Darren Perkins

Funny, thanks saying this because I almost added a paragraph addressing this very thought. Many of the same fans who are playing down his importance as USC would have the exact opposite reaction if he was in Eugene.

Exactly, and what you just said is the message I'm trying to convey here, this isn't going to be the same mediocre USC we've seen since Caroll left, we have to arm ourselves with the expectatiion that USC is going to be really good, and not be surprised when it happens.

In the article I was implying that they will be firing on all cylinders in the near future, probably within two years, but not at the moent they are not, but I expect at least 8 wins next year.

Ok, well, last I checked the Pac-12 isn't exactly the SEC, so if he can have success in the "small pond" Big 12 he can have success in the small pond Pac-12.

Right, and the PAc-12 is full of "Oregon State" like teams, so I would expect them to at the very least reverse the 4-8 and go 8-4 based on coaching competance alone. That's why I didn't say they were going to win it in 2022, but I feel they have a very strong shot in 2023 and for sure in 2024.

Thanks. Very solid points to consider!

Thanks. I hear ya, the pros are that a good USC elevates the conference and the reveunue, the con is it make the life of Oregon a lot more difficult.

Defense will be their question mark, but a strong argument could be made that over the past 5 years, going west from the Texas/Oklahoma region to the Pacific ocean, that the Sooners have been the best out west. So, my thinking is, if he can do at Oklahoma, I believe he can do it at USC (with most likely more talent). Oregon is the top program that can stop them. Should be exciting.

This is what I was thinking as well, so we can't freak out when a lot of players hit the portal, and think, "Lanning doesn't know what he's doing!" ... when in fact he knows exactly what he is doing. Just gotta trust the process.

Totally, how your son read it is essentially how I read it. Technically speaking, those who have an issue with it are correct, technically speaking. But as so often in life, with people of all ages (not just the young) and in various circumstances, we need to dig a little deeper and try to interpret what is meant, and not simply what is literally said.

We might be overanalyzing this just a bit. When I first read it I didn't think anything wrong with it, until I read the comments. I took the the "wanna see the love" as him wanting to see the fans getting excited and supporting the basketball team. Ya know, Autzen and Oregon fans do have a reputation for that. Could it be he just didn't word the intent of his post clearly? He is a high school kid.

Instead of having confidence that they are a strong, solid program with a good history, they prefer to act and think like the little engine that could. They're thinking more like OSU or WSU fans. They're afraid to exude too much confidence: I’m perfectly fine with being under the radar." Weak sauce.

Sorry, guess my article jinxed them against the Buffs.

Yeah, two guys with NBA bodies but with very raw talent starting to really get some seasoning, will be fun to see how they continue to progress.

That's really what excites me about next year with point guard recruit Drior Johnson (and the other two top recruits), a potential one and done getting comparisions to Jalen Suggs from Gonzaga last year, getting on the floor with the two bigs (assuming they are back) who will finally have some serious experience under their belts.

Yeah, there is something to be said about coming together as team with good rhythm and flow that creates shooting the ball with much more confidence. Gelling.

Well, with transfers coming in who were "the guy," or at least used to getting more shots and points at their previous schools, there could be something to that.

Yeah, Richardson has never seemd to be a true point guard to me, more of a combo guard who can play the point when needed, but certainly not the true pg like a Pritchard. So, good move by Altman.

Yeah, the talent is there (much of it raw with the bigs) but there seemed to be a big hole on the team for "goto" guy like Duarte or Pritchard, but Richardson seems to be stepping up.

I went through their past several seasons on Wikipedia and looking over the schedules it is amazing how awesome their record is at the end of the season.

I agree with you 100%. At worst it takes him a year or two to get things totally going, but there is no reason to believe he won't put out a product at least as good as what he produced at Oklahoma, which was pretty damn good. We should be very worried.

Oregon and USC way down there, but only because they currently have very small classes due to coaching changes. But, given the ratio of blue chip recruits they are both top-15ish.

Wildcats.

Yes, it's closer, a 13 mile straight shot down the 405, much easier access for Bruin students an fans. The rose bowl is twice as far away. I hate to say it, because I love the rose bowl, but I think it would be better for them to move to SoFi. Which, would basically be the end of the rose bowl stadium and the game would simply move to sofi. I think it's inevitable that this will happen at some point.

I believe, a theory I read somewhere, for right or for wrong, is that the ACC believes that an 8-team format will make it more likely that Notre Dame will join the ACC full-time.This because if there is an 8-team format, ND would see it as an easier path to the playoff than remaining an independent.