Head vs. Heart when you are a "fan"

Part of the criticism of SI is our problem. We are like jilted lovers when it comes to losing a really good player to another program. Add to that the fact that she chose our rival, and not only does she say no to us but she kind of rubs it on our face by dating our neighbor. She is very good (already in the National POY discussion as a sophomore, and a better all-around talent, IMO, than Kelsey Plum, who won the award last year, so she will probably win it before she’s finished), and has rapidly taken a weak program with the help of several other talented women, to a high level. After OSU built a program of equal stature the old-fashioned way (a brick at a time, like Casey in baseball), it rankles many of us to see uo motor into this position in their now standard way, with glitz and $$$ and facilities. It’s hard to take as a Beaver, but they have done nothing (that we know of) wrong to get there. We’re jealous. In what is actually typical duck spin when they lose out on a recruit, our “she wasn’t the right fit here” is like their classics “we didn’t want them anyway” line.

This brings me to the legit knock on her. Having made that last statement, I’ve heard from several people associated with the program that she really wasn’t a good fit here. Sometimes fit doesn’t refer to talent, and it certainly doesn’t necessarily have to do with the athlete’s ability to get along with teammates or help the team to excel on the court/field. Sabrina herself said that OSU told her she would be a force in helping them to continue and even improve on their success. UO told her that she would be THE force, the straw that stirs the drink, the ONE that they would build around. Some would say that she dropped us because it wasn’t the best fit. Others would say that we cooled on her because she wasn’t a good fit. I believe that both are accurate. A mutual understanding. At uo they are going to throw out the balls, cut the women loose, and if SI wants to take 30 shots she has the green light. At OSU they’re going to play disciplined and hard-nosed, and everyone does what they need to do from game to game that is best for the team. The alphas may get 20 shots when they are hot and/or we need to exploit a matchup. Both teams play hard on both ends, both are passionate about the game, both have a culture that is close-knit (family), and both are very good programs at this juncture. Not a better pair of rival teams in terms of quality in the nation right now.

Sabrina’s great and her team is really good, with several very good players. We have a collective group of very good players, and our team is really good. Our system is more conducive to building a “next women up” approach, with Marie being the latest example of development within a program to that alpha level. I predict that it will keep happening in Corvallis, while Graves will more likely reel in ready-to-play stars. The beauty with women’s hoops is we get these fine athletes for 4 years, which is perfect for the culture that SR has established. In the men’s game, uo can separate from OSU quickly given their advantages, but in the women’s game I expect both programs to be strong and the rivalry to be sweet for as long as these respective coaches remain.

It's amazing how the story grows in the telling. There are no allegations of coach-supervised illegal practices. The infractions involved low-level staff who lacked the training and supervision to know that they shouldn't shag balls for team members when they are shooting around. I hate the *ucks as much as anyone, but this round of allegations are trivial.

Sources say there is video of this and it reveals far more than uo alleges. This is by mo means "minor," especially for a school still within the five-year window from the date it's last NCAA punishment was announced. 

From the Register-Guard:

The NCAA’s enforcement staff labeled each as Level II violations, indicating “a significant breach of conduct.” Level II is a step below Level I, which signals the most severe infractions, while Level III and Level IV are considered secondary and incidental in nature.

Oregon basketball coaches Kelly Graves and Dana Altman are both listed as responsible for the violations in their programs. 
Altman and Graves were both alleged to have exceeded the NCAA limit of four coaches by allowing other staff members to participate in team activities during practice. The allegations against the men’s basketball team date back to 2013 while the women’s program committed similar violations beginning in December 2016.

The men’s basketball team allowed “a noncoaching staff member” to serve as a referee between 10 and 20 times per year. From May 22 to Aug. 19. 2016, the staff member “provided technical or tactical basket­ball instruction to, participated with/or observed men’s basketball student-athletes ... during nonorganized voluntary athletically related activities” at least 64 times.

From December 2016 until May, an assistant strength and conditioning coach participated in “on-court” activities with the Ducks.

The allegations against the women’s program are similar, stating that an assistant strength and conditioning coach participated in individual workouts and practices. 

The newest trick in college basketball is to hire assistant strength and conditioning staff who are actually coaches, and have them supervise off-season workouts, so players are getting far more than normal off-season instruction than is permissible by the letter of the law.

Memphis is expected to hire former NBA player George Lynch as its new strength & conditioning coach. He had the same job for Larry Brown at SMU. Lynch played at UNC and was founder and director of Flight Nine Basketball from 2006 until 2010 He then spent 2010–12 at UC-Irvine as a strength and conditioning coach for basketball and an assistant athletics director for community relations before re-joining the SMU men's basketball staff in 2012 under head coach and fellow UNC alum Larry Brown.

I'm sure his S&C professional credentials are impeccable. 

I believe the NCAA's version far more than uo's. The "NCAA's words" are pretty important, don't you think?