LaMichael James officially announces he will enter the NFL draft
by jtlight on Jan 6, 2012 5:40 PM PST
in Oregon Ducks Football
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PrintWell, it's official: LaMichael James is entering the NFL draft. While it seemed like a foregone conclusion since he decided to come back for his junior year, it was not an easy decision for him. Here is LaMichael's statement from the UO press release:
"My experience at the University of Oregon has been one unlike any other, and one I will never forget," James said. "I am grateful for the people I have met, the things I have learned, and the amazing community I have had the privilege of being a part of over the last three-and-a-half years. The community of Eugene welcomed me with open arms and has supported me since the day I arrived. I am lucky to have been a part of such an amazing place. I can truly say Eugene is my home away from home and a place I will always hold in high regards.
"As for my coaches and teammates -- they are my family. I love each and every one of them and am eternally grateful for having each of them be a part of my life," James emphasized. "It has been both an honor and a privilege to be a part of something as great as the UO family."
We've rehashed James' accomplishments over the past month, but he leaves Oregon the best running back in school history, if not the best player. With a Rose Bowl win, and another great performance, he leaves Oregon on an incredibly high note.
Selfishly, I'll miss watching James shred opposing defenses. His speed, power, and agility were a joy to watch. We were lucky to have three relatively healthy seasons from James, leading the Ducks on their best three-year stretch in school history.
Good luck LaMichael. We'll miss you, and thanks for the awesome memories.
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Knock 'em dead, LMJ
It was amazing while it lasted.
Wherever you may be; good night, eeeeeeverybody!
by you'vegottomakeyourfreethrows on Jan 6, 2012 5:46 PM PST reply actions
...we hardly knew ye. *sniffle*
Ducks GOOOOD. Fuskies BAAAAAD.
by BigGreenWreckingMachine on Jan 6, 2012 6:00 PM PST reply actions
Wow.
There have been a lot of great players to come through Oregon since I started following them during the 1999-2000 season and during my time at school in 2003-2007. And there have been a lot of players who I deemed my favorites: J Stew, Joey, Keenan, Dixon, Dickson, Casey, Ward, Ngata, Maehl, Thurmond, etc. As far as I’m concerned, Jeremiah is STILL scoring against the Biebs.
With that said, no player brought me as much joy, excitement, and above all, pride, as LaMichael James. He’s the only player to make me feel like I can’t imagine Oregon football without him. Joey is the bar, Ngata is a beast, Dixon is a legend; but LaMichael is LaMichael, and to me, he is not only the man, he’s Oregon football.
It’s almost like I never want to watch Oregon play again. Obvious hyperbole, especially with all the great players waiting in the ranks. But seriously – LaMike is the only player who made me smile watching, whether it was a 50+ yard run against USC or a 2 yard loss against Portland State. From the bottom of my heart, thank you LaMichael. Not just for the highlights, but also for the desire to succeed academically, the humility, and the kindness. It was an honor to watch you play and say, “He’s a Duck…just like me.” Now go give ’em Hell!
"We smoked it all."
by DuckIt on Jan 6, 2012 6:07 PM PST reply actions 6 recs
Pretty much this.
Well said.
"the putz from that UO blog, Matt Daddy" - Steve Tannen
The Daily Faberian
I'll love you forever LMJ
I doubt he will be forgotten any time soon here at Oregon.
"We Believe" - Rudy Fernandez
LMJ LIVES IN MY MEMORIES -- MY PHOTO ESSAY TRIBUTE TO THE BEST EVER AT OREGON
First, his very unique jump, both fegs drawing up like a jumping jack…
And of course, there were his many, many long runs to the endzone, none more memorable for me than the Civil War
The breakout run against Tennessee that brought him to the attention of the nation, and fired up his Heisman nomination run
One of his most dominating performances in 2010, against UCLA
Also a huge win in the 2010 season, vs USC at USC
Telling Cam “hey, the gap just needs to be that wide, and I’m gone…”
What I remember most in 2011 was the toughness of htis kid, his desire to play. He popped the dang elbow back and was there for his team-mates. He never let us down.
What a send-off, eh?
Oregon loves you, Chip Kelly!
by gamedaytribe on Jan 6, 2012 6:18 PM PST reply actions 20 recs
awesome
OREGON DUCKS ROSE BOWL CHAMPIONS - Time to drink Dr Pepper and ship stuff with UPS!!!!!
Follow @MattyFnRaider
ONE NATION UNDER AL
Respect the reputation or it's an altercation.
We love you, LaMike!
My favorite play, even though he outran his blockers, was the 2009 “teleport” against fUCLA.
¡Me gustan las tortugas!
And Cliff Harris was like, "VRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Can't say you don't deserve every penny LaMike
Maybe you’ll come back to help out Campbell, eh?
by FromAutzenWithLove on Jan 6, 2012 7:21 PM PST reply actions
Thank you LaMichael
obviously very sad that we can’t see you dominating for the Ducks in the future but you deserve all the success in the future at the next level. A true class act on and off the field there is no doubt you have left the program in a better state than when you found it and any future success will be directly tied to the contribution you made during your time at Autzen.
