Mudslide

Pac-12 Reportedly Considering 2 Schools For Expansion WWW.MSN.COM Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff is visiting with SMU on Wednesday, per college football insider Brett McMurphy. SMU and San Diego State are currently the top candidates to join the...

It's not just an east coast vs. west coast phenomenon. Until last month I couldn't get Ducks games, either. And I live in Oregon. It's the carrier that does or does not carry the games. I had Directv which does not carry the PAC12 Network. I now have Spectrum, which does. This was one of the major problems with good ol' Larry. He negotiated the network, unrealistically asking for the moon. And many carriers (and linear networks) just said "Go away". That is the reason you can't see the games.

And you have my preference. I'd gladly pay over and above the carrier costs for Timbers and Ducks games. I don't really give a hoot about other teams in their leagues. Ala carte is ala bueno for me...and I'd speculate most others here, as well.

I believe that the predicted success of sports streaming is totally speculative. This was the kind of thinking that went into Luddite Larry's effort to begin the PAC's own network. It wasn't cable distribution that failed. It was the gawd awful rights negotiations...particularly with Directv. This is factual. Currently, cable is the only platform that will produce excellent broadcast results. Broadband doesn't mean broad bandwidth in delivery systems such as satellite tv. I'd like to repeat this...streaming will be an extra cost over and above cable (or any other platform). So immediate success is most likely to be in the negative column. Assuming technology advances quickly to overcome cable reliance for streaming...years in the future as pondered by Charles, we still don't really know what the future holds. But successful, money-making sports trends are currently in the hands of PPV. Ala carte offerings have been discussed before by the various platforms. And they are still very much a possibility for our Ducks viewing future.

Thanks for your answer, GODUCKS. But you have sort of illuminated my point. This Comcast streaming tech is carried by CABLE tv. That is the only way streaming can be fruitfully realized. Some people think that if they have wifi, then streaming is a piece of cake. Not. It depends upon the platform (i.e. cable, dsl, satellite). Cable trounces other platforms with its speed and bandwidth. So basically one has to have cable to obtain decent streaming. Therein lies a little problem or two. Streaming adds on another layer of pricing to the cable system. Also, cable (such as my new Spectrum) already provides tons of sports that will compete with any streaming additions. If the PAC moves into a streaming system (e.g. Apple, Amazon, Netflix, etc.) it will be competing with the other solid and much viewed sports on the basic cable platform. And these streaming companies will have to wage a hefty financial war with established network and cable tv to obtain profitable network shares of the sports viewership. Like most of you, I believe streaming will be the next video (and audio) frontier. But even with as fast as technology advances, it will be a long slog for the companies to make serious headway in the ultra-profitable sports broadcast market. I'm not certain they have the competitive and financial will to go head-to-head with giants like NBC (which owns Comcast, by the way). I don't know. Perhaps my old man logic is still stuck in the '60s, and I don't see the scope of culture change...as it pertains to Gen Z and later. Attitudes certainly change. Still, I see much headwind facing the growth of tv streaming. My into-the-future telescope believes that all sports will eventually be offered ala carte. So PPV will be that next wave, me thinks. As an addendum, I'll say that I have watched a couple of Comcast cable streamed movies. (No sports, though.) There was a quite a diminished difference from the picture and audio quality of dvd/blu-rays. I did not see it on 4k capable equipment. So there is that possibility.

I'd appreciate it if someone would tell me what current internet service provides the speed and bandwidth to provide anything streaming without constant buffering. Good old cable is the only one I know.

I'm with Penn...Duck. This move, even with split broadcasting, is too large a risk to undertake at this time. The PAC is a weak conference and there will likely be a substantial loss of viewership and value (for reasons stated above as well as others). Even with the 'possibility' of increased public use of streaming services in the latter part of this decade, as long as there are linear viewing options, streaming is unlikely to be profitable in the near term. Netflix has been bleeding customers recently and Amazon has been axing employees like cheap trees. These may or may not represent viable and profitable platforms for the PAC...but I think only in the long term when all plasma tv's and aged fans are long gone. Lastly, I'd like to add that satellite streaming potential is minimal due to bandwidth problems. How about DSL? I just dumped CenturyLink (gawd-awful customer service). Our download speed...with their latest modem, was a pedestrian 75mbps. (Upload was sick at .75 mbps. POINT 75!) And now, how about the oft-stated 'end of life' cable (Spectrum) that we went to? 365 mbps d/l and 11 mbps upload. (I am told that upload will soon be going to 100 meg.) Unless I completely misunderstand (an unfortunate possibility), this "dying" cable is the very best method for streaming without a gaggle of interrupts. Streaming? I'm with Annie. I'm too damn old to play with tech that I don't want, and too cheap/poor to gather other expenditures I don't need (new tv, streaming devices, etc.) I think streaming is definitely for the youth culture that exists today. Commentary on the latter withheld to protect the innocent.

