RECRUITING SPOTLIGHT: Chip Kelly Fears No One. Does Brady Hoke Fear Urban Meyer?

In order to comprehend who we are, we must understand where we come from. Such is a brief synopsis of Alasdair MacIntyre's seminal moral philosophy work After Virtue.

Recently Brady Hoke, Michigan head football coach, went on the record questioning the value and role of the intense media coverage of recruiting. I think MacIntyre's concepts are apropos here. In order to understand who college football recruiting coverage is, we must understand its evolution. I am not going to bore people with the entire history of college football; most of you are pretty knowledgeable, generally speaking, about college football's origins. I am also not going to go in depth into the history of Oregon football. Just about every Duck fan alive knows about “The Pick” and “the Toilet Bowl” and “Captain Comeback.” These are a part of the lore that is Oregon football.

So, how can I analyze Hokes comments without a deep resurrection of Oregon football history? I can recount how we got to where we are from a uniquely personal perspective. But I am not going to start at the beginning and work forward; I don't think the story is best told that way. I believe we should work backwards to see where we started.

Hoke is right, to a degree, there is an enormous amount of information about

recruits. When Terrence Jones was deciding where he wanted to go to college,

Oregonlive.com had a video that streamed his announcement (which he would later change his mind) live for all the world to see.

Today, high school seniors routinely have announcement ceremonies at their schools. You know what, though, that is not unique. When Kevin Wilhite committed to the University of Oregon, it was big news. Widely considered the best player in America as a high school senior in 1982, his choice of the Ducks was a signing day surprise.

While Hoke pretends that “stars” and ratings are all some fancy new-fangled

invention of the internet age, he is just wrong. In 1982, the Los Angeles Times ran a feature story on Wilhite's last minute switch from the Huskies to the Ducks. Presumably, the switch was made due to Oregon's phenomenal track program. The point, though, is that in 1982, recruiting was already a big news item.

The real difference, then, between 1982 and 2012 is not that recruiting news is covered, but how and by whom it is covered. Hoke may have some points in that the coverage now begins when players are sophomores in high school. Recruiting sites call them to ask about their respective schools and try to analyze where these young men may end up playing.

They are assigned “stars” based on what scouts believe is their potential at the college level. Why is it, though, that these sites exist? After all, they don't exist in some magical glass bubble created for no real reason.

The finger has to go back to the sport itself. College football has been a passion for many people for a long time. The Nebraska Cornhuskers have the ongoing NCAA record of 317 consecutive sellouts; that dates back 50 years to 1962! Oregon's streak of 79 consecutive sell-outs pales by comparison. The passion of fans was invoked many years ago. But that passion did not invent the current recruiting craze.

In my opinion, the beginning of this craze started in the summer of 1978. That was the summer that ESPN was first conceived. On September 7,

1979 ESPN made its debut to a small number of viewers. The growth of sports and ESPN have coincided. And then college football programs began to see dollar signs in their eyes. Looking to entrench their advantage, powerhouse programs recognized the value of television appearances.

College football has been a long-standing tradition on the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). When ABC bought ESPN in 1984, college football was slowly but surely sprinkled onto the network that would come to dominate sports.

With dollar signs in their eyes, athletic directors, with the blessing (and urging) of their coaches, eagerly sought contracts with the burgeoning behemoth. Those contracts were the beginning of what we see today.

As the sport was broadcast and schools had more money from these new contracts, fans began to clamor for more information. Once we had a taste, we needed more. ESPN, after all, broadcasts drafts and analysis of draft picks. Why shouldn't fans learn about college recruits?

The difference with college football is that it typically involves a rotating cast of players. Unlike professional sports where star players are signed to long-term contracts, college football players have only three or four years playing for the school. Fans wanted to know more about the players. Parade Magazine began this whole thing back in 1963 with their first high school All-American football team selections.

SuperPrep Magazine took it deeper with their foray into the world of recruiting in 1985. So, no Mr. Hoke, this is not a new invention.

As fans began to become more interested in the teams that they were spending money to watch, their natural desire to know more about their team gave rise to the possibility. After the initial internet boom of the late 1990's, two companies seized on the fans desire and the newly available cheap distribution methods of the internet. And the fans got hooked. We couldn't get enough.

So, what exactly is Brady Hoke's complaint? That there are media people covering recruiting? Can't be, that has been going on for decades. That the services “rate” players? That can't be it either, services have been rating players for a very long time; Parade Magazine has rated players for over 50 years.

While he mentions several times that he didn't need a “star system” to reel in Tom Brady, it becomes clear that Hoke is hedging his bets for the future. You see, right now, Hoke is landing what all three major sites have called the best class in America for 2013, Hoke knows just how fickle fans can be about the topic. All he has to do is talk to one of his current commits Logan Tuley-Tillman. For those not knowledgeable about Tuley-Tillman, he is a 2013 commitment to the Wolverines that was recently spotlighted for his burning of letters from Ohio State. Ohio State fans, in their anger at his “disrespect” to their school. Sadly, his actions, though somewhat immature, were met with worse as Ohio State fans taunted him with all manner of threats.

It is that kind of fickle nature that has Hoke worried about the future.

He has been widely lauded for his early recruiting. But there is a new kid in town named Urban Meyer that will also be able to recruit serious talent. In fact, it is very plausible that Ohio State will once again move ahead of Michigan in recruiting rankings in 2014. If that happens, Hoke needs to have distanced himself from the “rankings” of his recruiting classes so that any lackluster class rankings wise, can be met with the same answer he gives now, “we don't recruit stars, we recruit football players.”

Contrast with Chip Kelly’s attitude towards recruiting reports and you will see that Chip embraces the concept. Kelly is no different than any coach in America; no coach will tell you that they only recruited a kid because he was a “5 star” recruit according to a website. Nonetheless, Chip has a much different relationship with recruiting services than most coaches. He is more than just cordial. He recognizes the value that these sites bring to college football.

While they are typically fan-centric, they also provide a wealth of information and are able to post videos that coaches may not have had a chance to see anywhere else. There is a reason that many schools, including Oregon, subscribed to Rivals and Scout. Last year that changed as the NCAA said they could not longer subscribe as they did not fit within the confines of NCAA regulations (due to videos that were taken during off-season camps). The NCAA has since reversed course and now allows universities to subscribe to approved sites.

Kelly, though, has never gone on the record to attempt to discredit the field. That would show a weakness; a fear. Kelly has never backed down from the challenge of competing with the Pac-12 recruiting king, USC.

Instead, he goes into their back yard and steals a generational player from under their wings. Ohio State wants Dontre Wilson and Chip doesn’t care, he just recruits him and wins that day as well. Kelly doesn’t see the necessity of publicly stating “we don’t recruit stars, we recruit players.” Why? Because every coach in America knows that recruiting stars are useless if the kid does not fit into your program; that goes without saying.

So call this statement by Hoke nothing more than what it is, self-preservation.

In reality, the whole system as it exists is just part of the history of college football. In order to generate more revenue, college football eagerly sought television contracts. To support those contracts, fans were courted. With that courtship brought what fans bring: fanaticism.

And, guess what, fanaticism brings exactly what it says. Fanatics want to know everything they possibly can about a subject. That includes recruits. From Kevin Wilhite to Marcus Dupree to Cameron Colvin and now to the best players that the 2013 class has to offer, recruiting has always been big news.

On February 6, 2013 Brady Hoke will gather in front of the very media whose reporting on recruits he has criticized to tout the recruits he just signed.

