Why do I even bother voting?

For the most part I have stayed away from politics on this blog. I have strong opinions when it comes to politics but I decided to keep those opinions off this blog. Wednesday evening something happened that made me angry. Three and a half months after the voters of Lane County rejected a county wide income tax, Lane County commissioners in a 3-2 decision approved a county wide income tax. Now I understand that the financial situation of Lane County is not good but for three people to undo the will of thousands of voters in this county is ridiculous.

80's Christian Music Video of the Week

Here is the video that was played the last night at almost every Christian Camp from 1988-1995. For it's time it was a great video but that was 1988 and now its 2007 and mulletts and sleeveless shirts with vests are no longer in style. So I now present to you "Secret Ambition" by Michael W Smith.

This is not how you should deal with officials

This story comes from a USC-BYU hockey game. I'm not sure that this is the best way to go about things if you're fed up with the officials.

USC Goalie Moons Refs During Game

I introduce to you, the next head basketball coach at the University of Oregon

The following is taken from Mike Montgomery's bio on the Stanford website. The former Stanford coach is my choice to be the next head basketball coach at the University of Oregon.

Mike Montgomery served as the head men's basketball coach at Stanford for 18 seasons (1986-2004). The success for the winningest men's basketball coach in Stanford history included 16 postseason appearances (12 NCAA, 4 NIT), four regular season Pac-10 titles, a 2004 Pac-10 Tournament crown and a record of 393-167 (.702).

Stanford’s trips to the NCAA Tournament under his leadership came in the 1989, ‘92, ‘95, ‘96, ‘97, ‘98, ‘99, 2000, ‘01, ‘02, ‘03 and ‘04 campaigns. The Cardinal made its deepest NCAA postseason run with an appearance at the 1998 NCAA Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.

Stanford received bids to the National Invitational Tournament in 1988, ‘90, ‘91 and ’94. The Cardinal won the 1991 NIT in New York.

Montgomery earned numerous coaching honors during his tenure with the Cardinal, including the prestigious John R. Wooden “Legends of Coaching” Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. He was also the Basketball Times National Coach of Year twice (2000, ’04) and the Pac-10 Coach of the Year on four occasions (1999, 2000, ’03, ’04).

Stanford reached the 30-win plateau three times during his tenure with a school record 31 victories during the 2000-01 season and 30 wins in both 1997-98 and 2003-04. The Cardinal reached the 20-win mark on 13 occasions under Montgomery, including each of his last 10 seasons.

He led Stanford its first ever No. 1 national ranking on December 20, 1999, and the Cardinal was ranked No. 1 in the polls at some point during the 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2003-04 campaigns.

As the winner of the 2004 winner John R. Wooden "Legends of Coaching" Lifetime Achievement Award, Montgomery followed Dean Smith of the University of North Carolina (1999), Mike Krzyzewski of Duke (2000), Arizona'a Lute Olson (2001), Denny Crum of Louisville (2002) and Roy Williams of Kansas (2003). The award recognizes the lifetime achievement of coaches who exemplify Coach Wooden's high standards of coaching success and personal accolades. When selecting the individual, the Wooden Award Committee considers character, coaching philosphy, graduation rate of his student-athletes, success on the court, and his identification with the goals of the John R. Wooden Award. Three athletes under Montgomery's tutelage have been named Wooden All-Americans (Todd Lichti in 1989, Mark Madsen in 2000, and Casey Jacobsen in 2001).

In 2003-04, Montgomery guided Stanford to a 30-2 record as the Cardinal went undefeated in its first 26 games before losing at Washington in the final regular season contest of the campaign. The regular season Pac-10 winners also captured their first conference tournament crown and an NCAA Tournament game before being upset by Alabama in the second round of the NCAA’s. Stanford’s 26-game win streak to open the season was the longest in the Pac-10 since Oregon State also won 26 in a row during the 1980-81 campaign.

During the 2002-03 season, Stanford tallied a 24-9 record, and finished in second place in the Pacific-10 Conference with a 14-4 mark. That made nine straight seasons that Stanford chalked up 20 or more wins. The second place finish in the Pac-10 gave the Cardinal their seventh straight top-two finish in the conference. For his efforts, Montgomery was named Co-Coach of the Year in the Pac-10, the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) District-9 Coach of the Year, and a finalist for the 2003 Naismith Coach of the Year. Five of Stanford's wins were against nationally-ranked teams, including a 82-77 decision at #1 ranked Arizona. During the season, Stanford set two team records and broke or tied four school and Maples Pavilion records.

During the 2001-02 season, Stanford chalked up a 20-10 record, a high national ranking, a second place finish in the Pac-10 Conference and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for an eighth straight season. The Cardinal was ranked first, second or third in 13 conference team categories, and two players, Curtis Borchardt and Casey Jacobsen, were selected in the first round of the 2002 NBA Draft.

During the 2000-01 season, Montgomery directed the Cardinal to a 31-3 record, a third straight Pacific-10 Conference title, and a seventh straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Thirteen Pac-10 and school records were either tied or broken, including wins (31), scoring average (83.2 ppg) and season points (2,829). Stanford led the nation in field goal percentage at .511. The Cardinal was ranked either first or second in 13 conference categories, and nationally, the team was ranked in the Top-8 in six categories. For his efforts, Montgomery was named the 2001 winner of the John and Nellie Wooden Award, the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) District-9 Coach of the Year, and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District-14 Coach of the Year.

During the 1999-00 season, Montgomery led the Cardinal to a sixth straight appearance in the NCAA's with a 27-4 record. Also that year, Montgomery directed a Stanford defense that broke the NCAA field goal defensive percentage record with a mark of .352. Stanford was ranked either 1-or-2 in 15 different team categories in the Pac-10. Ten school records were either broken or tied.

Also during the 1999-00 season, Stanford was ranked #1 for the first time in school history. Stanford ended the 1999-00 season ranked third in the Associated Press poll, and fifth in the USA Today/ESPN poll. For his efforts, Montgomery was named the 2000 Naismith College Basketball Coach of the Year, the 2000 Basketball Times Coach of the Year, 2000 Pacific-10 Conference Coach of the Year, and the 2000 NABC District-14 Coach of the Year.

During the 1998-99 season, Montgomery directed the Cardinal to the NCAA Tournament, and the school's first conference title since the 1962-63 season. In the process, Montgomery became Stanford's all-time winningest men's basketball coach.

During the 1998-99 season, Montgomery was a finalist for the prestigious Clair Bee Award, honoring the active Division I basketball coach who has made the most significant positive contribution to his sport during the preceding year.

During the 1998-99 season, the Cardinal chalked up a 26-7 record, the fifth-most number of wins in school history. The 26 wins were impressive in light of the fact that Stanford played its toughest schedule in school history. Included were games against nine teams that ranked in the Top 25; NCAA champion Connecticut, #5 St. John's, #8 Maryland, and #12 Arizona among them.

During the 1997-98 season, Montgomery directed the team to an appearance in the NCAA Final Four.

"Walking around San Antonio and seeing all the people wearing their Stanford stuff and recognizing so many familiar faces was great," said Montgomery. "It brought home what college basketball is all about, which is being proud of your school and how your players handle themselves and compete. So from a university standpoint, there is nothing better. From a basketball standpoint, this puts us in the upper echelon."

Stanford finished the 1997-98 season with a 30-5 record and a #4 national ranking in the final USA Today/ESPN poll. The Cardinal finished tenth in the Associated Press poll.

