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National Title Game (& Quizz)

By
angry
-
89

Go Auburn?

UGH, that feels as bad as rooting for the Ducks.

Also, good luck to Quizz–he is making the right decision. I hope it sends a strong message to Mike Riley, the line he's intent on keeping intact, and the number of carries received by the single back. I realize Quizz is a father, and that drove this decision, but I'd imagine he weighed what he was returning to as well.

In my opinion this is a sad day because we are losing a great player, but it will also force [the inevitable] change a year ahead of schedule.

Is College Football in Decline?

By
angry
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111

I know the ratings, attendance, and popularity are all up, so it seems ridiculous to ask this question. But, by following Oregon State, you naturally follow Oregon, and it’s hard to argue that what is happening down there (and in Oklahoma) is good for the overall health of the sport.

As we all know, there are no salaries or free agency in college football, but the donor/facility race produces the same effect: have and have nots.

In the forum I discussed this a bit, and the poster ObjCritic chimed in with his insightful post:

The “lesser of two evils’ you mention, with regards to college football, is why I think I soon quit watching the game. This was discussed on another thread, and I was talking about the trend towards “neutral” stadiums like Cowboy’s stadium. I think that trend is a disservice to college students and their fan base who give up a home game. Likewise, its to the direct benefit of professional team owners.

Add the trend of needing big money and flashy facilities to win, and you have a declining sport in my opinion. I don’t think its crying sour grapes or jealousy to suggest that UO would not be in this position without Phil’s generous support. Likewise, I recognize that Reser Stadium, as half-assed as it is, would be worse without the generosity of Al Reser. UO and Oklahoma State are in my opinion good examples of what is occurring with  college football. But I’m preaching to the choir here on this last point. I do appreciate the “Minnesota Twins” analogy you use Angry, to suggest that there is another way for at least episodic success and achievements that allows the team to retain relevance.

I think OSU is on the verge of becoming irrelevant in the Pac-12. It would not be “reactionary” to suggest some significant changes are necessary given the time the current staff has had, the time they’ve had with their own recruits, and the increased competition for So Cal/Pac-12 recruits that’s likely to occur in the Pac-12. You can’t change while the world changes around you and expect to stay in third place…

So, let’s get a pulse of this fan base. How close are you guys to just turning off your televisions and giving up on this sport entirely? I feel like I have another 3 to 5 years of college football in me if nothing changes. The overall increase in popularity, one would think, must be due to the fringe fans, or budding fans of the 20 or so traditional powers. Even if that is not that case, right now the business model is almost like that of a lottery. That is, the majority of people (i.e. fans) are going to lose. And the people playing the game (in this case, watching TV) are the working poor who are doing nothing more than hoping for their long shot.

I don’t think as Beaver fans we’re in this alone. I think most fans are struggling with the reality that their team has no realistic shot at a BCS game, and for the have-nots the odds get longer each year. It makes me wonder how much time the sport has left. Wouldn’t it be ironic, and apropos, if the Ducks won a title and nobody cared? We’re not there yet, but we’re close.

Basketball: Oregon State @ Washington

By
angry
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49

Having watched Washington wear down Oregon on Thursday night, I have a good feel about how the game will play out this afternoon. It's amazing how much clearer a prediction can be if you actually get to see these teams on TV. It's 2011 now Fox, come on already, put games on TV.

Anyway, for those who didn't see the game, Oregon was able to hang with Washington for a half. They even took the lead early in the 2nd quarter. Then they made a few bad passes, failed to capitalize on Washington's spree of turnovers, and when Washington started driving to the basket (capped by an IT dunk) the crowd went wild, the momentum shifted, and the game quickly got out of hand. Washington gained more confidence; Oregon fell to 0-3 in conference (ha ha!).

From what I saw, Thomas and Ross are Washington's best players. Bryan-Amaning looked to be a force inside, too.

The Beavers will come out amped for this game. Washington is #1 in the conference, so they will receive everyone's best shot. And the Beavs know that with a win they take over that position. For this reason, expect mad effort in the first ten minutes. The problem is the Beavers commit too many turnovers, and while they get steals and force turnovers themselves, they do not capitalize on them, which in the final analysis makes the turnovers they do get a net loss (i.e. it is a lot of energy wasted to steal a pass, sprint down the court, and miss a layup 5 to 10 times per game). For this reason, I see the Beavers "fading" as this game progresses.

Washington reportedly has problems with zones, but I saw them shred Oregon's 2-3. If the Beavers play man, match-ups will be a problem. Who covers Thomas? I'd put Cunningham on him. Ross is another problem. Nelson needs to see 25 minutes in this game and hang out in Terrance's back pocket. There's no answer for Bryan-Amaning. Neither Brandt nor Burton can handle his size or moves. Collier is still a bit too green. I expect BA to be Washington's high scorer, possibly teeing of for 30. Then there's the supporting cast, who seem to do a solid job of nailing the coffin when you stop their core guys.

