Craig Robinson’s Tarnished Legacy featuring Barack Obama
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A post by "Seigle Seigle" To see more posts click here |
I figured Oregon St. coach Craig Robinson (brother-in-law of President Barack Obama) would schedule George Washington or some other capital region team, didn’t you? Wouldn’t you schedule a Washington metro area team to capitalize on the fact that your brother-in-law was the President?
The fact that Craig Robinson was hired at Oregon St stunk, to me, from the moment I saw it two years ago. Oregon St was going through tough economic times, was struggling to find an identity in the sport, and made a decision to turn their basketball program over to a guy whose sister married the almost surely elected, then Senator, (President) Obama.
Ok, Bobby, so what? What does it matter? Maybe Oregon St. was smart. Maybe they picked the top of the litter. Maybe they were ahead of the game. Maybe they increased support. Maybe they have increased fundraising.
Well, maybe. But maybe, as President Obama’s image and persona is enhanced through it all, Craig Robinson’s is cheapened.
Think about this in terms of historical context – Harry Truman, when he left office, went out to a ranch in the midwest and lived the rest of his life on a decent retirement and spent many of his days not as a lonely speech-giver and keynote speaker, but as a husband. He turned down numerous awards, turned down accepting CEO titles at major companies because he felt like what those people wanted to do is give an award, honor or job to the Office of the Presidency; and that office, he said, was not for sale. Harry Truman said it would cheapen the office of the Presidency if he were to accept a job or award merely based on the fact that he had held the highest title in the land. WOW.
So there’s my shtick. I want to believe that Craig Robinson was the best man for the job at Oregon State, but the only other Ivy League coach to move into the limelight (BCS conference) in recent years (in my memory, with ZERO research I might add) is JT3, who took over a program his dad had basically created – therefore a family business. Not to mention the fact that Craig Robinson didn’t win the Ivy in his two years. Not to mention, he’s not a great steward of the Princeton motion. Now, skeptics of my argument will probably hit me with 1) objective decision by Oregon St, could have been some other no-name w/ similar record (TRUE) 2) Craig Robinson is smart and business success can translate to coaching success (TRUE – grad from Princeton, MBA for a masters, successful businessman) 3) I’m only bitter (TRUE to an extent). But, what I see is a cheapening of Craig Robinson for a possible 5 year term (while bro-in-law is President) when he could have been a very successful coach at Brown, in the spot to learn the game, learn to coach and not have to have his reputation diminished because he’s in the President’s family.
So, I guess my point is that Craig Robinson could be a very good basketball coach (see OSU loss to Sacremento St or just look up Sacremento St record in the past couple years) or he could have jumped to a big level on the basis of a family name. It wouldn’t be the first time it happened and it won’t be the last. I just think it is a cheap way of getting a premium job, in a premium league, with a premium salary and not really doing anything of merit to earn it. He won’t earn it in his time there either – because he won’t win.
“The game is on the schedule. We have to play. We might as well win.” – Bill Russell (W-I-N-N-E-R)
Belie Dat, udothedishes . . .
since when does accomplishment have anything to do with being recognized. (See Nobel Prize).
It only matters what his intentions are. He wants to win the NCAA championship so he’s a great coach.
um…..REALLY?
I think this is far-fetched and baseless. Nevermind the fact that his resume can speak for itself on and off the court, do you know how hard it is to win in the Ivy league? You can’t give scholarships and 99% of the kids you want, couldn’t even get into your institiution. To come in there and become runner-up is usually reserved for elites, and half the time those guys are former players with big names, and that helps!
And excuse me,…Obama DID NOT have the presidential election in the bag TWO YEARS before his term…if anything the move to OREGON was a smart move by a smart man and an even smarter recruiter. Have you ever heard the old saying the best coaches are the best recruiters? Well, how bout an OSU budget and name to do your thang?
Ida done the same thing, regardless of if Michelle’s husband was my brother in law or not!!! Staying Ivy league is a curse to your growth up and out, and i think its safe to say he has championships set in sight and high-major and NBA dreams from the coaching position.
And furthermore, within one article you ridicule him for not capitalizing on his brother’s name (i.e. coming to DC to play), and then talk about All-American Harry Truman not capitalizing on it…huh???
SMH at this post! I totally agree with JMAL!!!!!