I am just very glad we were able to sned you off in fitting fashion as a Rose Bowl Champion.
OREGON DUCKS ROSE BOWL CHAMPIONS - Time to drink Dr Pepper and ship stuff with UPS!!!!!
Follow @MattyFnRaider
ONE NATION UNDER AL
Respect the reputation or it's an altercation.
by Ozraider on Jan 6, 2012 7:29 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Best wishes and a fond farewell to LaMichael
His contribution to Oregon Football will remain immortalized and immeasurable.
Dr. Saturday is firmly on board
Matt Hinton @DrSaturday 7m
James has been very durable. Averaged 22 touches/game. Touched it more than any back in CFB in ’10. Played hurt. Missed 2 games in 3 years.
Matt Hinton Matt Hinton @DrSaturday 15m
LaMichael James says draft advisory board projected him to go in the third round. Because who needs elite speed, versatility and production?
"Forget it. If 21 gets behind you, you can play the fight song." --Scott Van Pelt
And the full article
Is over here.
I still think that the combine results are going to wow people.
More importantly because of his work ethic and smarts I think he’s going to have a good long career if he wants it.
If I could kiss Nick Holt, I would. Though, with him, I’m sure it would end in deep penetration and a score
He seems to me like the guy who could retire at age 30 to save his body
"Forget it. If 21 gets behind you, you can play the fight song." --Scott Van Pelt
Or earlier
I honestly don’t know if he loves football. I think that he genuinely loves his team and loves Campbell. I’m not sure that he’s the kind of person that wants to play until he can’t get up without pain. I could easily see him retiring early and then doing coaching or broadcasting or simply something totally outside of football, financed by his frugal ways in the NFL.
I could be projecting, but the vibe I get from him isn’t one of those people who only dreams of the NFL. How much stock he puts in his grades and his graduation, the ties he has with others – that matters to him. And I think that he’ll find the NFL is kinda cold and soulless, sadly.
Whatever happens, I hope he awesomes the hell out of it.
If I could kiss Nick Holt, I would. Though, with him, I’m sure it would end in deep penetration and a score
More importantly because of his work ethic and smarts I think he’s going to have a good long career if he wants it.
This is why he’ll be able to play any role that his coaches want. If they want him to catch passes, he can do that. After some freshman dropsies, he’s shown that he can, he just isn’t needed to all that often. And if he’s not the greatest now, he’ll work his ass off to do it the best.
--AddictedToQuack, SBNation's Oregon Ducks blog
I'm happy for him, and I'm glad he has a Rose Bowl win under his belt
The team will still do well in the capable hands of Thomas x2, Barner and the others.
Porter, Drexler, Kersey, Williams, Duckworth. The greatest starting 5 ever.
As a new comer
To Oregon football, all I’ve known is Lamichael James. It’s going to be very weird not seeing number 21 in September.
Making days happy like Arthur Fonzarelli
by Brundon_Roy on Jan 6, 2012 8:48 PM PST via mobile reply actions
I know we don't retire jerseys, but if there was ever a case made to retire #21...
I mean, seriously, how can anyone else wear that number now?
The "Beano Cook" of ATQ
Wonder why we don't retire jerseys
If I could kiss Nick Holt, I would. Though, with him, I’m sure it would end in deep penetration and a score
I had this argument with Dviera on facebook today.
We need to retire that jersey on his bye week next year. I understand that college rosters are larger than professional rosters and retiring numbers is hard, but hell USC has half-a-dozen of them, and I think this one warrants retiring.
Look at who’s worn Joey’s #3 since 2001 and you’ll see the point.
"Forget it. If 21 gets behind you, you can play the fight song." --Scott Van Pelt
Cliff Harris his freshman year and Cameron Colvin if I'm not mistaken
by FromAutzenWithLove on Jan 7, 2012 9:38 AM PST up reply actions
LaMike, Ngata, Joey
Make it a pregame celebration- it’d be fun.
by Duckfreak on Jan 7, 2012 10:44 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Here's to the best player in Oregon history
Thanks for everything. May you experience much success at the next level. Go grab a paycheck.
--Dave
Addicted to Quack, your friendly, neighborhood Oregon Ducks blog
I wanna, I wanna be like LaMike
Not in an amazing-running-back sort of way because that just isn’t going to happen and wouldn’t help much in my cubicle anyway, but in a the way of being incredibly competent at what I do, thoughtful, smart, fun, and humble. And inspiring. My wife and friends and I always do pushups during games for the points the Ducks score, and whenever we start to get tired (around 40 points), we remind ourselves how hard LaMike and the rest of the team work for us, and we keep going.
I secretly held a hope in my heart the LaMike would come back, but I don’t begrudge him his decision. I wish him all the best and am so thankful for all the joy he has brought me and all he has done for the team I love.
Go Ducks, whether playing for Oregon, or moving on to other things!
Go LMJ
We will still have your back in spirit.
