FishDuck Article Administrator No. 1 Share Posted August 13 What if… With expectations higher than I suspect any of us can remember as OBD get ready to open the season, I thought it might be worth looking at just how improbable this run has been from “…the worst of times,” to what is now perhaps, “…the best of times” with the grass now being “…damn green.” Mr. FishDuck took time ... Oregon Fans...Consider “What If...” | FishDuck FISHDUCK.COM What if… With expectations higher than I suspect any of us can remember as OBD get ready to open the season, I thought it might be worth... 5 1 2 Two Sites: FishDuck and the Our Beloved Ducks forum, The only "Forum with Decorum!" And All-Volunteer? What a wonderful community of Duck fans! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywarduck Moderator No. 2 Share Posted August 13 I think the underlying energy, spirit of Oregon nullifies all the what ifs. The biggest question is what is that vitality and karma that makes up the Oregon magic? I would say number one is we take losers and make them winners, take the average and support them reaching their potential. Just look at Rich Brooks, never had a winning record anywhere and he is a legend, and should be. He hired a loser, who became a winner off Brooks foundation, Bellotti. Each hire built off the last, never have we hired looking for a savior. That is how we do it at the coaching level, and really foster everywhere. At the student athlete level we bring in talent, and make it better, sometimes astoundingly better. We allow for dreams to come true, we don't just bring in the talent and then expect great things. This spirit allowed a mediocre college runner to start a small shoe company. Allowed repeated less than elite level qb's to become legends at Oregon. I get all the what ifs, but it is the why that is important. We are successful because we are Oregon, and all that goes into that. Great article to ponder as we wait patiently for something real to happen! 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie No. 3 Share Posted August 13 I thought that the ball was handed to Kaufman 3 or 4 times before the fatal throw for the interception, but then, my memory might be faulty too. It has been 40 years. Also, I thought that the Ducks success (meaning a winning season) in football started improving not too awfully long after Newnham left for Seattle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 4 Share Posted August 13 Thanks, Don for the terrific article. What If Phil Knight Had Not Attended Oregon? 140 - Zipper - Heck of a Trifecta. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywarduck Moderator No. 5 Share Posted August 13 On 8/13/2024 at 8:06 AM, Jon Joseph said: Thanks, Don for the terrific article. What If Phil Knight Had Not Attended Oregon? 140 - Zipper - Heck of a Trifecta. I think his donations say it all. There are seminal moments in all of our journey's, The University of Oregon has had many for a lot of people. Somehow the dynamic at the University of Oregon is unique, and powerful. Some see it, and others mistake it for a quick step along the way. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicroBurst61 No. 6 Share Posted August 13 "What-if 's" are a significant reason why one of my mantra's in life is: "Life is what happens while your busy making other plans". Not that we should just resign ourselves to an unknown future fate; just that we recognize the ability to assess, and make changes as necessary, to even our "best laid plans of mice and men". The University of Oregon "Ducks" Athletics have done a Masterful job, the past quarter century, of doing Exactly This! 2024 may, just may, be the cumulation of all the efforts! GO DUCKS!!! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Moderator No. 7 Share Posted August 13 Long term Oregon fans have dealt with more than our fair share of adversity on the football field. That is part of our journey. Winning a championship doesn’t define who we are…but, it would be awesome after all those darn miles I have logged driving from Portland to Eugene for over 40 years. 2 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryM9 No. 8 Share Posted August 13 I lived in Eugene in the late 60's and early 70's, I had season tickets during the Dick Enright-Don Read years, and still loved the Ducks. Every Good "what if" that has happened in the past few years is completely and totally earned and deserved. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 9 Share Posted August 13 I love this article, and the thought of Wheaton dropping the ball--makes me sick. How would things have been different? 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JabbaNoBargain No. 10 Share Posted August 13 (edited) Fun to think about! What if we had lost to Arizona (@home, attendance 36k) the next week instead of winning 10-9? I was a senior in the student section the day of the pick, what if instead of never studying and getting a 3.20 in high school I had studied 30 minutes a day, got a 3.50 and gone NROTC at UW like I applied for? Edited August 13 by JabbaNoBargain 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirklandduck Moderator No. 11 Share Posted August 13 The morbid curiosity side of me wonders what would have happened if Willie Taggart hadn't left. Obviously we now know about his character issues and one season isn't really enough to make any sort of accurate guess on what kind of success he would have had by year 3 or 4 in Eugene. His offense wasn't half bad though and put up points easily, though running Justin Herbert between the tackles wasn't a real great decision. