Charles Fischer

Today is the last weekday, while Sunday is the last day that the "mask-mandate" is still in effect in Oregon, and starting Monday--we are completely back to normal as you will not have to wear masks indoors anymore. As it was, you enter a restaurant with it on, get seated at your table and spend the rest of your time there without the mask on, but put it back on to leave. (Stupid-as-hell...I can't make up dumber laws) In our office building...you must wear a mask as you go to the restroom, or walk into the building or out in the hallways, so I've complied completely. However once you are in your own office--you are allowed to take the mask off as everyone in every suite does. Of course if someone enters the building and is sick...just breathing alone gets the illness sucked into the ventilation system and within an hour...everybody in the building is breathing that air. Perhaps that is why I got COVID, in the pre-stage one, in January of 2020. One new habit that I will continue with, is the use of disinfectant wipes in all public areas. The door into the building, the elevator buttons, everything at the Grocery store, etc. I have not got sick since that worst-in-a-decade illness two years ago, and I think the wipes had a part in that. Some may disagree, and others may feel the masks had a role in that too; no biggie, as I am not interested in arguing the points. This is not meant to start a discussion about the efficacy of the masks, or wipes, or this state's rules versus others...I am just wondering if anyone else is celebrating today? I started a diet five weeks ago, but tonight I am raising an Oregon Craft Beer IPA from Bend, Oregon tonight in tribute to our new flexibility. (Actually three IPAs from Bend, as I love Boneyard RPM IPA, 10Barrels Apocalypse and Deschutes Brewery Inversion as well.) It will be a joyous event.... Great to see no restrictions outside for the football team as they practice, and I'm wondering if anyone else is feeling celebratory as I do?

My friends, sometimes when someone steps over the line with a post and hears from me via email, the response I often get is, "I HAD to respond, as I so disagreed with it." I tell this person that I see things written every day that I think are Dumb-as-a-Post, but I have to use Impulse Control, just as everyone else does. Fortunately the comment below is from outside this forum, thus I can share my true feelings about that opinion...and it is what I put into the category of "Stupid-as-Hell."

In the articles below posted from practice yesterday, Coach Lanning makes reference to "a season of growth," and how they need to have a "growers" mentality. It is a cumbersome label, but he is trying to convince the players to do what he revealed about himself in the interview recently with Rob Moseley, where he had a goal for every practice and wanted to learn from each outing. "We're in a period of growth looking for opportunity to make tomorrow and the day after that better than today," he said of his spring philosophy. "What can we get better at right now? Let's be learners and growers. Let's go out here and figure out what can I do better?... I challenged our players to come off the field and go find something you did wrong so you can make sure you don't do it wrong tomorrow or the next day. That was really our focus." It makes me wonder if he is considering this just a "building" year, or a "grower" year as both sides of the ball become accustomed to the new schemes? I think we have more-than-enough talent to make a run at the Pac-12 Championship and threaten Utah and USC, but we don't know what he is thinking. Compared to Georgia....he might have shown up, taken a look and went, "wow--we have a ways to go." Thoughts? (Sorry guys, but you know I like to ponder!)

I did not realize Oregon was leading the conference in many hitting categories. I will admit to being quite nervous about Caleb Sloan being the Friday night starter in the Sunken Diamond! Oregon baseball opens Pac-12 play at No. 2 Stanford WWW.OREGONLIVE.COM The Cardinal (8-3) were the preseason pick to win the Pac-12 this season and have dominated the series of late, winning 14 of the last 16 meetings including two of three last season.

With projected heavy rainfall on Saturday PM--the afternoon game has been moved to before the noon game at 10:00 AM! This team has really improved over the last two weeks, with three games in the "Jane" before Pac-12 play begins. No. 14 Oregon softball aiming for consistent all-around play during home-opening weekend WWW.OREGONLIVE.COM The No. 14 Ducks (16-3) aim to ride the momentum they generated during last weekend’s five wins in North Carolina into this afternoon’s home opener against Portland State at Jane Sanders...

Oh...this team would have been really good with her pitching this year! Oregon softball All-American pitcher Brooke Yanez to miss 2022 season due to injury, returning in 2023 WWW.OREGONLIVE.COM Yanez, a fifth-year senior, announced she would miss this season but she will utilize a redshirt in order to return in 2023.

