"Civil War" Lunch

For the second time in about 10 years there will be a JOINT "Civil War" lunch between the Oregon Club of Southern Oregon and the Oregon State fans in Southern Oregon. The clubs had joint lunches for many years but about 10 years ago there was a fight between a Duck fan and a Beaver fan over in Klamath Falls at a joint function leading up to the "Civil War" football game between the University of Oregon and Oregon State University. As a result both universities withdrew support for the joint meeting. Both groups of fans continued to have "Civil War" functions, just not joint! Well, year before last the Oregon Club of Southern Oregon on it's own approached the Beavers and their AD said no. Last year the clubs got together with the passive support of the two schools and everyone had a great time. This year we will do it again and will have a joint lunch of friendly rivalry. Last I heard there were 295 + fans scheduled for the (Correction) Medford Red Lion Inn for the lunch on Tuesday
Go Ducks beat the Beavers!


Oregon
"Mighty Oregon"

Oregon, our Alma Mater
We will guard thee on and on
Let us gather round and cheer her
Chant her glory Oregon
Roar the praises of her warriors
Sing the story Oregon
On to victory urge the heroes
Of our mighty Oregon!
Go Ducks Go!
Fight Ducks Fight!
Go!
Fight!
Win Ducks Win!

“OSU may fight to the end, but we… will… win!”

UPDATE: Email from the Oregon Club of Southern Oregon

Tomorrow Tuesday Nov. 30th is the Second Annual Civil War Lunch at the Red Lion Inn in Medford. The lunch meeting starts at 11:45 and we will begin serving food at 11:30 so be sure to arrive early to get a good seat as we expect over 300 people. The price is $15.00 per person and we do not accept credit cards so please bring cash. We have some great speakers from both Oregon and Oregon State and a lot of great drawing prizes so bring an extra five spot and join the fun!

"CIVIL WAR WEEK FUN !!!!

Go Ducks.... beat the Beavers !

"CIVIL WAR" WEEK

Here in Oregon this is Civil War Week. The game will be on ABC TV next Saturday in Corvallis home of Oregon State. ESPN's Game Day will be there !
Someone said the "Civil War" game "is for the right to live in the State of Oregon" or at least the right to live in the State of Oregon with your head held high. This is one of college footballs oldest rivalries. The oldest west of the Mississippi. Here in Oregon, Ducks and Beavers can be found in most offices, families and neighborhoods. It's brother vs brother, neighbor vs neighbor and coworker vs coworker so it truly is a Civil War. These two teams and their fans do night like each other.

One of my favorite Civil War stories is from World War II. One of the Band of Brothers featured in the HBO mini series, Don Malarkey, is a University of Oregon alum. His studies were interrupted by World War II and he was in the paratroopers in England preparing for the D-Day landings. Eisenhower and Churchill came to view his unit before the beginning of the invasion and Ike asks Malarkey what he did before the war. He said he was a student at the University of Oregon in Eugene, and Ike asks him who won the last Oregon vs Oregon State Football game. Of course Ike played football for Army at West Point.

It is fun to walk around the tailgate parties before the game because you see Ducks and Beavers together. There is a scene in the movie Gettysburg where a confederate general tells a British Army officer who is there as an observer just before Pickett's charge that "All Virginia is here today". At each Oregon vs Oregon State Football game I like to think "all Oregon is here today."
Jon Wilner, of the San Jose Mercury news in California rates the rivalry football games in the Pac-10 and rates the "Civil War" game as the #1 rivalry game when he writes:

1. The Civil War.

These days, Oregon-Oregon State has the best combination of passion, significance and competitiveness.

The passion takes the form of hatred — much closer to the Arizona-ASU situation than a healthy dislike.

OSU looks with jealousy at its richer, more-famous, more hip neighbor and wonders what might have been if Phil Knight had gone to OSU. The Ducks hate OSU because they’ve been told to hate OSU for decades.

The games are usually high scoring, although not always close, and the home team has dominated this decade.....


Without question, Oregon and Oregon State have been the most successful natural rivals in the conference in recent years. And that makes the Civil War the league’s best rivalry.

I first learned to hate the Beavers in the late 1960's when the Beavers, regularly under coach Dee Andros,( The Great Pumpkin) beat the shi* out of Oregon Duck Teams and did it with such relish.


A few years ago Dee, long retired, not too long before his death, came to a joint Duck/Beaver "Civil War" lunch in Medford and gave a passionate speech about the "Civil War" game that made me want to strap on a helmet and start playing right there. When Dee Andros walked into the banquet room he was wearing a god awful bright orange blazer and a black and orange striped tie. A local young TV sports reporter, who had probably just moved to this area, walked up to him and asked him if he was an Oregon State fan ..... it brought a smile to my face.

(Dee Andros was a veteran of World War II where he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was awarded the Bronze Star and spent more than a month under heavy fire on Iwo Jima. He was present at the famed moment when Marines raised the American flag on Iwo Jima.)

