Grandpa Duck

Odds are that Duke will press on every possession. Graves should use every minute of tomorrow’s shoot-around on “How to break the press!”

Thank you for the detailed information, Charles.

I rather doubt this bill will be enacted. Oregon was a pioneer state in the open meetings law for governmental bodies. Federal public records act comes into play. The reality is that paid college athletes in a state owned school are public employees. In no sense are they independent contractors. Private schools like Stanford and USC have a right to secrecy. When the people own the school, the people have a right to know.

Basketball is best played by selfless teamwork. This group cannot even define those words.

The defense was very good. Graves uses his bench liberally, so that players can go hard, and then rest. During the second half there were several steals that led to layups. Definitely a year where the best offensive strategy is a good defense. probably the worst officiated game at college level I have seen.

David, when comparing year to year statistics there is an assumption that, in the case of the offense, the opponents’ defenses from one year to the next are a constant. Obviously they are not. They are not even the same opponents. And even where there are the same teams, their schedules, their players, and quality of play from game to game can change drastically. Thanks for a thought provoking article. Change is a big part of what makes sports fascinating.

I suspect that OBD and Washington have reduced income because they take a reduced TV revenue from the B1G.

I recognize that folks are unhappy about the settlement money going to WSU and OS, but when I see a B1G football championship and today’s men BB win vs. tOSU and women BB vs Penn State, the process of getting to where we are was worth whatever it cost. Oregon fans are so much better off enjoying where we are than we were two years ago in the PAC-12 it isn’t even close. Part of this great basketball day for the Ducks is the names of the teams we beat.

This year OBD beat Penn State in the B1G championship game in Indianapolis.

Obviously it was not a “path to the championship game.”

Penn State wins 24-17 2 turnovers 1sack 247 yards passing

Ohio State wins 45-13 3 turnovers 4 sacks 326 yards passing

I am inclined to say that there is no substitute for players who are bigger, stronger and faster. But OBD won several games this year, including one in October against tOSU, with players who were not! Obviously, today was not one of those days when the smaller, weaker and slower players prevailed. I too suspect that there may be a disease rampaging through our team. We did win the second half. But when you take the most productive receiver in the October game, Stewart, off the field at game time, the impact is more than physical.

So I should know better than to rag on the guy and cause him to make a good touchdown grab.

When the tight end has hands of steel not much focus on him is necessary. At least this evening his capability to catch the ball is suspect.

OBD WIN! 38-20 1 turnover 3 sacks 323 passing yds

Oh what fun, it is to see, the tide give up the ball. Three turnovers in ten plays.

In the 1960's and 1970's we. would get our guitars and gather to sing folk and rock songs. One of them, by Three Dog Night, titled "Joy to the World" (not the Christmas Carol) opened with the line: "Jeremiah was a Bull Frog . . ." Re-watching the ending of the tOSU game at Autzen and the pass interference call on Jeremiah Smith reminded me of that line, and the behaviors I have seen by real bull frogs in ponds. Those frogs are very territorial and control their area to garner all the nearby insects that they eat for themselves. Then today on B1G Network I heard Smith interviewed at the Rose Bowl and he said that the offensive interference call near the end of the game "was nonsense", and he sort of said it under his breath, but clear enough for me to hear on my TV, "nonsense." He also said that the Duck defender, Nikko Reed, "had been holding him." So, since the B1G network had been running the game as an Oregon Classic I recorded it and looked at the ending, several times. Here's how it went. The previous play, ball on the 28 yd. line, tOSU QB Howard threw toward Smith on the right sideline at about the two. The pass was too high, but Smith went up for it and Nikko Reed went with him, undercut him and Smith fell to the ground, near Reed. The announcer said: "This time Smith was well covered." As he got up Smith turned his head, seemingly saying something to Reed. The next play Smith runs straight at Reed, makes contact at the 23 yd. line and while turning out toward the sideline pushes Reed backward five yards, and makes the catch, unimpeded, at the 21, falling out of bounds. The play by play announcer says, as the action is happening: "Second and ten, Howard (indicating the snap to the QB), Smith, got separation, and a flag is down. May have been contact, Nikko Reed was definitely pushed backward." He actually utters the "got separation" before the flag come out. The official makes the call of pass interference and the play by play guy says: "A freshman mistake." The color announcer chuckles and says: "I mean, his strength got the best of him on that play. Created separation for himself, extended his arms and this (the penalty) backed them up out of field goal range." Neither announcer questioned the call in any way. Reed never initiated any contact on the play. Smith went right at him with the obvious purpose of pushing Reed off balance, which he did. He was clearly protecting what he considered to be his territory. Unfortunately for tOSU, the football field with rules about pass interference was not a frog pond.

Tez was effusive in his praise for Dante Moore! Also spoke confidently about team preparation for Wednesday afternoon.

No! The anticipation is half of the fun. Time on this earth has taught me patience. It will happen if I manage to keep breathing. If I don’t, it will happen anyway.

The point spread is based on the expectation of how many bettors will put down money for a particular team. OBD having a smaller fan base will garner fewer bets. This opinion comes from a source who has never made a bet through a sports book.

Thanks, Jon. The Athletic is one of many subscription services available through Apple News at $9.99 per month. Or you can “Try it free”. outstanding article with lots of quotes from players and former coaches Will Stein has worked with.

Charles, relax. Do as I did and review the first game with tOSU, imagining in your mind that our healthy defensive line with Burch playing will be going up against their depleted offensive line. Then our healthy offensive line will face their defensive line that has not played against two of them before. You know that the game will be decided in the trenches where we have more strength and depth. Gabriel is the superior QB, and Lanning is the superior coach. OBD will win!

Merry Christmas to all and good football new year!

Jon is correct. Given the “requirement” of unanimous agreement of all participants and top four seeds for conference champions the likelihood of what we have was baked in. However, if tOSU had beaten Michigan then OBD may have been faced with playing them three times. Automatic top four seeds for conference champions is based on the fiction that conferences are equal. Giving G-5 an automatic entry to the playoffs has a similar ring. Strangely, the much maligned committee ranking is one element of this format that may be right answer. Put their top eight ranked teams in a standard bracket where one plays eight etc and no one has a legitimate gripe.