It has been 41 days since the Washington Huskies have beaten the Oregon Ducks in basketball. Not quite the same ring to it as football but I won't be picky after that performance.

• Garrett Sim and his buddies in yellow unleashed a Tony Woods-sized can on the Washington Huskies last night, defeating the bad guys from that state up north 82-57. Oregon never trailed in the game and played great team ball. The Huskies looked completely out of sorts while the Ducks played one of their best games of the season.
• Expectations were high for last year's Oregon Baseball team. There was talk about winning the conference, playoffs and perhaps more in 2011 but the tone is a bit different going into the 2012 season. "Living in the moment" seems to be the motto this year. For those that followed the team last year, you know that hitting was a problem. To help address the situation, Jay Uhlman is back on the coaching staff. To get yourself caught up on all the latest news as we move towards the season opening game on February 17th, check out this great rundown.
• Speaking of baseball, junior left-hander Christian Jones is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery. I've heard the term a lot but I never knew what it entailed until I jumped on the Google Machine and hit the Wikipedias.
• If I said the name "Adam Hazel" to you, would you remember who I was talking about? What if I told you he was a quarterback? What if I said he was under 30? Give up? He was a walk-on who provided depth to Kellen Clemens and Dennis Dixon back in the day. He was hired as the St. Francis Sharks (high school) football coach in California. Congratulations to Adam!

Happy Friday everyone. Always good to be hanging on a Friday after a good Ducks win.

Did any of your Oregon State Beaver friends see their shadow today? If so, that means 6 more weeks of looking for more defensive back recruits.

• Yesterday marked the yearly ritual in college football where young men had to struggle with that awkward question we all have had to struggle with at one point in our lives... what the hell is a fax machine? Most people have discussed star rankings or how this school did compared to other schools. I prefer to look at it from another angle. This was a day when students across the country sign a piece of paper confirming a scholarship offer to attend a university. Celebrate as Duck Fans for our class, but celebrate the families of these kids that worked hard and raised them to reach for the stars and grab these opportunities. Here's Chip Kelly talking about the incoming recruiting class (video by the Register-Guard). If you prefer "Chip Notes", here's a text-based version of some of the highlights.
• While we might all get excited about new recruits, there are a ton of guys already putting in the work for another successful football season coming in the fall. The future is now with those guys, but sure. We can still talk more about the 2012 recruiting class as well.
• 2012 marks another big milestone that some people may not realize. Nike will become the official apparel and uniform supplier for the NFL and you know what that means. There's a certain school out there who's going to get mentioned every single time this fact gets brought up between now and then. Not much in this article except a photo of some nifty Philadelphia Eagles gloves.
• Friend of the Blog and Twitter Track Master Flash Ken Goe has some awesome updates from the land of running, jumping, running through tape, making footprints in sand, using a pole to jump over other poles, throwing sharp poles into the ground, and various other feats. In something that will even make JShufelt excited, "The Fan Festival will include something being billed as 'base came for beer fanatics'". Definitely worth the read to get caught up on the Olympic Trials and whether De'Anthony Thomas will be available for the track team.

And finally, if you follow @addictedtoquack on Twitter, you may have witnessed the birth of a new rival fan slam on our beloved Oregon Ducks. For all of you American Idol fans, here's Ben from Eugene, Oregon!

With only one news agency reporting and a bunch of others reporting on that news agency reporting, I'm hesitant to even give this front page real estate until we can confirm it. KGW out of Portland is currently reporting that Oregon Ducks Head Football Coach Chip Kelly is in the final stages of a contract to coach the Tampa Bay Bucs.

My advice to everyone? Relax and let's see how this plays out. We are way too early on this story and there is nothing but rumors at this point.

We'll pass along information as we can CONFIRM it.

[UPDATE] - Adam Schefter via twitter chimes in

As NBC in Portland, Ore. reported, Chip Kelly and Bucs are involved in active contract discussions. Kelly interviewed with Bucs last week.

On the advice of ATQ Twitter Manager, and my personal lawyer, Chesterfield, I can no longer (redacted) when I discuss anything related to (redacted). Needless to say, I'm proud to (redacted) a joint initiative with California Golden Blogs to form the "The Definitely Not Talking About (redacted) Super PAC". All proceeds go directly to our (redacted). Here's your (redacted).

• First up, we've got hoops on the brain! Well, maybe I do at least. The Men's Basketball Team has two very winnable games coming up this week when UCLA and USC come to town. Oregon Live has some good basketball links and some good information about Olu Ashalou. Anyone remember playing Duquesne last year in the CBI? Well, it wasn't that long ago that a shooting occurred at that school and one of Olu's brothers almost didn't make it.
• Saturday should be a big day at Matthew Knight Arena as the Rose Bowl-winning football team will be honored at halftime of the UCLA Bruins game. Also, if you haven't figured it out, the men's team has a really good shot at doing something special this season. Real Time RPI is at 49, putting Oregon only behind California in conference. Who knows? Hold serve at home and get splits and we'll have a really nice season on our hands. Need a preview of the game? Here's one from the UCLA perspective.
• Recent Academic All-Americans. 7 of them. Go read this and honor their work!
• Obviously talk of the quarterback situation has been a hot topic over the last week or so. If you follow @addictedtoquack on twitter, you know that Chesterfield has been engaging fans on the possibility of Jake Rodrigues getting some time and possibly competing for the starting job. This is a great article discussing his road to the Ducks and also provides an update on his leg injury from back in November. SPOILER: Looks like he'll be ready for Spring Camp.
• He's not the only QB that could earn some playing time. Chip Kelly has called Marcus Mariota "the perfect fit" for the Oregon offense. Mariota is ready to compete after redshirting last year. It may have been hard for him sitting on the bench, but he learned from the best during that time. FWIW, Rob Moseley guesses that Mariota will have a 35% chance of earning the starting job.

