I thought I would share a few of my thoughts on this game since I am not particularly sleepy.
But before I do, I have to drop an insanly awesome link. If you haven't heard of Hulu.com, you have problems in your life. Seriously, what do you do all day? I suppose if you live somewhere with Comcast's OnDemand, this would be of a little less interest. If, like me, your cable company doesn't have such a service, this website is pretty rockin. It seems to work like this: Get yourself a free account, watch tv shows and movies for free with fairly limited interuptions. So far I have had no freezing, skipping or caching issues, and the video quality is awesome. Did you miss Arrested Development when it was on the air, or maybe you just miss it in general? Not to fear, Hulu has the entire series. Ready to watch, for free. It is also the only place I know where you can still see the 3 part musical blog of Dr. Horrible. I shouldn't have to tell you how awesome that is.
Alright, interlude aside, how does it look for Oregon tomorrow? Well, I don't see a blow out, but I think if you played the game under these conditions 10 seperate times Oregon comes out on top 7 of them. This one may look like some old-school football. Lean on the defense and run the ball. With Oregon's somewhat green (thank god they played the backups in the first few games) QB's the goal should be to make it easy for them to succeed. And although BSU has good team speed, I don't think they will be able to completly stop the running game. I also think Oregon's defense is extremely good. Good enough to keep them in most games. Maybe not against USC in the Collesium, but good enough for just about anything else. Given that, and that BSU's QB is making his first ever college road start, I think the defense should have a pretty good game. I would be really suprised if BSU scored more than 24, and pretty suprised if they even break 20. If the Oregon O-line does it's job, and the recievers catch the balls that are thrown, I think Oregon will just about cover the spread. I am calling 28-17 Oregon. Not quite enough to cover the spread (11.5) but a winner if you took the under (o/u @55).
Go Ducks. (BTW, in 2 years Harper = very scary )
Showing posts with label U of O. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U of O. Show all posts
Friday, September 19, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Shooting Fish in a Barrel?
I am aware that some journalists and newspaper publishers argue that a columnist's job is to stir the pot, provoke discussion and sell papers. And if the columnists at the Oregonian did that, I don't think I would have nearly as many complaints. Now, the Oregonian is not widely known as a home for brilliant, erudite columnists and I don't expect that to change any time soon. But damn it, the Oregonian is the State's biggest daily newspaper. The fact that I see better reasoned argument in the Daily Astorian is frightening.
Here is the column that has me irked this evening. (Lucky for me I don't have a big enough readership to worry about driving up Mr. Duin's statistics by linking him.)
I want to make two things clear at the outset. First, as just about everyone reading this knows, I am a Duck Sports fan. I own season football tickets. Second, I agree the U of O needs to significantly renovate it's residence halls. But the basis of Duin's column isn't research, or reasoned argument. He throws out short, sound-bite style paragraphs, tosses cheesy innuendo at the University and chooses to blame a popular scape-goat in the academic realm: athletics.
It seems that about 800 incoming freshman at the U of O have been told there will not be space for them in the "residence halls" (as I no longer work for Campus Housing, I will be calling them "dorms" from here on out). He then points out the recent spending on the U of O's new basketball arena. It's clear that he sees these two as not just happening at the same time but as a cause and effect, though he won't come right out and say it.
Perhaps most galling to me is the lack of context of the current housing issue on campus. My freshman year (that would be 1999-2000) there were so few students (not just freshman) in the dorms that an entire hall in Bean was closed after the first month of the year (it had briefly housed freshman that were waiting to rush and then moved into a frat/sorority house). My sophomore year, there was talk that there wouldn't be enough students living on campus to keep Earl Hall open. An entire hall. There were open rooms in the UI (now Barnhardt hall). It was easy to buy a double room and use it as a single. A large number of incoming freshman were choosing to live off-campus because, they told me, it was cheaper. Duin makes no effort to discuss what the living situation has been in years passed or how it has changed recently.
On top of failing to discuss the recent changes in housing demand (or investigating a root cause), Duin fails to mention that the U of O opened a new dorm this past year. Presumably such information would get in the way of laying the blame for this on the stoop of the "pampered athletes and boosters." This doesn't even take effort to discover. It is a huge new building, right there on campus. They took out the outdoor tennis courts to build it. Instead he leaves the impression that the U of O is spending all of its resources on new arenas and leaving these freshmen to freeze.
On the other side of the issue, Duin neglects to discuss or mention the baseball stadium that is scheduled to break ground this winter. Frankly, I can think of no explanation other then shear sloth and shoddy reporting (columnizing?). A ready-made bolster to his argument is left rotting in the dustbin. Did he consider his argument too airtight to need a supporting point?
I know it is easy to Monday-morning quarterback these things. I'll admit I haven't dug in and researched the issue. But I am also not paid to do so. This is Duin's job, his chosen profession. If I took a case to trial with this little research and preparation I would deserve to be disbarred.
I can't speak to Duin's qualities as a human, or even the majority of his other writing, but this column is crap. It adds nothing to the important discussion of the needs of higher education in this state and the spending priorities of this "state run" school. This is an important issue that deserves well researched and well reasoned positions. Duin adds nothing to the pot.
Here is the column that has me irked this evening. (Lucky for me I don't have a big enough readership to worry about driving up Mr. Duin's statistics by linking him.)
I want to make two things clear at the outset. First, as just about everyone reading this knows, I am a Duck Sports fan. I own season football tickets. Second, I agree the U of O needs to significantly renovate it's residence halls. But the basis of Duin's column isn't research, or reasoned argument. He throws out short, sound-bite style paragraphs, tosses cheesy innuendo at the University and chooses to blame a popular scape-goat in the academic realm: athletics.