In my lifetime I can remember twice when the Duck were denied a trip to the Rose Bowl because of a loss to the Beaver..... The first, was in 1964 when I was in high school and listened to the game on a transistor radio at a speech tournament I was competing in. The Beavers won and went to the Rose Bowl. The second, was in 2000 when I spent part of the game at a hospital with a dying relative.

Let's go Ducks Win the Day!

Go Ducks beat the Beavers.

JUST WIN THE DAY!

Thanksgiving is over. Ducks just win the day and beat Arizona. Let's Go Ducks

Happy Thanksgiving

Things are unsettled for me this Thanksgiving waiting for the Arizona game on Friday and the Oregon vs Oregon State "Civil War" game a week later "However, to put it all in perspective I re post the following from last year from Newt Gingrich the History Professor:

The Civil War was raging. Three months earlier, the Battle of Gettysburg had left 50,000 Americans killed, wounded or missing. Riots were tearing apart American cities.

In the midst of this chaos, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed in October 1863 that the last Thursday of November should henceforth be set aside as a day of thanksgiving.

Lincoln acknowledged that the nation was "in the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity." But he focused instead on the nation's blessings, urging his fellow Americans to remember that "No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the most high God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy."

And Lincoln, too, proclaimed that all Americans set aside the day for a public expression of gratitude to God. He wrote, "It has seemed to me fit and proper that they [gifts of God] should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

How to deal with North Korea

North Korea sinks a South Koran naval ship in international waters with the death a large number of South Korean Sailors and the Free World does nothing. North Korea fires an artillery barge at a South Korean island killing civilians and South Korean Marines and the Free World does nothing. The Free World has grown anemic in their love of creature comforts and no longer has the will to defend itself. The answerer on what should be done can be found in the 1987 movie the "Untouchables" staring Keven Costner as Elliott Ness and Sean Connery has his police assistant. The movie is about the fight against Al Capone who was an evil criminal much like North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

Sean Connery to Elliott Ness:

You wanna know how to get Capone? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. *That's* the *Chicago* way! And that's how you get Capone. Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that? I'm offering you a deal. Do you want this deal?

Arizona and Mike Stoops

Arizona will play Oregon very tough this Friday on ESPN TV.

The following is from Bob Rickert's blog over at the Oregonian which he posted a few years year ago before Oregon played Arizona in Pac-10 football:

"We lost but at least we took out a couple of their quarterbacks." That's what Stoops said after Oregon used third string quarterback Brady Leaf to beat them anyway last year.....
His team ended Clemens' career last year and gloated about it. Then knocked out Dixon with a cheap shot to the head when it looked like he was sliding to protect himself.

Yes, Mike Stoops, the Arizona Wildcats coach is the brother of that guy at Oklahoma. Must run in the family.

Given Mike Stoops emotional temperament on the sidelines during games, Arizona AD Greg Byrne (A great guy), would be wise to have a portable defibrillator available because this guy is a candidate for a heart attack.

UPDATE: Don't believe me then read this Wall Street Journal news story by clicking on the title above for a link. One quote from the article:

"....the best part of many football games is watching a coach blow his lid over a seemingly benign incident. With that in mind, you may want to tune in to the Brothers Stoops, Mike and Bob, in this weekend's games...."

The Journal than does a analysis of last weeks games to determine which Stoops brother is the worst......guess who "wins" the "honor" !!!!!!!! Click on the title to find out !

I swear I posted my comments above yesterday before finding the Journal article today.

Oregon Ducks vs Arizona Wildcats.... It's only a Game."

If it is only a game why can't I think of anything else? It seems like a long long time till Friday in Eugene. The game will be at 4 PM PST on ESPN TV. Friday is called "Black Friday" because it is the number one shopping day of the year..... the day after Thanksgiving. I have no interest in shopping on Friday. Christmas shopping can wait! Putting up Christmas decorations can wait ! Raking leaves can wait!

Thanksgiving is always special but it will only be a brief interlude on the path to VICTORY.

The Ducks MUST win!

For the last few years I have started out each football season with the attitude "let's just go with the flow." "Let's just enjoy the journey." If the Ducks win that's good but if they lose well it's been a fun adventure. NOT ANYMORE... this season is a QUEST and the next hurdle is ARIZONA on Friday. We MUST win the day! Without saying the words we all know what is at stake. Oregon is #1 in the BCS. A loss and it will all go away. I am confident the team will be ready.... rarely has a team had more to play for.

College Football fights the "black dog"

This would be a depressing time of year without college football! My least favorite job is raking leaves in the rain and the thought of the coming of winter. The forecast this weekend is rain and snow and a yard full of leaves. Oh well, if I spend the weekend watching football on TV I will give the trees more time to lose the rest of their leaves. Better to do it once than every weekend.

Oregon now faces a $5.1 billion shortfall going into the 2011 legislative session

Oregon State Representative Dennis Richardson's newsletter;

Spending freezes and across-the-board cuts will not fill a $5 billion hole. The state simply cannot resolve a $5 billion shortfall without major structural reforms in both what services are provided and how they are provided.

I find it incredible during a recession that government in Oregon has added 4,300 public employee jobs during a period those not working for government have lost 154,000 jobs. Who pays the bills ! I guess some are tightening their belts more than others.

