The day it happened was a memorable one, September 3rd, 2011. Outside, the thermometers in Dallas had been registering triple digits, a humid-but-windy true “Texas heat.” For those who haven’t had the pleasure, try to imagine the feel of standing in a wind tunnel fed by an industrial-sized blow dryer, with occasional whiffs of car exhaust and decaying plant life.  It served as yet another blunt reminder of just how far the Duck team and the fans had ventured from the cool 48-ish degree 5-day forecast back home.

Inside the massive cathedral-space-station of sport that is Cowboys Stadium, a boisterous sell-out crowd was chomping at the bit, buzzing with anticipation for the season opener.

When LaMichael James took the handoff from Darron Thomas in the 2^nd quarter of the 2011 Cowboy Classic, LMJ started left, but would be quickly pursued by a convoy of speedy LSU defenders. The official result was a 3 yard gain, the few Ducks fans that were around turning towards each other to say, “I think he did it,” or “He just broke it.”

But that moment would be almost completely lost in the gut-wrenching results of the game after halftime. The impact of the play in the game overall was minimal, but it also marked a titanic shift for the University of Oregon’s pecking order for career rushing yards, and an end to a record that had stood for 22 years.

With that carry, and the roughly 1,802 other yards LaMichael James gained last year, he cruised past former Ducks running back Derek Loville as expected, and firmly planted his name at the top of the all-time rushing leaders at a school that has had more than a few good ones in between.

Different time, different players. There’s no question that LaMichael’s surrounding cast is an improvement from the collective of athletes at Oregon during Derek’s days of carrying the rock, though those teams were formidable in their own right. Also it could be argued that the spread Chip Kelly runs vs. the pro set offense operated under Rich Brooks allows for more opportunities to rack up yardage with big plays that weren’t there for Derek Loville. It was a full body of work by Loville, four full years in the backfield, while LaMichael James chose to leave for the NFL with a year of eligibility remaining, the record securely in James’ name.

But none of that should discredit the remarkable accomplishments of Derek Loville.

Just like LaMichael James did on that day in Texas, Derek Loville too had to surpass a legend in Bobby Moore (Ahmad Rashad) for the record himself, no small feat. Loville had also come in just on the heels of another great Oregon running back in Tony Cherry, and he shared a lot of carries with speedy fullback Latin Berry.

Since Loville’s graduation in 1989, the Ducks have featured one highly-talented running back after another. The likes of Sean Burwell, Ricky Whittle, Dino Philyaw, Saladin McCullough, Reuben Droughns, Maurice Morris, Onterrio Smith, Jonathan Stewart, Jeremiah Johnson, and LeGarrette Blount all have spent time in the backfield following Loville. Despite the considerable level of talent in that group (all except Burwell playing in the NFL), none could ever quite match what Loville had done for those great Duck teams of the late 1980’s that started much of the momentum for success that the program continues to enjoy today.

Autzen Stadium, the plays, and certainly the team uniforms might have looked a little different back then, but Derek Loville had a similar ability to make the fans inside stand up and cheer like few ever have. Loville was an exciting and quick running back at 5’10” 210 lbs. He possessed a real knack for following his blocks and making precise cuts at just the right time, not unlike LMJ. They both could handle a high number of carries while having the ability to still gash the defense in the 4th quarter.

Here are a few clips from his Oregon Days as a reminder of tremendous Loville’s abilities.

And for comparison purposes, since we’re talking highlights, here are some familiar sights of some of LMJ’s many spectacular runs.

After a very fruitful and productive career in Eugene, Derek Loville would see only 29 total carries in his first two injury-plagued seasons with the Seattle Seahawks before being traded to San Francisco in 1994.

The 1995 Super Bowl winning season would prove to be far and away Loville’s best in the NFL. Inserted more prominently into the line up and given a chance to shine for the first time, he rushed for 723 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games, while catching 87 passes from NFL MVP Steve Young for another 662 yards. (2^nd most receptions in a season for Loville was 16)

He went on to an extremely rewarding NFL career, winning a total of three Super Bowls, one with the 49ers and  two more later with the Denver Broncos. Though primarily used as a backup during his NFL career, Derek Loville was able to play alongside an incredible list of legendary players including Steve Young, Ricky Watters, Jerry Rice, Ken Norton Jr, Richard Dent, Dana Stubblefield, Bryant Young, and Deion Sanders in San Francisco.

When Mike Shanahan was hired away from SF to Denver, he brought along Loville where he would join another all-star cast including MVP John Elway, MVP Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe, “Flipper” Anderson, Mark Schlereth, Gary Zimmerman (an Oregon grad), Ray Crockett, and Bill Romanowski.  The move was an odd twist of fate, in that he seemed to be following his old college quarterback and fellow Oregon legend Bill Musgrave everywhere Bill went; first joining him in San Francisco, then playing in Denver right after Musgrave had been the backup there.

