Wow is right. Didn’t see that coming. University of Washington used to rule the northwest region of the PAC-10, but Belloti and the Nike CEO’s blank check for the schools athletic program has turned it into the most consistantly winning program for 8+ years now in the region. University of Washington is a joke compared to the program and facilities UofO now has. Its possible Belloti has some health issues or something nasty occured behind the scenes and they are trying some pre-emptive damage control. This is quite shocking.
They announced the order of seccesion after last season. This was expected, just not quite yet. I figured he probably wanted one last shot at an NC...that has been his stated goal since 1999.
Belloti benefited from the dysfunctional crap UofW has be dragged through for most of this decade (Rick Neuhiesal & Ty Willingham, and a string of bad ADs) but with the hiring of Steve Sarkisian and Holt to run the UW football team and a dedicated AD, UofO’s football dominance of the northwest is officially done. UofO’s basketball program finished last in the PAC this year. UW won the basketball PAC-10 title this year and are favorites to win the pac-10 tournament.
Don’t get me wrong. Belloti has done an amazing job at UofO, but UofW is no longer a trainwreck, and will be owning the northwest region of the pac-10 within 2 years, no matter how much of a blank check Nike signs.