Will Lyles Story Coming To An End?

TIME TO BREATHE

Ok Duck fans, take a moment and breathe; just relax. Whatever you hear from those pundits whose job it is to sell something take with that knowledge in hand; they are trying to drive their business.

Sports radio guys are going to tell you that the redacted portions hide more sinister allegations.

Writers are going to insinuate the same thing. We will hear people mock the privacy laws which are cited as reason for redacting information. As the first example, listening to a local sports radio show, the host of the show, a young Oregon graduate himself, implies that section 5 which reads

”It is agreed that from 2009 through 2011, the institutions football program exceeded the permissible limit on coaches by one when...” and then there are some redacted portions leading to the rest of the paragraph which goes on to say “engaged in recruiting activities as outlined in Finding Nos. 1-a, 1-b, 1-f and 4-a.”

The host, of course, treats this paragraph with derision as if the redaction is not necessary. Sadly, to drum up callers, he simply over exaggerates the “darkness” of the section. Clearly there is a person named in that paragraph who is subject to privacy laws as an employee of the university. State law allows organizations to redact the names of employees especially if it pertains to their personnel record. Because this person was deemed an impermissible coach for recruiting purposes, that implies that the person engaged in those activities was not one of the 11 coaches on staff that are allowed to recruit. However, the person was very likely a University of Oregon employee. There is nothing sinister.

Furthermore, that paragraph alone explains the redacted portions of four other paragraphs (the aforementioned 1-a, 1-b, 1-f, 4-a). As such, what this tells us about those redacted portions is that there were student-athletes who the un-named employee had contact with during recruiting activities. The redacted portions simply protect their privacy, as granted through FERPA laws. If the circumstances surrounding the recruiting activities were made public, it is very likely that the names could then be inferred based on information about their recruitment.

As Athletic Director Rob Mullens said in his statement the NCAA draft document contains student information protected by law under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and other information protected under Oregon Revised Statutes and Oregon Administrative Rules that legally must be redacted. There is no conspiracy here and there are no “bombshells” in the redacted portions, simply the specifics of which student-athletes were involved in the violations of the university's use of scouting services.

So far we have seen that Finding No 1 deals mostly with the university employee being involved with impermissible recruiting contact. Finding Number 2? Well, later in the draft, the NCAA states: “It is agreed that from 2008 through 2011, the scope and nature of the violations set forth in Finding Nos. 2, 3-c and 4 demonstrate that the athletics department failed to adequately monitor (1) the football program's use of recruiting or scouting services.”

Okay, now we know that finding 1 relates to the employee acting as a coach and finding numbers 2 and 4 deal specifically with the program's use of scouting services.

WHAT IS NOT IN THE DRAFT?

Impermissible Benefits

This is more important than what is in the draft. First, there are no signs that any student athlete received any impermissible benefits from the University of Oregon. We know that some student athletes who signed with Oregon did, in fact, receive extra benefits from other schools. However, we also know that Oregon suspended that player prior to his departure. There are no indications that any player played a game for the Ducks while ineligible.

This negates the doomsayers who wanted to predict vacated wins, post-season bans and the more heavy handed penalties that can be handed down by the NCAA.

Cover Ups

Nowhere does the document refer to the worst possible violation that a coach can commit; attempting to cover-up their transgressions. This was potentially the worst of the speculated allegations when the story first became news almost a year ago. Will Lyles attempted to paint the university's too late request for documents as some sort of cover-up attempt. This is simply not the truth; it was merely an athletic department attempting to come into compliance after realizing that they had not been in compliance.

As I first speculated, the NCAA has found that Oregon did not receive the proper documentation from Complete Scouting Service and received oral reports rather than the required written reports.

CONCLUSIONS TO BE DRAWN

Okay, time to take a leap of faith here and say that there do not seem to be any bombshells on the way. This report is about what I expected from the very beginning of this story. The Ducks spent a LOT of money on a scouting service that was not well established and then proceeded to ignore the rules for documentation. The Athletic Department already has one scapegoat as most of the violations happened during the tenures of the two previous athletic directors.

Further improving the Ducks chances of flying through this investigation relatively unscathed is their cooperation. I can assure you that USC did not go back and forth with a “Proposed Finding of Violations.” USC denied at every step of the process and they fought against the NCAA in a way that is sure to draw the ire of the governing body.

Oregon has helped reduce the impact of potential violations with their willingness to cooperate and they will come through this better than our rivals hope.

I have no clue as to the exact violations, but it can be deduced that there will be some scholarship reductions and some recruiting limitations. The Ducks played last season with just 74 scholarship players (not including walk-ons who were granted temporary scholarships). With the just signed class of 2012, the Ducks will have 82 scholarship players barring off-season attrition. Only 13 of those players are seniors in 2012. That means that the Ducks were highly unlikely to take a full class next season anyway. As it stands, without unknown attrition, the Ducks only have room to sign 16 players next season.

What about the following season? Well, the Ducks currently have only 15 players that are scheduled to graduate after 2013. Once again this will shield the Ducks from any scholarship reductions. The Ducks are positioned almost perfectly to absorb any potential sanctions nearly unscathed.

My expectation is that there will be something in the range of 2-3 scholarship reductions for, most likely 3 seasons. I would also expect that Coach Kelly will have his allowable contact off-campus with recruits reduced for one season and the number of permissible recruit official visits will likely be reduced for a year as well.

In the end, there is nothing in the redacted portions of this report that would likely rise to the level of bowl bans or vacated wins.

So, go ahead Duck fans, breathe, the 2012 season is just around the corner and the Ducks will, once again, be favored to win the North Division of the Pac-12 and will be in the national title talk for most of the season.

Chip Kelly's Departure and Change of Heart Related to Lyles?

I will start by alleviating the fears; it just is not plausible.

What's not?

As news broke yesterday that Chip Kelly was seriously negotiating with Tampa Bay to succeed Raheem Morriss and become the Buccaneers next head football coach, writers, columnists and amateurs everywhere immediately began the speculation: Was the sudden departure a Pete Carroll-esque midnight dash to avoid sanctions?

To many people, this made a lot of sense. The season is over, it has been several months since the notice of inquiry was announced and the Tampa Bay rumors made little sense to them. So, they began to speculate. As rival fans swelled with excitement and Duck fans began to ponder "life after Chip," the athletic department was silent which only served to further fuel speculation and rumors.

Recently, I have been asked by a thread started on one particular internet message board that said, essentially the NCAA gave Oregon advance notice of impending sanctions and that Chip would need to be sacrificed to minimize the  sanctions. From there Chip decided to leave.

This scenario is just not possible. Let me explain. The NCAA, while they are very scattered in their punishment of schools and no one can predict punishment, there is one thing that they are very stringent with: process. The NCAA follows their process by the book, every time.

PROCESS

The process proceeds as follows:

1.  After learning of possible violations, the NCAA will begin an initial inquiry process to gather some basic facts. This happens nearly constantly. In this case, that began last March when the NCAA asked for financial and other records of every football player from the state of Texas. They also requested documents regarding their recruitment.

2. Letter of Inquiry.  If the NCAA believes that there is a reason to dig further, they will send out a Notice of Inquiry. Institutions receive these more frequently than we know as well. Many turn up nothing, some turn up violations that are considered major. Oregon received a Notice of Inquiry in early September

3.  After receiving a Notice of Inquiry, the NCAA has six months to complete it's investigation and present a Notice of Allegations. At the moment, the NCAA is in the investigative stage. From my earlier article, you should know that it appears the NCAA concluded their interviews with Duck players in December when Dontae Williams spoke with the NCAA. If there is no Notice of Allegations within six months, the NCAA can inform the school that the investigation is going to continue or they can say that no wrongdoing has been found and close the investigation. If they extend past the initial six months, the NCAA must inform the university of their progress every six months.