The experience of playing on those two teams, even in a limited role, would mean more to most people than holding all of the rushing records at the U of O.

The game has changed a little since those days at Oregon, and the numbers have been easier to come by of late under Chip Kelly. It should also be mentioned that while currently sitting 14^th on the all-time rushing list, with a 1,400+ yard season as a senior current UO starting running back Kenjon Barner has an opportunity to rejoin LaMichael James as the unquestioned top tandem in school history.

Here are the career stats for LaMichael, Derek, and Kenjon Barner so far at Oregon:

 Oregon to San Francisco Connection   

Derek Loville and LaMichael James are by no means the only Ducks to have found their way to the bay area. Consider these notable Ducks who have played for the 49ers:

- Class of 2000 NFL Hall of Fame inductee Dave Wilcox played 10 seasons in San Francisco, garnering 7 Pro Bowl selections, and named All-NFL 5 times.

-Jeff Quillan ties with Dave Wilcox and Mike Walter as being the logest-tenured Ducks with San Francico.  Jeff was drafted by the 49ers in the 2nd round of the 1978 NFL draft, and became the centerpiece of their offensive line as the starting center on their first two Super Bowl winning teams of the 1980s. Quillan was named to the Pro Bowl in 1984 and 1985. He played in 143 games over his 10 year career, retiring in 1987.

-Mike Walter was a local Eugene hero and Oregon legend before joining the Dallas Cowboys as their 2nd round selection in the famed 1983 draft, renowned for the quarterbacks selected that are now in the NFL Hall of Fame (Elway, Marino, Kelly). Walter was traded to the 49ers in 1984, where he stayed for the next decade as a starting linebacker, earning three Super Bowl rings.

- Tony Cherry was a 9^th round selection of the 49ers in 1986, and later a CFL All-star with the BC Lions.

- Bill Musgrave, the Oregon career leader in passing yards (8,343) became a 4^th round pick in the NFL and played sparingly in six seasons before embarking on an NFL coaching career. Musgrave is currently the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.

- Matt LaBounty left Oregon as the all-time sack leader (a record that was broken by Ernest Jones in 1993, Jones’ mark was then broken by Nick Reed). LaBounty was drafted in the 12th round of the 1992 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers (#327 overall) and spent the 1993 season with the team, starting a fruitful 8-year NFL career menacing quarterbacks as a defensive end and tackle.

- Keith Lewis was drafted in the 6^th round in 2004 and played 5 seasons. He managed to snag 3 interceptions, force 5 fumbles, and block 2 kicks in 76 career games. Known as a special teams maven, he was named to the USA Today All-Joe’s team for his tremendous special teams play.

- Jed Weaver went from a walk-on to starter in the late 90s for Oregon, followed by a six-year career in the NFL, including a year on the 49ers roster in 2003. He retired after winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2005.

- Adam Snyder, the former Pac-10 Morris trophy winner, was selected in the 3^rd round by San Francisco. The versatile 6’6” 325 lb lineman has played guard and tackle, and was recently traded to the Arizona Cardinals after six seasons as a 49er.

- Will Tukuafu was a 3-time All-Pac-10 selection and won the Casanova (top new comer), Schaffeld (outstanding defensive lineman), and Goyea (most inspirational) awards as a Duck. He began his career in Seattle as a free agent before joining the 49ers in 2010.

- Jeremiah Masoli signed with San Francisco as a free agent and offered a try out at fullback, but was waived shortly after and signed a deal with the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL in April.

Now there is a new 49er with Oregon ties.  Head coach Jim Harbaugh drafted LaMichael James in the 2^nd round, joining a team that came just a few plays away from a Super Bowl trip last season. Alex Smith returns at quarterback, and the team has brought in some help at wide receiver with Mario Manningham, Ted Ginn Jr., rookie AJ Jenkins, and veteran Randy Moss to go along with all-world tight end Vernon Davis and the streaky Michael Crabtree.

Only time will tell what the next level holds for LaMichael, and how his path might compare with the NFL accomplishments of Derek Loville when it is all said and done. Running backs have among the shortest of pro careers due to the damage endured at their position, and it is a very select few that record even a single season of All-Pro caliber production or leave any substantial mark on an organization. Loville may not have always been the starter, but it’s tough to argue with the results as he ties with Mike Walter for having more Super Bowl rings than any other Oregon Ducks in history.

If his production while at Oregon is any indication, the San Francisco fans may have much to cheer about for years to come now that James is in the bay area. However, there’s only one ball to go around, and James will need to first navigate his way through a seemingly crowded backfield. James did that once already in college, no reason to think he can’t do it again.

