lownslowav8r

I hope you forgive me if I "borrow" that phrase. 😉

RE: "Freaks," I posted the article in the main topics and excerpted the four Oregon players.

Bruce Feldman's 2022 college football Freaks List: Michigan's Mazi Smith is No. 1 THEATHLETIC.COM One hundred players who showcase jaw-dropping physical traits at their respective programs. Four players from Oregon made the list, topped by DJ Johnson. 4. DJ Johnson, Oregon, edge The Miami transfer bounced around last year, playing 152 snaps on defense as an outside linebacker (11 tackles, 2 TFLs), 98 on offense as a tight end, and 18 on special teams. But don’t be shocked if he emerges as a big force on Dan Lanning’s defense. Johnson had a dominant showing in the Ducks’ spring game, making five TFLs and four sacks. Those numbers are as jaw-dropping as the results the 6-4, 275-pounder has produced in the Oregon training program, posting a blazing 22.88 mph on the GPS to go with a 455-pound bench and 655-pound sumo deadlift. 25. Christian Gonzalez, Oregon, cornerback The younger brother of two former All-American sprinters, 6-2, 200-pound Gonzalez was a standout for Colorado in 2021, making 53 tackles, 5.5 TFLs and five pass breakups. Gonzalez wowed the Ducks’ coaches this offseason with this athleticism, hitting 23.3 mph on the GPS, vertical-jumping 42 inches and power-cleaning 325 pounds. 42. Noah Sewell, Oregon, linebacker The 2020 Pac-12 freshman defensive player of the year followed that with another big season, finishing second in the Pac-12 with 114 total tackles, 37 more than any other Duck. Sewell, a former high school quarterback, also had 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, five pass breakups and two forced fumbles. The 6-2, 260-pound junior has great movement skills, topping out at 20.85 mph on the GPS. He also bench pressed 425 this offseason, did 655 pounds on the sumo deadlift and power-cleaned 345. 76. Justin Flowe, Oregon, linebacker A huge recruit for the Ducks out of LA, Flowe dominated in high school, producing clips like Jefferson in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” The 6-2, 245-pound 20-year-old is super explosive. Flowe looked like a star in Oregon’s season opener last year against Fresno State, making 14 tackles and forcing a fumble to earn Pac-12 freshman of the week honors before injuring his foot. Flowe, though, has bounced back from the season-ending injury and hit 21.75 MPH. He also has deadlifted 605 pounds and power-cleaned 335.

Canzano: Uplifting Little League scene is just what sports needed WWW.JOHNCANZANO.COM My eyes watered... bet yours did too.

Eugene NIL Club WWW.EUGENENILCLUB.COM The Eugene NIL Club is a membership-based community that allows fans to access the Oregon Football players like never before FYI, have no idea how legit.

Dan Lanning gaining favor in the ‘Land of Green’ WWW.AJC.COM This is the first in a series that will focus on Oregon football and its development under new coach Dan Lanning, the...

Mario-no-O is a good person, but I was so tired of his approach to football. How he squandered Justin’s generational gifts was a coaching crime. Clearly Justin is more gifted than Marcus but Chip helped Marcus win a Heisman Trophy. I wonder too if the huge numbers of injuries were tied to his approach. There is putting in the time and there is wearing yourself down and MC was great at the latter. Glad he is gone. Hope Lanning turns out better. What drew me to Oregon was the exciting and innovative ‘O’ and that has disappeared along with a large part of Oregon’s brand and allure to fans and players.

Guardian Caps - Are the soft-shelled football helmet covers effective at limiting head injuries? WWW.ESPN.COM Wearing protective shells over helmets are becoming more popular as a means of possibly limiting head injuries in football -- but are they actually effective?

Everything I’ve read says the Big-12 is in a much weaker place than the PAC-12. Beyond SDSU no possible college really adds value. The PAC-12 leadership is waiting until they get some offers from ESPN and streaming services. They are not being passive.

Maybe from a money standpoint having USC back would be good. However, from what I’ve read USC has been working to weaken the other teams in the PAC-12 as well as the conference itself in order to improve its own position, on and off the football field. Think of all the places you’ve worked where one person was constantly undermining the team. No matter how brilliant they are, are they really worth it or would the team/company be better off without them?

Mari-no-O. He’s a good person but stubborn and unimaginative. Too much grinding, not enough sleep, creativity, and fun.

It seems the team really had fun. That sense of fun and joy is one of the under appreciated differences between (today’s) college football and the pros.

A good article. Sadly I think NFL-lite is now inevitable. Bonus is I’ll more time for my non-football hobbies.

$$$. USC is going to have to pony up.

Oh, please, a dynamic offense and no more losing to weak teams.

Good article. The observations seem sound and not driven by spite.

On3's top 20 most ambitious NIL collectives - On3 WWW.ON3.COM Collectives are the norm in college sports. Yet, some are more successful than others. Here are On3’s top 20 most ambitious NIL collectives.

First off, it’s not about being "offended" and we ALL (liberal and conservative) have topics that bother us. If that wasn't the case we wouldn’t have a ban on politics. It’s about respecting other people as people, not as objects of contempt, scorn, (with exceptions for USC and Washington sports), or lust. I don’t have any issues of photographs of cheerleaders rooting for the Ducks, (which is the main purpose of this site) but don’t want to see salacious photos of male or female cheerleaders.

At "The Atlantic" but I was able to read the entire article. Perhaps I still have free views?

Blurb: The quarterback. It’s the most hyped, most intensely scrutinized and highest paid position in sports. And once a high school prospect is labeled a 5-Star QB, his life path changes forever. Some were only 16 when they got a title they never asked for, and the pressures were enormous. What had they done? They had fallen in love with American football, and their talent and drive had made them household names. Some found great success on the field; some didn’t. Yet all share one core experience: the football world told them what their life path was destined to be, and whether they were a success or a failure. But the fact is: each QB is much more than his star ranking, and much more than a prediction. 5-STAR QB is unlike any book you’ll ever read, as it takes you inside the minds, the lives, and the moment-by-moment experiences of more than 50 quarterbacks, in their own words. In addition, each chapter has advice from notable Ambassadors of the Game that is layered with a wisdom that will enrich the lives of any recruit, parent, or fan of football. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7QP7V99?&linkCode=sl1&tag=johncanzanobf-20&linkId=6fcfd90d1cff34ce70ee796254eb011d&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

I think Shaw is far too optimistic. The very last thing given up will be the big money. Schools will do anything (including getting rid of all sports not making money) first.

Personal responsibility is great but systems (parents, how kids are recruited, what recruits are told, how much study time is scheduled, how hard the school pushes them to graduate, etc.) matter. Also how many of us had good decision making skills at 17 or 18? Parents send their kids to college with the expectation that they will be guided in the process of growing up and graduating. Even Alabama which has 80+% 4/5* only sends about 9 players per year to the pros. Semi-pro players will likely not graduate because that is not important to these schools. More time practicing and less time studying means more chance of winning.

I’m shocked. I didn’t see USC on this list. Obviously not enough west coast sports writers involved in making this list. 😂

I disagree the players have an opportunity at a great education for free. If they choose to not take advantage of that they failed themselves. In a semi-pro league the travel and increased training demands will make it increasingly hard to study. If NFL teams become involved or semi-pro teams are no longer closely tied to a school, wages will be in paid in lieu of scholarships.

I’m with those who don’t want to watch semi pro football. It’s the rivalries and atmosphere that makes college football fun.