Washington Waddler

Excellent take Darren. Appreciate the dispassionate effort which I find exceedingly hard to muster, especially when it comes to the Trojans. But I’ll grit my teeth, and give it a try. What I see that USC’s move has done is to psychologically infuse the program with a complete sense of renewal by shedding the skin of a stalled and stale past, and replacing that with a shiny new sense of anticipation and eager excitement for an as yet to be written adventure free of PAC 12 chains. You couldn’t script a Hollywood ending any better; like watching Richard Dreyfuss departing earth by waving good-bye to all his old friends as he steps into the unknown embraced by all his new ones. How long this type of mental up-grade is good for is anyone’s guess. Usually, it’s success dependent. Admittedly, my take is highly subjective, a bit tongue-in-cheek, and more interested in what creates momentum than the nuts and bolts of a program’s foundation. But - when evaluating Troyland - never underestimate the power of positive thinking. Make-overs are as much a daily past time as trying to remember your latest mantra. One cautionary note: in regards to how quickly USC will ascend to the promised land; their leap resembles that of Nebraska, who - like the Trojans - were growing desperate to regain their glory days, and feeling stale and stuck in a P5 conference they perceived as beginning to flat line. Since moving to the B1G, Nebraska has gone 40-43 for 8th place, and that’s without the additional baggage of a greater time zone challenge or being perceived as a traditional Rose Bowl enemy.

Agree. But, it helps us to better see the real playing field. It’s a defining issue because it’s devisive. How you view it all depends on which side of the fence your on. For fans, it would dramatically and tragically alter what we love. But, for those playing the game - in addition to a college education - it could turn college football into a AAA minor league system that pays the majority of players for 4 or 5 years who will never see the big show. I seriously doubt that is what players have always secretly wanted, but it sure seems to be on their radar these days.

USC doesn’t seem to know it yet, but their heart and identity died when they decided money and running away from regional competition was more important than tradition and passionate rivalry. They are now not much more than a recommended acquisition absorbed by an avaricious corporation looking to add to their bottom line. Who and what they will become now is anybody’s guess. Not being that attractive has thus far allowed us to escape that fate. May we continue to be so lucky. There’s no guarantees that SDSU or FSU, or any other potential candidates for PAC membership will make that leap, or even help create the conference that we all want by them doing so. But, I’d rather take that chance, and go that route, than end up being bought like some commodity. When you think money and playing it safe are the point, you’re already dead. You just don’t know it. College football is a funny combination of business and passion. It is certainly all about trying to become the very best. But, you ascend to that by allowing your passion to fuel the engine, not the money. Nike and Uncle Phil didn’t board the train because the Ducks were a blue chip purchase; they did it because they saw the passion, belief and emerging identity of something they wanted to be a part of. It may be scary, but the unknown is not necessarily a bad place to be. It’s kind of exciting to hold on to who you are, even when the going gets tough. Better than selling yourself.

Stars can blind some players from ever understanding what it’s really all about. No other player on the Ducks could benefit more from Lanning’s ‘de-recruitment’ philosophy than Ty.

Chain of fools

My apologies to Meredith Wilson, but his ‘Iowa Stubborn’ lyrics from “The Music Man” - when imagining what a Trojan will be up against - pretty much sum-up what USC has in store for themselves: And we’re so God stubborn We can stand touchin’ noses For a week at a time And never see eye-to-eye Culture shock for the terminally laid-back? Yo Dude, chill!

The conundrum that USC faces in the mirror every day is you can never catch up to your past. They are like that privileged, neighborhood kid whose daddy buys him the best basketball, and builds him a backyard court where he plays all by himself. And, when he invites his friends over to show them how much better he has become than them, but they don’t understand this by beating him, he pouts, and taking his ball, goes in the house. Like that kid, USC doesn’t seem to understand anymore how to deal in reality as they go chasing after their dreams of the past. All that’s happened is their neighborhood friends have gotten bigger.

Nice to see the perpetrators fighting it out amongst themselves in their own Benjamin-lined hog trough. Greed is its own reward. Maybe they’ll bankrupt each other. Nah, that would be just too lucky!

