Charles Fischer

No. 5 on Rivals, although this is very, very early. Seven of the sixteen commits are 4-Star, and I do think one or two of our 3-Star verbals may move up in the rankings to 4-Stars before the end of their senior season.

The word is that this guy is very close with tons of big potential recruits, and is a team "glue" kind of guy. A Jeff Maehl type of receiver who runs precise routes.

Well, that would be good for them. Meanwhile the rest of us accommodate the LA schools on the Olympic sports, only to have them set the screws on us with the money sports--football and basketball revenue?

We aren't there at practice, but they have not used Umlandt for anything other than short stretches in the season after he got bombed once as a starter. There must be a reason...

Dan Lanning is successfully fighting that uphill battle, and I believe will deliver us to the promised land. If Pate is right...then this means that the value of a team should be based entirely on ONE element; their recruiting. How has that done for USC for 20 years? No accounting for coaching? No accounting for player development? Don't get sucked into his nonsense....

The Oregon Brand is strong, as we are the seventh largest global audience...even ahead of Alabama, Georgia and USC. We will fine where ever we end up... You should, of all teams. Don't think that tactic won't be used against the ACC teams like yours who do not have a high BCR? It is the new narrative to put other conferences down, and North Carolina is in a much more vulnerable position than Oregon is. Our brand is strong...

Like Texas Tech beating a highly ranked Ole Miss team 42-25 in their bowl game? Look at Happy's post; TONS of schools have high BCR, but are not the best four/eight/twelve in the nation. No reward for coaching? For player development from a hungry 3-Star into one of the nations best? (I'm looking at YOU, LaMichael James!)

I wasn't, because I watched them pitch before. But this is all we had, as the magic had all run out with pitchers. This is why in another thread I wrote...

Sometimes your top guys have bad days, then when you have a very thin staff and someone who you needed five innings from can only do two? You run out of bodies who are proven, especially when there are no break days like the Nashville Regional. The pitchers thrown in there late hardly pitched through the season for a reason, but it was all we had. Oregon will get MUCH better at pitching, as I have all the confidence in Waz. And you need some luck with injuries! We needed Isaac Ayon back...

BTW...Oregon signed a Top-50 High School pitcher last fall who is a 6'5" stud at Jesuit HS here in Oregon. But he will probably sign a MLB contract since he is a Top-50 prospect. Keep swinging Waz!

A week or so ago John wrote in one of his paywall articles, that GK and other Pac-12 Admins withheld condemnation of the Bruins when the breakaway was announced. He thought it might do well to not burn any bridges, as he thinks that between the travel expense and the "Cal Tax," that UCLA might change their mind being in the B1G after this contract expires. I personally would welcome them back, as they left because of money and perhaps five/six years of being flush will bail them out of their situation. They may also feel such a cultural shock with the Truck-Stop Conference, that the extra money may no longer be worth it? Former Stanford Coach David Shaw felt this move to the B1G would have a self-correcting action for both LA schools when the current contract expires, as he thinks they will not find the grass as green as on the west coast. USC and their fans can pound sand, but UCLA? I've heard from more than one source that Bruin fans do not want to leave the Pac-12. What say you? Popo Will Play USC, but Not UCLA Again...

I thought going into the Pac-12 Tournament that we were toast due to pitching injuries. What they accomplished this post-season is WAY beyond what I thought could happen, and like you--wanted the magic to continue. We had three pitchers returning from last year that we expected to be improved starters or closer, (Isaac Ayon, RJ Gordon and Andrew Mosiello) and we got NOTHING out of them due to injuries? Then our stud pitcher (who is the only pitcher in Oregon history to be a Pac-12 Pitcher of the year three times this year) in Jace Stoffal was out--what we inserted are pitchers that were either inexperienced, or simply not the starter-type material. Yet Waz made it work for all but one game. What I did not know is that freshman (and occasional starter) Matthew Grabmann was out with injury, and Turner Spoljaric was so ill this week that they rushed him to the hospital for an IV? What if NONE of the pitchers were hurt? We could have been a threat for a 'Natty with our hitting. Then losing one of our best hitters, Colby Shade to injury in the last series really hurt us as well. Under Coach Waz, the Ducks will continue to hit well, and with more development of the freshmen pitchers and recruiting--the future SHOUTS some fun times at PK Park in the years ahead! Medford Native, Sophomore Bennett Thompson

Good upside and big player already! He was offered by nine of the Pac-12 teams including Oregon State, of course. So it was nice to get him over Miami, USC, and Washington! Devin Brooks | DuckSportsAuthority N.RIVALS.COM Devin Brooks - 2024 3 Star Offensive guard for Clackamas (Clackamas, OR) on Rivals.com

Oh NO! The last two outings have been a disaster for Pace. He had completely lost his confidence...

