Addicted To Quack: Front Page Posts

BREAKING: Costa suffers "potentially serious" knee injury

Addicted to Quack — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:53:25 -0000

95.5 the game just came out with breaking news that Nate Costa suffered a knee injury in practice last night. They didn't know which knee or the severity, but said that an athletic department source described it as "potentially serious." They'll get more from Bellotti in a conference call tonight.

The first thought is last year, and if Nate reinjured his ACL. I hope that's not the case. But, with a bit over a week until the Husky game, I hope that Roper's ready.

I'm glued to the computer and radio on this. The moment I get anything, it'll go right up.

--Dave (addictedtoquack@gmail.com)

[UPDATE] Ducks Attack wonders if this is a hoax, as they've been unable to get confirmation from the athletic department. He also cites lack of updates by Moseley, etc. I hear Moseley's out of town. And athletic department officials can't comment publicly on injury matters (only coaches with player consent). I can tell you that Jay Allen is the longtime sports director at KXL/95.5, and he broke this himself. He has inside sources, and a ton on the line. There is no way this is a hoax, and, if it is, I would be beyond shocked.

[UPDATE]: Moseley confirms an "incident". Also says there will be more info as it becomes available.

[UPDATE]: Moseley and 1320 the score are reporting that Costa has injured the same knee that was surgically repaired last year. Good news is that he finished out the practice and then discussed this with the coaches. From what we've heard, he will be getting an MRI tonight. However, Oregon's orthopedic surgeon is out of town, so results may not be back until Sunday. At this point, we don't know the extent of this. It could be very serious, or quite minor. He won't be playing for at least a few days.

9 Days To UW - Remembering 1988

jtlight — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:11:42 -0000

Only 9 Days until our team takes the field under the lights at Autzen to take on the Huskies. Now, we've talked about the game itself, and we've been thinking about the matchups and all that for some time. So over the next week, let's take a look at some of the great plays of the rivalry.

I'm gonna kick things off in 1988. In Musgrave's sophomore year, Oregon had a nice 5-1 record going into the Washington game, but were still underdogs against a ranked Husky team led by Don James.

But Oregon held in there most of the game, making enough plays to stay in it, and got the ball down 10-14 with little time left. Musgrave led the team deep into Husky and the team found themselves in a 4th and 1 situation at the 5 yard line. With star backs Derick Loville and Latin Berry, everyone expected the dive, but OC Bob Toledo (yes, this was a loooong time ago) called the reverse, the 49 special to Terry Obee, and magic happened:

Pandemonium ensued. I grew up hearing about this play from my dad, and this was one of the first big breakthroughs against the Huskies after years of domination.

Unfortunately, this would be the last win of the 1988 season. In the next game, Musgrave broke his collerbone and the season was effectively over. If not for that, this play could be rememberred in the same vein as another famous play from 1994.

GO DUCKS!

Quarterback Controversy? (And other football notes)

Addicted to Quack — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:19:00 -0000

We've all kind of figured since spring ball that Nate Costa was the starting quarterback. In spite of Justin Roper's great bowl performance, Costa just always seemed to have more tools (namely, a pair of legs) that fit our offense. That the coaching staff called him the 'heir apparent' did little to quell those thoughts.

So what are we to make of this?

Roper has apparently 'closed the gap' on Costa, and a decision will be made by the end of the week? And he may even try to use Chris Harper, too?

My gut tells me that its still Costa's job to lose, and that this is to serve as a bit of motivation. And, hell, if Roper wins the job and is the starter, I don't have a huge problem with that, either.

But if MB decides that he's unsure, and goes with the ol' two-QB system, I'm going to vomit. Between the disaster of the Holiday Bowl, and letting Jason Fife leech playing time way too long, I've seen enough of the two QB system. Pick a guy, and stay with him. If he really sucks, go to the other guy. But PLEASE don't rotate QBs in and out every other possession.

As for Harper, please redshirt him. In talking with Jared, he mentioned the possibility of using Harper as a RB in trick plays where you can make him throw. If that's all you want him for, use Crenshaw. But wasting the redshirt this year strikes me as akin to putting Dixon in against Oklahoma "to see what he can do." Without that, Dixon is our starting quarterback right now.

In other notes:

Could there be a controversy at punter as well? I think this is just public praise for Taylor. Syria is the best punter in a decade at Oregon, no way he's not the starter (though nice to hear that the future is doing so well).

Also, no Drew Davis for the Washington game as he just had a tonsillectomy. Get well, Drew.

GO DUCKS!!!

