We had a lot of fun doing an ESPN Fantasy Football league last year.  At least, it was fun until the playoffs.  I don't want to talk about it anymore.

I've set up a new ESPN league for this year.  We have 11 slots open, who wants in?  We'll do a live online draft and determine the date once we've filled out the teams.  Well, I suppose we could do an offline one in a Fanpost, but it could take a while!  Maybe Jordan Kent would even get drafted!

Please post here if you want in, and make sure your profile has an active email address for the invite.  You will need an ESPN account to play, it doesn't cost anything though.  Also let me know if you were in the league last year.  Those people may get first shot at invites, depending on how badly they humiliated me in the playoffs.

-JonathanPDX

Well, football season is over and, despite being the greatest season in the history of Oregon Ducks football, we came up 3 points short in the end.  After taking a week to soak in a bathtub full of misery it seems like a good time to look back.  I talked with a good friend of mine, who lives in Alabama and happens to be a huge Auburn fan.  She mentioned that while we were talking she was surfing for some "new apparel" and we both got quiet for a minute.  My first thought was "Damn it, I want to be the one buying that T-shirt!"  But I thought back to this season, and it's given us a lot more than the opportunity to buy a new shirt.

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I just got a pair of tickets for the Mac Court party, which means Juju wants me to go to Eugene.  Are any other AtQ folks meeting up to sit together at Mac?  Any plans for a pre-game drinking / pizza / panic party?  Or is anyone else from Portland planning to drive down there?  I'd be happy to put together a car pool or drive with someone else.

What do you think?  Are there plans already in the works, or any interest in trying to arrange something over the weekend?  Or are all of you heading to Arizona with your $10,000 tickets?  :P

Go Ducks!

Hey guys,

I'm going down to Eugene tomorrow to see the Flecktones concert.  I plan to leave early in the day so there's plenty of time to goof off before the show.  Any suggestions on where to go to pick up some Ducks gear?  I've been looking for reusable shopping bags with the O logo on them, I know I saw them once but I haven't been able to find them in Portland.  Maybe some flags for my car too, if there's anything that will stay securely on my little 2-door Escort (which always needs the windows down).

By the way, I'm going to the Hult Center (7th and Willamette), are there any hip places to get dinner in that area?

Go Ducks!
-JonathanPDX

We're in the home stretch now, with just two more games left in the Pac-10 football season.  This football team is making history no matter how the season ends, and they are in the driver's seat for something very special.  Chip Kelly might have them all focused on the task at hand, but we fans can bask in the euphoria of a #1 ranking or sit in a haze of frenzied dread.  The question is: How do you feel? 

Poll

What best describes your state of mind as we enter the final two weeks of football season?

38%

Ecstatic! I never want this season to end!

27 votes

61%

Panicked!!! I need a paper bag to breathe into.

44 votes

71 votes | Poll has closed

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Here we are, 7-0, #1 in the polls and #2 in the Skynet BCS.  The last time we started a season 7-0 Musgrave and Benzduck were still in grad school.  It's exciting, but these days there's so damn much fluff surrounding college football, it's easy to get caught up in all of it and lose sight of where we really are. 

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With football just a few weeks away, the NFL isn't far behind.  Anyone have plans to run an AtQ fantasy football league?  Or have any openings in your regular league?  I'm a big fan but don't have a regular group to play with.  An AtQ group might be fun, just to see every former Duck go 2 rounds higher than he should.  :)  I've never done college fantasy but I've heard that some services offer that as an option too.

I don't even care about doing it for prizes, I just want to knock Axemen out of the playoffs and gloat for the year.  So, what do you guys think?  Is there already a plan in place, or do we need to start putting something together?

We all know that LeBron James is going on TV in 2 hours to make a big announcement.  It's rumored that he's telling the world which team he will sign with, but what if it's not that simple?  What if this announcement is something bigger, even more shocking than a move to Miami or New York?  Here are some of the possible announcements he could be making this evening, please add your own!

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Well there's no football for several months, no college hoops, and since we're on the left coast baseball doesn't really count.  This does open up plenty of geek reading time, so let's talk about books!  There's a lot of good stuff that relates to AtQ through specifics about college athletics or sports in general, and I'm sure the AtQ brain trust has a wealth of beer and candy-related resources to share as well.

I'm going to toss out one AtQ related book suggestion and one completely unreleated one.  If others can jump in maybe we'll find some interesting reads to help us get through the next hundred days. 