It seems that about 800 incoming freshman at the U of O have been told there will not be space for them in the "residence halls" (as I no longer work for Campus Housing, I will be calling them "dorms" from here on out). He then points out the recent spending on the U of O's new basketball arena. It's clear that he sees these two as not just happening at the same time but as a cause and effect, though he won't come right out and say it.
Perhaps most galling to me is the lack of context of the current housing issue on campus. My freshman year (that would be 1999-2000) there were so few students (not just freshman) in the dorms that an entire hall in Bean was closed after the first month of the year (it had briefly housed freshman that were waiting to rush and then moved into a frat/sorority house). My sophomore year, there was talk that there wouldn't be enough students living on campus to keep Earl Hall open. An entire hall. There were open rooms in the UI (now Barnhardt hall). It was easy to buy a double room and use it as a single. A large number of incoming freshman were choosing to live off-campus because, they told me, it was cheaper. Duin makes no effort to discuss what the living situation has been in years passed or how it has changed recently.
On top of failing to discuss the recent changes in housing demand (or investigating a root cause), Duin fails to mention that the U of O opened a new dorm this past year. Presumably such information would get in the way of laying the blame for this on the stoop of the "pampered athletes and boosters." This doesn't even take effort to discover. It is a huge new building, right there on campus. They took out the outdoor tennis courts to build it. Instead he leaves the impression that the U of O is spending all of its resources on new arenas and leaving these freshmen to freeze.
On the other side of the issue, Duin neglects to discuss or mention the baseball stadium that is scheduled to break ground this winter. Frankly, I can think of no explanation other then shear sloth and shoddy reporting (columnizing?). A ready-made bolster to his argument is left rotting in the dustbin. Did he consider his argument too airtight to need a supporting point?
I know it is easy to Monday-morning quarterback these things. I'll admit I haven't dug in and researched the issue. But I am also not paid to do so. This is Duin's job, his chosen profession. If I took a case to trial with this little research and preparation I would deserve to be disbarred.
I can't speak to Duin's qualities as a human, or even the majority of his other writing, but this column is crap. It adds nothing to the important discussion of the needs of higher education in this state and the spending priorities of this "state run" school. This is an important issue that deserves well researched and well reasoned positions. Duin adds nothing to the pot.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
4th Quarter
(God damn you Alabama!! ) (Now all thats left is to throw a few Seminole Chops around)
Great hit on Carpenter! He barely had a chance to cover up before that one. Good series for the Duck D. They have really stepped up again.
OK, 13 min left, you are up 19 in what may be the biggest game of the year (at least short of the bowl game). Do you a) run it into the middle of the line 3 times. Or b) stick to the offensive game plan, keep the Devils on their heels and in over pursuit and make a firm statement on national television? I think you all know my preference, lets see what they do.
Oh no!! Dixon took a stinger on the knee there!. He is up and walking off, but I think I suffered a minor coronary.
There goes the last timeout... Now I am more ok with a little more conservative offensive series. But not much. Its not like Leaf is some schmuck red-shirt freshman with no game time experience.
Great play call to start of Leaf. Love to convert here... gonna be 3rd and long it looks like though.
Good look at Scott, ball just drifted a little. Gotta believe it would have been complete if Dixon were throwing. Syria is kicking well today. To bad he is already a Junior. It's so nice to not live in mortal fear of punting
Eleven more minutes of sold defense. Thats all he need. And not the “keep it all in front of you, let them dink and dunk defense” stay a little aggressive and trust your secondary.
Reason # 4,135 I hate these announcers. They don't even bother to understand the difference in pass interference rules between college and the NFL. The NFL has a 5 yard rule for pass interference, in college you can bump until the ball is in the air.
Great defense there. You gotta believe its 4 down territory here. And it is, Carpenter is still on the field. One more big stop could be the game.
ASU may have converted on 4 and 10 but I am proud of Aliotti. He didn't rush 3 or 4, he sent a linebacker and it nearly paid off. No reason not to play balls out in a game like this!
Picked!!! I had feeling one of those was going to come one of these plays. Would preferred a knee and a touch back, but its tough to keep your head sometimes.
Looks like Dixon will be ok. Glad to see him moving on the sideline. Also more than ok seeing them leave Leaf out there. At this point, no reason to risk Dixon any more.
Nice pass by Leaf gets it to third and manageable. On third and three, it will probably stay on the ground... and nothing gained unfortunately.
Drained a good 2 minutes off the clock though.
ASU will be going to the air here. We'll see how good Carpenter really is. Down 19 with 6 min to play. Still hoping that Aliotti doesn't get too complacent
Rushed 3 lineman on each of those. You would think Aliotti might of learned something from last week and the first 54 min of this game. You would be wrong.
Thats an ASU TD... took a whole 41 seconds off the clock. Still a two score lead, but this game is by no means over. Big question... does Dixon come back in now? Only if ASU scores again? (Also up for debate, you need 2 scores in 5:20 seconds, do you try the on-sides? [I say no, given Oregon's past history of being extremely conservative in situations like this])
Well... its a long field Oregon can use to drain the clock. Just have to do it. No three and out here. Gotta run 5-7 plays.
It is still Leaf... and they throw a short pass! Complete, and still in bounds. 2 & 8... Stewart dances, and leaves it at 3 & 7ish. ASU uses one of its last 2 timeouts. Down to 4:14... need a conversion here.
Damn it! Two good play calls, and Leaf can't keep it in bounds on the sideline route. I know its a tough throw, but you need to convert on something like that. Weight is back on the defense.... and a bad bounce costs the Ducks 20 yards on the point.