--Dave (addictedtoquack@gmail.com)

ATQ's Call For Help!

Addicted to Quack — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 03:17:05 -0000

Wow. I knew we had a great community here. But I completely underestimated you guys. I've had no less than 20 emails from people interested in helping out with the blog. Its really flattering that all of you care so much as to be willing to give your time.

We value each and every one of you but, unfortunately, I can only take two on the front page. However, I encourage everyone to keep writing the fanposts, those are a critical part of this blog.

I'm looking over all the emails now, and will get back to people in the next day or so. If you're not selected, PLEASE don't take it personally. This place doesn't work without each and every one of you.

Hopefully, we'll have two new authors by the end of the week.

GO DUCKS!!!

--Dave (addictedtoquack@gmail.com)

Too Early Preview: Oregon vs. Purdue

jtlight — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:00:08 -0000

Purdue Boilermakers
Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
Enrollment: 39,228
Coach: Joe Tiller (83-54 @ Purdue, 106-73-1 overall)
2007 Record: 8-5 (3-5 Big Ten)

I am really looking forward to September 13, when Oregon will take on Purdue in West Lafayette, IN. I’ve heard good things about the stadium and its environment, and it should be a fun time for all Duck fans (myself included!) making the trek.

When I first started to think about Purdue, I assumed them to be a very mediocre team. From what I’ve read since then, this appears to be an accurate assumption. NYTimes preview had them pegged at 43. And while their senior QB (Curtis Painter) has received a lot of hype, he seems to be the team’s only decent player. Phil Steele’s rankings agree: he ranks Painter #2 in the nation, but ranks every other offensive and defensive unit in the latter half of the Big 10. Really, there are no standouts on the team besides Painter.

Many others have done a more adequate job of breaking down Purdue, and I will not go into that detail. The always great Brian over at MGoBlog has an extensive breakdown that shouldn’t be missed, and Travis over at the OffTheTracks has been previewing all of Purdue’s positions, with very little prejudice. Both previews are worth a read.

Instead, I am going to focus on how Oregon stacks up against Purdue, and the important battles to watch...

When Oregon’s offense takes the field:

Oregon has an excellent offensive line, with both experience and depth. They will have a strong running game. I see no reason why Purdue will be able to stop, or even slow, the Oregon running game, and the offense as a whole.

In all likelihood, the Purdue defense line will not be improving. They lost their best player (defensive end Cliff Avril) to the 3^rd round of the NFL draft, and none of the replacements (or players still around) seem likely to significantly improve the 54^th rushing defense in the country. At linebacker, Purdue lost three of its top four backers. The two names to remember are Jason Werner and Anthony Heygood. Both should be solid linebackers but will not be blowing anyone away. Basically, the front seven of Purdue is incredibly mediocre. This trend continues into the secondary, with a couple of juniors that have been torched early in their careers, and could progress, but it’s hard to predict.

What this means is that Oregon should be able to move the ball without significant trouble. The problems for Purdue come down to the fact that they have few playmakers. They don’t have any player on the defensive side of the ball that can take over a game. And they don’t have a defensive lineman that can create pressure consistently, a linebacker that will be able to adequately cover the running backs or tight ends, or a cornerback who can shut down Jaison Williams.

They will be forced to react to the Oregon offense. And if I know Chip Kelly, this is what he loves. Even if the whole game were boiled down to one-on-one matchups, I would like Oregon’s chances. But the game rarely works like that. You can bank on the fact that Kelly will position Oregon players to get every possible advantage. If Oregon starts running the ball early for 5 YPC or better—which is roughly what Purdue gave up last year—then everything else will fall into place. A lack of pressure will give Costa (or whoever is at QB) all day to throw, and the Purdue CBs will not be able to handle Oregon’s receivers and tight ends for very long. Blitzing will simply open up opportunities. If those can be taken advantage of (and the Oregon QB will have 2 games under his belt at this point), that will lead to huge plays.

Granted, we could see the offense implode, but in my mind, this is not likely. Oregon is no longer coached by Andy Ludwig, and I don’t see whoever is quarterbacking the team throwing 3-4 interceptions.

Either way, Oregon should be able to set the tempo. Purdue doesn’t have the talent to force the issue with their defense, and if they attempt to, they will open themselves up for the big plays. But again, I don’t think they have the talent to simply play Oregon one-on-one. If Oregon doesn’t score 35, I’ll be surprised.