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I know this is a little off topic, there's hardly any cheese, beer, or Hot Tub Time Machines involved.  Still, I wanted to pass the info along.  I work in Portland as an advocate for kids and adults with Autism; I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when I was 14, and my little brother has the same diagnosis.  I didn't really plan to do this kind of work, but I fell into some speaking opportunities and found that I really enjoyed it.  I serve on the board of directors for the Autism Society of Oregon (ASO), I work with several other local nonprofit groups, and I am on the governor's State Commission on Autism, specifically working to improve the transition services and options for kids with Autism who are leaving high school and moving into adulthood.

Sunday, April 18th is the largest fundraiser ASO will hold this year, the Autism Walk-a-thon.  You can walk, sponsor a team, or simply donate whatever you can give through the website.  The Walk will be held at Oaks Park, registration starts at 9:30 and the event begins at 10:30 AM.  Charlie Girl from 97.1 FM will be there, and heck, you can ride the Oaks Park rides while you're there.  I will be running the ASO resource table, talking about what we do and handing out information, but I wouldn't mind a break to talk some football / basketball coaching search / Fuskies trash talk.

ASO is a local organization, though we're part of the larger Autism Society of America.  Everything we do is local, we don't take this money and send it to the national board or anything like that.  We're hosting support groups for kids, adults, and parents, sharing information and awareness with the community, and this fall we plan to bring a very exciting and unique conference to Portland (no, not the Pac-12).  I'm the first person with Autism to serve on the Board and my personal focus is on spreading awareness and making things easier for the next generation; things were not easy for me growing up and no kid should have to go through that stuff.  I also speak to groups about my experiences as an adult with Autism, talking about problem-solving, sensory issues, and my belief that none of us can be defined by a label, stereotype, or diagnosis.  I'm starting to make plans to hold a forum next month, to talk with parents and teachers in Portland about these issues as well as answer questions.  If that interests anyone feel free to drop me an e-mail.

So, just to recap:

Autism Walk-a-Thon
Sunday, April 18th at 10:30 AM
Oak's Park
Donate here or register / donate / sponsor a team here

Go Ducks!!!

The Spring Game next month looks to be a lot of fun, are any of you planning to go?  We could divide into Costa and Thomas groups and spend the game calling each other Sanchez, then all feel stupid when Hawkins comes out and blows them both out of the water.

I'm in Portland and carless, so if anyone is planning to drive down there maybe we could set up a carpool?  I'll buy drinks!  For the game, not the drive to get there.

We could get our troop supporting on, watch the QB battle unfold, and talk about how awesome our new basketball coach is.  What do you think?  By the way, the Spring Game is scheduled for May 1st at 2:00 PM.

Most of our brackets are broken and there's not much news in Duck world so it seems like a good time to talk football.  Sure, we could wait until spring ball has started and we've heard how Costa and Thomas are doing in practice or even the spring game, but it's more fun to debate now so we can call each other on it later.  So, the question of the day is: What do you want in a quarterback in Chip Kelly's system?

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[Editor's Note - dvieira]: This is a great take and a heart-warming story wrapped up with a little bow. Go Ducks!

I’ve been thinking about the events of today, and the current off-season, and the offense without Jeremiah Masoli, but the more I think about them, the better I feel about our future.  As a fan I’m sure disappointed with the team and the situation as a whole, but I don’t think it kills our chances to be good in 2010 or beyond.  We’ll take a ripping in the media and from Fuskies fans, but we’re the reigning Pac-10 Champions and all the DawgPound tears in the world can’t take that away from us.

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There has been quite a bit of discussion regarding the possible expansion of the Pac-10 conference, it’s future, the revenue it could generate, and the schools that would fit best with our conference.  While many good points have been raised there are a number of issues yet to be discussed and it’s time for us to take a serious look at the potential schools and why they may or may not fit into the Pac-10.

First we need to look at our conference, top to bottom, and really understand what we have and who we are before we consider our options for expansion.

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Have you guys seen the Pit Crew email regarding the "Funeral" they are holding for USC on Saturday?  Here's the text:

Hey Everyone!
    Great game tonight vs. UCLA. Everyone stayed energized the entire game, the stands were full and it seemed like everyone was having a good time! Heres the plan for Saturday:

1) We will be having a funeral for the USC Basketball Program. As some of you may or may not know, they have declared themselves ineligible for post season play this year due to recruiting violations with OJ Mayo. That mean's they won't play in the Pac-10 Tournament....the one that all 10 teams play in no matter what they're record is. Wear black wristbands, headbands, shirts, etc. Make tombstones. They are mourning, so let's mourn with them.