Finally, I know we had a lot of fun the last day or so with 3000 and all. Sometimes situations can get a little overheated. What do you do if your thing you've got a fire breaking out, especially in your own home? That's why we'd like to offer up this Public Service Announcement to all readers of Addicted to Quack.

I don't see what people get out of seeing Husky Stadium demolished. It's not like they are going to stop in the middle and say "Well, looks like we aren't going to make a new one. Your football team needs to play at a high school from now on". If anything, it makes me want to restart the arms race and build that Autzen Expansion.

• A common thing to do during the long off-season is to release super early and completely irrelevant guesses at polls for next year. Oregon comes in at number 3 in this very early poll with the author citing depth and Kenjon Barner as a suitable replacement for LaMichael James. My opinion? I think LSU is going to be the team to beat next year. Tremendous depth and a chip on their shoulder to boot, look out for the Tigers in 2012. I think the Pac-12 is going to be harder to navigate with so many new coaches and the overall talent increase. We'll see how the spring goes.
• Want to get your picture taken with the Rose Bowl trophy? Well, it turns out the UCLA Basketball game at Matthew Knight Arena on January 21st will showcase that trophy, the Pac-12 Championship and give fans a chance to congratulate the football team and coaches on an amazing bowl victory. Tickets for the game begin at $15 and should be a great crowd. If you don't care about football and really, who does, you may care about seeing Devoe Joseph. He's had a major impact on the team this season and it's too bad we only get him for one year.
  
• I'm sure there were lots of potential recruits watching the Rose Bowl this year and not just the football kind either. Being in SoCal gave the University of Oregon a chance to reach out to prospective students.
• We have reports about the Miami Dolphins Head Coaching Job. No, Chip Kelly didn't take the job. We don't even really know if he was contacted about it although everyone but KEZI9 seems to think he wasn't. It turns out reports are linking Jeff Fisher to the post at $7M/year. I know there is a lot of push to move people out to the NFL or what have you for a "better job" but sometimes that "better job" isn't the NFL. If part of your DNA is being a teacher and mentor and you're a football coach, I would claim that college is your best job. How can you teach people in the NFL when everyone thinks they know everything already?

A little light on the quack. Sorry about that. Everyone have a great day Rose Bowl Champs!

Sarcasm translates just fine on the Internet. I don't see what the big deal is.

• Yeah, I'm still reading about the Rose Bowl victory from earlier in the week. I just can't get over it. I'm so excited and I just can't hide it. Fox Sports can't hide it either as they call the Oregon Ducks "the most futuristic team in college football". Yeah. I like the sound of that. We've already replaced all our quarterbacks' ACLs with spare Nike-sponsored cyborg parts. Time for new uniforms again! Hooray!
• Most of the local media seems pretty set on wishing LaMichael James well in his NFL career. As we all wait optimistically for his decision to be made (and made public), there is another Rose Bowl running back who looks to be returning to school for his senior season which could make the Big-10 conference race VERY interesting.
• I'm big into statistics around the Rose Bowl. Yards per play, sacks per minute, eyes blinded by helmets during the first quarter, any that I can get. What I didn't find until recently were some interesting statistics about the Rose Parade itself, especially when it involves an "Occupy" group.
• Many people are already predicting wins and losses for next year. How does Yahoo Sports view Northwest Teams in 2012? Well Portland Trail Blazers fans, you'll get the worst end of it by only making it to the Western Conference Finals.
• I would be remiss if I didn't include a link to a boxscore from the Oregon Men's Basketball game last night where the Ducks cut down the trees 78-67 from Matthew Knight Arena. That's a big win for an Oregon team looking to make some noise in the Pac-12 conference. Speaking of Matthew Knight Arena, there is a big event coming to Eugene and I'm going to be there with my "You Can't See Me!" hat telling people to "Know Your Role!".
  

Comments. You give quack in the comments. Comments.

Twas the night before Gameday, when all through the land
Not a pep band was playing, drumlines went unmanned.
The helmets were hung by the lockers with care,
In hopes that a Rose Bowl trophy soon would be there.

The footballers were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of touchdowns danced in their heads.
And Kahlua in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the field there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a pass,
as if someone replaced the fieldturf with grass.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a Volkswagen Bus, and eight kegs of beer.

Continue reading this post »

Everything about Wisconsin's offensive line is just swell!

• In a study that should hold up to all kinds of scrutiny from all different angles, a study at the University of Oregon found that the more the football team wins, the more male students' grades drop. I'm also sure no one would make a claim about how athletics are prioritized over academics and that's why this is an issue. Although it might be a little difficult to gauge given the tremendous success of these programs, I'd like to see a similar comparison to a Duke or North Carolina during March Madness.
• Some various notes from this Register-Guard article including Rose Bowl prep information and how similar it is to 2009, a note about when the Pac-12 Football schedule will be released and also some notes about recent UO commit Kyle Long who is the son of Hall of Fame NFL great Howie Long.
• Darron Thomas is referring to the Rose Bowl preparation as a "Second Fall Camp" because of the extended sessions without playing a game since the Pac-12 Championship Game at Autzen Stadium against UCLA. A major difference from a typical fall camp is that there is no tackling Also of note, Oregon is the "home team" and will be wearing a dark color combination. In your predictions, make sure to take into account that we've been asked to wear yellow.
• Looking to score some deals in Beverly Hills? Apparently there is a spirit campaign going on to get deals at various businesses in the city. Wear your gear, follow a twitter account, yadda yadda. My wife and I got a wonderful deal at the Musical Instrument Museum during our trip to the BCS National Championship game last year by wearing our gear.
• David Piper was kind enough to invite me out to watch the Men's Basketball Team take on North Carolina Central. After watching the first half where Oregon shot 20% from the field and 10% from beyond the arc, I've decided that Dave hates me and doesn't value my friendship AT ALL. Why does he hate me so much? Why did I deserve such punishment? It was all good though as the Ducks turned it on in the second half.
• Oregon Live has a great feature on Boseko Lokembo.

