Pat Casey

[ScoobaDawg]

I love the idea of him coming, but after doing some reading.. he just finished the 2nd year of a TEN year contract that OSU signed him to after winning the NC in 2005.

Pat loves where is at, having grown up his whole life in Oregon,went to the University of Phoenix for 2 years before being drafter by the SD Padres. After reaching AAA Portland he concluded his professional career and became the head coach at the small college of George Fox in his hometown (Interesting, while being the Head baseball coach, he competed on the basketball team) So.. Pat is a lifer in Orgeon.
Also, his son Brett just completed his Junior year at OSU where he is on the baseball and basketball teams.

Finally, Notre Dame courted him very hard after Meineri left. Offering $300k a year and even having him fly over for an interview.
An interesting thing happened..as said by Pat Casey..

"One thing that happened to me that's almost unbelievable is that Susan and I were standing in line to get on the plane in Chicago, and there was this kid standing there - flip-flops, T-shirt, pair of shorts and two bags, and the bags hang down to his ankle. His back was to me, and he was probably from me to (the back of the room), and I thought, 'Man, where is the kid's parents? The kid can't carry those bags.' He turned around, and it was (2004-06 OSU pitcher) Kevin Gunderson. And Gundy looks at me, and I look at him, and he goes, 'Coach, where are you going?' Chicago. He goes, 'Susan's with you; I know you don't vacation there, what are you going to Chicago for?' I said, can you keep a secret? I'm going to interview at Notre Dame. I said, where are you going? 'Chicago.' We road together on the plane, and it was just like it was when we flew to all our away games - he had the headphones on, the head back, turned around and had the big old grin looking at me. When I wasn't sleeping the last couple nights, that picture kept coming into my head - him jumping into (OSU catcher Mitch) Canham's arms - and all of a sudden, none of the other things mattered to me. What mattered to me, when it comes right down to it, was our players, our coaching staff - Spence (OSU associate head coach Dan Spencer) has been with me forever; without him, we wouldn't be doing what we're doing. Marty (Lees) is down in Los Angeles recruiting, coach (David) Wong is over at the field taking care of a tournament. But it's the players, the staff and the people at Oregon State."

"The people of the Northwest and the support we got just blew me away. It made my decision - which was a difficult decision - an easy decision, which was to surround myself with the people I care about and my family.The most popular guy in my family is (eldest son) Jon, and the night I got back I went to bed at 2:04, and at 2:24 my door opened and this 6-foot-5 guy is standing there looking at me, and I said, 'What, Jon?' and he said, 'Dad, I don't want to go, I don't want to go.' You know, all those things come into play, but ultimately it just comes down to people. We have the best people you could find right here in the Northwest, and we are going to continue to really try to bring the players back here who got you excited this year. There's another Kevin Gunderson out there, there's another Tyler Graham, and the way they come here and the way they stay here is by who they meet when they come here and what they see when they get here.""

After the ND trip, Casey come home and signed the 10 year deal for $230,000 (with progressive raises and incentive package..base this season is $270,000)
Before 2005, Casey was the lowest paid coach in the PAC 10 at $67,908 with a year-to-year contract and no incentives. after making the CWS in 2005 the salary was doubled, and after winning the CWS in 2006 doubled again and singed to a long-term (10 years) deal.
When he won the CWS in 2007, the Athletic Director..literally gave him his section of offices, where AD De Carolis now works from his cubicle in a TRAILER.

Casey has also built the program in a lot of ways including being over 2 expansions and renovations of the stadium.

 

[ScoobaDawg]

If we do fly him in for a tour, I hope we do it private and not fly him commercial like Notre Dame did.. and have the chance of having a former player or someone sneak up on him again.