LaMichael is expected to compete for carries next season with incumbent running backs Frank Gore (5’9” 217lbs), Kendall Hunter (5’7” 199lbs), and new arrivals in Brandon Jacobs (6’4” 247lbs), and Rock Cartwright (5’8” 215lbs).  Some impressive names, but the guess here is that we’ll be seeing plenty of #23. Why? Jim Harbaugh had plenty of chances at Stanford to see LaMichael James destroy the Stanford Cardinal with Jim coaching the team, so he knows exactly what he’s acquired in the selection of LMJ.

Derek Loville and LaMichael James may be two very different players, but it is so easy to draw parallels between them. Two of the best running backs in Oregon history, one had the records that stood as a measuring stick for so long, and the other who put up the numbers that frankly seem unlikely to ever be reached by another player, even after skipping his senior year.

Now both will have an opportunity to shine with the same storied NFL franchise. As Duck fans we may never be able to listen to that old classic song the same way again.

For us, a better fit might be:

“We left our record-breaking running backs in San Francisco”

Or

“If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to throw your O’s up in the air”

———

So, go ahead and enjoy another great one on us.
You’re welcome, 49er fans!

Reggie Ogburn became one of the most feared players in the Pac-10 for his ability to both run and throw

An undersized but gifted athlete, Ogburn traveled far from his native Florida to shine in rainy Eugene, one of the few places that believed in his abilities.  Oregon gave Ogburn an opportunity few others would consider, a chance to play quarterback, and he went above and beyond anybody’s wildest dreams. Ogburn brought some much needed light to Oregon’s dark ages, raising hopes in Eugene that the Ducks could compete in the Pac-10.

Ogburn was small in stature but cast a giant shadow as one of the premier play-makers in the Pac-10, a threat to score with every touch of the ball. A combination of the running ability of Jeremiah Masoli, with the arm of Akili Smith, Reggie Ogburn remains to this day the only player in UO history to have led the team in both rushing and passing in the same season.

“I wasn’t selling myself to the NFL, I was trying to win for Oregon now.“

           -Reggie Ogburn, on his no fear all-out approach to football

His football career long over, Ogburn has since settled down back in his home state of Florida, where he has watched the rise of Oregon football from afar over the past few decades while proudly knowing he played a huge factor in the rise of the program. Not much has been heard from Reggie Ogburn in the public for some time, but the FishDuck team had the pleasure of becoming the first Oregon media affiliate in well over a decade to interview Mr. Ogburn; learning all about his time at Oregon and what he has accomplished with his life since.

To the Oregon faithful, please welcome home our long lost prodigal son, Reggie Ogburn.

What drew you out of junior college to the University of Oregon, given their limited resources and facilities at that time, and that Oregon through the 70’s was not a successful program?

Coming out of high school, we had gone to the state championship.  Most of my teammates got offers from major I-A schools like Miami, U of Florida, Oklahoma, etc.  Being a quarterback of my stature, the only chances I had at that time would have been Oklahoma or University of Florida that ran a type of option offense.  However, they already stacked their deck and their future was already set.  I had a chance to go to smaller schools (Eastern Kentucky, East Tennessee, etc.) but I didn’t think they deserved my talent.  I was stellar enough for a more competitive league.

All of a sudden, I got a call from a guy out in California at College of the Canyons who said ‘Hey, come out here, a lot of eyes will be on you and you WILL go to a Pac-10 school.’  That’s what I wanted.  My mother got upset that I was going so far, but I decided to venture out there.  After my two years there, just about every school wanted me.  BUT, the only two that wanted me to play quarterback were the Ducks and the Beavers.  After visiting both, I chose Eugene.  After seeing the film and the offense they ran, I said, ‘They’re just an inch away from being a winning team, and I could contribute.’  So, that’s what brought me to the University of Oregon and I never looked back to the east coast for the next 2-3 years.

How much of an adjustment was it coming all the way to Eugene and the University of Oregon from Florida?

My hometown is a small town in Georgia, that’s actually where I spent most of my childhood, in the Georgia Country.  So, in Florida, I wasn’t really a city guy even though I lived in a big city.  When I visited Oregon, it reminded me of the Georgia Country for the most part.  I liked that atmosphere based on my upbringing, so it wasn’t too much of an adjustment.

I’ll tell you though, the weather was different.  I remember on my first day of class, there was a sheet of ice on the sidewalk.  I had on wood-bottom dress shoes, and my boots went up in the air like a cartoon and I hit that ground!  I had to get some hiking boots like everyone else wears.  I’m walking around in polyester pants and the wind was blowing right through them, I needed to get some jeans and dress like the Romans do. That was the big adjustment I recall.