News alert: UCLA responds to Gov Newsom’s request by having Bill Walton hold a press conference at which he promises to, “share the wealth” with all Caly student-athletes and the UC Berkeley student body by giving free bong hits and skateboards to all. As a parting gesture aimed at those who fail to grasp the nature and generosity of this offering, Bill offered up the last two lines from the final verse of ‘California Soul’ as way of explanation: So just gimme, yeah, just gimme yeah Oh, it’s all a trend

What’s interesting to consider is the trust cable tv corporations are putting in the consistency of traditional, regional tv viewing habits as they lay waste to the very fabric on which those habits are based. If traditional viewing habits falter in the wake of conference realignments, have ESPN and Fox miscalculated the direction in which those tv $$ are going as streaming emerges as a stronger option?Probably not since most homes will most likely fall in line with where ever they sense the ‘winners’ will be. But some viewing resistance based on disillusionment might be expected, tossing a wrench in their almighty plans. Programs like Oregon with a well-established cross-over audience would benefit from such a scenario.

Anything that helps limit the nature of impulsive portal moves is good.

Interesting question. In other words, can the growing power of national cable tv $$ eventually assume control of university athletic policy, and thereby completely undermine and remove whatever is left of conference regional traditions? You could certainly argue that is the direction in which things are headed.

Congrats to both! Always good to see Kelly’s assistants in demand, and moving on and up.

Possibly, there is a 3rd choice: the Gonzaga route. Like Duck FB, Bulldog BB earned its national spurs the hard way. However, unlike the Ducks, they’ve always been member to a lower tier conference. There solution, in order to remain nationally visible, was not to come begging to a bigger conference, but to load the pre-season with highly ranked opponents. Obviously, BB has a big advantage over FB in that regard. But the Ducks - as the price for remaining in the PAC - might consider rewriting their ticket as to how many conference games they would play as opposed to the number of preseason games they’d schedule as a compromise for remaining in the PAC. There would probably be a stiff scheduling price to pay in that elite opponents would see this as an opportunity to schedule a home and done, although media $$ for a home & away might alter that perception. Anyway, it’s a thought.

Unavoidably, the ignored elephant in the room is what would be the affect on the perception of future elite-level southland recruits (and other regions) without the media-driven appearance of being part of an elite-level conference. National exposure gives a big edge to coaches in the living room of these kids. We either accept this recruiting effect on being ‘down-sized’ as result of keeping the PAC intact, or we accept leaving behind our region in pursuit of some national super group that would give us that edge. I’m afraid we can’t have it both ways.

Why do I have to put down my coke and popcorn?

Sometimes it feels like it’s not so much a case of whether a coach - like Mario - has acted honorably or dishonorably as it is a case of us Duck fans having grown so tired of feeling like, and being seen as a stepping-stone program. Duck football has earned the right to be taken on its own merits. So, if you don’t want to be here in the first place, then don’t even bother.

The inappropriate use of technology as a means to sidestep decision making by start line officials who don’t want to shoulder the responsibility for determining disqualifications is simply not acceptable. If you don’t want the responsibility that comes with the job, find something else to do.

Aside from money, it’s hard to fathom what the Trojan brain trust imagined the result would be from making this move. They have effectively put themselves on an island - both physically and psychologically - that makes them more like an independent than the member of a conference. Do they really think they’ll ever be anything more than a money-making, time-zone novelty to a conference that barely accepted Penn St and resists the idea of Notre Dame? They may add some Midwest recruiting clout, but it may be harder than they think convincing SouCal kids that it’s a good idea to play games in November in Minneapolis or Madison, especially with Oregon and others giving them an option. The only thing, aside from money, that I see they’ve gained from this move is the reputation of being a disloyal and utterly untrustworthy institution that’s willing to backstab anyone in pursuit of their delusional dreams of grandeur. No one - including their new conference and UCLA - will ever trust them again.

Thanks Mario.

You can’t help but mourn the loss of those who have survived adversity and transformed themselves. They are always an inspiration - a breath of fresh air. God speed Spencer, you are deeply missed.

Think all the NFL is looking for is any susceptibility to injury. His talent, passion and motor are known, and all that’s required is time in the saddle to eliminate any doubts.

It’s fascinating how, across the board, those fans of schools not being promoted in the media as contenders for top-tier conference membership are sounding the sage-like advice to wait, stay put, or form alliances, while the fans of schools supposedly being courted are channeling Chicken Little’s “the sky is falling!”, afraid of being left behind. It’s like watching a CFB version of 2012.

Agree. What a great read - playing teams that are passionate rivals as opposed to ones who just view you as time zone oddities? What were they thinking? However, I have to draw the line at Oram’s channeling of Jake Taylor. The idea of a cardboard cutout of Larry Scott being peeled a piece at a time with each Duck victory is beyond horrifying.

Maybe B1G is their Trojan Horse?