4.  Notice of Allegations.  This is where it gets serious. When the NCAA sends this notice, it means that they believe they have found major violations and lists those possible violations along with the rights and responsibilities of the university. A Notice of Allegations does not include any suggested sanctions. It simply lists those violations that the NCAA believes have been committed.

5.  Institution Response.  After receiving a Notice of Allegations, the university has 90 days to respond to the alleged violations in the Notice of Allegations. This is the point at which most universities will either self-impose or tell their side of the story as to why they think the actions were not violations. The NCAA has been fairly lenient with cooperative institutions who positively self impose reasonable sanctions for their violations.

6.  Hearing.  At this point the Committee on Infractions will meet and decide if the university has violated the rules it is accused of violating. If the university admits to all of the allegations, then this step will likely be skipped over, for the most part as it is simply the university pleading guilty.

7.  Sanctions. If the NCAA finds that the university did indeed commit the infractions, or if the university has admitted their violations, sanctions will follow. The NCAA can accept any self-imposed sanctions and call the case closed or they can decide that the self imposed sanctions are insufficient and levy even more sanctions.

Folks, we are still in step 3, there is no way possible that the NCAA violated all of its premises to give Oregon and Chip Kelly a heads up.

Later this afternoon, I received more calls regarding the rumors about impending doom. Let me say that I have always been fairly forthcoming that I think that the NCAA will find some wrongdoing and give the Ducks some form of sanctions. I have never believed, though, that the sanctions will include a post-season ban. The actions the NCAA are investigating do not rise to the level of Ohio State this past year. No one knew about extra benefits and hid them from the administration then lied to NCAA investigators about them.

WHERE DID THE RUMORS EMANATE?

Where do I think that the rumors started? I think that there is a certain amount of validity hidden somewhere inside the fabulously false rumors. I have heard from more than one person who speaks with coaches regularly outside of football, that the coaches recently heard some news and that has caused some level of worry amongst different people. Let me say, though, that this has gone through a little bit of the "telephone game" phase. It has been greatly distorted as it has worked its way through.

The NCAA, like any large institution is not immune to leaks. Oregon has a former graduate who reached very high levels in the NCAA and the attorney Oregon has hired, Michael Glazier, is a former NCAA employee. Certainly there could have been word that a Notice of Allegations was imminent.

This is where it gets speculative. Many sources have said that the Ducks received news of sanctions. Highly unlikely, though, as I already outlined, that the NCAA has skipped from phase 3 to phase 7 without any steps in between. A more plausible scenario is that Glazier learned of a Notice of Allegations pending and self-imposed sanctions have begun to be suggested. This is very plausible and much more realistic than the sanctions have been "pre-warned" to Oregon.

The good news is that even those predicting harder than "slap on the wrist" penalties are not talking about vacating wins or post season bans.

Those that follow recruiting closely might know that the Ducks played 2011 with just 74 scholarship players, not including walk-ons who were granted scholarships during the season. That means that any scholarship reductions will be easily absorbed. The Ducks have also used less of their available recruit official campus visits this season which could be a sign that the Ducks are trying to use those "lost visits" as part of self-imposed sanctions.

EASING SOME FEARS

Again, most of the speculative part is my attempt to ease the fears of Duck fans. I simply do not see any indication that the Ducks are about to get "hammered." There is little indication that the Duck faithful need to worry about sanctions that will tear down the fortress that we have seen built over the last 15-20 years.

Don't be surprised, though, by some form of sanctions.

A Time for Perspective

A writer shows his true character upon the human frailty of others. While a man lay dying, The Oregonian sports opinion "writer" takes a chance at a final jab. Maybe you would like to go pee on his grave now. Or would you rather go and spit on him now that he has passed?

The sad part is, that this commentary would have had a rightful place sometime down the road. But to write it as he lay dying was in about as poor of taste as anything I can imagine any columnist ever putting to print.

So while Canzano chastised Joe Paterno's character, he simply exposed the truth of your own character. The Bald Faced Truth indeed.

I will write more on this later today.

What is happening to Sports Radio?

The Demise of Radio In Portland

I have not posted much since the Rose Bowl win. I took some time to decpompress and felt that there was nothing critically important that I needed to express. Every thing that has happened after that game has been beaten to death by just about everyone in media. My voice likely would have just been a muddled mess thrown into the garbled pile of voices.

The other component to this absence is that I have also been quite busy at work catching up from being gone for nearly two weeks. I was listening to Dave Smith's show, where I was a frequent guest during the season as a way to "stay in touch" with the world of sports along with my regular reading, of course. Over the last two work weeks, however, I have been inundated with new problems and have not had as much time to listen to radio during the work day.

Lo and behold last week I happened to tune in to 750 The Game at noon looking forward to hearing my friend on the radio... and he was gone. In his place some atrocious concept by the least evolved persona in Portland radio since Marconi, Pork Chop, and a show called "The Man Cave."

First of all, let me just say that the people on that show were not men; they were pre-pubescent children that never grew up. They were Peter Pan with foul language. I spent four years in the Marine Corps, I can swear with the best of them. Nonetheless, there is a time and place. I tune in to sports radio to listen to people have intelligent conversations about sports because I enjoy the topic. And, I can tell you that Chop and Ditch have as much sports knowledge in their entire bodies as I do in the nail of my little toe. I tolerated both of these guys during their stint on KUFO because I preferred the music on that station to the bland "MIX" stations that populate Portland radio. But I cannot stomach their nonsense when they begin to defile something that brings a lot of good to the world. Neither of these pre-pubescent morons have an inkling of what athletics are about due to their complete lack of intestinal fortitude.

It gets quite tiresome to have people make assumptions about male sports fans simply because we have a side of our personality that enjoys competition.

I was a frequent guest on Dave's show and appreciated the opportunity to talk football during college football season. As many who may have spoken with me or even read some of the stuff I have written may know, not all male sports fans are Neanderthals. In fact, some of us even read non-sports books on occasion! I, for one, have not read a sports book in many years. Most of my personal leisure time is spent reading from a little deeper pool.

Every fan I know is much more evolved than these guys. If I weren't so tight with my money, maybe I would buy satellite radio and not have to deal with adults who think they are cool when they act like 10 year old children, unfortunately, for the time being, I am stuck listening to whatever radio stations Portland has to offer OR listening to CD's.

Gosh, I would switch to Big Suck and Little Ropper, but, unfortunately, their 6-7 "Club 1080" is only better than the "Man Cave" on one level; they don't talk like stupendously ignorant 10 year old boys for their show. Nonetheless, their last hour (the hour that I drive home) is not worth listening to most of the time, and I don't particularly care to attempt to listen every day to get the one good show out of ten.

So, I guess the recording industry should give Alpha Broadcasting a thank you note as I will likely find myself listening to more CD's now. At least during the day I can listen to Pandora and choose what I want to listen to with only a limited amount of commercials.

Once again, Alpha Broadcasting has failed the very people that they should be striving to entertain; the listeners.

Does anyone in Portland radio remember the DISASTER that was 94.7 when they let Marconi have his own show? These guys are worse. Apparently, in radio, you don't learn from past mistakes, you simply make even worse mistakes.

