Charles Fischer

OK....that is one thing I DO like about Bill Walton, as he has really promoted the motto of "Conference of Champions." Imagine if he just stuck to discussing basketball...

Boy UCLA got their revenge, and then some. I imagine this could be a spicy set of games in the future! Ducks Drop Top-10 Showdown With No. 1 UCLA by GoDucks.com

Well, when Oregon has won 33 National Championships and Washington has only won 8....and none in Mens sports--that is a massive statement about the athletic departments, the support, the marketing help with your career, etc. After you explain that--you take them for a stroll in the new Hayward Field... Just who is big-time?

To me....this is one of the those little things that made the last Rose Bowl so cool. Not something we talked much about at the time--but a fun memory. Or is that just me?

Apparently Vernon Adams is working out with Anthony Brown in Portland. Vernon's passing acumen being passed along is a blessing, and I'm sure No. 13 is grateful.

Post a tweet like the one below! (He is on the staff at Oregon)

A fun read because I recall some pundits stating that football coaches are selling one of two things in their recruiting pitch; success or hope. Both Washington and Clemson were selling "hope" at that point, but the Tigers did it with a different perspective as Ryan pointed out. Creating an Alabama or Clemson is so very hard--and even harder to maintain as we have seen with so many teams that have made the Playoffs and not returned. Cristobal is selling "hope" right now, but it has to be backed up on the field with measurable improvement and success. And that is the drama that will be entertaining to watch...

Yep. Just as I was hoping the Ducks could win three--the analyst Matt Muehlebach at the Pac-12 Network actually predicted it and stated that Oregon would be his selection to win the regular season conference championship. I know that 30Duck already posted this--but it really blew me away when I actually watched the recording I had of it last night. That is a tall order--these three games. Whew!

I am still surprised that with all the guard experience--that the team couldn't have still flourished and won games as the men did without Richardson. There are so many issues with this team--this is not a welcome addition to the list...

Nobody better to protect his blind-side! Boy that would be cool, but I cannot imagine his sliding that far or the Chargers willing to give up so much to get a higher pick. Hope I'm wrong!

I really love that "Ducks Win!" video each time...works for all sports!

Indeed a real head-scratcher, and I am surprised that our depth at guard did not overcome the loss of Paopao. I believe KG made reference to her being hurt... What in the world happened to the defense?

I worry about that too, and was hoping that Altman would use the bench more than he did against Cal.

It was seven complete innings by Duck pitcher Brooke Yanez who fought off a Bruin rally in the 7th for the win. Credit two home runs to the Ducks, and now the interest level in Softball is climbing! For the full recap of both games and some interesting stats.... Ducks Down No. 1 UCLA, Utah in Doubleheader Sweep by GoDucks.com Congrats to pitcher Samaria Diaz for the Utah win! These were non-conference games and a final one against the Bruins is Monday morning at 10:00 and if you click here, you can then scroll down to the game and get the live feed or live stats.

Dick Harter had to build and recruit from the ashes....he was the Mario Cristobal of Oregon basketball in that area. Yet Dana Altman has gone further and done it for so long! And he has mastered the transfer portal immediately and adjusted to the times much better than most. This is one of those good-or-good answers, although I think I will go with....

I usually do not pay attention to a number of sports at Oregon, (like most of you) but I could not help but notice how well so many are doing out of the gate for this spring season or progressing in the winter season. Mens Basketball could end up with the fewest losses in conference if they can pull off three wins this week, since Utah upset USC and Colorado beat UCLA this weekend. The Ducks and Bruins are tied with four losses and USC has five; do it Ducks! (And they are clearly getting better!) Womens Basketball is nationally relevant, and looking to make their mark in the NCAAs with a No. 14 ranking. Softball is No. 8 and is getting better with a high ceiling. (7-0) Baseball is still unknown, but a veteran team returns with a 2-1 record to date. Mens Tennis is a surprising 8-1 and off to a great start... As is the Womens Tennis team who is 5-1 and just beat a good BYU team. Volleyball is on a six-game win streak and sits at a surprising 7-2... And the Soccer team pulled off one of the greatest upsets in Oregon Sports history considering how good Stanford is and frankly....how bad the Ducks have been in prior years. Coach Abel is amazing and just might wake a sleeping giant in Eugene. The Men Indoor Track team is ranked No. 1 as a stunner as pre-season rankings did not even have the Ducks ranked. Don't overlook Robert Johnson! Can the Ducks win another NC? The Womens Indoor Track team is ranked No. 9 and both genders are preparing for the championships in two weeks. Sure...it is early in the season, but the Ducks are now strong in so many sports and it is fun to keep an eye on. Be grateful and soak it up!

