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.

...and ended up writing a treatise.

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because the wife was out of town and I had nothing better to do, I decided to watch the McDonald's All-American game tonight with an eye trained on Dunigan to see what we've got for next year.

First off, it was a typical bunch of 18-year-olds playing an exhibition game, so I don't put much stock into it, but...

Dunigan looked pretty good, considering the circumstances.  The main problem was he never got a chance to play his game of posting up and overpowering a man down low.  This was definitely a guards' game from start to finish.  The big men all around were left to rebound and block shots.  There was a distinct lack of effort, but I think that's a direct result of him playing in a meaningless exhibition game.

I noticed two things though:

One, he altered or blocked plenty of shots.  I think he'll get credit for two blocks this game, but for what it's worth, he was a defensive presence in a game with no defense.

Second, he has some power in his legs.  this guy is going to have great post up moves, especially if he learns anything from Joevan Catron with all his fakes and passing skills.  

I'm really interested in how Ernie and the assistants are going to coach him next year.  They have NEVER had anyone like Dunigan in the Kent era.  The closest player I can think of is Robert Johnson, but Dunigan clearly has more scoring potential than Johnson ever had.

If he can play a little like Kevin Love on the defensive end, forcing bad shots, getting blocks and defensive rebounds, he's going to be a great asset for the transition game and players like TP and Longmire.  Outlet passing will be key to his game.

Anybody else watch?  what do you think?