In 1997-98, Stanford broke or tied 18 school, Maples Pavilion and NCAA records. In the Pac-10, Stanford placed first in eight offensive and defensive categories.

Under Montgomery's direction in 1996-97, Stanford finished the season ranked 12th in the final USA Today/CNN poll.

In just his second year (1987-88) at Stanford's helm, Montgomery piloted the Cardinal to a 21-12 record and an invitation to the 1988 NIT, being the first Stanford team in 46 years to reach postseason play. The following year, the Cardinal posted a 26-7 record, and advanced to the 1989 NCAA Tournament, the first Stanford NCAA Tournament berth since Stanford won the 1942 NCAA championship.

Under Montgomery's direction in 1988-89, the Cardinal finished 12th in the final United Press International poll, and 13th in the Associated Press poll, Stanford's highest ranking since the 1962-63 campaign when Stanford finished 10th in the UPI poll.

During the 1988-89 campaign, Stanford set or tied 26 Stanford, Maples Pavilion, team, individual and Pac-10 records. Included were a then school record 15 conference wins, and a second place finish in the Pac-10 behind nationally-ranked Arizona.

Montgomery followed that up by piloting each of his next three teams into NCAA or NIT tournaments. Montgomery's 1990 team posted a 18-12 record and played in the NIT; in 1991, the Cardinal took home top NIT honors, finishing the season at 20-13; and in 1992, Montgomery coached Stanford to the NCAA Tournament and an 18-11 record. In 1993-94, Stanford, behind Montgomery's guidance, posted a 17-11 record and again participated in the NIT.

The 1988-89 squad posted a 26-7 record and became the first Stanford team to advance to the NCAA Tournament since the 1942 NCAA championship club. A season earlier, Montgomery piloted the Cardinal to a 21-12 record and an NIT invitation to become the first Stanford team in 46 years to reach postseason play.

Eight of Montgomery’s players at Stanford – Curtis Borchardt, Jarron Collins, Jason Collins, Adam Keefe, Brevin Knight, Todd Lichti, Mark Madsen and Casey Jacobsen -- have played in the NBA and were first round draft choices. Lichti and Keefe finished their careers as Stanford's #1 and #2 all-time leading scorers, respectively, while Keefe is the school's all-time leading rebounder. Knight is the school record holder in assists and steals, and #4 all-time in scoring. Lichti, Keefe, Knight and Jacobsen were named to numerous All-America teams during their tenure at Stanford. Madsen was selected in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000, while Collins was a first round draft choice of the Houston Rockets in the 2001 NBA Draft. Borchardt and Jacobsen were selected by the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns, respectively, in the 2002 NBA Draft. Another Cardinal player, Andrew Vlahov, was a top professional player in Australia and a member of that country's Olympic team.

Under Montgomery's leadership, attendance and enthusiasm reached a fever pitch at Maples Pavilion, which is currently undergoing a $30 million renovation, as Stanford routinely played before soldout crowds during his tenure.

Montgomery, 57, had been at the University of Montana, located in Missoula, for the previous 10 years. The first two of those years, he was an assistant coach. Montgomery was head mentor at Montana for eight years, where his overall record was 154-77, for a winning percentage of .657.

Montgomery averaged 19 wins per season while at Montana, and his teams qualified for the Big Sky post-season tournament four-team format all five seasons that that particular format was used. In his last two years there, his teams went on to compete in the NIT post-season tournament.

In his last four years at Montana, Montgomery produced four consecutive 20-win seasons in the Big Sky Conference. His teams went 21-8 in 1982-83, 23-7 in 1983-84, 22-8 in 1984-85, and 21-11 in 1985-86. His winning percentage of .667 is the fifth-best of any Big Sky coach in the league’s 39-year history.

Montgomery, who never had a losing season in his eight-year tenure at Montana, served as an assistant coach for three years at Boise State before coming to Montana. He also coached at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Colorado State, the Citadel, and the University of Florida.

Under Montgomery’s tenure, Montana had five second-place regular season finishes in the Big Sky. In tournament play, Montgomery had four second-place finishes.

During Montgomery’s time at Montana, the university had four players drafted by the NBA, including John Stroeder, a 6-foot-10 center, in the eighth round by the Portland Trailblazers in 1980; Derrick Pope, a 6-foot-6 forward, in the sixth round by Portland in 1983; Marc Glass, a fourth-round choice of the Los Angeles Clippers in 1984; and Larry Krystkowiak, a 6-foot-9 forward, who averaged 22.2 points and 11.4 rebounds for the Grizzlies as a senior, drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round in 1986.

Krystkowiak was a three-time Big Sky Conference MVP. He was also the District VII Player-of-the-Year as a junior and as a senior. In addition, he was a first team Academic All-America as a junior and as a senior.

Montgomery added another title to his resume when he was named on April 29, 1996, as head coach of the 1996 USA Men's 22-and-Under Select team by the USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee.

In 2002, Montgomery was named an Assistant Coach for the United States at the World Basketball Championships. Montgomery previously served USA Basketball as an assistant coach for the 1994 Men's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team that journeyed to Argentina and won the gold medal with an 8-0 record. Prior to that, he coached the Pacific-10 Conference all-star team that toured Holland and Belgium in 1991. "It was a tremendous honor to be selected to represent the United States," said Montgomery. "And it was also a tremendous opportunity and challenge to be able to work with the best basketball players in the United States." Under Montgomery's direction, the U.S. 22-and-Under team captured the gold medal at the 1996 COPABA Men's 22-and-Under World Championship Qualifying Tournament in Caugas, Puerto Rico. For his efforts, Montgomery was named 1996 USA Basketball Developmental Coach of the Year and the USOC Basketball Developmental Coach of the Year. Two members of the U.S. team were from Stanford, graduated All-America guard Brevin Knight and Tim Young. The U.S. team thus qualified for the FIBA 22-and-Under World Championships held in Melbourne, Australia in 1997. Montgomery is a member of the NCAA Rules Committee, and the NABC Board of Directors.

I Hereby retract the following statement

One month ago I posted the following:

Last year I blogged numerous times about why I thought Oregon head Basketball coach Ernie Kent should be fired. One year later the Oregon Basketball team stands at 16-1 with victories over number one ranked UCLA, at number eight Arizona and at number eighteen Georgetown. Barring a total complete colapse the Ducks are almost assured a trip to the NCAA tournament for the first time in four yeas. I'm still not a huge fan of Ernie Kent but as things are now it looks as if Athletic Director Bill Moos made the correct decision in retaining Ernie Kent for another year.

I am now officially retracting that statement. I hope new Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny does the right thing and fires Ernie at the conclusion of the 2007 season.

"It's Division One Football!!"

Here another great sound bite from a coach, this one comes courtesy of Colorado Head Coach Dan Hawkins.

http://mgoboard.com/blogmedia/hawkins.mp3

Idiot of the week award

My first ever idiot of the week award goes to Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas. On January 16 of this year, Arenas posted the following on his blog:

The most important game is on Feb. 11.

Well, it’s not the most important but that’s the game I’m going to say is my next 50-pointer.

I know they have the countdown going. I also do to.

Tune in. I think ESPN or TNT needs to pick that game up.

Arenas fell 41 points short of his prediction today, finishing with just nine points in a 94-73 loss against the Blazers.