I think the Beavs best chance in this game is playing a 2-3 zone and switching up to man randomly to confuse Washington. Washington likes to run, so playing a deliberate half court game (on offense) could frustrate the Dawgs. The Beavers also need to capitalize on the steals and turnovers they do get, otherwise they are just helping Washington by tiring themselves, as I noted above. Finally, making free throws (sound fundamentals) will be important. We can't have Joe Shaq Burton doing his best mason impression and bricking free throws. I don't know, it's hard to make much of a case for OSU, but the aforementioned are some ways I can foresee them at least neutralize the game a bit and keeping it close into the second half. If that happens, then all bets are off.

Gametime: 3:30 PST

TV: Fox Sports

Stream: None, but check Justin.tv after tipoff to see if any rabid fans are streaming it.

Radio: Kpam

Go Beavs, take the conference lead.

Stanford Sources Reporting Mike Riley a Candidate

By
angry
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50

With Harbaugh going to San Francisco, cardinalreport.com is stating Mike Riley is one of five candidates for the Stanford job.

This brings up some interesting points for debate.

1. Do you think Riley would do as well as Harbaugh with the added resources, boosters, etc at Stanford, or would he still recruit 2-star hiding under rocks salamanders?

2. Is this something we, as fans, want to see? Riley has a lifetime contract. Maybe the only way we get out of that and get someone in here who can take the next step is to have someone pouch our coach. Would this be a blessing in disguise?

3. Does Riley have any interest in Stanford? He has ties in California, but not the bay area. He says he loves Corvallis and wants to remain there, but deep down does realize he's maxed out what he can do at OSU and hand over the baton?

4. Who would you like to replace Riley if he were to leave?

5. Do you think this rumor has legs, or is it a pipe dream (much like Notre Dame before Brian Kelly and USC before Lane Kiffin)?

Personally, I think it's close to the point where Riley moves on. He hasn't been able to take the next step. He's built a solid foundation, but the school now needs an uber recruiter and motivator to rise above respectability. Is there risk? Sure. We could get a horrible coach and regress. Is there possibly reward? Obviously. If Riley were to leave for Stanford, I'd feel good about that. The lifetime contract was a mistake, and any way out of it is good for the program. I'd also be energized and excited to see what new, young blood could build upon this foundation. I'd love to see us hire the entire Air Force staff if Riley & Co move south.

All this being said, the report, much like our offensive linemen, likely has no legs. We're stuck being "walk-on U" for the next 11 years.

Oregon State Striking Out Again?

By
angry
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67

With the "two biggest recruiting weekends of the last decade upon us" the Oregon State coaching staff is clearly slipping with each and every top prospect not named Byron Moore.

  • Moala–Cal
  • Sample–Washington
  • Peat Jr–Arizona State
  • Nowiki–Penn State
  • McClure–Colorado
  • Moreland–OSU, but a non-qualifier
  • McGill–Utah

That leaves Byron Moore as the only legit A-lister left in play.

Plenty of B-list players remain on the board.

  • Marcus Peters
  • Torian White
  • Puka Lopa
  • Darryl Paulo
  • Vivii Teofilo
  • Rahmel Dockery

Of the B-list I'd place Torian White as the highest priority. After that, Lopa and Paulo, since the rumor is if both commit to OSU their A-list compadres will follow. Vivii Teofilo is an underrated lineman who I'd gladly take.

What is most disturbing is that this late in the game we're still seeing 0-star recruits with one other offer (New Mexico State) showing up on the board. I'm talking about Rudofo Fifita, a 6"4 260lb defensive end. If his size is accurate, it means the staff probably plans to move him inside, from which one can also deduce they staff feels they've struck out with each and every major DT prospect. But the question must be asked: why are we recruiting this caliber of player this last in the game?

In a year when we were promised "Jelly Donuts", blue-chippers, A-list guys, we're once again on the outside looking in, being forced to makeup ground with a month to go. Sound familiar to the Owa situation last year? The Beavers strategy of recruiting their hardest in the off-season is a proven failure. What recruit is going to be impressed by Corvallis in January? I'll tell you who: C-list guys who have no other option. Every year the Beavers are playing catchup with the A-listers. It's time to change the strategy and get more visits during the season, during big games, and after the game talk to the recruits and tell them how they can help the Beavers take the next step and win some of these big games.This is more important than spending time with recruits in January when there are no distractions and the family atmosphere can be played up, as Riley prefers to do.

To me, the closing of this class has a bad feel to it. I foresee one big signing (likely Moore), one decent signing (Torian White), and a bunch of underwhelming "who??" type signings that will leave us all in a disappointed, head-scratching rage. In a year when the team failed to make a bowl game, the payoff from the extra time and labor has to be better than the outlook portends.

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