Oregon Duck Football
The saddest part of college athletics is the amount of people who get an opportunity to play sports and have their college tuition completely paid for, who absolutely do not deserve it. Tonight the Ducks lost the first game of the season, no big deal, but sadly after the game the price of producing a consistent college football winner reared its ugly head.
LeGarrette Blount got sort of a shove to the shoulder pad on his way off the field at the end of the game Thursday night when he decided to take the gesture as a cue to lose his mind. As the other player's attention is pulled away by a disciplining coach he is sucker punched in the jaw by Blount. Blount is then corralled off the field only to initiate another altercation with heckling fans in the crowd. At this point four security guards two players and an assistant coach take turns putting Blount into various wrestling moves in an effort to get him off the field before embarrassing himself and the team further.
To me, this is a reality the Ducks have to face. To win every year in college football a program must continue to recruit talent at any cost. For an emerging school like Oregon the path to national power will be littered with junior college transfers who have off the field problems which sometimes become on the field problems. While USC can recruit anyone in the nation, the ducks proved tonight that they might be limited to athletes that major schools just aren't willing to take a chance because of their character.
To LeGarrette Blount,
I hope you went to class during your free ride at Oregon, and maybe if the Ducks are smart and kick you out, you will get a chance to play for another school whose recruiting the athletes that even Oregon can't tolerate.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Official Blog Endorsement #1
In the blogging world the idea is that what you care about translates said noun (person, place, thing or idea) to being important enough to make people read your thoughts about it.
When celebrities get paid enough to use their image to promote an something whose maker has a large advertising budget it is referred to endorsing.
So I am making my first official blog endorsement, The Oregon Zoo. Don't think of them as a bunch of wild animals locked in boxes and cages slowly going insane. Think of the opportunity you have to witness majestic creatures of the wild in their realistic, albeit miniature, habitats. Maybe most importantly in todays cash-strapped times, admission to the zoo is $10.50, and $9.00 if you ride MAX and show your ticket. Beautiful walk, fun environment, & a cheap price is the reason I officially blog endorse The Oregon Zoo.
In the blogging world the idea is that what you care about translates said noun (person, place, thing or idea) to being important enough to make people read your thoughts about it.
When celebrities get paid enough to use their image to promote an something whose maker has a large advertising budget it is referred to endorsing.
So I am making my first official blog endorsement, The Oregon Zoo. Don't think of them as a bunch of wild animals locked in boxes and cages slowly going insane. Think of the opportunity you have to witness majestic creatures of the wild in their realistic, albeit miniature, habitats. Maybe most importantly in todays cash-strapped times, admission to the zoo is $10.50, and $9.00 if you ride MAX and show your ticket. Beautiful walk, fun environment, & a cheap price is the reason I officially blog endorse The Oregon Zoo.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Are we over Tiger?
First of all, I am not. I think he is the story every week in a sport that needs a dominate story to be relevant beyond hard core golfers and old people. Well this week Tiger did not make the cut in a major for only the second time in his career and that was okay because The Open had Tom Watson. The 59 year old golfer had the Claret Jug snatched from his grasp at the last moment by Stewart Cink in a four hole playoff. Cink seemed to have mixed emotions about winning his first major at the cost of Watson losing a tournament that he was in contention for from day one. After it was decided and the trophy presentation was readying columnist Rick Reilly gave a video retrospect of the four day event. In which he stated that Tom Watson plays the game the way it should be played, like a gentleman, then cutting to a shot of Tiger slamming a club into his bag he references how we may have forgotten that golf is a gentleman's game. This seemed like a dig on the temperamental face of the sport. I thought to myself how impressive it is that Tiger has been golf's greatest ambassador without backlash for over a decade now. Lots of people respected but hated Joe Montana and Michael Jordan, Tom Brady is in now in that boat of champions, but Tiger has remained dominate and unconditionally loved from moment one. That is until he missed a cut at a major championship. The main story this weekend over at Yahoo Sports was how relieved one writer was that if Tiger wasn't in contention that it was better that he miss the cut. This sentiment seems to acknowledge that Tiger is the main story whether he is winning or losing, and that the only time he is not the main attraction seems to be when he is not there. I find it interesting that there seemed to be a sigh of relief that Tiger was not there on Sunday. We are accustomed to his constant presence that people seemed to be welcoming the opportunity for it not to inevitable. Something that seemed impossible even one year ago. Tom Watson was the story this week and Tiger seemed to be getting out of the way. Sharing the spotlight has not been something he has done much of in his professional life.
