Addicted To Quack: FanPosts

A Wolf's Guide to Watching Oregon Football

2013-05-16T20:05:39Z

We’ve all been through many Oregon game days. Those game days involve a wide range of emotions, even when the outcome shouldn’t be in doubt. In light of ATQ’s fundraiser on behalf of my son, Wyatt ("Wolf"), I thought I would take you through a game day from his perspective. Enjoy!

It’s game day! Oh man, I’ve been waiting for this all week! Gonna eat some O-shaped pancakes, watch a few cartoons, then watch the game! So exciting! Go Ducks!

Hey Daddy, who are we playing today? Is it Stanford? I don’t know any bad words yet, but I know how I feel about them.

Is it the fuskies? Hahahahaha, this is how they play football!

The game’s about to start. I know the Ducks are really good, but I'm still kinda scared…

Here comes the kickoff. Look at DAT go! Touchdown!

Alright, here comes our defense. Look Daddy! We tackled that guy! Wait, did the man in the stripey shirt and the glasses just throw a yellow thing at us? Wut.

Yay, we have the ball back! That number 8 sure throws…what did you say, Daddy? A "pretty ball"? It’s not pretty. It’s handsome! Look! We got another touchdown!

Ohhh. The other team scored. Yucky!

Halftime. I’m hungry. Should I grab some graham crackers? I’m thirsty, too. Daddy, can I have some of your drink? What is Toe-Tall Momination? Is that like a drink for Mommy?

Daddy, who are those girls? Do they like to dance? Okay, I’ll go give Mommy a kiss.

Daddy, what does "field goal" mean? Why did you drink the rest of your drink? Is this man going to kick the ball? I have a bad feeling about this…

The ball went through the yellow things! Yay!

The game is almost done! We just need to tackle that guy one more time…we did it! Ducks win! Go Ducks!

I just want to say thanks again to everyone at ATQ who has worked hard and/or donated money this cause. Bless you all! A round of applause for ATQ!

Don’t forget to go bid on some great items! Go Ducks!

It’s game day! Oh man, I’ve been waiting for this all week! Gonna eat some O-shaped pancakes, watch a few cartoons, then watch the game! So exciting! Go Ducks!

Hey Daddy, who are we playing today? Is it Stanford? I don’t know any bad words yet, but I know how I feel about them.

Is it the fuskies? Hahahahaha, this is how they play football!

The game’s about to start. I know the Ducks are really good, but I'm still kinda scared…

Here comes the kickoff. Look at DAT go! Touchdown!

Alright, here comes our defense. Look Daddy! We tackled that guy! Wait, did the man in the stripey shirt and the glasses just throw a yellow thing at us? Wut.

Yay, we have the ball back! That number 8 sure throws…what did you say, Daddy? A "pretty ball"? It’s not pretty. It’s handsome! Look! We got another touchdown!

Ohhh. The other team scored. Yucky!

Halftime. I’m hungry. Should I grab some graham crackers? I’m thirsty, too. Daddy, can I have some of your drink? What is Toe-Tall Momination? Is that like a drink for Mommy?

Daddy, who are those girls? Do they like to dance? Okay, I’ll go give Mommy a kiss.

Daddy, what does "field goal" mean? Why did you drink the rest of your drink? Is this man going to kick the ball? I have a bad feeling about this…

The ball went through the yellow things! Yay!

The game is almost done! We just need to tackle that guy one more time…we did it! Ducks win! Go Ducks!

I just want to say thanks again to everyone at ATQ who has worked hard and/or donated money this cause. Bless you all! A round of applause for ATQ!

Don’t forget to go bid on some great items! Go Ducks!

Questions about John Boyett from a Colts fan

2013-04-29T15:40:41Z

Greetings Ducks fans. I'm visiting from the Colts SB nation blog Stampede Blue because I'm looking for some fan perspective on the team's sixth round pick John Boyett.

First off, do you think Boyett had the potential to be a productive starter in the league? I saw he had very good production in his Junior season and was curious how high he may have potentially gone had he not hurt his knees. How badly were his knees injured? Is the injury something that could cause him to miss time this season? Also, I saw he ran a 4.57 40 while still not fully recovered. I assume he would have timed faster if healthy. How fast does he play?

My impression is that he was drafted to backup Bethea and Landry and potentially become a starter next year when Bethea becomes a free agent. Some other posters on our blog have, I feel, have unfairly deemed him a player with extremely limited upside who will only be a gunner on special teams. I think the opposite is true. I see him as a playmaker whose injury dropped him from being a top safety prospect. What do you guys think his ceiling is in the NFL?

Thanks in advance for the info!

Greetings Ducks fans. I'm visiting from the Colts SB nation blog Stampede Blue because I'm looking for some fan perspective on the team's sixth round pick John Boyett.

Thanks in advance for the info!

A Wolf's Tale

2013-04-26T23:40:21Z

Many of you know this story, but some of you might not, and since I love telling it...well, here it is again!

About a month ago, my youngest son turned three years old. We threw him an Angels party, since he loves baseball and the Angels are his favorite team (that's my boy!). He's been watching his two older brothers play on baseball teams for over a year now, and it's safe to say that insanely jealous doesn't really begin to describe it. So for his birthday, he got his own set of gear - a baseball bag, his own helmet, and, the crown jewel of the collection, his very own bat. We immediately went outside and I pitched to him until he could barely hold the bat up any more. He would hit the ball and run all the bases, yelling "homerun!" when he crossed the plate.