Send a blitz Aliotti! Got him!!! 7th sack of the game and another from Reed. Exactly what I wanted to see.
Didn't want to see that long pass caught... FUMBLED!! I know he is fighting for yards, but you have to hang on to the ball. Heads up play by Glasper to get on top of it. And not try and pick it up or carry it.
That should seal the game. Not as huge as Harper's pick, but it really is just about the nail in the coffin.
Oregon closes the game with a sack... 8 on the night. Fantastic game all around.
Thats all for tonight. BC is down 7-0 at the half. Go Seminoles! Go Bobby Bowden you crazy old sonuvabitch go!
3rd Quarter
(Almost forgot to break at the quarter and post)
As I am sure you have all heard. ASU has outscored opponents 153-29 in second halves. Oregon hasn't been the strongest 2nd half team, but I think a good part of that is that they are usually way up coming into the 3rd.
Here we go starting the 2nd half.
That shoulda been a free shot on Carpenter there. I can't even describe how much I would like a takeaway right now.
Great pressure on two snaps in row there, and good perseverance getting to Carpenter. One more stop now. False start... thats Autzen getting loud early in the 3rd I love it! (Ageyman showing blitz probably helped. Time for another FG. If Oregon keeps holding ASU to FG's... even 50 yarders, Oregon will be in good shape.
Time for a good offensive series now... Starting with great field position. Stewart could have taken that to the house with a little more room.
Oregon's O-line doesn't seem to be getting off the ball as fast. When Oregon is moving the ball well (on the ground), the O-line explodes off the line and pushes the actual line of scrimmage down field. It will look like no gain until you realize all the linemen are 4 yards down field.
Williams!!! You have got to catch that ball baby... Great punt by Syria.
Good stop by the Ducks. Good penetration by the front four there. Oregon should have good field position here.
Thats what I want to see on offense. Get the ASU defense over pursuing again. Use that aggressiveness against them.
Fantastic run by Stewart! I know he should go to the NFL after this year. Its the right thing to do, but it would sure be fantastic to see him for one more year. But if I were advising him, I would have to say go to the NFL. Running back is just to vulnerable of a position. Way to easy to blow a knee or an ankle and miss your shot (or seriously risk it... reference Willis McGehee here (not that he could have come out in the 1st round after his junior year, but you get the idea). That said... if any running back out there would come back to finish his degree (he wants to be police officer apparently) Stewart is the type.
ASU is getting its yards and all, but Oregon's front four (and the linebackers at times too) are just playing fantastic. Good pressure all day long so far. I hope Allioti doesn't pull the linebackers back as we get to the 4th.
Fantastic hit! Here we go on the first 4th down try of the evening. Stuffed! Oregon's defense is looking for a second statement game in a row I think. And they are making a heck of a statement.
On a side note... I know there are a lot of defensive schemes out there, and I know I don't understand Aliotti's that well. But if you are going to cover one of these games at least make some effort. It is a gap control scheme. Even the linebackers are mostly containing and funneling. In a normal defense its bad if your DB's lead in tackles, but at Oregon its fairly common. (I know this would be a point to critisize Aliotti's scheme, and I have on numerous occasions.) Even on good Oregon offenses the rover and “strong safety” (counts as a DB, plays like a linebacker) are often the top tacklers. I don't love the “bend but don't break” style, but I do like the TFL's that Allioti's defense tends to rack up. If they could stiffen up on third down (in general... doing pretty well tonight) people would think he is a genius.
Short offensive series. The Oregon defense is going to get warn down if the offense can't stay on the field longer. (Reference the long run play that just happened)
Except for the long run there (which would have been much longer if the back had just ran all out he probably would gone to the house, holding up there allowed the strong Oregon pursuit to catch him) that was a real strong defensive series.
A solid scoring drive right here would right here would go a long way to making be feel more secure in this one. Not completely secure... not against this team until the final whistle. But better.
That shoestring tackle saved at least 5 yards if not 6 points. Would it be unreasonable for Oregon to send two to New York? I never have understood why Stewart doesn't get more national press. I know he is a quite guy and doesn't interview much, but the game tape should speak for itself.
Now its Oregon burning timeouts. Only one left now if it gets close.
>_>
<_<
That was a pretty pretty pass to Davis. Dixon doesn't make that throw last year. Last year (even in the beginning of the year when he still had his confidence) he doesn't complete that.
2nd Quarter
And Oregon right back at it for the 2nd Quarter... as is Williams. A lot of people were looking for him to have a break out game today. I wasn't so sure it wouldn't be Garren Strong... but its looking like the experts knew a little better then me on that one.
BTW if you all aren't reading Stewert Mandel's blog reports from Oregon, you should be.
Good contain on the kickoff, could have had him at the 10 though.
Good lead for the Ducks here at 21 to 3, but I really hope Oregon doesn't get complacent. ASU has made their living in the 2nd half all year long. I don't know that I would feel comfortable until it was 4+ TD lead heading into the 4th. Even then I would want to see Oregon do more than run straight ahead.
Speaking of running straight ahead, the ASU line is looking a bit better then I expected. I knew they could move the ball on the ground, but I wasn't expecting as good as this.
Oregon got hosed on the spot on Carpenter's scramble. Love to see Oregon take the ball away here. Though ASU burning a TO because Carpenter is sprinting to the sideline like an Pop Warner QB is almost as nice.
Damn! When Carpenter let that go, it looked like a pickable ball to me. Just nobody in position.
Another misread on the 1st down through... Hate to see that... After an ASU TD I would really like to see a sustained drive if not a solid TD. I like the play call on 3rd and 7, but punting the ball after an ASU TD is disappointing. I guess here's hoping for a good defensive stand.