If DL is still around in 20223 () I think he will bring the excitement back to the Ducks ... after oh so boring Mario ball.

Over at 247, five predictions have been made....four by South Carolina Insiders, and one by a neutral guy from Maryland who has a 100% accuracy rating for this recruiting cycle. (Close to DC, no?!) As you can surmise, the SC guys have Harbor going there. The MD fellow, a publisher of Maryland Sports, has a high confidence of Harbor to the Ducks! Predictions, with one SC exception, were made today. Oh, and Rivals likes him as a Duck, too. I hope Harbor's girlfriend either transfers to Oregon or knows she will be logging a lot of air miles in her future.

Great post. Thanks for the insight, 51. When I went to Cal in the '60s, I wasn't offered bupkiss. But now a question. Did you sign with LSU?

By the way, Ware has a better shooting %, overall and for 3-pt. than Richardson. Sad. It seems Richardson, who thankfully has cut down on his turnovers lately, has had a tough time regaining his form after his late season injury last year.

I agree on the comparo of Ware to TT. Same blank look. Soares requires some getting used to. He's an agressive, sometimes over-agressive, defensive player. The Ducks really need his D. But you're right about his shooting ... which, by the way, is only slightly worse than Richardson's. If Richardson is more than 2 feet from the hoop, it's usually a brick. (I say usually, because sometimes he must close his eyes and hit a 3 like last night's basket.) Oh, and it's said that the Ducks have the worst 3 shooting team in the conference. Sad but obvious. Catching teams that have a big lead requires good outside shooting. Ducks are mighty short on that skill set. Cousinard (and Dante, as well) is going to be the Duck's savior this season and its tournament hope. The guy is a hustler with a great shot. GO DUCKS!

This team reminds of the men's team. No one can reliably shoot from distance. Those bricks hurt my ears...........

I wonder how Harbor's girlfriend would enjoy running track for Oregon.....

Oregon Football Head Coach Dan Lanning Visiting Junipero Serra Cornerback In-Home Ahead of Commitment - Sports Illustrated Oregon Ducks News, Analysis and More WWW.SI.COM Pleasant has Oregon in his final five and is a top remaining target in the 2023 class.

LeBron is not noted for keeping his opinion to himself. I think he'd have plenty to say about how Bronny is used. Bronny may or may not be overrated but let's hope if he does come, the media attention and his bullish dad stay away from Eugene.

Perspective must be embraced. If 2 or 3 bold decisions in challenging situations had turned out differently (e.g. the One Play Thompson, 4th down vs. the beavs) we would have cheered him as a gunslinging football savior who completely erased the sour memory of MC. Further, we'd be wringing our hands about him leaving to coach Alabama in a year. There are no guarantees for winning in football. Other teams can present matchup difficulties, are have their best game against the Ducks, or are simply better teams than our beloved Ducks. Perfection in football is almost as rare as a unicorn. DL tried some things that didn't work. He also tried a lot of things that certainly did. Let's give it a measure. I'm going with 99% good to great and 1% oops to yetch. How would you grade his overall work? I want DL to be our Ducks' coach...and for a long time. I also want a more attacking defense. Hopefully that comes in year 2. I want a natty for our boys. But then...I want a new 77" tv for Christmas....but the missus says "Nyet". So one can't have everything. Can one? Nevertheless, I have a nice 8 year old 58" plasma in the meantime. (Unless I accidentally break it, heh heh.) GO DUCKS!

Thanks, coach, for bringing us some fun football. Condolences to his loved ones and team. RIP Coach Leach.

