It's official: Robinson will leave Brown
Coach introduced at Oregon State
Stu Woo
Issue date: 4/8/08 Section: Campus News
Michael Goldberger knew this day would come. The director of athletics just thought, and hoped, it would come later.
But the inevitable finally happened yesterday, as Craig Robinson, the men's basketball head coach whom Goldberger hired two years ago to turn the struggling team around, finally outgrew the tiny confines of Brown and Ivy League basketball and will head West for a big-time and big-money program.
Robinson was introduced as the head coach of the Oregon State University Beavers yesterday, confirming several reports on Sunday that he had been offered the job.
He has resigned from his position at Brown and will assume his new job at the Pac-10 Conference school immediately.
"We're really grateful for the work he's done here," Goldberger said. "We certainly understand that this might be a great opportunity." He added that Brown is beginning a national search for his successor.
At the Corvallis, Ore., institution yesterday, Robinson, who did not return calls for comment, opened his introduction speech by thanking the audience and saying, "Go Beavs!" He then thanked the Oregon State officials who hired him before turning his attention to Brown.
"I'd also like to thank the place I'm leaving, too - Brown University," he said. "Dr. Ruth Simmons, the president, Michael Goldberger, the athletics director, and especially my staff and team, because I wouldn't be here if it weren't for those guys."
But he added: "While I'll miss those guys, I got new guys."
Robinson also took questions from local media about his offense ("better than the Princeton offense," he said), his love of holding early-morning practices ("5:30 is my favorite time of day") and, of course, his famous brother-in-law, presidential candidate Barack Obama ("at least it took four questions to get to" that question, he said, drawing laughs).
Robinson, 45, leaves the Bears after leading them to a school-record 19 wins and a berth in the College Basketball Invitational this season. The 2006-07 Ivy League Coach of the Year leaves his first head coaching job with a 30-28 record.
But the inevitable finally happened yesterday, as Craig Robinson, the men's basketball head coach whom Goldberger hired two years ago to turn the struggling team around, finally outgrew the tiny confines of Brown and Ivy League basketball and will head West for a big-time and big-money program.
Robinson was introduced as the head coach of the Oregon State University Beavers yesterday, confirming several reports on Sunday that he had been offered the job.
He has resigned from his position at Brown and will assume his new job at the Pac-10 Conference school immediately.
"We're really grateful for the work he's done here," Goldberger said. "We certainly understand that this might be a great opportunity." He added that Brown is beginning a national search for his successor.
At the Corvallis, Ore., institution yesterday, Robinson, who did not return calls for comment, opened his introduction speech by thanking the audience and saying, "Go Beavs!" He then thanked the Oregon State officials who hired him before turning his attention to Brown.
"I'd also like to thank the place I'm leaving, too - Brown University," he said. "Dr. Ruth Simmons, the president, Michael Goldberger, the athletics director, and especially my staff and team, because I wouldn't be here if it weren't for those guys."
But he added: "While I'll miss those guys, I got new guys."
Robinson also took questions from local media about his offense ("better than the Princeton offense," he said), his love of holding early-morning practices ("5:30 is my favorite time of day") and, of course, his famous brother-in-law, presidential candidate Barack Obama ("at least it took four questions to get to" that question, he said, drawing laughs).
Robinson, 45, leaves the Bears after leading them to a school-record 19 wins and a berth in the College Basketball Invitational this season. The 2006-07 Ivy League Coach of the Year leaves his first head coaching job with a 30-28 record.