You came to the UO in 1979 when people like Don Pellum, Steve Greatwood and Nick Aliotti (now coaches) were players or Graduate Assistants.  What is it about the University of Oregon that creates such unique football minds throughout its history?

First, the level of education.  I can’t say I was a great student coming into the University of Oregon, but I became one based on my environment.  My entire offensive line (Greatwood included) were geniuses when it came time to classroom and studies.  They may not have been the prolific athlete, but they had the knack of the game.  They may not have run as fast as the USC/UCLA offensive line, but they were focused and rarely blew an assignment.  We were a well-oiled machine as we practiced that way, film sessions, etc.  When you get that type of coaching but may not be an NFL-type player, you can apply yourself to teach people.  We didn’t have Ronnie Lott, Mike Neal, etc., but we had discipline.

The team went 2-9 in 1978; had back-to-back six-win seasons; and as soon as you left went back to a two-win season.  What was it that you brought to the team that caused such an impressive turnaround?

It was mostly teammates that assisted in utilizing my talents.  After a successful junior season,  I got a little selfish headed into my senior year, thinking I wanted to go to the NFL and wanted to move to running back.  Rich Brooks had a long talk with me, and he said ‘I need your leadership skills.’ Guys like Bryan Hinkle and Mike Walter on defense (future NFL stars) rallied around every bit of juice I had.  I was a little guy compared to the guys we were playing against.  The line towered over me, they averaged something like 280 – ‘6’4.  Being a 5’9 Quarterback, I had to find a lot of little alleys to throw that ball.  But, because of those guys, no one could see me when I was throwing or running it, so I got ten yards downfield behind those great guys.

A lot of it was my competitive spirit.  I mingled with both the offensive and defensive linemen.  I didn’t look at myself as too big even though I had the talent, and I just made myself available to those guys and made sure they knew I was a normal guy too.  Even though I was getting publicity and they knew the team wasn’t doing good when I was injured, I didn’t look at myself that way.  I look at myself now compared to what I did as an athlete, and I’m still managing people.  During the season, I coach pee-wee leagues and enjoy leading and managing people.  They ask ‘are leaders born or are they made’ and I’m a true believer that they’re born based on my experience.  If you’re born to accept responsibilities, you will. I can teach leadership skills, but you have to have that sense of responsibility to learn.

The Offense at the time basically consisted of “Reggie run left, Reggie run right, or Reggie run around in the backfield for a while and chuck it deep.”  What do you remember of the Oregon playbook at the time?

That was pretty much the gist of it.  Coach Widmark talked to me when my knee was injured.  He said ‘I’m just sick of this, every time you’re not up-to-par, we’re playing like crap!’  I didn’t know if that was a compliment or if he had his hands tied because he needed me so much.  I played hurt as much as I could, because I felt I was otherwise going to let the team down.  Against Purdue, I was playing hurt and they were running an offense to surround me with the ball.  Greatwood looked at me and said ‘Hey Reggie, that ain’t working, run it, run it!’  So, I called a sprint-right.  I didn’t know what to do, given that wasn’t what the coaches told me, but I ran and scored a touchdown!  I got beat up for it on the sidelines, but I think the coach was happy.  Those guys, they loved to see me run.  It wasn’t often I got blindsided either.

[Note: in 1979 when Ogburn first arrived, Oregon traveled to Boulder, Colorado to face a loaded Buffalo squad.  New Coach Chuck Fairbanks had just arrived at Colorado after consecutive Big-8 championships at Oklahoma and a coaching stint in the NFL with New England.  Little and unknown Oregon was not expected to perform well in its season opener against a big-name coach.  However, Ogburn and company went into the game with a lot of confidence and ran all over Colorado in a 33-19 upset.  The headline featuring the upset read: ‘Reggie runs, spoils Fairbanks’ debut.’]

To begin your career in such impressive fashion with a major upset must have been huge.  What do you remember of that particular day against Colorado, and what are your favorite highlights and big plays from your career?

I remember all twenty-some plays that day!  Remember what I said earlier about when I came out of high school and how these guys didn’t want me; so I’m playing with a chip on my shoulder.  One play in particular, I rolled right and I cut back. I had a kid named Charlie playing opposite on linebacker who went to the same high school (as an underclassman when I was there).  I remember him coming at me with his helmet on my thigh-pad, but I reached for the ground, held my balance, and ran for another 15-20 yards.  It was a nice day – hot, sunny, and we were all fired up.  Even though they were knocking me around, I just kept getting back up.  I remember a time when my offensive linemen gave me a hand to get up and I’m seeing stars and counting birds.  But, that was a great highlight when he hit me in the thigh but I kept going, I didn’t feel that until two days later, I was so pumped.

