30Duck

Yeah, I don't really see a parallel between Helfrich and Graves, while Mariota was a Duck, Helfrich was Diet Coke, and did okay, when Marcus left, Helfrich was New Coke, and we all knew how that worked out. Graves not only lost Ionescu, also gone were Hebard, and Satou Sabally, the force behind not only the best women's basketball team that season, in the argument for one of the best of all time. Without the Big 3, and playing in the most competitive basketball conference in the country, Kelly and his team of 5 star freshmen, Sabally's sister, Nyarra, coming back from an ACL tear, Sedona Prince, also recovering from serious leg issues, a transfer from Maryland, Mikesell, struggle through an inconsistent season, and their freshman PG misses the end of the season with a foot injury. The comparison I see is between this season's Women's team, and the Men's team the season after the Final Four team. Gone from that team, Dillon Brooks, Jordan Bell, Chris Boucher, Dylan Ennis, Tyler Dorsey. That team finished 21-13, lost in the 2nd Round of the NIT. The next year they got to the Sweet 16, losing to eventual champ, Virginia, 53-49.

It is hard to predict that either basketball team will get past their second round game, especially if Paopao is still out. The baseball and softball teams are both playing great though, World Series for both! Track, you never know. Why not just do it!

It's all about the quarterback, and ultimately, he will be the most important player if Oregon is to get an invitation to the playoffs next season. But, it's not only him. From both offense and defense, 247sports.com highlights 10 players who will make the difference for the Ducks.

USC might be getting a bit of good fortune if they get past their first round game. Kansas is leaving three players at home, so they won't be the typical No. 3 for USC, and who knows, maybe EWU will take the Jayhawks down. I know that we're kind of expected to root for Pac-12ers in these things, but I am not impressed at all by UCLA, and really expect Michigan State to handle them, and, since the game isn't in Boulder, I don't expect much from the Buffs, and McKinley Wright lV.

I will have an answer after I see the Women's bracket this afternoon.

I think this worked out well for the Ducks. VCU does have a 7'1 C, but he doesn't play very much. As far as the rest of the Pac-12, I expect USC to get by their first round play-in opponent, while I think that Michigan State will beat UCLA in their play-in game. No. 12 Georgetown will pull the "upset" over No. 5 Colorado, but I think that No. 5 Tennessee will beat No. 12 Oregon State. Here is an analysis from NBC Sports Northwest

Oh my yes, Byron Marshall

After working out with Brown, Vernon Adams believes he is just the quarterback the Ducks need to get back to the Playoffs. From NBC Sports Northwest

I don't like the tournament winner being called a "Champion", the Ducks are back to back champions, after finishing the season with the best record, the Beavs finished fifth after the season. This time, the Beavs didn't even have to win 4 games in the Conference Tournament, as the Ducks did in 2018-19. Because, Arizona didn't participate, the 5th place Beavs got a bye into the second round. "But, the Beavs beat the Ducks, so shut up!" Yes, they did, and UCLA, and Colorado, all teams seeded higher than them because they all played better than did the Beavers during the regular season, 'so you shut up!" The NCAA Tournament is a marathon, the little guys can make some noise. But to get to the Sweet 16, the elite 8, you've proven you're a really good team, didn't just get hot for a couple of days. It just doesn't make sense, that a "hot" team gets the Automatic Bid, while the Regular Season Champ is just another At Large selection.

Not surprising, the Huskies did the same thing with Colson Yankoff. From 247sports.com

In the "other" game between the Ducks and Beavers tonight, the Ducks did quite well!

I guess they should have bowed out.

Just a few days after committing to Oregon, quarterback, Tanner Bailey reached out to a receiver he wanted to throw passes to.

Yes. In 2010-11, the Ducks did go 9-0 in conference games, but it was still the Pac-10, no team has gone 9-0 in the Pac-12.

Very clever to leave him at the end of your post, amazing he has stayed at Oregon this long, the other great assistant coach i have is Mark Campbell, who didn't stay at Oregon State, and who was the lead recruiter of a player named Sabrina Ionescu.

What I really like about this Duck team is that while once again they are the best 3 point shooting team in the conference, what makes them so good this year is the points in the paint. It's the best inside team the Ducks have had with Altman. The way they can work the ball around and very often find a player open at the basket is remarkable. I also want to note that yes, no Walton, so we were gifted by fellow former Bruin, Don MacLean and his brilliant commentary, including this gem, "Trading baskets isn't going to help ASU, down 14".

These grades mean more than what dribbles out of McShay's and other Mock Drafter's mouths, but of course are still only speculation. From 247sports.com

It was a tough game for ASU against WSU last night, for most of the game, WSU was ahead, multiple lead changes in the last minutes. A couple of ASU's points, widening the spread, came from a T called on WSU's coach with 01. left in the game. As noted commentator, Bill Walton pointed out, "Animal House" was filmed on the Oregon campus.

A couple of things I take issue with in the article are that USC was the bestPac-12 team during the season, USC was the LUCKIEST, not necessarily the best, and Washington was NOT deprived of the North title due to Covid issues. The issues prevented them playing their lone road game of the season, at Oregon, and which if they had played, and Oregon won, Oregon would have been the North champion. Can another team win the North? Yes, it has happened, and could happen in 2021. But I don't see a more reasonable team to pick as the winner of the North than Oregon in 2021.

ASU beat WSU, 64-59 and will face the Ducks tomorrow, 11:30, Pac-12 Network. In theory, one advantage ASU could have in the game is familiarity with the rims, although they only managed 43.1%, so maybe...

My thinking is that Alabama will use whatever it can to their advantage. What Charles brought up is also true of course, this is an outlier year for Alabama in basketball. Oregon has a much better case for success in basketball and football than does Alabama.

Mylyssa Lombardi has been a fascinating study. She was first exposed to Oregon softball in April of 2018, when as an assistant coach, she and the Oklahoma Sooners came to The Jane and were shut out 5-0. But She loved what she saw of the team and the atmosphere, and it didn't take much of a pitch from Oregon to get her to take the job when White went to Texas.