Charles Fischer

You got that right! Either readers had to put up with me droning on, or watch the actual games. Neither was a very fulfilling experience!

Think he now might see the tea leaves for the Sun Devils?

It is interesting to read the Trojan-take on this hire. They are watching Oregon very closely to see how they will compete... It would appear that Klemm was fired/suspended at UCLA for recruiting violations and then reinstated? REPORT: Oregon, Dan Lanning Pursue Former Jim Mora Assistant at UCLA by Matt Zemek of Trojan Wire

So he was also at UCLA, (see article) when Jim Mora was there and had two 10-win seasons. Oregon Reportedly Looking To Hire Notable NFL Assistant by Matt Hladik of The Spun

I understand...he's gotta move up, but I was hoping it would be in the Oregon organization. Oregon's Nate Costa Set to Become New QB Coach with Nevada Wolfpack by Zachary Neel of Ducks Wire

Jon, it is a brilliant article that will lend to tons of other tangents to ponder and explore. --Will people actually pay to watch "pre-NFL" play when it is such a minor-league desperation play? --Will universities truly "align" with a team, or let it turn into a "Club" as they do in Europe? --Will the fee paid to the universities by the licensee holder be enough to fund all the other sports? --How will universities avoid seeing young women in court for lack of athletic opportunities? --Won't this destroy Olympic sports funding across the US? --What will become of us fans? The impact on sites like this and the other sites that have subscriptions. Seems the interest would decline quite a bit? --Will people want to watch Oregon State versus Washington State and UCLA versus Stanford? In the end...isn't this going to kill the "The Golden Goose of College Football" for everyone? Cannot Afford this Anymore?

As I said before....Akron is not a coaching destination, it is an escape. I will have more about the reasons in an upcoming article.

Jester....with all I've been catching up with--I have not addressed how much you are adding to this community in only your second day. Please continue to share your thoughts often as I think I can represent many in the community that say, "WELCOME!" P.S. Is your posting name from the instructor in "Top Gun?"

In the other article....there was a segment about a little-known pitcher transferring from British Columbia, and this is the kind gem-finding-polishing that Coach Waz does. Makes it fun to follow!

With all the WRs leaving...this is HIS chance to shine along with the freshmen receivers. Go for it! Isaah Crocker Emerging as Contributor After Quiet Four Years with Ducks by Erik Skopil of Duck Territory 247

My FishDuck Friends....there are some GOOD PLAYERS on this team, do check the information below! (Press Release sent from Oregon Athletics) EUGENE, Ore. – Collegiate Baseball released its preseason poll for the 2022 season with Oregon ranked 21st heading into the season. Oregon is coming off a 2021 campaign that saw the Ducks return to postseason play by hosting the Eugene Regional, where they advanced to the championship game. Oregon finished the 2021 season 39-16 and second in the Pac-12 Conference with a 20-10 league record. Oregon returns 20 letter winners from last year’s squad, including six starters among position players and nine members of a pitching staff that finished the season with a 3.71 ERA. A pair of All-Americans, left fielder Tanner Smith and closer Kolby Somers, highlight the returnees. Oregon Team Information The Ducks return 20 letter winners (11 position players/9 pitchers). Two All-Americans (Tanner Smith – Collegiate Baseball; Kolby Somers – NCBWA) return to lead the team. The Ducks return starters at catcher (Jack Scanlon), second base (Gavin Grant), third base (Sam Nowitzki), shortstop (Josh Kasevich), left field (Smith) and centerfield (Anthony Hall). The Ducks return two of their three leading hitters from last season in Smith (.324/.417/.533) and Kasevich (.324/.397/.444). The Ducks’ pitching staff returns six pitchers that made double-digit appearances, including team-leader Isaac Ayon (22 appearances) and Andrew Mosiello (21 appearances). Somers earned first-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors after finishing 2-2 with a 3.08 ERA and 11 saves, while holding opposing batters to a .149 average. The Ducks added six transfers from four-year colleges, two junior college transfers and nine high school players. Oregon opens its season Feb. 18-21 at San Diego with its first home series Feb. 25-28 vs. St. John's.