Ghailani Found Not Guilty on 285 of 286 Charges

The difference between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans see the fight against radical Islam is a WAR and Democrats see it as a criminal justice matter. Well it is WAR and we just lost a battle! We need a change of leadership so we don't lose the war.

Congressman Peter King

“I am disgusted at the total miscarriage of justice today in Manhattan’s federal civilian court. In a case where Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani was facing 285 criminal counts, including hundreds of murder charges, and where Attorney General Eric Holder assured us that ‘failure is not an option,’ the jury found him guilty on only one count and acquitted him of all other counts including every murder charge.

“This tragic verdict demonstrates the absolute insanity of the Obama Administration’s decision to try al-Qaeda terrorists in civilian courts.

“This case was doomed from the beginning when the judge excluded DOJ’s key witness who admitted selling the explosives to Ghailani. Where is the justice for the more than 200 people killed and 4,000 injured in the terrorist bombings of our U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania?

“This is a tragic wake-up call to the Obama Administration to immediately abandon its ill-advised plan to try Guantanamo terrorists like the admitted 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed in federal civilian courts. We must treat them as wartime enemies and try them in military commissions at Guantanamo.

“As the next Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, I intend to hold hearings and conduct the necessary oversight on this critical homeland security issue in the 112th Congress.”

Keep America Safe just issued the following statement in response to the verdict against Ahmed Ghailani, who was found not guilty on 285 of 286 charges:

"Bad ideas have dangerous consequences. The Obama Administration recklessly insisted on a civilian trial for Ahmed Ghailani, and rolled the dice in a time of war. The Department of Justice says it’s pleased by the verdict. Ask the families of the victims if they’re pleased. And this result isn’t just embarrassing. It’s dangerous. It signals weakness in a time of war. The Ghailani trial was supposed to be a test case for future trials of 9/11 terrorists.

We urge the president: End this reckless experiment. Reverse course. Use the military commissions at Guantanamo that Congress has authorized. And, above all--accept the fact that we are at war.”

Liz Cheney, Chairman
Debra Burlingame & William Kristol, Directors

Cal Player Fakes Injury on ESPN vs Oregon Ducks

Click on title for link to you tube video

Cal Trip Story

Last weekend I and a group of Oregon Duck fans from Southern Oregon took a charter bus trip to the Oregon vs Cal football game in Berkeley, California. My Number 1 Ducks won the Saturday night game in a squeaker 15 to 13. After the game our bus took the group back to the hotel and many of us headed to the Hotel bar/bistro for some adult beverages and dinner to celebrate. The following is my buddy's description of what happened to the two of us when we stopped by the bar's restroom:

True story.

A buddy (me) and I were at our hotel restaurant restroom in Lafayette after the game taking care of business and getting ready to have a celebratory drink and order dinner. This mind you, was last Saturday night after the Cal game.

We're standing there washing our hands talking about the game, and this voice comes from inside the freakin restroom stall telling us how impolite and arrogant Duck fans are. How the Ducks have the worst fans in the Pac10. How he can't stand them. It's a freakin Husky fan...no shi*. Really, he identified himself as a UW fan. He is doing this while sitting on the can.

We are so stunned we can't think of anything to say except mumble about what an idiot their AD is, and how he must not have lived in Seattle during the 1960's to 1980's.( when the Huskies would run up the score on the hapless Ducks)

He throws open the stall door, and flees out of the restroom without taking time to wash his hands.

We go back to our table and think of 14 different things we wish we had said if we hadn't been so taken aback by the arrogance of the S.O.*. And, believe me, our 14 things each would have been great.

But, it just goes to show you that Husky (jerks) are everywhere. I'm already looking forward to 8 in a row in Seattle next year.

And they wonder why we hate them ! We told the story to our dinner companions and then to everyone on the bus on the way back to Oregon. We weren't even playing the Huskies that weekend. Everyone in our group found it incredible that a perfect stranger siting in a bathroom stall would find it appropriate to attack Duck fans who weren't even talking about the Huskies. Incredible !

As to the game itself there were approximately 20,000 Duck fans at the game and were about 1/3 of those in attendance which was 61,000. The Cal Bear kicker went to kick a potentially game winning field goal at end zone where all the Duck fans were and blamed our noise for causing him to draw a flag for moving before the ball was hiked thus requiring him to kick it again and this time he he was wide of the uprights.

The only way to describe Cal's Memorial Stadium is "shabby chic." The San Andreas Fault (HAYWARD SECTION) runs under the stadium from goal to goal and you can see that parts of the cement stadium have separated due to earth movement that was kindly pointed out to us by a Cal fan. Before the game started the PA announcer gave us instructions, illustrated on the stadium big screen, on how to evacuate the place in the event of an earth quake. It reminded me of the instruction we received in school during the Cuban Missile Crisis in the event of a Russian missile attack.

