in 1989 the Oregon Ducks had not been to a college football bowl game in 26 years. Then that year Oregon Athletic Director, Bill Byrne, agreed to buy 14,000 tickets to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport Louisiana in return for a bowl invitation. It was a bold move and a gamble. My 6 year old son and I attended our first bowl game. Bill was a big dreamer and took Oregon to the next level and we are now in the "golden age" of Duck football. Later, I got to know his son, Greg, when he was the Duck Athletic Fund Representative in Southern Oregon. He is now the Athletic Director at Arizona. He is the "gold standard" by how we judge every DAF rep since. Bill Byrne is a great man and there is a warm spot for him in the heart of every old Duck fan.