Dog the Bounty Hunter

A couple months ago while channel surfing I came across the reality TV show "Dog the Bounty Hunter". It follows world famous bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman and his team of associates as hunt for fugitives who have jumped bail. I still can't figure why I'm so intrigued by this mullet wearing, chain smoking bounty hunter but the show has become favorite non-sports show. Here's a short clip from the show.

Go Bears!

You may have noticed a change in my color scheme, that is to show my support for the Chicago Bears in this year's Super Bowl. It was a difficult decision because I'm not overly fond of either team but in the end my dislike for the Colts quarterback made my decision easy.

My First Random Super Bowl Fact

Never before has the starting quarterback of the winning team worn the number 18, which happens to be the number of that Manning kid that plays for the Colts. The most common number of winning starting quarterback is 12, thirteen times the starting Quarterback has worn the number 12. The only way a number 12 would win for the fourteenth would be if the Colts started backup quarterback Jim Sorgi. A starting quarterback wearing the number eight which happens to Bears quartback Rex Grossman's number has won four times.

Great Sound Bites from Coaches

Coaches are always good for some classic sound bites so I've put together a few of my favorites. Included are Jim Mora, Bob Knight, John L Smith and Denny Green

The Super Bowl Shuffle

Twenty one years ago The Super Bowl Shuffle took the nation by storm. I was nine years old when the song was released and my brother and I listened to the song so much that we wore out the tape. In honor of the Chicago Bears first Super Bowl appearance in twenty one years, I present to you one of the greatest songs ever written, The Super Shuffle

Unfortunately YouTube was forced to remove the video, so I no longer have the posted here. However here's a link to a site you can watch it on.
http://www.ebaumsworld.com/2007/01/super-bowl-shuffle.html

Time for #4 to retire?

I came across this video on YouTube, it pretty much sums up what I've been saying about Brett Favre for the last three years. After watching this video check some of this guy's other work , there's some pretty funny stuff but I will warn that the Tom Brady song is really disturbing.

My First and Last Commentary on Women's Basketball

For the most part I don't care about women's college basketball, however when it comes to the University of Oregon I would consider myself a casual observer. This year's team currently sits near the bottom of the Pac 10 with a conference record of 2-9, including a home loss to fellow cellar dweller and in state rival Oregon State. It is safe to say that this program has hit rock bottom

Six years ago this spring the University of Oregon fired coach Jody Runge after leading the program to seven straight NCAA tournaments. Runge was controversial to say the least and in the end that was her downfall. Runge was replaced by Canadian National Coach and University of Oregon Legend Bev Smith. After seven consecutive NCAA tournament appearances under Runge the program has made the big just once under Smith. They also won the WNIT in Smith's first season as head coach, however I will go on record as saying that it is better to lose in the first round of NCAA tournament than it is to win the NIT. After this season the Ducks will have made the NCAA Tournament just one time in six years under Smith and that is unacceptable.

One of Athletic Director Bill Moos' last acts before his resignation goes into effect on March 31, 2007 should be to fire Bev smith. Now I will be returning to blogging about sports that I actually care about.

The Worst Bottle of Wine I've Ever Had

I am always on the lookout for a good cheap bottle of wine. If I see a bottle wine under $7.00 that I haven't tried before, I'll usually buy it. Sometimes I'll find a good one and other times I'll find a not so good one. Last night I was grocery shopping at Winco foods, when I came across Nathanson Creek Cabernet Sauvignon for $2.37. Since Cabernet Sauvignon is is my favorite wine I decided that I'd give it a shot, if it was bad I'd only be out $2.37. Tonight after I finished my run and called my girlfriend, I poured myself a glass. After one sip I was left wondering wondering what it actually was that I was drinking, surely it wasn't Cabernet Sauvignon. Half way through the glass I still couldn't determine what it was that I was actually drinking. After finishing the glass I decided it tasted liked a combination of grape juice that had sat out on a counter for a month and cherry cough syrup. After one glass I poured the remainder of the bottle down the sink. The moral of the story is if you want a good bottle of wine you have to spend more than $2.37.

I guess that I was wrong

Last year I blogged numerous times about why I thought Oregon head Basketball coach Ernie Kent should be fired. One year later the Oregon Basketball team stands at 16-1 with victories over number one ranked UCLA, at number eight Arizona and at number eighteen Georgetown. Barring a total complete colapse the Ducks are almost assured a trip to the NCAA tournament for the first time in four yeas. I'm still not a huge fan of Ernie Kent but as things are now it looks as if Athletic Director Bill Moos made the correct decision in retaining Ernie Kent for another year.





The author of this blog reserves the right to retract this admission of being wrong at any time.

59 Things a Man Should Never do Past 30

In honor of me turning 30 this week here is a list that was originally published by Esquire magazine of "59 Things a Man Should Never do Past 30". Some of these things I don't think anyone should ever do, regardless of age.

1. Coin his own nickname.
2. Use a wallet that is fastened with Velcro.
3. Rank his friends in order of best, second best, and so on.
4. Hacky sack.
5. Name his penis his name plus junior.
6. Hang art with tape.
7. Hang The Scream, unless he stole it from the Munch museum in Oslo.
8. Ask a policeman, "You ever shoot anybody with that thing?"
9. Ask a woman, "Hey, you got a license for that ass?"
10. Skip.
11. Take a camera to a nude beach.
12. Let his father do his taxes.
13. Tap on the glass.
14. Shout out a response to "Are you ready to rock?"
15. Use the word collated on his resume.
16. Hold a weekly house meeting with roommates.
17. Name pets after Middle Earth characters.
18. Jokingly flash gang signs while posing for wedding photos.
19. Give shout-outs.
20. Use numbers in place of words or locations, such as "the 411" for information, or "the 313" for Detroit.
21. Hug amusement-park characters.
22. Wear Disney-themed neckties.
23. Wake up to a "morning zoo."
24. Compare the trajectory of his life with those of the characters in Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant."
25. Request extra sprinkles.
26. Air drum.
27. Choose 69 as his jersey number.
28. Eat Oreo cookies in stages.
29. Volunteer to be a magician's assistant.
30. Sleep on a bare mattress.
31. End a conversation with "later skater."
32. Hold his lighter up at a concert.
33. Publicly greet friends by shouting, "What's up, you whore?"
34. Wear Converse All Stars with a tuxedo.
35. Propose via stadium Jumbotron.
36. Decide anything based on the ruminations of Howard Stern.
37. Call "shotgun" before getting in a car.
38. Dispute someone else's call of "shotgun."
39. Whine.
40. Mist up during Aerosmith's "Dream On."
41. Purchase fireworks.
42. Google the word vagina.
43. Ride a pony.
44. Sport an ironic mustache.
45. Hit 13 against a 6.
46. Organize a party bus.
47. Say "two points" every time he throws something in the trash.
48. Buy a novelty postcard in another country of topless women on a beach and write, "Wish you were here" on it.
49. Keg stands.
50. Purchase home-brewing paraphernalia.
51. The John Travolta point-to-the-ceiling-point-to-the-floor dance move; also that one from Pulp Fiction.
52. Put less than ten dollars' worth of gas in the tank.
53. Keep a minuscule amount of marijuana extremely well hidden.
54. Read The Fountainhead.
55. Watch the Pink Floyd laser light show at a planetarium.
56. Refer to his girlfriend's breasts as "the twins."
57. Own a vanity plate.
58. Whippits.
59. Say goodbye to anyone by tapping his chest and even so much as whispering, "Peace out."

I'm not a Basketball Player!!

