1Funduck

1AnnoyeDuck here; I'm middle aged, therefore I rant about getting off my lawn and this generation is worse. But, this is beyond sad. Sports is a dominant fabric in society. Football, Baseball, badminton, pickleball, Corn Hole, Archery...etc.etc.etc. We get the point right? Sports is about many things that are nostalgic and metaphoric. For those that have the ability, it's a beautiful demonstration of hard work and natural ability. For those that have grown older, it's a nostalgic reminder of yesteryear with your siblings and neighborhood friends. We also want to see greatness. What can the human machine accomplish? What are it's limits? Then we reward for Greatness!! Sadly, cheating has creeped into society as 'Virtuous'. Don't believe me? "If you ain't cheating you ain't trying!" Apparently its OK to cheat as long as you don't get caught. Principled people are trustworthy. Those that aren't, you end up wondering if they can be trusted. I'm left wondering, if you are willing to cheat to get the Trophy..... what's left to honor? The Trophy is the ultimate prize we all struggle for. Its acknowledgement of hard work. But, ESPN is supposed to be the pinnacle of excellence and now they are the Pinnacle of cheating. Actually it doesn't surprise me. ....and that's sad.

"Don't follow the Legend, Be the Legend"

I'm tuning out the noise till Lanning makes a statement. Its respectable to entertain coaching offers. You listen to everyone because you never know what tomorrow's turn will take you. For example, Dan's wife is a cancer survivor. What happens if that takes an unexpected turn? Dan gets the ultimate hall pass. Till then, I'm waiting on Coach Lannings official statement. " "Don't follow the Legend, Be the Legend" ---1Funduck.

"Don't follow a legend, be the legend" ..1Funduck

Bring me Domani Jackson 5*CB who just transfered out of SC to Alabama, and LT Overton 5*DL out of aTm heading to 'Bama. I want me some more 'Cowbell' errrrrrrr defense.

Oh, and Kirby is going NOWHERE. He's at the pinnacle already.

Whether he goes or whether he stays, I'm left thinking that the CFB landscape is nothing like it was 10 years ago. Alabama, along with a handful of other progrums, was the pinnacle of College coaching before heading to the NFL. But, with the change in Conferences and all the moving pieces, CFB progrums are not the same. If you have a National Brand, check, a boat load of cash, check, and in one of the top two Conferences, check again, then where is the major draw? Oregon was 3 points from the Playoffs and its looking even better next year. So, does Lanning run to a ready made defense and good offense for the run next year? Does he use Saban's roster to win a Natty? Or does Lanning continue his building of an empire at Oregon, Building it all by himself and at the cusp of a Natty run? Who knows what Dan does. I haven't felt this hopeful of a playoff run since the Kelly years. The difference with those was that the scheme truly leveled the playing field. Now? We look like 'Bama' light. We just need a bit more. We all feel it. A little more defensive linemen to finish the job. We need 2-3 more years to finish this juggernaut. We have the offense, but just need maturity on the defense. We have a bunch right now but to be Georgia and Michigan D line dominant we need just a bit more. I'm putting my hat in the ring that Lannjng stays. After all, you don't want to be the guy that follows Saban. You want to be the guy that follows the guy that followed Saban. By then Lanning might have a Natty of his own.

Saban has been highly vocal about NIL and Portal. Its high energy all the time. A total Young mans game. My fear is Lanning to 'Bama. Not many schools he would answer the phone for over Bama. Holding breath

You got to think all these kids are sick of losing and just want to win. aTm has a bunch of 5*'s that fit that bill.

Wasn't he slayed to be an Edge player as well? If memory serves, he was like a 5*. Also if memeory serves, he really didn't want to play defense. Apparently got his wish playing receiver. Now he's Port'ling? Wow!! Recruit the 4/5* like mad and pick them up in the portal next year Dann'O

So many points to speculate on. I will touch on 2. Washington winning a NC sounds wrong. But Michigan winning, due in part to cheating, is even worse!! I will not root for the Huskies. I truly do want them to lose and here's why. Washington winning a Natty will give them 2 banners. When will be the next time Oregon wins 2 NC's, let alone 3 to out rank the Mutts? But. If the puppies lose then they only have a split championship. When we win ours we will have bragging rights. But, I see your point. If Washington wins and by a fair margin, thats going to make everyone sit up and take notice of the freight train coming to the B!G. Either way, it's the B!G conference Championship next Monday night. 'B!G, It Just Means More!'

Boy, it sure is tough coming to terms with Transfer portal and NIL's. These kids wanted NIL and deservedly so. But, with that comes the Portal and 'Free Agency'. In other words, it cuts both ways, right? This is reality whether I like it or not. It forces us into the win at all coat mantra every year. Oregon is not going to let its foot off the gas. There are a ton of D-lineman that are great but on a team that isn't so, he's Portaled. QB's are in the same boat. Nix, Ward, Penix, and Jayden Daniels are proof of that. Qb's on sub par teams with over producing QB's. Better believe Oregon can ALWAYS get a top notch QB through Portal. Portal is what it is. I have accepted it because I want to win a Natty.