We have quite a day of winter and spring sports and they are below! You can go GoDucks.com right here, pick your sport and click on the schedule, scroll down to the game and watch on live stream or live stats. Oregon Baseball versus Seattle at noon. Oregon Softball versus No. 1 UCLA at 1:00 PM. Oregon Womens Basketball versus Oregon State at 3:00 PM on the Pac-12 Channel. Oregon Softball versus 9-2 Utah at 4:00 PM. An article about the amazing Bruin pitcher and these games tells us what to look for. What are you going to be watching for with the games? (I want to see more runs from the Baseball team!) No. 8 Oregon Softball Faces First Major Tests of 2021 Against No. 1 UCLA, Utah by OregonLive

Maybe they were OKG....an "Oregon-Kind-of-Guy!"

Hard to know how they are going to play from one game to the next, but I'll take it.

You gotta start somewhere, and if he becomes a good college coach--he will at least have experience in the conference!

You know....if the other conference members hate us--that means we are winning quite a bit, and I really love that. It's always better if it is the Huskies who feel slighted by Oregon though...

Here is more if you wish to read about the last victory for Our Beloved Ducks...

There were real questions at this position on the Softball team coming into the season, and Alyssa Brito has shown greatness early! As a freshman? Freshman Shortstop Alyssa Brito Quickly Emerges as Key Player for No. 8 Oregon Softball by OregonLive

Mr. FishDuck comment: "Greatness and weakness emerge early."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | FRIDAY, February 26, 2021 OREGON ATHLETICS | @OregonSoccer EUGENE, Ore. — Since 1997, Stanford and Oregon have met annually in soccer. Until Friday night, the Ducks had never come out on top. Until Friday night. Playing their first Pac-12 game under new coach Graeme Abel, the Ducks scored in each half and shut out the defending national champion Cardinal for all but a single second of Friday's game at Papé Field, a 2-1 victory for Oregon. Eden Hardy and Ally Cook scored for the Ducks, and Leah Freeman had four saves as Oregon improved to 1-22-1 all-time against Stanford. The Ducks (2-0-1, 1-0-0) had only beaten a team ranked as high as No. 3 in the country once before, an overtime win over UCLA in 2006, until Friday's win over the No. 3 Cardinal (1-1-0, 0-1-0). Stanford lost in conference play for the first time since 2016, having gone 39-0-1 in Pac-12 play since. The game easily could have ended 4-0, after a couple of near-misses by Oregon in the second half. Instead it will go into the history books as a 2-1 score, after Civana Kuhlmann found the back of the net following a scrum in front of the UO goal as the final seconds were ticking off the clock. "It was a win; it was a team win," said Freeman, a freshman from Berkeley, Calif., whose father attended Stanford, and who grew up attending games at both Cal and Stanford. "Obviously a shutout is nice. But it's about the win. It's about what we did as a team." "Today we made history as a team. And that's incredible." The Ducks were outshot, 13-5. But when they had chances, they made them count. "We talked about being assassins in the 18-yard box," Abel said. "One shot, one goal. As simple as that." Hardy put that philosophy into action midway through the first half. The play began with True Dydasco running a give-and-go with Zoe Hasenauer up the left side, before Dydasco sent a crossing pass upfield to Hardy. Taking the ball outside the right post, Hardy scored on one touch, a low shot back across the goal past the diving Stanford keeper. That goal held up to send Oregon into halftime up 1-0. The Ducks had only taken two shots, and Freeman had only made one save at that point. But the activity was about to pick up, at both ends. "We just asked them to stay as even-keeled as possible, and keep executing the game plan," Abel said. "Which is what they did." Less than 10 minutes into the second half, a teammate sent a long pass upfield past the Stanford back line. Cook won a race to the ball with Stanford keeper Katie Meyer and found herself looking at a wide-open net, but sent the shot wide to the right. About 10 minutes later, Jordan Wormdahl rocketed a shot high at Meyer, who deflected it but saw the ball carom behind her toward the goal line. Cook and the Cardinal's Julia Leontini converged on the ball in a collision that knocked Leontini from the game; her consolation was, she'd managed to keep the ball out of the net. At that point, Abel recalled later, he thought back to a conversation he had earlier this month with Cook, who had grown frustrated by some missed chances to finish goals in practice. As long as you're getting chances, Abel counseled her, you're OK. It's when you're not even creating chances that it's time to worry; as long as you're doing so, goals will come. That was borne out just a minute after the collision with Leontini. Wormdahl again created the play, chipping a ball up to Cook, who finished it past Meyer for a 2-0 lead. Cook's resiliency had been tested, and she prevailed. "You've got to have a 2-second memory," she said. "There's going to be more coming. You can't linger on the past. You've got to focus on the present." At the other end, Stanford was putting much more pressure on Freeman. The Cardinal took nine shots in the second half, requiring three saves. Until the very last second, Freeman held strong. The game also featured 13 fouls by the Cardinal, and nine by Oregon. Hasenauer received a yellow card in the 18th minute, seeming intent on the play to signal that the Ducks were not going to be intimidated by the physical tone Stanford was trying to set. "We did not let the physicality get to us," Cook said. "And we gave it right back to them." That they did. The result was one for the record books. - www.GoDucks.com -