30Duck

Fortunately, that hasn't been the case for Payton most of the season. He seems to be integrating himself in to the team successfully; no small feat considering this is a veteran filled Celtics roster. Payton is having to transform from being The Man @ Oregon, and really the 5th option for the Celtics. But by passing, rebounding, playing defense, and making his shots when he gets them, he is making the 26th pick the Celtics used on him, look great. In his last game, Pritchard got 23 minutes, hit 3 of 3 on 3's, and his current career high is @ 13.

The Men are the only Pac-12 team in the Top 25, while the Lady Ducks trail, Stanford, #1, and Arizona, #6, in the Top 10,, and have games, @ Stanford on the 8th and @ Arizona, on the 14th.

Unfortunately, Verdell has been "iffy" for pretty much every game since he's been here.

Now, do we really care what Udub thinks about the U of O? Not really. But there is always something to learn from hearing opposing views, and surprisingly I know, there is some good discussion going on here. This is a great example: Oregon won 11 games six times in 10 years prior to this season We’ve won 11 games three times in our history.

Okay, Charles actually took the player I was thinking of, I already said I wanted a DT to show up in the transfer portal topic, and if Ngata could show up for the Fiesta Bowl? So, I thought who else is there that could really fill a need? Could really make an impact? One player immediately came to mind, and it was from just last year! Brady Breeze! With Breeze it wouldn't have to be a player coming back, he just wouldn't have left. His two game stretch of Pac-12 Championship & Rose Bowl is one of the most dominating any Duck has ever had. Not only did he make play after play, he just wasn't going to let the Ducks lose!

My first Favorite Duck was Billy Gaskins, he was the 2 guard for the Ducks when they played, and beat, #1 UCLA 78-65, ending a UCLA 25 game winning streak, that game, Feb.21, was my intro-Duck-ion, and have bled green & yellow ever since. I also want to recognize a Duck I will always remember. Her name is Janelle Lindvall, and she was the catcher on the softball team, from 2013-16. She was a good, not great hitter average wise, but if the Ducks were coming up and needed a hit, it was always nice to see that she'd get an at bat. What really drew me to her though was on defense, and just how she handled her job. I don't recall her ever having a passed ball, and very few wild pitches, and she always looked calm, had to be a confidence builder for the pitcher. Janelle has a sister, named Lauren, who played 2nd base for the Ducks, 2015-18.

With this latest news it looks like the job is Choat's, if he wants it. I don't know why Avalos or Moore would even interview now.

It looks like a great schedule. Right now, Stanford is #1, Arizona is #6 and Oregon is #8. Pac-12 Women dominate basketball, and pretty much softball, and it doesn't look to be changing anytime soon.

Hold your horses! Or Broncos in this case.

Choate is the fall back guy if Avalos and Moore don't want it. Ordinarily, this would be a step backwards for Moore. It would be a little different if this was the Boise State when Moore was playing. But, it isn't. THe only reason I can see Moore taking the job is Jerry Jones. For Avalos, it is a step up, from DC to HC. But, a few more years of success @ Oregon as the DC, and he will be looking at much better offers than going home again.

Let's see. A $1000. 00 fine, and they have to promise never to do it again?

That is the question, and I hope that Mario doesn't overthink the answer. If Shough is playing well, and not just "managing" go with him. But, if the Ducks aren't humming, get Brown in there!

This is absolutely right, Jon. If the ESPN Invitational expands to 8, it will just be twice as corrupt as it is now. The only way to actually have a Playoffs is for it to be filled with the Power of 5 champions, and 3 wildcards including at least 1 G5. With this, only minor "eye test" is needed.

Thanks for the scouting report, Ryan, however, as good a job Wright does on kickoff returns, the fewer chances he has a chance to display his skills, the better, once would be fine. Iowa State features a great running back in Breece Hall, much like Wisconsin had in Johnathan Taylor in the Rose Bowl. Oregon's defense handled Taylor, and doing the same to Hall, will take the air out of the Cyclone's offense. Whoever the quarterback turns out to be for the Ducks, some big plays through the air would be great, Iowa's pass coverage is their Achilles heel, and the Ducks can double down here with their speed advantage. Hopefully, KT and Dorlus will pick up where they left off, and ISU's quarterback will will have to be picked up off the field, when he isn't running for his life and getting picked off. This is a big game for ISU, let them and their fans enjoy the build up of playing in a NY6 game, then the Ducks can give them a reality check.

