The night of Jan. 1, 1996, in Dallas, just after Rick Neuheisel's Colorado team had pasted Oregon in the Cotton Bowl, Bellotti and Knight were at a postgame gathering and the coach was in a hangdog mood.
"What do we need to go to the next level?" Knight asked him. Bellotti told him Oregon needed an indoor workout facility and began an explanation of a long process with considerable fund-raising.
"No, how long would it take?" Knight interrupted, meaning from groundbreaking to finish.
250 plus million dollars later Oregon has become the first truly professional football team in the BCS owned and operated by a majority shareholder. In 100 years of Oregon Football prior to this conversation in 1996 Oregon finished in the top 25 only 4 times. In the 15 years since backed by 250 plus million in Nike money....they have found themselves in the top 25 over 7 times.
Does Oregon have an unfair recruiting advantage? Forget boosters buying houses for guys like Reggie Bush....Nike buys stadiums, lockerrooms, and luxury buses for entire Oregon teams? If I were a coach recruiting there....my conversation would go something like this," Listen, Cam and Cam Newton's father, I know Auburn offered you 150,000 grand...but listen...we only deal in buildings, shoes and apparel....cash is for the little people. If you come here..we will build you a new lockerroom. In fact...each locker has a kitchen with a living room and your family is welcome to stay in the guest wing when they visit your locker.
Go Nike Ducks.