Washington Waddler

Rockne said when you pass there are three things that can happen, and two of them are bad. Add a third negative to that equation if a receiver is simply out of position to make a tackle, or is just plain bad at tackling.

What if, and what is: the two sides of the sports coin. If we play just half as hard as the media thinks, we win the rest of our games.

Comments like that just reaffirm what we’ve understood ever since the program started turning things around back in the 90’s: outsiders haven’t got the slightest idea what Oregon is really about.

While it’s never panic time, the bi-polar performance at quarterback is a head scratcher. I can understand off-days where QBs are just missing targets. But, repeatedly not seeing targets and just looking lost out there? At best, it’s just paying your dues, and learning what it takes to play the position. At worst? There have been moments against both Indiana and Wisconsin where Moore has reminded me of Ty Thompson. You’ve got to have some fire in your belly to overcome adversity?

Radical, outside-the-box uniform choice? I suggest the wolf in sheep’s clothing route at Iowa. Go as Minnesota.

Wasn’t that Canzano in a recent Portland protest photo dressed up and dancing around in an inflatable beaver costume?

In the transfer portal era, has signing a letter of intent (especially for quarterbacks) become a stepping-stone strategy for those who know they’ll likely never see a starting role, but now have an enhanced Oregon-endorsed resume that could lead to a better NIL offer with a program in need?

By now I probably shouldn’t be, but I’m always surprised at how good the mottos are that Dan comes up with every week. Need a game day tee that says, ‘Time To Pay The Rent’.

As always, it’s what inside the uniform that counts, but they do look pretty cool. Just keep on truckin, like the Doo-Dan man!

Did Joni Mitchell have the domino-driven effect of firing college head football coaches in mind when she wrote ‘The Circle Game’?

Would be like Scarlett returning to Tara after losing the war.

It still amazes me the complete turnaround attitudes have taken between Oregon and Washington over the past 65 years. During the years of Jim Owens and Don James, they lived in our heads rent free. No one owns anyone else forever, but for now, nice to have the (Nike) shoe on the other (Adidas) foot.

In tight games, the 4th quarter can tip on adrenaline. Against Penn State, it was their panic-driven urgency that put them back in contention. In the last ten minutes against Indiana, we couldn’t match their closing energy surge, perhaps because of the price we paid being in back to back top ten games. Not trying to make excuses. Just see this as part of the learning curve for our young leader.

Always love any references to ‘Shout!’ and ‘Animal House’. My favorite line in the song is, “you’ve been so good to me”, because that’s how it feels the Ducks have been to their fans. And as for the rest of the season? “FOOD FIGHT!!!”

Teams usually recover quicker from losses than fans do. Once they’ve recalibrated for the loss of wiggle room that the season once had, but realize the goal is still alive, a cold, hard focus is often the result - hopefully!