DUCKED

When coaches recruit they are selling…..selling themselves, the program and the school. And they do their homework. They know what resonates with an athlete, what’s important to them. A good salesman taps into that information.

So much fun to think about….and wish for. Getting a couple would be fantastic. And often those who do commit help recruit others. But in the end it often comes down to NIL money. That’s the world we now live in.

He’s a great shot maker, an excellent putter, and plays a controlled fade off the tee that keeps him out of trouble. Lot of golf left today, so it’s still wide open…..and Rory and Scheffler are knocking at the door.

I hope he sticks with us. As one noted philosopher once said, "It ain't over til it's over."

Stunning, if true, that season ticket sales are down. With the Huskies' resurgence last season under a first year coach, and after years of mediocrity, you would think that enthusiasm would be near an all-time high.

I certainly hope not….

I appreciate your takes Jon, and the takes of so many others who put in the time and effort so those of us who are too lazy, or can’t put our book down, don’t have to. A question, though…. Where do you find the time to play golf?

Sixkiller, an Oregon kid from Ashland, wanted to go to Oregon or OSU, but neither school offered him. Understandable for the Ducks to pass ….. they had a guy named Dan Fouts under center.

Working from behind in the count is a recipe for disaster. Pitchers start pressing and hitters are digging in, waiting for a fat pitch. I, too, was surprised at the Ducks’ hurlers inability to throw strikes.

Agree Charles…..the future looks bright, as long as the Ducks stay healthy….and the young pitching staff continues to develop. I love what Waz is doing with this team.

Pitching really let the Ducks down today. the collective inexperience was evide

Ducks will have to score a bunch of runs to win on Sunday.

Thanks Charles. so…..you DO work 24-7.

In college football today is any thought given to academics? It appears that portal players face very little scrutiny when it comes to picking a new school. Has Oregon ever not accepted a transfer it really wanted because of grades? Has any other school? Well, maybe Stanford. If players are being paid to play they are not amateurs. What are they? And don’t get me started on the term Student Athlete. College football is a mess right now. Golden Age is laughable.

Both Thompson and, if ready, Novosad need to see the field early this season, and not necessarily just in garbage time. We need to see them to play with the ones….against the ones. Nix has proved to be a great pickup for Oregon, but his style of play is both an asset for the Ducks and a potential liability. Every time he scrambles, his chances of being injured increase, but it’s his mobility and elusiveness that makes him such a threat. That’s what makes Bo the million dollar man. But if Nix goes down, Oregon needs a QB that’s ready to step in. That means to QB2 battle needs to be decided, and the earlier better.

How does anyone outside the negotiating room know? Leaks, confidential sources, the way many stories are broken. Not saying it’s true…….but it could be. To quote Yogi, “It ain’t over…….”

Surprised to hear that about Blaine and the Huskies. He is a Cal grad and has always been a staunch supporter of the Golden Bears, or at least was when they were decent….many years ago.

Good points Charles. As a subscriber to Canzano’s column, I have noticed a softening in his tone from his Oregonian days, but he still can be critical…..but fair. Case in point, the Blazers, who are a mess. But I don’t think a reporter or columnist should ever be viewed as being in “partnership” with anyone they write about, and perhaps there is a better description. He certainly is less combative.

I think Thompson should be the first option as backup. His loyalty to the program has to grant him that. But if the game dictates I would like to seem both of them play. And Lanning, obviously, has not “encouraged” Thompson to enter the portal, so he must see something in the kid.

In addition to the aforementioned, the RG sports section of the early 70’s also featured sports editor Blaine Newnham and Bud Withers, excellent writers who eventually moved on to the Seattle Times. John Conrad was also on that staff and eventually became the section’s editor. The coverage of the Ducks in those was clearly the best in the conference.

According to a front page story in today’s LA Times, Bohn got fired because he is creepy. Condescending to women, handsy, disrespectful and made inappropriate comments about their weight, hair and the way they dressed. Any of the above would have been grounds for termination, but according to the Times several people in the athletic department raised concerns about his management of the department. He reportedly missed meetings he was expected to attend and was often absent from key events, including USC national championship victories. (Huh ?) Two former USC coaches told the Times that Bohn’s leadership of the department was a primary reason they left. Even at Cincinnati he was a creep, according to the school’s head trainer Robb Williams, who told theTimes that he saw Bohn make unwanted physical contact with women on several occasions. Another staffer said Bohn’s interaction with women made her skin crawl. Makes you wonder how much vetting USC actually did before they hired this guy….. Carol Folt was the ultimate decision maker.

That scenario would require the Ducks to avoid the all too frequent toe stub that seems to plague them at least once every season. And winning road games against Washington and Utah will be a huge challenge, but doable. I see Oregon handling USC at Autzen. So, if the Ducks do go 11-1, yes, see them making the playoff.

Nix proved to be an excellent college quarterback last season, but the jump to the NFL is huge, especially for someone with average arm strength. I see him as a late round pick at best and likely becoming a career backup. But then again, Brock Purdy was Mr. Irrelevant last year and now he appears to be the 49ers’ QB of the future.

Doing his job? He's getting schooled by LeBron.