When Oregon’s defense takes the field:

Curtis Painter has garnered much praise. But at this point, he’s a lot like Matt Ryan, and in my opinion, that’s not a good thing. He has a great arm, looks like a pro QB, and puts up gaudy numbers. But, he also throws too many interceptions and has a low pass rating. Though improved last season, this was exaggerated by a horrendous schedule, which included powers like Toledo, Eastern Illinois, and Central Michigan twice. They also played the worst Notre Dame team of the last 40 years.

In the big games, Painter didn’t fare well, with numbers falling across the board. In games against Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State, the offense managed only 2 meaningful touchdowns. This was partly due to the Purdue offense, which runs a short, precise passing game. When facing teams that can easily disrupt this, it falls apart. This drop-off is witnessed in Painter’s stats. In Big 10 games, he averaged a mere 5.8 yards per attempt. This is obviously not an explosive offense. Now, this wouldn’t be so bad had it produced in previous years, but in many games, it did not. Facing a good defense, it can become a struggle to score. Painter didn’t make it work, and I don’t know why this year will be any different than last.

The rest of the offense is mired in mediocrity as well. Purdue no longer has the strength of receiver they had last season. They have a fairly solid running back tandem, but run the ball less than 40% of the time. Their receivers are nothing to write home about and will have trouble gaining separation downfield from Oregon’s defensive backs. The offensive line is, as the story goes, quite average. I don’t know if they give up a whole lot to the Oregon defensive line, but our boys will be able to at least keep them busy, which is usually enough.

To move the ball, Purdue will rely on short passes, which may be allowed by the Oregon secondary. But if so, I would imagine Alliotti will blitz a good deal. If Reed and Tukuafu can get pressure themselves, which is fairly likely, things will fall apart incredibly fast for the Purdue offense, with receivers that will be smothered and underneath routes eaten up by linebackers. And with how little the Purdue offense runs the ball, it is not a huge concern either. But even if the front four cannot get consistent pressure, blitzing will surely get to Painter quickly. And this is one receiving corp that should be easily handled. One of the benefits of the Oregon secondary is that they tackle. They tackle well, and the Purdue receivers will not be able to turn 5 yard passes into 15 yard gains. Thus, Purdue drives will turn into a short passing game slog at best. A couple of turnovers or 3 and outs, and things could grow out of hand quickly.

Prediction:

When I came into this game, I thought it would be fairly close. But as I looked into it, I have very little confidence in any of the positions. The strength and weaknesses of the Purdue team will be able to be exploited by this Oregon team. Barring an Indiana-like collapse, Oregon wins this game running away, 41-23.

Too Early Preview: Ducks vs. Washington

Addicted to Quack — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:53:59 -0000

University of Washington Huskies

Location: Seattle, Washington

Enrollment: 42,974

Coach: Tyrone Willingham (11-25 @ UW, 76-76-1 overall)

2007 Record: 4-9 (2-7 Pac-10)

Allow me to make a list of things I hate more than the Washington Huskies:

1. Certain political figures who shall not be named

2. Wal-Mart

That’s about it. Any longtime readers know my hatred everything purple and gold. So their struggles over the last few years leave me with little sympathy for the Puppies. I’ve often wondered how a team in such a great city of wealth could fall so far, but you’d better believe I revel in it. Since their Rose Bowl appearance in 2000, Washington’s spiral to irrelevance has been met with these records:

2001: 7-4

2002: 7-6

2003: 6-6

2004: 1-10

2005: 2-9

2006: 5-7

2007: 4-9

That’s a whole lot of bad, only made worse by the truth that this team has no future, either. Outside of Jake Locker, this team has no talent. They finished 60^th in the nation in total offense last year (394.2 ypg), and an abysmal 104^th in total defense last year. Ty Willingham is on the hottest seat in the nation, and his ass is sure to be shitcanned at the end of the year.

Lets take a look at Satan’s minions:

When Oregon has the ball:

Did I mention that Washington’s defense is somewhere beyond bad? They were 89^th against the run and 104^th against the pass last year, so equally bad against both. And, you remember running for four hundred sixty something yards against them last year. Washington does return six starters, but are still plagued by a fundamental lack of talent on the defensive end. A new defensive coordinator is sure to help, but how much?

E.J. Savannah had 111 tackles at outside linebacker last year, and is probably the only player on that end worth mentioning by name—though his eligibility remains in question. The others are a mix defensive linemen with little experience, uninspiring linebackers, and a senior laden defensive backfield that has roughly as much skill as my one year old son.