Cal Football coach Jeff Tedford has no Honor

All season long Pac-10 schools playing the Oregon Ducks in football have been "feigning injury" to slow down Oregon's no huddle quick strike offense.The worst example of which was this last Saturday when the Cal Bears blatantly used this tactic in their 15 to 13 loss to the Oregon Ducks in Berkeley. The Versus TV broadcast pointed this out and even showed that the Cal Bears who were "feigning injury" were not hit during a play. Others who watched the television broadcast saw the Cal coaches signal players to fake injuries from the sidelines.

According to the NCAA Football rules 2009-2010 for Coaching Ethics:

Deliberately teaching players to violate the rules is indefensible. The coaching of feigning injury........ Such instruction is not only unfair to one’s opponent but is demoralizing to the players entrusted to a coach’s care and has no place in a game that is an integral part of an educational program.
The following are unethical practices:........

h. Feigning an injury for the purpose of gaining additional, undeserved time for one’s team. An injured player must be given full protection under the rules, but feigning injury is dishonest, unsportsmanlike and
contrary to the spirit of the rules. Such tactics cannot be tolerated among sportsmen of integrity.

(Click on the title for link to the NCAA rules.)

From Lary Brown Sports:

At least a half dozen times in the first half a Cal player faked an injury and stayed on the ground after a play in order to slow down Oregon’s offense

In the end all we have is our honor !




Seeing is believing

NOW THIS: TED MILLER OF ESPN

Cal coach Jeff Tedford was asked directly about whether his team faked injuries during the game Saturday.

"People get hurt during games, and in fast-tempo stuff, there's cramps," he said. "That's not the deal. I know that anytime anybody goes down against Oregon, they always think that's the case. But it's not the case."

Tedford is typically a straight-shooter. But not in this case. Defensive tackle Aaron Tipoti's cramp from nowhere that appeared immediately after he took a long look at the Cal sidelines is going to to earn him the Pac-10 blog's Worst Actor award.

We will be watching Arizona and Oregon State !

AND THIS FROM JOHN HUNT OF THE OREGONIAN NEWSPAPER:

However, a source within the Bears football program confirmed to The Oregonian that this indeed was "a big part'' of the defensive game plan against Oregon, although not all Cal coaches were on board with this strategy.

AND THIS FROM GREGG DOYEL OF CBS SPORTS:

I'm here to inform, you know. That's my agenda. And today, I'm informing you that Jeff Tedford is an unethical fraud, a bad leader and an all-around tiny human being....

Tedford wanted to beat Oregon so bad, he cheated. Yeah, cheated. There's a passage in the NCAA rulebook devoted to what Tedford did, and the passage frowns on it. Calls it "indefensible." When you do something that the NCAA rulebook calls "indefensible," well, that's cheating....

The NCAA rulebook is clear on the matter: Faking an injury, the rulebook says, "is dishonest, unsportsmanlike and contrary to the spirit of the rules. Such tactics cannot be tolerated among sportsmen of integrity."

Veterans Day 2010

Our first American veterans

In the winter of 1776 George Washington kept the American Revolution alive. Gen. Washington had a long and painful summer and autumn of defeats in 1776. His American Army had been defeated across New York -- in Brooklyn, Manhattan and White Plains -- and then driven across New Jersey and forced to flee across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. One defeat and retreat after another.

Washington's forces had dwindled until he had only about 4,000 effective soldiers left. There were another 6,000 men present, but they were so sick they were unable to go into battle.

Yet he conducted himself with honor. James Monroe, a future Precedent, described Washington during the retreat as follows:



"I saw him... at the head of a small band, or rather in its rear, for he was always near the enemy and his countenance and manner made an impression on me which I can never efface. A deportment so firm, so signified,, but yet so modest and composed, I have never seen in any other person"


Washington knew the end could be near. A majority of the citizens of the 13 former colonies were either pro British or felt the war for Independence was lost. The British were a mere 60 miles from Philadelphia. The Congress that had declared Independence only a few months before were ill or exhausted or absent. Jefferson had gone home to Virginia, John Adams was back home in Massachusetts and Ben Franklin had departed to France. At times there were not enough delegates for a quorum. Philadelphia was in a panic due to the advancing British. People in Philadelphia were getting out and taking all of the possession they could carry.

Thomas Paine who had volunteered to serve as a civilian aide to one of Washington's Generals wrote during the long retreat by the light of a campfire on a drum head:

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."

Faced with declining morale, rising desertions, the collapse of political will in the country at large and a sense of despair, Washington decided to gamble everything on a surprise attack on the Hussein garrison in Trenton New Jersey.. It would require a night crossing of an icy river against a formidable professional opponent.

But the most telling sign of Washington's mood as he embarked on the mission was his choice of a password. His men said "victory or death" to identify themselves.


That night crossing,is immortalized in the painting above of Washington's standing in the boat as Marblehead Fishermen rowed him across the ice-strewn river. It started December 25, 1776 when all of the men were gathered at the point of embankment by 3:00 p.m. and the loading of the boats began at nightfall. Washington and a party of Virginia troops crossed over first to secure a landing site. The original plan called for the entire army to be disembarked on the New Jersey side of the Delaware by midnight, but it was not until 3:00 a.m. on December 26 that the army completed the crossing and it took another hour to get the troops organized for an attack. A hail and sleet storm had broken out early in the crossing, winds were strong and the river was full of ice floes.