It was a fun day, but, I imagine, not all that different from a lot of other little boys who turn three. Maybe it's not always baseball, but most three year old boys run around on their birthdays playing superheroes, or dinosaurs, or Ninja Turtles. The thing that makes this particular party notable is that no one thought my boy would ever run. Most thought he would never walk. In fact, many thought he would not even survive birth.

My son, Wyatt Lynn Flude (W.L.F. or "Wolf" as we sometimes call him), was diagnosed prenatally with a disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as O.I. or Brittle Bone Disease. It's a rare condition, most often caused by a random genetic mutation, that involves a deficiency in the body's production of collagen. There are a wide range of severities, from the very mild, resulting in someone breaking a few more bones than normal, to the fatal, resulting in death during or shortly after birth. Wyatt's ultrasounds showed femurs that were very bent and probably broken. They showed a rib cage that would probably not be big enough to enable necessary lung growth. An expert told us that Wyatt's case was severe, and that he would most likely not survive more than a few days after he was born. We were advised by several doctors to strongly consider terminating the pregnancy.

We decided against it. And by the grace of God, our little Wolf was born as a whole, unbroken, healthy baby boy on March 17, 2010. He had no broken bones and his lungs were just fine. Since that day, it's been (mostly) one miracle after another. He did break his femurs about three weeks into his life, and he cracked his skull just before he turned one. But other than that, he's been incredibly healthy. He started walking at around 18 months old. He started swinging a baseball bat roughly three seconds later. And he's been swinging one ever since. He's small for his age, and always will be, although it's hard to tell how that will turn out. His femurs are still very bent just below his hips, and many doctors have told us that they will break again eventually; at that point, he would need metal rods inserted to strengthen them. He wears ankle braces most of the time. He currently receives treatment every two months with a medicine called Pamidronate that helps strengthen the bones and relieve minor bone pain. But none of this is important in the grand scheme of things. He's a growing, smart, adorable little guy and we love him dearly.

Shortly after Wyatt was born, I shared my story with the people here at ATQ. The outpouring of support was unbelievable. Matt (Matt Daddy) and Will (WillRubin, formerly Axemen), along with quite a few others at the blog, organized a fundraising drive involving the auctioning of Duck memorabilia to raise money for the OI Foundation. Some funds were also used to provide scholarships to send people from the Portland area to the OI Foundation Conference. That conference is a HUGE deal for a lot of people, as they are able to receive support and education for their condition, as well as the opportunity simply to hang out with others like them. It was a fantastic effort by ATQ, and I get a little misty-eyed every time I think about it. (Matt gets a little misty-eyed too, since one of the items auctioned was a Chip Kelly-signed football; to his chagrin, my parents won the bid and gave it to us; here's a picture of Wyatt holding it at a couple months old.)

To my family's continued amazement and joy, ATQ has made additional efforts to help support the OI Foundation. We had another successful fundraiser last year, and we're doing it again. While my little Wolf has been blessed with great health and a fantastic outlook, there are others living with this condition that are not so fortunate. Research is being done constantly about how to treat the disease. And a support network is crucial for those who deal with it. Any support you can give in this drive is appreciated.

The community we've built on this blog is fantastic. I can't express in words (even though I've tried) how thankful I am to be a part of it. And how encouraging it is to know that the people here care so much about me and my family. I think the best thing to do is let Wyatt show off some of his skill and say a very brief message. Thanks again!

Many of you know this story, but some of you might not, and since I love telling it...well, here it is again!

AT's NFL Draft Drinking Game, the official rules.

2013-04-25T18:10:26Z

Tonight is the Draft. Exciting for football fans, but it's still people reading names of cards and other people hugging. If you need some to add some excitement, I present to you, AT's Official NFL Draft Drinking Game.

Please print out the rules for easy reference.

1. Every time some one refers to a player as "rising" or "falling" – 1 drink.

a. If this is anyone besides Mel Kiper take an additional drink

2. Phrases

a. 1 drink

i. "Upside"

ii. "Motor"

iii. "Football IQ"

iv. "Off the Field Issues" / "Character"

v. Physical Attributes, Combine Results, College Stats.

b. 2 drinks

i. "Loves to play football"

ii. "Pro Day"

c. 3 drinks

i. A University you’ve never heard of

ii. "Career Backup"

iii. "Best Player Available"

iv. "Drafting for need"

d. 5 drinks

i. "His immeasurable/intangibles are off the charts."

3. Mel Kiper shows up with a new hair cut – You have one hour to finish your case.

4. Jets or Eagles Fans boo their pick – 5 drinks.

5. If Chris Berman Gives a player a nick name – 2 drinks

a. Every time he repeats that nick name – 1 drink

b. If he comes up with an entirely new nickname for that player – 3 drinks

6. In an after-pick-interview the player commits a serious assault on the English language – 2 drinks.

7. If a team does not make its pick within the allotted time – 1 drink every minute until the team makes its pick.

8. 1 drink for each player invited to New York that does not get selected in the first round.

9. A player invited to New York does not put on the team’s hat on stage – 3 drinks.

a. If it is your team – finish your drink.

10. If you live in Canada and the draft is pre-empted midway through for a hockey game – finish your drink, finish one more, and flip to NFL network.