[Note: there was some bitterness after the football game, as Fairbanks was quoted saying “I don’t think Oregon is a very good football team” after losing to the Ducks by two touchdowns.]

A lot of quotes and other media & other team perceptions showed at the time that Oregon was not perceived as a very good football team, even after the Ducks just beat them.  It was clearly frustrating, other teams had no idea how to stop little 5’9 Reggie Ogburn.  How was that for your confidence, and what was your secret for being able to get under their skin so well?

When I came in that spring, it was like Coach Brooks had a second playbook.  He ran the same offense and did the same thing Durant did the previous year, but I took it to the next level with my fakes.  He gave me the opportunity to read defenses; we would run with guys totally unblocked and rely on my ability to fake them out.  That took it to the next level, because they had no answer for that option.  We didn’t look like an option team other than me any time you’d see me running; the lineup that we used did not appear to be the option.  You couldn’t too well throw the ball in this formation but you could run it.  We ran that semi-spread, professional-type offensive formation and we were able to run the option out of any formation.  That’s where I became successful is that we could run that in disguise.  Then, when they stacked the middle, we could throw the outside pass successfully.  Rich said I could throw the ball, but wanted me to run more.

“When I got there, quite a few fans and students would tell me ‘we can actually stay the whole game without having to leave and get blasted!’ That was the joke at the time that people would stay in the stadium the whole time because I was around, that was pretty exciting to get those types of compliments.”

        -Reggie Ogburn, on the enthusiasm he brought to the UO program.

As the season progressed, the Ducks struggled at first and it appeared to be on the verge of the then-typical Oregon season.  Then, you won the last 4 out of 5, giving the program hope for the future.  Was that a progression as Brooks recognized your skills, where things changed where you became the main threat and gained the ability to run the offense and lead the team in the second half of the season?

Absolutely.  In reference to the year before, he needed a missing part to his offense; as the defense was second-to-none.  We always had a great defense to stop people, but when I came in, the offense had struggled.  I won the job in the spring.  Going into the Colorado game, I was still a questionmark.  After that, he figured he’d have to put things into my hands more.  All of a sudden, we went through a losing streak in the middle of the season of close losses where the offense stumbled.  I said I would take it to the next level, and towards the end of the year, he kept calling my number and putting me in situations where I could run the ball.  That built my confidence.  Then, we started doing some flea-flickers, reverses, and things of that nature to balance things out and overcome adversity.  They were smart coaches, they took my ability and skill to get other players involved.  That’s why I can’t say it was all Reggie; I had a bunch of great guys around me, I could never have done it without them.  We took what I was capable of and combined it with everyone else’s skills, and offset what the defense were doing.

We played well against USC. We basically stopped them offensively with our defense. I always blazed the defense, and then they couldn’t wait to get me back on the field, they loved it.  Our offense was one of those offenses that wasn’t quick striking, but would drag you down eating up the clock to get the first down.  Since we didn’t wear them out, they would sit on the sideline thinking, ‘I can’t wait to get back in there and hit!’

What does it mean to you to knowing that of all the great QB’s to play at Oregon, particularly dual threat runners like Akili Smith and Dennis Dixon and Jeremiah Masoli, that you remain the only one to lead a team in both rushing and passing in the same season?

Well, it didn’t dawn upon me that Dan Fouts went to University of Oregon until my first spring game.  Ahmad Rashad came to our spring game and got announced.  Then, someone said Dan Fouts used to hand the ball to him.  I’m like ‘whoa, I’m following some Duck that’s in the NFL!’  I had some funny feelings about the statistics I had and not having the opportunity to be in the NFL.  I see the history of QBs, mostly after me (and a few before me that had leather hats).  All of a sudden, starting with Chris Miller, it was one after another going to the NFL.  But, I focused on my chances at the moment.  Masoli is probably the best comparison to what I brought to the team.  For example, when I looked at when (Jeremiah) Masoli had the chance to run but would pass it.  He was sitting there thinking of his future as an NFL QB, throwing passes while he had every opportunity to run.  Same thing for the kid they had last year (Thomas.)

I didn’t think twice about running that ball if space was open.  I wasn’t concerned about looking like the prototype NFL star.  I wasn’t selling myself to the NFL, I was trying to win for Oregon now.  I see them sometimes apprehensive about using their athletic abilities because of that.  That’s what kept us afloat.  I wasn’t concerned about forcing the ball down.  If they weren’t wide open, Reggie is taking off.  I can get 25 yards running just as effective as I can throwing.  I didn’t have a very bad pass/interception ratio, and I didn’t throw it away every time.  I used the running ability I had, it may sound undisciplinary of a QB with my abilities, but we won.  At the end of the day, we could say we won.

