30Duck

Beavers all the way! Mainly because I love the consternation this season has caused the Husky fans so far, and when they noticed the line had shifted Yes, another loss could prompt some coaching adjustment, Basketball is definitely a mess, but I'm willing to take that chance. The biggest reason I want the Beavers to win is because that means the Huskies lose. The reason I think the Beavers will win is because the Beavers are better!

The future for Oregon basketball, Men's and Women's is ridiculous!

Not surprising, but I think Verdell, and how he's used is the key to the game for the Ducks. His production was a huge part of the win over the Buckeyes, and for a reason impossible for me to grasp, his carries have been reduced in the games since?

This is unlike any other Forum, especially for Ducks. Agree, disagree doesn't matter. The aim is discussion, in a civil and respectful manner.

According to Recruiting Expert, Andrew Nemec, Mario is just warming warming up.

So, on his ESPN show, former USC WR, Keyshawn Johnson, said plainly that he didn't think the Ducks had any chance at all against the Buckeyes. Well, you could say, I didn't either, and that's true. But my lack of optimism was coming from watching the lackluster performance against Fresno State, and ten no KT, and then no Flowe either. For Johnson it was different. He did it because he's "A Trojan, and it still hasn't sunk in to him that the Ducks are the top program in the Pac-12. Unlike Washington, USC actually has been the premiere team in the conference,. But, it isn't now. When the news broke on Helton's firing, I know that Johnson won't let himself believe that Mario would turn down an offer from his USC, to stay at Oregon? But of course that's just what he did And, I don't think that Cristobal is the only high profile coach that's going to take a pass on USC. When they hired Helton, he wasn't the best of the best. He was just the best they could get. Maybe PJ Fleck would leave the Golden Gophers for the Trojans?

Yes. Let's look at the OSU game as one of those, "Good losses". It's disappointing but the Beavs seemed to have "wanted it more" when it came to the championship, an issue we discussed in an earlier topic. Now, the Beavs would not have gotten to the NCAA"s without the 'ship, and the Ducks were looking at two more games, and maybe a boost up to a 6, so maybe... I expect a much more focused effort against VCU, Altman said that he and the coaches had not seen hardly any tape of their games, so hopefully attention will be on high for the Ducks, and conversely, the Rams. FWIW, Jay Bilas, who is about as knowledgeable as ESPN gets, feels the Ducks can play with Iowa.

From sportspac12.com

I'll take the 3 second rule, which should definitely be done away with. It's like holding in football could be called on every play. It isn't of course, and every time it is, I can only imagine it's to fill a league mandated quota. Not as bad, and not Wilt's fault, is the 5 second inbound rule, this again is unnecessary, and left to the ref's own internal clock. Most inbounding is very casual, given the 2nd base close enough judgment on double plays, it just doesn't matter on a routine inbound if a player's toe is on the line. Another silly rule? Players on the side coming in early on a free throw, all the time, players from both teams enter the lane early, and again, "quota" occsionally the ref will blow his, or hers, whistle.

Yeah, I don't really see a parallel between Helfrich and Graves, while Mariota was a Duck, Helfrich was Diet Coke, and did okay, when Marcus left, Helfrich was New Coke, and we all knew how that worked out. Graves not only lost Ionescu, also gone were Hebard, and Satou Sabally, the force behind not only the best women's basketball team that season, in the argument for one of the best of all time. Without the Big 3, and playing in the most competitive basketball conference in the country, Kelly and his team of 5 star freshmen, Sabally's sister, Nyarra, coming back from an ACL tear, Sedona Prince, also recovering from serious leg issues, a transfer from Maryland, Mikesell, struggle through an inconsistent season, and their freshman PG misses the end of the season with a foot injury. The comparison I see is between this season's Women's team, and the Men's team the season after the Final Four team. Gone from that team, Dillon Brooks, Jordan Bell, Chris Boucher, Dylan Ennis, Tyler Dorsey. That team finished 21-13, lost in the 2nd Round of the NIT. The next year they got to the Sweet 16, losing to eventual champ, Virginia, 53-49.

It is hard to predict that either basketball team will get past their second round game, especially if Paopao is still out. The baseball and softball teams are both playing great though, World Series for both! Track, you never know. Why not just do it!

It's all about the quarterback, and ultimately, he will be the most important player if Oregon is to get an invitation to the playoffs next season. But, it's not only him. From both offense and defense, 247sports.com highlights 10 players who will make the difference for the Ducks.

USC might be getting a bit of good fortune if they get past their first round game. Kansas is leaving three players at home, so they won't be the typical No. 3 for USC, and who knows, maybe EWU will take the Jayhawks down. I know that we're kind of expected to root for Pac-12ers in these things, but I am not impressed at all by UCLA, and really expect Michigan State to handle them, and, since the game isn't in Boulder, I don't expect much from the Buffs, and McKinley Wright lV.

I will have an answer after I see the Women's bracket this afternoon.

I think this worked out well for the Ducks. VCU does have a 7'1 C, but he doesn't play very much. As far as the rest of the Pac-12, I expect USC to get by their first round play-in opponent, while I think that Michigan State will beat UCLA in their play-in game. No. 12 Georgetown will pull the "upset" over No. 5 Colorado, but I think that No. 5 Tennessee will beat No. 12 Oregon State. Here is an analysis from NBC Sports Northwest

Oh my yes, Byron Marshall

After working out with Brown, Vernon Adams believes he is just the quarterback the Ducks need to get back to the Playoffs. From NBC Sports Northwest

I don't like the tournament winner being called a "Champion", the Ducks are back to back champions, after finishing the season with the best record, the Beavs finished fifth after the season. This time, the Beavs didn't even have to win 4 games in the Conference Tournament, as the Ducks did in 2018-19. Because, Arizona didn't participate, the 5th place Beavs got a bye into the second round. "But, the Beavs beat the Ducks, so shut up!" Yes, they did, and UCLA, and Colorado, all teams seeded higher than them because they all played better than did the Beavers during the regular season, 'so you shut up!" The NCAA Tournament is a marathon, the little guys can make some noise. But to get to the Sweet 16, the elite 8, you've proven you're a really good team, didn't just get hot for a couple of days. It just doesn't make sense, that a "hot" team gets the Automatic Bid, while the Regular Season Champ is just another At Large selection.

Not surprising, the Huskies did the same thing with Colson Yankoff. From 247sports.com

In the "other" game between the Ducks and Beavers tonight, the Ducks did quite well!

When they aren't hitting their shots it really messes everything up, they can't just grind out wins.

I guess they should have bowed out.