Mike West

I say absolutely not. One: We saw a huge difference this spring between Nix and " the rookies". Two: Butterfield seems more suited to handle UGA, but neither he nor TT look PAC12 ready, much less facing the defending Natty king ready. I just don't think the "kids" look like the starting QBs around the country their age. And I mean the P5 group. They're just not ready yet. Nix on the other hand, does. Is he Bryce Young material? No. But he has defeated an Alabama team that started a guy that leads the Patriots right now. Bo Nix is a cut above. And he's proven it on the field already. Don't let Auburn fans or SEC fans fool you. Nix is a very solid QB.

I've been thinking about this a bit. Yes, I think the conference Presidents dropped the ball. But football out West hasn't been excellent for two decades ( since Aaron Rodgers was at Cal). When Pete Carroll dominated the nation, even OBD we're a notch below ( and we had done very good talent at the time). So in essence, we haven't been a good football product out West for far too long. Combine that with a fan base - consisting of a huge portion of the country- far more interested in multiple alternative forms of entertainment - you have a perfect storm scenario that may explain why we're considered "irrelevant". People flock to excellence. West Coast football has not been competitive enough to compel West Coast fans to drop other forms of entertainment. And it doesn't snow in November out West except in the Mountain West ( not to mention NASCAR doesn't run their circuit all year, or in direct competition to cfb). Skiing and mountain climbing is popular out West. If Colorado sucks, fans aren't going to tune into ANY matchup unless they are football fanatics ( we remember those days, right?). West Coast people aren't bred to be football fans. There aren't enough WSU or OSU to pick up any slack, the Bay Area and Southern Cal have so much to do, and frankly, it's beautiful scenery and a prime vacation spot for even the residents of that state. 50 million people in three states have plenty of attraction outside of football on Saturday. Another 20 million in our conference footprint have the same. Counter that with a region that didn't even flinch when a pandemic hit our shores. There was absolutely no doubt football was on every Southern itinerary in 2020. And this was in May that year. Kevin Warren ( you know, our new snake), was heavily criticized for even contemplating cancelling football that year. Football isn't a priority out West. It's a disadvantage easy to exploit. I imagine most people out West won't even care the PAC12 disolves. They don't care about the conference now. I believe there simply aren't enough football fans out West to make a difference. Football costs nearly three hundred dollars to enjoy at Autzen. It's practically an all day event. Heck, I haven't been to multiple football games in one year since West Coast football was relevant. I love watching it in TV too much (and I don't have to endure the craziness it has always been when we get around 60,000 people). That's the backdrop here. Football isn't "must have" in our neck of the woods. Unless we become football zombies out West, we're apocalypse fodder for the football powers that be. I talk too much. But reading the astute observations on this lovely forum has stirred my brain to provide some perspective I hadn't thought of for awhile.

I'm a cfb fan through and through. I DO watch morning matchups. And yes, even though I despise the SEC hype, I watch those games. So yes, I will watch USC at Indiana. And I believe so will half the country. Now I do believe the SEC is playing this game smarter the the BIG10. But frankly, I see SEC fans watching the BIG10 very closely once the new formula starts Why? SEC fans are football fans. They will want to know who they are facing in the playoffs. So they will definitely pay attention to the BIG. And no doubt vice versa. We are stuck in no man's land BECAUSE we won't watch the rest of the conference games. Nor our own conference unless it's our team, or it's a damn good matchup. Who honestly watches Arizona State at WSU here? And given both teams are marginal, do you think the rest of the country cares either? Even at 3:30 EST? But I'm guessing until USC is out of the running, half the country will watch USC at Indiana just about any time of day. That's the disadvantage living in the West with far more to do than the rest of the country does for us. That's what I believe we are ignoring here. College fans are regionally centric. But East of the Rockies, they are football fans. I looked at the summary of what the BIG is doing. They will feature Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, USC, Ohio State all year. When Indiana, Purdue and the also ran teams have good records, they'll be featured too. If Arizona is 4-0, the nation won't care till they play Utah, Oregon or Washington ( and only if the three also have good records). Why? We don't have football tradition like the rest of the country. Even the BIG10 has that in Indiana, Iowa and Illinois. Who is going to follow Utah this year before we face them? Cal? That isn't the case back East. Avid West Coast football fans will watch teams in the South and Midwest. Maybe more so than in our own backyard ( it's just better football at this point as well). TV execs know this. And the BIG10 , at least in my eyes definitely was looking to expand West beyond the LA market. And now, it's in their contract. I do believe SEC fans will watch Oregon at Penn State at noon Eastern. And I believe the BIG10 knows this. They certainly will watch UCLA at Penn State ( even though the Bruins haven't be relevant nationally since the eighties). That's what I believe we don't get collectively. Despite all this disruption, bigger budgets are going to produce better football. And college fans are going to watch it, especially if the playoffs expand. I think the players get it too. They realize they will face more scrutiny, and will be expected to perform at a much higher level. Because they are getting paid to. Do I want an eighteen year old hot dog like an NFL player? No. And fans will express that far more in this new era. Kids won't get to say they're kids anymore. Just like when we complain at McDonald's when they mess up our order. Now I've ranted for far too long. But the change we all hate is driven by some serious interest in college football in my opinion. I don't see as much attendance in the stadium, but I think we will see millions of eyeballs on a better product soon. And that product is going to look better than most think at present. Just my thoughts.