Jared is off this week so you get some extra special Quack Fixes from me. I'll need to let Chesterfield take care of the Twitter Feed this week. Hopefully that ship of bananas comes in or he will give me the bat again! Onto the quack.

• Nick Aliotti dishes on one of my favorite players on defense in Dion Jordon. He made the move to defense in the Spring of 2010 and has been a welcome addition to the Pain Gang. This year, he leads the team in tackles for loss (13.5) as well as sacks (7.5). The best part? He's only a junior and has improved tremendously since his move from tight end. Dion will need to channel his inner man-child to help the Oregon defense against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.
• Steve Mims with the Register-Guard discusses the impact of seven Oregon Ducks who didn't have to travel far to contribute to the football team. The article profiles Chad Delaney, Grant Thompson, Blake Thompson, Nick Musgrove, Justin Hoffman, Dustin Haines, and Curtis White. Of these seven players, who do you think will make the most impact for the team next year?
• In recruiting news, the Football team picked up a commitment from JC transfer Kyle Long who spent the last two years playing for Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California. He's 6-foot-7, 290 lbs and plays offensive tackle although he'll probably play more positions once he gets into the Oregon program. He also had offers from several SEC and other Pac-12 schools before choosing Oregon.
• Aaron Fentress takes a look at Wisconsin's linebackers versus the Oregon running back contingent. We'll hear this is a lot of over the next two weeks. Edge Oregon because of speed. On a personal note, I do think Oregon's running back speed is excellent but that speed also depends on beating guys who are thinking too much or who are out of position. Even though Wisconsin didn't do well against similar Michigan State plays, I don't think we should just write this position matchup off as a win for Oregon just based on speed alone. The Badger linebackers have 2 first team all Big-10 players and represent a strength of their defense. Staying home and tackling well can help cut down on Oregon big plays.
• Bucky's 5th Quarter has had a number of posts up last week about supposed bulletin board material comments made by Oregon players. As I read through all of the comments and posts, I've come to the conclusion that some of our players may have hurt their players' and fans' feelings because they didn't acknowledge them by name and say they were good. While this may come across as a stirring rebuke of all things cheese, it doesn't surprise me in the slightest. The Oregon philosophy is all about doing what's in your own power. Saying, "oh my! We're so concerned about Wisconsin's o-line don't you know! You betcha, we're going to be stressing day and night about it!" is just not in our DNA and quite frankly, it shouldn't be in Wisconsin's either. Take care of your own business and prepare for your opponent's strengths and weaknesses. Why would you pay lip service to your opponent? To talk up their ego? I think they might be more depressed about not getting compliments more than being upset about potential insults. Just my 2 cents.

That's it for the quack. We're going to be all over our Rose Bowl coverage this week as we break down the matchups. I'm dying to see if we've even got a chance. As always, go Ducks!

Coach, I can't do it. I've ruined you, I've ruined myself, I've ruined the University of California. I couldn't face that crowd to save my life. Roy, get up and go back out there — the game is only half over.

• Former Oregon Ducks men's basketball player Jabari Brown looks to be narrowing his options as he looks to move on from his brief tenure with Dana Altman's program. Apparently the two leading contenders are the Missouri Tigers and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Both programs would allow him to step in and be the big fish in a small pond talent-wise. It's too bad that Oregon didn't work out for Brown, but I'm glad he's getting some interest from other teams despite his propensity to bounce around from school to school.
• The Oregon Volleyball team picked up their seventh Academic All-American honor in program history when it was announced that outside hitter Katherine Fischer won the award for the second year in a row. Congratulations to Katherine!
• Although many questions are asked and answered in this piece, I do enjoy the premise of which "minor" college football bowl game interests me the most. I'd have to say that the Ohio State and Florida matchup is intriguing to me on a number of levels. Urban Meyer, BCS Championship Game rematch from a few years ago, among other reasons. Also, someone gives a wild prediction on this year's Rose Bowl matchup and if I didn't know better, I would say someone is an Oregon Ducks homer!
• In track news, University of Portland standout Trevor Dunbar will be doning the green and yellow... and black... and steel in efforts to further his track career. There is some nice audio and a small transcript here.
• How is Jeff Maehl doing for the Houston Texans? He's gotten positive reviews from the other players and coaching staff and is shooting to have an understanding of the playbook for this Sunday's contest against Jonathan Stewart's Carolina Panthers.
• The Oregon Athletic Department has a new face running around. Eric Roedl takes over the Chief Financial Officer position from Jamie Moffett who began a new role as the University's vice president of finances and administration.
• Need some recruiting updates? Check out some defensive lineman news from Duck Sports Authority courtesy of Oregon Live.

So happy for it to be Friday, there's really only one song I can think of to make it all that much better.

For all you Navy people out there, just remember two things this weekend. 1) Thank you for your service and 2) The Black Knights will always triumph! Have at you! On with the quack.

• Perhaps not getting much press as it probably should on the blog, an interesting story appeared this week that mentioned Supwitchugirl's attempts to trademark their popular phrase "I Love My Ducks" after dealing with copycats. Unfortunately, their trademark application raised the ever watching UO Lawyer eye and they were met with a "don't do that or we'll sue you" letter.
• Kenyon Barner was the subject of Oregon Live's "Photo of the Day" yesterday. I look forward to posting this often during next year's Washington - Oregon football matchup. I am curious, what's the count up to? I'm somewhat excited to see what Barner will do as the feature back next year without LaMichael. We have been so blessed to have a marvel of a running back that we can often forget just how good Barner is as a compliment.
• Amidst the defections from the UO Men's Basketball team, Saturday's game against Fresno State marks the debut of senior 6-4 combo guard Devoe Joseph who transferred from the Minnesota Golden Gophers this offseason. Joseph should provide another threat on the parameter and help shore up the rotation.
• Just a reminder, we still have lawyers in town looking into that whole Willie Lyles thing.
• The Doak Walker Award for 2011 went to Alabama's Trent Richardson who beat out LaMichael James and Wisconsin's own Montee Ball. James didn't attend the ceremony because of one of those classic college student problems... finals week.

