28.Dec.2011 “Next Year is the Year”…

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I've heard this phrase muttered every year since 2003, when I started following OSU football hardcore.

This morning, I saw it on a forum for the first time this post-season. Gave me a good chuckle.

On some level I envy these people and their eternal optimism. On another level, I feel sorry for them. They probably believe U.S. GDP numbers, too. *sigh*

Anyway, what I learned years ago is that OSU never has a complete team. If one problem is solved in the off-season, another springs up. E.g. Next year's offensive line should be better, but the defensive tackles are now an issue. It's like an old roof with patches. The lack of DTs being recruited this year will cause a hole in the roof somewhere down the line, too. I realize every team has weaknesses, but it just seems like many of these shortcomings could have been prevented with some better planning…by simply looking at the depth chart and recruiting positions of need years ago. Now it feels like a mad, last minute scramble to patch a caving roof, and the only supplie Riley has are rusty buckets.

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  • NCAA_viOlation says:
    December 28, 2011 at 11:51 am
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    If you had said “Next year is the year…for the Men’s Basketball team” I would have believed you. They only lose McShane (assuming Cunningham sticks around). This year will be fun, but next year could be special. Robinson has built a complete team with depth to keep the run going for a few years.

    Riley lives by the motto of Alfred E. Neuman- “What, me worry?”

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  • OSU4Life says:
    December 28, 2011 at 11:57 am
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    Angry,

    You bring up some very valid points. However, I think it goes far deeper than X’s and O’s, and lacking the personnel.
    I think Oregon State University athletics, football especially, lacks clear vision. It seems like OSU just hopes for the best instead of planning to become the best.

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  • alex says:
    December 28, 2011 at 11:57 am
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    So I guess the “plan” for DT is that the freshmen bulk up a lot in the offseason and come on strong in spring and fall practices.

    So we’re left hoping that Bennett and Robins are diamonds in the rough…

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    • angry says:
      December 28, 2011 at 12:05 pm
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      Correct, and I hear that Bennett is at 250lbs right now. I guess Many T is in the mix, too.

      Robbins…haven’t heard much good about him.

      Oh, and least not forget the venerable Blake Harrah.

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      • ean says:
        December 28, 2011 at 3:05 pm
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        where did you hear that about Bennett? OSU lists him at 271. Major bummer if he is not adding weight. He reminds me a bit of Josh Andrews in that he looks like he could really add size.

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    • ObjCritic says:
      December 28, 2011 at 1:25 pm
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      This might be a decent approach – at Portland State, but at D1 Pac-12, this is just irresponsible.

      As a manager, I don’t like having the same problems every year or five years; different problems have different scales, including temporally. What’s getting difficult about watching the Beavers is Riley just keeps repeating his problems, it becomes less interesting every year. He seems content to have the same problems over and over. I think for many (poor) managers, especially those who lack vision, that kind of repetition is kind of comforting, an affirmation of themselves and their approach.

      Frankly, the reason I continue to track things regarding OSU football is this blog, where there are informative ideas, posts, recruiting information that seems more timely and accurate than either pay sites or standard media, and people who want progress. I can learn things here and enjoy people’s perspectives and insights while I hope that somebody in the OSU athletic department wants real progress too…soon.

      Reply
  • ObjCritic says:
    December 28, 2011 at 1:31 pm
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    OT – The Badger’s QB Wilson is 5′ 11″, I think Katz was 6’1″. Against Wiscy’s line, where sacks might be few, will UO repeat their tactic of getting their arms up and blocking passes as they did against OSU in the 2009 CW (I think they batted down 8 or 9 passes), or would that be ineffective against Wiscy’s line? e.g. put your arms up and get pancaked?

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  • Beaver Byte says:
    December 28, 2011 at 1:32 pm
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    Riley rarely if ever instills complete confidence. He doesn’t come out and set expectations at a high enough level. Craig Robinson is much better at laying out the goals for the year and what it will take to reach them. With Riley you just don’t get much sense that his approach is changing along with the times. I think we need more leaders on the field who can change the tone as a vocal group and ratchet up the excitement. The Hoops team on the other hand is dynamic and almost always brings high energy and inspired team effort.