Carpenter hasn't missed a pass yet. I know that won't keep up the whole game, but it could be telling.
Another ASU TO... only 1 left with 9 minutes in the 1st half. It looks like the crowd is rocking today... Now for a sold defensive stop to make...
There we go... force them to 3rd and long. A good stop here keeps them to another field goal...
Thats to FG where it probably should have been another TD the way ASU had been moving the ball.
That is a heck of a play by the ASU corner Bolden. After the inside screen its now third and longish again. Or even longer with the false start. I would love to see a 3rd down conversion here. Not to be though... looked like Dixon forced that a little. But if he puts some air under it it might have been 6 for Oregon.
The defenses are starting to settle in. Hurts Oregon to see the starting middle linebacker go down though. I know Bacon doesn't have big tackle numbers, but he does good job Qbing the defense. (Bad sign to see him on the cart...)
Big sack from Nick Reed there! Two today, I wouldn't be surprised to see two more at least.
Time for a big stop... or for Autzen to take ASU's last time out with still 6 minutes on the clock.
Way to force the punt... good pursuit by Agyeman. I love how Oregon is flying to ball the last couple of games on defense.
Fuckity Fuck Fuck Fuck!!!(to quote a dear friend of mine...) 3rd and 1 and a turnover on a fumble! If Oregon doesn't hang on to the ball today, its going to be tougher dog fight than Oregon is looking for. You can't keep going back to the defensive well through out this game.
I know Oregon's offense isn't a time of possession offense, but 7 minute (and growing) advantage for ASU is going to start to hurt.
Great coverage sack there. Gonna need to find a few more of those today.
Thats a flat out shitty late hit call. I have seen that move countless times and I have never seen it flagged.
Thats a good stop on 2nd and short. Hold them again here, and the hero of the 2nd quarter is clearly the defense. (Didn't get the stop, but they should have... Nance is slippery though)
Bad idea to run the ball there with no timeouts... took a chance at TD and turned it into a FG. Cuts the lead to less then a TD, but still I don't like the run call. Could have taken 2 shots at least.
I bet Erickson hates it more now that the kid hooked it.
Well that brings us to the half. Here is hoping that the Ducks come back out fired up and ready to go back to work. (Wow... these are running longer then I thought they would.)
Live Blogging the Duck Game - 1st Quarter
Alright, I am gonna give this live blogging the game thing a shot.
I was almost late getting set up for the game... ok, actually I was a bit late. Well, I was in the room and folding laundry, but I had forgotten to do key things like grab a Mt. Dew, and my laptop.
Anyway, I am here now. Those of you that know me may be wondering why I am not at the game (being a season ticket holder and all). I had a bit of a calendering error. I thought I had my reservations for Bandon Dunes this weekend, so I promised the tickets to P and JT. As it turns out I was confused and off by a week. They said I didn't have to give them the tickets, but last Saturday we (My father and I... Dad has the other ticket) thought we would be putting my kitchen together and such so we gave them up anyway. We are not putting the kitchen tofether but I did finish my bamboo floor. Anyway, on to the game!
Fantastic catch by Williams on the first play. I am really glad to see Oregon go to the air early. I love seeing huge ground numbers, but I am a big fan of coming out aggressive in big games. (And Williams scores..)
Ouch... I was really hoping to see more pressure on the QB. Oregon's pass defense is looking a little soft. I know Allioti loves to stop the run, and ASU does run a lot, but... if you are going to go heavy in the box you have to get better pressure on the QB.
This is starting to look like a game that could break the scoreboard.... 1st and goal for ASU already. In other football news: I don't know why, but I feel a little dirty rooting for 'Bama. I want them to win, and I have even given a “Role Tide” or two today, but I feel almost like a little piece of me dies each time.
Great stop from the Ducks front seven. ASU really moved the ball there, its great to see them stiffen their backs a little.
ASU is really over committing up front. I know Erickson likes an aggressive defense, but against the spread you really need to stay home. This could open up a lot of good lanes for Stewert and Dixon today.
That may go as a drop in the end zone by Williams, but it looked over thrown to me. Once again, ASU over commits and gets burned on the screen. I am serious, this may become a big pattern today.
Lets look for some better defense on this set... And I think I am going to get really really tired of hearing announcers say “All ASU needs to do is take the crowd out of the game.” Its really not gonna happen this year...Well except to start the 2nd half....damn drunks in the Mo Center...
What is with the announcers saying “Pacific Ten Conference.” I know thats the name and all, but just stop it! It doesn't make you sound better, or more articulate. You are announcing a football game and its only being broadcast in Oregon and Arizona. We all know its the Pac-10. Call it the Pac-10 and save that air for someone more useful then you!
I am coming to dislike these FSN Arizona announcers...
But I am loving the game so far... and thats the end of the 1st Quarter... We'll see if I can keep this up for the whole game. I wouldn't be too hopeful. Its tough to not jump around and such (at least there are no fans to break.)
Monday, October 22, 2007
What a weekend.
My oh my!
From Thursday on its just been unbelievable. The football, the work on the house. Fantastic!
I will mostly be talking about football here. But there is a slide show of the advances on the house below. Now, on to the football!
Number 2 looses again. LSU almost throws away the game against Auburn. How do you not kick the field goal at that point?!? Oklahoma struggles, Kentucky goes down, and so do the Cocks. But perhaps most important, Oregon jumps 5 spots in all the polls and controls its own destiny in the Pac-10.
Speaking of Oregon, what a game by the O-line. I have it on the DVR for whenever I want to watch it again this week. The offensive side of the ball was pure domination. The defensive side... well, I think Allioti was too stubborn on his game plan of blitzing Locker.