Good bye sweet sports radio, your demise is not far off on 750 The Game.

It is time that every reader lets this get to at least 10 other friends, make your voices heard to Alpha Broadcasting and 750 The Game. Bernard Bohkeni cannot carry his own show. This idiotic concept of "The Man Cave" does not belong on radio. Bring back Dave Smith. If not Dave, bring back Wheels at Work. 

Something. ANYTHING has got to be a better option.

Year End Thoughts Part II: Run For The Roses

The beginning of the 2011 football season saw the Ducks in unprecedented position; ranked #3 in the pre-season polls. With an opening game against #4 LSU in Dallas, the hype for Oregon was at an all-time high. Win, and the Ducks would hold the keys to a second consecutive BCS National Championship Game in their own hands. Lose? Something Duck fans did not want to ponder.

Yet, in the much less than neutral Dallas site, the Ducks did lose. Their lack of experience at several positions proved to be more difficult to overcome than Duck fans had hoped. It seemed there was a little bit of let down in fans excitement following the LSU game.

Returning home, the Ducks licked their wounds and began a run through the Pac-12 with convincing early victories. As had been predicted, the Ducks and Stanford were once again battling for a spot as the conference champion.

This season was one unlike any other as the Ducks fought through a lot of adversity on the field with key injuries they had not suffered in their previous two BCS seasons. LaMichael James missed two games; Kenjon Barner missed two games; Michael Clay missed three games; Darron Thomas missed 1 1/2 games. Injuries took their toll.

Fortunately for the Ducks, though, the injuries were absorbed due to depth better than the Ducks had ever known. LaMichael James misses two games? Simple, plug in Kenjon Barner who gains 286 yards during his absence. Darron Thomas misses the second half of Arizona State game and the Colorado game? Plug in redshirt freshman Bryan Bennett and whet the appetites of Duck fans for what the future holds.

The biggest story for the Ducks 2011 season began as a secret back in January of 2011 as highly touted running back De'Anthony Thomas came to Oregon for a visit. The long time USC commitment was so impressed with the Ducks that he switched his commitment and became a Duck at the last minute. His talent was evident from highlight tapes, but it really began to show in fall camp as the Duck freshman was simply too good to keep off the field.

Thomas had a forgettable debut with two fumbles, but the explosiveness was there. It was obvious he would have an impact as a Duck. It was just not possible, though, to see just how big of an impact he would have. Though LaMichael James once aga9ns led the Ducks in rushing and all-purpose yards, he now had a companion near the top of that category in Thomas. Thomas led the Ducks in receiving and was one of the best kick returners in the nation averaging 27.7 yards per kick off return. His 16 touchdowns is a record for a Duck freshman.

As a team, the Ducks accomplished a feat no other team outside of USC has ever accomplished in the Pac-10/12; three consecutive outright conference championships. Given the rich history of the conference this may surprise many. There have been some great coaches and great teams in this conference during it's storied history, and yet this is the second best run in the history of the conference. And some, like me, say that the best is still yet to come for this team. The depth is better than it has ever been at Oregon, but this 2011 team was very young on defense. With a year of experience for three freshman cornerbacks and a defense returning 7 starters, the 2012 Ducks might be even better than the 2010 or 2011 teams. Can you imagine that?

Uniform Rumor

I am hearing from a very good source that the uniform change for the Rose Bowl is to remove the "O" from the helmet and replace it with a Wing design.

I have never fought the uniform changes much because I understand that the kids like them. However, at some point there HAS to be a brand that is firmly established and remains the one constant in our ever evolving identity.

When George Horton agreed to become the Manager for the Duck baseball team, he did it under an agreement that the uniforms have some basics that be adhered to... and that made sense. Certainly it is easier to do so for a non-revenue sport like baseball. Football, on the other hand, is the driving monetary force in the university and thus subject to more outside influences when it comes to things like uniform design.

They say the only constant in this world is change, but I beg to differ. There are plenty of constants. Oregon can stand apart from every other university and yet still have some tradition. We must find a way to communicate our disapproval of this step and ask the athletic department to choose a different helmet for the Rose Bowl.

If they want to work a wing pattern into a "ghost patter" coming off of the "O," that is one thing. But to completely eliminate the "O" from the helmet is a step too far. The "O" is our identity. After all, the "O" is on gloves! We almost had our players banned from flashing the "O" after scores. And the university wants to abandon it? Even if only for one game this is not acceptable.

I have created a facebook page... we need to see if our voice can be heard!

Year End Thoughts Part I: Will Lyles Investigation

Because the next two weeks will be extraordinarily busy, I thought I would share my year end thoughts now.

Recruiting Scandal:

Many of the readers first discovered my writing as we talked about the ongoing investigation into Oregon's recruiting practices. I have made no secret that I believe that the over-hyped status of this is largely a media created monster that has little bearing on reality. I am a Duck fan; that was my initial interest. I make no bones about this fact, but my fandom does not change what I discovered along the way.

A funny thing about investigating... most people find what they want to find. There are more readers when a "feel good" story is taken down by scandal. Think about the Tiger Woods saga. Whenever someone is built up, they just set themselves up for a fall. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Nonetheless, there are always two sides to a story. Much of traditional media assumes "no comment" equals guilt. It is unimaginable to them that no comment is simply used to avoid further complications. Sometimes, no comment simply means no comment.

As I dug into this story, I discovered a lot of information that changed the way people looked at the story. But that was never my original goal. I was simply sharing my thoughts on another blog when someone asked me to put those thoughts together in my own blog. Now, over 110,000 visits later, my story has been seen by tens of thousands of people. Some minds have been eased while others simply dismissed my thoughts just because I am a "fan."

That's okay, I never did the research to convince journalists of anything. I simply looked at existing facts and put them out there in a way that told a different story than the prevailing media thoughts. One of the main problems with media is that it goes unchecked. We are so jaded to the stories we see that no one challenges the media. When anyone dares attempt to challenge the veracity of truth in what the media reports, they are ridiculed mercilessly until the challenger simply quits.

The tactic was used against me as well... the difference? I don't particularly care what people in the media have to say. Unlike the editors of some fan-centric websites, I have no designs to be "mainstream" media. If someone wants to pay me to write, so be it; but if they want to pay me for opinions, I am going to state my opinions. It is not relevant to me whether others in the profession like what I have to say. Simply put, the reason some feel the need to ridicule is that they are not confident in their own ability. When they see some "hack" who does this in his spare time dig deeper and come to conclusions that do not fit their preconceived notions, they begin to feel inadequate.

I have seen this in the business  world as well. There are those who use their own skills and abilities to move up in the world, and there are those that see someone else doing that and simply try to tear them down. For those people, it is simply easier to try to drag others down than to work harder. And, you know what, that's okay too.

Along this journey, I have met some incredible people and had a great time talking about Duck football. I have long been a contributor to Duck Sports Authority and hope to continue doing so for many years to come.

When the Will Lyles story first broke, I thought little of the story. Oregon had not broken a rule, but had played in some murky mud that others did not like. As the story grew, and I watched from the sidelines, I started to see facts distorted and fabricated. So I looked deeper.

Will Lyles told us all that he was a mentor to Lache Seastrunk. Lyles made the world think that he had some magical mystical control over the kid. Why? Well, the story he was telling was that Oregon had paid him for his influence. If his influence was diminished in some way, then his story was less believable.