    Oregon St. @ Washington Preview:
    http://beaverbyte.com

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  • ean says:
    December 28, 2011 at 1:37 pm
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    I definitely think next year will be the year. Cunningham isn’t going to want to come out with as deep as the draft class is so he will be back. We only lose McShane and will add some talent to the mix along with a year of experience. Next year is the year but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a good year this year and hopefully get a taste for the tourney.

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  • mckalk says:
    December 28, 2011 at 1:45 pm
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    “Next Year is the Year”???? Shit, I’m kind of concerned that “This Is the End” for the football program!

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  • Mud&Sticks says:
    December 28, 2011 at 2:00 pm
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    Am I correct in assuming that recruiting is for the most part done by the assistant coaches and Riley is the closer? The assistants seem to be getting some pretty good players interested, interested enough so that OSU is in their top 5, and a lot of them take a trip to Corvallis but the closer isn’t closing the deal.

    I’m not expecting OSU to sign every kid who makes the trip but it sure seems like a good recruiter could be signing more than Riley does.

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    • brownale9000 says:
      December 28, 2011 at 2:35 pm
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      We actually close very well on the guys to whom we offer scholarships.

      Offers per commit.

      17.00 Arizona
      9.73 Colorado
      9.47 Utah
      9.00 USC
      8.20 Stanford
      8.10 ASU
      7.68 Wazzu
      7.27 UCLA
      6.89 Oregon State
      6.86 Cal
      5.90 Wash
      4.94 Whore

      We could absolutely do better in terms of improving the level of talent we’re offering, but that wasn’t your complaint this time. I’m ready for that complaint to morph into bitching about how we only offer crappy 2* players.

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      • beaverbeliver says:
        December 28, 2011 at 3:54 pm
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        Those numbers mean nothing other than perhaps a difference in strategy. I would love to have the talent that USC and Oregon brings in, regardless of how many offers we put out there! We have not been to a major bowl game in 11 years, perhaps we need to consider changing the way we recruit.

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        • brownale9000 says:
          December 29, 2011 at 3:02 pm
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          Mud&Sticks said Mike Riley can’t close.

          I showed that he closes quite well.

          You changed the argument.

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      • ximo says:
        January 10, 2012 at 6:44 am
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        I want to contact you for a after efects work.

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  • StarcraftSquall says:
    December 28, 2011 at 2:36 pm
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    Well, the non conference schedule just got a lot tougher for everyone… But this could make things a lot more interesting as well!!

    http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/32285/big-ten-pac-12-will-team-up-and-compete

    Just to clarify, Miller DID specify that Oregon State WILL get its share of the marquee name teams in Corvallis, not just the state of Indiana like you might be thinking.

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    • mckalk says:
      December 28, 2011 at 5:08 pm
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      Knowing the “Luck O’ The Beavs”, what are the odds of seeing Indiana or Minnesota? They’ll probably be sacrificial lambs for a revived Meyer coached OSU!

      Reply
  • beaverbeliver says:
    December 28, 2011 at 3:48 pm
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    We will still suck ass next year. Our season will be capped by yet another deflating Oregon ass kicking!

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  • CraigBeav says:
    December 28, 2011 at 4:27 pm
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    I made it down to Corvallis yesterday morning. I had a little breakfast at Sharon’s before poking around the campus. Regardless of the state of our athletics, I was really pleased at how nicely kept the campus itself is. Having more recently been at University of Montana and University of Louisiana at Lafayette, I can say OSU looks pretty amazing in comparison. I still think they ought to bulldoze Hovland Hall though… no one has any good memories of being in that building.

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    • angry says:
      December 28, 2011 at 4:32 pm
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      The campus is beautiful. I don’t think you’ll ever see me write anything negative about it…

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    • Jack says:
      December 28, 2011 at 6:25 pm
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      Hovland? That reminds me of a joke.

      A philosophy prof walked into his class for the final and proceeded to sit on the front of his desk. After a dramatic pause, he told the students, “For your final exam, I want you to take everything you’ve learned in this class and apply it to your own knowledge and belief systems in order to explain to me why this desk does not exist.”