Big boy football starts by covering guys instead of looking at the QB on pass plays. One interception. In the conference title game at that. But the number of explosive plays because TEs virtually walked past linebackers was frustrating. Our middle backers are as fast as all three of those TEs. And if you watched George last year, even their outside linebackers closed on any pass catcher swiftly. Why? Because nobody got behind those backers like we saw routinely from OBD. And don't let me start talking about regular defensive formations inside our five yard line lining up against a goal line formation. Five TDs attributed to that one flaw. Utah didn't beat us, we didn't come to play and we surely gave them number advantages a G5 team could practically exploit. They don't do that in the SEC. I'll tell you that right now. Glad we have an SEC coach leading us.

Why does NIL exist? Because the players sued for the right to have it. That does not sound like the schools had their interest in mind to me. The "students " also clamored for the portal. Again, I do not see where the schools showed interest in the students. In fact, the schools and the NCAA fought tooth and nail to prevent it, as billions of dollars started funneling from TV contracts. Forgive me if I'm skeptical, but those two as actions alone toss that quote away. And I haven't even talked about the graduation rates. It took years to even discuss forcing schools to put effort into the graduation rates of the "student" athletes. So when did concern for student athletes become a focus exactly?

Sounds like Kliavkoff is blaming the players to me. The conference are making decisions based on the elephant in the room: players. What I'm seeing is a direct and immediate response to the fact players want to be treated like pros. I realize this is preaching to the choir, but it takes way more than twenty hours a week (the amount of time coaches get the players) to develop into an excellent player. In other words, it is a full time job. And schools used to sell a star's Jersey and pocket all the money. Coaches get paid better than NFL coaches. Billions of dollars are funneling through the schools. That being said, I was totally against NIL. But how could I justify telling players their $100,000 over four years was just compensation? It's not. No one reading this wouldn't consider options - including starting their own league with executives skilled enough to pull it off ( and someone might have). Kids pay the recruiting services to promote their skill level. Some families pay out of pocket to find the right fit for their kids. In other words, schools were getting far too much benefit at a "student's" expense. And we haven't even talked about the horrible graduation rates. College football is a minor league without the NFL having to pay. And the players figured that out. The NCAA did everything they could to stop the train from leaving the gate. But when a football player is great enough to win Olympic medals in another short, and the institution tells him he cannot earn money in that Olympic sport (and still earn a scholarship) something is very, very wrong. That, by the way, was the beginning of the end of the "exploitation" in my opinion. There is nothing just about preventing a young man seeking the best for his life by participating in two sports he loves. Or even find the means to afford the school he attends outside of basic expenses. Like I mentioned above, I've been against NIL. It might never have materialized had the schools simply treated the players like people, instead of dollar bills. Heck, they didn't even ensure the kids would be able to find avenues to succeed when they left school ( by making sure they had marketable skills when football was no longer part of their life). And the schools have plenty of money to do something that basic. NIL and the Portal are a direct response to these institutions thinking only of themselves. And now, our commissioner wants to lay blame on other conferences finally addressing what they should have addressed before the turn of the century. I'm telling you, this conference makes me see the with every word I read. They are not fit to lead these young men as they ( the students) seek the best for their future in my opinion. And I'm sure parents are paying particular attention to what's happening. I have a fifteen year old who fortunately isn't interested in football. If he were, how my beloved ducks respond from here would tell me if my kid would even consider the program (because I would not present any PAC 10 school as a solid choice based on Kliavkoff's comments- he is just an extension if how the Presidents feel).