Make no mistake, Will Lyles implemented himself into the lives of many recruits including Seastrunk. Nonetheless, his position was not one of exclusivity. You see, in the research, it turns out that there were many people heavily involved in Lache Seastrunk's life. Not the least of which was a high school counselor whose husband had coached Lache in grade school. Lache also had an incredible extended family who supported him through it all.

In our journey this year, we got to meet his family and friends and see that Will Lyles was one of may people in Lache's life. Lyles, while claiming he was only trying to help these kids, KNOWINGLY violated NCAA rules to curry favor with the young men and their families. The revelation that Lyles accepted money from a Tennessee assistant (Willie Mack Garza) for an unofficial visit for the athlete AND his mother was the bombshell that proved where Lyles' intentions lay. He was out for himself. He risked the future of young men just to garner their support. He was selfish and despicable in his actions.

When it all started to fall apart, he resorted to what many choose: telling whatever stories he could to victimize himself. But Lyles was no victim. Will Lyles took kids and their families unofficial visits with money from schools. He knew it was wrong and did it anyway. When Evelyn Seastrunk requested Oregon pay for her to visit, she was quickly and loudly rebuffed. These were facts, though, that media ignored in their race to find Oregon guilty.

As the year nears an end, there have been many facts we were able to bring to you exclusively. I was the only person able to interview Lache Seastrunk as he transferred. I got an exclusive interview with his family, with his high school counselor. I brought an exclusive update on Dontae Williams.

These stories helped define the year for the Oregon Ducks. But the year was so much more; because this was the third consecutive season that the Oregon Ducks were the outright conference champion. Only one other school can make that claim. In my next segment, I will discuss the year that was on the field.

Thursday Morning Rundown

It's been a few days since the last entry. Giving everyone time to absorb all that happens without building up too early to the game.

So the big news of course, was Aaron Fentress' reports about LaMichael James declaring that he was forgoing his senior season to enter the NFL draft. I am not sure who the source is, but this is still likely a decision that has not been completely made. I think it is likely that James is leaning towards that conclusion, but he also really loves college and college football. I think he knows that the team has a legitimate shot at another National Championship run next year when the defense will be a lot better and the offense will have another year together.

I have heard that he is also considering coming back to get his masters degree. Will he come back? OInly LaMichael knows at this point. However, this team is preparing for a Rose Bowl. At this point, it is best to let James make an announcement when he is ready to do so and not a minute sooner. he has earned the right to have this process respected.

Any reporter can get a scoop. And, that is their job. It's just too bad that their job is so often a conflict of interest with the team that they cover. in this case, at this point in time, it is in the best interests of the team to respect LaMichael James' wishes and leave the subject alone until he is ready to make an announcement.

James is only 600 yards away from the all-time Pac-10/12 rushing record and about 1300 yards away from the NCAA record. The Ducks are set up for a great run next season. James is one of the best ever in the Pac-10 conference. Whatever LaMichael chooses, I wish him the most success and health possible.

Oregon Will Lyles Investigation Update

Now that the regular season is complete and we await the Rose Bowl match with Wisconsin, the questions have begun to creep up about the investigation the NCAA is performing into Oregon's use of recruiting services.

My regular readers do not need to be inundated with a history lesson on this subject. To do so is lazy journalism that implies stupidity on the readers parts and fills pages with meaningless repetitive information.

The reason we have not heard yet from the NCAA with whether a notice of allegations is due soon is simple; the NCAA has not completed their investigation. I just received word today that the NCAA has another interview with a different former player this Wednesday. To the best of my knowledge, this will be the final interview of former players or current players and their dealings with Will Lyles.

There is no doubt, now, that prospects who were being mentored by Will Lyles received improper benefits. These players, including the player to be interviewed this week, have been granted full immunity for their information. At the moment, there seems no need for concern that the immunity is a sign of bad things to come for Oregon.

Players need immunity because, in the case of the players mentored by Lyles, the players come from families with very little means with which to repay the benefits they received. Without immunity, the players would be suspended for 4 games, but would not be eligible for reinstatement until the benefits had been repaid to charity. It is known that the Ducks discovered the improper benefits of at least one former player and suspended him for 4 games. The Ducks were working with the player to repay the benefits prior to his departure from the program.

The request for immunity does not signal doom, rather it signals the players admission that they did indeed receive benefits that fall outside of the scope of permissibility. Lyles gave many young men benefits that he knew were improper and the NCAA, for once, is doing an honorable thing and finding a way to allow these young men to continue playing football.

To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing the NCAA will learn this week that they did not already know. The player in question did not take any unofficial visits to Oregon. He did visit other schools for camps and that will likely be a point of emphasis in the questions. Though the NCAA is sure to also ask about Lyles' influence during the recruiting process, in this particular case, that influence was not as significant as with other players.

The sad truth is that Will Lyles did provide some true assistance to many of the young men he mentored. There are some that would never have made it into college without his assistance. That assistance was sincere and well intentioned. Unfortunately, Will Lyles also provided considerable improper benefits to many young men.

While the investigation appears to be winding down, the questions will likely persist for a long time to come. Rest assured, though, Duck fans, that the investigative process is almost complete. This Wednesday's interview is likely the last to be conducted of a player by the NCAA.

So Began the Fall of Rome

Today's meeting was a farce. There was never an intention to "decide" anything as the decision had already been made. In fact, the voice we have raised only hastened Lariviere's exit... originally his contract was not to be renewed in June... and now that several THOUSAND people have voiced support, that date got moved up.

This was about politics. Dr. L. did not play the game the way the politicians wanted him to play so they took their ball and went home. They are gutless cowards who know NOTHING about how to be great... being great requires a little intestinal fortitude and these scared bastards have little if any fortitude of any kind. I have tried to keep my cyber columns away from politics, but this is a time to speak on something other than sports...

The sad part is that the excuses they give for their decision are, business wise, justifiable. That is the reason that the support has fallen on deaf ears. Look, we all love his "gumption;" his guts. Nonetheless, he did violate direct mandates. It is irrelevant that the violation of those mandates was the right thing to do; as an employee, he violated the wishes of his boss. If the CEO of a major corporation is given a mandate to not raise salaries by his Board of Directors, then chooses to give those raises anyway; he would be fired. But if he gave those raises to keep the best people in the fold, it was the right move... even if the right move costs you your own job, if it makes the company stronger, you make the move. After all, that is his fiduciary responsibility.

The University of Oregon is, after all, a research institution. How on earth is it to meet its mandate if the best of the best professors leave the university because the university does not value their contribution and worth enough to give them what they have earned and what they deserve?

Unfortunately, this decision was not brought on just by the State Board of Education, it was brought to us by other universities whose Presidents were either unable to devise a plan to fund pay raises without public funds or lacked the guts to do what is right. Institutions like Oregon State, Portland State, Western, Eastern, and Southern Oregon University refused to follow suit and instead went to the State Board to complain. Their professors had caught wind and voiced their displeasure that ALL of the universities should be able to get creative like Oregon had done.

Once again, jealousy and pettiness rules when it comes to political aspirations. When those other universities cried fowl, the State Board felt that they had no other choice; they were cornered.

Today, the State Board of Education proved only one thing; they have absolutely no concern for higher education. Their only concern is appeasing the masses. So began the fall of Rome.

More to come tomorrow with a full "story" as these were just some thoughts I had today.

Perspective During a Difficult Week

I am not going to delve too deep into the scandal that has rocked a once proud program. But I do have my opinions and feel the need to share them with the readers.

