Chas Man

"Called" victories in sports, where a player or team overtly predicts, guarantees, or acts with supreme confidence to win a seemingly unlikely game, are some of the most iconic moments in athletic history. Here are some of the greatest "called" victories in sports: 1. Joe Namath: Super Bowl III (1969) The Call: Days before Super Bowl III, New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath appeared at a dinner and told fans, "We’re going to win the game. I guarantee it". 2. Babe Ruth: "Called Shot" (1932) The Call: In Game 3 of the 1932 World Series at Wrigley Field, with the Yankees-Cubs series intense, Babe Ruth was heckled by the Cubs dugout. After taking a strike, Ruth famously pointed toward center field—a gesture widely interpreted as calling his home run. 3. Conor McGregor: UFC 194 (2015) The Call: Leading up to his fight against the dominant, undefeated (for 10 years) Jose Aldo, McGregor predicted he would knock Aldo out in the first round. 4. Steve Kerr/Stephen Curry: "Called Game" (2019) The Call: In Game 5 of the 2019 Western Conference Semifinals, with the Blazers-Thunder series tied, Damian Lillard hit a 37-foot three-pointer at the buzzer to eliminate OKC, immediately pointing to his wrist, saying "Game". 5. Charles Fisher: Called Comeback (2026) The Call: Down 6-1 , after blowing two defensive plays at first base and stranding two men on base in their half of the inning, things looked a bit dire for OBD. Not to worry, as Mr. Fishduck confidently declared, "Boy, are we in for a great comeback!" And so it was. Great call Charles!

Wayne Tinkle? Perhaps they could just swap coaches...OSU's for ASU's.

It seems like Dana would have to opt out, and up to this point, that is not the message he has been sending. Is he seeing his future through rose colored glasses? This team is really bad, and he is the head coach. It's his product we are watching flail away with a rather astonishing sense of futility.

3 minutes left in the half and OBD just scored their 10th point. They are shooting a collective 12% against the 11 win Terps. How can these guys spend their whole lives in the gym and still be that bad at putting the ball in the hoop?

Wow, what a way to end the Men's BB season. I had shut down my computer when we were down three with 16 seconds to play, but thought I'd better check back before opening this topic. Glad I did! What are your thoughts on this year's edition of Dana's boys?

Perhaps Dana could learn from Coach Graves how to assemble a cohesive team in the NIL era. Just saying.

I recall the season my brother and I shared great joy when Oregon made it to the Poulon Weed Eater Bowl and pulled out a last minute win over Tulsa. We felt as though the holiday season had a special magic. Even though the two playoff losses were painful in the moment, I can be nothing but grateful for the rise in talent, performance, entertainment, and wins over our hated rivals that Dan Lanning has brought to Eugene. These are the best of times for this Duck fan!

Perhaps Justin Herbert? Who would have guessed he'd be the second coming of Dan Fouts in the NFL after the way he was underutilized in college? But hey, he learned how to be physical and fight in a phone booth under MC!

Perhaps Hyloti Nyata & Devon Long on the 2004 roster come close, but I think/hope the 2026 d-line is going to be more dominant!

Let's not forget Evan Stewart. Having missed the entire season in 2025 because of injury, he will officially be playing his "sophomore" season with OBD. With the plethora of talent we'll have in the receiving and tight end corp, I think ES is going thrive on blown coverages and missed assignments!

Just keep showing the games and the telly and don't jack up the price of my streaming service too much! Oh, and thank you to all those fans paying more to put butts in the seats and $ in the NIL coffers. We couldn't do it without you!

After close losses in his first two seasons as a head coach, DL has his foot firmly on the neck of "the premier football brand in the Northwest." As long as he stays at Oregon, statements like the quote above will be seen as the obvious dog poo they are. How can you possibly be "the premier brand" when you can't beat your closest rival?

I used to find some relief from the pigskin withdrawal season by watching Dana's boys fight their way into the Pac 12 Tournament Championship game and at least win a game or two in the Big Dance. Alas, in what seems like Dana's last season with OBD cagers, not even that tepid form of relief is available. Guess I'll have to dig out the clubs and start working on my golf swing. Spring is just around the corner, ain't it?

Looks legit. If so, go get em Dan!