2) Make signs for Kevin O'Neill. He has successfully ruined not only the USC Basketball program, but the Arizona program, and was also a VERY subpar coach in the NBA with the Raptors.

3) Make signs for Mike Garrett. He is a Athletic Director at USC and his department is falling apart. Good job Mike!

4) OJ Mayo. He is the source for all the problems.

5) Violation Counter. We will be having a NCAA Recruitment Violation Counter (kind of like the Kill Counter at volleyball games or the K count at baseball games). We will be handing out giant red X's to represent all the violations.

6) Lil Romeo may or may not be at the game, unfortunately. He is injured and has not been traveling with the team recently. We will know for sure very soon, so right now, plan on him being there and learn the lyrics to his song "My Baby."

Be loud. Be crazy. Be THE PIT CREW! The team needs us. They gain inspiration from us, and if we are there in full force, they will fight. If we start to leave, they will loose interest as well. Hope to see you all in attendance at the USC Funeral. Go Ducks!

-The Pit Crew

Is this really going to happen?  Should I toss a black T-shirt in the bag along with the standard green and yellow?  Is anyone bringing signs for the game?  Great game tonight, maybe they'll carry this one into Saturday and we'll get to see a real game!

Looking forward to meeting all of you.
-Jonathan

Hey everyone, I've never been to Mac Court, I grew up in Portland (where I currently live) and heard countless stories from my dad about the place but I never got to see it. Now that it's my last chance I want to catch a Ducks basketball game there before they move to the new arena. The problem is that I'm 26 but I don't drive, which makes getting to Eugene a little difficult. Do any of you commute from Portland to Eugene? Of course I'd be happy to kick in some gas money. Another option might be to just catch the Greyhound to get there for an afternoon game, I'd love to meet up with some fellow fans and see the campus. Would anyone be interesting in getting together? I'll buy drinks! Bonus if you know how to get some good tickets. I want to experience that "The building is about to collapse and I'm going to die here" feeling I've heard so much about. -Jonathan

We've all been talking about Bayless and what he's shown this season, but how will that effect Rudy when he is healthy again?  They are both "energy off the bench" scoring guards and they both have the ability to become the focus of the offense or play alongside Roy, but in the future will they be fighting for the same minutes?

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While celebrating the huge victory tonight I've been thinking about what this team has overcome to reach this point.  Not just a good season, or making up for some low points, but a Pac-10 Championship.

Everyone will talk about recovering from Boise State and that's big for sure, not just to the players but to Chip Kelly and his staff.  But we've beaten that horse enough.  We had an ugly start and a beautiful finish, the 2009 Oregon Ducks are like a really good (or really predictable) movie script.

Next is LeGarrette Blount and his journey.  From the punch to start the season to a crucial touchdown in the biggest game to close it.  Personally I'm happy for him and proud of this team and university to helping him to get here.  They didn't give him the easy way out and they didn't give themselves an easy way out.  But the result is a great story.

Those are the big ones I'm sure we'll be reading about for days, but looking back over this season this team has overcome so much, both on and off the field.  Here are the ones that stand out to me:

The Defense.  They overcame the loss of perhaps their best player in Walter Thurmond III and another great player, Willie Glasper.  They lost TJ Ward for much of the season, and despite these losses along with so many players leaving last year they still put together a remarkable season.  Imagine what you would have said if somebody came to you in August and said those guys would all go down and by the end of the season we'd have a true freshman (who showed up late!) starting at CB.  I sure wouldn't have predicted a Championship.

Chip Kelly and his staff.  He came in with no head coaching experience, suffered through Boise State, and never blinked.  He stepped in to fill some very large shoes and did it with his own style and system.  We didn't lower our expectations for him and say "Well, this is a transition season while the new guys all get adjusted."  In a sport where one awkward fall or bounce of a very oddly-shaped ball can change the course of a game or a season, Chip Kelly has withstood more craziness and frustration than any new coach could be expected to.  We couldn't have asked for a better first season from Coach Kelly and I'm no expert but I think we should keep this guy around for a while.

Jeremiah Masoli.  Can you really believe that last year he was booed at Autzen?  That there were serious debates about his status as a starter?  Or that he started out so far down the depth chart?  He plays wild and loose and when he "chicken wings" that ball I want to yell at him through my TV but man, what a special player.  He hasn't had the Tim Tebow "Golden Boy" treatment but when the game is on the line he gets the job done as well as any player out there.

