Washington Waddler

With no ears at the negotiation table, we’re all left to play this frustrating, venting game of guessing. So, here’s mine. SDSU was given no other choice but to act as it did because of a protracted disagreement between media and PAC10 negotiators over the actual added-value represented by SDSU’s tv viewing presence in Southern California: yet TBD. Hate to say it, but the reality of our situation just doesn’t allow me to play the blame game. Personally, I can’t think of anyone who could, or would want to play our weak hand as it stands right now. Too many losses, too much potentially in the wind and too many rumors to appear as anything other than backed into a corner. Hope I’m wrong, and that that’s an ace up our sleeve, and not a joker.

S2 may put a number on a qb’s productive potential, but it can’t measure the player’s drive, desire and determination that leads to that achievement. What I love about Young is how he never lets momentary failures affect his focus on the over all goal to succeed. He’s a prime example of how you learn from your mistakes in game time, and turn those into advantages. The back door advantage to not being the most athletic or having the strongest throwing arm is the willingness to learn how to maximize what you do have - if you have the desire to do so. You don’t need S2 to see that in Young.

Yes, good article. Have to agree though that the LA schools are probably gone for good. If the B1G is intent on keeping them, any issues either school has with travel costs and scheduling will be negotiated in-house. Even if one or both wished to feel-out what PAC-12 re-entry would look like, the #1 issue on the table would still remain media-driven $$. As an alternative view, there remains the long-term possibility that a majority of the PAC-12 does remain together, but only as the result of coming through the back-door by merging with the B1G as its western division, thereby putting to rest most of the travel/scheduling cost issues.

I don’t agree with the cynical outlook that views Lanning’s use of faith as simply a recruit targeting tool; as a disingenuous attempt to convince of something not truly shared. If a recruit’s radar doesn’t pick that up right away, it’s only a matter of time before the truth becomes plain to see. Telling a recruit what they want to hear without believing it yourself is the surest way to lose them. Lanning knows that.

Faith, and all what that word triggers, is what makes it such a loaded term. Just saying the word can elicit responses anywhere between wide-open acceptance, and the uttering of a dirty word. Caution is probably the most common approach when mentioned in public settings. Very few - if any - assistant coaches ascend to the top spot in this day and age without well-developed instincts and radar when it comes to dealing with anything that touches on race, religion or politics. The days of Woody Hayes are long gone - thank gosh. Under the right conditions, anyone is capable of inserting foot in mouth. It happens to the best of us, Lanning included. But I don’t believe such a response would arise from him as the result of him not knowing how to act in the best interests of team and university.

That’s life in a sports top-heavy town like Seattle. That sucking sound the Washington Athletics Dept. never can keep from hearing? The finite wallet contents of average fans being magnetized by whoever the latest new kid in town happens to be; right now, probably the Kraken.

Yet again (since we all seem to need reminding of this on a regular basis), it’s not the dazzle of media stars that matter, but the relationship between high school student athletes and mentoring assistant coaches.

By comparison, it’s important to point out that of the four pitchers used by ORU in game three, not one was a freshman. There starting nine was composed of six seniors and three juniors. Experience - having been there before - is the best remedy for pressure situations. While it hurts to not be going to Omaha, what our frosh pitchers went through was priceless - developmental gold.

Guess I’m just a traditionalist. Always thought it stood for Florists’ Transworld Delivery. That said, I did come across another definition for the acronym: Fronto Temporal Disorder. Among the possible symptoms are, “ . . . unusual behavior, emotional problems . . .” So, whenever you hear (or read) a rodent fan uttering those three letters, the considerate thing to do is call them an ambulance. They may be suffering from Duck Envy which can lead to FTD.

Agreed. So many "hate Oregon more than they love Oregon State." So, any further questions as to why it’s called the Civil War, and always will be?

Yeah, sure, all at the same time they’re sticking pins in their Duck voodoo dolls.

From the Golden Flashes to the Golden Eagles. I recall that ‘Done Deal’ mood at the Kent State Super Regional fueled by all those first-timers there to just celebrate another Duck victory in the national spotlight. Wipe the smiles off your faces newbies. This is going to be a war. Make no mistake about it. ORU is for real.

A conflict of interest, in this case, would seem to focus on a possible influential narrowing of athletes’ choices to one destination, and not the products they wear. Phil Knight and Nike spread the wealth wherever they perceive a benefit may exist for the company’s products, which are worn by too many colleges to ever tie Nike and Phil specifically to Oregon.

Don’t know why , but somehow it seemed appropriate that the timing cycle for ads accompanying my read said,“Drain Issues? We can help”

When I draw-up a scheme, the O’s always beat the X’s.

I was just thinking PAC 12, but Long Beach State and Loyola Marymount should be added to that LA area shutout.

Only UCLA not advancing, and what a shocker that was. USC remains soft on softball.

Gratifying to see Ariel realizing as a Duck the same power she always displayed at Marist. On to the Supers!

It’s not just anybody who can find a Duck article in a haystack. Thoughts and prayers with you and your husband, and hope to see you back soon.

Interesting comparison to Marcus, but more information on Moga needed. What made MM so lethal wasn’t just his speed and accuracy, but the instinctive timing and presence he brought to his pocket choices. Eyes in the back of your head are a gift.

Hey, at least it’s not ‘bow down to Bowdoin’. Count your blessings.

Because the teams split the talent evenly, it just has me chomping at the bit to see what we can unleash on both sides of the ball come fall.

You may be right. But, I believe the jury is still out concerning the eventual effect on programs of treating and trading college level players like commodity market acquisitions. There may be a reaction to this as yet somewhere down the road. Is it wise to put all your eggs into the basket that says you can simply buy success? Not sure.

The greatest carnage created by the transfer portal appears to be in transitional NIL-focused programs with head coaches in their 1st and 2nd years. Both Lanning and Sanders have the mandate, means and the vision-driven will to recreate their programs in their own image. I don’t think you see this same level of student wreckage in other high-powered programs with more settled coaching situations. Transfers occur both in and out, but they are not trying to rebuild an image of themselves which hopefully allows college ‘coaching’ to still happen in the development of potential. Because the transfer portal has such a dramatic effect on program situations like those currently at Oregon and Colorado, perhaps the rules committee might want to revisit how the student part of the equation can be dealt with more fairly. For me, the primary purpose of a university is still to help develop young adult, whether athlete or not. The mad rush to leave behind the concept of player development in order to just win is contrary to that promise. If you’re that afraid of being left behind, perhaps the NFL is a better fit for your longings?

Always sound advice not to shoot the messenger. Especially when his is bigger than yours is!