Barak Obama vs Hillery Clinton

Dennis Miller tonight on FOX NEWS advised Barak Obama who is running against Hillery Clinton for the Democratic nomination for President to watch out for the Clintons as running against them is like trying to catch a pass across the middle against Ronnie Lott on defense. If you know football you understand what Obama is against when he takes on the Clintons.They play rough!

Congradulations, South Medford High Men's Basketball

The South Medford Panthers this week were ranked number 11 in the nation for high school men's basketball teams by U.S.A.Today newspaper. Not bad for a team that only gets players from the South half of Medford Oregon along with Jacksonville and some sparsely populated rural areas. This is a team for a community to treasure because they don't come along that often. What is really special is they are a real TEAM and good kids who represent the best in our community. They received lots of compliments from the folks in Springfield, Missouri at the Pro Bass Tournament for their off court conduct. I already have ordered my tickets for the State Tournament! Go Panthers!

Day 52 in the University of Oregon's Search for a new Athletic Director and Mac Court

Bud Withers of the Seattle Times has some interesting quotes today:

News item: Oregon agrees to give outgoing athletic director Bill Moos $1.825 million over 10 years, plus interest, to forgo the final 15 months of his contract.

News item: McArthur Court turns 80.

News item: Aaron Brooks hits another winning shot, and the Ducks bring down a second top-10 team in eight days, allowing Oregon to crash that list.

Hmm. Are circumstances aligning that would finally push Oregon toward construction of a new arena to replace the cozy but creaking Mac Court?

Maybe.

"It's not a very usable building," said Ducks coach Ernie Kent. "It's aging by the day. At some point in time, it's going to have to be done."

Three years ago, when players like Bryce Taylor and Malik Hairston were being recruited, it was partly on the suggestion they'd be in a new arena by now, a mega-playpen that was estimated at $160 million, far in excess of other comparable new gyms.

That got tabled for its cost, the Ducks hit a competitive dead spot, and the arena went to the back burner. Then Moos' departure was announced, and the widespread assumption - because of public differences between Moos and uber-donor Phil Knight - is that Knight now is more willing to unpeel about $100 million from a wad of bills in his Nike warmups.

And he might. But there could be more to it. Oregon president Dave Frohnmayer hinted recently the $160 million figure is too much - three years later - while Knight is known to be cool to any edifice less than a lasting monument to Nike, himself and the wonderfulness of Oregon.....

At issue is the most endearing, if outdated, college basketball venue west of Kansas' Allen Fieldhouse, one that hosted its first game Jan. 14, 1927, eight months ahead of Babe Ruth's 60th home run.

It has hosted untold rich moments, none bigger than the 1974 day when Oregon beat top-ranked UCLA to hand John Wooden's Bruins a second defeat atop the one Oregon State administered less than 24 hours earlier

Oregon center Gerald Willett, who famously battled Bill Walton that day and found himself on the cover of the next week's Sports Illustrated, summed up the dilemma the other day to the Times:

"You've got to have a new arena sometime, so you might as well do it," he said. "When (ex-coach) Jerry Green was here, I was kind of fighting it. I realized it was going to have to happen.

"I just know they're not going to be able to replace not just the history, but the emotion."

To read the rest of Withers' column click on the title for a link

Pardon "Scooter" Libby Today!

President George W. Bush should use Article II, Section 2 to pardon Lewis "Scooter" Libby. He should do it today. He should sign whatever paper he has to sign and stop this foolishness. To read more check out Rich Galen's column by clicking on the title for a link.

Snow Snow Snow

It's snowing on the valley floor in Medford, Oregon and it is sticking! A winter Wonderland. Let is snow, let is snow!

Weekend At Bernie's Update

Fidel Castro has had at least three failed operations and complications from an intestinal infection, and the Cuban leader faces "a very grave prognosis," a Spanish newspaper reported Tuesday. A Cuban diplomat in Madrid said the reports were lies and declined to comment.
"It's another lie and we are not going to talk about it. If anyone has to talk about Castro's illness, it's Havana," the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of official policy.

