Washington Waddler

For me, a comparison of the two has to start with composure and turn overs. Through three games Shough has five and Sanders has one. What causes turn overs is always debatable, but in Shough’s case there’s a sense that he tries to hard to make something happen. Sanders seems the opposite. His gifted arm and scrambling ability work to his advantage in staying composed, and taking what defenses give him. I’d disagree that you can successfully key on designed QB runs. Usually, these plays are built to the advantage of the quarterback which means if he reads a focus on designed run, then he has the authority to pull back into a quick out or crossing route.

“If I waited until I had all my ducks in a row, I’d never get across the street.” (source unknown)

Thanks JJ. Never was much good at creative spelling.

The only predictable thing about highly creative types is their unpredictability and excellent timing. Both Colorado’s present, and Oregon’s past ‘hotness’ are/were based on moves no one could have foreseen: Dion’s move from Jackson St to Colorado, and Chip Kelly’s from New Hampshire to Oregon. Both moves were the products of seeing the right opportunity, and knowing when to jump. As an Oregon fan watching Colorado, I feel a bit like the guy sitting in the stands watching another kid shine on the stage he once occupied. There’s a tinge of envy, but also the recognition that the baton must be passed. Like childhood, it’s fun to recall, but I wouldn’t want to repeat it.

Whatever you may think of Deion Sanders, don’t judge him by the media circus that swirls around him.

I would think it’s almost unheard of for a high school quarterback to attain the level of attention Ty did purely on physically gifts without some indication that he could focus those attributes and lead a team as should be expected of an elite level recruit. It simply comes with the desire to play the position, right? However, for the majority of his Duck career, that is exactly what appears to have happened. Until this year. I don’t know where else to turn except Will Stein for the apparent turnaround in his focus, performance and confidence. It’s almost like he just needed someone to tell him you can do this - to believe in him. If Stein sticks around next year, the guy might just be right.

It helps to remember that the Rocky Mountain Showdown started in 1893, and has always been an intense, instate rivalry - with or without Dion Sanders.

Side-stepping the issue of schools and their level of play, I don’t object to some form of a Pacific conference maintaining an identity because somewhere down the road when a combination of unsustainable cable revenue outlay, and pacific coast university Title 9/non-revenue program travel costs put athletic departments into a chronic tail spin, then regionalism will reassert itself as the only sane answer to all this current, unrealistic nonsense.

The media has been, and always will be addicted to the flavor of the week. That’s where their money is made. They know their audience wants what ever will take them out of the daily grind, and into a world where dreams can come true. Prime is the perfect fit for them: a guy who not only can produce a product, but knows how to sell it. Welcome back to the circus world of Barnum & Bailey. It does get tiresome wiping the crap off the windshield in order to still see the game of football that’s being smothered in all the s**t the media seems to prefer to the game they pretend to promote. But, that’s where the money is. Sigh.

Win some, lose some. With A’lique Terry, I think we’ll do fine over the long haul.

Helfrich seemed to be going out of his way to not give the Ducks the benefit of the doubt. That jibes with his personality. He’s always been more of a private, one on one guy, not a public personality type (part of the reason he failed as a head coach). When you’re always worried about how other people are going to see you, there’s no way you’ll be confident in your opinion or able to have fun sharing an obvious bias towards your own team. Like Mark himself, it just felt awkward.

Social media. The replacement for the break room water cooler. What more do you need to know?

Looking at the tentative body language, faces, the eyes, of our players (including Nix) during that opening quarter seemed to say one thing: we’re not ready for this. Teams follow the lead of their head coach, and Lanning’s first real challenge of his 2nd year would suggest he’s still got a lot to learn in how to prepare himself emotionally and mentally so he can do the same for his team. It’s a learning curve. Doesn’t happen over night.

‘Illinoi’ is both Illadvised and Illannoying.

Add to that free hurricane insurance and they might fill the stadium.

Great read FD. As it’s often the case, the rush to judgement is a tad quicker than the rush to adjustment. But not by much.

I have it on good authority that this vicious rumor was started by Benny Beaver who couldn’t do one push up with his tail tied behind his back.

Makes you realize once again just how important that OC/QB working relationship is leading up to game week preparation. Stein had TT ready for PSU. That’s why I’m feeling pretty good about in how he’ll deal with tougher competition. Stein has shown he knows how to put him in a position to succeed.

Historical footnote: Wisconsin’s loss to us was deja vu. It was identical to their 1963 Rose Bowl loss to USC when their QB Ron Vander Kelen ran out of time on his way to winning the game.

Coaches coming up against Colorado know they are not only going to face a good, if developing team, but the blinding glare of the latest in a long line of media darlings: we give you — Neon, the Chosen One, the latest New Kid on the Block. National anticipation of this sort is a powerful addition to any team’s tool kit. It can create a sense of destiny that super charges team morale, and create a brash, impudent belief in oneself. When you exude a feeling that nothing can stand in your way, it can create doubt in the minds of your opponents that leads to mistakes on the field. That’s what TCU found itself up against: playing both Colorado and its brash, newly minted sense of destiny. After last year, TCU had some brashness of its own, but it couldn’t compete with Colorado’s. It led more to doubt and errors. Oregon knows something about this phenomena having been there; done that. We were that team during 2010-11, and nearly rode it to the top. Reflecting on that experience might help avoiding the same trap TCU fell into. How to deal with it? Keep your nose to the grindstone, and be deaf, dumb and blind to the media storm swirling around you. Let Neon blink all he wants. Just play his team, and not their image and the rest will take care of itself.

Prime is like a latter day Joe Namath: the ultimate upstart that everyone wants seen put in his place. Music to his ears. He appears to have the goods, both on the field and sideline, and knows just how to promote them. Like Namath did, he feeds on attention and doubters. I was one. Not anymore. Why make it easier for him by by being the Baltimore Colts?

Our yardage sounds closer to the back nine of a par 3 then a football game. Guess it’s good for stat stuffing, fan fun, ego puffing and the media. Sure we must’ve learned something from it. Just not near as much as the mutts up north did today by scheduling BSU instead of EWU. But an Oregon scoring orgy is always a treat, so how can I complain? Go Ducks!

All his cars would be loaded with great features and options. Only problem? They only go in reverse.

And what an added bonus that Husky fans again might find themselves having to listening to that voice they so dearly love. Thanks for re-upping Jerry!

Glad it wasn’t what it might have been for you and your community. Recovery is never easy, but that’s what holds us together. You’re in my thoughts and prayers.