As I’ve said, though, this defense is equally bad on both sides of the ball. I’d expect Bellotti to break Costa in easy, with a heavy dose of JJ and Blount in this game. Those guys should be able to keep each other fresh the whole game long, which should lead to big rushing numbers by the end of the game. Costa will have a lot of safe passes early on (flats, bubble screens, etc.) until we can take a couple score lead. I think at that point, Bellotti will let him take a couple of chances to get comfortable. Costa will get somewhere around 150 yards thorough the air, but we could get over 300 yards rushing. I’d be extremely disappointed if we didn’t have around 40 points.

When Washington has the ball:

There’s been some bagging on Jake Locker but he’s not overrated—he’s the real deal. We know he runs like a beast. And, while he need major improvement as far as passing accuracy goes, we saw last year what can happen if he’s able to find his touch on the deep ball. Locker does have a bit of a hamstring issue, but its not expected to keep him out of the game.

Let me begin by making one thing crystal clear—Locker’s not going to be gift wrapped two deep blown coverages by the secondary this time. It was that group’s worst performance of the year in that game, and its not going to happen again. At least not against this opponent. Every Washington receiver of not is no longer with the team. However, one man to keep an eye on is freshman Chris Polk, who is expected kind of like James Rodgers. Watch the fly sweep. Louis Rankin is gone, but Brandon Johnson, a serviceable back, will step into the starting job. The offensive line is very good, and starters return at fullback and tight end.

This unit is okay, but it is very unknown at the skill positions besides Locker.

Special Teams:

The Huskies are very good at punter and kicker.

Final Outlook:

The offense is a mystery, but I expect them to be pretty good. Look for them to get up about 24 points as our defensive line and linebackers work out some kinks. However, their defense is something terrible. We saw a record running performance against them last year, and I expect the same this time around. Tons of yards for JJ and Blount, and a 42-24 opening day win for Oregon. Puppies go home licking their wounds, and all is good in the world.

GO DUCKS!!!

--Dave

Moseley rounds up the scrimage

jtlight — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 05:00:21 -0000

Moseley rounds up the scrimage

Don't fret about Costa. Roper was against the number 2's, so his stats must be taken with a grain of salt. The coaching staff doesn't seem overly exciting about anyone but Costa, but he must cut down on mistakes or this season will not go like many of us hope.

State of the Blog and Writing Opportunities

Addicted to Quack — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:20:32 -0000

As you can see, I haven't been around much lately. Its been another several day absence for me from the site, and it seems that this has been becoming more common. I've kind of known this in the back of my mind for awhile now, but it really sunk in when I tried to sit down and write some team previews for the upcoming season: I just don't have 20-30 hours per week to put into this website anymore. My son is getting older and demanding more of my attention. I now have two dogs as well. And my wife would like a bit of my time, too. Regular visitors know that I've never been happy with the lack of basketball coverage due to the fact that I coach high school ball and don't see most of the games, let alone have time to blog about them. But I've always felt that the football coverage was solid. However, its becoming apparent that I don't have the time to do the job that I've done the last couple of seasons. Jared and Nick do a solid job helping out on here, but they have major time commitments as well.

This has led me to think about what the future of the site is. This has involved conversations with my wife, the higher ups at SBN, other bloggers, etc. One option was to simply quit. That was never really a viable option to me. We've got way to great of a community here to just up and leave. Besdies, I love doing this. I wasn't looking to stop completely, just looking to not spend quite so much time doing it. Another option was to just leave the status quo. Its still an okay blog just updating a few times a week--but just okay is not good enough by my standards. I think that we all expect better, and if we want the online community here to continue to be strong, people need a reason to come back. Another option was to find someone else to shift all of my responsibility onto. Besides just writing, there's a lot of behind the scences stuff to keep up with. But everyone has commitments, and if I can't find all that time, why should I expect someone else to.

So, while muddling over what to do, Peter Bean suggested a solution that could solve all our problems here. We have a great community here. And I've never thought of this as "my" site, as much as its "our" site, with "our" referring to any Duck fan who wants to come here and be a part. So, since this place belongs to all of us, lets use the community to make it stronger.

We're looking for at least two more writers. Ideally, one would be the primary football writer, and one the primary basketball writer. I'd ask the football writer for three posts a week, mainly dealing with scouting reports, previews, and game recaps. Ditto for the basketball writer. You could write whatever you want beyond that (there is no such thing as stepping on toes here), but that is all I would really ask for. I'll continue to take care of all the administration stuff, jersey contest, blogpoll, as well as a couple of articles a week, and Jared and Nick will continue their fine work. But taking some of the research off my plate will give me some time to spend will free up some time with my family, and having someone else cover the game recap will make my wife and son happy, who already sacrifice half their weekend to let me watch football all Saturday. Having a basketball writer around will allow us to actually have basketball coverage, which has been sorely lacking until late in the season the last couple of years. We could probably all team up to cover baseball.

