| 05 January 2011
It is no secret Craig Robinson wants to return Oregon State back to the days of Ralph Miller and the "Orange Express", but that's going to take time.
It's also going to take some space.
"I'm trying to raise money to build a practice facility," Robinson said. "Ten years ago they wouldn't have been able to raise a dime for this program."
A lot has changed in Corvallis since then. Heck, a lot has changed since the start of this season for Robinson and the Beavers. Now 2-0 in the Pac-10 with wins over Arizona State and Arizona, this team is only weeks removed from some suspect play in non-conference games. And it was just last month that some in the media began questioning how long Robinson really would be at Oregon State.
"I think people see what I've done and think I'll go on to something else. If you turn a big program around it would be hard to leave. In this business you can't think to far long term," Robinson admitted, when recently asked how long he sees himself in Corvallis.
"But I will tell you something about Oregon State fans and the culture here.... it's been so bad for so long that they forced me to think about it. Because what they say is, 'don't go. Don't leave.' People didn't get me for leaving investment banking, but it's about the opportunity and the experience."
That experience now is all the more reason for Robinson to finish what he's already started. A young solid core comprised of can make some noise in the Pac-10, both now and later as the team grows. If nothing else, the Beavers have learned there is no such thing as a quick fix. Note the Ritchie McKay era. Note the John Jay era.
"Some people may think this is not a good enough job to keep, but if you turn it around then you have to re-evalute that.
"These jobs are extremely hard to get. We are talking BCS conference type jobs - top five or six conferences with 10 or 12 teams in them. Jobs like Duke, North Carolina and UCLA, you're not getting those jobs. So that's one thing. The other thing is, this job was viewed as a bad job," added Robinson, who recently had his current four-year contract extended for two more years.
"But if we start winning and one day competing for a Pac-10 championship, then it becomes a good job. So why would you leave a good job? People don't think that far because they are conditioned to lose."
Robinson is right where he should be - at Oregon State trying to build a winner.
And a practice facility.
photo: seattle times
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