11. The Lions select a wide receiver with their first round – SHOTS!

12. Commercials

a. Any commercial featuring Peyton Manning – 1 drink (+1 for each additional Manning)

b. Some commercial about surviving the recession – 1 drink

c. A commercial about something "green" – 2 drinks

d. A fast food and healthy living commercial go back to back – 2 drinks

13. Trades -Any time a pick is traded – 2 drinks

a. If it is your team trading up – 4 more drinks.

b. If the pick is traded for a player on a current roster - 2 more drinks

c. The Patriots trade up - 6 drinks

14. Time outs – each player is awarded 3 time outs where they are exempted from drinking. This exemption lasts 1 pick

15. Sociables! – Pick number 1, pick number 32, Thanks Roger.

Please print out the rules for easy reference.

1. Every time some one refers to a player as "rising" or "falling" – 1 drink.

a. If this is anyone besides Mel Kiper take an additional drink

2. Phrases

a. 1 drink

i. "Upside"

ii. "Motor"

iii. "Football IQ"

iv. "Off the Field Issues" / "Character"

v. Physical Attributes, Combine Results, College Stats.

b. 2 drinks

i. "Loves to play football"

ii. "Pro Day"

c. 3 drinks

i. A University you’ve never heard of

ii. "Career Backup"

iii. "Best Player Available"

iv. "Drafting for need"

d. 5 drinks

i. "His immeasurable/intangibles are off the charts."

3. Mel Kiper shows up with a new hair cut – You have one hour to finish your case.

4. Jets or Eagles Fans boo their pick – 5 drinks.

5. If Chris Berman Gives a player a nick name – 2 drinks

a. Every time he repeats that nick name – 1 drink

b. If he comes up with an entirely new nickname for that player – 3 drinks

6. In an after-pick-interview the player commits a serious assault on the English language – 2 drinks.

7. If a team does not make its pick within the allotted time – 1 drink every minute until the team makes its pick.

8. 1 drink for each player invited to New York that does not get selected in the first round.

9. A player invited to New York does not put on the team’s hat on stage – 3 drinks.

a. If it is your team – finish your drink.

10. If you live in Canada and the draft is pre-empted midway through for a hockey game – finish your drink, finish one more, and flip to NFL network.

11. The Lions select a wide receiver with their first round – SHOTS!

12. Commercials

a. Any commercial featuring Peyton Manning – 1 drink (+1 for each additional Manning)

b. Some commercial about surviving the recession – 1 drink

c. A commercial about something "green" – 2 drinks

d. A fast food and healthy living commercial go back to back – 2 drinks

13. Trades -Any time a pick is traded – 2 drinks

a. If it is your team trading up – 4 more drinks.

b. If the pick is traded for a player on a current roster - 2 more drinks

c. The Patriots trade up - 6 drinks

14. Time outs – each player is awarded 3 time outs where they are exempted from drinking. This exemption lasts 1 pick

15. Sociables! – Pick number 1, pick number 32, Thanks Roger.

Evaluating the Ducks in the 2013 NFL Draft - Back to the First Round!

2013-04-22T15:24:05Z

Lo and Behold! The 2013 NFL Draft is only days away. One of my favourite events of the sporting calendar, the draft is something I start looking forward too right after my NFL team suffers their first loss of the season. As a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan this usually means I am within spitting distance of Labor Day. But for someone who is a fan of both College and Pro football there is something truly special about the Draft. It's a blending of the two worlds where we can enjoy watching the college stars take the next step and give hope to all of the NFL's franchises. Well except for Jacksonville, no fan of that Franchise can ever truly feel better about their team after the draft.

I have determined it is my annual responsibility, nay DUTY, to share with you, the fine readers of the internet's greatest pun-named Oregon Ducks Fan Blog, some insight on how each of our departing Ducks may fair as professionals.

As always (read: since last year) we start off with with a review of the previous year's prognostications. I fared much better last year than in 2011. I predicted between 4 and 6 Ducks would be drafted. And 4 did indeed hear their name called. LaMichael James at the end the 2nd round (hit that one!) to the 49ers, Josh Kaddu in the 5th (another hit) to the Dolphins, Mark Asper in the 6th (I actually predicted him to be an UDFA) to the Bills; and David Paulson in the 7th (a player I couldn't quite peg as a draft prospect or UDFA) to the Steelers. Most surprising was that Eddie Pleasant didn't draw any interest in the draft, though he signed as an UDFA with the Texans who promoted him from the practice squad to the active roster in December. Lavasier Tuinei bounced around the Seahawks practice roster all season while also spending some time with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. He was added to the Bengals Offseason Roster in January.

(I'll caveat my "hits" above, by stating that I have yet to correctly place a player on a team.)

Of all of last year's departing Ducks, 6 wound up on active NFL rosters (James; Kaddu; Asper [Jaguars]; Paulson; Pleasant; and Darrion Weems [Cowboys]), 2 on practice or offseason rosters (Tuinei and Cliff Harris [New York Jets]); and 1 on a CFL Roster (Darron Thomas [Calgary Stampeders])

Add to that, Dewitt Stuckey will join something called the Cottbus Crayfish of the German Football League after a year off from football.

All in all that's a pretty good turn for last year's class, and this year looks solid as well. It's very likely the program will have a first round selection for the first time in 5 years, when Jonathan Stewart was selected by the Panthers, forever hurting the heart of this Bucs fan. There is also the intrigue of Chip Kelly building a team in Philly that looks like he wants to get the band back together.

Oregon's Pro Day was March 14 this year. Let's look at who might make get some welcome phone calls next weekend.