This is a blog, so there is no pay, but its all for the love of the Ducks and to have a place to chat Oregon Sports all year round. A couple of more writers would allow us to have updates everyday, and really fuel the discussion even further. If you're interested, shoot me an email with what you'd like to cover, and a writing sample. I want to be here and keep this place going for many, many years. I just need a bit of help.

GO DUCKS!!!

--Dave (addictedtoquack@gmail.com)

Ridnour Traded

ntrebon — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:33:08 -0000

Ridnour Traded

Despite growing up in Eugene, I was a Sonics fan. With Ridnour being traded to the Bucks what very little reason there was to follow the NBA franchise formerly known as the Seattle Sonics is gone.

Good luck to Rid in Milwaukee.

18 Days left and not much to report

jtlight — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:38:12 -0000

In the second week of fall camp, not much has been happening, and that is an amazing thing. Oregon thus far has avoided any major injuries, and lets hope it stays that way. Everyone seems to be progressing in play and in health.

Jeremiah Johnson seems to be 100%, quelling any fears I had about the running game. Johnson and Blount are potential big-time stars, and Crewshaw (despite his recent minor injury) and Alston round out a very talented backfield.

It also seems that offensive line is getting fleshed out. C.E. Kaiser, who has an awesome name, is getting a lot of time at right tackle. Whatever happens, we have 7-8 guys that are very good. This is a great offensive line, and will be a key to helping the young QB develop.

Spencer Paysinger is making a splash at the "will" linebacker, shoring up another position that was questionable.

I am also getting more comfortable with our defensive line. Despite the lack of big-time names, there seem to be many bodies, all with a decent amount of talent and ability. Despite Justin Thompson being late to camp, the move of Stevens has helped a lot. He and Blake Ferras have been getting a lot of time with the No. 2's, as have Simi Toeaina and Toni Celotto.

As far as the QB goes, it is doubtful that Costa will lose the starting spot. He has been solid thus far, and no one else has done anything to surpass him. On the receiving end, Jaison Williams has been catching just about everything in sight, and when he drops passes now, it's almost a shock rather than a concern. It's also good to hear that Dickson has been involved. He will be a huge mismatch for any defense, and I'm excited to see what Chip Kelly can do with him.

Overall, this team should be ready to play come August 30th. I don't feel underwhelmed at any position, and there are few teams that will hold large position advantages.

We all know that these things could change at any moment, but for the time being, I'm happy about where this team is at and where it's heading.

Here are some other interesting tidbits from all around:

SBNation writer The Boy, and leader of RockMNation is really into statistics. I mean, really into statistics. He has gone so far as to create his own statistics. His Beyond the BoxScore series is incredibly detailed and highly interesting. Based on his research, he has been looking around the nation at every major conference. Today he previewed the first part of the Pac-10. There's nothing that's much of a revelation, but it's a good read, and come on, what haven't we heard at this point. Also, he drives home the point that no one outside of Corvallis pays attention to OSU's "success", so that's always fun.

For all of you chomping at the bit to talk about Utah State, you won't find much around here, but Bronco Nation previews the Aggies. That's pretty much all you're getting out of us on Utah State.

Lastly, UW's Locker is still day-to-day, and had trouble running today. Every day he sits out, the better it is for our defense.

GO DUCKS!

Mark Sanchez injured; carted off field

jtlight — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 01:25:28 -0000

Mark Sanchez injured; carted off field

Well, the Pac-10 QBs are dropping like flies today. Sanchez's injury sounds fairly serious. His injury could greatly upset what many perceive as the weakest part of the USC team: the passing game.

Jake Locker Injured

jtlight — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 01:04:55 -0000

Jake Locker Injured

Jake Locker was hurt in practice today. While it doesn't sound too severe (the MRI is not in yet), he'll at least be out a few days. While I'm still expecting him to play in the opener, Washington needs to much practice with Locker as they can get.

Running down Oregon's best and worst case scenarios

jtlight — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:30:24 -0000

In the last couple days, Ted Miller has been running through the best and worst case scenarios for each Pac-10 team. Today, he went over Oregon's. Reading this will get you excited and depressed all at the same time.

The thing is, I could see it going either way. We have a very talented team. If the offense clicks, then many good things will happen. If we get mistakes at the QB position, they we will be screwed, especially if we can't get momentum early.