I am beyond STOKED!!! No SEC team in the Championship game!!!

Someone call the cops. There's going to be a murder

Is that like a derogatory question? I'll bite if so. "They got no business being in the Fiesta Bowl"...FSU

As I watched each video I harkened back to the Blur offense with Chip'r. Man!!! I loved that Era. I believe the Linebackers and safeties are the difference in this game as a running QB can take the wind out of the defense' sails. We have sideline to sideline speed in that department. My prediction is that the first half is Oregon finding themselves on both sides of the ball. 24-17 or something like that. Then to finish the game a blow out. 52-17 Bo wins the 'Oregon Heisman' errr Harrington.

I drove from Oregon to Arizona for the 2002 Fiesta Bowl. Was my first in person Bowl game. Took about 18 hours. Grabbed Magic Mountain on the way back. Was absolutely worth it!! It was 5 of us total with my oldest, elementary aged son and 2 buddies along with one of their sons. We set up an old 13" tube television and a Nintendo 64 for them to play all the way down. Pulled out the middle row of seats in our minivan, left the 3 seater bench in the back as well as a blanket on the floor. Kids we're the quietest I've ever experienced on a road trip. Then going to Magic Mountain was already baked into the travel cost. Essentially $0. Grabbed a park ticket and had the time of our lives. Left at closing and shared the driving task back to the barn in Oregon. I still think about the different memories along that trip. It was relatively short, about 4-5 days, and jam packed, but it was worth every second.

Drive.

MSN WWW.MSN.COM Jurion Dickey's journey back to playing time.

Absolutely do NOT agree. The second criteria is demonstrably flawed. Strength of Schedule is subjective at best because it starts with a ranking in the preseason. Ranking teams is an opinion based process..period. It's incredibly biased. By the committees own words, these teams aren't the same in week 2 as they are at the end of the season. Why? Because you have to play the games to get the team to gel. Then they go and destroy their own argument and say that Texas should be above Alabama because they beat them 2-1/2 months ago? Doesn't Alabama deserve to be above Texas for beating Georgia? Wouldn't Georgia beat Texas? Again, says who? It's opinion based when it's convenient. So, which is it? Is it the overall record and the head to head? Or is it the opinion of what you THINK would happen on the field in the future? Doesn't FSU's stellar defense deserve the opportunity to shut down a playoff contender? 2011 Alabama-LSU thinks so. A game where field goals were the only offense because the Defense was out of this world. Think of it. Alabama offense couldn't score a TD. They should never have played in the Championship game. Their offense was.... Oh wait! Not only did they play but the WON the 2012 Championship. They didn't get there by offense, but by defense. Offense was fine but defense was otherworldly. Did Utah deserve to play Alabama? Mighty mouse against vaunted Alabama? My opinion is.... Who cares? They played and it was settled on the field. So, should FSU get a chance because they are undefeated. Should they play in the playoffs because their defense is fully intact? Should the go to the dance because they're conference Champions from a Power 5 conference? The argument is flawed. One metric makes the argument moot. Would FSU beat Michigan? I think...who cares what anyone thinks. The reality is an undefeated Power 5 Champion won't get a chance to prove it. After all, Michigan's 1/2 without a single pass says you aren't good enough without your starting QB. This argument truly is aggravating. 350 million opinions tells CFB who plays whom at the end of the season. Rigged.

Another point is that Phil Knight ain't getting any younger. He deserves it right about now!!

I love winning!! It's clear to me that this new format is going to fast track Oregon's path to the Playoffs. I personally don't get connected to the kids. It's because I have linked my love of CFB long before these kids parents got together. And Oregon is my team. With that said.. DanL, I feal your pain. NIL is still pretty new. Getting used to the new format will take time. You should be able to express your love of Oregon in your way. Tradition means something, it's College Football. We are in the middle of a convergence of loyalty, or lack thereof, to individualism and team. I personally am beyond STOKED for this recruiting class as well as the transfers. It's obscene what we hauled in. Please don't let yourself get too down. It's they way of it all and you will most likely do better if you keep your distance from the players and just think about the Team.

I didn't know what I was looking at back in 2010 and 2014. But, now I see that Helfrich was a great OC, HC not so much. From 2013-2016 Oregon went from a Natty show to a losing record all under Helfrich. I would argue that MH was a benefactor of the CK spread offense with some good players left over from Chip'r. MH didn't stock the cupboard and the coaching didn't innovate. It was garbage either, but the result was a losing record for 2016. In retrospect, I don't believe MH was a good HC. I believe he is a Great OC. Where is he working now? Dan Lanning came in out of the blue and played for a conference championship 15 months later. Played 3 points from the playoffs within 15 months of field time. He is going up while Mark went down. And don't give me combine numbers 4 years after he left. Thats more on Mari° than Helfrich. That argument is pathetic. Again, Mark going to the Natty is more about taking the reigns of a thoroughbred offense by the Heisman winner to be, basically 1 season (3 months) later. Mark just had to not screw it up and Oregon was going to reign. If Mark was THAT good then Oregon should have maintained their dominance. They didn't because he couldn't. No shame, just lacked ability.

Now THAT is a guy we need!!!!