[Note: Going into Ogburn’s senior season (1980), Oregon faced NCAA sanctions.  Oregon games were rarely featured on television; but the Oregon Athletic Department worked hard to change that.  Prior to the start of the 1980 season, the schedule had been reworked and the Stanford game was moved to the season opener to gain national exposure.  The game was featured in the press as Reggie Ogburn vs. John Elway as a battle to determine the best QB in the Pac-10.  However, NCAA rules violations left Ogburn ineligible for one game, the opening battle against Stanford.  All other Pac-10 coaches were aggravated that Stanford was the only team that got to play an Ogburn-less Oregon.]

How frustrating was it not being able to play in the 1980 season opener vs. the Elway-led Stanford Cardinal?

An interesting fact is that we beat Stanford the year before that.  Elway was now the starting quarterback.  Honestly, that is one sick place in my stomach…I just had to watch him.  The whole theory was, I wasn’t going to let him on the field.  We were going to go ball-control, and we were going to run – four yards, six yards, first down; and he wasn’t going to see the field.  That was the guy, he had a great arm.  But, I feel as a team player I may have been better.  That would have been great on my resume to have beaten John Elway.  But, that was sickening being so politically done.

I looked at him for years in the NFL and thought, ‘you lucky son of a gun! You could have been a notch on my belt knowing I beat you in college!’  Kevin Lusk didn’t do a bad job in that game as quarterback, It was a great game, but Lusk scored too quick to let them back on the field and wear our defense out.  That’s one of the things that can hurt you if you pass too much.  For example, I look at Aliotti today, and he knows he has to rotate players because the offense is going to score every two minutes.

[Note:  Ogburn beat Oregon State both of his years in the Civil War.  In 1980 as a senior, Ogburn and company defeated then-nemesis Washington soundly, 34-10 in Seattle.  It would stand as the only time Oregon would win in Seattle for 15 years.  Oregon was unsuccessful in Seattle until the rise of the mid-90‘s when in 1995 Oregon escaped Seattle 24-22, one year after “The Pick.”]

After that loss to Stanford, you really rebounded well.  Especially in our rivalry games; in those days in particular, everything revolved around beating Oregon State and Washington.  During your time at Oregon, you went 3 of 4 in the big rivalry games (only blemish in 1979 against UW).  How good was it to avenge the 1979 loss, going to Seattle and beating Washington so soundly?  (Especially given Oregon was unsuccessful again for 15 years?)

Ogburn's improvisational skills were second-to-none

First of all, the game that we played in 1979 when they beat us, the whistle blew after I had handed the ball off.  I stopped, but got hit. That was when I got the cartilage tear in my right knee that I feel to this day.  Going back up there, I felt there was a lot of revenge on my part personally; because they took me out in the first or second quarter and I tried to go back in, but my knee would not allow it.  That entire year, I continued to not be able to practice in full until about Wednesdays, because my knee would swell.  I didn’t even find out I had torn cartilage until the end of that year.  So, going back up there the next year to play them, the only thing I could think about was how unbearable they made my first year at the University of Oregon in terms of not being able to practice five days a week.  It was great to get revenge that year!

That’s what we always talked about (beating our rivals, UW & OSU).  There were certain games you just had to win, it was all about bragging rights.  Michigan State beat us the first year and you could almost get away with losing to them, as technically everyone thought they were a better team at the time.  After that first year when we almost went to a bowl game but came just shy, the confidence of all the players shot through the roof.  The following year going into my senior season, we felt we were just as good as any team we were going to play.  It was a prerequisite to win those rivalries.   It was like this is for the entire northwest bragging rights, we had to win them.  We were psyched.

[Note:  Oregon had other big wins in 1980.  After losing to Michigan State in 1979, Ogburn and company gained revenge on Michigan State, winning in impressive fashion 35-7.  Oregon also faced a tough USC team with Marcus Allen, finishing in a 7-7 tie.  Both Washington and Oregon State were defeated in impressive fashion, and Oregon finished 6-3-2, barely losing several games.]

In that 1980 season, is there a particular game that stands out as your personal favorite?

I’d have to say the UCLA game in the LA Coliseum.  A lot of people I went to school with at College of the Canyons were able to see me.  I had a kid at CC who followed me, and I was his hero; and he was at the game to show me he had a scrapbook of me and had been pulling articles on me all the time.  But, that UCLA game against Matt Neal, Tom Ramsey, etc., was huge to show that crowd I could show Oregon was THE team.  Not only that, but UCLA tried to recruit me as a running back, and I wanted to show they should have taken me as QB.  (Terry) Donahue was their coach at the time, and I wanted to make him think about that!  To beat them 20-14 on their home turf was huge.

What does it mean to you seeing the success of the program today built upon the success generated from your era, and improvement of facilities and national recognition of the UO?

