Next week the University of Oregon and the Oregon State fans here in Southern Oregon will have their separate Civil War lunches in preparation for the Civil War game the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It's too bad we no longer have a joint lunch which became such a tradition. For many years the Beavers and the Ducks would have a joint lunch the week of the Oregon vs Oregon State game. It was a fun event where fans would wear their school colors and meet their friends, neighbors and associates in good natured rivalry. Often a local high school band would come and play each school's fight song. The head coaches would speak by speaker phone from Eugene and Corvallis about the game and answer questions from the fans. Officials from both Oregon and Oregon State would come down to Medford for the event. One year former Oregon State Coach Dee Andros and former Oregon Coach Len Casanova came and talked about what it was like to coach a Civil War Game and what it meant to them. Even though I am a Duck I was moved by Dee Andros and his zest for Oregon State. I remember he came to the lunch wearing a large bright orange blazer and a new young local TV sports reporter walked up to him and asked him if he was an Oregon State fan.
Some time while Dennis Erickson was the Beaver Coach, the practice of the joint lunches was ended.... much to the disappointment of both Ducks and Beavers in Southern Oregon. The Duck fans in Southern Oregon have this year talked to the local Beavers about re-instituting the joint lunches and the reports were the local Beavers were receptive to the idea and the Oregon Athletic Department was supportive but that the Oregon State Athletic Department was against the idea. That's too bad. In fact, one report is that a big donor and Oregon State booster in Southern Oregon called Oregon State Athletic Director Bob De Carolis about the idea, and was told by De Carolis that Oregon State was not interested in a joint lunch in Southern Oregon. I personally talked to an associate who is a "Beaver Believer" who talked with an official of the Oregon State Athletic Department about a joint lunch and his reply was "why would we want to do that!" Why, because we are family,friends, neighbors,coworkers and associates who live and work together in Southern Oregon and enjoy friendly camaraderie and good natured rivalry.
The Duck Civil War Lunch will be at the Rogue Valley Country Club on Tuesday, Nov 28, 2008 starting at 11:45 AM hosted by the Oregon Club of Southern Oregon
Go Ducks!