      The students immediately went to work with a flurry of pencils and blue books. Some students came to the front to get more books for what surely would be an exhaustive endeavor. After a couple minutes, the room settled down into the silence of diligent work.

      Then Johnny stood up from his seat in the back of the room. He gathered his things, walked to the front and handed the prof his blue book before walking out. Some students watched in amazement as he left. Some gave an audible “harumph” in his direction. Some didn’t even notice his exit.

      The grades were posted the following week. All the students stood around the list and discussed what must have been an incorrect posting. When Johnny came through to check the list, all went silent. He looked at his grade, smiled and walked away.

      Johnny scored the highest grade on the final… by far.

      Johnny’s answer?

      “What desk?”

      Reply
      • OneEyedKing says:
        December 28, 2011 at 10:50 pm
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        I spent a LOT of time at Hovland; that building needs some serious upgrades. The classrooms are very ghetto, and the bottom floor is like a maze; I got lost several times trying to find my first adviser.

        Still, a lot of great professors there; Ugalis, Sharon, Brence, Orozco…Everyone should take a few classes from them.

        And let’s be a little realistic about CR; the team looks great, and it’s still very young, but Pat Casey has TWO National Championships, and a top15 recruiting class every year. Craig has a long way to go before being crowned the best at OSU.

        Reply
  • CraigBeav says:
    December 28, 2011 at 5:59 pm
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    I’ve noticed that most of the posts on this site are well written and thoughtful, which contrasts quite a bit with the chatter on some of the other sites. I’m curious if angry people are just naturally smarter, or if there is a correlation here where the fans with more critical thinking skills (this site’s readership) also have higher degree attainment. Towards answering that question, I’m curious about the degrees held by the readers here. If anyone would mind posting what they have been granted, I’d appreciate it.

    For me:
    BS – Mathematical Sciences – Oregon State 2007
    MS – Computer Science – University of Montana 2010
    PhD – Computer Science – University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Expected) 2013

    Reply
    • CraigBeav says:
      December 28, 2011 at 6:08 pm
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      My hypothesis: People on this site have on average > 1 post-secondary degree, whereas people on Scout & PO have on average ~ 1 degree, and people on OLive have < 1 degree.

      Reply
    • CraigBeav says:
      December 28, 2011 at 6:11 pm
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      Also, I didn’t mean to imply that only the people who generally agree with Angry have decent critical thinking skills. Even the trolls around here are well written and thoughtful more often than not.

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    • angry says:
      December 28, 2011 at 6:19 pm
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      I have a degree in computer science and biology. But, my passion and natural talent is philosophy/critical thinking and writing. Probably comedy, too, (though I don’t show that side too often on here). I honestly feel my writing on this site is piss poor (from a technical standpoint) because it is mostly stream-of-conscious/unedited.

      I’ve written professionally…available at all major book stores, and I am in the process of writing a second novel. No advanced degrees here. My interests have shifted over the past year…much more toward creative pursuits. I care less about sports each year. I hope I can keep the site up…the way college football is playing out, it might only be a couple more years before I’m shot. I do still love the Beavs, though. So, as long as that’s intact we should be good.

      Regarding why this site has a higher IQ than others: it says “critical view” right in the title, and we stick to that in both the posts and comments. That’s not to say there’s no room for jokes and banter…it’s just that there’s a tone here, and I think people respect my/our work enough to either abide by that (unspoken) agreement or leave. That’s my hunch, but I’m not sure. Try to manage it in a way where everyone with a point can make it.

      Let me reiterate: there’s room for jokes and light-hearted banter. I feel like this comment came off way too stiff and serious. I’m just in the process of cooking potatoes and sort of distracted…

      Reply
      • oneoldbeav says:
        December 28, 2011 at 7:55 pm
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        Yellow Finns? Yukon Golds?

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        • angry says:
          December 28, 2011 at 11:25 pm
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          I wish it was something so exotic. Just your standard, boring russet. The 2-yard dive of potatoes.

          Reply
          • oneoldbeav says:
            December 29, 2011 at 12:19 pm
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            I’m looking forward to when OSU has enough talent on the O line for 2 (maybe 3) yard dives to be boringly successful.