Word coming from multiple sources that Oregon St. Beavers freshman defensive tackle Fred Thompson died this evening of a heart attack at the Dixon Rec Center. This is a tragedy for our community. Our hearts go out to all of Beaver Nation, the families and friends of Fred Thompson and all those affected by this loss.

Update: The Rec Center isn't releasing any information at this time regarding the circumstances surrounding the situation. I would expect that Comcast's Brandon Sprague and Oregon Live's Paul Buker will be providing updates as they come in

The time has finally come. We already know who will be playing in the Rose Bowl but who's going to be playing in the National Championship? Will Oklahoma State's win over the Oklahoma Sooners be enough to sway voters? Follow all the action here and chat about which matchups appear to be the most interesting.

BCS National Championship: LSU vs. Not-Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Oregon

Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Stanford

Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. West Virginia

Sugar Bowl: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

In a game that had a lot more drama to it than the Pac-12 Championship game, Wisconsin was able to emerge victorious in a hard fought shootout against the Michigan St. Spartans, 42-39. I'm very much looking forward to reacquainting myself with the Badger Fan Base and their great traditions. Congratulations and see you in Pasadena!

PS: Thanks for beating up Oregon State earlier this year. We REALLY enjoyed that.

We had an open thread for earlier games but this game deserves its own mention. We'll learn who will be facing our beloved Ducks in the Rose Bowl in just a few short hours. Follow all the game action here in this thread and let's hope for an awesome game. It might be interesting to have a 4th quarter shout vs jump contest.

Growing up, I didn't appreciate Thanksgiving as much as I do now. Oh, I loved getting turkey and various pies and I put up with seeing my family, but as I've gotten older, I've found a new found appreciation for the last Thursday in November. Maybe it's a natural thing to come later in age but I wish I had found the value in the holiday sooner.

For me, today represents a day for reflection. During holidays of the past, I remember very clearly my father sitting at the head of the table as he normally did, eyes slightly watery as he gave an opening statement before we would start to make our collective food babies.

"On this day, let's not just be thankful for who we have with us, but also remember those that came before us and those that couldn't be here with us today". 

My family is older, many of my brothers and sisters have families of their own to share the holiday with and have begun to carve out their own traditions. For me, I was blessed to host my wife's family for Thanksgiving dinner at our house last year, my first time ever hosting and the first Thanksgiving without my father. I had a hard time making it through that day knowing he had passed but a few months before that.

I didn't know what to say since I had never been in that position before. I sat at the head of the table, a place that had always felt like my father's throne and sat silent, collecting my thoughts. When the time came to begin the meal, I said the only thing I could think of to say at that moment. The opening my father would always say.

 "On this day, let's not just be thankful for who we have with us, but also remember those that came before us and those that couldn't be here with us today". I welled up inside, probably shed a little bit of a tear, and carried on with my wife's family happy, eating, and enjoying the moment.

As I start my second Thanksgiving without my father, I think back to that phrase my father used to say and only now do I appreciate what he would reflect on, with the small tear in his eye. Life is short, life is precious, and our time on this planet is fleeting. Be thankful for all that you have, all your friends, your family (even if they drive you crazy) because at the end of the day, we are all truly lucky to have these people in our lives and to be able to spend time with them. It won't last forever, but as long as we cherish them today, it can seem that way.

From all the moderators, editors, and writers here at Addicted to Quack, thank you for being a part of our family. Be thankful for who we have with us, remember those that came before us, and those that couldn't be here today.

--Dominic

There was a lot to go through this week in the Netglow File but there is one common thread that couldn't be denied. USC Fans are bitter, even in victory. Talk of how corrupt the NCAA is as an organization and how USC got "screwed" by them. How the entire world is against USC succeeding and looking to destroy "The Program". How even in blowouts, the refs are out there to take USC down as hitmen from Larry Scott. Even in winning against Oregon, there is an undenible feeling across the Interwebs.

USC fans have forgotten how to win.

A win against a team like Oregon only just a few years ago would have been met with almost indifference. A win against a good team, expected to do it, fight on Trojans, etc etc. What is it now? USC players scream "We're back!", fans taking swipes at their opponents fans, and what do Oregon fans do?

Collective sigh, "bummer we lost the game. Oh well, didn't matter ultimately. Still control our destiny for a Rose Bowl berth"

My how roles have reversed.

Oregon is now at the top of the hill where a loss against a team like USC doesn't ultimately matter for a Rose Bowl berth and a USC reaction to a win against Oregon is met with hostility, bitterness and jealousy. Oh don't get me wrong. The talent for USC is there and there will be wins a plenty in coming years. The biggest thing USC has lost? The tradition of "acting like you've been there". For a program with the history of USC, losing that tradition is worse than any NCAA sanction. Confidence has been replaced with bitterness and that's how you know that the USC program has fallen from the elite in the conference.

Onto the Netglow File

Continue reading this post »

Everyone loves the Internet. It's that dark, mysterious place where everyone gets to shout out amazing and insightful things, all with the veil of anonymity. Every now and then, we come across some wonderful gems that we can't help but share to a broader audience. Everyone has their moment online, some just didn't know how truly amazing their insight was until now. The following represent true, unadulterated wisdom from this past weekend. Bask in their glory.