First of all, I am not. I think he is the story every week in a sport that needs a dominate story to be relevant beyond hard core golfers and old people. Well this week Tiger did not make the cut in a major for only the second time in his career and that was okay because The Open had Tom Watson. The 59 year old golfer had the Claret Jug snatched from his grasp at the last moment by Stewart Cink in a four hole playoff. Cink seemed to have mixed emotions about winning his first major at the cost of Watson losing a tournament that he was in contention for from day one. After it was decided and the trophy presentation was readying columnist Rick Reilly gave a video retrospect of the four day event. In which he stated that Tom Watson plays the game the way it should be played, like a gentleman, then cutting to a shot of Tiger slamming a club into his bag he references how we may have forgotten that golf is a gentleman's game. This seemed like a dig on the temperamental face of the sport. I thought to myself how impressive it is that Tiger has been golf's greatest ambassador without backlash for over a decade now. Lots of people respected but hated Joe Montana and Michael Jordan, Tom Brady is in now in that boat of champions, but Tiger has remained dominate and unconditionally loved from moment one. That is until he missed a cut at a major championship. The main story this weekend over at Yahoo Sports was how relieved one writer was that if Tiger wasn't in contention that it was better that he miss the cut. This sentiment seems to acknowledge that Tiger is the main story whether he is winning or losing, and that the only time he is not the main attraction seems to be when he is not there. I find it interesting that there seemed to be a sigh of relief that Tiger was not there on Sunday. We are accustomed to his constant presence that people seemed to be welcoming the opportunity for it not to inevitable. Something that seemed impossible even one year ago. Tom Watson was the story this week and Tiger seemed to be getting out of the way. Sharing the spotlight has not been something he has done much of in his professional life.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
To be a man, or not to be...
In my never ending fight with ad companies who define masculinity as a mechanism for turning people into consumers errrr selling products & ideas, I have found a new favorite ad pitch. On Monday Night Football tonight a TV ad for the upcoming DVD release of Mamma Mia ad states "Be a man, buy her a musical". I'll stop here to ask the questions. Does the purchasing of a musical DVD make me a man? Does not purchasing the DVD make me less of a man? What does it all mean?
In my never ending fight with ad companies who define masculinity as a mechanism for turning people into consumers errrr selling products & ideas, I have found a new favorite ad pitch. On Monday Night Football tonight a TV ad for the upcoming DVD release of Mamma Mia ad states "Be a man, buy her a musical". I'll stop here to ask the questions. Does the purchasing of a musical DVD make me a man? Does not purchasing the DVD make me less of a man? What does it all mean?
Friday, November 14, 2008
The Dizziness That is Trailblazer-land
Okay, so 5-3. Not a bad start to such a rough schedule. Quality wins over several playoff teams has kept the fervor that is Portland going. We are however, adjusting from the world beater mentality that existed before Kobe and his third quarter schooling brought Blazer-Mania down from orbit to somewhere around cruising altitude.
The other "incident" that happened against the Laker's in that "awakening call" of a game was when one Greg Oden, savior of Blazer Nation, injured himself in the first quarter for the third or fourth time as a Blazer causing collective panic to Oregonians everywhere, and a general backlash against the young man who has played in one full regular season game.
ESPN's Colin Cowherd came out this week and said that Oden "just didn't have it". Referring to an NBA ready game that is visible from the moment a player steps out on the court. IN DEFENSE, unless said player is stepping out onto the court on a recovering foot, and knee, and heavier than he has ever been in his life. ON THE OTHER HAND, Oden has taken some offensive possessions to dark bad places where shots look like bad passes to the bottom of the backboard. Stop arguing. Let's give the guy... some time.
Here's what I have learned about the Blazer's in the first eight games this year.
1- Greg Oden does not need to be Bill Russell for the Trailblazers to be a championship contender.
2- The Portland Trailblazers are not a championship contender, but they can be.
3- Even though I love him, we had to draft Oden with the first pick in '07, but the pick that makes Pritchard a genius is Rudy Fernandez because he is the third option that everyone hop(ed)ing Travis Outlaw would be.
4- Brandon Roy is the guy on this team whose back the team will ride to any championships they do win, and as long as he and LaMarcus Aldridge are on the Blazers, we have a chance to win.
