Washington Waddler

Nuance is easier to find when there are less moving parts and more opportunities to describe it.

The open door to CFP’s further expansion is reflective of March Madness and its ongoing battle between the inclusionary and limiting forces which characterize the two opposing philosophies that battle over the fate of what makes college ball special. Clearly, college football cannot operate a 64 team playoff and still have a regular season. The toll of football’s physical reality aside, it still begs the question: how do you retain the essential spirit of college sport (grounded in the exciting possibility of the unknown underdog upsetting the big dog) without including the little guy in any future version of a play off? It’s quite possible that football itself precludes (unlike in basketball) the potential for that. The Libertys of this world may always face the same fate dished-out by an Oregon. But, don't tell Boise State or BYU that. However; yet again, that begs the question of what can help keep college ball from the death sentence of becoming NFL Jr. other than making room for the unknown? Left to the number crunching, dollar-driven, play-it-safe logic that always supports stacking the odds in favor of the Haves, it would inevitably deliver any new CFP version into the hands of the P2, and the deadening, NFL reality that encompasses, which always lives in fear of surprise. College ball thrives on surprises. It may not work, but the only way I see to avoid that NFL dullness is to include those who are still young enough to dream in any new play-off version.

Seems they went extinct around the same time their head coach Rod ‘Dodo’ Dedeaux stepped down.

Kim, give the same thorough focus to your recovery as you’ve done to the forum, and this thing doesn’t stand a chance. Get well soon!

Graves acknowledged from the get go that this team would not be good offensively. That prediction has proved correct. When you continually can’t capitalize on defensive turn-overs, it guts a team. Despite the losses, this team still competes. That tells me they’re putting in the practice hours trying to improve the offensive production. It just hasn’t happened. Is that Grave’s fault? Dunno. When you’ve been to the Covid-altered top, and are now at the bottom, it makes me curious what could be next? I’m not ready to give up on the guy.

The true origin of Washington’s wave claim is rooted in their effort to teach their mascot how to sit up and beg; something all Husky fans are quite good at mimicking. Other than that, the wave can be a pretty amusing exercise in grudging annoyance. I find it kinda funny to watch the entitled donor section on the third go around finally feeling forced to put down the DOW report, rise from their bucket seats and feebly wave their arms. Such an effort!

Nice first step, especially laterally. Will need to work on his fast twitch muscles to be a dominant college edge.

If I were Swift, I’d just zip it, sit back, and enjoy the show.

So, we alter the tee shirt slogan to, ‘The Grass is Damn Plastic in Pasadena’, and ‘The Grass is Damn Brown in Brownsville’?

There’s rules in auto racing? Could’ve fooled me.

Wow. Coast to coast Harbaughs. Just what the world needed.

In fairness, DeBoer is no different from many other newly hired head coaches looking to create a vision for his team through the control he’s use to asserting, including assistant hires. However, head coaching also requires knowing when to be a vision control freak, and when not to. Being sure of what will work allows for a tight rein, but being ignorant doesn’t. Thus far, DeBoer’s error appears to have been not taking his time to properly avail himself of those who could help him void pit falls in a culture he knows little about. Knowing you’re in a whole new world is one thing; adjusting to it is another, .

Yeah, from Bear Down to bare down, as in an empty locker room.

“It’s rare in sports, especially college football to see a coach demonstrate as much loyalty to a team as Dan Lanning has shown to the Oregon Ducks.” Pat McAfee In this conversation, it’s useful to point out how competitive college football coaching has become. These guys quickly accustom themselves at the start of their careers to change - with a capital C. It’s how they learn their craft and make the connections so necessary to their long term success: they move; they learn. But they also know that same dynamic works against them, in that the central internalized message of wins and loses is what will determine their staying power. And the higher they climb, the lesser the margin for error becomes. That’s why, as McAfee points out, we’re developing a relationship with a rare one - one step at a time. Lanning didn’t knee jerk into the expected response of, ‘striking while the iron was hot’ as our neighbor to the north did. For DeBoer, it’s business. For Dan, it’s personal. That is indeed rare in the world of CFB coaching.

Up here in kennel country, my street is about an 80%-20% mix of Husky to Coug fans. I’m the only Duck. Those first two days following Saint Saban’s announcement were gut wrenching - to put it mildly. Now, with the shoe on the other foot, pure pleasure walking around the neighborhood.

Interesting how bama is now suffering some for their success. It’s that old rule of physics: for every action, there is an equal and opposite action. What successful coach in his right mind would walk into that bear trap? At least for the time being, you can Roll over and die Tide.

Nick, welcome to the shadow world of John Wooden!

Alabama’s pitch will revolve around how they’re the logical next step for DL, even though he fails to check all the experience boxes a job like that usually requires. If they can blow enough ego-inflator smoke into the image they’d like to create for him (not to mention their boosters and fan base) of himself as ‘destined’ to replace a legend, they might just get away with it, The question is, are Dan’s feet squarely on the ground, or are they being swept from beneath him? If he wants to believe in someone else’s image of who he is, he’s probably gone. If he wants to keep his feet on the ground, continue to build his own program and image, and stick to the challenge he’s embraced, he’ll stay. As tempting as it may be, he’s also smart enough to sense a beautiful trap. Sure hope I’m right!

Penix entered that game fully aware what he was about to face, and still couldn’t rise to the occasion. Elite QBs know how to occupy the eye of the storm; in fact, they thrive on it. Didn’t see that quality in Penix.

Once again reminded that defense wins championships, especially against an offense that relies upon a timing passing game. Without the ability to establish his confidence-building rhythm, Penix’s laser turned into a dim bulb flashlight.

Not being able to stomach either program, my new year’s wish is that the championship game end in a tie, and before overtime can begin, disgruntled Texas fans in the Houston area sabotage local power stations causing an outage that forces a premature end to the game, leaving neither team a winner. This would be followed by Jim Harbaugh’s firing, and an announcement by Michigan that Kalen DeBoer has accepted their offer. Not perfect, but would help a little with my pain as a Duck fan.

The current course of this game has me wondering if the SEC may not have inherited the PAC12’s policy of self-cannibalism.

Liberty taking liberties? Going duck hunting? One thing you can ALWAYS count on from new opponents: no imagination.

He may have missed a few blocking adjustment calls when Bo was pushed out of the pocket a bit early, but not much else. Huge piece of next year’s puzzle sliding into place.

Living as I now do in cur country, just the thought of the whelps going 15-0 . . . no, just can’t go there. Since a Husky will eat anything put in front of him, may have to hire someone in nahluns to supplement their training table with intestinal parasite-laced deer poop. These are desperate times.