I've known for a very longtime that I am not a basketball player. Even when I played in elementary and middle I knew that basketball was not my sport. I have always played basketball like a football play, tough, physical and maybe a little dirty. I can always be counted on for a couple rebounds and a few good hard fouls. One thing that I can't be counted on is my shooting. Yesterday I got to put my shooting skills on display in front of 9085 people during the Oregon-UCLA basketball game. Prior to the game I entered my name into the drawing for the "Outback Steakhouse Three Point Challenge". I was shocked when I hear my name announced over the PA as the participant in the contest. My task was simple, make five three point shots in 30 seconds and I would win a $40.00 gift card for Outback Steakhouse. During the third media timeout of the first half I walked out onto the court and began shooting. I think that I hit the rim on a few shots but most of my shots didn't even make it to the rim. In the end I made zero shots and humiliated myself in front of 9085 people and all I have to show for it is a T-Shirt that doesn't even fit.

Oregon 68 #1 UCLA 66

A GREAT DAY TO BE A DUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul McCartney: A Mullet Pioneer?

The Beatles have been credited with many things through the years, some consider them the greatest band ever (count me as one of those), others believe that they were influential in the fall of comunism but perhaps more important than both of those things is the role Paul McCartney played in making the mullet popular. McCartney sported the mullet on and off throughout the 70's, 80's and 90's. When I saw him in concert in 2005 his hair while not a full blown mullet definately had mullet-like qualities. Here is an interesting article on this subject courtesy of mulletmadness.com .

Really Lame Oregon Duck Football Joke of the Week

What do the Oregon Football Team and Marijuana have in common?

They're both green and get smoked in bowls!

Question

Can anyone name a sport in the United States professional or college other than Division 1A College football that a team could win every game they played in a season including post season and not be considered champions of that particular sport?

Another Reason College Football Needs a Playoff

DennisDailyRant.com National Championship game

The second annual DennisDailyRant.com National Championship game matched upstart Louisville and #1 ranked Ohio State. Louisville played inspired football for three quarters, trailing only by four going into the fourth. Led by Heisman trophy winner troy Smith the Buckeyes scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull away and win the game 38-20.

Finally a Happy Trip to Corvallis

Today for the first time since 2003 I attended a sporting event in Corvallis and left happy. The Ducks beat the Beavers 76-73 to improve to 13-0. If they would have lost today I would have probably never set foot in Corvallis again. Next week we'll find out if the Ducks are for real when they face LA Schools.

I AM MAD

THE BEAVERS WON* (I'LL EXPLAIN THE ASTERISK IN A MINUTE) AND THAT MAKES ME MAD. I'M SITTING IN MY OFFICE AND PEOPLE WHO NORMALLY CHEER FOR THE DUCKS ARE CELEBRATING A BEAVER VICTORY*. ANY DUCK FAN WHO THINKS THAT THIS IS GOOD FOR THE STATE OF OREGON IS WRONG. THIS VICTORY* IS GOOD FOR OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY AND NO ONE ELSE. THIS HORRIBLE FOR FANS OF THE OREGON DUCKS, THIS IS OUR HATED RIVAL AND THEY WON* A BOWL GAME. THIS RUINS MY DAY!!!!

THE ASTERISK IS INTENDED FOR OREGON STATE FANS WHO HAVE STATED THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON DID NOT LEGITIMATLY BEAT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN ASTERISK NEXT TO THE WIN IN THE RECORD BOOK. THERE WERE FOUR BLOWN CALLS OR NO CALLS THAT WENT OSU'S WAY THAT SWUNG THE GAME IN THEIR FAVOR, HAD THOSE CALLS BEEN CALLED RIGHT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI WOULD HAVE WON THIS GAME. WHILE I DO BELIEVE THAT LIKE THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON AGAINST OKLAHOMA THE OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY BEAVERS LEGITIMATLY WON THIS GAME, I AM REQUIRED TO PUT AN ASTERISK NEXT TO IT UNTIL EVERY BEAVER FAN WHO TOLD ME THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN ASTERISK NEXT TO OUR VICTORY OVER OKLAHOMA RETRACTS THAT STATEMENT AND ADMITS THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON SUCKS DID IN FACT BEAT THE OKLAHOMA SOONERS.

I HATE THE BEAVERS!!!!!

I FEEL BETTER NOW

Really Lame Oregon Football Joke of the Week

What's the difference between Ice Cream and the Oregon Football team?

Ice Cream looks good in a bowl!

Gerald Ford: 1913-2006

Former President of the United States Gerald Ford passed away this evening. Ford was was 38th President of the United States and was the only President not to be elected to national office. He was appointed vice president after the resignation of Spiro Agnew by President Richard Nixon and became president after President Nixon's resignation in August of 1974. His presidency lasted only 895 days and is best remembered for the pardon of President Nixon, an unpopular move at the time that probably cost him the election in 1976 but history shows that the pardon was the right thing to do as it allowed the country to move forward. Ford restored honesty and integrity to the White House and brought the Nation back together after the embarrassment of Watergate. On a personal note the President of the United States on the day that I was born (January 10, 1977) was Gerald Ford.

Information from AP report on President Ford's passing was used for this post

My Christmas Present

For Christmas I a got a new set of Duck sweats from my parents, they are exactly the ones I wanted. I think they look great, but my girlfriend thinks that I look like a "tool" and will not be seen in public with me when I wear both the jacket and the pants. I want to wear the sweats to the Oregon-UCLA basketball game that we're going to in a week and a half but she doesn't think I should. What do you guys think?

Luke 2:1-20

The Birth of Jesus

1In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3And everyone went to his own town to register.

4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Dennisdailyrant.com National Championship Tournament Semifinals

Here's the semifinal results

Game One:

Louisville 21 Florida 17


Game Two:

Ohio State 31 USC 28

One Year Ago Today

It was one year ago today that I started this crazy thing called blogging.

Dennisdailyrant.com National Championship Tournament Second Round

Before I get to the results of my dream tournament I want to congratulate the following schools; Appalaichan State (1-AA), Grand Valley State (D2) and Mount Union (D3). The three schools won national titles in football this weekend. All three of them advanced through there respective playoff brackets and were crowned National Champions, now if only division 1A could get it right. Now the second round results.

Ohio State 34 Boise State 17
USC 28 LSU 24
Louisville 35 Michigan 31
Florida 21 Wisconsin 17

The semifinal games will be played next week.

Ohio State vs USC
Florida vs Louisville

Why do I make stupid bets?

Several months ago I made a bet with the CEO of the credit union in which I work for. The bet was if the Ducks won the civil war he would have to wear a duck shirt to work the follwing Monday, if the rodents won I would have to wear a Beaver shirt to work. Since the Ducks didn't have a kicker that day they lost. The following Monday I made good on the bet, it was perhaps the most humiliating experience of my life. I know it's a couple weeks late but here's the picture to prove it.

DennisDailyRant.com National Championship Tournament First Round Results

The first round results and for eight teams it's on to the quarterfinals.