As soon as the army was ready, Washington ordered it split into two columns, one under the command of himself and General Greene, the second under General Sullivan. The Sullivan column would take River Road from Bear Tavern to Trenton while Washington's column would follow Pennington Road, a parallel route that lay a few miles inland from the river. Only three Americans were killed and six wounded, while 22 Hessian's were killed with 98 wounded. The Americans were able to capture 1,000 prisoners and seize muskets, powder, and artillery

In two weeks, Washington had gone from defeated, hopeless bungler to victorious American hero and personification of the American Cause.

Much of the above information is from David McCullough's book "1776". I recommend it highly.

UPDATE; CLICK ON THE TITLE ABOVE for a wonderful story about a current hero and soon to be veteran who is also a Oregon Duck fan.

I Do Miss George W. Bush

In the last few days I have been watching several interview with former President George W. Bush. After two years out of the limelight he has been out promoting his new book. I forgot how much I like him. He is a good and decent person who made the right choice going into Afghanistan and Iraq. I can't think of another contemporary leader who would have made those decisions.

In 1964, William F. Buckley had this to say about General Douglas MacArthur:

"MacArthur was the last of the great Americans. it isn't at all certain that America is capable of producing another man of MacArthur's cast. Such men spring from the loins of nations in whose blood courage runs: and we are grown anemic. That is why so many have spoken of an age that would die with MacArthur. An age when, occasionally, heroes arose, acknowledging as their imperative the Duty, Honor, and Country which MacArthur cherished, but which the nation that rejected him has no stomach for, preferring the adulterated substitutes of the Age of Modulation, approved by the Pure Food and Drug Act and adorned by the seal of Good Housekeeping magazine

Before 9/11 I had my doubts about George W. Bush but his actions after that day prove that this country can still produce such men!

Washington Week Postscript

Want to know why I hate the Huskies so much..... well their Athletic Director just gave us another reason that will last long after this season is over. He was interviewed on Husky Radio at the game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene and this is what he said:

Mahler to Woodward:
“What do you make of this place? When you come down here, you see the new baseball field, you see the brand new turf, you see the atmosphere. And don’t know if motivation is the word but obviously this is kind of where Washington wants to be, ranked #1 in the country and have all eyes on them.”

AD Woodward:
“Sure, it’s not really where we want to be Softy, because it’s an embarrassment what their academic institution is, and what’s happened to them as far as their state funding has gone. In my mind it’s a wonderful athletic facility but they’ve watched it at the expense of the university go really down.
“The athletic facility is impressive. The fans at Oregon should get down on their hands and knees at night to Phil Knight and pray to him because this is an incredible facility he’s built.“

He tried to clarify the statement today but it didn't work. The man is a clear example of an arrogant Husky JERK that we have known for way too long.

Oregon beat his team 53 to 16

UPDATE:

After a very weak "if I offended anyone" type apology yesterday the Washington AD Scott Woodward was ordered by the University of Washington President to PERSONALLY apologise to the Oregon AD and the Oregon President for his comments.

Last week a sports reporter for the Oregonian wrote that the rivalry between Oregon and Washington was for old timers like me. Well, thanks to Mr Woodward I think we can keep it going for another 50 years. The old grudge about the 1948 Rose Bowl was getting a little old anyway. I really HATE those guys!

Fox News Reporting: The Right, All Along. The Rise, Fall & Future of Conservatism

Goldwater, Reagan & Buckley


Saw this wonderful documentary last night. It's six part series and the first one was last night covering the conservative movement from the end of World War II up through the Goldwater campaign in 1964. It was like the history of my early political life and education. As a "movement" Conservative I have tried to explain to my now adult children what it was like being a political Conservative in the 1950's and 60's and now they can see it for themselves in this documentary. It covers the beginnings of National Review, Nixon and the Alger Hiss case and the "Draft Goldwater" movement. It tells of the influence of Ayn Rand, and the books "Road to Serfdom", "Witness","God and Man at Yale" and "Conscience of a Conservative." There are parts of an interview with William F Buckley, a year before he died, and lots of familiar talking heads that take me back to those years. The 1960 and 1964 Republican Conventions and so much more. The narration by Brit Hume of Fox News sets just the right tone. Click on the title above to pre order the entire series from Amazon.com

Washington Week Part IV

A reporter from the Oregonian wrote this week only "old" Ducks like myself care about "Washington Week" because Oregon has dominated the Huskies in recent years. Well, the "old Duck can hardly wait till 12:30 noon on Saturday for the Oregon game against Washington on ABC TV. I am not worried about the BCS standings or potential bowl games. All I am thinking about is beating the Washington Huskies. I hate those guys! I know it's only a game but just thinking about it gets me riled up. I hope those young kids on the Oregon football team realize the importance of this game. Play clean but play hard and bring home a victory! Win the day and Let's Go Ducks!