The reason Clemson reached the playoffs multiple years is they could compete with the elite, and win. The most effective route to prove we belong is to continue scheduling the elite teams (if they dare to). The other route is to absolutlely drop fifty points s game on the mediocre. We are not Notre Dame, do we won't get the get out of jail card. I also believe this year dictates everything for OBD. Finish to ten in recruiting and go to the playoffs, we write out own ticket. We don't, the future is out of our hands. By the way, I am NOT afraid of the BIG. We would instantly compete for titles. Especially if we continue to recruit well.

If that's the case, how are they able to operate? It costs at least $3M to operate any football team with 85 players. Heck the scholarships cost more than $3M. I recognize they get a couple of million from P5 schools a game, but we're taking razor thin margins in order to stay in business.

If we're trying to stay regional, Boise State in football and Gonzaga in basketball is a no brainier. Add SDSU and Fresno State to tap California in depth. My opinion of course

I also read somewhere the MWC gets $270 a year. ESPN is low balling the PAC12 hoping they're desperate. Wait...until 2024. See what they do (are they trying to wreck the conference?)

With Lanning I can see that possibility. With Mario, we would have been 7th or 8th at best

Couldn't have said it better. We need to wait until 2024 before signing a deal (us and the Fuskies particularly).

I wish this topic wasn't brought up. I've had an extremely different experience that I don't feel I can share because it would be considered political. That's unfortunate because part of it involves speculation, and most of it is fact that half our beloved posters would fight to the death in disagreement. And that is highly unfortunate. Fortunately, most of us are alive and well. Which is a beautiful thing. Good health to us all, and to OBD.

Helfrich was the key when Arizona embarrassed OBD in Tuscon on national TV. He immediate started challenging the defense to live up to it's billing. Helfrich did exactly what a HC is supposed to do in that situation, he coached his team up. He challenged his talented group, and they responded. They didn't get there by themselves, the were led there. They avenged a bitter loss, and dethroned the defending national champs. They took on a hot team,. They were down 21-20 going into the fourth quarter with inexperienced linebackers and without two starting WRs. Against a juggernaut at that ( some fourteen OSU players were drafted from that 2014 team). Helfrich was responsible for that Natty appearance (Chip was long gone). Chip didn't get them back to the Natty. Helfrich did, and Chip had more talent on defense to go with that awesome offense of his. More players got drafted under Chip than Helfrich. But Helfrich got his title shot. Never forget that. It took a seriously flawed individual to expose we wasted five years believing we couldn't bring elite talent to Eugene. And Helfrich put OBD in position to win the Natty with a declining set of talent. Ponder that for awhile. Because we just lucked out by losing a coach that ruined a damn good shot at a title in 2019, Not to mention that flawed character that may have brought us one in 2018. Always cherish an accomplishment like Helfrich's. He's in rare company. Very, very few coaches EVER ready the playoffs, much less the Natty itself.

A slight correction, We have owned USC since 2007 when we made our first true run at the Natty. Heck, we even coined the term Natty! But we were not good enough twenty years ago to challenge Pete Carroll's stormtroopers. But we are now.

Actually, I hope they have a great year.... Until we smash them so emphatically they just might shut up for once.

When a hundred million dollars may cut into your expenses (short or long term) , your billion dollar enterprise will be affected. Even if you have an executive tending to that line of business, you are ultimately responsible. Taxpayers pick up those kind of mistakes (and students of course)

If football ceases at Oregon State, millions of dollars may be siphoned from that excellent School of Engineering Program to pay for Reser Stadiums renovations ( that attendance will no longer have the prospect to cover). If Oregon State loses that $35 million a year to cover the expenses of it's athletic department, that will affect the University. In the realm of priorities, that is as real as it gets. I live in the real world. University Presidents aren't just failing at football. I manage several of their "products". Let me tell you, they are are extremely disappointing. From Lions to Lambs. I recommend that movie. And the title seems so appropriate to our times. Robert Redford could be talking about the higher education system at this point. Because they have been taking the easy route for decades now. Those who saw the movie will know what I'm talking about.