Look, I don't much care for Canzano. With him, it's all about click bait and ... himself. But he said a couple of things in the linked article worth repeating. First....a hesitant personal admission...please pardon me. In 1989 I suffered the "widow maker" heart attack. I "died" on my wife's lap as she was driving me to a hospital. (She is truly my angel.) I was anoxic for 6-10 minutes on the trip. She then got me to the ER and patients helped drag me out of our truck and into the building. They immediately began CPR and defibrillation. They shocked me 20+ times (they lost count) and my heart struggled to return some kind of rhythm. It did, barely, and they immediately took me to surgery for crushing the complete blockage of my left anterior descending artery. I was unconscious and in the ICU for 5 days. I regained consciousness (and at that time I DETESTED being intubated!!) and spent the next 5 days in the cardiac care unit (CCU). I was later told that I was the ONLY ONE ever brought into that large hospital in that condition and walked out! I'm not a religious person...but I found out later than some of our friends started a prayer chain in my behalf. So if you're religious, do what Canzano is doing and say a prayer for the coach. Today. And here I am, bugging you guys almost 33 years after that event. I've even survived cancer and a cerebral hemorrhage since then, so I guess I'm as tough as my 40 year old boots. I only say these things to encourage you to always have faith that any outcome can become miraculous if you try hard enough...want it hard enough. And as Canzano said, kiss your loved one tonight. Call your friends and family just to tell them how great it is to have them in your lives. Life is short. Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday and 2023. Mud

Another great article. Many thanks, DNC. At times during the season I could have agreed with both yours and Charles' opinions on this issue. It was something worth pondering. Given the style of defense that Lanning fielded at Georgia, one has to wonder if his attacking Cover-1 wasn't ordered by Kirby Smart. Like you, I fully expected DL to bring an attacking defense to our Ducks. Our Ducks certainly had the player power to successfully utilize that same scheme. And I, like many of you here on OBD, felt a little bit cheated by that vanilla and boring bend-but-not-break strategy he used instead. And it bit our beloved Ducks solidly in the butt against WAZZU and the water rodents. Here is something I said a few times about the maudlin Mario era: "Surely he is smart enough to learn from his mistakes. Surely he will open up the offense". But nope. He never did! I said similar things about Brady Hoke's defense. But nope. So...twiced burn and all that. Now I'll just let myself be pleasantly surprised IF DL learns from his foibles.

Good ponder points, Charles. Thank you. I would add a thought that could reduce the risk to a team. The risk that you pose in portal players is that a school must honor the scholarship as long as the player stays...injured, under-performing, or for whatever reason for as long as the (non)player stays. An easy way to place the risk-reward factor in the school's favor is to take players with ONLY one year of eligibility remaining. I realize that such a strategy would limit a school's field of potential transfers, but targeting some such players would reduce the overall risk of damaging that 85 scholarship limit.

Much respect, Charles. This forum has been my morning coffee companion since it began. The folks here are overwhelmingly good people who care about the Ducks and honor your rules. The good far outweighs the bad. Of that I'm certain.

Thanks for another fine article, Dazed. A worthy view or the Ducks' 2022 defense might include the team's sack stats. Oregon ranked #1 in sacks allowed with 4! The team ranked #125 in sacks generated. 125th...right next to Arizona! That's not exactly my idea of the Lanning attacking defense that many of us expected. I'm unsure if this was TL's take on the bend-but-not-break D or simply a lack of player talent and/or scheme familiarity due to the coaching change. Further, the Ducks' scoring defense ranked #77 in FBS. I believe that DL will get his recruiting chops rolling this year, portal talent included. TL also has a strong recruiting record. I'm also not disillusioned that the team has an uphill battle in the new, pass-happy PAC teams will place a big challenge on the 2023 back 7. So improvement, by a large margin, needs to occur next year, even assuming another stellar year of offense. GO DUCKS!

I enjoyed the game. The guys fought hard, I thought. The many injuries pose a real hardship on the team for both practice and game. A couple of guys were even playing the game at less than full strength, e.g. Guerrier. On the flip side, I really wish the Ducks would play a little more pressure defense. And the team in general was not very mobile. I guess the zone is necessary with so few bodies to play. But my one big issue with the team is Richardson. The guy is a turnover machine...bad passes into a crowd, driving against multiple players in tight areas. He can score...but there is a reason coach wants him at the off-guard position. Bad handles. Still, the season is young. I look for a lot of wins from this team. GO DUCKS!