Oregon Ducks beat Arizona 79-77

In a great day for basketball the University of Oregon Ducks beat the University of Arizona Wildcats 79-77 in a mens college basketball game at Arizona.The Ducks have beat Georgtown, UCLA and now Arizona. On Thursday night Oregon beat Arizona State for their first ever sweep in Pac-10 play in the Arizona desert. Goooooooo DUCKS!!!!

South Medford High Wins the Bass Pro Tournament in Springfield Mo.

The South Medford High Boys basketball team of Medford Oregon beat Lake Howell of Florida tonight 77-72 to win the Bass Pro Tournament in Springfield Missouri, while mother nature spit rain and ice outside. The fans where kept warm with some hot and heavy action in the 23rd annual Bass Pro Tournament of Champions.

Saturday night South Medford traded blows with Raleigh-Egypt of Memphis, Tenn., before holding off the Pharaohs for a 75-63 victory that sent the Panthers to the title game in their first appearance in the tourney.

Raleigh-Egypt (12-3) entered the contest ranked No. 22 in the USA Today Super 25, while South Medford (12-1) is 24th in that poll.

South Medford is led by DUKE bound Kyle Singler. South Medford has now beat some of the best teams in Oregon(Lake Oswego), Arizona, Florida, Tennessee and almost beat an all star team from Virginia. Go Panthers.... beat Grants Pass!

Democratic Civility

This from Bob Novak's column today:

Newly elected Rep. Steven Kagen, a rich allergist who self-financed his campaign in Wisconsin, by his own account taunted President and Mrs. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and presidential adviser Karl Rove during a White House function for new members of Congress in December.

Kagen told a group of activists that after he found himself in the restroom with Rove, he blocked the White House deputy chief of staff's departure by holding the door closed. According to Kagen, he then said: "You're in the White House and you think you're safe. . . . My name's Dr. Multimillionaire and I kicked your ass."

The new congressman said he said separately to both Bush and Cheney: "Thank you for coming to Green Bay. I couldn't have won without you coming." Kagen also said he approached Laura Bush and purposely called her Barbara, the name of the president's mother. Kagen's remarks were reported in "The Scene," published in Appleton, Wis.

Senator Boxer, Have You No Shame?

From the New York Post Editorial:
Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, an appalling scold from California, wasted no time yesterday in dragging the debate over Iraq about as low as it can go - attacking Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for being a childless woman.... Rice appeared before the Senate in defense of President Bush's tactical change in Iraq, and quickly encountered Boxer.....

"Who pays the price? I'm not going to pay a personal price," Boxer said. "My kids are too old, and my grandchild is too young."

Then, to Rice: "You're not going to pay a particular price, as I understand it, with an immediate family."

Breathtaking.

Simply breathtaking.

We scarcely know where to begin.

The junior senator from California ap parently believes that an accom plished, seasoned diplomat, a renowned scholar and an adviser to two presidents like Condoleezza Rice is not fully qualified to make policy at the highest levels of the American government because she is a single, childless woman.

It's hard to imagine the firestorm that similar comments would have ignited, coming from a Republican to a Democrat, or from a man to a woman, in the United States Senate. (Surely the Associated Press would have put the observation a bit higher than the 18th paragraph of a routine dispatch from Washington.)

But put that aside.

The vapidity - the sheer mindlessness - of Sen. Boxer's assertion makes it clear that the next two years are going to be a time of bitterness and rancor, marked by pettiness of spirit and political self-indulgence of a sort not seen in America for a very long time.....

It would take a truly hard heart not to be touched, deeply, by the sacrifices made by the young men and women now wearing their country's uniform.

And one can only imagine the pain felt by the families of those killed and cruelly wounded in service to America. Just as it was hard to imagine the agony of the loved ones left behind on 9/11.

But even to suggest that Condoleezza Rice is not fit to serve her country because she is childless is beyond bizarre.

It is perverse.

Sen. Boxer needs to apologize.

And she needs to do it today.

(To read the Rest of the New York Post editorial click on the title above for a link)

At Marine Cpl Jason Dunham's Medal of Honor Ceremony at the White House

Tears run from the eyes of U.S. President George W. Bush during a ceremony in honor of Medal of Honor winner Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham in the East room of the White House in Washington, January 11, 2007. Cpl. Dunham was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.


