Oregon is unveiling their brand new football facility over on GoDucks.com, and I just KNOW that Jeff Brunelle is tearing up with happiness right now. He’s a Duck for life, loves Oregon football, and wants to see them take home a national title sometime VERY soon. This facility could certainly help the Ducks do just that!
Based solely off the new digs, who wouldn’t want to go there?
Now, after I got all the slobber off my keyboard, I started to think a little deeper about all this, and I definitely think this new facility raises some REALLY interesting issues and questions…
1) Is that a barbershop IN the facility? How can the NCAA try to suspend an athlete for washing her car on campus, but allow another school to give its players haircuts in a top notch salon? I don’t get it, but that’s certainly a nice set up. Even if the Oregon players pay for them, it’s a questionable perk for amateur athletes.
2) Custom Rugs EVERYWHERE. Do you know how expensive custom rugs are, especially when they are handwoven? Makes sense that this nearly 150,000 square foot facility cost $68 Million. That’s $453 per square foot for you construction buffs, which actually isn’t THAT high. Ok, it’s actually pretty high. No idea if the $68M includes outfitting the space, or just construction. But I do love those rugs.
3) “Uncle Phil” has his own locker. When you’re the man behind Nike, and you support Oregon like you do, you get a locker in the football locker room. I wonder if Mr. Knight would ever suit up for a game? That would be a sight to see.
4) The Head Coach’s office is insane. Is the HC at Oregon the CEO of Goldman Sachs? His office sure looks like it! Switch out
5) The “NFL Ducks” are amazing. Oregon grad makes it to the NFL? They add a new duck. The installation can be seen in the photo gallery, and it’s a total beauty.
6) Oregon HAS MONEY! Clearly, the Ducks have a ton of cash on hand. And money rules all. So where do they go with things next? Hopefully, they make their way into men’s lacrosse! If they can float $68 Million for a BUILDING for football, I’m sure they could scrape together $10 Million to fund men’s lacrosse completely!
Add in that Nike has been picking up its game within our sport, and the fact that Nike hosted an interesting training event at their HQ in Oregon this Summer, called The Ride, and things look a little brighter. Since Oregon and Nike go hand in hand, it makes some sense to think that lacrosse is being talked about in Duck country, at least at some level. Of course, Oregon’s club team wore Warrior gear last year, and not Nike gear, and until we see big moves on that minor issue, it looks like this could take some time.
And if people want to bring up the Title IX issue, or any other excuse as to why this won’t happen, they are more than welcome to, but the fact remains, when a school like Oregon, or a brand like Nike, decides to do something, it happens. If they want to add lacrosse, they can. It really is that simple.
If Oregon ever does start up a varsity D1 NCAA lacrosse program, you can expect them to have one of the best facilities in the country immediately. Maybe Phil Knight would even request a locker in the building… It’s just what Oregon does, I guess! For lacrosse’s sake in Duck country, let’s hope that last part is true.
Oregon + Lacrosse = Make It Happen, Phil Knight. You literally have the power.