Dion Jordon, DE/LB
Despite injuring his shoulder late in the season and sitting out the second half of the Fiesta Bowl, Jordan has become one of the top prospects in this year's draft on the back of his athleticism. Right now, the NFL values pass rushers, and despite not putting up gaudy stats at Oregon due to the multitude of things he was asked to do on defense, those familiar with the next level seem to think he could be something special.
Jordan is almost a sure bet to be a first round draft pick, but I have serious doubts that he is polished enough all around to constitute the 2nd overall pick. In recent years we've seen similar athletic cases Jason Pierre-Paul and Aldon Smith go top 15. I predict Jordon goes somewhere between 6th and 12th.
Possible Drafting Teams: Cleveland; New York Jets; Arizona

Kyle Long: OL
Another player who is trading high on athletic potential. With only 4 starts at the NCAA level, there's not a lot of production to back up the athleticism. Duck fans wish he would have been granted the waiver and had another season in Eugene, but he's been making the most of his offseason with a good Senior Bowl and impressive showing at the Combine.
The family name probably offsets the Florida State issues when looking at intangibles, so teams will be looking at his football ability. A lot project him comfortably in the second round. I think he has the skills to be taken that high, but not the experience to be the day 1 starter many teams will expect from a 2nd round choice, so I think the third round is a more likely landing spot with a team that needs pass blocking help.
Possible Drafting Teams: Pittsburgh; San Diego; Arizona Cardinals

Kiko Alonso: LB
Alonso has spent the past 2 years overcoming the bad decisions that plagued his first years on campus. But he's been a player that has stepped up in some of Oregon's biggest games during that comeback. Especially toward the end of last season, it seem like everything clicked for him and he understood how best to play his position. He balances the run and pass coverage very well, which is essential for a 3 down linebacker these days.
His best fit will be with an experienced linebacking corps that will let him commit to his assignments and get into the backfield over the middle. I think the injury history, arrests, and decision not to do the athletic drills at the combine all keep him from being drafted until the third day. But I don't think it takes too long once that day rolls around.
Possible drafting teams: Baltimore; Seattle; Oakland

Kenjon Barner: RB
A typical Ducks draft prospect if there has been one over the past couple years. Athletic, with good production, but not NFL size. Oh, and he avoids contact or something. To anyone questioning whether Barner could stand up to the NFL level I would point them to this year's USC game. With his 38 carries for 321 yards and 5(!) touchdowns while also picking up 2 passes, he contributed in a BIG way that game. A decent senior bowl week and combine have reinforced that he should be drafted.
Running Back continues to be a devalued position in the NFL. That said, come draft time it's one of those positions that teams seem to go on a run of when they start looking at depth they need to address. Barner's a specialty running back with some durability issues, but could fit in nicely in a Dexter McCluster role. A 4th round pick would not surprise me, but he probably has to wait a bit longer.
Possible Drafting Teams: San Diego; Green Bay; Buffalo

Michael Clay: LB
A player whose abilities Oregon Fans feel have been continually disrespected during his time here. He too, lacks desirable NFL height, but showed up to the Pro Day sporting significantly more muscle, without giving up his speed. He's been one of the coaching staff's favorite players over the years, and is just an all around football player. He even did long snapping drills at the pro day, something he hadn't done since his freshman season.
This is wear I could see Chip spending a late round draft pick on one of his former guys quite easily. He is a guy who lives the Win the Day motto and would contribute right away on special teams. I think he gets drafted, but he'll be sitting and staring at his phone for a while. Plus he brings great fashion.
Possible drafting/signing teams: Philadelphia; San Francisco; Miami

John Boyett: FS
What a disappointment it was to have John sit out his final season. However, since he took on a starting role against Purdue in 2009, he has been a great contributor to the team, a consistent hitter, and reliable man in coverage. He had a great personal workout for scouts in Napa earlier this month. His injuries probably mean he won't get drafted, and may even cause him some trouble signing as an UDFA after the draft, but I think he gets himself into an NFL training camp for a West Coast team, and may be an injury signing or Practice Squad player.
Possible Drafting/Signing Teams: San Francisco, Oakland, Arizona.

Now onto one of my more favourite parts of the evaluation, the players who will likely not be drafted, but worked out at the Pro Day and are hoping to extend a career in football.

Ryan Clanton: OL
If he can't go pro in Football, Ryan at least has a future in lifting heavy things. He put up 42 reps in the Bench Press (more than anyone at the Combine) at the Pro Day. Coming from a spread system, he could draw interest with those kind of measurables.
My Prediction for 2013: I think he has an outside shot at getting signed as a free agent, but given his love of cows and oil, winds up joining a team in the CFL West.

Nick Cody
One of the greater Oregon Football Twitter follows, it's all right there in the name. Nick provided solid contribution as a starter and back up on the right side of the line for the past two years. Unfortunately he couldn't close out his career with the Ducks on the right note due to being academically ineligible for the Fiesta Bowl.
My Prediction for 2013: After dabbling in Arena Football, he joins fellow former Offensive Lineman Carson York in founding a successful organization out of Eugene that has one of the smartest, most intellectually stimulating social media marketing platforms the world has ever seen.

Jackson Rice
The greatest player to be completely underutilized at Oregon. Chip's offense often meant Jackson ran the risk of injuring a thumb while twiddling them over the past 4 years, but he was always a reliable contributor. The thing is, there isn't much turnover in punters in the NFL, and unless you're the Jags, you're probably not spending a draft pick on one.
My Prediction for 2013: I think Rice has the talent to continue playing professional ball at some level. After spending time in an NFL camp, I see him bouncing around the NFL in 2013 as teams need to fill an injury hole.