"when are ppl gonna stop talking about 0-12? I mean, Christ, that was three years ago. That’s enough time to put together a competitive squad. The progress has overall been ok, but these embarrassing losses are starting to get old. Plus, you know very well that the 0-12 team was good enough to win at least 3-4 games. The players gave up on Ty and Jake got injured. Hard to overcome that." -- SBNation user PurpleHaze11 commenting on frustration about negativity on UW Dawg Pound. source

This is one of those quotes that has a lot going on. The context was that USC was in the middle of dispatching Washington's chances in their game Saturday in Los Angeles. Being a successful football team is more than just having talent. It takes coaching, motivation, heart, teamwork, all of the elements that make team sports successful. There is no way you are convincing me that that team, under any circumstances, was good enough to win 3-4 games and if that's the measuring stick you are using for that season, that is an amazing amount of positive spin. It's part of your history now, you have to own it. You will never EVER hear the end of it.

"Just got back from the game. Been tailgating since 2. Feeling to my extremities is slowly coming back. Except for my loins, which have been white hot for a solid three hours now. I love you so much, Connor and I don’t care who knows it…" -- SB Nation user BigWood commenting on Connor Halliday and his performance for Washington State against Arizona State. source

Congratulations to the Washington St. Cougars and their big win against the Arizona St. Sun Devils this weekend. Halliday put on a helluva performance and would have gotten more accolades had the game been played earlier in the day and not from the remote colonies of Eastern Washington. I'm not sure what to think when someone named "BigWood" talking about loving someone a lot and referring to their genital region as "white hot". Since people are celebrating Movember, all I can ask is if he was looking for a moustache ride.

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Hard to look at the news and think about anything besides Joe Paterno and Penn State. State College, a town of a little over 42,000 people, is as "small town" and as "college town" as you can get across this country. JoePa wasn't just a sports figure across the US, but he was an icon to this little town, a town where football and university are kings. A father figure to many in his community who dedicated his life to the cause that he loved. Besides just the true sadness of the entire situation, the overwhelming thought that comes into my mind is the same one that props up from time to time as I get older. 

Our generations of people, just like our ancestors and future generations to come, will have heroes... people who lead our community through the shadows of dark times through the prosperity of light times. We build them up, place our hopes and dreams in their stead and look for them to provide a compass by which we can steer our ship. The common thread between us is that we are all infallible fallible and even though heroes from all throughout our lives may let us down (as we ourselves let others down), we must not let the hurt of these incidents detract us from striving for morality or helping those that have fallen get back up. We can all be leaders in morality, if only for ourselves.

On to the quack

• While most of the college football world is transfixed on Pennsylvania, people seem to be forgetting about this week's Game of the Century. This week's presentation comes to us from the Pac-12 as Oregon and Stanford play in a Top 10 matchup in this new fangled sport called "football". I can't help but look at how the two teams fared against each other the last two years. In both games, the team has dug itself quite the hole to dig out of. The question becomes: How concerned are you about a slow start on the farm?
• Autzen Zoo is predicting a huge win over the Cardinal this weekend with the Ducks taking it 38-20. I like a track meet in this game similar to 2009 and I think it will be a lot closer than AZ predicts. What do you think on the scores?
• In Volleyball news, the team picked up a trio of awesome recruits in Canace Finley, Martenne Bettendorf and Maddie Mage. Welcome to Duck Nation!
• The wide receiver position has taken some flack this season from fans with the losses of Jeff Maehl and DJ Davis but there is one local product that's happy to have a shot with his hometown team. 
• There is an underlying storyline to the Men's Basketball contest on Friday when Oregon takes on the seventh-ranked Commodores of Vanderbilt. Garrett Sim went to Sunset High School and Commodore point guard Brad Tinsley went to Oregon City High School. The two met up in the semi-finals of the state championship tournament during their senior years. The article also references some redshirt options for Dana Altman going into the season. Speaking of Vandy, here's a preview from their perspective.
• Finally, we have an article discussing the virtues of College Football over Professional Football. There are some interesting points but the main item I always point to when comparing the two has to be how each sport deals with their stars. In pro football, the players are always the stars. Brady, Manning, Rivers, etc. In college, the coaches are the real stars. Saban, Miles, Brown, etc. That's what makes college football special to me. The leaders of the teams are the stars, not so much the individual performers.

That's all for the quack today. Remember to hug your kids, call your family members or talk to a friend you haven't spoken to in awhile. Life is short. Go Ducks

We got no food, no jobs... our PETS' HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!

• Couple of updates to discuss out of practice yesterday as noted by Oregon Live. Darron Thomas said that he's 100 percent and expects to start against Washington State. LaMichael James could play on Saturday if necessary, and Ricki Heimuli walked out of practice in a boot. Also, there are some good quotes from Chip Kelly regarding the proposed increase in student-athlete "pay". We also have another report from the Register Guard.
• One of the unsung heroes of the Oregon Football Team has to be Punter Jackson Rice. I remember when he was recruited and was pretty excited about the fancy stars that were next to his name. In previous years, I've been very nervous about our special teams in all senses of the word. Although I may still be nervous when we receive, I'm far less nervous now when we are giving up the ball and Rice is a good reason for that.
• I don't like to link to Bleacher Report articles very often but I thought this one brought up a good point (even if the argument was kind of dumb). The basic premise... Oregon Quarterback Bryan Bennett is not ready to be a starter and while I agree that there certainly needs to be some polish, I think he managed the games well when he has played. One thing I know for sure. Whenever we run a play that looks like a zone read, people behind me will complain that we should have passed when we ran and vice versa. I look forward to these same people wanting Bennett in the game as soon as we lose yards on a handoff.
• We don't want to count our ducks before they're hatched, but there are some things to be mindful of if Autzen Stadium is hosting the first ever Pac-12 Championship Game.
• Basketball season is nearly upon us and the team is going to look VERY different this year. The men's team will have 8 new players on the court and expectations are high. I'm not ready to give this team a pass to the top half of the Pac-12 with so many new players but I am excited to see what this new group can do.
• Good news on the academic front as the football team saw a 14 point jump over the last two years and the men's basketball team continues to be impressive academic force.
• Finally, we have some Pac-12 picks for this weekend. Vegas must know something I don't know because I can't figure out for the life of me why Utah is favored over Oregon State. Both of these teams aren't that great but at least the Beavers have somewhat of an offense.

