Was THIS the Game that Began the Modern Era to You as Well?

[Charles Fischer]

I'm not a big pack-rat, but I probably keep an inordinate amount of Duck stuff,

and I found this when I was moving out of my house of 32 years recently.

 

 

What a memory! The "Pick"

happened right in front of me...

 

[Steven A]

Charles, I had to look twice to see that it didn't say 1894!

 

 I remember it quite well.  It was my first time back at Autzen since graduating in '72.

 

The senior partner (in his 70's) at the firm I worked at was a big husky fan.  We drove up and bet the weekend on it (My ego wrote a check that couldn’t be cashed).

 

Walking out of the stadium I told him if he had been wearing Duck gear, even he could get laid tonight.

 

He was a dead ringer for Tommy Lasorda, so we played that into some free drinks at a bowling alley bar in Grants Pass on the way home.

 

We did have a few doubters.  However, it turned out Dan Haggerty was filming something there.  On his way out, he stopped at our table as asked me if I was so-in-so.  I said no, but you know Tommy Lasorda, don’t you?  Well evidently, he had enough to drink to acknowledge he knew Tommy and they proceeded to talk old times.    

 

After that, the rest of the drinks were again free.  He even signed a few autographs (so be careful on Ebay if you are a Lasorda fan).

[JabbaNoBargain]

Is 30 years ago still modern?

 

I was in the student section that day, and it was in a word, completely bananas.

 

I would agree that this was the game that made me believe from that point forward. I absolutely did not believe prior, and actually skipped the Iowa game…this game specifically was no doubt a turning point. I’m sure you all remember the feeling of “here we go again” during this very game. Deep in our collective souls, we thought that the choke was on. Then it happened, and my brain was never the same again.

 

I think this was the day we actually became a legitimate program and never looked back. The fact it may well no longer be modern and we’ve sustained for 30 years means we may well be blue blood now.

Edited June 5 by JabbaNoBargain

[DUCati855]

I will never forget that day. My sister in law and I were the only ones in green in a section of all purple. Washington fans were completely abusing us until Kenny saved our day! 

Turning point for the entire program, fans included.

[MicroBurst61]

I had just arrived in Oregon the year before (still was callin' home Ore' gone!) and was Not at the game but was listening to Jerry Allen go nuts on the radio. Had to have a new associate give me the rundown on why that play was so significant other than to secure a win.

 

Thought to myself, humm maybe this "scrappy lil' team sporting a "Duck" as a mascot might be a fun one to follow?

 

Three decades later, no other sports team, past or present, has garnered the attention and passion of fandom from me, more than the Oregon Football program.

 

It's been a "glorious" ride and Yes, "The Pick" was the football gods smiling upon our program inviting us towards "blueblood" status.

 

Oregon Football has not looked back since.

 

Go Ducks!

[The Kamikaze Kid]

Kenny Wheaton did much more than score that day.

[David Marsh]

I think it was probably the foundation for modern Oregon football. Or at least that season was with the Rose Bowl appearance. 

 

Even though I did not watch that game at the time, I was 5, and I wouldn't become interested in Oregon football at all for another 14 years at the very least. 

[woundedknees]

I remember feeling, off and on, that entire season, that there was a different chemistry to that team.

I think the unexpected victory at USC, when Oregon had to use a then un-heralded quarterback named Tony Graziani, while Danny Oneil recovered from his hand infection, got my blood starting to simmer.

The pick pretty much brought things to a boil.

[DC Featherbutt]

A few years earlier than the pick there was a peculiar season where a lot of folks started to smell something.  That year was 1987.

 

It started off by beating Colorado on the road.

Then a kinda close loss @ Ohio State

Next week was a victory over San Diego State

 

Then.......a triumph over Washington followed by a win over USC - both at Autzen.

 

Of course things went off the rails a bit after that, but that was one hell of a start to a season and the first time I thought that maybe............

 

 

[RichardDuck]

Was watching the game in Spokane with my Cougar friend and his dad. When The Pick happened I fell on the floor in glee. They looked at me like I was deranged, but then, the Cougs have never really had an "era" of football success, just the rare occasional good season.

 

[Washington Waddler]

     Was on the south-side’s east shoulder ramp (when it was same as the north), so I was looking right across to where Wheaton intercepted. Saw the pick, and that was it because it was nothing but jumping bodies and waving arms after that. But, I sure heard it!

[Autzen Magic]

While "the Pick," was an incredible play that helped shape Oregon football for decades to come, I would submit a game earlier that season against Iowa was the game that propelled the Ducks to the '95 Rose Bowl and propelled the Ducks to new heights.

 

I was in the stands (attendance was a paltry 29,287) and none of my buddies had any confidence in the Ducks after two early losses to Hawaii and Utah.   In fact, there was a smattering of boos when Don Essig announced Rich Brooks as the coach.

 

Then, much to our surprise, the underdog Ducks took the field and stomped the Hawkeyes.   The next week, the Ducks travelled to USC and defeated the Trojans with backup QB Tony Graziani at the helm.  The Ducks stumbled against Washington State, but then went on 6 game winning streak that ended with a historic appearance in the Rose Bowl.

 

I don't believe that if the Ducks had not turned it around that glorious sunny afternoon in Eugene (after what I understand were some tough conversations/meetings/practices), they would have been able to finish the season like they did.

 

Go Ducks!!!

 

 

[GeotechDuck]

I remember it so well, that it is almost like it happened yesterday.  I was a senior and standing on the bench in the student section.  I saw the interception, but completely missed the return.  As soon as Kenny got his hands on that ball, I was tackled by my friends behind me and ended up in a pile of students on the ground. 

 

What an amazing year to be a student and clearly the turning point for the program.  Rose Bowl and NCAA tourney and never looked back!   

[PittDuck]

I also remember the feeling of dread as the purple mutts were marching down to make it a one score game.  The “Pick” turned the dread to elation!

 

The 94 season certainly changed the trajectory of both schools.  From 1964 to 1993 the Ducks were 8-17 against the mutts.  From 1994 to 2023 we were 20-8 against them!

 

For me though, it was the “Streak” from 2004-2015 that really signified the turning point. In the decade from 94 to 04 we were only up 6 game to 4.

 

Of the 19 regular season games since 2004, the Ducks have won 15!

[Drake]

Washington tried to finesse their way into the end zone, and “ The Pick” sent both teams into different trajectories. 
 

“The Pick” kick started an upward trajectory for Oregon and a downward spiral for Washington. Donations went on an uptick and Phil Knight started to use his influence, and money, to help build amenities for athletes and students.

[HDuck]

That Iowa team finished 5-5-1, and Hawkeyes third straight season .500 or worse.   But, after two Ducks discouraging losses to Hawaii and Utah, any win over a Big Ten visitor was welcome.   Looking back, the wins over Illinois in 1993 and 1995 were probably more impactful.