Ohio State 48 Troy 13

Boise State 28 Auburn 24

LSU 27 BYU 10

USC 35 Wake Forest 7

Louisville 45 Notre Dame 17

Michigan 21 Houston 13

Wisconsin 24 Oklahoma 21

Florida 24 Central Michigan 10

The second round matchups are as follows:

Ohio State vs Boise State
USC vs LSU
Louisville vs Michigan
Wisconsin vs Florida

Sports Fans Can be Delusional

Sports fan often have unrealistic expectations of their teams, for example before this football season I said the Duck were going to finish 10-2 and compete for a BCS bowl. Often message boards are place we go to share our unrealistic expectations. It's also where we go after every loss to complain about our teams. I myself frequently post on educk which is a duck site with message boards. Today while reading educk I came across a link to a post from a fan on a USC message board, now I thought sometimes I get a little upset after a Duck loss but I have nothing on this guy. The following comes courtesy of TrojanAl a delusional USC fan, I think think this guy needs to relax after all USC is ranked in the top 10 and will be playing in the Rose Bowl.

TrojanAl
12-5-06 9:58 AM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have analyzed the loss and there clearly has to be some changes made. There is no way that ucla team should have been able to hang with us. Yes, I know that the refs did everything they could to give the game to them, but we still should have pulled through it.

1) Someone has to pay for that loss. You can't just let something like this go without setting an example. Carroll knows who is most at fault and he knows which coach is most expendable. He needs to take action against that person. If it is Kiffin, fine, if it is the oline coach, fine, if it is the d coach who let the ucla qb run all over the field (did our coaches learn NOTHING form texas?) fine. Once the other coaches see that their job is on the line, they will NEVER let this happen again. They have become complacent with all the success and have lost their edge. Time to shake them up.

2) As part of the first point, no more hiring coaches because they are friends or relatives of others. Nepotism is the fastest way to bring down the program that I can think of. Trojan coaches should be hired based on their coaching resume, and nothing else. The players and the fans deserve that. We also need to bring in more REAL Trojans as coaches. Bringing in bRuins and others will undermine the program from within.

3) Booty looked like a deer in the headlights all day. Time to let Sanchez start. He was the NUMBER ONE qb in the country and everyone says he is the real leader we need on the field.

4) We need to recruit harder. I thought there was no way ucla could stay with us because we have all talent and they have no talent. I was wrong. We need to recruit players that are so much better than them that mentally the bRuins will be intimidated before the game even starts. It is time to distance us from them talent wise.

5) Someone needs to "coach" our players on how to respond to the media. I am sick of reading in the times quotes from our players about how "ucla just flat out outplayed us." Get a grip. No one outplays us. The result was a combination of things but ucla didn't beat us.

I have already called Garrett's office to let him know where we need to go from here. If you want to call him about the game, his number is:

(***) ***-****

Remember, if you don't let him know how you feel then you have no right to complain if things continue to go sour.

Trojan Al - esteemed graduate of the generally accepted most ELITE academic institution in the ENTIRE nation - USC entering GPA average a PERFECT 4.0 ( above sister school Stanford), SAT average an astronomical 1370 (towering above fast falling ucla and football factory notre dame, from Princeton Review), ACT average an extraordinary 30 (soaring above academic dinosaur cal, from Princeton Review), and Community Involvement Quotient average 5AA (above Harvard the "USC of the east" ), Time Magazine "Best ACADEMIC University of the Year", ZERO recruits who had to be held back TWO FULL GRADESCHOOL YEARS like the ones at notre dame, and wonderlic scores way above public school texas whose smartest player only got a 4!...and in last four years winner of four national STUDENT-athlete recruiting titles!

link to post

A BCS in Basketball? Why not?

Since the BCS and the bowl system as a whole has worked so well for college football, why not implement a similar system in college basketball? Instead of a 64 team tournament, we could have about 75 or so individual exhibition games across the country. These games would have corporate sponsorship and the matchups for these games would be determined by conference tie-ins. For example the fifth place team from the Pac 10 could play the sixth place team from the Big 12 in Boise Idaho in the Myspace.com game. There would also be a series of bigger more prestigious games, this is where the champions of the Power conferences would play, there would also be a handful of at-large teams selected to play in these games. Two teams would be selected to play in the National Championship game, those teams would be determined by a system which includes several computers, the coaches poll and a poll comprised of former coaches, players and administrators. By only extending the season by one game the players would miss less class time, more fans would be able to travel to see their team play and more teams would be able to finish the season on a winning note. Sounds like a perfect system to me.


Please note: The author of this blog deos not actually believe that there should be a BCS type system in college basketball. This post is meant to point out how ridiculous collge football's post season is. If you were unable to catch the sarcastic tone in this post, I would suggest that you read a different blog.

The Second Annual DennisDailyRant.com National Championship Tournament

Since my first national championship tournament last was a smashing success I have decided to bring the tournament back for another year. The format is the exact same as last year, the eleven division 1A conference champions and five at large teams will fill the tournament bracket. I have seeded the teams 1-16. The first round games will take place on December 9, second round on December 16, semifinals on December 23 and the DennisDailyRant.com National Championship game presented by Michelob Amber Bock will take place on January 1, 2007. Here are the eight First round matchups.

1. the Ohio State (Big Ten) vs 16. Troy(Sun Belt)
8. Boise State (Wac) vs 9. Auburn (at large)

4. LSU (at large) vs 13. BYU (Mountain West)
5. USC (Pac 10) vs 12. Wake Forest (ACC)

6. Louisville (Big East) vs 11. Notre Dame (At large)
3. Michigan (At large) vs 14. Houston (Conference USA)

7. Wisconsin (At large) vs 10. Oklahoma (Big 12)
2. Florida (SEC) vs 15. Central Michigan (MAC)

USC Cheerleader Cheers for Wrong Team-Again!

This video is courtesy of michiganzone.net .

UCLA 13 USC 9

Just as Joanne said they would UCLA beat USC today, that eliminates USC national title consideration. That leaves Florida and Michigan left, my guess is that will probably be Michigan even though it should be Florida. Florida played a much tougher schedule than Michigan and they actually won their conference! Plus do we really need an Ohio State-Michigan rematch. If Michigan were to win, should they really be National Champs? After all Ohio State did already beat them once. Here's an idea, if Michigan does win the rematch they should have to play Ohio State a third time and that would decide who the national champion is. Another question I have is, why not Boise State? They're undefeated! As I've said before the BCS is a joke and we need a PLAYOFF!

Team Scores 201 points in Basketball Game

NCAA Division III Lincoln State College beat Ohio State Marion 201-78 in a basketball game today. It set a division III scoring record, the all time record is 258 held by then Division II troy in 1992.

Team Sets DIII Scoring record

Not the Smartest Girl

When I first saw this picture back in January I thought it was so funny that that I had to post it on my blog. Today I came the picture again with some text added and I still think it's funny.

Maybe Oregon is a Basketball School

Last season I was highly critical of University of Oregon Basketball team and specifically its head coach Ernie Kent. While I still think a change should have been made at the end of last season, I have to give Coach and the team some credit for the way they have played so far this season. The Ducks are now 6-0 after a 57-50 victory on the road over #18 Georgetown tonight. I'm still taking a wait see approach with this team but hope tonight is a sign of things to come.

Viva Las Vegas

Although it does very little to ease the pain of an awful season, the Ducks accepted an invitation to play the BYU Cougars in the Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl on December 21, 2006. If anyone wants to contribute to the send Dennis to Las Vegas fund please let me know because your charitable donations are the only way in which I will be able to attend.

Why Not a Playoff?