That's it for the quack. For a fun fact of the day, Oregon leads the nation in the number of Opponent Kickoff Returns with allowing 8.1 returns per game. Yeah, we're scoring a lot.

Name's Smalls. Leonard Smalls. My friends call me Lenny... only I ain't got no friends.

• Most everyone knows that ESPN College Gameday is coming to Eugene this Saturday to broadcast from the Memorial Quad on campus. A member of ATQ Nation got interviewed about the sign making process, even if they did spell his name wrong in the story. For those that are planning on going to the event, make sure to follow the rules about signs and general behavior. Personal note: I actually met ATQ Nation member AllSaintsDay at a Gameday event when he brought in an "I Declare You Sanchez!" sign. Always love to see ATQ memes on there but remember, no URLs or advertisements or they'll take the sign away.
  
• I remember being frustrated at times with Anthony Gildon's play in previous years. This year, I have to say that I've been really impressed at how he's step up on defense and taken more of a leadership role in locking feces down. Lots of good information about Gildon here in this article, including a quote from Chip Kelly about Gildon taking over the role that Talmadge Jackson held.
• Middle of the week and Autzen Zoo has some Power Rankings for us to consider. I still think Stanford looks the most impressive out of anyone in the conference. Looking at their schedule, I'm struggling to find a loss on it given the way they've been playing. Their biggest test between now and Oregon is maybe USC? Washington? They also avoid Arizona State altogether. 
• Normally don't like to link to Bleacher Report but one of their contributors list out the Top 9 Ducks in the NFL. St. Louis Rams backup quarterback AJ Feeley makes the list at number 5 which seems a bit high considering who else is on the list but perhaps someone has a good argument? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
• We have a midwest preview for the big football contest on Saturday where the Ducks are picked to win 34-24 over the Sun Devils. I think the offensive line holds the key to Oregon's chances. Can they give Darron Thomas enough time to eat grilled cheese sandwiches? Will holes open up for the running back stable? I think Kenyon Barner is one guy that needs to show up big time. He's been somewhat invisible since his injury last year against Washington State and this could be his opportunity to showcase his talents again on a big stage.
  
• In one of my favorite posts of the early college football season, we head over to the great Utah SB Nation blog Block U for the "Dennis Erickson Drinking Game".

I'm sure I forgot some things. Drop the quack in the comments below. Go Ducks!

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. ... Stay hungry. Stay foolish." -- Steve Jobs at Stanford University, 2005 Commencement Address

• I'm not a huge fan of weekday games, especially living out of the area. Sure, I understand the whole TV contracts reason but lets just say that the selfish part of me says we can do without it. One major reason has to be the traffic issues that invariably result. Remember to give yourselves extra time to get to the game as this will be the first home game since the students are back on campus. Combine that with some bad weather and you've got some combustible elements. Be safe out there. 
• I like the "Fighting Ducks" uniforms for a number of reasons. They are green and yellow, they showcase the mascot and it has a nice reference to Former Oregon Football Coach Jerry Frei. Lets be real with each other for a bit. People will like the uniforms a lot better if we win. I'm not alone in liking them. In fact, someone even makes the claim that the duck is better than the wings on the shoulders.
• Even though we've had our own previews, it's always good to look outside the friendly confines of the ATQ Compound to see what others are saying about the game. ESPN has a nice look back at last years game what that may mean for this year's version. For a more "fair and balanced" perspective Fox gives us the viewpoint from the Golden Bears perspective. Also, we provide a little local perspective on the game. I think people are dismissing Cal a bit too much in this game. Before I PANIC too much, I'll throw out a couple of stats. 1) Chip Kelly has never lost at home as head coach and 2) whenever I worry about a game, we always end up winning and boy am I worried about this one. I'm glad this one's at home.
• Ok, now that I'm good and panic'd, let's review my main concern which is that Cal Bear defense. They lost some NFL-caliber players and inexperience is an issue in places.
• John Canzano has an interesting piece about where Portland ranks as a "Sports Town". 

Cal Week means one thing. Break out the THREAT DOWN! Remember, keep them drunk because they are godless killing machines. Go Ducks and beat the sanctimonious enviro-bears!

I fell down on the quack last week but not today. I couldn't help it last week. That Storage Wars marathon was just too good.

• Even though we've got a bit of a lull during the bye week, Football coaches are off on recruiting trips this week. Bob Rickert has some great updates on a number of targets that Oregon is talking to. Arizona State and Washington State appear to be shaping up to be great recruiting weekends. Let's hope for amazing weather and good impressions.
• Mike Stoops had some post-game thoughts about Oregon's offensive line during the Pac-12 conference call this week. Confidence growing, more experience, tough to argue with that. With the bye week here, it will be time to work on some things and git ready for the rest of the Pac-12 schedule.
• A lot has been made of Oregon's success and rise to the top. Athlon Sports looks at other programs that may be on a similar rise over the next decade.
• Football Offensive Coordinator Mark Helfrich was dealing with more than Arizona defenses last Saturday. His father was found dead in his hotel room before the game. Speaking for everyone here at ATQ, our hearts go out to Mark and his family.
• With the California Golden Bears coming to Eugene next week, it will be easy to remember faking injuries and all the controversy it caused. To Cal Head Coach Jeff Tedford's credit, he's owned it and has looked to move on. That doesn't mean we shouldn't talk about it. This article discusses how faking injuries is part of American Culture.

More quack? You know what to do.

I like to move it move it.