Also speaking of Oregon, feel free to start envying me and my tickets to the USC game. It is apparently the first meeting of Top 10 teams in Autzen. I actually know someone that has season tickets and won't be at the game. (He will be in Hawaii, but for Duck's sake,wouldn't you check the schedule before buying your plane tickets!!)
Anyway, enough short paragraphs. Not a whole lot to talk about really. I am sure you all get tired of hearing about the house, so I am done for now. Here is the slide show I promised.
From Thursday on its just been unbelievable. The football, the work on the house. Fantastic!
I will mostly be talking about football here. But there is a slide show of the advances on the house below. Now, on to the football!
Number 2 looses again. LSU almost throws away the game against Auburn. How do you not kick the field goal at that point?!? Oklahoma struggles, Kentucky goes down, and so do the Cocks. But perhaps most important, Oregon jumps 5 spots in all the polls and controls its own destiny in the Pac-10.
Speaking of Oregon, what a game by the O-line. I have it on the DVR for whenever I want to watch it again this week. The offensive side of the ball was pure domination. The defensive side... well, I think Allioti was too stubborn on his game plan of blitzing Locker.
Also speaking of Oregon, feel free to start envying me and my tickets to the USC game. It is apparently the first meeting of Top 10 teams in Autzen. I actually know someone that has season tickets and won't be at the game. (He will be in Hawaii, but for Duck's sake,wouldn't you check the schedule before buying your plane tickets!!)
Anyway, enough short paragraphs. Not a whole lot to talk about really. I am sure you all get tired of hearing about the house, so I am done for now. Here is the slide show I promised.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Two Quick Sports Links
So, a couple of sports things to pass on.
1) Greg Oden has a blog. Quite frankly, an awesome blog. This kid is hysterical.
2) It seems many of the current Oregon players don't really understand why Washington is a hated rival of Oregon. I can understand that from some standpoint it can be a good idea to keep the team on an even keel. On the other hand, this used to be such a hated rivalry. It would be a shame for it to fade. For any of you out there not familiar with the history of this particular border war, there have been a few nice articles about it here, here and here.
I think thats about it for now. I should have more about the house in the next week or two.
1) Greg Oden has a blog. Quite frankly, an awesome blog. This kid is hysterical.
2) It seems many of the current Oregon players don't really understand why Washington is a hated rival of Oregon. I can understand that from some standpoint it can be a good idea to keep the team on an even keel. On the other hand, this used to be such a hated rivalry. It would be a shame for it to fade. For any of you out there not familiar with the history of this particular border war, there have been a few nice articles about it here, here and here.
I think thats about it for now. I should have more about the house in the next week or two.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Saturday Wrap Up
My oh my what a day!
Despite giving up a good deal of the day to football, I did get quite a but done around the house. I know the house updates aren't the most thrilling, but the outside is starting to undergo some significant changes. I stripped the old cedar shake off of the garage and the lower half of the house (well half way around the lower half of the house). By the end of the day Monday we should have it all re-sided. Check back later this week for pictures :)
On to football!!
I am not sure there is a whole lot I can say about the Duck game that hasn't already been said, or that won't be said by some news outlet with 100,000 times the readership I have. Still, since I like hearing the sound of my own voice (or keyboard, as it were) I will mention a few key points.
- I think Chip Kelly has the offense on the right track. They may have left as many as 24 points off the board today, but I am not seeing the red zone futility of last year.
- I don't know if it was just Dixon maturing, or if Kelly has worked with him, but DD is throwing a very nice long ball at the moment.
- The Oregon defense is still a big question mark in my opinion. Yes, this week they looked much much better, but there still seems to be trouble stopping the run. Looked much better against the pass. r
- Special teams are looking better each week. I don't know if it was noticed by many, but early in the 1st half, Oregon even tried to steal a kick off back with a high pooch to the sideline. If it hadn't bounced out of bounds it would have been real close to Oregon ball again.
- Its a lot of fun to see the Ducks on ESPN's Top 10 twice in a single night (both with #1 and #10)
There has been a good bit of a shake up in the rest of the Top 25 this week too. I would look for Oregon to enter the Top 25 polls this week. I would say somewhere between 21 and 25, most likely at 24.
Next up Fresno State. They aren't the giant killers they used to be, but it will be a tough game nonetheless.
Despite giving up a good deal of the day to football, I did get quite a but done around the house. I know the house updates aren't the most thrilling, but the outside is starting to undergo some significant changes. I stripped the old cedar shake off of the garage and the lower half of the house (well half way around the lower half of the house). By the end of the day Monday we should have it all re-sided. Check back later this week for pictures :)
On to football!!
I am not sure there is a whole lot I can say about the Duck game that hasn't already been said, or that won't be said by some news outlet with 100,000 times the readership I have. Still, since I like hearing the sound of my own voice (or keyboard, as it were) I will mention a few key points.
- I think Chip Kelly has the offense on the right track. They may have left as many as 24 points off the board today, but I am not seeing the red zone futility of last year.
- I don't know if it was just Dixon maturing, or if Kelly has worked with him, but DD is throwing a very nice long ball at the moment.
- The Oregon defense is still a big question mark in my opinion. Yes, this week they looked much much better, but there still seems to be trouble stopping the run. Looked much better against the pass. r
- Special teams are looking better each week. I don't know if it was noticed by many, but early in the 1st half, Oregon even tried to steal a kick off back with a high pooch to the sideline. If it hadn't bounced out of bounds it would have been real close to Oregon ball again.
