

thanks for posting, it was a great read! I don't blame him, I'd do the same for my schools if I had his financial status

 

[kb8sandiego]

The man signs my checks.

 

[kb8sandiego]

The man signs my checks.

 

[blazinjkid]

T. Boone Pickens has done the same thing with Oklahoma State, albeit on a smaller scale.

Money flows freely in collegiate sports. It's been that way for decades. If Knight wants to pump 9 figures into his alma mater, that's his right. Get over it.

Although I will say that I stand by my statement that some genius Oregon grad @ Nike came up with all the crazy uniforms and the new basketball court to gain some sort of subconscious mental advantage over opponents. They're so drastically different than any other schools, they have to affect opposing players on some level.

 

[blazinjkid]

T. Boone Pickens has done the same thing with Oklahoma State, albeit on a smaller scale.

Money flows freely in collegiate sports. It's been that way for decades. If Knight wants to pump 9 figures into his alma mater, that's his right. Get over it.

Although I will say that I stand by my statement that some genius Oregon grad @ Nike came up with all the crazy uniforms and the new basketball court to gain some sort of subconscious mental advantage over opponents. They're so drastically different than any other schools, they have to affect opposing players on some level.