• Missouri State is coming to Autzen Stadium on Saturday and I haven't seen this much confidence about a game's outcome since the Oregon State / Sacramento State matchup. Rob Parness offers a preview. Terrell Turner is talking about how Chip is getting the team ready to play and it should come as no surprise that he's treating it just like any other game. Speaking of Terrell, he took a quiz Missouri State. Ted Miller offers up some Pac-12 predictions for this weekend.
  
• Apparently there is this new trend going around with the hipsters that says flashy uniforms bring in recruits! On a serious not, the article does have some interesting notes about Oregon recruits and players as well as a discussion of the Maryland "flag" uniforms. 
• There is a group of people at every Oregon Ducks home game that go mostly unnoticed but play a vital role in ensuring the success of the event, win or lose. That group is called the First Aid Service Team (FAST) and with the heat last weekend, they were a busy bunch. Here's a profile of the group.
• All kinds of baseball news today. 13 freshman appear on the diamond for the Ducks to start the year after several losses from last. Only 9 out of 38 players have experience in an Oregon uniform. Oregon may be referred to as "Nike U" but that doesn't mean we will be using Nike-produced bats.
  
• In volleyball news, we have a preview for the upcoming Pac-12 season and boy does the conference look stacked again this year. We also have an Arizona Wildcats oriented preview for tomorrows matchup.
• Nothing like some friendly wagers between some NFL players. Colin Kaepernick got to wear a Duck polo shirt after losing his bet with OL Adam Synder of the 49ers.

In lighter news, I thought this series of images (although surely fake) would brighten someone's day. Have a good Thursday and Go Ducks!

You know what time it is. Black and yellow, black and yellow.

• For all the hype the Oregon backfield had going into the LSU game, the unit only managed 95 yards on the ground as a team. That will be one of the major points of emphasis going into this weekend's game against Nevada. People always look for answers after these types of games but there was no question that LaMichael James wasn't as decisive in the game as he was last year. I expect that to change against Nevada.
• One of my favorite Duck players of all time, Nate Costa, had a difficult decision to make. It wasn't just his football career that was cut short by a knee injury. He also hurt his knee while at the police academy. Some of you noticed his appearance on "Talking Ducks" and wondered why he was there. Now you know.
  
• Even though football couldn't beat up on LSU last weekend, Women's Soccer heads to Baton Rouge for a tournament called, strangely enough, the LSU Tournament. If you haven't been following the soccer team, they're 4-0-1 with a shutout streak going. 
• Need a preview of Pac-12 Cross Country? The Ducks are ranked 4th coming into the season.
• Now that Men's Basketball is back from Italy, it's time to go to work. The experience overseas not only gave the young Ducks awesome memories to take with them, they also got to see some of their flaws and weaknesses exploited. Valuable experience before the upcoming season.
• The KVAL news team gives us some predictions on the score this Saturday. Personal take is this is a must win game. There is a lot that could go wrong in this game. Yes, I know that Nevada has lost many players from last year. Yes, I know that Vegas has them as a supreme underdog but anything can happen on any given Saturday. I know that many of us don't want to admit it but we could very well lose this game. Yes, full on PANIC mode.

The quack. You have it now.

Football makes its return tonight with Murray State taking on Louiville on ESPNU at 6pm ET. For those of us without the additional cable channels, we'll have to wait an extra hour, hit up the web and take in the wonder of a great basketball rivalry when Villanova takes on Temple. 3-4 weeks from now, most people aren't watching these games but I've had to deal with baseball for months. I'll take anything football related at this point.

A couple of reminders before today's quack fix. For those that are new to Addicted to Quack, we will be having a live game thread on Saturday where you can participate with other members of the ATQ family in cheering on Oregon to (hopefully) a big win! Please count on joining us Saturday to participate in the fun. At times like this, it's important to take a moment and remind yourself of the ATQ Code of Conduct. Emotions can run high throughout the game and that can translate into crossing the line towards your fellow community members. Many people read the site including guests from other blogs, parents, former and current players and your words and actions can be seen through all those groups. This is just a reminder to think before your write and remember to follow the ATQ Code of Conduct at all times.

On with the quack!

• Many people are picking Oregon to win the conference title this year but what you may not know is that there are only 3 programs in the history of the Pac-10 that have won the conference title 3 years in a row. USC is the obvious choice to be in that conversation but how many of you thought of Washington? Before that, you have to go back to the 50's with UCLA in the Pac-8. Lots of good stuff in this article from Friend of the Blog Ken Goe.
• Here's a pre-season preview for Oregon that cites JUCO transfer Wide Receiver Rashaan Vaughn as the break-out player for the 2011 season. Another preview starts to talk about the upcoming season but then in typical ATQ fashion, veers off towards the cheerleaders. I'm still a fairly young man but when do we start becoming "creepy old guy with a blog posting pictures of college girls"?
• The entire state of Oregon has benefited from the Texas Recruiting Pipeline over the last decade and just like when Oregon State traveled to Cowboy Stadium to take on TCU last year, this year's Oregon-LSU match-up gives players an opportunity to head home.
• In recruiting news, Alex Balducci (go rams!) opens up about his commitment to Oregon and discusses what he's been told about his role as a Duck. Not that this should surprise anyone but Coach Az told him that they will look to mold him into a defensive tackle/nose guard role. Look for a video with an interview with Alex.
• Galen Rupp is in the news as he advanced to the 5000m finals at the IAAF World Championships.
• Remember when the Oregon Volleyball Team was unranked to start the season? Well, all they did was upset Penn State and low and behold, they're up to number 16 in the country. The Ducks move to 4-1 on the season and notched their third sweep in the last two days taking out the American Eagles 3-0.
• Michael Kruse asks...how does Oregon Football keep winning? Interesting take and perspective.
• Hopes aren't just high for the football team. Oregon Soccer is looking at 3 straight shutouts to start the 2011 season and are aiming towards making the playoffs for the first time ever. There is a long way to go but this is a great turnaround for where the program has been. This weekend will mark a big test as the Oregon Nike Tournament kicks off from Pape Field.