Oh yes, there is always another way to look at it...

I do not know how much of this has been already posted, but with my schedule--I could not post this combination of two of his newsletters until now, and part may have been behind a paywall. Nonetheless, it might be new to some people... (References to "Friday" below is a week ago Friday) From John Canzano: I think the presidents and chancellors in the Pac-12 got a peek at the media rights figures months ago. I reported in October and March that members of the Pac-12 CEO Group were confident the conference was going to be in range — or beat — the Big 12’s annual media-rights distribution of $31.6 million, per school. One source in the room later called it: “a lay-up.” I’m not sure how anyone could confidently say that if they weren’t seeing numbers. Q: Any chance the Pac-12 Media deal surprises everyone and beats the recent Big-12 deal by $2 million to $3 million per school? That would be nifty after all the rumor-mongering. — @davidnevue A: I was told in March by a well-placed source that the conference was confident it would be in range of — or eclipse — the Big 12’s annual distribution of $31.6 million per school. This week, I circled back and got a quote from a second Pac-12 source who told me “we will beat the Big 12 number.” Clobbering that figure would be great for the Pac-12, but only because it means more money for the schools. The main focus is to avoid ending up with a media-rights number that is significantly lower than the Big 12’s. Keep in mind, it’s game-changing money that drives the movement in expansion and realignment. Even without the Los Angeles presence, the Pac-12 has better schools and better TV markets. The schools themselves know that. In 2022, the Pac-12 generated $385 million in media rights money or $32.1 million per school. “Fairly flat” puts the Pac-12 in front of the Big 12. The figure rings true with what I’ve been told to this point. Still, I reached out to a source with direct knowledge on Friday and asked again — is the Pac-12 confident it will beat that $31.6 million distribution? The answer: “We will beat the Big 12 number.” One member of the Pac-12 CEO Group reminded me on Friday there’s no urgency in their camp. I’m told that all 10 members agreed to stay unified and committed until they saw final media-rights numbers — no matter how long it took. That removes some of the urgency for the group of leaders, but leaves fans, media and SDSU hanging. Ignore the Big-12 Propagandists...

Whew! I don't know if dropping a team or two and replacing with USC and UCLA is a win? Seems like a draw or worse to me... The B1G is going to become quite the haves/haves-not conference, as 5-6 teams will fight for the top while Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue, Rutgers, Maryland, Minnesota, etc., will be dramatically lower and fighting for crumbs. No easy deal for USC/UCLA or any of the top B1G schools... So if Our Beloved Ducks could dominate the Pac-12 the way Clemson used to with the ACC...and we make BIG BUCKS being in the Playoff with the result being almost as good as revenue as being a member of the B1G...wouldn't you agree that it would be....??? The Trojans and Bruins could be envious in five years?

This is one of the few times, that I am lost for the right words to write as I am so grateful you are home and making progress with your healing. I cannot convey enough my feelings, and I offer prayers upward of gratitude on this Sunday morning. While we all so love the work that you, NJDuck and others do to provide us articles...please only do what you can without over-exerting yourself, as I'm sure the energy level has to be low. We are grateful for anything you do, and when you cannot--we will get by, and again--are so thankful for what you have done and for your healing path.

This was discussed on another board that I scanned and did not have time to post here, but the consensus there was this ruling referring to personal deductions by individuals. If a business is paying an athlete via NIL to represent them in a commercial for example--that is still a business expense.

I am sure their third starter is more experienced/skilled than what we have right now is the problem.

Well, that sucks. But we played great, had our chances and are playing a very good team. I am concerned about having enough quality pitchers for tomorrow...

For those who want to discuss the game before, during and after! No announcement yet for any change to the line-up or starting pitcher, but I'm betting on Turner Spoljaric. Great to see Tualatin/Sherwood HS native freshman Ian Umlandt pitch scoreless innings in the last two games.

The fans really got to see it all; home runs, smart base running, great pitching for eight innings and a bunch of double plays. Fun, Fun Fun! Now, if I was Oral Roberts....I am coming out with steam streaming from my ears, my back is up against the wall, and tonight for the Ducks...