On April 14, 2004, in Iraq near the Syrian border, the corporal used his helmet and his body to smother an exploding Mills Bomb let loose by a raging insurgent whom Dunham and two other Marines tried to subdue.

The explosion dazed and wounded Lance Cpl. William Hampton and Pfc. Kelly Miller. The insurgent stood up after the blast and was immediately killed by Marine small-arms fire.

"By giving his own life, Cpl. Dunham saved the lives of two of his men and showed the world what it means to be a Marine," said Bush.

Addressing Dunham's parents, Bush said, "We remember that the Marine who so freely gave his life was your beloved son. We ask a loving God to comfort you for a loss that can never be replaced."

"As long as we have Marines like Cpl. Dunham, America will never fear for her liberty."

UPDATED ON CORPORAL DUNHAM'S HEROISM:

In April 2004, Dunham, a 22-year-old corporal, received a report that a Marine convoy had been ambushed, according to a Marine Corps account. Dunham led his men to the site near Husaybah, halting a convoy of departing cars.

An insurgent in one of the vehicles grabbed him by the throat when he went to search the car and the two fought. A grenade was dropped, and Dunham covered the explosive with his Kevlar helmet, which along with his chest plate absorbed some of the blast.

He died a few days later.

"I've lost my son but he became a part of history," Dunham's mother, Deb, said after the ceremony. "It still hurts as a parent, but the pride that you have from knowing he did the right thing makes it easier."

I remember a line from an old movie that seems perfect: "Where do we get such men?"

The Times of London on Bush's Plan on the Iraq War:

.... there is no credible alternative. The Iraq Study Group proved rather better at setting out the many problems that exist in Iraq than in offering precise solutions. Its recommendation that the White House co-opt Iran and Syria as its allies in Iraq does not look remotely plausible. The idea that suddenly withdrawing American soldiers from the country would convince Shia and Sunni hardliners to be more charitable to one another is equally improbable. Mr Bush’s domestic foes, notably Nancy Pelosi, the new Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives (who has a minimal record in foreign policy) and the increasingly surreal Edward Kennedy, would simply abandon Iraq and be done with it.

This is not a course that the United States can afford to take. Mr Bush’s decision involves serious risks and it is inevitable that more American soldiers will die as a result of being sent to dangerous sections of Baghdad. Nor is this destined to be a wildly popular announcement at home. It is right, nevertheless, to make one more effort to create the sort of Iraq that its people deserve and the vast majority of its citizens aspire to. These are the appropriate means to what is a noble end.
(To read the entire editorial click on the title above for a link)

The Eternal Choice of a Free People!

The American People now face the decision that all men and women in all times must face...the eternal choice of men and women to endure evil and terrorism or to resist. Tonight, President George W Bush figuratively drew a line in the sand. Who will cross the line with him and stand against evil and who will try to escape the fight? I do not know what the American people will decide but for me I will cross the line and stand against evil and terrorism with George W Bush!

UPDATE:
Looks like I am in some good company.....John McCain and Joe Lieberman just crossed the line too !

Your Welcome Tony!

"Thank God for blogs," said White House Press Secretary Tony Snow this afternoon, commenting on the Bush administration's communications efforts. Your welcome Tony! There is no substitute for Victory! No More Vietnams.... Win In Iraq!

Day 44 in the Search for an Athletic Director at the University of Oregon

Ron Bellamy of the Eugene Register Guard Newspaper has a front page news story on the University of Oregon's search for a new Athletic Director. Some quotes from the news story are as follows:

University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer announced Tuesday that he has appointed an eight-member "search team" to assist him in selecting the school's next director of athletics.

Frohnmayer said the team, headed by UO Vice President Allan Price, will be "poised for acting rapidly," with some team members - not necessarily the entire group - available to travel from Eugene to meet directly with potential candidates who do not wish to be identified publicly.

The final decision, Frohnmayer said, will be his alone. ".....

His successor, even on an interim basis, won't be Mike Bellotti, at least not as long as Bellotti also remains Oregon's football coach, Frohnmayer said.