It's interesting that two weeks ago I wrote an article about Knowing When To Fold. That was right after the Colorado Oregon game and I felt at the time that Joe Paterno should retire at the end of this season. Wow, what a shocker the way his career ended, though.

I cannot say that I disagree with the ruling of the Board of Trustees at Penn State University. After all, I have to believe that they have more information than any of us, the interested onlookers. The problem, though, is I doubt very sincerely that they have any more information than has been reported. If, in fact, this is the case and the Board of Trustees does not have all the facts, are they not acting in the same selfish manner so many have accused the athletics department staff? Are they not firing people as a reaction to public sentiment and outrage? Is this not simply to "save face" for the university? Of course it is. Why else would they make a decision so swiftly before all the facts are gathered.

As an example, we know for a fact that Athletic Director Tim Curley told the Second Mile organization that an internal investigation had been performed regarding the 2002 incident. Curley told Jack Raykovitz, CEO of Second Mile that "an internal Penn State investigation had found no corroboration for an allegation of inappropriate contact by Mr. Sandusky with a youth in a university locker room shower."

What evidence is there that Joe Paterno did not actually ask several people what the outcome of his report was? And, if he did ask, would it not be  reasonable to believe that he would get the same stale line that Second Mile's CEO received? Joe Paterno did not witness the shower incident, he merely heard an account from another person. He reported the RUMOR to his boss who was supposed to investigate. From there, we do not know what Paterno did or did not do, we all merely have an opinion based on conjecture. Maybe the Board of Trustees has more information than we do... but, then again, maybe they simply bowed to public pressure.

The more important question, in my mind, is not what actions a person who had no first hand knowledge of the crime performed, but what actions did the actual witness perform? Upon seeing a 10 year old boy being molested in the shower by an old man, the coach simply finished putting his videotapes (or sneakers depending on the version of the story that you may have heard)  then went home and called his dad. Huh? A 27 year old man sees a 10 year old boy being raped and he is unsure what to do? Wow. Yet, there is McQueary, the most crucial figure in the case, the man who witnessed a rape, waiting to go home and talk to his dad, then deciding the next day to talk to Coach Paterno. A 27 year old man who witnessed a 10 year old boy getting raped never called the police, and there he is, standing tall with a job. How in the world can this be true?

From the mountaintops, I hear those who feel righteous enough to say "Well, if it was me, I would have..." and you can fill in the blanks. But the truth is, people walk by crimes being committed every day in cities all across the United States; and they ignore the crime. "It's not my problem" is their line du jour.

"Oh, but this is different, this crime is serious," they tell themselves. Women are raped in Central Park, screaming for help to no avail... and people convince themselves what they would do if confronted by the situation. The truth is, they are probably wrong. Dateline NBC does a special which shows just how little people really do to help others in need. But no one wants to admit that they would act that way. It's our dirty little secret. We all say we would do something, but evidence suggests that we would do very little. People say what they need to in order to believe themselves to be "good" people.

In reality, few of us know what we would do in a similar situation. What I know is this, Mike McQueary was just as action-less as Joe Paterno; and McQueary still has a job. Personally, I find McQueary more culpable in this mess as he had first hand knowledge and did nothing.

Many have said this will tarnish all of Paterno's legacy. Not for me. The difference, I admire college football coaches and players for what they are: coaches and players. Their accomplishments on the field are not diminished by their actions, or inactions, off the field. OJ Simpson was a great football player. His fluid movements on the field are not jaded in my mind because of his later life.

While Joe Parterno may have made a horrible decision to not do more follow up on an accusation made by a young assistant coach, that in no way diminishes what he did as a football coach. After all, Penn State still has not received sanctions for any major violations in the football program. How many other programs can say that?

Further, I cannot hold myself in judgment on another human being. I am not the person who feels it my right to impose morality on another human being. Morality is not for the masses to determine; morality is an individual choice within the parameters of legality. As long as an American is acting within the laws of the land, his choice of morality and ethics are not my domain.

As the Greatest Book Ever Written says: "Judge not, lest ye be judged." And "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

As I am not without sin, I guess I will leave the casting of stones to others.

COUNTERPOINT: What Controversy?

The first question that seemed to be in vogue late Saturday afternoon was who should start at quarterback for the Oregon Ducks. And, you know what, I am not even sure who the first person to ask the question was, but it was not the best question in the world. Within minutes of a home victory, reporters started peppering Darron Thomas with the question.

It made no sense. When healthy, Darron Thomas is better than Bryan Bennett. I understand that there is a faction of fans that believe Bennett is better. Their assumptions, though, are based on a little bit of smoke and mirrors. Bryan Bennett has come on and played very well; especially given that he is a red-shirt freshman and the games were his first real action in a college football setting. Nonetheless, he does not yet have the tools to be successful against good teams in a hostile environment.

We tend, in our society, to expect too much of people too quickly. The 90's alternative pop band Dishwalla sang a song titled Pretty Babies that asked the question "why the need to eroticize our children?" This is just another example. We see someone seemingly mature beyond his years and then heap over-zealous expectations upon him. Bryan Bennett has thrown just 45 passes in his career and completed just 53.3% of those passes. When he drops back to pass, he still have "tunnel vision" and locks on to the #1 receiver on a particular play. Against a good team, that might cost him dearly.

One of the oldest cliches in sports is that a fans favorite player is always the back-up quarterback, and that seems to be happening in Eugene.

I get the appeal. Bryan Bennett comes in, runs around, gets lots of yards, makes people excited.

Oregon fans were misled by the success of 2009. We were led to believe that this was an offense that needed a QB to bust out 100 yard games and bulldoze safeties. That was Jermiah Masoli, not the offense. The Ducks turned to that because there were no other options. Chip Kelly has always maintained he wants a quarterback that can run and not a guy that can run who has to be taught to be a quarterback. Bryan Bennett is a very talented player; he will get his time to shine. When that time comes, let us all enjoy what he brings to the table. Until then, however, see him for what he is, a talented freshman who can be trusted if called upon, but one who is not fully developed yet as a quarterback.

Those 45 career passes? Darron Thomas exceeded that in the 2010 National Championship Game. Darron Thomas has been very good in his decision making during his whole career. Saturday, coming off of an injury related absence, Thomas was a little rusty and had some footwork problems. Those are things that are easily fixed. Many had speculated that Thomas should have sat out the Cougar game as well; after all, he would not have been needed to beat the Cougs. And that may be true.

But ask yourself a question, do you really want a rhythm quarterback, in a rhythm offense to make his return from injury on the road against an improved rival? I would think that the answer to this question is almost assuredly "no."

Anyone who did not expect a little bit of rust given that the starting running back had missed two games due to injury himself is just a little deluded. Rust happens when players miss practice time and games.

Controversy? Not really. Just people stirring a pot for no real reason.

COUNTERPOINT: Not Piling On

I said I was not going to write a story on Cliff Harris' traffic citations. That would have been true had there not been a new report this morning.

As it turns out, Cliff Harris' family has paperwork indicating that the suspension was to have been lifted after 60 days. Having had my own license suspended 23 years ago over a technical paperwork error, I am aware that having a suspension lifted still requires additional paperwork, not just a judge decreeing that it can be lifted, but there are additional steps one must take once that period has passed.

That being said, this changes the entire perspective of this most recent incident. As commentator after commentator piled on top of Cliff Harris bandying about the term "stupid" and questioning Harris ability to make a decision, I simply heard Chip Kelly say he was still gathering all the facts.

One could think what facts are there to gather? It seemed like a pretty simple situation. Harris was suspended. Harris was driving while suspended. But no official comment came from The Other Side of Duck for a reason. We just did not know the entirety of the situation.