- Its a lot of fun to see the Ducks on ESPN's Top 10 twice in a single night (both with #1 and #10)
There has been a good bit of a shake up in the rest of the Top 25 this week too. I would look for Oregon to enter the Top 25 polls this week. I would say somewhere between 21 and 25, most likely at 24.
Next up Fresno State. They aren't the giant killers they used to be, but it will be a tough game nonetheless.
Friday, September 7, 2007
As Requested
Rip Tatermen (does he need a new handle with the new last name?) has asked my thoughts headed into the Oregon Michigan game. And since I am sitting here on a Friday night with nothing better to do, I figured "Why not?"
Perhaps in the future I will try and get posts of this nature up on Wed. or Thu. night so you all actually have a chance to read and comment. Anyway, on the real post:
I don't think anyone really knows what to expect out of Michigan tomorrow. My best guess is that they will come out looking for redemption. They are a veteran group with a lot of talent. That said, I haven't seen anything suggesting that they have learned to stop a spread attack with a dual threat QB. If they were going to find a defensive scheme that works against the spread, you would think they would have done so over the summer.
So, based on what we saw of Oregon last week, and what I think its fair to expect of Michigan, I get the feeling this is going to be an old fashioned shootout. Neither team looks strong on the defensive side of the ball, and I think both can put up a lot of points. It could come down to who has the ball last (cliche, I know, but this one really looks like that). I am hoping that Michigan's general lack of misdirection will help the Oregon defense, but I don't think it will help that much.
Players that will have big games:
Oregon:
1) Dixon (has to be good for Oregon to have a chance)
2) Stewart (Michigan's lateral speed on defense will limit JJ's effectiveness, but the power of Stewart will be huge)
3) Chung, Ward, Thurmond III (If the DB's are strong enough, we may be able to slow the run)
Michigan:
1) Mike Hart
I don't think Henne or Manningham have big days. If they do, Oregon is in a world of hurt.
Final Prediction:
Lots of points, if Oregon can force a turnover or two, they can get pull off the win. 45-42 Oregon.
Perhaps in the future I will try and get posts of this nature up on Wed. or Thu. night so you all actually have a chance to read and comment. Anyway, on the real post:
I don't think anyone really knows what to expect out of Michigan tomorrow. My best guess is that they will come out looking for redemption. They are a veteran group with a lot of talent. That said, I haven't seen anything suggesting that they have learned to stop a spread attack with a dual threat QB. If they were going to find a defensive scheme that works against the spread, you would think they would have done so over the summer.
So, based on what we saw of Oregon last week, and what I think its fair to expect of Michigan, I get the feeling this is going to be an old fashioned shootout. Neither team looks strong on the defensive side of the ball, and I think both can put up a lot of points. It could come down to who has the ball last (cliche, I know, but this one really looks like that). I am hoping that Michigan's general lack of misdirection will help the Oregon defense, but I don't think it will help that much.
Players that will have big games:
Oregon:
1) Dixon (has to be good for Oregon to have a chance)
2) Stewart (Michigan's lateral speed on defense will limit JJ's effectiveness, but the power of Stewart will be huge)
3) Chung, Ward, Thurmond III (If the DB's are strong enough, we may be able to slow the run)
Michigan:
1) Mike Hart
I don't think Henne or Manningham have big days. If they do, Oregon is in a world of hurt.
Final Prediction:
Lots of points, if Oregon can force a turnover or two, they can get pull off the win. 45-42 Oregon.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Oregon vs. Houston Report (and More)
I have shiny new wireless router, I am relaxed out in bed, I have a Mountain Dew near at hand, and Clapton on my headphones. Its time to get my blog on.
So I am just recently back home after a trip to the wonderful land of Eugene. I don't get back down there often enough, but that should change for at least the next few months (even if it is just for the football games). Paul, as usual, was gracious enough to play host and make sure I had a fantastic time. I am linking his blog there in the hopes that he actually posts something. Do it you drunk, lazy jack-ass!
Seriously though I had a great time. I got into Eugene around 9:30 and was greeted at my car with a big ol' hug. Of course, I was so excited to see him I locked my keys in my car. I didn't even realize it until Saturday morning when I was looking for my sunglasses. Paul, Jess, Josh and I got some dinner at the Steelhead and then went to the Starlight Lounge (sans Jess) for some honest drinking. If you happen to be in Eugene, and you are looking for a low key place that pours absurdly strong cocktails, give it a shot. It's about a block from where Cafe' Paradisio used to sit (now Jameson's Meat Market (aka Bar)). Saturday morning we woke up and rolled out for some tailgating. We found 2 of the 3 we were looking for and still made it to our seats for the pre-game video. Sadly, I think we missed the weather forecast. I will talk a bit about the game below. Spent the rest of the weekend just hanging around, crashing birthday parties, etc.
So, the game. The first half was every bit as lackluster as you have probably heard. The defense made some clutch plays, but the offense couldn't capitalize. That left the defense on the field for way too long and really started to expose some of its holes. I knew coming in the front seven was questionable. I am honestly quite nervous about facing any solid rushing team. And most of the good teams Oregon plays this year are running schools. The inability to stop the run, or sustain an effective pass rush left the secondary flapping in the wind. They had to sit in too many soft zones to deal with all the time the Houston QB had to through. Like so many Alliotti run defenses, they could look great on first and second down, but Houston converted way too many third downs. I am hoping (and it is more like a slim glimmer than any real hope) that facing a more traditional running attack may help. Houston runs a pretty unique version of the spread and I think that may have been amplifying Oregon's problems. I guess we will see how they fair against Michigan.