Frohnmayer said he also has discussed the position with Vin Lananna, Oregon's director of track and field and the former athletic director at Oberlin College. "He's certainly a person of great ability," Frohnmayer said, describing their visit as "a very enjoyable, productive conversation." ....


Frohnmayer said he's looking for an athletic director who can take the athletic department to another level while addressing some immediate concerns, including the "high priority" of building a new basketball arena to replace McArthur Court; stabilizing the department's financial situation; shoring up relationships with donors; and improving the academic success of athletes. I think we already have quite a broad and promising field of candidates that others have identified for us, and that we've identified for ourselves," he said.

In addition to Price, the UO vice president for university advancement, search team members will be: law professor Michael Moffitt, chairman of the faculty advisory council and member of the intercollegiate athletics committee; English professor Suzanne Clark, co-chairwoman of the University Senate and former chairwoman of the faculty task force on intercollegiate athletics; Dan Williams, special assistant to the president for athletics and a former UO vice president with oversight of the athletic department; Melinda Grier, the university general counsel and adviser to the president on athletics; Willie Blasher Jr., a federal probation officer and former UO athlete who is a board member of the UO alumni association; Joe Gonyea II, a member of the UO Foundation board; and Dave Petrone, a board member emeritus of the UO Foundation.

Frohnmayer said he plans to have an initial meeting Friday with the team, which will identify, research and potentially talk with candidates.....

"We'll cast that net even wider, but on a very accelerated timetable to make sure we're considering the most likely and most appropriate candidates. This could be a situation ... where the committee is continuing to vet potential candidates even as I might be reaching a decision."

Frohnmayer said he remains hopeful that Oregon will have identified Moos' successor by April 1.

"Shoring up relationships with donors"...... could he be talking about Phil Knight? To read the entire news story click on the title above for a link.

Day 43 in University of Oregon Search for a New Athletic Director

UO president names AD search committee
Saying the University of Oregon planned to move "quickly and aggressively" to find its new athletic director, president Dave Frohnmayer introduced a search committee today that will meet Friday for the first time.

Allan Price, one of the university's top fundraisers, will be chairman of the committee, which also will consist of former athletic director and university vice president Dan Williams; university general counsel Melinda Grier; Michael Moffitt, chairman of the Faculty Advisory Council; Suzanne Clark, co-chair of the University Senate; and three others.

Current athletic director Bill Moos announced his resignation Nov.

Fiesta Bowl II aka"The National Championship"

The "National Championship" of college football on a "school night"!!!! I don't know about you but the game between Ohio State and Florida was a real snoozer. In fact I fell asleep on my sofa in the third quarter and did not wake up till the end of the game.... and I live in the Pacific Time Zone. The game ended much later on the East Coast on a week day night. The college football season should end on New Years Day. The major bowl games SHOULD be played on New Years Day. A day where fans can gather together, drink beer and eat chips. The best game of the year, this year, was played on New Years Day... the Fiesta Bowl between Boise State and Oklahoma. Long after we have all forgotten the "National Championship" game between Florida and Ohio State we will remember the overtime win by that team from Boise Idaho. Lets go back to the old bowl system and get rid of the BCS BS.

Christmas Holidays are Over

As I type this my wife is in the living room putting away our inside Christmas decorations. I spent the morning outside in the rain with my yellow poncho taking down the 30 plus strings of outdoor lights.I am now trying to stay out of my wife's way as she is very particular in packing everything away very neatly. Our kids are now gone. Our son called last night from North Dakota to let us know he made it back to grad school safely. We put him on the plane yesterday morning. That was my 7th trip to the "Jackson County International Airport" this holiday season. We put his sister on the plane back to DC the day after New Years. Right after New Years we celebrated my mother-in-laws 80th birthday and her four adult children all gathered at our place for a series of birthday celebrations. They have all now headed back to their homes in Washington State and Maryland. Between Christmas, New Years, Birthdays, Basketball Games (South Medford and the Oregon Ducks),Football Bowl Games, shopping, eating out,trip to Eugene, movies, parties and the comings and goings of relatives this has been a very busy Holiday season. How about that Boise State game vs Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl and the Oregon Basketball win over UCLA. How long till Super Sunday and the Super Bowl?