In this day and age of instant news, students were reporting the citation of Cliff Harris and the news spread immediately of the citation. But all reports were so premature about the truth behind the situation, that commentary on the "stupidity" of a single person was not only unfair, but now, possibly, inaccurate.

I said all along that this situation was never about the tickets themselves, but about violating terms of reinstatement. Today, I stand by that thought. However, with more facts in, it is time to re-evaluate your stance. Was Cliff Harris being stupid because he thought his license had been reinstated? Of course not. And that's the thing, as radio rhetoricians spent the day hammering away at Cliff Harris as if they personally knew him on the same level as his team mates, they forgot a simple rule; know what you are talking about before you offer strong commentary.

This is a perfect example of how premature character assassination can destroy the chance any person has of showing that the assumptions made by media and fans alike are not accurate. The problem with the original reporting of this story is that no media member considered the possibility that there had been a mix up in the reinstatement process of Harris' license. They simply jumped to the conclusion that Harris was "stupid." That is irresponsible journalism.

I have been where Cliff Harris was, with one exception, I knew the reinstatement process. The only difference? I had the assistance of a state senator when I needed my license reinstated. Somehow, I doubt that there were any politicians helping out Cliff Harris when he believed his license had been reinstated.

To Harris' credit, he did not immediately start complaining that we did not know the truth. He dealt with it internally with his coach and team mates. That, in my opinion, shows Cliff Harris may have matured a bit in the last six months.

If the report is true and Cliff Harris has paperwork indicating that the suspension was supposed to have been lifted after 60 days, that changes everything. At this point, that piece of paper should reinstate more than his license. It should reinstate Cliff Harris.

The only people that should be suspended if this report is true, all those people who felt it okay to personally attack the character of a person they did not know. Shame on the media for starting the assassination.

It's time for Cliff Harris to be reinstated. too bad we cannot suspend those who felt it okay to attack a man without the entire story. Frame the story better and none of this happens.

COUNTERPOINT: Knowing When to Fold

Recently I was having a discussion with a long time Penn State fan. Invariably, the topic of Joe Paterno, JoePa, came up as it does with any discussion of Penn State football.

Joe Paterno is a legend not only at Penn State but in American athletics. He is an icon that truly means something. He has done it the right way and been at the same school for longer than many college football fans have been alive. He is a venerable part of Saturdays in the fall. There may never be another coach like Joe Paterno. In some was, I hope that there never is another coach like him. I hope his records become untouchable. The message he has conveyed through his actions are critically important. You can win without cheating. Though it seems to be lost on many of this generations greatest coaches, Joe Pa has taught us this lesson.

But now it is time for Paterno to teach us all another important lesson; how to live gracefully. Paterno has been at Penn State longer than I have known college football. As I was talking to my friend and the topic of Paterno came up, this friend was resigned to another ho-hum season. Penn State has lost it's football identity. There is nothing left that identifies Penn State football as unique; except Joe Paterno.

The offense is so nondescript that many fans across the nation were in near shock as Penn State rolled to 34 points. You read that right, 34 points. Their only output higher than this was against Indiana State in the opener. For the season, the Nittany Lions average just 23.25 points per game. The defense has played well, but, again, nothing that makes people reminisce about the days when Penn State was putting linebackers into the NFL the way Willy Wonka made chocolate; flowing in like a river.

Gone are the days when Penn State fans looked at a season and thought they had a shot at a national title. a bland offense and a good defense are enough to keep winning games. But the Nittany Lions have handed over the reigns of dominance to the likes of Wisconsin.

Joe Paterno is a legend. He deserves to go out his way. I would not suggest that Paterno be fired or even pushed out. No, it is time for Joe Paterno to do what he has always done, put the best interests of the Penn State Nittany Lion program at the forefront. He needs to recognize that the program has become stale and dull before it is too late to resurrect it from the ashes. He got the program turned around not so long ago from another funk. Right now, Penn State is playing well at 7-1, but they are not feared like they used to be.

The image of Kijana Carter taking Penn State's first offensive play of the 1995 Rose Bowl 83 yards for a touchdown are fading fast from the memories of football fans. Penn State was riding high on that day. Today, they are just a part of the background of college football. Nothing is better than game day in State College, PA. But it has become an afterthought to kids around the country. Penn State used to have national cache, now they are just another school.

Joe needs to examine the state of football at Penn State and make a drastic move. Work on naming the successor now; make a plan; make a move. Then retire and be the beloved figurehead you are already. Take one final one for the team Joe; take a knee. You have won everything imaginable under the sun. Watch as your last move rips the heart out of some fans and brings joy to your own team. Lead the search. Find your replacement. Make sure he can take Penn State to new heights. Then, simply sit back and bask in the rich tradition that Penn State football is. You can still be fully involved with the program. There is no rule that says you cannot be a consultant to the university and maintain an office. You can even meet with recruits when they come for official visits.

Urban Meyer is out there coach, wouldn't you like to simultaneously rip the heart out of Ohio State fans and take Penn State forward into their next phase of greatness?

COUNTERPOINT: Act Like You've Been There

Couple of thoughts from the weekend that was in sports. Well, not thoughts so much as opinions.

San Francisco at Detroit

What was a very close and exhilarating game between two teams most recently accustomed to the cellar of their respective divisions should have been remembered for the gutsy performance of the 49'ers pulling out a late victory on the road. Instead the game was spoiled by a near altercation at the end of the game.

Understandably, after guiding his team to an exciting last minute win, on the road, against an undefeated Detroit Lions team that had been stifling teams with an incredible defense, first year head coach Jim Harbaugh was enthusiastically chest bumping and giving congratulations to his team. I am all for exuberance. I rushed the field after the Oklahoma win (and lost my Haloti Ngata diamond plate jersey in the process), but I am not a coach of a professional football team.

Nonetheless, Jim Harbaugh's excitement was completely within the bounds of a young coach after his first big professional win; a comeback win at that. Where I draw the line, though, is the congratulatory handshake that is customary after every NFL game. Sure, you can question the necessity or validity of such a gesture. Maybe it is archaic; maybe it is a waste of time. Still, though, Harbaugh went to shake Detroit Coach Jim Schwartz's hand after the victory, and that is where things got dicey.

From the moment we begin teaching our children about athletics; from the first time they step on the field, on of the most important lessons we teach them is sportsmanship. You need to know how to win, and you need to know how to lose. Neither Harbaugh nor Schwartz seem to remember that lesson very well, and that is a shame.

We often hear columnists and other pundits remind us that athletes should be held to a higher standard; they are role models. Charles Barkley's protestations to the contrary notwithstanding, the pundits are right, athletes are the role models our children look up to for how to behave both on and off the field. Young athletes learning the sport should learn that emotion is a part of the game they play, especially football. Celebrate with your team after a great play; a great game; a win.

Coaches, too, fall under this banner. Coaches are role models. But coaches are more than just role models to kids. The coach, you see, is a role model to the kids, to the parents, to the general fans and to the team he coaches. In teaching every player from pop-warner all the way to NCAA football and the NFL, one phrase you will hear a million times over: "act like you've been there before." Each player should never be surprised at their own success, the best players visualize success before it happens. They have been there before.

I know Jim Harbaugh was genuinely excited and was simply looking to celebrate an incredible victory. But he forgot that lesson he has learned and taught since the first day he picked up a ball and threw it; act like you've been there before.