            Reply
      • OSU4Life says:
        December 28, 2011 at 8:18 pm
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        Were you inspired by watching the Idaho Famous Potato Bowl, or are you getting ready for the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl?

        Reply
        • angry says:
          December 28, 2011 at 11:20 pm
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          Haha. I thought that was a fake bowl. Googled it…can’t believe that was real. I can’t totally picture the Beavs playing in a bowl that lame. I guess they’d have to change the name to “Potato Salad Bowl”, though, huh?

          Reply
  • angry says:
    December 28, 2011 at 6:34 pm
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    Craig, is that you bumping the old wordpress blog? See the last post in this thread:

    http://angrybeavers.wordpress.com/2010/03/07/ryan-allen-transfers/#comments

    Author: Craig.

    Just a head’s up: you can search for that post on this blog. Just use the search function (little magnifying glass on the right under “pages”). Then subscribe to the post to get replies. It’s better than bumping that wordpress blog, which is dead.

    Reply
  • Jack says:
    December 28, 2011 at 7:06 pm
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    i know we’re full up at the position, but what do you guys think of JJ Fisher? I can see putting him at slot and running him on the fly sweep.

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    • Jack says:
      December 28, 2011 at 7:11 pm
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      There has to be room for a baller with his skills at OSU. I know it’s 4A, but I think there’s a consensus here that likes the last 4A POY came to town.

      Reply
      • OSU4Life says:
        December 28, 2011 at 8:25 pm
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        La Salle was the 4A State Champions this year! There is no shame in that. I like keeping the best in State talent in State. I’ll be pissed if he ends up at Boise State or somewhere else because OSU overlooked him! He looks like he has good speed, and he comes from a winning team. He’s a winner. OSU needs winners.

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        • ObjCritic says:
          December 28, 2011 at 8:50 pm
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          I agree with that sentiment about the winning mentality. Poyer has it, the Rodgers brothers had it, OSU needs more of it, even if its at WR. And this is slightly conditioned by the fact that OSU is striking out with the DT’s it needs, so it may as well get some people with winning attitudes instead of the insecure who can’t play well on a week-to-week basis.

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          • ObjCritic says:
            December 28, 2011 at 9:03 pm
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            Watching the film, he doesn’t seem to have Poyer’s speed. Like that he blocks well and finishes well, but he just looks too slow(?) to have a D1 impact. Anybody know reliable numbers on his speed?

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            • OSU4Life says:
              December 28, 2011 at 10:09 pm
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              JJ Fisher is a 4.5 : 40 yard dash guy who rushed for over 2,200 yards and scored 30 touchdowns. He is 6’0 190 pounds. Lake Oswego’s head coach Steve Long was really impressed with him.

              Reply
              • Jack says:
                December 28, 2011 at 11:41 pm
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                Coury… as in former OSU WR, Steve Coury.

                Long was the RB this year.

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              • Jack says:
                December 28, 2011 at 11:46 pm
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                Regardless, I’d bring him in as an athlete and figure it out in fall camp. I can’t point to any one thing he does that looks special. He just looks special in a “he has it” sorta way. Of course, there are a lot of things he does really well and smartly in a football sense. You can tell the kid has worked very hard to play at a high level. But there’s something more that puts him over the top.

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                • matt b says:
                  December 29, 2011 at 7:25 am
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                  Part of the problem in evaluating the tape is that the line play surrounding his action is generally bad. The offensive lineman might as well not even get in a three point stance because they immediately stand straight up and waltz with the defenders. So it is somewhat hard to tell how good he could be. He does have intangibles, is willing to block and seems to be in the right place a lot. His acceleration is ok . He is a playmaker.

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                • Jack says:
                  December 29, 2011 at 9:07 am
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                  But there are still a lot of things to like about his fundamental game as well as some of those intangibles. Like I said, it is 4A competition. But he dominates every play like a good prospect should. And he led his team with that dominating play as far as they could go. His pad level is superb. His vision and body control make each play look effortless. He has that innate ability to run to a space, assess his options and run to the next space… all in a split second. And every time it looks like he’s sure to be hit by someone with an angle or someone who has him dead to rights he just cruises by like they were never there. They just grab air. I’m not talking about someone hitting him and losing the tackle either. I’m talking about defenders who are headed for a sure hit just hugging air. Even on the 4A level, that has to be considered. Hell, even in a seven man flag football league this kid would be a star.