5- Bottom line is that these guys need to get punched in the face (L.A.) just as much as they need to win with miracles (Houston), the point is that they have to play. Together. Win, lose, ugly, pretty, keep getting better with every game.
I am excited. You should be if you're not.
Okay, so 5-3. Not a bad start to such a rough schedule. Quality wins over several playoff teams has kept the fervor that is Portland going. We are however, adjusting from the world beater mentality that existed before Kobe and his third quarter schooling brought Blazer-Mania down from orbit to somewhere around cruising altitude.
The other "incident" that happened against the Laker's in that "awakening call" of a game was when one Greg Oden, savior of Blazer Nation, injured himself in the first quarter for the third or fourth time as a Blazer causing collective panic to Oregonians everywhere, and a general backlash against the young man who has played in one full regular season game.
ESPN's Colin Cowherd came out this week and said that Oden "just didn't have it". Referring to an NBA ready game that is visible from the moment a player steps out on the court. IN DEFENSE, unless said player is stepping out onto the court on a recovering foot, and knee, and heavier than he has ever been in his life. ON THE OTHER HAND, Oden has taken some offensive possessions to dark bad places where shots look like bad passes to the bottom of the backboard. Stop arguing. Let's give the guy... some time.
Here's what I have learned about the Blazer's in the first eight games this year.
1- Greg Oden does not need to be Bill Russell for the Trailblazers to be a championship contender.
2- The Portland Trailblazers are not a championship contender, but they can be.
3- Even though I love him, we had to draft Oden with the first pick in '07, but the pick that makes Pritchard a genius is Rudy Fernandez because he is the third option that everyone hop(ed)ing Travis Outlaw would be.
4- Brandon Roy is the guy on this team whose back the team will ride to any championships they do win, and as long as he and LaMarcus Aldridge are on the Blazers, we have a chance to win.
5- Bottom line is that these guys need to get punched in the face (L.A.) just as much as they need to win with miracles (Houston), the point is that they have to play. Together. Win, lose, ugly, pretty, keep getting better with every game.
I am excited. You should be if you're not.
Friday, October 24, 2008
A Man, A Blade.
I was at the popular discount store Ross, or Ross's (for Lucas) and I was waiting for my dear wife to try on some clothes when I happened upon the knife section. Let me quickly state that I have no sporting interest in knives other than to prepare the food that I feed myself with, but recently had noticed that our own collection was showing signs of its age. Our knives may be only six years old, but it's comparable to dog years I think. I was noticing a boredom that comes from using old dull knives. When the, not just possibility, but inevitability of cutting your finger "emergency room bad" made preparing a simple meal sexy. Well I have found the rush of life again and it came from my 6" usuba vegetable clever. Oh yeah, I said cleaver. I popped this bad boy out of its package and almost lost a finger before a single intended cut was possible. The blood rushed in my veins, but there it would stay... for now. I rinsed it off, called my little lady into the kitchen and set up an apple on a wooden cutting board. Down comes my hand and the apple separates as if it were meant to exist in two pieces never the one that I liberated it from being. I have found hope for a brighter future, it comes from the danger I live in every time I open the knife drawer. Next up... 5" chef knife for cutting meat. Oh yeah, the fear will keep me young.
I was at the popular discount store Ross, or Ross's (for Lucas) and I was waiting for my dear wife to try on some clothes when I happened upon the knife section. Let me quickly state that I have no sporting interest in knives other than to prepare the food that I feed myself with, but recently had noticed that our own collection was showing signs of its age. Our knives may be only six years old, but it's comparable to dog years I think. I was noticing a boredom that comes from using old dull knives. When the, not just possibility, but inevitability of cutting your finger "emergency room bad" made preparing a simple meal sexy. Well I have found the rush of life again and it came from my 6" usuba vegetable clever. Oh yeah, I said cleaver. I popped this bad boy out of its package and almost lost a finger before a single intended cut was possible. The blood rushed in my veins, but there it would stay... for now. I rinsed it off, called my little lady into the kitchen and set up an apple on a wooden cutting board. Down comes my hand and the apple separates as if it were meant to exist in two pieces never the one that I liberated it from being. I have found hope for a brighter future, it comes from the danger I live in every time I open the knife drawer. Next up... 5" chef knife for cutting meat. Oh yeah, the fear will keep me young.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
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