I was being sarcastic.
But you made some very strong points. I just didn’t know anything about the guys record or qualifications.
I was merely jabbing at the fact that it has been accepted these days that words can beat out actual accomplishments. Let him see what he can do. It he fails, then there is every right to give him the boot and say I told you so. (Obama too). But let’s a least give the guy a chance. It’s like like the guy before him did a bang up job. (In both situations).
Great move by Robinson to get a better job, no doubt. Could turn out to be the best hire of all time in the history of basketball (you never know until the games are played!), I know this.
The resume thing is not a good argument because every other Ivy League school plays with no scholarships and it’s hard to recruit. Here are facts (Robinson 30-29 in his two years…during the same two years Cornell 38-18 w NCAA appearance, Penn 35-26 w NCAA appearance, Yale 27-28, Columbia 30-27 – why weren’t these guys all hired at BCS schools in APR 2008???).
This all is to say that Craig used his brother-in-law’s name to get a job – I know this is the way of the world, I work in my dad’s business now after five years floundering around trying to be a D1 basketball coach spent at South Carolina, Texas Tech, and University of New Orleans. I am just wary of the timeline of events and the fact that his career may only last as long as Obama’s term (or two). Robinson worked for a great coach in Bill Carmody at Northwestern, but NU isn’t winning Big10 championships every year. The point about Truman is just to show how much times have changed – every President nowadays uses the Office to get rich after their term and every family member or employee or friend of a President has an avenue to get a better job because of who they’re related to or who they know! Again, that’s not rocket science, it’s the way of the world.
Yes, I would probably do the same thing (SM own H!:)), but I am willing to bet that Robinson will not last at Oregon St, will not be the head coach of a BCS school after that, and maybe, just maybe if he didn’t jump straight to the limelight after two decent years at an Ivy League school, he would be better off in the long run!
lol, i can’t write anything short
You’re skewing the reality of what is Ivy League basketball to prove your point….when 20 of those 30 games are against each other sure, lol they’ll have ok records!!!! The minute any ivy league team gets into the tourney (and plays against stiffer competition), they lose within the first two rounds. AND there is never an at large bid from the ivy league…..hmmm…i wonder why?
If you wanna see if he can coach, look at his out of conference schedule! You said you spent time trying to become a coach, i know you know that.
If he wanted to exploit his relationship, he would have played another game in DC!!!! I can’t speak on what the man’s intentions were, as mal said, so i won’t pass judgment, but my opinion is that getting a job bc your SISTER is married to a senator, doesn’t really matter much to a school that makes money from its elite football program anyway, in my opinion. So i guess I just don’t agree.
Whether he lasts or not, time will tell, but you shouldnt skew the relativity of stats to make a point. Everyone in college basketball knows how the ivy league works….and speaking of hires,….ill use the Yale coach for example….he is a 10 yr vet (probably not going anywhere bc he has a secure job with sustained ROI) and has a background of playing freshman college basketball. Whether he can coach or not, i dunno, but you won’t see a freshman team playerer from U Albany coaching at a big school like that unless he’s done some crazy things in terms of accopmlisments as a coach, period. (i.e. John Chaney formerly of Temple)
I guess i see your point, but I think you’re judging a man prematurely, much like people judged Obama 5 minutes into his presidency!
me neither lol
Dont want to beat a dead horse. It does probably seem like I am being unfairly hard on him for wanting to better his career, but I am not. I just think he could’ve written his own ticket based off of merit. I don’t know, maybe he did deserve the job for his record and on/off field accomplishments. Now he has a chance to better his career off of merit at Oregon St, we’ll see what happens. Just win baby.
BTW, side note: I am not understand your Ivy League comments, regarding non-conf and conf play. In the smaller leagues, you are judged almost solely based off what you do to win your league and make it to the Big Dance. Non-conf, while important, is definitely not as important as winning your league.
Brevity is the soul of wit so . . .
Just as follow up: Seattle, an independent school (they don’t play in a conference, just turned DI a couple years ago after re-doing their sports program) beat Oregon State in Corvallis, OR by 51. 51! I am willing to give Robinson a pass until his 3rd/4th year when his guys are there….but losing to Sac St (see above) and Seattle by 51 (i hope it’s a misprint) is sad.