I am not sure that Oregon's defense even got better in the second half. I think it was more that the offense kept them off the field a little better. When they were able to get their breath they showed a little stronger. The offense was clearly better in the second half. Dixon (for the most part) made better decisions this year than last. He still tries to the force the ball into too many small windows. And he still has trouble getting back across the field in his reads. On one play in particular, he took the snap, saw the blind (and weak) side corner blitz and made a good move to buy time and dump it off to J. Johnson for a solid game. But had he made that same escape, set up and looked back across the field he would have seen J. Williams 1 on 1 with the weak side safety. Easily could have been a TD. You can't call it a mistake, but it could have been a more successful play. He did make some very good decisions to tuck and run. And despite what the people near me thought, I like him getting what he can and getting out of bounds... with his frame, he needs to limit the contact he takes.
Alright, if anyone who couldn't see the game has any questions, feel free to ask. Thats about all I have to say. Here is a look at where we are on the house though. Things should pick up and start moving quick again here pretty soon.
So I am just recently back home after a trip to the wonderful land of Eugene. I don't get back down there often enough, but that should change for at least the next few months (even if it is just for the football games). Paul, as usual, was gracious enough to play host and make sure I had a fantastic time. I am linking his blog there in the hopes that he actually posts something. Do it you drunk, lazy jack-ass!
Seriously though I had a great time. I got into Eugene around 9:30 and was greeted at my car with a big ol' hug. Of course, I was so excited to see him I locked my keys in my car. I didn't even realize it until Saturday morning when I was looking for my sunglasses. Paul, Jess, Josh and I got some dinner at the Steelhead and then went to the Starlight Lounge (sans Jess) for some honest drinking. If you happen to be in Eugene, and you are looking for a low key place that pours absurdly strong cocktails, give it a shot. It's about a block from where Cafe' Paradisio used to sit (now Jameson's Meat Market (aka Bar)). Saturday morning we woke up and rolled out for some tailgating. We found 2 of the 3 we were looking for and still made it to our seats for the pre-game video. Sadly, I think we missed the weather forecast. I will talk a bit about the game below. Spent the rest of the weekend just hanging around, crashing birthday parties, etc.
So, the game. The first half was every bit as lackluster as you have probably heard. The defense made some clutch plays, but the offense couldn't capitalize. That left the defense on the field for way too long and really started to expose some of its holes. I knew coming in the front seven was questionable. I am honestly quite nervous about facing any solid rushing team. And most of the good teams Oregon plays this year are running schools. The inability to stop the run, or sustain an effective pass rush left the secondary flapping in the wind. They had to sit in too many soft zones to deal with all the time the Houston QB had to through. Like so many Alliotti run defenses, they could look great on first and second down, but Houston converted way too many third downs. I am hoping (and it is more like a slim glimmer than any real hope) that facing a more traditional running attack may help. Houston runs a pretty unique version of the spread and I think that may have been amplifying Oregon's problems. I guess we will see how they fair against Michigan.
I am not sure that Oregon's defense even got better in the second half. I think it was more that the offense kept them off the field a little better. When they were able to get their breath they showed a little stronger. The offense was clearly better in the second half. Dixon (for the most part) made better decisions this year than last. He still tries to the force the ball into too many small windows. And he still has trouble getting back across the field in his reads. On one play in particular, he took the snap, saw the blind (and weak) side corner blitz and made a good move to buy time and dump it off to J. Johnson for a solid game. But had he made that same escape, set up and looked back across the field he would have seen J. Williams 1 on 1 with the weak side safety. Easily could have been a TD. You can't call it a mistake, but it could have been a more successful play. He did make some very good decisions to tuck and run. And despite what the people near me thought, I like him getting what he can and getting out of bounds... with his frame, he needs to limit the contact he takes.
Alright, if anyone who couldn't see the game has any questions, feel free to ask. Thats about all I have to say. Here is a look at where we are on the house though. Things should pick up and start moving quick again here pretty soon.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Thoughts on Belloti (Part 1)
I have been asked to provide my thoughts on whether Mike Bellotti is "good coach." As I said at the time (see comments to the last post) this is a complicated question. Before we can even start to answer the question, we need to decide what a good football coach is and what it is not, or even more accuratly what a good college football coach is and is not. And I think that distinction is an important one. Coaching in college has different requirements, demands and expectations than coaching in high-school or the NFL.
(Note: This post is a little long. I have decided to insert my conclusion to date here. My opinion is that Belloti is pretty good coach. There may be better ones out there, but not many. And not many that could do what he has done in Eugene. He may frustrate me and other fans at times, but before the Brooks/Belloti era a bowl game was cause for celebration in the streets.)
I suppose the simplistic route is to say that a good coach wins games. But I really do think that is too simplistic. Even good coaches will have down seasons. Even the best coaches have to go through rebuilding years and periods. So I think in evaluating how good a coach is we need to look not only at winning games but at some other statistics. Moreover, since this is still college we are talking about I think it is important to pay attention to how the team itself conducts itself. Finally, to the extent that the coach and the team is an extension and a reflection on the university I think that any NCAA disciplinary record should weigh against the coach. Alright, now that we have at least a rough idea of what to look at, lets dig in:
Mike Bellotti is heading into his 12th season as U of O's head coach. While we could look at that whole chunk of time in evaluating his performance few other coaches have been at thier possitions that long, making any comparisons difficult. With that in mind I will, for the most part, be looking at what he has done in the last 7 years.
Regular Season Winning Percentage:
* = Bowl Game Played
**= Bowl Game Won
2000-01: 9-2**
2001-02: 10-1**
2002-03: 7-5*
2003-04: 8-4*
2004-05: 5-6
2005-06: 10-1*
2006-07: 7-5*
Total: 56-24 = .700 Winning Percentage.