I’m excited.  I can go to the park, be at work, or hanging with my friends; and go ‘Hey, I started something there!’  It had been a long time since Oregon had winning seasons when I got there.  I don’t regret one thing I did in coming up to Oregon.  I felt like there was a lot of heritage long before me, and I can say I contributed.  A lot of people would fill the stadium at the beginning but be in the parking lot at halftime.  When I got there, quite a few fans and students would tell me ‘we can actually stay the whole game without having to leave and get blasted!’  That was the joke at the time that people would stay in the stadium the whole time because I was around, that was pretty exciting to get those types of compliments.  Especially from people who had been die-hard Oregon fans forever.

What do you think you could do in the type of system Oregon is running now,  given your running and scrambling abilities?

All I could tell you is, I would be like a kid in a candy store!  The hairs on my arm stand up when I watch those kids, that offense is so dynamic.  Most of my plays were sprint left, sprint right, or quarterback draw.  A lot of times there wasn’t too much deception.  I look at the deception now, (Masoli, Thomas, Dixon, etc.) they’re out by themselves just tearing it up.

Tell us about your post-Oregon days.  We know you went into the USFL and CFL for several years following your time at Oregon.  What are your memories of pro football pursuits, and the difference between the college and pro game for you?

I was like a fish out of water when I got to Canada.  That Canadian field is wide.  No exaggeration, sideline to sideline feels like goalpost to goalpost in American Football.  That was a shock to me.  I got drafted by Winnipeg and played a few games in preseason with them, before I had the opportunity to play for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. They moved me to defensive back, and I feel I did pretty good.  I was down and out at first, but I adapted pretty well.  After a while, they felt I was a little too risky or didn’t know what I was doing.  It didn’t last in the CFL much because of the big difference from college to the wide fields.

I remember in the CFL Vince Goldsmith (a teammate at Oregon – co-team MVP in 1980 with Ogburn) was such a hard hitter.  When I went to the Roughriders, we had a game against him at Winnipeg.  He was already at Saskatchewan.  They had me run a Reggie-Right, when guess who was coming at me? Goldsmith!  This is why I never wanted to practice against him, but he was so low to the ground like me, he would get me.  He tackled me for a 10 yard loss, and I was like, ‘Thanks a lot, Vince!’

I came back to Eugene after football.  I wanted to seize the opportunity there since I was so well-liked and known.  I was in the lumber industry building homes.  The economy started getting bad, and the timber industry started going down.  So, I then took a job as a loan officer at US Bank.  Then, coach Widmark asked if I still wanted to play, and pointed me to a coach for the Oakland Raiders so I drove down to Oakland.  I stayed there until the last cut.  That 5 am knock on the door I’ll never forget, it gives you an upset stomach.  I went through five roommates before I got cut.  All those guys told me I was going to make it.  They moved me to wide receiver, and I was making it happen in practice.  The veterans were telling me I was going to make it, but they had too much money invested in the people they had.

They had me play for a semi-pro team in San Francisco and would call me back.  I was there for a few weeks thinking they would, but well, they never did.  I told the owner of the semi-pro team I needed a job at his construction company.  He had just hired someone, so I just quit the team and went home.

A lot of memories fade, and the common theme we hear these days is that Oregon football didn’t really start until 1994.  So, what do you want people to remember about the 1979-1980 seasons, and specifically Reggie Ogburn?

If there wasn’t a Reggie Ogburn in 1979 and 1980, the recruiting page wouldn’t have opened for the University of Oregon.  When I saw the talent they started getting after I had left, I felt a sense of pride that I had put them out there to let kids know there’s an opportunity here.  First of all, a successful black quarterback made other kids want to go to school there.  Everyone knew where I was and what I did, and saw the opportunity Oregon had.  Then, you’ve got successful guys like (Don) Pellum from Los Angeles; he goes back home and tells people all about it, before his return to coach there.  I feel like I helped to put coaches in front of people to make them want to go there.  When I would tell people ‘I’m going to University of Oregon’, they’d go, ‘what’s there?’ It was an education, back then there was no partying like there was in Los Angeles.  I was only the second in my family to graduate from school.

That’s what I would say, is that football started then.  I didn’t go there because Dan Fouts was the QB, but I saw opportunity to start and make a difference.  The 1994 team has an argument too, either you win it all or you don’t.  We didn’t win it all, but we had a good time winning what we did, and finished with a winning record.

The University of Oregon’s 1980 recruiting video prominently featured Ogburn’s on-field highlights as well as an extensive interview with Reggie.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Reggie Ogburn today:

Since hanging up the cleats and returning to Florida, Ogburn has found as much success in the business world as he did on the gridiron. He worked various jobs managing a Wendy’s Restaurant, selling insurance, and eventually with UPS.  Within nine months of working at UPS, Ogburn got into management thanks to his degree and education from Oregon.  He utilized his degree as a manager in the transportation department at UPS for 15 years; and has been in the transportation business ever since, working for Federal Express, and now for SAIA Freight.

