The push to pack the Pit
Wrestlers shoot for top attendance
Coming off a successful Midwest road trip,
Oregon's wrestling team is out to fill McArthur
Court Saturday night as the Ducks take on
Emerald photo
Wrestling coach Ron Finley will study results on
the mat and in the stands Saturday.
Brigham Young University at 7:30.
The Cougar match is billed as “Wrestling
Appreciation Night” as the Ducks try to set an
all-time college dual match attendance record.
Oregon, 17-2 this season, should have their
hands full with perennially tough BYU, which
returns two defending WAC champs, Chris
Taylor and Billy Boyd.
Taylor, ranked seventh nationally with a 14-4
record, defeated number-one-ranked Randy
Willingham of Oklahoma State this season. His
four losses came against other nationally ranked
wrestlers.
“This should be a very tough and exciting
match," says Oregon coach Ron Finley.
“We’re going to make this a showcase for
wrestling. Everybody in the state asks what they
can do to help the sport of wrestling. Coming to
this meet will be a good step,” Finley says.
“This is to show those who don’t appreciate
the popularity of wrestling that, yes, wrestling is
alive in the State of Oregon and people do care
about it."
Finley cited two wrestlers, Dan Cook and Ryan
Kelly, as doing an excellent job on the Mid
western road trip.
Cook had three pins, two of which decided
were the winning difference for the Ducks. He
also recorded Oregon’s only win in the loss to
Iowa State. Kelly went 2-23, but both of his
losses came against the second-and third-rated
wrestlers in the country.
Robinson resigns,
accepts YMCA post
By TAMARA SWENSON
Of the Emerald
The challenge of a new job,
and not the pressures of the old,
has prompted the resignation of
athletic department business
manager Greg Robinson.
Robinson, who juggled the
athletic department budget for
the past two years, has accept
ed a similar job with the Eugene
YMCA.
“It’s a new position (at the
YMCA) with a new computer
and I’ll have a chance to build —
to create in an individual way,”
Robinson said.
“It’s the sort of challenge I
love.”
Robinson’s decision has
been met with mixed emotions
within the athletic department.
“Greg has done a great job
for us in the past two years,”
said Athletic Director John
Caine. "He’s worked hard for
us.
“But it’s even harder (to lose
Robinson to the YMCA) than it
would be if he were going to L A.
or someplace else.
"We all wish him the best,
though,” Caine said.
During Robinson’s tenure at
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the University, the athletic
department has been forced to
work with rapidly increasing
costs but no huge jump in
revenues, Caine said
"Greg has handled the situa
tion remarkably,” Caine said.
"But it has been difficult for him
— it’s been hard on everyone.
"The burden has grown
heavier and heavier on him. I
don’t think anybody could ever
go through any more."
Belt-tightening problems at
the University didn’t prompt his
decision, said Robinson. "I
decided to take the job with the
YMCA because of its attraction.
It’s very community oriented,
service oriented.
"I do have mixed feelings
about leaving,” he said. “I’ve
enjoyed working at the athletic
department, but I feel I’m mak
ing the right decision.”
Robinson also stressed his
resignation was not related to
Ed Swartz’s resignation in Jan
uary. Swartz served as
Oregon’s association athletic
director for four years.
"It’s totally a career move,”
Robinson said. “I'm taking the
job because I want it.
"I'm an Oregon alum and I’ll
always be a Duck, but people
make career choices.”
Robinson did- say that while
everyone in the athletic depart
ment was supportive of his
decision, others expressed
shock and dismay.
"It’s the reaction of the press
that I find interesting," Robin
son said. “When I moved from
(the University’s) internal audit
to the athletic department, there
wasn't a mention of it.
"But now everyone’s talking
to me. It’s not as if I’m a coach or
anything like that.”
Friday, Feb. 6
CHECKER
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Saturday, Feb. 7
Tickets $4 in
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Grand Illusions,
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day of the show.
Deli Sandwiches
now available
Friday and
Saturday nights.
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