Charles Fischer

True-DAT!

Of course you never know where it shows up!

I think I prefer the promotion on the buildings...how about you?

It is only a minute and a half, but I would listen, as Jerry sees what we see: "Coach, you are special..."

You make my fearless look punny. I predicted a regular season record, and let it go at that, but YOU....whew!

Absolutely beautiful...

And the new B1G is going to seriously challenge that...thanks to Dan Lanning!

Darren! So fun to have you back, and the part I loved the most? As a publisher--you cracked me up with the Mr. Bodacious in the picture caption. That is NOT our protocol, but I loved it. Pretty clever slogans, and it reminded me again of how much I enjoy all the different styles of the writers at FishDuck. Your humor is always welcome, and what a nice, "oh-yeah, that's Darren," moment for me. So great to have you back!

I can't wrap my head around it. 92,000 for a volleyball match...in Nebraska? Whew! Impressive, and that is not counting how good Penn State is...

No. Not any time soon--maybe in a few years. Or not.

As much as it disgusts me to write, I have to admit that the media loves to discuss USC, and I am certain a big part of it is catering to the massive number of fans in Southern California. This phenomenon is not going away with Lincoln Riley, because they will either be discussed for how great they are, or how they are not measuring up. But the bottom line is, USC is going to continuously be in the national discussion, and that just makes me want to hurl. Yet it is quite evident that USC fans detest Oregon and our fans, and now that we will both be in the B1G, it should be quite an ongoing rivalry. Does all the discussion about USC help West Coast exposure, and hence helps Oregon, when we out-recruit them, and beat them on the field?

Yep, I wrote that last year, and believed it at the time. That is why, when you actually put it out there for thousands to read, it makes predicting a bit more fearless. (Because people like you come back to fry me for sticking my neck out) I have written about this before, but last year we did not have the pass rushing skills needed, and we learned that in the second game of the year. Thus, the rest of the year the Ducks were in a very conservative defense, and when added to the injuries, along with the lack of skill, we were left with the less that an impressive defensive line performance. A big difference compared to last year, is the addition of Birch and Matayo, which will free up the skills of those on opposite sides, as well as the middle, in addition to Popo being back and a healthy Brandon Dorlus. But of course, we will have to see it on the field, but then, once we do—it is no longer a prediction!

JPJ is a fun one to cheer for, and I welcome you to this forum. Do share your thoughts often and join the fun here...as this is going to be quite the season!

And you sir, are a great CFB fan who is welcome to post often here, as you give us well written thoughts and perspectives that are enjoyable to read. Please continue, and good luck with your team's season!

Fearless is putting it in print--where the trollers can turn to later. It is easy to say, "put money down," when you have not had hundreds of people in the past denigrate you badly for predictions made as I have. When reading a thread where everyone is insulting you, and it makes you sick to your stomach...(as happened a few years ago) that tempers what you write and how you write it in the future. You have not experienced it as I have. Thus making this prediction makes it all the more fearless, considering the tons of people later who, if things with the season don't turn out will...

Nearly twice that of the Huskies? Oregon will do very well in the B1G... (Remember that the vast majority of Oregon's 4/5-Stars are very young...)

And Husky fans are complaining about the same on their boards. Love it!

Whoa! Now that is red Kool Aid!

My Duck-Buddies....did I write that Dan Lanning is a problem solver? We did not have a pass-rush last year, and for Spring Football he had 12 Edge Rushers? Twelve? You only need four or five, but he wanted to be certain, so between portal transfers and hs recruits--he had 12 auditioning for the Edge-Rusher/JACK linebacker position. Who does that? What coach actually pulls that off in his first year? It is one thing to say you are going to solve the problem, but does the coach have the recruiting chops to actually make it happen? This guy does, and DID.

When do you have a Heisman Trophy candidate, a 5th year senior returning at QB? And one of the top RBs in the nation? And eight experienced OLs, tons of proven talent at WR and TE? Almost never. This is a very special year with all the experience, tons of game experience returning. This will be our best shot in a few years, IMHO.

You are making an observation that we all noted, but most important--Dan acted on it. This coach goes out and solves problems like no coach I've ever seen. We needed help at defensive back, and he went out and got four experienced, savvy players from the portal? Did you see the crisp tackling, and the tight coverage in the Spring Game? We have not witnessed that in a long time, and I believe this is the deepest group at defensive back ever at Oregon. The starters will be good, but the next level will be-just-as-good, and we have not seen that at Oregon before. Consider Nikko Reed transferring from Colorado; why would he come here? By that time he could see that there were eight very experienced DBs already at Oregon...how was he going to start? Gonzo tweeted from the Patriot training camp that Reed was a stud who replaced him at Colorado, and will be a star at Oregon....yet all those DBs are already here? How did Dan Lanning convince Reed to come to Oregon? I wrote an article (linked in the article) about the freaks needed to implement this defense; last year we did not have any at the three freak positions. This year we have an abundance of talent that will be stacked at the STAR, the MONEY linebacker and the JACK linebacker. The fifth defensive back, the STAR has to be an extraordinary player, and Lanning went out and got a couple of them. You will see a massive jump in performance from the defensive backs; why? Because the four transfers have already performed at a high level at Colorado, Fresno State, Ole Miss and Alabama. Nikko Reed has already done it in Pac-12 Games...

I do, because Dan Lanning is a problem-solver. We needed better punting, and he had four competing for the punting spot with a final two being decided for the starter this week. There is a pattern of getting a boatload of recruits and transfers to solve an issue with Lanning. Kris Hutson was safe as a punt catcher, but Tez Johnson returned punts extremely well at his last stop, and we have seen his fast-twitch in the Spring Game that suits punt returns ideally. Gary Bryant II was the leading kick-returner at USC in 2021 as a freshman, and sat out last year. I believe one or more of the new defensive backs or WRs will also step in...and I expect to see Rodrick Pleasant--with his extraordinary speed--being tested back there yet this season. Special Teams will be special again under Lanning... Onside kick recovered...

Then it is not a prediction; it is an observation that everyone will agree with, thus not very fearless.