Look my friends....it is early for Baseball, but the Ducks are on the rise and this is a GREAT article about three Ducks-on-the-Diamond! Three Ducks Make Top-100 Prospect List for 2022 MLB Draft by Jared Mack of Duck Territory 247 Josh Kasevich (Batted .324!)

I did not think it was this many, and most need another year IMHO. But I thought that of Mykael Wright and Devon Williams too. 11 Oregon Ducks Who May Declare for 2022 NFL Draft in the Near Future by Zachary Neel of Ducks Wire

This certainly adds to the bulletin board material...light a fire?

Okay...so you think former players make better decisions that we would and you are skeptical about the new coach. No sweat; we disagree. The former players are not working in the best interests of the majority of the fans...and I know that from what they did and was the two events discussed in the article. And BTW...this really belongs in that thread.

I have published several articles where I did not advocate a change from Cristobal because I could not see a better replacement despite his flaws. Had I known that Dan Lanning would have been an alternative--I would have been on board with that immediately! You don't need to sell us on why it is good for Mario to come home; we are delighted with him returning home. You are happy and we are, so...no problem! P.S. You WILL see the quarterback's numbers drop next season and I can already hear the excuses...but in three years you will admit we were right here. We know him, we know his strengths and weaknesses and all parties are happy, so,--cool.

Boy....for someone returning to the forum...you sure know how to throw a touchdown to my heart in your first post in for so long. Such a great post, and makes me long for the over-achievers that made Oregon special. A voice like yours is good for this community, so WELCOME!

Yikes. I did not think of that. Hope not!

The challenge for me is justifying to those who simply had the old name in their post and seeing it deleted--when I kept yours up. You made two good points that I wanted people to see, thus leaving it up. Whenever I am very clear about what I'm going to delete, and people decide to confront it anyway--they should not resent me for a half-hour wasted writing when I told them up-front what I was going to do. Fortunately, that was not the case here. So much of this decision process with posts is not actually what is written, but something that can initiate a bad discussion that turns ugly. I learned this over the last four years, to nip things immediately and to be pro-active in telling people that although the topic today could be political....I do not want us to go that direction. Usually that informs enough to stay on topic. I too appreciate this community so much, and the fact that we can go in directions that could be explosive and keep it "civil," is a blessing to us all. I am sorry to those whose posts were deleted and hope you understand. Those who had their posts deleted were members in good standing and continue to be.

I do not respect it at all; that was the point of the article as it is quite flawed, and made one bad decision despite the majority of the Oregon AND Oregon State fans. And a second was almost a bad decision that would have affected Oregon football for decades. This is not trivial stuff... I am looking behind the green curtain, and I'm seeing a bad process, one where former players make absurd suggestions, and where the rest of us who pay the majority of the bills are blocked out of the conversation. That is wrong.

And that was the point of my article; former players influence the ADs department into bad decisions while the majority of the money DOES come from the worker bees. It would not be hard to take the pulse of the fans, and ignore the former players, IMHO.

MaiTaiDuck....you have the unique ability to truly create a "rant" from within writing, and it is quite believable. As I read it...I can hear your voice! You went to a ton of work and you put in reading spaces for me, so I am leaving it up. Thanks for posting...

I have deleted three or four posts this morning because people went ahead and began discussing the name change in spite of what I wrote in my article. You would think that with the way we quickly enforce rules around here unlike anywhere else, that people would know I mean business when I write/say something. You address precisely what Beavers fans were telling me on the phone; that the game is "uncivil." This is as far as I want to go with this sub-topic because again....this is not the topic. The influence of the former players on the AD is the topic, and the only reason I am leaving your post up is because of what you wrote below. This is precisely what I would advocate...is get the people who pay the bills involved in decisions that affect us all. You could take a poll of six different Oregon websites to determine how people feel about a name change or a particular coach. Real easy to do and does not have to come from the ADs office...but it would give feedback to the AD in how the unwashed masses that pay for everything feel. Instead they are listening to people who do NOT represent us fans, and have led the ADs office astray.

Jon...the topic was about the influence of the former players on the Oregon athletic program. We will get into your topic on Wednesday. And like you...I like to forget bad losses as soon as I can, but the team went 10-3 and not 11-2. I have those moments too!

But the fans on TV bring the great ratings....we ALL matter, as it is us who pay the bills...