Despite the tough overall schedule, I believe the early part really sets us up well. 3 games, with the two hardest in that stretch (UW and BSU), are at home. The WSU game is early, so weather in the Palouse will not suck. The Purdue game will be a good test, as it is a road game across the country. But I don't believe Purdue is a very good team, and their weaknesses can (hopefully) be easily exploited. Also, our strength (secondary) mirrors their strength (passing game).

What this means is that the schedule will challenge this team early, but not so strenuously as to break them. I am very hopeful for a 5-0 start, and believe that should happen, as we will most likely be favored in all of those games.

If we have that momentum, we can take that into USC, and we also have a BYE before consecutive weeks at ASU and Cal. If we don't have that momentum, if our offense is turning the ball over and making a lot of mistakes, that will spell disaster.

I'm very hopeful that this team can pull it together early. If that happens, then, we'll have some very fun, very big games in October and November.

GO DUCKS!

New Rules for College Football, 2008

jtlight — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:01:28 -0000

New Rules for College Football, 2008

There's some pretty large rule changes in college football this year, including more clock rules changes, that will make it more like the NFL. I don't wanna go over them all, so here's a link to a great article by ragnarok over at CalGoldenBears. Check it out, and be ready for college football in 24 days!

IMG and Coincast: Screwing us Over (Surprise, Surprise)

Addicted to Quack — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:42:08 -0000

Are you going to see many Duck games this year? Before you answer that question, there are some things you should know.

That deal with IMG. You know, the one that's paying for the sweet new scoreboard at Auzten, as well as the new baseball and basketball scoreboards? It doesn't come free. Some sketchy things are about to happen, and its a lot of us who stand to get screwed.

We only have four national TV games scheduled this year: Washington, USC, OSU, and Purdue. More will be picked up, especially if we are as successful as we think we will be this season. But we also know that many of our games will be on OSN--likely starting with the Utah State game in week two. For the last ten years, this has worked out well--tune into your local ABC affiliate, or get ESPN GamePlan if you're out of state, and you're gold. Unfortunately, that's all changing this year.

Apparently, before the IMG deal, the University basically had an agreement with Chambers Communications to extend the contract for another five years. However, before any formal agreement was signed, the UO signed off with IMG, who presented terms that were no agreeable to Chambers. As a result, Chambers was forced to punt on extending the contract, and we are left wtihout any OSN carriers less than a month before the season is to start.

Making matters worse, it seems that the contingency plan is to have OSN air on Comcast SportsNet Northwest. Those of you who are Blazer fans will be familiar with this network, as it is the reason that most of the state can't get Blazer games.

For those of you not in the know, here is the deal with CSN. Its mostly only Comcast customers that can get it. Sure, they make it available to other providers, but at a price so exoborant that many have not been able to carry it. To date, the only other carriers are Verizion FIOS in the Portland area, Ashland TV, and Scio Cablevision. Got Satellite? No CSN for you. Live in an area not served by one of the above providers (and, living in Woodburn, I fall into that category), tough shit for you. Served by a provider such as Charter or Wave? There is no legal way for you to get Duck games. Sorry.

But the University, IMG, and Comcast will all make a lot of money on this. So they really couldn't care that we can't see the games. I have no knowledge of how this will affect coverage on ESPN gameplan, but I'm fairly sure that Wave, the only cable carrier in Woodburn, doesn't offer GamePlan (nor am I sure that the wife would go for it even if they did). So it may be a lot of Jerry Allen for me.

As both a Blazer fan and a Duck fan, Coincast can rot in hell.

GO DUCKS!!!

--Dave

Day 1 Roundup

jtlight — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:52:18 -0000

I always feel that the first day of anything is always kind of a letdown, especially being in Chicago. Its supposed to be a day where exciting things happen, but it rarely works that way. And today wasn't much different. Despite some pictures, not a ton happened, which isn't all that bad.

In reality, this is where it all continues from the hard work of spring and summer. And I think these Ducks are off on the right foot. While we have a few questions, especially with the QB, we're gonna to have to wait some time to actually see what happens.

So, Bellotti started the day off on the right foot, I felt, in his press conference. He laid a lot of the groundwork, and he, as always, is ready for what lies ahead. I think one of the strengths of this season will be the coaching staff. Bellotti is a calming influence on the program, and a good coach to boot, and he has quality coaches at just about every position. While most Duck fans would be wary of Nick Aliotti, he has the defense that is perfect for him, which can defend the pass on its own, and rush the passer with the D-line. He's gonna have some fun this season. For the rest of the coaching staff, I have full confidence in Kelly and just every position coach. There are no weaknesses.

