Washington Waddler

Before the Erickson revival, those 28 consecutive losing seasons (1971-1998) made Parker/Reser Stadium about as miserable a football environment as can be imagined. Towards the end of that string, I remember Civil Wars there almost more for the incredible number of student teams roaming the aisles in order to break-up the many fights and eject the alcohol-fueled participants. It was just different, something akin to a 36,000 seat open air road house bar.

Personally, the uniform couturiers seem to be reaching for something beyond their grasp, and now better exemplify the old MKA slogan, ‘Deep in the Woods’. When you don’t know what you’re doing anymore, good time to get back to basics: simplify.

What was I thinking when I let her superglue this to my lips for one crummy bud?

The Wave at Kinnick is something special. Seated high on the same side of the stadium as UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital, we could see the excited faces of the children waving back. No MC pumping you up, no music blaring on the sound system, just quiet waving between fans and kids that seemed to go on forever.

I don’t think we are sandbagging. Responsive pacing would be closer to the truth, as in the sense of how a good boxer figures out, and then anticipates the moves of an opponent in order to defeat him with counter punches.

Glad I had my best rain gear with me. Felt a lot like November games at either Autzen or Husky Stadium through 3 quarters. The 4th dipped into new territory. Even the inebriated 18 year old Hawkeye fans in front of us were putting their shirts back on. A note on Kinnick Stadium - top flight. Hard to believe it sits 70,000 because there’s not a bad seat in the place. Great crowd - through 3 quarters my ears told me the decibel level was a cut below Autzen, but the fourth ratcheted-up to pretty close to us. Good fans!

Sandbags are used to hold the water out. Hard to do when you’re playing in the rain all the time.

Okay, I’ll play Captain Obvious (because I’m good at it?): Fandom is the finely tuned art of Provincial Tunnel Vision. In other words, what you know about the other guy (unless you have a passionate, focused expertise which I do not) is only because they threaten your guys. Anything past that is purely by accident, top ten envy, or because you put a lot of time into sports media (which I do not). When it comes to M.C., I’m no different than your average Miami fan. I wanted to believe he was as much our savior when he took over from Willie Taggart as they wanted to believe when he took over from Manny Diaz (there were probably people at Alabama who could have told us Cristobal was not head coaching material had we bothered to ask). But, that’s not how fandom works. When a coach or player is failing at another school, it’s schadenfreude; you’re just happy it’s not happening to you. But when that same coach or player transfers to your school, a page or leaf has turned in their career, and fate has brought them to the place where they’ll succeed. So, as an average fan, I’m not surprised at others knowing so little about Oregon because (unless they’ve gotten my attention) I know so little about them, or really care to. It’s my Ducks that I’m tunnel visioned on.

Rockne said when you pass there are three things that can happen, and two of them are bad. Add a third negative to that equation if a receiver is simply out of position to make a tackle, or is just plain bad at tackling.

What if, and what is: the two sides of the sports coin. If we play just half as hard as the media thinks, we win the rest of our games.

Comments like that just reaffirm what we’ve understood ever since the program started turning things around back in the 90’s: outsiders haven’t got the slightest idea what Oregon is really about.

While it’s never panic time, the bi-polar performance at quarterback is a head scratcher. I can understand off-days where QBs are just missing targets. But, repeatedly not seeing targets and just looking lost out there? At best, it’s just paying your dues, and learning what it takes to play the position. At worst? There have been moments against both Indiana and Wisconsin where Moore has reminded me of Ty Thompson. You’ve got to have some fire in your belly to overcome adversity?

Radical, outside-the-box uniform choice? I suggest the wolf in sheep’s clothing route at Iowa. Go as Minnesota.

Wasn’t that Canzano in a recent Portland protest photo dressed up and dancing around in an inflatable beaver costume?

In the transfer portal era, has signing a letter of intent (especially for quarterbacks) become a stepping-stone strategy for those who know they’ll likely never see a starting role, but now have an enhanced Oregon-endorsed resume that could lead to a better NIL offer with a program in need?

By now I probably shouldn’t be, but I’m always surprised at how good the mottos are that Dan comes up with every week. Need a game day tee that says, ‘Time To Pay The Rent’.

As always, it’s what inside the uniform that counts, but they do look pretty cool. Just keep on truckin, like the Doo-Dan man!

Did Joni Mitchell have the domino-driven effect of firing college head football coaches in mind when she wrote ‘The Circle Game’?

Would be like Scarlett returning to Tara after losing the war.

It still amazes me the complete turnaround attitudes have taken between Oregon and Washington over the past 65 years. During the years of Jim Owens and Don James, they lived in our heads rent free. No one owns anyone else forever, but for now, nice to have the (Nike) shoe on the other (Adidas) foot.

In tight games, the 4th quarter can tip on adrenaline. Against Penn State, it was their panic-driven urgency that put them back in contention. In the last ten minutes against Indiana, we couldn’t match their closing energy surge, perhaps because of the price we paid being in back to back top ten games. Not trying to make excuses. Just see this as part of the learning curve for our young leader.

Always love any references to ‘Shout!’ and ‘Animal House’. My favorite line in the song is, “you’ve been so good to me”, because that’s how it feels the Ducks have been to their fans. And as for the rest of the season? “FOOD FIGHT!!!”

Teams usually recover quicker from losses than fans do. Once they’ve recalibrated for the loss of wiggle room that the season once had, but realize the goal is still alive, a cold, hard focus is often the result - hopefully!

Sure, as in potentially the next head coach at either Penn State or Florida.

A little advice for the fence sitters: “There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.” - Louis L’Amour