This Sunday the pairings for the five BCS Bowl games will be announced. As usual there will be much controversy over the teams playing in the championship game. It is almost a forgone conclusion that when USC beats UCLA that the Trojans will be selected to play Ohio State in the BCS title game. While Ohio State is clearly the number one team in college football, is USC the clearcut number two? The answer to that question is no. What makes USC a better team than Florida or Michigan? They're both one loss teams why aren't either one of those teams number two. The answer, because a few computers, ex players and coaches (Harris Poll) and a bunch of current coaches who have more important things to worry about than how a team across the country is playing, say so. Since it's inception in 1998 the BCS has had some sort of controversy almost every year. Teams such as Cal, Oregon and USC have been wronged by this flawed system. Why not have a playoff so championships are settled on the field of play rather than by some computer? I have yet to hear a valid argument on why college football should not have a playoff.

There are four main arguments that I have heard against a playoff. The first one I have heard is a playoff will cause players to miss too much class time. Class time is important but players would never have to miss more than one day of class in a given week to go to an out of town playoff game. Plus many schools will be in Christmas break during much of the playoffs so players would miss very little class time. Division 1AA, Division II and Division three all have a playoff format to decide their championship yet missed class time doesn't seem to be an issue to them. The NCAA awards 88 championships in 23 different sports all of which have some sort of tournament in which an athlete may miss class. If it is such a big deal for Division IA football then why isn't it a big deal for the 88 other championships? Sounds like a poor excuse to me.

Another reason is Bowl tradition. For years the minor bowls were played before New Years day and the major bowl games were played on New Years day. This years Bowl Schedule features six games after New Years day. Then there's the Rose Bowl which traditionally has had the Pac Ten and Big Ten team champions. In recent years Texas, Oklahoma and Miami have played in the Rose Bowl. This years Rose Bowl will feature the Big 10 runner up and another team such as Notre Dame or LSU. There are also way too many Bowl Game, is there any tradition in San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, The Bell Hellicopter Armed Forces Bowl, The PapaJohns.com Bowl or The Meineke Car Care Bowl. In case you haven't figured it out yet, what I'm getting at here is that there no longer any tradition left in the Bowl Games.

Many people say that a playoff would diminsh the importance of the regular season. A playoff in no way is going to diminish the importance of the regular season. If you had a sixteen team playoff including eleven conference champions and five at large teams, the regular season will remain just as important. If you don't win your conference it's going to be awfully difficult for a team to get in so they better win every game if they want to be guarenteed a playoff spot.

The fourth arguement I commonly hear is that it would make it more difficult and expensive for fans to travel. As a fan I can understand this arguement, with a playoff it would make it difficult to make travel plans but I would argue that Basketball fans seem to have no problem doing it. Under my plan the first two rounds would be played at the stadium of the higher seeded team. Meaning that only half of the fans would have to make travel arrangements. Some fans may have some tough choices to make but I just don't see this as a reason not to have a playoff.

The real reason why there is no playoff in college football is money. There is so much money from corperate sponsors and TV revenue in these bowl games that the conference commisioners and University Presidents are afraid to implement a playoff. It is my belief that a playoff would be just as lucrative or even more lucrative than the current system. Major sponsor would be lining for the right to have their name on the playoff and I'm sure that ESPN/ABC would put up a lot of cash for the right to show the games on TV. The legendary singer/songwriter George Harrison once sang "all things must pass", the bowl system was good for its time but its time has passed.

A horrible ending to an allready horrible season

I really have nothing to say about it.

Random Thought from Corvallis

What does a housing studies major do?

OSU Joke of the Day

It's time for my final beaver joke of the day. Why doesn't osu have ice on the sideline?

Because the guy with the recipe graduated!

My Civil War Prediction

Oregon 27
Oregon State 24

OSU Joke of the Day

How many OSU students does it take to screw in a light bulb

Just one but he gets four credits for it

OSU Joke of the Day

What did the OSU grad say to the U of O grad?

Would you like fries with that?

Why?

After sitting through the cold on Saturday watching my Ducks get crushed at home by an inferior team I said there was no way I was going to try to find a ticket for the Civil War. As the game got closer I started thinking that I really wanted to go. This morning I bid on and won a pair of tickets on Ebay for $91 only to have the seller back out on the deal and yes I did ruin his previously perfect feedback rating for that move. After that I pretty much gave up on going to the game until I got word that the University of Oregon was putting a very limited tickets on sale, so I went to goducks.com and purchased one ticket for $60 and now I will making about a five satop in Corvallis on my way to Portland on Friday.

POST 200!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's true I've posted 200 times on this dumb blog in the eleven months since I started it. In honor of post 200, let's take a look back at some of my best posts since I reached 100 posts months ago.

A Heroic Performance

Year in Review Part I

An Inspirational Story

My Thoughts on Oregon-Oklahoma

Soccer: What a Joke

Beaver Nation

In Honor of Civil War Week

I wonder how many Beaver fans frequent this place.

OSU Joke of the Day

Why do OSU Grads hang their diploma in their rear view mirror?

So they can park in the Handicap spot

Sports Highlight of the Night

This video is of 5'9" Nate Robinson of the Knicks and 7'5" Yao Ming of the Rockets.

Football Fashion II

Last week I bashed Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for showing up to work dressed like he's going for a morning jog. This week I want to give props to San Fransisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan (who happens to be a University of Oregon Alumn) and Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio for wearing suits and ties for this weekends games. It used to be common for coaches to wear suits on the sidelines. Hall of Fame coaches George Halas, Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi always wore suits. In recent years NFL rules did not allow coaches to wear suits due to their apparel contract with Reebok. The NFL has agreed to allow Nolan and Del Rio Reebok issued suits for two games this year and hopefully it's something they approve for the whole season next year.

A new color for a new day

Since today is a new day, I have changed the background of my blog yet again. In honor of the Ducks being the visiting team in the 110th Northwest Dodge Dealers Civil War, I have gone with a white background for the week.

OSU Joke of the Day

What does an OSU Student and a bottle of Beer have in common?

They're both empty from the neck up.

OSU Joke of the Day

How do you get an Oregon State grad off your front porch?

Pay for the Pizza

One Year Ago Today

Much happier times

Black Sunday

Yesterday was perhaps the worst Football game I have ever witnessed at Autzen Stadium. As a result I have changed the background to black. I have also accepted the fact that the Ducks are probably going to lose to the Beavers and that makes me ill.

Another Classy Coach

"We lost but at least we took out a couple of their quarterbacks."

That quote is courtesy of Arizona football coach Mike Stoops reffering to last year's Oregon-Arizona game in which starter Kellen Clemens broke his leg and backup Dennis Dixon suffered a concussion. Clemens college career was ended in that game and Stoops is gloating about it. What a jerk!

http://ducks.blogs.oregonlive.com/default.asp?item=280159

Football Fashion

I don't claim to be a fashion expert by any stretch of the imagination but after watching highlights of New Jets and New England Patriots, I feel compelled to comment on the sideline attire of Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

While most coaches where slacks and a team polo or coat when it's cold or wet, Belichick shows up to work wearing warmup pants and an old hoodie with the sleeves cut off at the elbow. I know football can be cold, wet and muddy but is it too much to ask of a guy to show up to work not looking like he just woke up and pulled his clothes from the bottom of the dirty laundry pile?

Back to normal

ESPN has been a part of my life since its inception in 1980. Until last April I don't remember anytime in my life when I did not have ESPN. I saw the network grow from a single station that showed sports such as Australian rules football, Auto racing, Yacht Racing and Hockey to the family of networks it is today.

When I moved to my current residence back in April I decided to go with basic cable which does not include ESPN. What did I do for the last seven months without it? I ran two marathons, started dating a wonderful girl, got a library card and watched network TV shows such as Dancing With the Stars and The Bachelor. It was strange not turning on my TV to watch sportscenter every night as I had much of my life but I survived OK.

