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The Internet reacts to Ernie Kent

Bill Moos said he wanted to enthuse and excite the fanbase with the next coaching hire, did he?

By Mark Sandritter
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

If WSU received a $1 donation every time Bill Moos said the word "sizzle" the Cougars would have been able to pay cash for the FOB building. Since he took the job as athletic director, one of Moos' top priorities has been creating excitement around WSU Athletics. Winning will do that, but he's often referred to the sizzle that goes along with the steak that is success.

Moos said a lot of the same things when talking about the basketball coaching search. He said he wanted to make a move that would excite the fan base. The hiring of Ernie Kent didn't draw the same reaction as the hiring of Mike Leach did, but it did move the Internet needle some. There are nearly a dozen Kent-related links below and there was quite a bit of talk on Twitter. Here is a sampling of the reaction:

Basketball:

Moos lands Kent, gets his man - Spokesman.com - April 1, 2014
So much for the big splash. You could mop this one up with a Kleenex. Not that splash matters anyway. Cannonballs and bellyflops produce the biggest splashes, and how artful is that?

5 Questions (and answers) with Ken Goe - SportsLink - Spokesman.com - March 31, 2014
1. What should WSU fans expect from their new basketball coach? A. He's charismatic, articulate and can win the interview room. He commands attention. He recruits well, at least he did to Eugene, and can coach more than one style of play. For most of his tenure, his players did very well in the classroom.

Ernie Kent hired as Washington State basketball coach, reuniting with ex-Oregon athletic director Bill Moos | OregonLive.com
Former Oregon Ducks coach Ernie Kent is back in the coaching ranks, landing at Washington State, reunited with athletic director Bill Moos. They worked together at Oregon for years. In Pullman, Kent succeeds Ken Bone, whom the Cougars fired earlier this month.

Former Oregon coach Ernie Kent hired at Washington State - CBSSports.com
Ernie Kent will be the next head coach at Washington State, the school has announced. Kent is most known for his time at Oregon, where he spent 13 seasons. He made five NCAA Tournaments, including two Elite Eight runs in 2002 and 2007. The 59-year-old parted ways with the Ducks following a 16-16 campaign in 2009-10.

Ernie Kent at WSU: A rebuilding project unlike any other in the Pac-12 | Bud Withers | The Seattle Times
Ernie Kent, who is somewhat familiar with Houdini escapes, Monday accepted a challenge of a similar magnitude, that of rebuilding the sagging Washington State men’s basketball program.

Ernie Kent is new WSU men's basketball coach - Spokesman.com - March 31, 2014
Bill Moos enjoyed hiring Ernie Kent so much that he decided to do it again. Kent has been hired by Washington State athletic director Moos as the school’s new men’s basketball coach.

Ernie Kent gets 5-year deal at Washington State, second shot at Pac-12 | OregonLive.com
Washington State has hired Ernie Kent as its new men's basketball coach, giving him another shot at leading a Pac-12 Conference program four years after he was let go by the Oregon Ducks.

Washington State hires Kent as new hoops coach | Washington State University | The News Tribune
Athletic director Bill Moos once hired Ernie Kent to turn Oregon around. He's now done the same at Washington State. Kent was hired Monday as the Cougars' new men's basketball coach, giving him another shot at leading a Pac-12 Conference program four years after he was let go by Oregon. Kent's mission is significant: try to revitalize a program that has gone downhill in the past five seasons, both in terms of record on the court and interest in the stands.

Washington State hires Ernie Kent | Husky Men's Basketball | Seattle Times
Washington State hired Ernie Kent as its next men’s basketball coach. In a statement released by the school, Kent said: "I’m looking forward to providing the kind of passion and leadership to help potential student-athletes understand how special WSU is. Getting back into coaching for me has meant finding the right program that matches up with my passion, my vision, my beliefs and my commitment; and I feel Washington State University fits all that criteria for me. Bill Moos has a vision and has created enormous energy around Cougar Athletics and I want to be a part of that. Now is the time."

Washington State hires Ernie Kent as new Cougars men’s basketball coach - Seattle PI Sports Blog
Former Oregon Ducks coach Ernie Kent will be the new men’s basketball coach at Washington State, replacing the recently fired Ken Bone. WSU made the announcement Monday afternoon and will introduce Kent, 59, on Wednesday on the school’s home court at Beasley Coliseum. In a news release, WSU said Kent signed a five-year rollover contract, but further details were not disclosed.

Ernie Kent to be coach of Washington State Cougars - ESPN
Former Oregon coach Ernie Kent is headed to Washington State. "I'm very excited to be back into coaching, and it's a wonderful opportunity," Kent told ESPN.com.

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Ernie Kent off and running as new basketball coach

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