Rahsaan Vaughn
A junior college transfer who just never seemed to be able to break into a contributor's role despite, having the physical ability.
My prediction for 2013: Finds some success as a two-way player for the Tri-Cities Fever of Indoor Football League.

Rob Beard
Lightning rod for Oregon fans, participant in one of the more strangely reported bar fights I've heard of, and routinely demoted and promoted PK and kick-off specialist.
My Prediction for 2013: A nice quiet home life, with lots of access to rec league basketball.

Issac Remington
Who among us wouldn't love a Remmington Bear Hug following the Rose Bowl. He was a solid rotation guy on the Ducks Defensive Line, and enough of a character for us all to enjoy.
My prediction for 2013: While in the midwest filming as a Sons of Anarchy extra, he joins on with a team in the Continental Indoor Football League.

Will Murphy
Another lightning rod among some of us, some more than others. He was never spectacular but he made the most of his opportunity as a walk-on and helped fill out the receiving corps.
My prediction for 2013: Laughing heartily after he drops a bag of cement at an Albany community playground-building project.

Nick Morrison
Everett native, and recorded a tackle against Washington this year? We could use more of these defection types around here!
My prediction for 2013: Helf's new recruiting tool in "Blowing up the border."

Bill Chimphalee
Bill proved that everyone gets to play against Colorado.
My prediction for 2013: The former Gatorade Player of the Year for the State of Alaska successfully got me to read his GoDucks.com bio.

So there it is, I'm predicting 5 ducks drafted, and up to 8 making an NFL training camp. This is the first time in 3 years I'll be able to watch the NFL draft live. Naturally, I'll be watching the first round of the draft with high anticipation, even though the Bucs will no longer be making a first round pick. I'm excited to see where Jordan winds up. I'll also be reviving my NFL draft drinking game, and tweeting the results. Follow me if you'd like @craig_fulton. And I'll try to get the rules posted up here later in the week.

(I'll caveat my "hits" above, by stating that I have yet to correctly place a player on a team.)

Add to that, Dewitt Stuckey will join something called the Cottbus Crayfish of the German Football League after a year off from football.

Oregon's Pro Day was March 14 this year. Let's look at who might make get some welcome phone calls next weekend.

Now onto one of my more favourite parts of the evaluation, the players who will likely not be drafted, but worked out at the Pro Day and are hoping to extend a career in football.

Oregon's Mess Has No Justice

2013-04-19T17:46:00Z

Oregon dumped documents Monday night. A lot of documents. Over 200 pages, showing how the Ducks flaunted NCAA rules, engaging in all kinds of naughty behavior, a list of actions topped with Chip Kelly’s painfully illicit dealings with Willie Lyles.

The Ducks say there was no lack of institutional control.

Yeah, right.

No lack of institutional control when Oregon has already admitted to “Underlying major violations coupled with failure to monitor violations involving the head coach (2009 through 2011) and the athletics department (2008-2011)''.

Basically, Kelly could have been the next Pablo Escobar and Oregon would have turned the other cheek.

Forget institutional control, there was no control period on Kelly. Oregon made a deal with the devil. The Ducks let Kelly do whatever he pleased. There was no control, and Kelly wasn’t ever in a mood to stop recklessly chasing the national championship that would make his career in the NFL.

Kelly stopped just short of a national title, but he knew when the time was right to jump ship. Kelly’s stature will diminish over time in Eugene because, like the worst kind of coward, he ran when things got tough, leaving his friends – if he had any – to clean up after him.

Kelly runs and gets away scot-free, while Mark Helfrich has to start his tenure as Oregon head coach with the NCAA sledgehammer hanging over his head.

I’m not saying Oregon should be slammed by the NCAA. I’m not recommending a bowl ban, or a dramatic reduction of scholarships, but I’m also not pretending there was no lack of institutional control, the three buzzwords that have sunk programs from sea to shining sea.

Oregon’s case is one of the most blatant lack of institutional control cases across the overflowing desk of the NCAA. Still, Kelly wasn’t covering for a child molester, he wasn’t covering for his players when they got in trouble with the law, and he didn’t cover-up positive drug tests. Kelly didn’t pay players, and he didn’t let boosters run the football program. Oh, except for Lyles, who is officially classified by the NCAA as a booster.

So the question is, how low are the NCAA’s standards? Because if their standards are high, Oregon would get knuckles chopped off, not just rapped. But we all know that by NCAA standards, Oregon just stole a cookie or two from the cookie jar. This case isn’t a big deal to the NCAA big-wigs; that’s why they haven’t found the time to notice it for a year or two.

Kelly is not a respectable figure. He obviously thinks he’s above the law. With his coaching talent, his pedigree, and his ability to move on, he may just be above the law. But the school, the players, the coaches he left behind aren’t. They’re going to feel the effects of Kelly’s cheating, even though they are nowhere near as harsh effects as they should be.

Scholarship reductions sting. Just ask USC. Programs saddled with scholarship reductions, on probation, don’t fall off the face of the earth, but they are weakened. The Ducks deserve to be somewhat weakened and they will be. Still, this is Kelly’s fault. He should have the book thrown at him, but as the newly minted coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, he’s out of range for NCAA missiles.