                  What this tape doesn’t show so much is his ability to lower his shoulder to finish a run (his junior tape shows this). His shoulders and hips are set so nicely that he can take a variety of hits and keep his feet without bending at the waist to regain balance. If I had to compare him to any one runner, i would say he looks like a slender Ronnie Brown. Put 20-30 pounds of muscle on the kid, increase his speed and let him go.

                  His reported 40 time is 4.6 with a laser… on grass. When you consider hand timed runners who come in with those 4.4 times laser at around the same range, that’s pretty good. But his football speed looks to be more in the 4.55 range, and he does have an extra gear when he hits his long stride. So I wouldn’t worry so much about his actual speed even if he’s not a burner.

                  Nikegon pulled in Oshay Dunmore from the same 4A level. While Dunmore does have more speed, he does not have the same football skills Fisher has. He was productive at that level, but if you watch his tape you’ll see that he has to use his speed and work for everything he gets. He doesn’t make it look like he’s out for a stroll like Fisher does. And he didn’t lead his team to the highest level within 4A even though he played as a running QB at that level. Poyer did do this, that’s why he was a no-brainer when recruiting him. Fisher did it from primarily the RB position and as a slot. He didn’t even get the benefit of touching the ball on every play like those kids did… though I’m sure the coach wanted him to touch the ball as much as possible.

                  I think sometimes you just have to throw out all the measurables and questions about competition and just look at whether or not a kid is just a baller. I think Fisher fits the mold as if he was the model for it. And an argument could be made that he’s a brighter prospect due to the competition level. His ability to play well above that competition saved his body from the hits and the wear and tear that occurs at RB.

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                • oneoldbeav says:
                  December 29, 2011 at 9:56 am
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                  Thanks, Jack, for the evaluation. I didn’t notice his “extra gear” and still think he lacks top end speed in his films.

                  However, top end isn’t a deal breaker at all; your observations about vision and body control are spot on and, along with attitude, have me convinced. JJ’s certainly worth a scholly.

                  “Gamer attitude” is seldom shown or inspired by Riley so it is even more important that he somehow starts with passionate players. They’ll keep their attitude up given playing time and straight shootin from Riley…thats all on MR.

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                • Jack says:
                  December 29, 2011 at 10:07 am
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                  Yeah… I’m not talking about a second gear which gives him separation. But compared to his normal gait, he increases his speed when he hits the open field. Because he’s not a burner, it likely wouldn’t be noticed if he didn’t hit that speed before everyone else on the field recognizes that he has an open field. When he sees his field, he opens up and hits that speed before defenders can figure out the angles to close down the field. So it’s not a second gear like Chris Brown has where he gets clear then turns on the jets. It’s more like Emmitt Smith had where he saw an opportunity then hit the gas before defenders knew what was happening.

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                • Jack says:
                  December 29, 2011 at 10:30 am
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                  Just for a comparison for Oregon 4A competition translating to the next level… I think Cory McCaffrey did an awesome job proving that not only did the competition not matter, but his size was not much of a factor either. Granted, he ended up playing on the FCS level, but he was dominating there as well before his injury.

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  • OSU4Life says:
    December 28, 2011 at 8:30 pm
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    California looks horrible vs Texas in the Holiday Bowl. Zach Maynard can’t hit a broadside of a barn, and they have 4 turnovers! How in the world did OSU lose to Cal this year? All OSU had to do is finish 3rd or 4th in the Conference this year and they would have played in the Alamo Bowl or the Holiday Bowl!!! A few years ago OSU even won 9 games and only ended up in the Sun Bowl, sheesh!

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    • mckalk says:
      December 28, 2011 at 10:21 pm
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      Pretty simple explanation, If your defense can’t stop the run and your offense can’t run….you got nothing and you’re going to lose 9 out of 12 games which include teams like UCLA, Cal and Utah.