The following is an old post written by someone else but it empresses my feelings when the Ducks play the Huskies. I have edited it to update it

I AM MIGHT OREGON

To Any Oregon Players Who May Read This .... I am sorry for the distraction you may face this week on account of the fans, the media and our hunger for another win over the Huskies.. True Duck fans everywhere are behind you. This tribute is for you: I am Mighty Oregon. I am the 30 year old couple coming back to campus for the fist time with both little ones in tow. One wears her first green and yellow cheerleader outfit; the other wears #1 even though he's too young to understand why. I screamed IT NEVER RAINS AT AUTZEN STADIUM, even though you can see the thunderous clouds forming and know it will rain. God, I love this place and the Ducks. I am the 60 year old woman meeting her freshman grand-daughter who is now the 3rd generation of UO students in our family. Despite my age, I'd strap it on Saturday and hit someone if it weren't for my gender and this blasted arthritis. I am Mighty Oregon and I have always believed I was different. You can see it when you look up into the stands. My green is not the same as Miami's and my yellow is not that of Michigan. But the differences go much deeper than my colors. I genuinely believe in these things. To be a "real" Oregon man or woman speaks of character, not of geography. All are welcome to walk through my gates, not just the wealthy or the elite. The Big 10, Big 12 and the SEC may have their "nations," but we have always been family. We bleed green and yellow. Make no mistake...we loathe defeat, but even in defeat, we would rather be an Oregon Duck than anything else. We are family and you are the sons of Musgrave, Wilcox and Rashad (or Moore if you prefer). You come from a long line of brothers whose names include Fouts, Sirmon, Wheaton, Droughns, Harrington, Dixon and now Thomas and James. It is a great heritage and you belong. So this Saturday, when the warm ups are over and the prayer's "amen" spoken, when you hear the roar of the Husky fans when you stand in the tunnel and feel your heart pounding your chest, listen for my voice when you run onto the field. Behind the frenzy of the shakers and deafening roar, I will tell you something in a whisper you may miss. I will be telling you that you are my sons and I am proud of you for the way you wear the green and yellow, for the way you have stood up in the face of adversity and the way you have fought tooth and nail to win each game. I am telling you that you are my sons and I love you. To all of you -

GO DUCKS!

Bud Withers: On what Duck Football used to be like

Seattle "Times college football reporter Bud Withers covered the Oregon Ducks back in the bad, old days, during years of bumbling teams and horrible facilities" for the Eugene Register Guard newspaper before he went over to the dark side and moved to Seattle. "Fans who are amazed to see the Ducks at No. 1 now don't know the half of it."

Click on the title for a link to his column today on what it was like. For this "old Duck" it's a trip down memory lane. One quote from the column:

Oregon went unranked for 17 years, from 1970 to 1987.

The Oregon football I knew was the one that once lost to San Jose State, 5-0, and Fresno State, 10-4. Who loses 5-0 and 10-4?

Every "young" Duck fan should read this article to understand why we "old" Ducks have a fatalistic view for every game and why for us no lead is enough for the Ducks not to "blow it."

The picture above is of Oregon QB Dan Fouts. Note all the umbrellas in the stands.
Fans used to have whole sections of the stadium to themselves because of lack of attendance at games and there was enough room so everyone could open their umbrella which are now baned in the stadium.

Go Ducks win the day and beat the hated Huskies.

Washington Week Part III

Got this email from a friend:

Sixteen years after “The Pick,” both the man who threw it and the man who intercepted it will be at Autzen Stadium on Saturday. (See post below Washington Week Part II)

Former UO cornerback Kenny Wheaton, whose interception return against UW in 1994 remains the most significant play in school history, will participate in a pregame festival in PK Park that also features appearances by Joey Harrington and the Heisman Trophy. And the man who threw the pass Wheaton intercepted, former UW quarterback Damon Huard, is a member of the Huskies’ radio play-by-play crew.

Huard’s brother Brock, another ex-UW quarterback, will serve as a co-analyst for ABC’s telecast of the game alongside ex-UO coach Mike Bellotti.

Wheaton will appear in PK Park from 10:30 a.m. to noon, participating in a “chalk talk” session and signing autographs. Harrington will do the same from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

On Friday, Wheaton will autograph T-shirts commemorating “The Pick” at the campus Duck Store from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and at Fred Meyer on West 11th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Only two weeks ago !

Only two weeks ago the "experts" made these prediction on how many seats the Republicans would pick up in the US House of Representatives:

Real Clear Politics: Republicans +52

Nate Silver: Republicans +47

Steve Lobardo at Pollster: Republicans + 60-70

Larry Sabato: Republicans +47

Stuart Rothenbert: Republicans +37-45

Republicans need to pick up 39 to take control of the US House of Representatives.


THE REPUBLICANS WON 60 SEATS WITH 10 SEATS STILL UNDECIDED.

WASHINGTON WEEK PART II "The Pick"

THIS SEASON IS THE 16TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PICK

I have re-edited a post I made a few years ago for "Washington Week," the week the Oregon Ducks play the Washington Huskies in football. In Washington Week Part I (posted below) I outlined why Oregon fans learned to hate the Huskies and were always losing to them. Now on to Part II.

