Grandpa Duck

Put me in the ruddy-dud group. Traditional colors and style appeal to my eye.

There are things about the team that puzzle me. Our small players are not fast movers. We need to do a better job of recruiting speed. We almost always finish every half and every game with unused times out, yet our players appear to be tired. Why not rest them? Then there is what I call the "prevent offense". At the end of each of the four quarters our time management is not calculated to get the most possessions. When you get the ball with 55 seconds left in the period, you need to get a shot off in no more than 15 seconds. That leaves you another possession before the horn, two for one. Yet when we get that possession with a minute to 50 seconds left we invaribly use almost all of our 30 seconds and take a shot with five or fewer seconds left, in effect, giving up a possession. When the circumstance is reversed, and we get the ball with 25-30 seconds left, we hold it until there is ten or fewer seconds left before any effort to score. With our lack of speed, and tired players, this strategy is doomed to fail, as it almost always does.

My view of this team is that it lacks speed. They go entire games without a fast break attempt. The back court also is inconsistent. Watched every home game and was impressed with the play vs U Conn. Not a lot else.

In 1945, my recently home from the war uncle gave me a Duck beanie with an “O” and alternating green and yellow panels. Two degrees, B.S. ‘65, and J.D. ‘68. First game at Hayward field about ‘52 saw John Brodie, Stanford, beat the Ducks. In school those years saw many games at Hayward and watched construction of Autzen. season ticket holder at Autzen from ‘71 until the second year of alcohol sales. now, at age 82, I attend only women’s basketball and softball. For men games, strictly TV fan.

The only football history that matters is a school’s record within the memory of an 18 year-old recruit!

For Chip's system to work well he must have players who are in great physical condition. They need that so they can play at the pace the system requires. He got that willingness from the players to get in super physical shape at Oregon. He also got buy in at the Eagles, for one year. Then it waned. Hard to get pros making the money they do to work that hard year-round. And UCLA guys, not likely.

As to recruiting rankings, Oregon does have some attractions to recruits and transfers that are separate from the coaches that neither Cal nor UCLA posses, like facilities, winning tradition and existing players who have a chance of major success. It is just as possible as Mullen brilliance that Wilcox’ spouse said: “You want to leave our beautiful home and kids’ wonderful schools for where? Not in my lifetime!”

If James Naismith could have foreseen the play of this game he would not have invented basketball. The one positive was there were far fewer observers in attendance to repeat what they saw than witnessed the Duck women go down to OS yesterday.

As Shirley Bassey sang so beautifully: “Let’s go where the grass is greener, for the grass is greener, anywhere you go!”

If Lanning has the success we hope for, just maybe his spouse will like Eugene as much as Mrs. Bellotti! Their children are the right ages, and Eugene is about as good as it gets for child rearing environment. Thanks for the thoughtful post,Mre. Penny.

The most important change is an offense that plays up-tempo. The Lanning Dillingham goal of 80 plays a game will make the Ducks “must see TV”.

In High School I played Football, Basketball and Golf. In the summer I played American Legion baseball. For me, baseball was the most fun to play. Now, for me, watching baseball is akin to watching paint dry. The game has become far too slow. Pitchers throwing to first base is not my idea of fun. But, softball is very fun for me. The speed of the game is the primary reason. And, the Duck players are passionate about their team and play. And they cannot lead off, so no pitcher holding runners on base. I attend many home softball games. My spouse holds season tickets and has for years, as do others in my family.

Duck women looked very tired to me yesterday. That was their 8th game in 22 days. The UConn game on a Monday, rescheduled ASU last Tuesday, then failed charter on Thursday, plus late departure Friday for Tucson all contributed to reduced playing time. Pao Pao and Sabally both are not in great physical shape because of injuries. Another make-up at WSU Tuesday is not going to bode well for Beaver double this weekend.

Unfortunately, of late, getting the ball to the bigs too often results in a turnover.