About two weeks ago while watching television my wonderful cable provider comcast aired a commercial in which they advertising a special. The very next day I dialed 1-800-COMCAST to arrange to have my cable TV upgraded. Last Friday morning the cable guy showed up and got everything installed and now after seven months without it, I once again have my ESPN.

Only in America

Fantasy Football

For some reason I can't beat my friend Justin (don't bother clicking on his name because he never updates his blog) in anything. That all changed yesterday when I beat him in Fantasy football 84-56. That amazing victory puts me in a three way tie for first and I do plan on winning the league.

Nice Shot!

Here's a highlight from yesterday's Duck Basketball game, this is 5'6" freshman Tajuan Porter at the end of the first half.

Soccer Update

The Houston Dynamo beat the New England Revolution in the MLS Cup final today. Instead of celebrating with champagne like they do in real sports they sprayed each other with capri sun. The ten people that care in Houston are ecstatic.

Hope For Duck Basketball?

I know it's only Portland State that they beat today but after comparing the box scores from today's game and last year's game against Portland State, I have a little bit of hope. What a difference a year makes!


2005 Oregon vs PSU box score

2006 Oregon vs PSU box score

For a trip down memory lane here's my blog entry after that horrible game in December of 2005.
Duck Basketball December 27, 2005

Pete Carroll: A Real Class Act

An Injustice

Normally when I write about soccer I'm making fun of it but today an injustice happened in womens college soccer and I along with many fans of University of Oregon Athletics are ticked. In one of the biggest post season snubs in Pac 10 history the University of Oregon women's soccer team did not receive an invitation to the 64 team NCAA tournament. This is the number 17 ranked Ducks who finished second in the Pac 10 coming off a weekend in which they swept the LA schools including the 2-1 overtime victory over the number three ranked and Pac 10 champion UCLA Bruins. The third, fifth and sixth place team in the conference all received invitations but not the second place team. This is a load of crap and NCAA has a lot of explaining to do!

Gameday Breakfast

Two waffles, four pieces of sausage and Widmer Hefeweizen. It doesn't get any better.

October 22, 1994

It's a day that I will always remember. I was sitting in with my parents in the west endzone of autzen watching my beloved Ducks take on the hated Washington Huskies. After watching the Ducks take the lead on 98 yard scoring drive, I witnessed the Huskies march down to the Oregon eight yard line. It looked as if the huskies were going to steal another victory from the ducks, they had the had the bowl first and goal with an all american running back. What happened next forever changed Oregon football. On first and goal, huskie quarterback Damon Huard threw a pass towards the endzone but a freshman corner by the name of Kenny Wheaton stepped in front that pass at three yard line and took the ball 97 yards for an Oregon touchdown. Without "The Pick" the Ducks don't beat Washington, they probabably don't go to the Rose Bowl, no Rose Bowl means Oregon football continues in mediocrity and the winningest era in Oregon football never happens.

I Hate the Huskies!!!!!

That's really all I have to say about about Washington.

PAC 10 CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

in cross country

I'm alive

I really have no excuse for not blogging other than I got bored with it. I'm happy to announce that I'm back! I don't know how often I'll post but I'm here for now.

Now for a random item of business. Tuesday on my way home from work I followed a car with a license plate that read "A POS". I was amused by it because if you don't know POS is short for "Piece of S***" I often reffered to my old Nissan as a POS. I though it was the greatest license plate ever until I passed the car realized that it was from the "Lane Memorial Blood Bank" meaning that the license plate was probably reffering to the Blood type "A Possitive".

A New Look

To show my support for the Oregon Ducks, I've changed the color scheme for my blog. There have been rumors floating around that after the thrashing of the Ducks by the Cal Bears that I have given up on my Ducks. That is 100% false! The Ducks will be back! It starts this weekend with the UCLA Bruins! Go Ducks! Leave the Bruins in ruins!

Marathon Photos

Here are some photos taken of me during the Marathon. You may notice the time on the one of me crossing the finish line is slower than what I repoted in my previous blog, that is because the event uses chip timing so my did not actually start until I crossed the start line.

St John's Bridge

Mile 20

Finish 1

Finish 2

Finish 3

3:35:14

I finished the Portland Marathon yesterday with a solid time of 3:35:14. It was ten minutes slower than my last marathon but I'll take it.

An Inspirational Story

I first heard the story of Dick and Rick Hoyt about a year ago and I was moved to tears. Today I came across the story again and once again was brought to tears. I'll let you all read it for yourselves and then watch the short video at the bottom of the story.

World Strongest Dad

By: Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated

I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay For their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.

But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.

Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and Pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day.

Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back Mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. On a bike. Makes Taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?

And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.
This love story began in Winchester , Mass. , 43 years ago, when Rick Was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs.

"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. ``Put him in an Institution.''

But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes Followed them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the Engineering department at Tufts University and asked if there was Anything to help the boy communicate. ``No way,'' Dick says he was told. ``There's nothing going on in his brain.''

"Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a Lot was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was finally able to communicate. First words? ``Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a charity run for him, Rick pecked out, ``Dad, I want To do that.''

Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described ``porker'' who never ran More than a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he Tried. ``Then it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. ``I was sore For two weeks.''

That day changed Rick's life. ``Dad,'' he typed, ``when we were running, It felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!''

And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly Shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon.

``No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a Single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then They found a way to get into the race Officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon so fast they made the Qualifying time for Boston the following year.

Then somebody said, ``Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?''

How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he Was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick Tried.

Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii . It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud Getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you Think?

Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? ``No way,'' he says. Dick does it purely for ``the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with A cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best Time? Two hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world Record, which, in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to Be held by a guy who was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the Time.

``No question about it,'' Rick types. ``My dad is the Father of the Century.''

And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a Mild heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95% clogged. ``If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor told him, ``you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved each other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass. , always find ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day.

That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.

``The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, ``is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.''

Soccer update

The Chicago Fire beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-1 to win the US Open Cup. Fellow South Eugene High School alumn Nate Jaqua scored a goal. Congratulations Chicago, I guess.

Fire win fourth Open Cup title

New top 25

1. Ohio State (4-0)
2. USC (3-0)
3. Auburn (4-0)
4. West Virginia (4-0)
5. Florida (4-0)
6. Michigan (4-0)
7. Oregon (3-0)
8. Louisville (4-0)
9. Georgia (4-0)
10. Texas (3-1)
11. LSU (3-1)
12. Virginia Tech (4-0)
13. pOUt (3-1)
14. Iowa (4-0)
15. Tennesee (3-1)
16. TCU (3-0)
17. Notre Dame (3-1)
18. Cal (3-1)
19. Florida State (3-1)
20. Boise State (4-0)
21. Nebraska (3-1)
22. Clemson (3-1)
23. Arizona State (3-1)
24. Rugters (4-0)
25. Texas Tech (3-1)

Marathon #2

This Sunday I will be participating in my second marathon. My expectaions are not as high this time around. My training has not gone as well, I've battled a few injuries and I havn't been eating as well as I should. I'll probably take a little break after this and then it'll be back to training because if all goes as planned I will be running two Marathons next spring, the Eugene Marathon on April 28 and the Newport Marathon on June 2. If you want to moniter my progress during the race you have text message updates sent to your cell phone, you will get six updates throughout the race. Just click the link below if you're interested.

