I have maintained that it would be a huge blow to OSU athletics if fund-raising magician De Carolis left. Oops, scratch that. Make it Portland State. Big picture, De Carolis has been a first-rate athletic director. De Carolis said he is not looking to leave Oregon State β where he has said in the past the constant battle to survive financially is like beating your head against the wall every day β and he is speaking with OSU president Ed Ray about signing another extension.
When the guy who "Raised Reser'' wants to hang around, that is good news for the football coach, the basketball coach, and everyone else involved with athletics.
The new boat house, the new Academic Success Building that is a cooperative venture with athletics, the new track, and soon β hopefully β the new basketball practice facility behind the Sports Performance Center that will enable men's coach Craig Robinson and women's coach Scott Rueck to offer more to recruits. For Lunchpail U. I asked De Carolis about the Michigan job he looked into last year. De Carolis was admittedly not impressed with Oregon State when he visited the place for the first.
And he certainly never dreamed he would be roaming the campus for 13 years. The challenge of helping make OSU athletics relevant and seeing the football program come back to life turned out to be right in his wheelhouse. OK, maybe five more. At Oregon State, the man doing the juggling sometimes must possess Cirque du Soleil ability, because brother, it ain't easy.
More with De Carolis in later entries. This morning's links:. Joevan Catron. John Hunt's. Paul Buker. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. Published: Jan. By Paul Buker, The Oregonian. Bob De Carolis has been around 13 years, and he wants to stay a few more.