It's really very simple. TV producers chase the greatest number of viewers. You have to be reasonably intelligent to understand and follow football. Any fool can watch and understand NASCAR. There are far fewer smart people in the world than dumb people. I was first introduced to this principle when I acquired a 25% interest in a local radio station in Coos Bay. At the time the Marshfield Pirates, the local team, was a power in football. I spoke with the manager about the importance of our broadcasts of the Marshfield games, and paying to get competent announcers. She explained that the station, with a Rock format, lost listeners during the football broadcast. I questioned that. She got out the file with our latest ratings. I was wrong. Way wrong. Those of us who follow sports have an exaggerated view of its importance to the general public. Yes, the Super Bowl is high up there. Other football, not so great. And most other sports, not great either. And posting messages on a college football board? Well, let's just say we are a unique group.

This video of coaches, Player Personnell Don Johnson and Chief of Staff Marshall M . . . . is must see for every serious Duck Fan. Want to know about Oregon Football prospects for the next several years, watch this video. Yes, it's 2 hrs 17 minutes plus. Worth every second of it. Make the time to do it. You will not be sorry.

When they pass the ball a lot, the offense looks great. When they dribble a lot, not so much. REgardless, they're fun to watch.

I wondered if maybe the cost of living was a factor. Checked it out. Not that bad. Maybe a bit above average, but not much. Never been there. Not going.

Yesterday the Duck women moved the ball well. There were several fast-break baskets off steals, and much more passing than dribbling, with passes finding open shots. The first four field goals were lay-ins, and the next two were threes. They have lots of weapons. Defense was stifling. They are fun to watch. Graves substituted freely, going to the deep bench to rest players for the coming three games in six days., the first at home vs. ASU and then to Arizona and ASU away. Hopefully they will keep the win-streak going.

When Lanning first appeared as a prospect I was far more interested in the performance of the Georgia defense than in his recruiting record. Oregon, by its recent history, is not a difficult program for coaches cannot recruit players. Frost's issues recruinting to Oregon were probably the same as his issues recruiting to Nebraska. Yes, it helps that Lanning has a good recruiting record. But if he can't coach, don't we end up where we were last year?

Questions for Jon and Hayward. Do either of you think there will be another opportunity for the Pac-12 to expand to the east? If “yes” when will that be, or put another way, what circumstances need to come about that cause those midwestern schools to want to hook up with us? And, just why is a bigger number of teams in a conference necessarily better? Hare’s my take. Those of us on the beautiful west coast are at a great disadvantage because the earth rotates from west to east. That puts us three hours behind, not only game starting times, but news story deadlines, fan viewing stamina and TV network scheduling priorities. it’s not just that our games are played later, it is that people in the east are doing other things when our teams get on the field. The vast majority of them have finished with football for the day when our games are getting underway. Whereas my Saturday football viewing gets going with the last hour or so of game day, recorded and fast-forward through commercials. Then an SEC game at 9 a.m. and at least one other during commercials. I’m usually awake for the PAC-12 4:30 game, but admittedly I tend to doze off a bit during the 7:30 game. If my own conference can’t hold my attention for a full Saturday, how are we ever going to entice schools in earlier time zones to play away games on our late game schedule? To me, speculation on would have, could have, and should have regarding conference realignments are about as productive as figuring out how to reverse the earth’s rotation. Also, the optimal number of teams in a conference is 10, with every team playing every other team every year.

Time was when Duck fans envied the UW Tyee Club.

Phillipina is a treat to watch. Great attitude and the upside is in the clouds. Her free-throws at 13/18 is a percentage of 72%, better than the team average of 70.5%. Endyia is 16/17. Whenever I see missed free throws I think of the Blazer announcer, Bill Schonely: "You've got to make your free throws!" One of the most astute and yet obvious basketball comments. "Rip City".

It makes no sense to try to convince Pittman to be a Duck after he made his move. When someone wants to go, fill the slot with a player who wants to be in the program. That exchange is always an upgrade.

Haven't ever had an elite WR at Oregon? Bobby Moore, AKA Ahmad Rashad, was most certainly elite in the NFL (I know he mostly play RB as a Duck, but he was a WR as a Soph.). As this ancient old brain recalls, Moore/Rashad was moved to RB because we really didn't have an RB as good as him when he was a Junior.