Day 40 in the University of Oregon's search for a new Athletic Director

One potential candidate for the job who should be considered is Greg Byrne.
He has more than a decade of intercollegiate athletics experience. Greg is presently an Associate Athletic Director at Mississippi State University.Greg spearheads the MSU Athletic fundraising effort and oversees the Bulldog Club staff. Before that , he served as the associate athletic director for development and fundraising at the University of Kentucky from 2002-2005. Prior to joining the Kentucky Wildcats, Byrne spent four years as associate athletic director of development at Oregon State University. He served as the regional director of development at the University of Oregon from 1995-1998. Byrne's resume also includes a year as the special projects coordinator for the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. He holds a bachelor's degree from the College of Public Programs at Arizona State University.

I first met Greg when he was stationed here in Medford as the Regional Director of Development for the University Of Oregon. He was and is a real dynamo and would do a great job for the Duck! I don't know if Greg is interested in the job but Oregon should be interested in him. I remember when he went to Oregon State. I ran into him shortly after his move and I told him he would be a Duck again someday. That someday should be now! He comes from "good stock" as his father, Bill Byrne was the Athletic Director at the University of Oregon from 1984 till the mid 1990's. After leaving Oregon he was the Athletic Director at Nebraska and is now the AD at Texas A&M. When Bill became Oregon AD he was one of the youngest AD's in the United States and let's hope Greg can follow in his father's footsteps! If Oregon doesn't hire him it will be our loss!

Ducks Beat UCLA 68 to 66

This afternoon the University of Oregon Ducks beat the # 1 men's college basketball team in the nation, the UCLA Bruins, at Mac Court aka "The Pit" in Eugene. The last time a # 1 UCLA team came into Mac Court and were defeated was in 1974 and I was there. It was back in the era of Coach Dick Harder and the "Kamikaze Kids". UCLA was led by a guy by the name of Bill Walton. Today I watched the Ducks win and the same magic was there. The 9000 + students and fans were yelling and jumping up and down and the scoreboard was jumping up and down as the 80 year old building shook. The Ducks led most of the game but the TV announcers, seeming to pull for UCLA, kept saying "plenty of time left" Well just as in 1974, time ran out for UCLA and the Duck fans stormed the court at the end of the game. Congratulations to the team, coach Ernie Kent and the Oregon Fans. After the disappointment of last year it was a great effort by the team.Go Ducks

Sports Illustrated Award!

My University of Oregon Ducks Football Team have won an award from Sports Illustrated. The Ducks were given the "Worst Team Performance Award" over the other 57 college Football teams that have played in Bowl Games this season, for their performance in losing to BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl. Of course, Ohio State and Florida have not yet played for the BCS Championship. Thanks Ducks! I will be at the Spring Game in four months. It will be a long time before I forget that game or this season.(For a link to the Sports Illustrated article click on the title above for a link.)

A Joke

What does Notre Dame and Marijuana have in common? They both get "smoked" in Bowls. This week Notre Dame lost to LSU 41 to 14 in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. the loss gave the Fighting Irish an unwanted spot in the record book ... NINE consecutive bowl losses breaking the tie with South Carolina and West Virginia for the most in NCAA history. On another note, why aren't the Irish upset by being a team mascot? Fighting Irish... Fighting Sioux... what's the difference? Go Fighting Ducks! Fortunately the fowl animal lobby led by PETA has not yet taken on the mascot issue YET!

Day 39 in the Search for an Athletic Director at the University of Oregon

Last night the Ducks lost to U$C in Men's Basketball at "The Pit" in Eugene. I watched the game on TV and it was good to see Phil Knight sitting court side at the game. The camera focused in on his smiling face near the end of the game as the Ducks were comming back from beind down by several points. The Ducks lost by 2 points 84-82.