For the players, it's exciting just to see them in action.

As far as the actual practice went, I couldn't tell you. But Jason Vondersmith had some great quick hit info from the first day. And Moseley is the man as always, with a ton of information.

There is a lot of informatio to digest, so give it a read. Overall, it's only one day. D-line is a concern, though Stevens looked good, despite my unhappieness over the move (I want him for Center!). And at QB, we have a ton of talent. Masoli looked good, so we may have some fun on our hands. Hopefully not though.

Anyway, here's to an incredibly uneventful next 3 1/2 weeks! Football is back! Enjoy it!

GO DUCKS!

For the love of Greek god of Ducks, don't call Autzen "The House of Loud"

jtlight — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:30:41 -0000

If there has ever been a worse idea relating to Duck football, I have not heard it. Sure, Roboduck was insanely stupid (though short lived), and the yellow helmets are pretty bad, this takes the cake.

First, some background. Some company called Ruxxe is attempting to get everyone to call Autzen "The House of Loud." Why? To make a few bucks of course. Here is the release from Moseley's blog:

Eugene, Oregon company RUXXE announces that it has trademarked a nickname for Autzen Stadium.

Oregon’s Autzen Stadium has a reputation among the college football community as being one of the most intimidating
places for opposing teams to play. The level of noise that Duck fans create during games is said to be unmatched - even
by much larger stadiums, such as Michigan’s "The Big House", Ohio State’s "The Shoe" or "The Swamp" at Florida.

RUXXE is excited to give Autzen something that is long overdue, a nickname that Duck fans can embrace - a nickname that
truly invokes the experience of college football at Autzen Stadium… "THE HOUSE OF LOUD".

This really is totally ridiculous. First, the name is stupid. Absolutely and ridiculously stupid. It sounds like a marketing ploy. Oh yeah, and that's what it is.

You cannot manufacture nicknames, plain and simple. While it is fun when a stadium gets a nickname, it is by no means necessary. The Big House, the Shoe, the Swamp, etc. all got their nicknames over time. These were not foisted upon a fanbase, and that's what has made those nicknames great, and helped them to last.

If this were a group of fans, then maybe I could deal with this a bit better. Sure, it sounds ridiculous, but that's not so bad. But this is a company that has COPYRIGHTED the term. So every time it is printed or used, these jokers make money.

I have never seem such a small minded attempt to grab attention. Autzen does not need a nickname. It is already renowned. If if has a nickname, I would think that it would be "The Autzen Zoo." And you know what, that's just fine.

Manufacturing a nickname makes the entire fanbase look small, weak, and pathetic, and makes us look like we have an inferiority complex. Oregon football has been growing up over the past 15 years, and doesn't need to copy every single thing other successful programs have done. It needs to be it's own program, and make its own traditions.

And thus, I denounce this crap, and I hope you will all join me. Autzen is a great place, that does not need to be mocked and degraded in this fashion.

Morning Oatmeal: 2 days until fall camp

jtlight — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:55:23 -0000

Well everyone, the month of football is upon us, and camps around the nation are starting up. This morning, right about now in fact, the incoming players are registering for fall camp. We're very close. So here are some news features in the last 24 hours.

First, out of nowhere 4* JC Linebacker Tyrell Irvin is now on campus and registered for classes. I have no idea how this slipped through the cracks til now, but this is great news. He has 3 years to play 3, so he will most likely see the field this year. He's 6'1", 220 lbs. and his father played in the CFL. It's said that he could play either middle or outside linebacker, which is a huge plus.

This is great news, considering our weakest position going into this season was linebacker. With the Garrett suspension, he will see the field early I would imagine.

Also, Moseley had a round up on the Bellotti conference call, with some good information on the QB front, about how the practice will set up. It seems that the first two weeks will be open, with competition being "streamlined" after two weeks. The starting QB will most likely be set when the gameplan is finalized a week before the UW game.

Bellotti's main concerns are WR and DT, and made some comments about incoming players needing to pass academics. I'm worried about Thompson. We need that depth at defensive tackle, so I hope he gets into Eugene sooner rather than later. While Bellotti didn't specifically mention him, that was probably one of the players he was referring to.

Have a good weekend everyone. 4 weeks until kickoff!

GO DUCKS!