So, he chest bumped his players on the way to his congratulatory handshake. Still, Jim, act like you've been there before. Congratulate Coach Schwartz on a great game and wish him luck. Give him a sincere handshake, and, in case you missed it, my father taught me to look a man in the eyes when you shake his hand; that's how a man handles himself. Shake his hand, walk away, then celebrate some more with your team. Just like you have done countless times before. Both in your mind and in all the other games you've coached. Act like you've been there before.

And, no, Jim Schwartz doesn't escape my condemnation here. When someone comes to you and shows a lack of class or poor sportsmanship, remember what we taught our children, act with class even in the face of classlessness. Never, ever, stoop to the level of those whom you would condemn. If Jim Harbaugh cannot shake your hand like a man and behave in a dignified manner to you, simply walk away. Say your piece and walk away. The moment you chase him down and attempt to start forcing yourself on him, you have lost your own credibility. You have now stepped into the realm of poor loser. Very few teams go undefeated. Only two teams in the post merger NFL have gone through a regular season unbeaten, only one of those went on to win a Super Bowl.

Gentlemen, it is only game six of a sixteen game season; this was not the Super Bowl. No one really won or lost anything other than a single game. Both Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz need to spend a Saturday afternoon watching a pop-warner football game. Watch how eight-year old kids handle the high and low of winning or losing a football game, then learn your lesson from them.

Act like you've been there before.

If you can learn this lesson over again, maybe you can teach it to your respective teams. How are they supposed to act later in the season after a big win or a big loss? Will they behave like their coaches? I sure hope not. It is my hope that the players rise above the poor example of their coaches and act like they've been there before.

Sportsmanship In General

Sportsmanship took another hit in Corvallis over the weekend. Look, I get it, being a fan when your team is losing is not fun; in fact, it sucks. I played collegiately for a team that went winless, it was not the best feeling in the world. We lost one game 59-7... and we felt fortunate to ONLY lose by that score.

But there is absolutely no excuse for what a person (and I use that term very loosely) felt they had a right to do on Saturday. These are college athletes, they put more effort into their university than most students even dream about. To key someone's car because the team you cheer for lost is not even within the realm of sanity.

If the person who did that happens to have the capacity to read, show your face in public; be a man for once in your life and admit what you've done. Only a lowly coward leaves a mark like you did and a note without identifying yourself.

You are not a fan. You are nothing short of a loser with no concept of reality. Get some help.

I am a Duck fan, I make no bones about it. But these are just kids playing a sport we love. We cheer for our respective universities with passion and take joy in victory as well as some anguish in defeat. But having played I can guarantee you that no one cares more about the game than those players. To denigrate their effort in such a cowardly and classless move only proves just what a pathetic excuse for a human being you are.

Now, I cannot provide any funding for the repair of Poyer's car; that would be an extra benefit. But I will support any efforts to make this situation right. Beaver or Duck, they're just kids playing a game. Good luck to Jordan the rest of the season. I sure as hell hope someone can catch the coward. Then again, I doubt it, cowards like him will run and hide int heir mothers basement, get on the internet and ACT tough without ever actually identifying themselves.

Sling Box: Interesting

Well, I had an experience today in prepping for the tailgate tomorrow that rather surprised me. I often sing the praises of my Sling Box because it offers me a great opportunity to have a television at the tailgates. I love the ease of use and it was much less expensive than a full fledged automatic aiming portable satellite dish.

today, just as a back up, I was setting up to watch the Sling Box from my own laptop (we always use my wife's). As I entered my password I got an error message that said the password was incorrect (very little chance of that, I know my passwords). It offered a "reset password" option, so I figured rather than worry about it, I could simply reset my password... so I went through their steps.

It seemed simple enough, a message appeared that said a verification code had been sent to my email address... one problem, the email never arrived. OOPS. So, I called. At first, I had Sling Media's own version of "Peggy" answer the phone. So, I hung up and called back a second time. This time I was in contact with someone who spoke my language... and all he did is read off of his little card... when i told him I could not log into the forum without the password that would not reset, he sauid "Oh, we can take care of that for you and get your password reset."

Sounds great...

"For $30"

I just hung up. Absolutely ludicrous. Next year I WILL be buying the automatic aiming portable satellite dish for tailgates... this was a ridiculous experience and I will no longer offer any kind words about Sling Box.

COUNTERPOINT: Changing the Game

Saturday afternoon, in a game never as close as the score, college football saw the first application of the new taunting rule when LSU punter Brad Wing, took the snap and went to his left. The play was brilliant in design and execution; until the 8 yard line.

As it became clear that the former Australian Rules Football player would score his first touchdown as a collegiate football player, he put both arms out to his side and looked at a Florida player. The display was brief, but resulted in a 15 yard taunting penalty.

There have been views expressed, most of them saying that the application of the rule was ridiculous. But, was it? The rule does mention that the act must be "egregious." But who is supposed to define egregious? That makes it a judgment call. Earlier this year, a Pac-12 official made statements that said the Oregon "O" flashed by players could be considered unsportsmanlike conduct. In reversing his opinion, likely with a gentle nudge from Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott, the conference Head of Officiating, Mike Pereira declared that the sign is not a penalty as it is not used to "bring attention to the individual." 

This is a good place to start with the new rule, any act that brings attention to an individual and/or attempts to directly belittle or ridicule the opponent is likely to draw a flag.  Wing did not look at a teammate when he made his gesture, he looked directly at the opponent. Though the gesture was brief, it was made in a manner that both brought attention to himself and could have been considered belittling to the opponent.

Look, these are big boys in college football. I know the argument; you want to stop him from taunting, tackle him; make the play. But we forget that with the ever increasing popularity, a collective set of youthful eyes are watching these players they idolize and hope to be like someday. Have you ever seen a 10-year-old kid talking trash to adults as they walk by? I have. And, I can tell you where they learn it; television. As long as taunting by their heroes is tolerated, it will be emulated by their fans. Many of us Duck fans experienced a similar fate as we walked out of Cowboy Stadium on a warm September night. Did you notice that those acting as poor sports happened to be in a younger generation? I did.

I am not one to take the fun out of college football. I played a little bit and enjoyed playing; I enjoyed the banter with defensive backs. But when you score a touchdown, do like LaMichael James does, run into the end-zone, toss the football to an official then go celebrate with your team-mates. Have fun celebrating. Just remember, celebrate after you score not before.

Was the application of the rule heavy handed? No. The player violated the intent of the rule. And Brad Wing knows that the call was right saying after the game "It was very silly of me. I apologize to my team. Showboating is definitely disrespectful, but that was not my intent at all. I apologize to the Florida players. I don't have any disrespect for them. They are a great team."

I give credit to Brad Wing for recognizing that, while his intent may not have been bad, the act itself was showboating. In the end, fortunately enough for LSU, this penalty had no real impact on the outcome of the game. Maybe, though, it let everyone know that taunting is just not going to happen in college football. No more flips into the end zone; no more high-stepping; no more stopping at the one yard line just to "fall" into the end-zone. This is a good thing. let us watch some of the very best athletes int he world play the sport the way it was meant.

No one would have taken away his joy had he waited to celebrate after the touchdown.The joy of the game; players having fun and enjoying themselves; that can never be taken away. But maybe, just maybe, the players will teach younger kids a purer version of the game. Maybe next time you walk by a group of kids playing football, they will simply be playing the game and enjoying themselves. Just like their college football heroes.

Brad Wing may have had his touchdown taken away. But he might have helped change the way we play the game