Charles Fischer

Hard to believe, but true. Just how do we interpret Mario's move to Alabama after only one month on the job at Miami? Al Golden gave him a chance with the 'Canes to resuscitate his career after being fired, but... Mario Cristobal Spurns Miami After A Month On The Job by Lt. Philip Nolan of State of the U Bryan McClendon faces the same situation at Miami. Does he leave for Georgia? Would you? Here is a fictional phone conversation sent by a Duck-Buddy. Imagine this uncomfortable lose-lose conversation: McClendon's agent: "Mario, Bryan wants to be the full OC position. He doesn't want to be Co-offensive coordinator or just the WR coach." Mario: "MC Agent, I hear you. You want Bryan to take full OC responsibilities." McClendon's agent: "Right, Mario. We have the offer from Georgia to be their WR coach, and just like you bolted Miami after a month as TE coach for 'Bama in 2013, Bryan can bolt to Georgia. Bryan wants the OC position. Clearly, you're having problems filling it." Mario: "First, MC Agent, I'm not having problems filling the position. I am being thorough. Second, What happened last time Bryan was OC?" McClendon Agent: "You mean South Carolina?" Mario: "Yes, what happened there?" McClendon Agent: "What happened in your first head coach position, Mario? Did you learn anything?" Mario: "I did. I learned I couldn't gamble on coordinators." McClendon Agent: "Yet Oregon gambled on you when you were just an offensive line coach." Mario: "Just an offensive line coach? Alex, did you hear that?" Minnie Me: "I'm not listening." McClendon's Agent: "Listen, Mario, Bryan got demoted, that's true. You got fired as a head coach." Mario: "They didn't renew my contract." McClendon's Agent: "They didn't renew your contract. So after not getting your contract renewed as head coach, Al Golden hired you at Miami as Tight Ends' coach, then you know the whole thing with Stoutland at Alabama going to the Eagles with Chip, and the OL position opening at Alabama and you bolted your alma mater for a position that was better." Mario: "I got to work for Nick Saban." McClendon's Agent: "And Bryan has a chance to work for the guy who just beat Nick Saban at Georgia. Soooo....?" Mario: "So what?" McClendon's Agent: "Bryan wants to be the Miami OC position today." Mario: "Or he will bolt to the Dawgs?" McClendon's Agent: "It's our option." Mario: "Not very loyal, Mc Agent." McClendon's Agent: "Just as loyal as you were to Miami in 2013 when you bolted after a month to Alabama, Mario. Bryan has an opportunity to coach with the No. 1 program in the nation right now. So what is it?" Do you lose McClendon to Georgia or do you give him the OC post? Mario when he was at Miami before...

Let's have some fun with today's games. Two scores--what do YOU say? Mine are... Kansas City over Cincy 37-27 San Francisco over LA 34-31 Arik Armstead from Oregon

Thanks for bringing this here Log Haulin, and hope you don't mind me adding some juice!

Thanks for posting it! If our coaches like him...

Oh Geez. That is a bit much?

This would be so awesome. Yet I believe he had to enroll yesterday to be at USC?

If I could give you five thumbs up...I would! Oh wait...I can!

Please buck the trend often, as this is the only place you can assert a minority view and people are required to be nice to you. It feels great to "be safe" no matter your point of view. Wilcox has not put together a staff in five years like Lanning already, nor has the recruiting chops, IMHO. Cal is ranked No. 58 on the Rivals site for 2022 with two 4-Star players. Oregon has two 4-Star players in a handicapped year...and is not done. I would disagree about calling Wilcox the next Whittingham; perhaps Dan Lanning is the young-gun who will grow into that?

If he gets Miami to the Playoff, then that will mean that he changed enormously from his time at Oregon and he will have deserved it. But remember...he meddled with his coordinators, and while we do not have absolute proof, it is easy to connect the dots as we've done many times in this forum. Had he stayed at Oregon, he would have received a massive raise to seven million a year, and he settled with eight million a year from Miami. This means, (in his mind) that he did it right at Oregon, and he was being rewarded for the prior decisions and behaviors. Heck at eight million a year--ANYBODY would think they did it the right way. Why would you change when you have just been massively reinforced for prior decisions? So, if he does not change--he will not be in the Playoffs, and I think betting against both is a prettay, prettay safe bet. It's easy to follow the dots with Mario...