Oregon is living in a perpetual disaster that Kelly created. There still is no closure, but the extent of the cheating gets clearer with each passing day. There was a total lack of institutional control. There is also a total lack of justice for the perpetrators of this mess.

The Ducks say there was no lack of institutional control.

Yeah, right.

Basically, Kelly could have been the next Pablo Escobar and Oregon would have turned the other cheek.

Kelly runs and gets away scot-free, while Mark Helfrich has to start his tenure as Oregon head coach with the NCAA sledgehammer hanging over his head.

Auburn players had their grades changed prior to 2011 BCSNCG.

2013-04-03T23:41:01Z

The accuser, Mike McNeil, is facing serious time for an alleged armed robbery, but I still can't immediately discount his claims. This is the ESS-EE-SEE we're talking about here. I'm just curious how the NCAA will sweep this one under the rug.

Considering the scrutiny UO is under for the whole Willie Lyles situation that has currently amounted to nothing at all, when will people confront the fact that there was more shadiness going on at Auburn during the 2010-11 season?

http://www.roopstigo.com/reader/auburns_vainted_title_victims_violations_and_vendettas_for_glory/

Is it just me? (Sweet 16)

2013-03-30T17:50:11Z

I know I said this in a comment on the game, but I got the impression that the fix was in when watching us play Louisville. Maybe there is a little bit of bitterness there, but I can't help but think that we could have won if the game had been called right down the middle. From the phantom charge calls to the tie-ups and blocks that were called as fouls, we didn't get any breaks. Louisville was allowed to play more physical and got foul calls they needed despite Kaz and Sigler winding up in the laps of game photographers multiple times. These incidents coupled with announcers that could be mistaken for Louisville boosters really make me think we didn't have a shot to win this game no matter how well we played.

Chips Ahoy! Sweetest Bracket

2013-03-29T15:58:28Z

What makes a perfect bracket? Upsets? Favorites? Legendary programs making classic runs? I contend that it's a bit of all three. Chips Ahoy! sent me their own sweet version of a perfect bracket with a package of cookies, showing that it takes a perfect combination of flavors to have a perfect product.

Heading into the Sweet 16, we have witnessed history and history in the making. With the emergence of Florida Gulf Coast, it's the first time that a 15 seed has found their way past the round of 32 in the history of the tournament. They have to face off against an in state, established opponent in the Florida Gators. To me, this represents the essence of what the NCAA tournament is about. FGCU, AKA Dunk City has found their way deep into the tournament by defeating a pair of tough teams and now can status as the premier program in the state of Florida by beating the Gators.

When it comes to legendary programs and high profile coaches, there isn't a match up that fits the bill better than Michigan State and Duke. The winner of the game must face off against the winner of Oregon and Louisville. Coach K and Tom Izzo are two of the best coaches in the country and have proven it year after year, both of them taking their respective teams to the championship game and in Duke's case, capturing the title.

Despite the heavyweights in the Midwest bracket, there is one team which doesn't fit in with the perennial powerhouses and that is Oregon. Before the tournament started, the Ducks were one of the primary stories because of their poor seeding. After toppling the 4 and 5 seed in the second and third rounds, the Ducks have to face Louisville, and one of the finest pressure defenses in the country. Many have picked the Cardinals to take the title and will have to go through Oregon first before they have to face off against either Duke or MSU.

Rock Chalk is up against the resurgence of the Michigan Wolverines as the Kansas Jayhawks have to go up against some of the more dynamic guards in the country. Kansas is the only other remaining #1 in the tournament other than the Louisville Cardinals, but the #4 seed in the region is no push over. The Wolverines hovered around the top of the polls throughout the season. The winner faces one of the more favorable roads to get back to the Final Four as the winner takes on the winner of the Florida showdown in the Elite 8.

Right now, Chips Ahoy! has taken all these things into consideration and is hosting a ground breaking internet special. It is the first ever branded TV network solely dedicated to the NCAA tournament. The site currently has several videos from people like you and I supporting the populous' favorite team and it gives the opportunity for the viewers to make their own as well. The primary focus is finding out, "What makes yours the sweetest bracket?" Fans are encouraged to tweet their answer with the hashtag #sweetestbracket or #marchmadness. If you do this, your video will be automatically added to the channel for the sports world to see. What it comes down to is a perfect combination of the sweetness of victory and the bitterness of defeat to create the perfect bracket and crown the sweetest of champions. What is clearer to me even still is the sweetest of snack cookie is without a doubt, Chips Ahoy!

[Sponsored]

How the Pac 12 can make more money without expanding

2013-03-24T22:27:45Z

Since there aren't a lot of people the conference doesn't already cover and schools to go after out west, everybody is speculating that the Pac 12 would have to try to kill the Big 12 and get Texas to "keep up with the Jones' " when it comes to expansion. An alternative though to increase revenue could be to team up with the ACC. They are scared of being poached by the B1G and SEC because they don't have a TV network and we are trying to build ours and having trouble with DirecTV. So we go to them and offer to help them make a network and offer to them that we will have a smaller ownership stake than espn or fox would ask for. We would then be able to go to DirecTV and tell them that they would have to pick us up or miss out on some of the biggest names in football and basketball every year. There is no way that company would be able to say that those basketball fans don't care enough to switch to someone else like they have been saying to keep us off the air currently.

We could populate both channels with a multisport conference tournament covering all three sporting seasons and have some trophy for the winning conference to show off at the end. Imagine marketing a 101 (odd so that there are no ties) multisport conference tournament not only to fans but future recruits that they will get air time in, and travel to, major cities on both coasts.