Another potential candidate for Duck AD is Dave Heeke. He is presently the AD at Central Michigan University. Prior the that he spent almost two decades working for the University of Oregon athletic department from 1988 until he left in December of 2005. His final job was "Senior Associate Athletic Director/Chief of Staff" under AD Bill Moos. The questions are: 1.Does he want to move back to Oregon after being AD at Central Michigan for just one year? 2. Does Oregon want a protege of Bill Moos after paying Moos almost 2 million dollars to go away? What does Phil Knight think of Dave? What is clear is he is a bright guy who knows the job.

The picking of a new AD by University of Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer is one of the most important decisions of his time as President because it could and probable will determine whether Phil Knight will donate the money necessary to build a new basketball arena for the University. I love Mac Court but it's time is past.

Perspective on the Death of a Dictator

According to Wikipedia the free Internet Encyclopedia, Fascist Italian Dictator Benito Mussolini who was allied with Hitler in World War II was found as follows:

On April 29 the bodies of Mussolini and his mistress were found hung upside down on meat hooks in Piazzale Loreto (Milan), along with those of other fascists, to show the population the dictator was dead. This was both to discourage any fascists to continue the fight and an act of revenge for the hanging of many partisans in the same place by Axis authorities. The corpse of the deposed leader became subject to ridicule and abuse by many who felt oppressed by the former dictator's policies.

This was done by the Italian people before the American and British forces could capture him at the end of World War II in Europe. There are numerous pictures now on the Internet of Mussolini hanging from the light pole. The pictures were taken in the days before picture phones. (sarcasm)

More recently, on Christmas Day 1989 communist Dictator Nicolea Ceausescu, of Romania and his wife were executed. According to Wikipedia:

On Christmas Day, the two were condemned to death by a military kangaroo court on charges ranging from illegal gathering of wealth to genocide, and were executed in Târgovişte. Before they were shot dead, Ceauşescu sang part of the "Internationale" and proclaimed that history would judge him well. His wife was screaming at everyone to go to hell.

The Ceauşescus were executed by an officer named Ionel Boeru who shot them with his sub-machine-gun.

The "trial" and execution were videotaped. The footage was promptly released in France and other western countries. Several days later, footage of their trial and pictures of their corpses (but not of the execution itself) was released on television for the Romanian public.

Of course both of these examples took place in Europe where they are more sophisticated in these sorts of things (sarcasm)

Day 37 in the University of Oregon's search for a new Athletic Director

It has been very quiet on the search for a new Athletic Director at the University of Oregon. Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer and Dan Williams have been keeping the search very close to the vest. Dan Williams is President Frohnmayer's eyes and ears over at the Cas Center. According to a press release from the University issued in 2005:

"After 22 years as vice president for administration, Dan Williams is about to take on a new role for the University of Oregon. On July 1, he will retire from his vice presidency to become a part-time consultant for the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and will move from Johnson Hall to new quarters at the Casanova Center...."The president asked me to continue the portion of my work having to do with intercollegiate athletics," Williams adds. "Since I devote a quarter of my time to it now, that's how much time I am contracted for during the next two years"

Williams will continue his close, decade-long relationship with Bill Moos, director of athletics, and will assist him in the planning for a new basketball arena. Phasing into a consultant's role for the department rather than being its supervisor doesn't bother him as he is much more concerned with the urgent tasks at hand."

My guess, and it is only a guess, as I don't have any inside information is that Williams is deeply involved in the process of helping Frohnmayer find a new Athletic Director. Remember when Presidential candidate George W Bush was looking for a Vice Presidential candidate and he got Dick Chaney to help out and guess who ended up as Vice President.... the guy helping Bush. Could that happen to Frohnmayer? William's would make a great AD even if for a transition period until the Track Coach, Vin Lananna, can get Oregon past the United States 2008 Olympic Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene. It's important to remember the Lananna was not just hired as a track coach but also as an Associate Athletic Director and he is on good terms with Phil Knight.In fact when he was hired there was speculation that he would move up to AD when Bill Moos retired. Moos just retired sooner than most of us expected thanks to an almost 2 million dollar boost from donors. That would be perfect, Dan Williams as an interim AD followed by Lananna. As one friend said I don't care who Oregon hires as an AD just so long as he gets along with Phil Knight!