Viking Duck, you are new here and I do appreciate your thoughtful writing and would want to encourage you to post often. WELCOME!

I do enjoy some entertainment in the forum, and my top three right now are...Husky Humblings, Mario's Missteps, and Cat GIFs of course. I'm sure Mario will figure it out.

Pac-12 Designates Game vs. UCLA a Forfeit By Bruins EUGENE, Ore. – Due to injuries unrelated to active COVID-19 cases, Oregon’s game against UCLA scheduled for Friday, Jan. 28, has been ruled a forfeit by UCLA and will be a win for Oregon in the conference standings in accordance with the Pac-12 handbook's administrative policies, the league announced Friday. The updated game cancellation policy, announced as part of the Pac-12's basketball administration adjustments for the 2021-22 season, allows for a game to be rescheduled or declared a no-contest if a team has fewer than the minimum roster available for a scheduled contest (at least seven scholarship players and one countable coach). This policy is reserved for the unavailability of participants due to COVID-19. Per NCAA policy, there will be no adjustment to overall records. The game will count in the Pac-12 standings, but will be considered a no contest by the NCAA in accordance with the following policy. There is no forfeit of a contest until all participating teams are present and the referee or other appropriate contest official has assumed jurisdiction in accordance with the applicable playing rules. When a team does not appear (e.g., due to weather conditions, accidents, breakdown of vehicles, illness or catastrophic circumstances, shortage of players), a forfeit is not recorded unless the rules of the sport provide that option. An institution shall not, for statistical purposes, declare a forfeit for nonfulfillment of a contest. Such instances shall be considered as “no contest.” In circumstances involving institutions from the same conference, the league office has the option to declare a forfeit win and loss for conference-standings purposes only but this does not change an institution’s overall won-lost record. The “no contest” declaration came into effect at the start of the 1977-78 season.

This is a great move to build the bonds with the Oregon Athletic community, and is good judgment and leadership shown even during the midst of recruiting. I think the first question I would ask if I was the Dan-Man is, "Justin Wilcox? WTH were you thinking?"

The Miami sites are quiet and nobody is mentioning how yesterday was the date Mario promised to have both coordinators on-board. At the moment...there is not anyone new who has rejected him. How long has he been head coach at Miami and how long has Lanning been head coach at Oregon? Didn't Mario have a week head-start while Lanning was preparing the Georgia defense to win the National Championship? For those who wondered about Dan's ability to be a CEO? I think his hiring of the Chief of Staff took a load off him and was brilliant. Meanwhile the QB coach at Buffalo, Ken Dorsey, is now for certain not available. (Daboll was the OC at Buffalo who was just hired by the NY Giants to be HC) This is stunning since the media made a big splash about Mario, yet it is clear that the coaching community knows what the deal is. Mario will end up hiring someone with light qualifications, or trying to rehab a damaged career; in other words--someone desperate. Poor Mario; it makes me so sad!

Bringing BACK the Brand?

Oh, that would be a contest to me as to which I hated worse...the 400 or the 800! Of course that was 49 years ago, and I did not exactly have the right body profile. Both were a struggle...

Khamari Terrell is a three star on Rivals, but he is the fastest quarter-miler on the track in the nation. Raw with huge upside; was offered by Clemson, Baylor, Florida, LSU and USC as well.

A Duck-Buddy in South Carolina would have the answer to this question...."just how valuable is a Cristobal playbook?" Notalot. As valuable as a cat at a Yoga session?

That'll leave a mark!

It is fantastic that they are taking the football recruits over to Hayward Field to get a "big-time" feel. (Red arrow below) It is the schedule that an official visit entails... Below is the tweet it is from so you can see what the recruits see when they enter the accommodations set aside for their trip.

This has taken too long, but it is shorter than how long they investigated Oregon and ruined a couple of recruiting classes! ASU OC Zak Hill Resigns Due to NCAA's Review Findings by Hod Rabino of ASUDevils

For Dana to say that his team got "out-worked" is pretty damning; if these players want to win the remainder of their games, (and they CAN) they will need to give full effort and do precisely what Dana tells them. Anything less is a loss...especially in this wacky league. Thanks for pointing out how weird the conference is 30Duck, as I did not know that and would have thought it impossible.

Is THIS what it is like as a CFB fan pondering NIL?

I am delighted to learn of how the coaches want to stop the excesses. Thanks for posting this Notalot.