Washington Week Part II: "The Pick"

On October 22, 1994, Oregon football changed. The 1994 season didn't start out that way. Oregon lost to Hawaii, Utah and Washington State. There were only 25,000 fans at Autzen for Utah. At that game I looked around the parking lot and wondered "where is everybody?." The Ducks had beaten U$C in LA but we thought it was a fluke. Then came the Washington game in Eugene on October 22, 1994. I didn't want to drive three hours from Medford to Eugene to watch another Washington "blow out" of the Ducks. ( see post below) I had been there too many times before. In those days with two teenage children at home my kids took turns going to the games with me as we had two season tickets. It was my daughter's turn and so we drove to Eugene. I always like to park on the campus side of the Willamette River and take the footbridge over to Autzen. On a nice day it's a wonderful walk over the river and through the woods to Autzen. I parked on Franklin Blvd. and walked by the New Oregon Motel. It was full of Husky fans. We had also stopped by the book-store on campus and it was full of Husky fans. We got to the game and took our seats in SECTION 13 and the game started. Washington was ranked the # 9 team in the nation. Oregon kept it close. Oregon was leading by four points when Washington scored to go ahead 20 - 17 with 7:44 minutes to play. The game seemed to unfold as it had so often. "nice try"..." a moral victory" ... "close but no cigar". NOT THIS TIME. Danny O'Neil Oregon's QB led the Ducks on a 98 yard drive to regain the lead. It will forever be known as "The Drive." The Ducks now led 24-17 with 2:40 to go in the game. Washington then started their own drive and advanced to the Duck 8 yard line with 1:09 to play. With each yard the Huskies made, every Duck fan knew that Washington would score and win the game as they had so many times before. " So close, but no cigar." Then there was a play that will live forever in every Duck heart. Washington had plenty of time to give the ball to heralded tail back Napolean Kaufman. Instead, QB Damon Huard threw the ball in the flat toward Dave Janoski. Kenny Wheaton the Oregon CB timed the throw perfectly and stepped in front of the Washington receiver and intercepted the ball and ran it all the way back for another Duck touchdown to win the game 31-20. I was standing watching the play with my daughter. We both began to jump up and down!!! We then hugged as we both jumped up and down!!!. It was redemption! My daughter and I will always have that moment in time. On my dying day I will remember it. The play became known as "THE PICK". It is shown on the big screen at every Oregon home game just as the team comes on the field. Jerry Allen, the radio broadcaster's call of the play, has become a favorite of Duck fans... "KENNY WHEATON'S GOING TO SCORE....KENNY WHEATON'S GOING TO SCORE" I have a framed print of the play hanging in my office.(See picture above) After the game the many Husky fans looked crushed. The three hour trip back to Medford was like floating on air. Oregon went on to win the Pac 10 Championship that year and the entire family went to the Rose Bowl. It was the Ducks first time since 1958.
It was the beginning of the Golden Age of Duck Football ! Lets Go Ducks!... Beat the Huskies!

To see a video of "The Pick," and Jerry Allen's call of the play on the radio, click on the title for a You Tube link. It still sends chills down my back 16 year later!

Update: Life takes interesting twist and turns. Mike Bellotti was Oregon's Offensive Coordinator that day. He is now a retired Head Coach for the Ducks who works for ESPN as an analyst and color commentator for their broadcast of college football games. His partner as analyst and color commentator in the press box is non other than former Washington Quarterback Brock Huard brother of Washington Quarterback Damon Huard.

Give it Back Nancy !

Republicans win the house with a 65 seat take a-way from the Democrats. Last week before the election David Broder the "Dean" of Washington DC correspondents said that if the Republicans "reach double digits" in the number of their majority in the US House "Republicans will have done very well" Double digits is 10. The Republican majority after the election is at least 25.... very well indeed... it was a tidal wave. In the wilderness no more.

For the record Broder predicted the Republican majority would "be minuscule" and "more likely John Boehner will be elected speaker by a handful of votes" So much for the liberal press.

Election Night 2010

Follow the results here through the night:

10:50: PDT: Fox News< is now predicting the Republicans will take 65 seats from the Democrats.

Republicans take Senate seats in Ill. and Pa. from the Democrats, Up 6 in the Senate so far.

Jackson County Oregon. Almost a complete sweep by the Republicans:



State Senator 3RD DISTRICT
Vote For 1
Alan Bates (DEM) (WFP). . . . . . 15,606 47.98
Dave Dotterrer (REP) (IND) . . . . 16,882 51.90
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 37 .11
Total . . . . . . . . . 32,525
Over Votes . . . . . . . . . 0
Under Votes . . . . . . . . . 666
UPDATE: IN LATER RETURNS ON WEDNESDAY IT LOOKS LIKE BATES WAS REELECTED !