I think it's pretty clear the Conference Presidents lack Business skills. Not a surprise actually. They don't face true competition. They got a hand out basically (won't go into it, due to rules I respect here, so please read between the lines). I doubt these leaders would survive in the real world, but they never had to. I do wonder if they could, given some oafish statements I've read from their mouths the past three years. But this looks like the LA schools were, and simply have been greedy. If this report is accurate. That should have set off alarm bells for astute observers in the room. But then again, see above.

Oregon has had ONE FOOTBALL TEAM as good as any of USC's historical best. Sorry guys, but 15 million people in one area is going to supercede 4.5 million. In oh so many ways. You can discuss culture, you can counter with morals. But you cannot expect 15 million people to feel less viable than four. LA will always be more arrogant. Why do you think we always say don't californicate Oregon. We needed them. Their TV market, their recruits, their prestige. That's the bottom line. It sucks, but without Los Angeles, we have a far bigger hill to climb. Doesn't matter where we go from here, ignoring LA's arrogance was a huge mistake. USC was telling us for at least 12 months they were unhappy. Frankly, our arrogance ( like new money spitting in old money's face) may have cost us. We even talk snack now about our newfound heritage. I grew up in Southern California. Moved to Oregon and loved it. Wanted to stay, but couldn't. Why? That should be obvious. Oregon is no match for Southern California when it comes to drawing talent of all kinds. LA is justified in being arrogant. They back it up every day. That sucks. But life does oftentimes. We built a brand that exploited USC's Demise. I for one never thought USC would let us slowly grind them into nothingness. USC got up from a Mike Tyson mega punch. The question is, will we respond like Evander Holyfield. I know what I would do if I were in charge. Because I hate to lose. I'd hate to allow my true rival steal the thunder I've harnessed ever so patiently. Football is war. It's not fair and friendly. If it's not obvious now, everyone can see what Im doing with my anger. I've lived in world class Los Angeles. I believe we are world class Oregon. I believe it requires stepping into the fray of dealing with what goes on in world class battles. With integrity, guts and fire. The world isn't fair. Never will be. If we are truly world class, we step into the battle and never look back. Who cares how arrogant USC is. They made their move. They exploited their advantages. It's time to respond.

The BIG10 is in a very strong position. They can force ND to pay more to schedule their teams, they can expand East or West and add massive value to the brand. Keep in mind, the ACC started this mess when they effectively killed the Big East. Now marque members Miami and FSU are mediocre. Will they stay as the BIG10 and SEC strangle football? What value can the ACC add to ND? Without siphoning money from their members? ESPN has their marquee conference. Will they raid the ACC and leave ND hanging? After all, they have the TV rights to the remaining marquee programs from the South and the East. Fox has the Southwest and leverage against "the Conference of Champions". Optically, the nation is split with two regions dominating the financial picture. By a massive amount. Oregon versus Cincinnati is no more compelling than USC versus Rutgers. But Washington versus Baylor will not draw TV dollars the way USC versus Iowa will(a former Rose Bowl game by the way). So imagine this: half of USC and UCLA games will feature former Rose Bowl games. As in NY6 games before January. Neither the ACC nor the Big12 can match that. And the BIG10 and SEC could effectively end the bowl structure and have playoffs themselves. And there aren't enough eyeballs left to really counter a move like that. Because outside of Miami and FSU, fans don't follow their schools to all points of the globe like they do in the SEC and the BIG10. That's what scares me. USC and UCLA may as well be Hawaii geographically, but they are so much more valuable than what our region can provide financially. Deciding not to expand after Luxury Box Larry crashed and burned on the OU and Texas grab was fait accompli for our neighborhood. We HAD TO EXPAND. In essence, Colorado and Utah wasn't enough. It makes total sense to me why ESPN made the best of things by featuring their stranded market at night. Even USC and UCLA couldn't save us.

Axel, You are ON FIRE 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

And you just added to them.

I think it's clear Fox is happy USC and UCLA are in the BIG10... and ESPN isn't.

In my mind, this falls squarely on the Conference Presidents. Not only did they hire Larry Scott, they sat idle while the SEC cleaned their respective clocks when it came to ensuring their prized Olympic Sports would continue to be funded properly. The fact these "leaders" disregarded the very sport that funds their cherished group tells me they believe past prestige in football would take care of business. It should have been clear when the SEC took it USC that the South meant business when it came to running football on the collegiate level.