Hell if this works out very well, maybe do the same with the Big 12 and have a three conference mega multisport tournament and build a tv empire that would make espn lay awake at night. Call me crazy if you wish, but I think this could be a plausible strategy for the conference while not bulging into an uninteresting mess of a conference like the B1G is threatening to do.

How Is Oregon A #12 Seed?

2013-03-17T23:47:26Z

I think it's just terrible that Oregon got the #12 seed for the March Madness tournament. I mean, they did win the Pac-12 Championship (by beating UCLA ... who somehow ended up with a #6 seed). Oregon was 2-0 against UCLA, including a victory in UCLA. Makes no sense to me ... putting Oregon as the #12 seed meant that they were essentially a bubble team. Oh well, I guess that means Oregon will be pulling plenty of upsets :)

By the way, I like Louisville, Miami, Florida, and New Mexico to make it in the Final Four.

http://www.oregonsportsnews.com/team-news/other-news/osn-march-madness-contest-sign-up-and-win-a-100-gift-card.html

By the way, I like Louisville, Miami, Florida, and New Mexico to make it in the Final Four.

http://www.oregonsportsnews.com/team-news/other-news/osn-march-madness-contest-sign-up-and-win-a-100-gift-card.html

Silence about Oregon Women's BXB disturbing

2013-03-17T03:57:48Z

I was a season ticket holder from 1998 - 2008 for Oregon Women's hoops. From Runge to Taylor Lilly- and now- with all due respect to the longevity and success of Westhead, we need the Athletic Department to step up and get these hard working ladies a coach who can turn things around. Hope to hear something soon!

Kilkenny did a very nice job for the ducks in general, Men's bxb and baseball. Lets show duck fans you care about women's hoops with a great coaching move!

A Firmer Grip, or, My Attempt to React More Rationally and Less Emotionally (Read:Drunkenly) to the Turnovers

2013-03-15T17:04:58Z

Editors Note: We asked for it in the Open Thread last night. TrackTownTom delivers the goods in this Fanpost. Bumped to front page - Dominic

A series of events coincided nicely for me on Nov. 5. My father, an avid basketball fan (and Gonzaga alum) was visiting from out of town and I had been gifted free tickets from the colleague of a friend for the Men's Basketball game versus Southwest Oklahoma State University that night. Dad was duly impressed with The Matt, comparing it to an NBA arena, and the production values during pregame and the intros left me recalling my sports marketing internship as an undergrad (not at U of O) where we were lucky if we could even get the mascot inflated properly.

What happened after tipoff was not nearly as impressive, however. One observer (me) described it thusly:

Sloppy game

Nine first half turnovers. The team played as if they’d never even met each other. Instead of taking advantage of the size discrepancy, Altman insisted on playing three guards, an SF, and Woods. Refused to play Woods and Waverly together. When Woods got into a rhythm in the post in the first half, he was immediately yanked. When the team needed to slow the pace and get into a groove (instead of running around like chickens with their heads cut off), Altman immediately implemented the full-court press, thus upping the pace of the game.

Tough to watch. Not optimistic about finishing above ninth in the conference.

Adding later:

Also

Defensive rebounding was lacking. Kept letting Bulldog guards sneak in and take the ball back after misses.

(Obviously the "ninth in the conference" prediction turned out to be hyperbolic, but keep in mind Kazemi was still an open question at that time. Without him, where would we have finished?)

At halftime, having witnessed the inability to maintain possession on offense or box out when the ball went up, my father, basketball purist, sighed and sunk back into his chair, crossed his arms and gazed up at the big screen. The body language was not hard to read.

"Should we just go, Pop?" I asked. He seemed surprised. As a family, we're not in the habit of leaving games early, especially when the teams are only separated by five points and a sizable upset is brewing.

"Well," he said, preparing to shift the blame, "if you want to."

This post is a continuation of some admittedly drunk posting on my part last night and the response that if I felt that strongly about it, I should put together a Fan Post. It will seek to establish a.) the importance of turnovers to a basketball team's success and b.) where the responsibility lies in preventing them.

Turnovers are the second most important factor in determining a basketball team's success, behind only shooting performance, but ahead of factors often anecdotally thought to be more important such as rebounding or free throw percentage. Thoughts on the weighting of each of these factors differ, but here is one statistician's approximation. So basically the only way to overstate the importance of turnovers is to say they're more important than how well you shoot the ball.

Malcolm Gladwell touched on this in his New Yorker article, "How David Beats Goliath." In the exploration of how disadvantaged groups can overcome odds to prevail through the use of unconventional strategies, Gladwell's Exhibit A is the full-court press defense, which, rather than ceding half the court, forces the offensive team to protect the ball (prevent a turnover) the entire length of the floor. At one point, Gladwell quotes current Louisville head coach Rick Pitino about a game where, then coaching Kentucky, he successfully employed the full-court press against LSU.

“We had eighty-six points at halftime,” Pitino went on—eighty-six points being, of course, what college basketball teams typically score in an entire game. “And I think we’d forced twenty-three turnovers at halftime,” twenty-three turnovers being what college basketball teams might force in two games. “I love watching this,” Pitino said.

Of course if you're a Duck fan, you know that 23 turnovers is, in fact, not a two-game total. The Ducks average 15 per game. As Adam Jude of The Oregonian pointed out, at the Ducks' lowest point:

(During three games the) Ducks (had) more turnovers (65) than field goals made (64) and more than twice as many assists (30)

In the same article, Altman is quoted as saying:

"It's gotten completely out of control."