That's it for the quack. Enjoy your day and Go Ducks!

I'm from a small town called "Fresh Off a Cop's Ass", and you're making me homesick

• Oregon Football Head Coach Chip Kelly did a QA session with the Thomas Neumann of EPSN Page 2 and there are some interesting nuggets. This time of year, you normally get questions like "who's a standout on offense" or "why is a football shaped the way it is and do you feel it makes your team faster". Two answers standout to me. One was his approach to goal setting which was "It didn't matter as long as I was happy when I got up that day." The other was who is favorite mascot was besides The Duck. Our friends up I-5 may be interested in the answer.
• We've got a practice report from yesterday where it mentions an updated status on Josh Huff. He did practice yesterday but, of course, the situation remains day-to-day. With the end of Wednesday, Fall Camp is officially completed and so begins the LSU preparations. Hear that ladies and gentlemen? It's go time. We also have some analysis of the defense.
  
• In an effort not to be outdone by local media exaggerated headlines, NBC latches onto a quote from Lache Seastrunk's concerning his departure and ask... "Could it be that Seastrunk actually played the part of the Mayans to Oregon's Doomsday calendar?". The article then proceeds to imply that the NCAA will give him immunity and grant him that hardship waiver IF he answers questions about everyone's favorite mentor and even goes onto make a connection between that immunity and the Miami situation. Looking forward to some wonderful comments on this one!
• We also have some audio from Seastrunk himself regarding his decision not to appear on John Canzano's radio program. "Nobody goes on that show. All I hear are negative things about it".
• One of my favorite players on the team is John Boyett and I was happy to see an article about him in the Corvallis newspaper which includes an account of him meeting San Francisco 49ers great Ronnie Lott.
• Friend of the Blog and Track Tweeter Ken Goe gives us some updates on how thin the tight end position is and what we can expect out of the guys behind David Paulson. Just an aside, I get a little irritated with the use of the word "thin" to describe inexperience in various positions. It implies that there isn't talent or production at those spots and I think our run last year showed that we are a pretty deep team, regardless of experience.
  
•  As we noted yesterday, men's basketball is ramping up their Italy tour and had a good showing against Latina Basket. I'm not sure what to make of this early game or how to even gauge the competition but I haven't seen this many people excited about basketball in years.

Hope you enjoyed the Quack today. We hope that you remember us for all your blogging needs and remember to spay and neuter your pets. Good night everybody!

Jared was nice enough to take my Quack Fix yesterday so I return the favor today. Thanks to all our new followers on Twitter and keep it here for all the news that's fit to quack about.

• Some practice notes including an injury report on Curtis White who had to be helped off the field by cart but later returned to the sidelines with crutches. Status, of course, day-to-day and at least he had a good humor about it. Kiko Alonso also saw some practice with the ones although it seems his playing status for the LSU game is uncertain.
  
• The video of the Cliff Harris traffic stop has been out for awhile now but it looks like Darron Thomas has a few things to say about his role in the event. I like Darron, I really do but he has ended up in these types of situations more than once. Wrong place at the wrong time or on the edge of falling over that cliff (pun intended).
• KVAL and SI look at one of the most anticipated college football games of 2011. 
• Oregon has been known as Tight-End U for awhile now and even though we have a good one coming back in David Paulson, we have depth issues that will need to be addressed, especially with Brandon Williams having to give up his senior season due to back issues.
• Needing something to do tonight for free? Go watch a Duck volleyball scrimmage between the current squad and some old vets. The scrimmage starts at 7pm at Matthew Knight Arena.

Friday couldn't come soon enough. A few short hours till the weekend. Hang in there and Go Ducks!

My self-imposed sanctions on dealing with Willie Lyles links is still intact. I'm banning myself from linking anything Willie Lyles unless it's actually relevant. This includes links to media folks complaining that they are being picked for reporting on the story. Seriously guys, let me know when they story has more to it, not just an account of how he likes to brush his teeth or how bowtie pasta is better than spaghetti.

• I love the "hot seats" articles that ESPN puts out every year and Paul Wulff from Washington State leads the list this year. A couple of names I found interesting... Lane Kiffin being listed as "warm" seemed odd. The guy has been there one year and is coming off a year where the team had been punished with sanctions, sanctions he didn't even cause. There are other Pac-12 names on the list including Chip. Click the link to find out where he sits.
• Impact Freshman, always a fun topic. Colt Lyerla makes the list and I have to agree. A lot of potential there. However, I suspect there are other Freshman on the team that might make a bigger splash in higher focus roles. 
• All kinds of cool practice notes from yesterday but I couldn't get over the note about a portable sound system being used to take the practice music wherever the Ducks go. "Essential" was the word used to describe the system and I love it. Also, there was a special guest at practice that had his own issues with National Championship games.
• Lache Seastrunk provides an interesting interview about how his first season went and the upcoming season. After all the things swirling about "he who shall not be named", and a rough Freshman year, it looks like Lache is getting past that and finding his niche.
• There are big shoes to fill at the center position but Oregon has quietly made a name for itself over the last few years with experienced offensive ball snappers. Hroniss Grasu looks to fill those shoes and take over a critical position on the offense.
• Someone has been listening to Matt about the defensive line.
• I mentioned in last week's quack fix that some former Oregon players were headed up to Tigard High School to take on the cast of MTV's "The Buried Life". Here's a quick recap of the event and how it went. 

Tons of quack out there and should be more throughout the day. SportsByTMZ has about 23 days left in his prediction that CK would have 0 chance of coaching this season. You hear that folks? We're down to a little over 3 weeks. Go Ducks!