Is is possible for USC's stars to stay out of trouble? On ESPN's outside the lines it is revealed that O.J. Mayo recieved gifts and money from a booster. I wonder if the NCAA will take action, with these two high-profile violations at USC you'd think they would at least lose scholarships. Anyway this should help the ducks out.

more here: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3390695

This might be old news by now but when I was watching the game the other day I noticed what looked like Kobe flipping off the refs. It happened right after the infamous Odom foul on Broy. Kobe was pleading the refs not to give Lamar a flagrant foul. But, I think it was Delaney, turned his back and promptly Kobe "scratched his head." It might be nothing, but if he really flipped him off he deserves a suspension, at least because he would be over the technical foul limit. I can't figure out how to post pictures in diaries so I just am going to link the photo on my flickr page.

to view the photo in a larger size click the "all sizes" button http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougall5505/2405663456/

So what do you guys think? Did he or didn't he?

Anybody watch NBA coast to coast tonight? They talked to Rick Bucher who said the Blazers were actively looking for a trading partner to try and "consolidate young talent." He said he was hearing rumors of a Przybilla for Cassell trade. He reasoned that Cassell's contract is coming up soon, and would give us more cap space for 09. But I don't think Pritch would trade our only legit center not in street clothes. Seems like a bunch of speculation to me. Anyone have thoughts?

Keep the gorilla przybilla!

Well it looks like Oklahoma has to forfeit all their games from 2005, does this mean we are the holiday bowl champs?
here is the link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2933008
I guess that makes two cheap wins by oregon over the sooners. They also lost two scholarships, which like they are getting off a little easy.

It looks go, it still has that "pit" feel http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=876547
here is the article
EUGENE - A model of a new basketball arena that the University of Oregon hopes to unveil in the near future will be on display beginning Wednesday in the second-floor lobby of the Casanova Center with the hopes of generating renewed interest among the general public and prospective financial contributors, according to the Ducks' Director of Athletics Pat Kilkenny.

The architectual rendition was constructed last spring as a means to elict financial support for the project among private donors and reenergize discussions of a new arena. One of UO President Dave Frohnmayer's charges to Kilkenny has been to elevate private support for the arena and guide the project to completion.

Kilkenny emphasized that the model, which also includes a practice court as well as other amenities, is an example of what the proposed arena could look like and that no definitive decisions have been made.

The model was based on projections of an arena that would include 12,500 seats and cover 405,000 square feet. As of May 2006, the estimated cost of a facility covering those parameters fell in the neighborhood of $170 million.

However since the development of the model, one element of the original project -- the academic learning center -- has been been targeted for another location.

"This project remains a priority for the athletics department and the university in terms of the continued financial self-sufficiency of the Oregon athletics department, but it is important that the scope of any arena does not jeopardize the financial feasibility of its construction and operation," Kilkenny said. "At the same time, construction costs are not becoming any cheaper."

Kilkenny added that cost estimates cannot be finalized until the scope of the project is determined, which will be dependent on the success of all fund-raising efforts.

The construction of a new facility to replace 80-year-old McArthur Court would house the Ducks' men's and women's basketball teams as well as possibly women's volleyball and wrestling, and would be funded entirely through private contributions and self-financed bonds.

The university completed the purchase of the Williams' Bakery site on the eastern edge of campus in February 2005 as a preferred location for a new arena.

Documents the someone got in the hands of the register-guard says the arena could cost 213.5 million
heres the story:

Oregon arena could be most expensive of its size
11:24 PM PST on Sunday, February 25, 2007
ASSOCIATED PRESS

EUGENE, Ore. -- The price tag for the University of Oregon's sought-after new arena could be well above $200 million, making it one of the most expensive of its size ever.

According to documents obtained by the Register-Guard newspaper under the state public records laws, the University of Oregon estimated last year it would take $213.5 million to pay for the project once land costs are figured in. That's substantially more than the $160 million estimate university officials most recently used.

Allan Price, the UO's vice president for advancement, said the lower price was an estimate based only on costs directly related to construction. It did not take into account the cost of acquiring a former bakery and a former car lot, which would provide space for the arena and parking.

Still, the direct construction costs at the time the estimate was written early last year were put at about $175.5 million, Price acknowledged.

"The best-case scenario is we would be able to build an arena that is going to serve the needs of the university for the next 100 years ... a facility that's going to help stabilize the budget of the athletic department and move it from self-supporting to self-sustaining," he said. "A building like that is not inexpensive."

The UO wants a replacement for aging McArthur Court, which doesn't meet needs for fan amenities or revenue generation.

The university has struggled to get its arena project restarted after UO President Dave Frohnmayer pulled the plug on an earlier effort three years ago. At that time he said the cost -- an estimated $180 million not including parking -- were too high. That would have been the most expensive college arena ever.

But the UO still wants the best arena it can get.

The Web site of TVA Architects, which is working with the firm Ellerbe Becket on the design, calls the proposed facility a "theater of basketball."

The renewed effort seeks a 12,500-seat arena complex of about 400,000 square feet with a number of high-end amenities.

"I don't think the university has anything to be embarrassed about, and I think we have a lot to be proud of," he said. "I think we should aspire to greatness where that opportunity presents itself."

Price cautioned that the documents captured from correspondence with the athletic department are just a snapshot of the vision for the project a year ago and not the numbers that would be used in a final design. Those figures could vary greatly depending on construction and design plan changes, including changing the location.

The university anticipates that much of the money for the arena will come from private donors, one document estimated $123 million. Another $55 million would come from bonds repaid from arena revenues. Those two sources would cover most of the direct construction costs.

The university previously sold bonds to purchase the bakery and car dealer property.

The UO arena could be among the elite college arenas in terms of cost.

The next most expensive arena recently built is the 15,000-seat John Paul Jones Arena at the University of Virginia, with a construction cost of about $150 million, including a parking garage and new road.

The city of Louisville, Ky., is planning a 22,000-seat downtown arena that will be the home of the University of Louisville basketball teams. It is expected to cost $250 million, but that is for a far larger building aimed at hosting many non-basketball events.

http://www.kgw.com/sports/stories/kg....13c01080.html

renderings can be found at www.tvaarchitects.com