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  • Fightingbeaver says:
    December 29, 2011 at 4:17 am
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    A winning mentality is instilled into the players by the head coach and his staff. To set goals of league championship and BCS bowl games lets the players know exactly what is expected of them. This goal setting motivates the team as well as sets the base for player confidence. Without high goals set by the coaching staff, well maintained play book, physical training and game preparation, football programs have no definite direction. Yes, we have and had players that play with “heart”, giving all they have and more……but without a coach setting goals to get players and team motivated to be the best……it is a simple waste of talent.

    Because Mike Riley has none of the above, we are doomed to failure again. Riley will not change or has the ability to set high goals or think “outside the box”.

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  • Pettibonehead says:
    December 29, 2011 at 7:49 am
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    So far the PAC-12 post season representation has been awful. CAL was terrible last night. Maynard is not even close to being a D1-A QB.

    UCLA won’t show up, Stanford has a tough match-up against the Cowboys and Washington won’t be able to handle Baylor tonight.

    This year recruits may begin to see the league as similar to the WAC or Mt. West.

    We, as PAC-12 members, need the Ducks to beat Wisconsin. JB

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    • Jack says:
      December 29, 2011 at 9:47 am
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      Screw that. It’s not like the world will sit up and take notice if Nikegon beats Wisconsin. The Pac isn’t going to garner any respect or even loss of respect with the outcome of that game. We’ll either be called a top-heavy league with a bunch of scrub programs. Or we’ll be called a top-heavy league with a bunch of scrub programs and a Nikegon team who just can’t get it done on the big stage.

      UW showed up against NU in last year’s bowl. So I wouldn’t count them out for a game which gives them time to scheme and practice.

      Luck versus Weeden is by far the bowl of choice to watch. I think more will be said about the Pac if oSu can be shut down by a Stanford defense who is still pretty solid. But oSu could surprise me, and we could have a 52-50 game.

      I’ll be forced to watch the Rose Bowl since my wife’s a Duck. But I don’t like the Ducks, and I do like Wisconsin. So while I feign protests when Nikegon’s WR’s get called for holding in this game (and no other), I will enjoy it immensely if Wisconsin wins.

      Reply
  • jasonthebeaver says:
    December 29, 2011 at 8:35 am
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    From Ted Miller:
    “Yes, the Big Ten knows playing regular games in California could help it, and probably more than the Pac-12 playing in Pennsylvania and Ohio.”

    Why do you guys suppose he thinks this? Do you agree?

    Reply
  • jasonthebeaver says:
    December 29, 2011 at 8:38 am
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    I have no degree from OSU, in fact no degree at all. Never even attended OSU.
    That’s right, I’m a fan by choice. I’m a native Oregonian who grew up in a family that rooted for both teams. Once I got of thinking age I started attending games at both stadiums and after a couple years (late 1990′s) it became clear that OSU were my kind of people, my environment. I could not identify with the atmosphere at UO.

    Reply
  • jasonthebeaver says:
    December 29, 2011 at 8:39 am
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    Anyone ever been to one of OSU’s “Recruiting Dinners”?

    https://osufoundation.org/events/basf/recruiting/index.shtml?hq_e=el&hq_m=238165&hq_l=2&hq_v=29b8a59648

    I’m curious what goes on. Are we meeting committed recruits?

    Reply
    • Pettibonehead says:
      December 29, 2011 at 8:55 am
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      A Signing Day event represents the first time a school can “officially” comment on a prospective player. Once a signed letter of intent is received the school can go public with information on the athlete and the particulars of their recruitment.
      Most of these events are sponsored by booster organizations and will entail a coaches presentation via DVD of each new recruit then a dinner and some sort of fund raising. There will be no recruits at the event.
      They are are good opportunity to meet and mix with other fans, coaches and representatives of the respective athletic departments. Take the opportunity to attend. Hope this helps. JB

      Reply
      • jasonthebeaver says:
        December 29, 2011 at 9:40 am
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        Thanks for the info. It sounds interesting but every event I’ve been to in the past has been attended by the “Standing-ovation-for-Riley-even-after-a-loss-to-Sac-St” crowd. I’m also out-aged by about 30 years, and I’m 41.

