Cougars go ‘name’ route with coach

In John Blanchette’s April 16 column about Bill Doba (“Doba’s had full life …”), one thing stood out. Regarding Mike Leach’s $.2.2 million salary, “That’s the ante to compete in the Pac-12 now.”

Is that official?

If so, how does it explain how Oregon State found no-name, inexpensive Mike Riley from the CFL in 1996, who then turned the program around and got summoned to the NFL in three years? What about Oregon and no-name, inexpensive Rich Brooks? It took 18 years, but he did it, then he handed it off to no-name, inexpensive Mike Belotti who kept them at the top. Then he handed it to no-name (initially) inexpensive Chip Kelly, who took it even higher.

The same goes for Ohio State finding no-name Jim Tressel at Youngstown State. Not to mention WSU finding no-name Dennis Erickson and Mike Price.

Some may argue that “it’s a different era now.” But this issue is fundamentally always the same. Either a program believes in its ability to spot and develop talent or it goes to buy it.

Both can lead to success. The latter has no monopoly on that.

Garth Meyer

Colfax