I'll admit, I used to roll my eyes when former Oregon State athletic director Bob De Carolis would lay out the master plan for sustainability in his athletic department.
Now, I realize he was a genius.
De Carolis wanted the Beavers to be bowl eligible. That's it. Be bowl eligible and the OSU machine would run well because playing in the postseason boosted season-ticket sales and helped grease the gift-giving wheel. It's why De Carolis designed his football coach's contract to add one additional year of job security every time Mike Riley qualified for a bowl game.