        Reply
  • rsteve503 says:
    December 29, 2011 at 3:51 pm
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    I really think some folks like to be on a losing side, and gain some kind of emotional involvement. Kind of like the jews enjoying feeling persecuted.

    The noble loss kind of idea. They feel superior because they somehow associate inferiority with correctness.

    I agree that the BB team, assuming it doesnt collapse completely and this year gains a winning record for the first time in a while, can look forward to the following year doing really well. Gaining experience and confidence, etc.

    But the football team, though it might gain some better players, will have the same I-dont-care coaches and will never get to where they might get under a winning-attitude coach.

    The football situation is really depressing!!

    Reply
  • osubaby says:
    December 30, 2011 at 1:00 am
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    I wouldn’t say he embarassed himself, the analogy may not be PC, but it is somewhat true when it comes to race and persecution. The Beavers seem to act like entitled losers, a good number of fans always revert to the 28 years of losing.

    Reply
    • oneoldbeav says:
      December 30, 2011 at 10:33 am
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      I assume you meant to say “entitled losers”.

      However, the introduction of the concept of “tightness” may be worth discussing. Seems to me that it would be an improvement if players/fans were a little tighter rather than so accepting of the attitude and results demonstrated by the staff and players lately. Thoughts?

      Reply
    • Jack says:
      December 30, 2011 at 11:14 am
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      It’s not true at all, never mind PC. What kind of crap is that? To assign a sense of overbearing redemption due to past and/or present or potential oppression to any one social group might touch on a small percentage of the whole discussion to be had. But to say that someone enjoys being persecuted? That’s just offensive to common sense, let alone rational thought. Why would anyone make up such a silly fallacy except to project their own irrational fears?

      Reply
      • osubaby says:
        December 30, 2011 at 1:38 pm
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        Jack, I get what you are putting down, but I said “it is somewhat true when it comes to race and persecution” not the whole group but a small percentage as you say. I never said people get enjoyment, but people do ride the idea of being persecuted. I am not white and have seen it in my own race and culture. It’s like our identity is built among these historical events and we never seem to let them go. Look racial slurs and words for example…

        Reply
        • Jack says:
          December 30, 2011 at 2:14 pm
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          The original post assigned enjoyment to persecution for the followers of a whole religion.

          You’re arguing against paranoia, which might or might not be justifiable depending on the context. Your personal experiences may be different than another who may have had a kicking party thrown in their honor due to their race/creed/color/sexual orientation. Perhaps you’ve never had a cross burned on your lawn or had a dummy hand grenade with a swastika thrown through your church window while mass was in session. Or maybe you’ve never lived in a town where the local temple has been vandalized for sport.

          If those were the worst things to have happened due to race/creed/color/sexual orientation… even political ideology… in the last year of this country’s history, then we might be on to something.

          But we’re not.

          Reply
  • angry says:
    December 30, 2011 at 2:42 pm
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    Easy, fellas.

    Reply
  • beavskis says:
    December 30, 2011 at 4:36 pm
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    I am an 01 OSU grad with a BS in biology. I write technical and legal documents all day at work for the Feds. I enjoy the hell out of this blog primarily because it’s the only Beaver site that I consistently read where I don’t feel like I’m dumber when I’m finished than I was when I started. Oregonlive is the worst. It’s like amateur hour for dipshits.

    Reply
  • ObjCritic says:
    December 30, 2011 at 8:59 pm
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    http://cliffkirkpatrick.mvourtown.com/2011/12/30/two-southern-recruits-commit/

    The thing I like about players is that the southeast is crazy about football. If these are “legit” three star athletes, and it doesn’t look like they’re getting false stars because they’re getting recruited by USC, I think these are positive signings…

    Lack of DT’s an obvious and outstanding problem….

    Reply
  • ObjCritic says:
    December 30, 2011 at 10:07 pm
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    After seeing an article on him in ESPN, I’m a little surprised OSU hasn’t offered Cody Paul, just seems like the kinda thing they’d do:

    Reply
  • ObjCritic says:
    December 31, 2011 at 5:20 am
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    And in seattle, the press calls for Sark to cut ties with his friend, D-Coordinator Nick Holt:

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/jerrybrewer/2017129861_brewer31.html?cmpid=2628

    Reply

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