Text Updates

A Complete Meltdown

If you have 15 extra minutes click on the link below. It's a clip from a sports talk radio show in Michigan, all I can say is wow.

Radio Show Host Meltdown

My Top 25

Sorry I missed last week but here are my updated rankings. But first some pictures of the fine officiating from Oregon-Oklahoma game that you may not have seen.
Sure Looks like offensive PI to me
The redline is the ball should have been spotted Notice the playclock

1. Ohio State (3-0)
2. USC (2-0)
3. West Virginia (3-0)
4. Auburn (3-0)
5. Florida (3-0)
6. Michigan (3-0)
7. Oregon (3-0)
8. Georgia (3-0)
9. Louisville (3-0)
10.Texas (2-1)
11. LSU (2-1)
12. Virginia Tech (3-0)
13. pOUt (2-1)
14. Iowa (3-0)
15. Notre Dame (2-1)
16. TCU (3-0)
17. Arizona State (3-0)
18. Tennessee (2-1)
19. Cal (2-1)
20. Florida State (2-1)
21. Boise State (3-0)
22. Boston College (3-0)
23. Alabama (3-0)
24. Nebraska (2-1)
25. Clemson (2-1)

See any resemblance?

This Dude Needs Some Help

Here's a video from an Oklahoma fan, he's got issues.

My Thoughts on Oregon-Oklahoma

Here is "conclusive visual evidence" that Oregon beat Oklahoma.

5 Years Later

Fiver years ago today the world was forever changed. It was a day in which we saw the absolute worst in the human race but through that horrible event we saw the best as well. It's important that we all take a moment to remember all of those who lost their lives on that horrible day and all of those who lost their lives since that day fighting for the cause of freedom. Thanks to all of the men and women serving in our armed forces, the fire fighters, police officers and all those who go to work everyday to make the world we live in a safer place.

God Bless America!!!

Then and Now

In honor of me missing (unless I win tickets in a contest or someone calls and offers me tickets, because at that point I will take that as a sign that I'm supposed to go the game. Don't worry Ubels I'm not asking for my ticket back because I've allready given it up) my first Duck home game since October 28, 1995, I've decided to do a little then and now.

Me
Then- I was an 18 year old freshman at Western Oregon State College. I was 6'1" and and weighed in at 222 pounds. My hairstyle of choice was a part to the right and my outfit of choice was a pair of Levis Silver Tab Baggy jeans with a tucked in T-shirt

Now- I'm 29 years old working as a collector for a credit union. I'm 6'2" 227 pounds . My hairstyle of choice is spiked in the front and my outfit of choice is cargo shorts from old navy and a t-shirt.

Number One Song in America
Then- Fantasy by Mariah Carey

Now- SexyBack by Justin Timberlake

Average Price for a Gallon of Gas
Then- $1.20

Now- $2.73

Top Grossing Film
Then- Get Shorty

Now- The Covenent

Duck Uniforms
Then














Now




















Mike Bellotti
Then



















Now

The End

On September 16, 2006 something will happen that has not happened since October 28, 1995. An Oregon Duck football game at Autzen Stadium in which I'm not in attendance. Meaning my streak of sixty six consecutive home games will come to an end. It was a tough decision and I'm still not very happy with my friends that had the nerve to schedule a wedding on the day of the biggest game of the year but I probably made the right decision. I will probably shed a tear next Saturday when I'm watching the kickoff from an undisclosed location in Portland while someone else is sitting in my seat at Autzen. I guess it had to come to an end someday, I just didn't want it to come to an end now.

College Football Rankings

Here's my rankings after the first week of action.
1. Ohio State
2. USC
3. West Virginia
4. Texas
5. Florida
6. LSU
7. Auburn
8. Oregon
9. Notre Dame
10. Oklahoma
11. Louisville
12. Tennessee
13. Florida State
14. Iowa
15. Georgia
16. Virginia Tech
17. Nebraska
18. Penn State
19. Clemson
20. TCU
21. Miami
22. Boston College
23. Alabama
24. Texas Tech
25. Georgia Tech

Oregon 48 Stanford 10

After months of anticipation football season is finally here. Yesterday I had the pleasure of watching my beloved Ducks destroy the Trees 48-10. Next up is the Bulldogs of Fresneck State. It should be another win for the Ducks, setting the stage for a showdown with Oklahoma Sooners in Eugene on September 16. Stay tuned tommorrow for my updated top 25 rankings.

12 Hours From Kickoff

Yes I'm still awake and I get to get up and run 22 miles in about five hours.

My Top 25

Here is my preseason top 25 for the upcoming college football season. I will be updating my rankings weekly.

1. Ohio State
2. West Virginia
3. USC
4. Texas
5. Florida
6. LSU
7. Auburn
8. Oklahoma
9. Notre Dame
10.Oregon
11. Louisville
12. Florida State
13. Miami
14. Iowa
15. Georgia
16. Virginia Tech
17. Cal
18. Nebraska
19. Penn State
20. Clemson
21. Tennessee
22. TCU
23. Boston College
24. Alabama
25. Georgia Tech

Pac 10 Football Preview

After a two week hiatus I'm back and to kick things off here's my first annual Pac 10 Football preview.

1. USC- They lost a lot of talent from last year's team but most of their bench players from a year ago could have started almost anywhere. I don't think they'll run the table but look for the Trojans in Pasadena on January 1. (10-2)

2. Oregon- A dificult schedule but I think this will be another special year for the Ducks. Remember these two names, Dennis Dixon and Jonathan Stewart. (10-2)

3. Cal- Lynch is a stud at Running Back but the Bears have serious questions at quarterback. (9-3)

4. Arizona State- I originally had them picked for third but with the recent turmoil and the fact that they always under achieve I moved them down to fourth. (8-4)

5. UCLA- Their defense was lousy a year ago and they have to replace both their starting quarterback and running back from a year ago but I still think they're good enough for fith. (7-5)

6. Stanford- Second year for coach Walt Harris and a solid senior quarterback in Trent Edwards. The Cardinal are improved but not by much (7-5)

7. Arizona- Mike Stoops has shown that he can recruit but it remains to be seen whether or not he can coach. (6-6)

8. Oregon State- A Mike Riley coached Oregon State football team has never lost fewer than five games. That trend doesn't change this year (6-7) Note: Oregon Sate plays 13 games this year.

9. Washington State- Bill Doba isn't a good football coach, enough said! (5-7)

10. Washington- The Huskies will double their win total from a year ago but they still finish last (4-8)

Coach of the Year- Mike Bellotti
Player of the Year- Marshawn Lynch RB Cal

Coaches on the Hot Seat- Mike Riley, Bill Doba and Mike Stoops

Taking a Break

Unlike my friends Aaron and Justin who just disappear for weeks at a time, I'm letting you know that I going to take a little break from the world of blogging. Why? Because I can! So for the next two weeks I won't be posting anything new, feel free to read some of my archives in the meantime and check back on August 22 for more blogging excellence.

I will leave you with one thought to ponder for the next two weeks. It's a quote from the legendary football coach Vince Lombardi:

"I am the Fred Astaire of Karate"

Fantasy Football

The NFL season is almost upon which means it's time for fantasy football. I am pleased to announce the formation of the Friends of Dennis' Daily Rant fantasy football league on ESPN.COM. I'm limiting it to ten teams this year and the top four teams after week 13 will advance to the playoffs. Once I have 10 teams I will set the time and date for the draft. If you want to join please send me an email at superduckdc@hotmail.com.