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Fresno State @ Oregon State

By
angry
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150

5:35pm. There’s a live stream for all four games on the main site.

Good test for the Beavs (Fresno 7-5 and historically good), who ran up their stats vs Grambling St and Portland. We’ll see if that was them bullying on poor talent, or if they have a legitimate lineup this year. This is Fresno’s first visit to Corvallis since 1952, which is pretty amazing, and only their 6th meeting since 1991.

This series has me a bit worried. Baseball is the king of “regressions toward the mean” — and we know hitting at a .400 clip is unsustainable. Does this mean they hit .200? No. Just that fewer runs and a lower average is probable.

The pitching is starting to get into a groove, but again, vs weak opponents. A 3.83 team ERA is respectable and workable if the offense is truly this dynamic. I’d place the over/under at 2.5, and expect 3 with sound play (D has been shaky), and 2 if they don’t tighten things up.

Go Beavs.

Interesting Wilner Article / Spring Camp Day 2

By
angry
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32

I’m not in the business of being an aggregator or re-posting content (leave that up to the BeaverBytes of the world), but I ran across this on twitter and found it interesting.

For those of us so excited OSU ran into a 22mil windfall (and I do think they and WSU benefited most in the Pac-12), the conference as a whole is still well behind the SEC and BIG 10.

I don’t agree with Wilner’s conclusions that it will preclude the Pac from hiring great coaches — every team in the conference has a good to great coach, so we know it’s false so far. And he also fails to mention the Pac is doing better than the ACC and Big 12. But still, interesting and slightly thought provoking piece.

Also, feel free to discuss spring camp day 2 in this thread.

On Wayne Tinkle Starting Walk-ons

By
angry
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191

Tinkle, in his post game press conference, said some would be criticizing his move to start walk-ons. Damn straight, as Tinkle would say.

What is most disturbing to me, is that it was a Mike Riley move. A Mike Riley mentality. Something a nice guy would do. A guy with killer instincts starts his best five and finds a way to thank his walk-ons later, even if it’s just “thanks” (that’s all that’s needed–these are men not little boys, yet OSU treats their athletes with kid gloves). If Gary Andersen starts pulling this crap I seriously will have to look for a new team.

Some in game comments I wrote regarding starting the walk-ons:

If they lose by 3 and miss the NIT because of that he’s sure going to hear it around here.

Scotty assured me they wouldn’t. :)

Play your best 5. If you’re winning at the end put the walk-ons in, or just thank them after the game. Putting them on the court vs an overmatched opponent not only embarrassed them (they looked outclassed) but also put the team behind. So you can’t argue team play on one hand and then say putting them out there helped the team. Stupid move to try to be classy. Just let it happen on its own. If there’s opportunity to play those guys play them otherwise don’t.

And finally:

Playing 5 walk-ons = Mike Riley move.

That is what is most disturbing. Nice guys lose games. Giving Oregon points is dumb.

This is all very easy to understand, and if anyone is being illogical it’s the people justifying it because it felt good for 20 seconds. There are other ways to thank your walk-ons without costing the other players the game. He owes the scholarship players the chance to win just as much as he owes the walk-ons a thank you. All the logic/justification I am reading here is ridiculous and more emotion based. You never give the other team an advantage (and if you do, it’s a gambit, which this was not). Period. It’s very very simple stuff.

WT pulled a Mike Riley.

There’s been a lot of disagreement on AB lately. First fans wanted me to criticize WT when he wasn’t doing anything wrong. They wanted me to criticize him for a team out of gas giving max effort. I didn’t do that. Now the other group of fans wants me to give Tinkle a pass for this bone-headed move. I understand why: because the walk-ons are from Oregon and it felt good for 30 seconds. I get it. Winning the game and going to the NIT would have felt good for many hours: for Tinkle, the fans, and yes,  the walk-ons.

I have nothing against the walk-ons, but I don’t think they’re any more special than the scholarship players and visa versa. There are many ways to thank your players, and this was probably the worst way to go about it. Luck o’ the Beavs, and now Tinkle is on Riley/nice guy watch. I would not be surprised if he lost some players from that move. If I am a starter I lose respect for Tinkle over that: he just lowered my odds of winning the game to get the cheap, easy cheer. Very populist; very Riley.

Civil War Hoops

By
angry
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279

8pm on ESPNU

I’m expecting Oregon to win by 20ish, but this is not a bad matchup so maybe not. (a) Beavs play well at home as we all know (b) Oregon is horrible on D, so Beavs can maybe get into the 70 point range, which with the Beavs D could keep it close. Still, I maintain my thesis that they’re on fumes, so despite a pretty good matchup I think they lose by double digits.

79-63, Oregon

Oregon State @ Portland State

By
angry
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30

2pm

Go Beavs

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