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven A Moderator No. 12 Share Posted August 13 Good thoughts to ponder. Here are some of my “What ifs” Stanford Oregon 2001, after Stanford cuts the lead to 35 - 42, they onside kick. An Oregon player signals a fair catch that is ignored and Stanford goes on the recover and scores. Without the recovery, we probably win and then go on to play for the Natty and lose to Miami. (Were we better off killing Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl?) 2011 BCS game, several: 1. Harris is ruled to have controlled the ball on the int. 2. The play before the safety, Oregon called for illegal motion, negating a plus play and backing the Ducks to the one. 3. Barner chooses the correct path to the end zone. 4. Dyer is ruled down. Stanford Oregon 2012: What if DAT makes the block instead of looking around as Mariota was headed to the end zone. Same game, what if Ertz is ruled out of bounds on the TD. If so, then we play ND in the Natty and win our first? Ewe Dub 2022, Bo doesn’t get injured, we would have made the playoff without that loss and would not have lost to Beavs with a healthy Bo. Ewe Dub 2023, first loss was avoidable with better decisions by Dan and Bo. However, the title game loss would have hurt more if we had won the first meeting. The biggest of course, WHAT IF none of us chose to go to Oregon and/or root for the Ducks? 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 13 Share Posted August 13 Steven A.....all those scenarios...makes me want to get the Pepto Bismal! 2 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven A Moderator No. 14 Share Posted August 13 On 8/13/2024 at 3:32 PM, Charles Fischer said: Steven A.....all those scenarios...makes me want to get the Pepto Bismal On a lighter note, if we had scored a safety in the 1983 Civil War, I think it would still be referred to as the toilet bowl since it would have ended with a Duce. 5 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDuck No. 15 Share Posted August 13 "I thought that the ball was handed to Kaufman 3 or 4 times before the fatal throw for the interception, but then, my memory might be faulty too." Kaufman did not carry the ball on the fatal fuskies drive, though he was the target of a failed pass attempt. He had over 20 carries for over 100 yds earlier in the game. 2:40 fuskies return the kickoff to the UW 24 pass to UW 32 pass to OR 45 - first down 3 incomplete passes 4th down pass to OR 31 - first down incomplete pass 1:42 incomplete pass Huard runs 11 yds to the OR 20 - first down incomplete pass pass to the OR 8 - first down 1:05 The Pick On the 8 yd line with 1:05 left there were other options. Fortunately, Huard chose the wrong one. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyin Vee No. 16 Share Posted August 13 I remember fondly the bumper sticker that said “if you can’t get your Dick Enright get your Dick Harder” yah fun times.: 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cartm25 No. 17 Share Posted August 14 What if Dyer was called down by contact . . . ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie No. 18 Share Posted August 14 On 8/13/2024 at 3:59 PM, HDuck said: "I thought that the ball was handed to Kaufman 3 or 4 times before the fatal throw for the interception, but then, my memory might be faulty too." Kaufman did not carry the ball on the fatal fuskies drive, though he was the target of a failed pass attempt. He had over 20 carries for over 100 yds earlier in the game. 2:40 fuskies return the kickoff to the UW 24 pass to UW 32 pass to OR 45 - first down 3 incomplete passes 4th down pass to OR 31 - first down incomplete pass 1:42 incomplete pass Huard runs 11 yds to the OR 20 - first down incomplete pass pass to the OR 8 - first down 1:05 The Pick On the 8 yd line with 1:05 left there were other options. Fortunately, Huard chose the wrong one. Okay, you know, I think what I was remembering was that a lot of reporters/analysts after the game questioned why the ball wasn't just handed off to Kaufman on that drive! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 19 Share Posted August 15 Don Marsh asked that these questions be added to the discussion... Of course, the biggest “What if” is…well, there are three. “What if” a skinny young kid named Phil Knight doesn’t decide to run track for the UO. “What if” UO doesn’t have an innovative head track coach named Bill Bowerman. And perhaps the biggest “What if,” “What if” Mrs. Bowerman says, “Hell no, you are not using my waffle-iron.” I would never not want to acknowledge the contributions of Coach Bill Bowerman and the incredible generosity of Phil Knight. Without them, none of this happens, or at least it is hard to imagine it. When Phil Knight asked Coach Bellotti, “What do you need to succeed?”, a commitment was made that changed the fortunes of Oregon football for forever. The Moshofsky Center was the first piece in what would soon become state-of-the-art facilities for Duck football. In addition, it’s important to acknowledge all those folks who make the NIL thing work. It’s a new era in college football and without the generosity of lots and lots of folks, we would not be where we are today. Go Ducks. 1 1 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven A Moderator No. 20 Share Posted August 15 On 8/15/2024 at 11:54 AM, Charles Fischer said: When Phil Knight asked Coach Bellotti, “What do you need to succeed? That was after the Rose Bowl 1/2/95. So, what if Kenny Wheaton doesn't score? No Rose Bowl and Jerry Green has no tag line. Of note, the first play when Ki-Jana Carter goes 83 yards, that was the first time all year that from that set, they ran that play. Oregon had scouted the set and was in a D set to stop the play the way it was run every time during the year, except then. So, great call by Joe's OC. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDuck No. 21 Share Posted August 15 This USA Today column says it was after the Cotton Bowl 1-1-96 loss to Colorado. And, that's what I've understood for years. Brooks was still coach 1-2-95 On 2-10-95 he became coach of the Rams. Behind Oregon's (Phil) Knight in shining armor WWW.USATODAY.COM The founder looks back on the the Ducks' journey from also ran to national title contender. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 22 Share Posted August 16 On 8/15/2024 at 4:37 PM, HDuck said: This USA Today column says it was after the Cotton Bowl 1-1-96 loss to Colorado. Agreed. That is when it happened... But nobody even knew Pat Kilkenny existed until he showed up an Alumni function prior to the Rose Bowl...something Beavis doesn't understand--"Winners want to work with winners." That rules them out... Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