In fact, if you read the entirety of the article, it may seem like Altman is somewhat at a loss for what to do to address the problem. Get Artis back? No doubt, having your best point guard available always helps the assist to turnover ratio, but Artis (not surprisingly for a Freshman) is actually second in turnovers per game on the team, behind only Singler.

In fact, of the three years under Altman's leadership, the Ducks have ranked 273rd, 180th, and 308th nationally in ability to retain possession. Given what we know about the importance of the stat, it's not hard to predict success. In his first year, the team shot (on a macro level) poorly from the field (.425, ranked nationally 242nd) and as such finished 21-18. The next year, turnovers weren't as egregious and the team shot significantly better (.469, ranked 36th nationally) and the results reflected the improvements with a 24-10 record. This year has been the worst by national rank for turnovers, but the Ducks have managed to offset that with decent shooting (.447, 97th) and strong defensive rebounding (806, 55th). It turns out my early-season concerns about their inability to block out were unfounded, and also that Kazemi is teh awesome.

So we know that turnovers are determinative to success, both in basketball in general and with the Ducks in particular. What can be done to prevent them?

Turnovers can be the product of two factors: lack of fundamentals or defensive pressure or, to borrow a tennis term, unforced and forced errors. One might suspect that players reaching the Division I level could be counted upon to play fundamentally sound basketball, but the high rate of churn with upperclassmen leaving for the NBA (or the high number of transfers that the Ducks have experienced), can mean relying upon younger, less savvy players (such as Artis and Dotson). So fundamentals need to be instilled and reinforced, rather than taken for granted.

Tactically, to be prepared for pressure game situations, defensive intensity in practice needs to closely mimic that of games, and the second unit needs to be effective at "cloning" the schemes commonly used by opposing schools. Altman-coached teams actually have an advantage here because, as Matt often points out on the podcasts, Altman uses a lot of different defensive looks and can switch them up on the fly. Presumably, this would mean the second unit could easily adapt when acting as a "scout team." However, the Ducks have conceded 210 steals to their opponents this year, leaving them ranked 191st nationally.

Can Altman produce non-turnover prone teams? Yes. His last three years at Creighton his teams ranked 94th, 133rd, and 196th. So was I misguided in drunkenly calling for his ouster last night, and instead was maybe just giving (slurred) voice to my visceral hate of all things sloppy and turnover-related? Probably. But whatever Altman did to progress his team to better efficiency the last three years at Creighton, he needs to employ in Eugene. Until that time, the Ducks' chances at success will be greatly hindered.

Editors Note: We asked for it in the Open Thread last night. TrackTownTom delivers the goods in this Fanpost. Bumped to front page - Dominic

What happened after tipoff was not nearly as impressive, however. One observer (me) described it thusly:

Sloppy game

Nine first half turnovers. The team played as if they’d never even met each other. Instead of taking advantage of the size discrepancy, Altman insisted on playing three guards, an SF, and Woods. Refused to play Woods and Waverly together. When Woods got into a rhythm in the post in the first half, he was immediately yanked. When the team needed to slow the pace and get into a groove (instead of running around like chickens with their heads cut off), Altman immediately implemented the full-court press, thus upping the pace of the game.

Tough to watch. Not optimistic about finishing above ninth in the conference.

Adding later:

Also

Defensive rebounding was lacking. Kept letting Bulldog guards sneak in and take the ball back after misses.

(Obviously the "ninth in the conference" prediction turned out to be hyperbolic, but keep in mind Kazemi was still an open question at that time. Without him, where would we have finished?)

"Well," he said, preparing to shift the blame, "if you want to."

“We had eighty-six points at halftime,” Pitino went on—eighty-six points being, of course, what college basketball teams typically score in an entire game. “And I think we’d forced twenty-three turnovers at halftime,” twenty-three turnovers being what college basketball teams might force in two games. “I love watching this,” Pitino said.

Of course if you're a Duck fan, you know that 23 turnovers is, in fact, not a two-game total. The Ducks average 15 per game. As Adam Jude of The Oregonian pointed out, at the Ducks' lowest point:

(During three games the) Ducks (had) more turnovers (65) than field goals made (64) and more than twice as many assists (30)

In the same article, Altman is quoted as saying:

"It's gotten completely out of control."

So we know that turnovers are determinative to success, both in basketball in general and with the Ducks in particular. What can be done to prevent them?

UO Athletics Department Fan Survey!

2013-03-06T04:52:02Z

The Oregon Athletics Department is distributing a fan survey! They want to know more about what we want. Filling it out gives you a chance to win $100 to Shop.GoDucks.com! .bit.ly/UOsrvySM

Go Ducks!

~~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ____ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~~

The Oregon Athletics Department is distributing a fan survey! They want to know more about what we want. Filling it out gives you a chance to win $100 to Shop.GoDucks.com! .bit.ly/UOsrvySM

Go Ducks!

~~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ ____ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~~

How do you get into the Oregon Duck's football spring game? I can't find tickets anywhere?

2013-02-15T15:28:47Z

I've never been before and wanted to go this year. I can't find info how to get in or how to get tickets anywhere. Is this only for season ticket holders? I've heard all kinds of different stories about how this works, but not from anyone that has actually been. One person told me that you just bring 3 cans of food and you can get in. Has anyone out there been to the spring game before? Thanks.