Okay Beaver Fans, I'll Stop Now

Addicted to Quack — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:56:00 -0000

A little immature part of me likes to bait a Beaver fan every once in a while because it is so easy to do, I have Beaver friends whose skin I like to get underneath a bit, and they are so defensive. It really is classic little brother syndrome. However, to be fair, here are my true thoughts on OSU:

1. I root for OSU every time they're not playing us, unless a loss would help us in the standings. They are Oregonians, and I generally want to see them do well. I don't hate them. But I never want to lose to them.

2. I do see Oregon as the superior program. That's not based on records, its based on the fact that we have better talent and are more nationally relevant. Oregon is not an elite program. We need to be in the BCS consistently to claim that. But we are a good second tier program (a la Wisconsin/Va. Tech/Colorado). I'm not sure that the Beavers have reached that level yet.

3. I have a lot of respect for what OSU is able to do, but even Beaver fan has to admit that 1)they need to win a big road game, 2) they need to fill their stadium, and 3) they need to get a decent opponent to come to Reser. Only when OSU starts winning big non-conference games on a regular basis (and getting home games, instead of whoring yourselves out to LSU and Penn State) is a part of that. Maybe Oklahoma or Michigan won't come to Reser, but an Oklahoma State or an Iowa might be a good place to start. In fact, maybe the fact that a Michigan or an Oklahoma will come to Autzen is the best verification of our claim.

I've got respect for your program, Beavs. But you've got to do more to reach the next level.

In the meantime, I'll back off until Civil War week*

I reserve the right to change my mind if you lose big to Penn State. Believe me, we're all rooting for you to win that game.

--Dave

Beavers: quit yer bitchin'

gribbit1 — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:52:48 -0000

I would just like to take a moment to thank Ted Miller for his honest, thoughtful, and most importantly, educated look at the Ducks-Beavers rivalry.

As a Duck, I've never really understood the hatred our Beaver brethren reserve for us. I mean, sure, Oregon is well-promoted, flashy, and image-conscious, but as Beaver fans are quick to point out, the programs are roughly equal in standing over the last couple decades.

I think most Ducks' attitude toward the Beavers is grudging respect, though we still like to call them our "little brothers" just to send them into a tizzy (if you can get a reaction like that out of someone, why not?). You hear a Duck say "I root for the Beavs when they're not playing the Ducks" but you never hear a Beaver say the opposite. I've also never heard a Duck assert that Civil War is "for the right to live in the state" like it's something that has bearing outside football. My most recent favorite is "yeah, but ours is HD." Think about whether you've ever met a fellow Duck who really, really hates the Beavers like they hate us.

The programs are different, sure. Both teams have come up from virtually nothing in the last two decades, but they have done it in entirely different manners. Bellotti has recruited, advertised, and upgraded, and Riley has coached, coached, coached. They have completely different styles, and of course, completely different means. But if the Resers owned, say, Taco Bell, and Phil Knight owned L.A. Gear, I bet we would be in the opposite situations and the Beavs would be more than willing to take the money.

So the Ducks have money. We have glitz, glamour, and national media attention. Guess what? That's how college sports work these days. To get ahead, you have to advertise. Sometimes, you do it with Times Square billboards and getting on the YES network for East Coast exposure-or even by spending on high-liter uniforms and world-class facilities to attract better athletes. Maybe that's not what the residents of Corvallis like, but it has worked. The Ducks have the attention of the nation, whether OSU thinks we deserve it or not.

Meanwhile, the Beavers, though proud of their "workmanlike" tradition, low profile, and ability to do lots with a little are pretty clearly jealous of all those fancy things they supposedly revile. They would be better served just ignoring our pompous, crass, self-indulgent style and focus on their own success.

Of course if they continue to be solid, workmanlike, and "coach up" all of their unheralded recruits, they're always going to be labeled as over-achieving, bland, and not very good in the preseason polls. That's how things work. These days, you're not just recognized for your record, your bowl performance, or your ability to make something out of nothing. You're also recognized by the amount of attention you can command.

That's the fundamental difference between the programs: They are roughly equal in record, but the Ducks get the media's attention with all the crazy stuff we do. So Beavers, quit hating us for grabbing attention when we can. It makes business sense, and that is why even though Mike Belotti is the state's highest-paid employee, you don't pay a dime of it. We Ducks DO pay Mike Riley's though, and every other Beaver Athletic department employee, because the Beavs don't turn a profit.

We like you, we really do. It's just that we have a grasp on the sports-as-business model that prevails today. If you don't like that, take it up with the NCAA, not the Ducks.

Meanwhile, we'll keep hating the Fuskies, because we actually have reasons to do so.