30Duck

The big problem is that Mario really doesn't think there is a problem. His response after any loss is that it hurt and that the team, the players, the coaches, will work even harder to make sure it doesn't happen again. Never has he given any indication that any adjustments are necessary. With the recruiting success, it will get harder for it not to get better. Mario wants to succeed. He wants to make Oregon the Alabama of the West. Will he take a look at what Alabama has become? The Tide averaged 50 a game this season, their WR won the Heisman, the QB was 3rd, its RB was 5th. That isn't "prevent offense." It's going to be fascinating to watch what happens next season.

If ever anything can be a sure thing, Justin being named, ROTY, should be.

This is really getting boring. Every game the Ducks play in Boulder against the Buffs looks the same. Colorado looks like a final four team, and Oregon looks like anything but #17. They had an 11-0 run in the middle of the first half. But of course it didn't last, the Buffs had the lead at halftime, and put the game away in the first 5 minutes. As ICamel said, every time it looked like the Ducks would get back in, they'd go on another run. Not that it made any difference in the game, it certainly made it worse that the female announcer sounded like she was a student at Colorado.

This is definitely true, and what you said about winning streaks is definitely in play here. The Ducks have a 3 game winning streak going against Stanford, including a 40 point blowout, in their place. This game isn't really at "their" p[lace, but it's clearly a road game for Oregon. It's easy to say that there is a lot more pressure on Stanford in this one. They're #1, they're the experienced team. It isn't that the Ducks have nothing to lose, they certainly aren't going in with that attitude, But, every minute this game goes on, and the Ducks are close, Stanford is going to be the team sweating.

But maybe Pac-12 champion Oregon—which lost a few top defenders, along with Sewell—would've had a better record and a stronger case for a College Football Playoff berth. I'm sure not going to argue with this.

So far, under Dana Altman the Ducks had a lot of success, regular season championships, conference tournament wins, a Final Four appearance. But the one thing they haven't done is beat the Buffaloes in Colorado. They get another chance today, at 2:00 on FoxSport1.

The Ducks are definitely primed to beat the Cardinal. They had a bad game against UCLA, and still almost won. I don't think they liked it, there's a bitter taste in their mouths. I'm sure they respect Stanford, but there's no intimidation.

There hasn't been an Oregon team with as much depth as this season's Lady Ducks. Graves could get an honorary degree in Geometry for putting all the pieces together.

This makes sense, Boise State would be step down for Avalos and Moore, and there's not a Jerry Jones at Oregon for Avalos to get away from.

So, how about Oregon players getting ROTY in the NFL & NBA?

Staring the game at 2:00 is much better than at 8:00, even for a basketball game.

That's how they win championships in Washington. Since it was announced that Oregon would play in the championship game, Wilner, and Andrew Nemec, made it their responsibility to make sure that everybody knew Oregon didn't deserve to be there. After they won? Didn't hear much about Oregon being the second team to repeat as Pac-12 champions since Stanford did it in 2012, 13. No team has appeared in the championship game 3 years in a row.

Angela Dugalic was as close to Sabrina Ionescu as I've seen in the game against UCLA. She almost was enough for the Ducks to beat a very talented, veteran UCLA team, when the Ducks were just off. Many times it looked like the Bruins were going to pull away and turn this game in to a blowout, but Dugalic didn't let that happen.

That's the key. You don't have to look back to what Chip did in the past. Look at what Alabama did this season; led the FBS in scoring, nearly 50 points a game, and the defense held opponents to 20! A wide receiver, Devonte Smith, of Alabama won the Heisman. His teammates, quarterback, Mack Jones, and RB, Najee Harris, finished 3rd & 5th, respectively. Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, LSU last season, the best teams in football, all have explosive offenses, allowing their playmakers on offense to torch opposing defenses.. It's the way teams get in to the Playoffs now, and the recruiting you've done is getting Oregon to a similar position. Just Do It.

Whenever, and wherever, the game is, Oregon will be there, looking to extend their 3 game winning streak against the Cardinal.

Justin is poised to not only best Marcus in the NFL. but to surpass former Duck, and Chargers quarterback, Dan Fouts. But for meltdowns at the end of games, the Chargers are in the playoffs this season. Next season with a new coach, and key defensive players back, the Chargers will be one of top teams in the AFC.

This is really fascinating to think about. The QB battle is definitely one of big questions about next year. Typically, Shough would have the inside track to be the starter next season. But what did the subbing with Brown in the Fiesta Bowl do to his confidence? Does he see himself as the incumbent? Or, maybe he see's that he has even more to prove than the other contenders. Does he think it will be easier somewhere else?

Your entire post was interesting, but that one sentence said it all. Aside from the players that stood out, this is a really hard season to figure out. I think that Duck fans should be the happiest in the conference, certainly more so than the whiny bunch up north. The Ducks are two time defending champions, the fact that they are crying about it makes me smile. For the second year in a row, the Ducks popped USC's bubble, in LA. What's not to like about that? Oregon State? Maybe, they actually are happier than is Oregon. For now, beating the Ducks makes their season.

They definitely have the talent, just like they did against UCLA. But, the Ducks need all that talent to execute properly, for the entire game. The Ducks currently have a 3 game winning streak over the Cardinal; in the last 9 games, the Ducks have a 5-4 lead. During that span, Oregon is 2-1 @ Stanford, and 1-2 @ Oregon. In the conference tournament, Oregon leads 2-1.

This is exactly right. The Lady Ducks could lose some battles, but at the end will be just fine. UCLA played great, probably as good as they can. Oregon was off its game, missing key players, and still almost won! The men too are missing players, notably PG, Will Richardson, but they are playing great basketball now, and will only get better.

What a great story. He was a 1st rd. pick, but most #26 selections hardly see the court, much less be major contributors on a team as talented as are the Celtics.

No doubt, the breakout star was Henry Katleman! He should be in contention for MVP. Verdell has a tough decision, this wasn't the type of year he wants to go out on, but is it reasonable for him to think he can make it through next season without missing games? Dollars looked like he's ready for more time as the RB's & QB's battle it out.

Very good point, David, and why retaining Avalos would be great. The last thing the Ducks need is for having the D need to "learn" a new defense. In every sport, the goal is for players to not have to think, to have them all just knowing where to be, what to do.

From the minute he first stepped on a football field at Stanford to when he retired, the whole world basically has anointed Andrew Luck to be the best quarterback ever...who didn't really win anything. Don't have time to get in to all he didn't do, but one thing he did do was throw for more yards than did Justin Herbert in their rookie seasons. Luck did throw for 4, 374, Herbert, 4, 336. However, Herbert had a much better completion %, 66.7 to 54.1. Herbert also set the new TD record, 21, to Luck's, 23. Luck did throw more interceptions, 18-10. and Luck played in one more game. So, will people start talking about Herbert the way they did about Luck?

The WNBA will be full of pictures like this for years to come!