Nate Costa.  Costa is my favorite story of this season and I think he is as important as any other Duck in the Championship we are celebrating tonight.  Twice he's been the next in line to lead this team, the QB of the future, only to suffer serious injuries.  I can only imagine how difficult it is to not only recover physically but to go from "next in line" to watching somebody else take your job.  Some players would look for a new gig elsewhere or tell themselves that they cannot contribute to this team.  But Costa has made huge plays with the kicking team, both throwing and running.  He saved the Arizona game with his clutch recovery and hold on the final PAT in regulation.  And when Masoli went down he stepped in, took us down to UCLA, and did his job to bring home a W.  Masoli, James and all the rest are remarkable players but this team needed Nate Costa to win the Championship this year.

I'm no good with Photoshop, but Haiku is always fun.  At least, it's fun until everyone's too drunk to count.  Okay, with a whole day left I don't know what else to do.  I mean, after you watch a few hours of highlights, sing I Love My Ducks in the shower, wrap a fish with Canzano, check the clock to update your hourly Civil War countdown, and then watch some more Duck highlights what's left?  I'm out of ideas, so let's rock some manly Civil War Haiku.  I'll start:

Twenty four hours...
"Ducks at the seven yard line
Masoli...Touchdown!"



Quizz fumbles the ball
First fumble ever.  Really?!
Autzen strikes again.


Empty backfield
Ed Dickson running the post
Cornerback in tears

I'm curious how other Duck fans feel about Boise State as we close out the year.  I used to be a fan; I always cheer for the underdog, I love to see the classic powerhouse teams upset and upstart programs make a statement.  I wanted to see Hawaii knock off Georgia somehow, I was thrilled last year to see Utah beat Alabama, and I want to see it happen again this year.  Just not for Boise State.

After the cheap shots, late hits, taunting, and lack of discipline I can't take any more.  I accept that they beat us but they spent the rest of the season playing the University of Phoenix Online School For The Blind and Mentally Disturbed (Women's Campus).  To be fair, Florida and Alabama have feasted on Div II teams and Texas got in on the fun as well but at least they will have to win a real game before Bowl season starts.

I wanted to see Boise get upset somewhere along the way but now my biggest hope is to see them matched up with a real powerhouse, say Florida, and crushed mercilessly.  I want to see Tim Tebow going for 2 with a 49 point lead at halftime.  I want them to see Colt Brennan on TV saying "Whew, and I thought MY bowl game was ugly!"  Is it bad for the BCS and our hope of a change to the system?  Probably, but they'll get their paycheck either way.  This isn't about the greater good, it's about watching those arrogant Broncos crash to earth, hopefully with some wicked explosions.

How do the rest of you feel about Boise State?  Are they still the lovable underdog that shocked Oklahoma with a playbook straight off the Playstation or are they the undisciplined cheap-shotters that we'll all hate on for the next five years?  Do you hope to see one of the Pundits Favorite teams get knocked down a peg, or are you anxious for a Chris Petersen interview that begins with "Well, we gave it our best shot"?

Of course all that matters is the Civil War but that feels like it's about eighty years away.  And since we all agree that Beavers do bad things to good sheep and I Love My Ducks is the greatest video since the one with the crazy chipmunk in it (you know what I'm talking about) all that's left to discuss is bowl games and beer.

While watching the Boise State mess and the situation Chip Kelly is in I started wondering how some of the coaches in the top-25 started their Head Coaching careers.  I just used Wikipedia and some general Google research to see if I could find any trends.  I only looked at their first year at the BCS level, not how they did at smaller or division II schools.

Rich Rodriguez - 3-8 at WVU
Les Miles - 4-7 at Ok. State
Frank Beamer - 2-9 at Virginia Tech
Mike Riley - 3-8 at Or. State
Mike Gundy - 4-7 at Ok. State (Like Chip Kelly, this was his first HC experience)
Jeff Tedford - 7-5 at Cal
Jim Tressel - 7-5 at Ohio State
Bob Stoops - 7-5 at Oklahoma
Urban Meyer - 9-3 at Florida
Mack Brown - 9-3 at Texas
Pete Carrol - 6-6 at USC (2-5 to start his tenure there)

If anyone wants to contribute some other stats I'd be very interested to see them.  Of course some people (like a guy named Mike Bellotti) did very well in their first year, and I didn't separate guys with zero HC experience from those who coached at other schools first.  It looks like even solid coaches had to adjust to the BCS level and the ones who were very successful early inherited loaded teams.

I want to blame everything on Chip Kelly and the staff because the game was so ugly but the (small) part of me that isn't a rabid Duck fan says to give him some time.  Maybe we aren't going to rout Florida 55-3 this year but there are a number of very well respected coaches who struggled early and still lifted their programs to a very high level.