Comparison Winning Percentages (not counting bowls):
Pete Carrol: 61-10 = .889 (6 seasons only)
Lloyd Carr: 62-18 = .775 (last 7 seasons) (career @ .758)
Bob Stoops: 75-14 = .842
Joe Pa: 44-37 = .543 (last 7 seasons) (career @ .745)
Phil Fulmer: 61-27 = .670 (last 7 seasons) (May include bowl wins)
Dirk Koetter: 39-31 = .557 (6 seasons only)
Glen Mason (Minn): 45-35 = .563 (last 7 seasons)
In choosing comparison coaches I have tried to do a couple of things. First, each of the coaches is, or was (Koetter having been recently fired) at the same school for the duration of the comparison period. Except for Koetter and Mason the coaches chosen are widely regarded as some of the best college coaches currently coaching. Koetter and Mason where choosen because the situation in which they coach is similar in a lot of ways to that at the University of Oregon. U of O probably provides better facilities, but all three coach at state schools in states that offer little in the way of in state talent; and all three coach at schools that are not traditionally football power programs. Fans of the program like to see Oregon as on its way to the upper echelon, but the other schools have been at the top of the college football consciousness for years.
So, what does this tell us? It would seem to indicate that Belloti wins a good percentage of games given the situation he is coaching in. One other thing it is important to note. Both Pete Carrol and Bob Stoops (the two with the highest winning percentage on that list) have both been head coach of their programs when the NCAA investigators came knocking. So far Carrol has stayed pretty clean, but Oklahoma (Stoops’ school) recently had the entirety of its 2005-06 season wiped from the books for NCAA violations. For now at least, the U of O has stayed pretty clear of NCAA violations.
There is more information I would like to have brought to bear. I would like to look at the offensive and defensive production under Belloti and at other programs. I would also like to see how the Oregon recruiting classes and NFL players rate in compared to other programs. It seems to me that if Belloti were winning substantially more (or fewer) games than would be expected based on the recruits that come in and the players the NFL takes, that would give a pretty clear look as to how his coaching actually effects the outcome.
Feel free to let me know what you think.
(Note: This post is a little long. I have decided to insert my conclusion to date here. My opinion is that Belloti is pretty good coach. There may be better ones out there, but not many. And not many that could do what he has done in Eugene. He may frustrate me and other fans at times, but before the Brooks/Belloti era a bowl game was cause for celebration in the streets.)
I suppose the simplistic route is to say that a good coach wins games. But I really do think that is too simplistic. Even good coaches will have down seasons. Even the best coaches have to go through rebuilding years and periods. So I think in evaluating how good a coach is we need to look not only at winning games but at some other statistics. Moreover, since this is still college we are talking about I think it is important to pay attention to how the team itself conducts itself. Finally, to the extent that the coach and the team is an extension and a reflection on the university I think that any NCAA disciplinary record should weigh against the coach. Alright, now that we have at least a rough idea of what to look at, lets dig in:
Mike Bellotti is heading into his 12th season as U of O's head coach. While we could look at that whole chunk of time in evaluating his performance few other coaches have been at thier possitions that long, making any comparisons difficult. With that in mind I will, for the most part, be looking at what he has done in the last 7 years.
Regular Season Winning Percentage:
* = Bowl Game Played
**= Bowl Game Won
2000-01: 9-2**
2001-02: 10-1**
2002-03: 7-5*
2003-04: 8-4*
2004-05: 5-6
2005-06: 10-1*
2006-07: 7-5*
Total: 56-24 = .700 Winning Percentage.
Comparison Winning Percentages (not counting bowls):
Pete Carrol: 61-10 = .889 (6 seasons only)
Lloyd Carr: 62-18 = .775 (last 7 seasons) (career @ .758)
Bob Stoops: 75-14 = .842
Joe Pa: 44-37 = .543 (last 7 seasons) (career @ .745)
Phil Fulmer: 61-27 = .670 (last 7 seasons) (May include bowl wins)
Dirk Koetter: 39-31 = .557 (6 seasons only)
Glen Mason (Minn): 45-35 = .563 (last 7 seasons)
In choosing comparison coaches I have tried to do a couple of things. First, each of the coaches is, or was (Koetter having been recently fired) at the same school for the duration of the comparison period. Except for Koetter and Mason the coaches chosen are widely regarded as some of the best college coaches currently coaching. Koetter and Mason where choosen because the situation in which they coach is similar in a lot of ways to that at the University of Oregon. U of O probably provides better facilities, but all three coach at state schools in states that offer little in the way of in state talent; and all three coach at schools that are not traditionally football power programs. Fans of the program like to see Oregon as on its way to the upper echelon, but the other schools have been at the top of the college football consciousness for years.
So, what does this tell us? It would seem to indicate that Belloti wins a good percentage of games given the situation he is coaching in. One other thing it is important to note. Both Pete Carrol and Bob Stoops (the two with the highest winning percentage on that list) have both been head coach of their programs when the NCAA investigators came knocking. So far Carrol has stayed pretty clean, but Oklahoma (Stoops’ school) recently had the entirety of its 2005-06 season wiped from the books for NCAA violations. For now at least, the U of O has stayed pretty clear of NCAA violations.
There is more information I would like to have brought to bear. I would like to look at the offensive and defensive production under Belloti and at other programs. I would also like to see how the Oregon recruiting classes and NFL players rate in compared to other programs. It seems to me that if Belloti were winning substantially more (or fewer) games than would be expected based on the recruits that come in and the players the NFL takes, that would give a pretty clear look as to how his coaching actually effects the outcome.
Feel free to let me know what you think.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)