Grandpa Duck

Too good a read to be buried down the list, so I bumped it.

Your problem with picture is not PAC-12 Network. I had a perfect picture in Eugene on Comcast.

We need to take advantage of being deep and rest players whenever possible, just as DL’s staff has been doing.

There are a few exceptions to the comment that the mutts had a lock on the state of Washington. Off the top of my head, Jonathan Stewart and Peter Sirmon come to mind.

As typical of offensive linemen, Ryan is very bright. He was a solid player and will make an outstanding coach. Lanning makes a wise addition to the Duck staff.

I had tickets on the south side from when the stadium opened, first through my Dad, a substantial donor, then on my own starting in about 1985. Prices kept increasing until we paid about $2,000 a ticket base fee plus the per game price. We had pleasant older people for several rows in front of us who remained seated unless there was a major third or fourth down play. Then alcohol sales began and within three or four years, probably about 2010, the environment in our section, south side, 35 yard line, two rows below the entry level, changed to where going to the game was not fun. People standing up in lower rows making it necessary for us to do the up and down exercise most every play. Dealing with drunks that security ignored, night games. For me, it was all too much. Granted, I am an old wind breaker with a low tolerance level for misbehavior. Now I watch from the comfort of my recliner. A friend gave me two tickets a couple of years ago on the northeast 5 yard line, on the aisle. Three rows ahead a complete drunk insisted on standing on his bench seat, totally blocking our view. Even though he was spilling beer on the people in front of him, his also drunk companions thought he was comic relief and kept supplying him more beer. We left before halftime and since I live in northern Eugene a mile from Costco, we we able to get home for the start of the third quarter. I looked forward to attending games at Autzen from the time it opened all year long for 45 years. I will never go back.

Happy, your comment above: “The CFP doesnt even consider fair schedules.” Deserves some scrutiny. The implication you make is that the CFP did less than a thorough job in choosing the playoff participants. The 13 CFP committee members get undeservedly ragged upon all the time from lots of folks who do not understand the written protocol they follow in choosing the teams that participate in the playoff. That protocol has guidelines that the committee must apply in making their decision. Those “guidelines” are: Championships won Strength of schedule Head‐to‐head competition (if it occurred) Comparative outcomes of common opponents (without incenting margin of victory) Other relevant factors such as unavailability of key players and coaches that may have affected a team’s performance during the season or likely will affect its postseason performance.* As you can see, your comment that the committee does not consider “fair schedules” is contradicted by the second guideline above. In fact, FSU had the weakest SOS of the teams considered for the playoff. Put that with the finial guideline that includes the unavailablilty of FSU’s Quarterback and there is no question that the committee did their job properly.

I am in Eugene with Comcast, Xfinity. I get B1G Network on channel 726. Right now they are broadcasting Maryland at Northwestern basketball.

Actually, because Seattle is on Puget Sound, it is substantially warmer in the winter than the Willamette Valley. As far as getting around on icy streets in Eugene, AWD helps a lot. I go slow and stay where it’s flat.

He was at the women’s game on Friday at Matt Court.

247 says because betting odds on next ‘bama coach have been taken off the board, a pick has been made. Another post says “yeah, tuck comin.” I haven’t a clue who “tuck” might be.

If he goes, how many staff members go with him? Does ‘bama tell him he has to keep Sabin’s staff?

Here we are with the NC game less than two hours away. How unusual with no teams from the southern part of the US competing. Seems as though that's a first in the last 10 years, maybe longer. But if its not, someone can correct me. Chuck Culpepper, today, writing in The Sports Moment for the Washington Post succinctly stated the difference between the two teams playing for the NC this evening: “In a real sense, these two teams exhibit the 20th and 21st centuries in college football. Michigan plays a style reminiscent of the 20th century, with a punishing running attack and a hard defense ranked No. 1 nationally. “ * * * * * * “Washington plays the style seen across the young 21st, rich in passing and artistic beauty and football geometry.” Well said, Mr. Culpepper. The poet in me wants to create a visual of Washington skipping through the tree tops while Michigan is determinedly crawling through the humas left from falling leaves and needles. Too bad TV does not have the capacity to shift from vivid color when the Mutts have the ball to black and white when the wolverines are on offense. After this game there will be only one undefeated Division I college football team. Reigning FCS champion, South Dakota State, is yet to lose, and probably will not for at least the rest of 2024. But as the new season comes on, neither Washington nor Michigan will be undefeated at the end of next year's regular season schedule because they play each other, at Washington. Next year the B1G will go through the agony of extremely difficult schedules where the best teams beat up on one another to the point that we will probably see two southern teams in the 2024 NC championship game. So, enjoy this match-up tonight. It's not likely that we will see anything close to two so different syles facing off for all the marbles again.

Thanks, Jon, for an interesting analysis of next year’s B1G schedule and your prognosis; It’s going to be fun seeing OBD compete with the top teams in the country.

It seems to me that a new NFL draftee will be in a much better position with a substantial bank account from NIL than he would be without any financial resources.

As others have indicated above, it's difficult to compare the "best" because there are too many variables. Even Bo Nix was better with Tez Johnson receiving passes in 2023 that Nix was without him in 2022. Football takes 11 players to contribute to the performance of each of them at any one moment, and for those on the offense another 11 on defense to get the ball back for them. In my observation, give me Justin Herbert with today's coaching staff and Nix' receivers, RB's and O-line. Herbert is a better runner when the protection collapses. He has a far better deep pass and delivery under pressure. Herbert can get the ball away with opponents hanging onto him like no other Duck QB. He is simply the phically strongest Duck QB ever. Unfortunately, thanks to Mario, we only had glimpses of his capability before he went to the NFL. Was Bo Nix one of the greatest contributors to Duck success? No doubt. But he had a better coaching, better playing environment and better team mates than any previous Duck QB.

It certainly was a very good day. Spent every minute, minus a few commercial breaks, watching college football. So much more fun than the NFL. Hope it stays that way.

Wrong. Application of the protocol by CFP committee puts Ducks in at 3 or 4 with PAC 12 championship.

Dawgs have won nine in a row by 10 points or less. Ahead by six points, with Five seconds left and they get a sack. Officials put a second back on the clock. Texas receiver makes a great catch, but comes down out of bounds. Destiny?

So hard to root for the Dawgs. A win for them makes the Ducks look better. And a Michigan v Washington final is a good omen for the B1G.

Nice catch, Charles. Bodes well for next year to have Poncho at the critical Center of the O-line.

Much more better!

I was right about the CFP committee choosing Alabama over FSU because their written protocol required that they make that choice. But I was wrong about Santa, Chuck. See “Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Clause” by E. B. White. Please forgive me for that “big” kid mistake some 72 or so years ago when you were the “little” kid. it was a pleasant surprise for Jan and me to find that your parents were our next door neighbors when we moved here in Eugene 23 years ago. That neighborhood where we both grew up in Coos Bay was a great place for kids to have fun. Seems to me that you were a Pirate before your folks moved and you became a Bulldog.

The one player necessity that cannot be coached is speed. Ducks have no speed because, apparently, that’s ignored in the recruiting process. Only in golf can a slow player excell.

Also, the coaching team members exchange thoughts and build off one another. Obviously with connections to more people on staff the player will be more comfortable when he arrives in a strange place. This team method must require a great deal more time away from home for staff.