During a tour of Oregon’s new Hatfield-Dowlin Football Complex, Jeff Hawkins said, “We are the University of Nike.” On Friday, Hawkins wrote a (yet to be published) Letter to the Editor of The Register-Guard saying his comment was taken out of context.
In the letter, Hawkins — the Senior Associate Athletic Director of Football Administration and Operations at the University — wrote that his comment was meant “as a metaphor for the shared ideals and passions that I believe exist between the UO athletic department and those of Nike.” Hawkins went on to say that Phil Knight and his wife, Penny, have made “extraordinary contributions” not just to UO’s athletic programs, but to the school’s academics, as well.
***
Former Oregon star Jessica Moore pitched a complete game shutout for the USA Softball Women’s National Team on Sunday in their 11-0 victory over Brazil. This was Team USA’s second win in as many games during their current run in the Pan American Games Qualifier. Instead of going the standard seven innings, the U.S. and Brazilian squads only played five due to the sport’s mercy rule. Team USA didn’t waste time building their lead, scoring six runs in the first inning.
Moore gave up just three hits and one walk in her dominant start.
***
Olympic gold medalist and Oregon alum Ashton Eaton accomplished another impressive feat on Sunday, winning the decathlon at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow. Eaton held off Germany’s Michael Schrader (silver medal winner) and Canada’s Damian Warner (bronze) to win the top prize, making it the third straight year an American has won the decathlon at the world championships.
***
According to multiple reports, former Spurs assistant coach Brett Brown was named the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. Brown’s contract will last four years and will be fully guaranteed, according to those sources.
Brown will replace Doug Collins, who had been the 76ers’ head coach since the 2010-11 season. Collins resigned in April after a 34-48 season in which Philadelphia missed the playoffs. Brown had been an assistant coach for San Antonio the past seven years.