Speed Endurance Talent is how Track Town USA plays football. Win The Day
The first thing I did after hearing he declared was youtube the Tenn and UCLA runs
- Tennessee – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUd36Sc86MA
- UCLA (start at the :23 mark) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtEC7sEW-4E
Unbelievable!
I’m a bit saddened by this news. Is the bling of the NFL really that important? And would his prospects not be a lot better if he played his senior year?
We have just lost our A #1 running back to the pros. HIs accomplishments leave a pretty big hole to fill, there’s no argument there. Kenyon Barner is a junior as well. Where does that leave the team if he were to announce as well?
Wether you agree with his decision or not, we just took a big hit at the RB position.
really?
The life expectancy of a running back in the NFL is about 3 years. For good ones. 3 quality years. Furthermore, it has been shown pretty definitively that the more carries a running back takes – at any level – the more their performance is hindered.
In addition to that, RBs can be injured, and any injury in college reduces your draft stock.
So for RBs especially you have to assume you have a very small window of opportunity. And every year you play college is essentially one less year you can play in the pros.
You’ve just had a player be the #2 all time Pac-10 record holder in rushing, post 3 consecutive 1500+ yard season, win multiple national awards for best running back and be the best player on a team with the best three-year stretch in school history – and he did this all with the reward of a college degree. This is a man who had to live alone in his senior year of high school to keep eligibility. Who relocated his own dislocated elbow. Who already came back for another year when he could have left. And now you begrudge him earning millions of dollars?
I hope that one day my kids get the chance to make the decision between earning millions of dollars or playing a game while learning ballroom dancing, just so I can say OF COURSE YOU GO GET THE MONEY WHILE YOU CAN.
If I could kiss Nick Holt, I would. Though, with him, I’m sure it would end in deep penetration and a score
by kalon on Jan 6, 2012 11:59 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
And now you begrudge him earning millions of dollars?
Thing is, he’ll won’t be a first round pick. He won’t have a chance at millions until his second contract, and the more wear and tear he takes at the college level the less likely that second contract becomes. QBs or WRs have the luxury to be able to stay the extra year. RBs just don’t, their bodies just don’t have the shelf life. We were lucky he stayed this season.
--Dave
Addicted to Quack, your friendly, neighborhood Oregon Ducks blog
He can get millions of dollars
Just not in one year. If he’s drafted in the second or third round he’ll probably have a 600k -700k contract to start, maybe three years max. After that is when he gets the real money, of course.
If I could kiss Nick Holt, I would. Though, with him, I’m sure it would end in deep penetration and a score
Thanks for the memories, LMJ, as you ride off into the sunset...
The "Beano Cook" of ATQ
by benzduck on Jan 7, 2012 12:12 AM PST reply actions 4 recs
He's so little...
"It's not about style. It's about winning the game. That's it." - Chip Kelly
by Duckfanatic10 on Jan 7, 2012 1:10 AM PST up reply actions
maybe little,
but he is the horse CK rode while getting “his team” together.
Speed Endurance Talent is how Track Town USA plays football. Win The Day
Three years in an Oregon uniform.....Priceless
Simply the best we have had on the field. I will also remember his class when representing the U of O and his support of his teamates.
Thank you LMJ for everything.
Good luck, I’ll be rooting for you.
If Duke ever built a Cameron Outdoor Stadium, it would be Autzen.
by DuckinNC on Jan 7, 2012 6:11 AM PST via mobile reply actions
I hope my Titans can get him in the 2nd round
he would be a nice little changeup back to CJ2K
"I really can't stand that NFL guy, what's his name? Mel, yeah Mel Kiper Jr. He knows about as much about football as a Japanese space pilot." - Coach Trickett FSU
ronburgundy banned by BBS for making comments on MCM, Champion of the People, I bow down in awe
Datsyuk, He could deke Victoria out of her secret… He’s THE MAN. posted by Josh Howard on Winging it in Motown 10/13/11
Titans DE Dave Ball on Blount: "It’s like trying to tackle a greased up, naked guy in the shower" 11/27/11
follow me on twitter: @nolesunited247
by nolesbroncos3456 on Jan 7, 2012 8:37 AM PST via Android app reply actions
I would be surprised if he doesn't move into 2nd round
JJ wasn’t drafted and is still in the league. JStew a high first round pick still has never gotten the opportunity to be a feature back.
You never know. My amateur opinion is he is a more durable, and tougher running version of Jahvid Best- who has been outstanding when healthy.
Mo Mo, O Smith, Droughns, Blount, JStew, JJ. Lot of recent Oregon rb’s have had the talent to play in the league. LaMike will be a very solid pro.
by Duckfreak on Jan 7, 2012 10:52 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
It's actually a bit more awesome than that
Every Oregon RB that has started in the last 12 years has played in the NFL, and of them the one that has played the least was Onterrio Smith. Most have started.
If I could kiss Nick Holt, I would. Though, with him, I’m sure it would end in deep penetration and a score
Best of luck LMJ!
I’ll miss your unbelievable speed that never seems to end when you run towards the end zone, I will happily follow your journey in the NFL!
Go Ducks!
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