It's down to a couple of former Boise State players, Avalos and Kellen Moore, and Montana State head coach, Jim Choate, also a BSU alum.

Ah yes, Todd McSham. Not a word of contrition, "I was wrong" from this bum. It's inconceivable for me to think of any other job, that on the surface is more useless than his, where he is the sidekick to Mel Kiper. But, it doesn't even matter that he's incompetent. On to Justin's game. He got a touchdown pass, so that record is his, and with 253 yards, he's over 4000. After their horrific start, the Chargers are at 6-9 now, and finish with the rematch against KC.

He didn't even know he was going to play when he found out 8 minutes before kickoff that he was going to start for the Chargers in their second game of the season, against the Super Bowl champions, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Chargers should have won the game! It's gone that way all season, today he gets the chance to make things right against the Broncos. All during the season, not only has Justin made himself the favorite for Offensive Rookie Of The Year, he's on pace for a historic season. He's already tied the record for touchdown passes in a season with 27. He's 219 yards away from becoming the 4th QB to throw for 4000 yards in his rookie season. He probably won't break Andrew Luck's record for yards in a rookie season, needs 1190 in the last two games. Highlights from today's game....

The best answer for this I feel is that Brown starts against Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl, gets all the starter reps in hopefully, Spring ball, and leads the team in to season opening win in the 'Shoe, next year. I don't see how any of the other contenders will be better, against Iowa State, or starting next season. If Brown doesn't stay then I see it as completely open and one of the guys will rise to the job.

Some great points here, Jon. We know the geographical, time zone issues that make it hard for the Pac-12. Now we add the apathy of Cal, UCLA & Stanford. U of A isn't apathetic, more just pathetic, as their football struggles to stay above water, their once proud basketball team is going under. The Cougars are pretty much resigned to be the Novelty Act, Oregon State, bless their hearts, are trying as hard they can, and I'll say it again, the Beavs will finish above the Pups, in basketball this season and football next season. Oregon and USC, seriously have to get out of the Pac-12.

The Men's last game, against UCLA was postponed due to Covid issues with the officials, it is hoped that the game will be made up, tentative plan is that it will be played in MKA in early March.

I agree, Kellen may bleed Boise State Blue, but that doesn't mean he should take this job. Hopefully, he will go on and have a great career coaching in the NFL, and BSU can put a statue up in his honor.

I will say DT forever and ever. I will never forget what Nick Fairley did against Our Beloved Ducks in the championship against Auburn. I can't think of a player be more singularly responsible for beating the Ducks than was Fairley. Give the Ducks some of those. Get KT a DT to join him on the line and we will see the kind of D that Mario, and we are dreaming of.

This should come as no surprise to anyone, my favorite, not only Oregon player, but any player, is Ronnie Lee. He is the all time leading scorer for the Ducks, and would have even more points if there had been a 3 point line back then. He didn't have a great shooting %, but at the end of the game, he had the green light, except, because above all, Ronnie played to win, Greg Ballard usually, or any other Duck had a better shot, he'd get the ball to them. He was the captain of the Kamikaze Kids, was in the middle when the Ducks used to stand on the midcourt line and, "stare down" the other team. I have to give Marv Harshman, coach of the Huskies back then, for giving the Huskies, Groucho Marx masks to wear during one of the stare downs. Much better humor than John Wooden had. Ronnie and the Ducks never made the NCAA's, they actually didn't do all that well in post season play. But, even more than did Chip's teams change the way football was played, Harter, led by Ronnie Lee, changed basketball. Ronnie didn't have a great NBA career, the Trail Blazers could have taken him, but took Lionel Hollins, from ASU, after Ronnie and the Ducks beat Lionel & ASU in the Far West Classic. He ended up going to Phoenix, where he played an otherwise anonymous player, named Don Buse. But, despite all the great, record setting, award winning Ducks since, Ronnie Lee is my #1.

I was amazed last night, when on ESPN, Pawl of all people, thought that this season convinced him that the Playoffs NEEDED to expand to 8 teams. He was worried that the emphasis on The Playoffs was already creating a "Win it or Bust" situation for teams, and that having only 4, and the same 4, every year, is bad for the sport overall. I couldn't believe that I was hearing this on ESPN and from Mr SEC, but if he knows it, everybody does, and there could be an expanded playoff sooner than we thought.

The pre-season 1st team point guard could be back in time to really help the Ducks this season.