Craig Robinson and Oregon State athletic director Bob De Carolis met on Thursday in their annual end-of-season review. We haven't heard a peep out of Camp Beaver since that meeting, which has my spider senses tingling.

I was up late, and early, working the phones. Something has changed in Corvallis. I would not be the least bit surprised if Robinson has moved from safe... to out as the Beavers coach... in the last week.

The longer we don't hear a vote of confidence from De Carolis, the more time that passes, it feels like the two sides are moving apart. I've been at this long enough to know what I see, and I don't see two sides that are moving closer together. I know De Carolis publicly called Robinson's remarks after the Radford loss, "a bad joke at a bad time," but he had to be rankled by Robinson's gall, and the OSU coach's remarks over the last half of the season.

Robinson said after the Radford loss, "If I get fired, it's been nice knowing you guys."

He also made brash comments on his coach's show through the second half of the season, including that the Beavers would be a Top 25 team next season, when we all know they won't be based on the players they lose to graduation.

A week ago, I felt like Oregon State would stand by Robinson. In the last 24 hours, something has changed. No comment yet from the athletic director, but I'm expected to connect with him today and will update.

Is it possible that Oregon State has found a donor who could offset part of the $4 million it would cost them to dismiss their basketball coach? Is it possible,

, that Robinson wants out and the sides are attempting to negotiate a buyout?

I'll go one further... Robinson's mouth might have done what his coaching could not --- ticked Oregon State off to point that it knows the sides must part. Combine that with the absolute contempt that fans and boosters are demonstrating right now toward the coach.

I've gone from believing OSU couldn't afford to fire Robinson to thinking he may have finally pushed them to it.

Right now, it's the silence at Oregon State that feels most meaningful.

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