My friend Al Densmore won for Medford City Council. (Non partisan)




State Representative 6TH DISTRICT
Vote For 1
Lynn Howe (DEM) (WFP) . . . . . . 6,677 42.71
Sal Esquivel (REP) . . . . . . . 8,916 57.03
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 42 .27
Total . . . . . . . . . 15,635
Over Votes . . . . . . . . . 0
Under Votes . . . . . . . . . 514

Lynn Howe got what she deserved for her negative campaign



Jackson County Commissioner, Position 1
Vote For 1
Jeff Golden (DEM) (IND) . . . . . 21,094 41.38
Don Skundrick (REP) . . . . . . . 29,794 58.45
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 84 .16
Total . . . . . . . . . 50,972
Over Votes . . . . . . . . . 1
Under Votes . . . . . . . . . 1,818

Jackson County Commissioner, Position 3
Vote For 1
John Rachor (REP). . . . . . . . 28,031 55.96
Mark Wisnovsky (DEM). . . . . . . 21,974 43.87
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 84 .17
Total . . . . . . . . . 50,089
Over Votes . . . . . . . . . 0
Under Votes . . . . . . . . . 2,702




Bye Bye "Speaker" Nancy Pelosi

7:40 PDT: Bye Bye Russ Feingold in Wisconsin. Gop has picked up 4 Senate seats tonight so far. A big loss for the Demms


7:15: PST: GOP has picked up so far 7 governorships (Now 8)


7:10; GOP pickup Governorship in Wisconsin

7:05: GOP pickup Governorship in Pennsylvania

6:15: Great News! Fox News Projects Republicans will win the control of the US House with 60 seat gain !

6:05: GOP win governorship in blue Michigan

4:50: Ohio's Rob Portman wins (GOP hold)

4:35 Republicans pick up Dem Senate seat in Indiana Dan Coats wins.

4:30 PDT: Rand Paul beats Jack Conway in Kentucky Senate race. I guess dirty politics does not pay off.

LET'S ROLL

This is the day we have been waiting two years for. In the wilderness no more !
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE !!

"Washington Week" NEWS FLASH

Washington star QB, Jake Locker, will not play when the Huskies travel to Eugene for a game against the Oregon Ducks. This was announced by Washington's coach. Will update as additional news comes in.

UPDATE; A hairline rip fracture turned into a break for QB Jake Locker during last weeks loss to Standford in Seattle. Redshirt Freshmen Keith Price will start for the Huskies. Jake Locker is a fighter and good luck to him.

"Washington Week" Part I

This is a re post of a post I make every year when the Oregon Ducks play the Washington Huskies with a few minor changes.

To every Oregon Duck Fan "Washington Week" is the week the University of Oregon Ducks play the University of Washington Huskies in football. This year the game will be Saturday in Eugene on ABC TV at 12:30 PM.( I will be there !)

There has been bad blood between these two schools for years.. It started in 1948 when there was a tie between Cal and Oregon to go to the Rose Bowl. In those days ties were settled by a vote of the Pac 8 schools. (the Arizona schools were then not part of the conference.) Oregon expected the Northwest schools to stick together but Washington voted for Cal and as a consolation the Ducks led by QB Norm Van Brocklin went to the Cotton Bowl. Before Autzen stadium was built Oregon would play some of it's home games against Washington at Multnomah Stadium in Portland. In the 50's it was not unheard of for fistfights to erupt in the stands between Duck and Washington fans. In 1968 I drove to Seattle to watch Oregon beat Washington 3 to 0 on a Ken Woody field goal during a rain swept game. During the 1970's, 1980's and into the 1990's Washington dominated the Ducks and were the premier team in the Northwest. Husky fans would descend on Eugene and Autzen Stadium in their god awful purple and would almost outnumber the Duck yellow and green. They would fill up Eugene hotels like locusts and bring their large band. Husky fans became known for their arrogance. Once on a trip to Seattle I ask a Husky fan the outcome of a game and was treated like a fool to expect anything but a Husky win. My Dad, not a football fan, was treated the same way when he struck up a conversation with a Husky fan at a hotel before an Oregon/Washington game. I know it's only a game but I learned to hate the Huskies and their fans. At Husky home games they would blow their siren after each score as they beat the sh** out of hapless Duck teams. That all ended on October 22,1994, and I was there!!! (Has it been 16 years!) To be continued... Lets Go Ducks

Win the Day

Nancy, it's Time to Give it Back !

It will not be long now !

We call them patriots Mr President !

John Boehner, soon to be new Speaker of the House of Representatives:

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a president in the White House who referred to Americans who disagree with him as ‘our enemies.’ Think about that. He actually used that word. When Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush used the word ‘enemy,’ they reserved it for global terrorists and foreign dictators — enemies of the United States. Enemies of freedom. Enemies of our country.

“Today, sadly, we have president who uses the word ‘enemy’ for fellow Americans — fellow citizens. He uses it for people who disagree with his agenda of bigger government — people speaking out for a smaller, more accountable government that respects freedom and allows small businesses to create jobs. Mr. President, there's a word for people who have the audacity to speak up in defense of freedom, the Constitution, and the values of limited government that made our country great. We don't call them ‘enemies.’ We call them ‘patriots.’”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44476.html?#ixzz143H6XQvN