At the end of the article are the new number changes, and everybody has to be cool. (The worst was when Jordon Scott had No. 3!) 2022 Oregon Ducks Football Spring Roster Revealed: Breaking Down the Notable Updates - Sports Illustrated Oregon Ducks News, Analysis and More WWW.SI.COM Plenty of Ducks will be sporting new numbers, while others will line up at new spots

Seven McGee just at receiver? Trikwese Bridges at Safety? And Jeffrey Bassa is not back at safety, but still at ILB? Interesting! Numerous Ducks in new spots, but everything is 'fluid', per Dan Lanning 247SPORTS.COM Numerous Ducks in new spots, but everything is 'fluid', per Dan Lanning Flowe at defensive back? Jonathan Flowe, not Justin Flowe!

Hey Grumpy....with a Posting Name such as yours...I decided to give you an avatar of Walter Matthau, in "Grumpy Old Men," and if you want something different--email me and we can adjust! charles@fishduck.com

There is always something you can glean from these--especially in the early days of Coach Lanning as we learn more about him and his style. For those who read my FishDuck article a month ago about "De-Recruitment," you will find the quote in the title aligning with that culture. Everything Dan Lanning said after Spring practice No. 1 247SPORTS.COM After Spring football practice No. 1, head coach Dan Lanning met with the media to overview how things went. Here's a full transcript of the questions and answers "What can we get better at right now? Let's have a grower's mindset. Let's be learners and growers. Let's go out here and figure out what can I do better?" I love the culture he is building already!

It is just a small beginning, but mana for the Duck-Devoted! Dan Lanning on spring ball: 'This is growth season' 247SPORTS.COM Oregon head coach Dan Lanning referred to the team's spring practice as times to operate with a "grower's mindset".

Yep...I was actually thinking of the original Star Trek episode with the telepathic beings.... (The pilot with Christopher Pike as Captain) Now THAT is a helmet!

We have a picture from Zachary Neel, and a short report that Flowe looks good and is "bouncing" around the drills. Look at those huge "Brainiac-type" helmets!

Amen. I vote for this too....and No. 5 is vital.

Wow. While it is not a surprise, it is a disappointment to see corruption in the Non-Revenue sports. Thanks for posting it.

C'mon baby....just one more win to 20 wins! With his scoring and ELEVEN assists yesterday....Jacob Young can play the point pretty darn good! He can penetrate and hit the three...

Do you agree? Seems to me that both college basketball and the NFL have it all figured out, while CFB stumbles... What the College Football Playoff could learn from March Madness WWW.SPORTINGNEWS.COM College basketball has its postseason figured out. If only college football could do the same.

Mike Williams re-signing with Chargers good news for Justin Herbert DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM We all are lucky, because the Justin Herbert-to-Mike Williams connection got renewed this week.

Hello Grumpy, and welcome to the forum. I am glad to see you post an opinion and would encourage you to do it often! As for your topic...well, I do not picture TV Networks broadcasting the games of Western Oregon University in Monmouth, for example, or other D-II teams. Thus attendance would depend upon people coming to their games, and I'm not sure I picture that in the spring--even if there was nothing else. Interesting to ponder though, for other alternatives.

I still think he would fit in San Francisco..,

I do love an assortment of tidbits...don't you? (Scroll down to see all three!) How interesting is THIS? Is this COOL of what? Now THIS is a Complete List for the Weekend Visits! Four 5-Star Players at ONE TIME?

The state of Oregon's rotation ahead of Stanford 247SPORTS.COM The state of Oregon's rotation ahead of Stanford I don't like the looks of this...

Could Husky/Seahawk fans embrace that?

The recruits are going to get the feel....that Oregon football is about to take off--be a part of it!

I cannot convey my level of agreement, as they are now fun to watch. Now the new fence distance has changed things, but the opposing teams are going-long more often as well. I am seeing superb improvement and development of the players. Players that had minor roles last year are big-hitters this year, and pitchers that I could not rely on at all in relief have improved tremendously. By the end of this year--this team could really jell and make some noise. I love the long-term with Coach Waz, and we all win as a result.