Ogburn oversees all South Florida operations for SAIA, remaining a leader at what he does to this day.  He enjoys leading and directing the many people under him in his district, continuing to utilize his education and on-field leadership he began as Oregon’s quarterback.

“Here I am again, leading and directing people, setting examples to do the right thing.  A lot of that was attributed to the education and my athletic sprawls at Oregon.  Just being a leader now in the transportation business is huge, going home and knowing you did a good job.  Just like a game, at the end, you can know you did good whether your team won or lost, that is what is so in common with the transportation business.  It’s business, but you know whether or not you did your job at the end of the day.”

Aside from his career, Ogburn has a family – all very well educated.  His wife (of 28 years) is obtaining her Ph.D in the upcoming weeks after serving 26 years as a director of human resources for local schools.  Mr. And Mrs. Ogburn have one daughter, age 26.  Thanks to Reggie’s experience on and off the field at the University of Oregon, the Ogburn family knows the importance of a good education.  “It’s been a beautiful life, I haven’t had any regrets about it.”  He continues to follow Oregon Football loyally to this day, knowing he never would be the big man he is today without his days as a Duck.

Reggie Ogburn says he plans to fly to Eugene to attend the Washington-Oregon game this year, his first trip back to Autzen Stadium since 1982.

Thank you to the Casanova Center and Jeff Eberhart for assisting in coordinating this interview and other content for FishDuck.com.

This week FishDuck.com co-owner Kurt Liedtke (better known as Keeerrrttt1) is joined by business partner and co-founder of FishDuck.com Charles “FishDuck” Fischer to talk about current Duck sports and give a few updates about the website.

One-On-One: FishDuck.com’s Charles “FishDuck” Fischer
Weekly Video Podcast
5-17-2012

Check back to FishDuck.com every week for the next FishDuck One-On-One.

Basketball Recruiting

News/Visits

In the world of recruiting, the age-old phrase “win some, lose some” holds true. Prized power forward Anthony Bennett (5-Star/Henderson, NV/Rivals150) has opted to stay local and play his collegiate ball at unlv (no capitalization of opposing programs by this author).

Center Chris Obekpa (4-Star/Centereach, NY/Rivals150)

A serious contender to land Bennett up until his weekend announcement, Oregon now looks to east coast big man Chris Obekpa (4-Star/Centereach, NY/Rivals150). The 6’8, 215 lb. defensive presence is believed to be genuinely interested in the Ducks and communicated that he will visit Oregon before making a final decision.

Prospects

The Ducks may have found an heir apparent to EJ Singler in small forward/shooting guard Tucker Haymond (NR/ Seattle, WA). A product of Seattle’s venerable Garfield High, Haymond uses off the court discipline (4.0 GPA) to excel on the hardwood. As a junior, Haymond averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds and earned KingCo Conference Player of the Year honors.  ”Well, Oregon is the most recent school to start recruiting me and I am pretty interested in them, so this summer I plan on going down and checking out the campus,” said Haymond. “I’ve talked to their staff, and they’ve said they like how I remind them of Singler and how I could develop my game into one like his.” (Altman will most assuredly fight the Seattle-based “school we shall not speak of” for Haymond’s all-around game, stay tuned!)

Football Recruiting

Visits/News

Oregon is widely acknowledged as the place to be for aspiring running backs. However, with the recent success of wide receivers Jeff Maehl and Lavasier Tuinei, the Ducks are becoming a program of interest for high-level perimeter talent. James Quick (4-Star/Louisville, KY/Rivals250) and Darren Carrington (NR/San Diego, CA) have Oregon on their shortlists and may both find their way to Eugene in the coming months. “Oregon has been out to see me,” said the 6’1, 180 lb. Quick. “I met Coach (Scott) Frost, and he seems like a straight up guy. Obviously the facilities and stuff are great, but Oregon’s offense is a great fit for me. I know Oregon is one program I’m going to take an official visit to.” Echoing Quick, the larger 6’2, 187 lb. Carrington professed “Oregon…(is) a dream offer…I’m planning to visit Oregon this June to try and earn an offer. I love the offense and I love how they always win. They like me at wide receiver which is great with me. They seem pretty interested.” (While more hype surrounds Quick, don’t sleep on Carrington. Both route-runners possess the Oregon trademarks of blistering speed and big play potential that could see one or both donning Lighting Yellow and Thunder Green when all is said and done).

Oregon makes no secret about taking its time with dispersing offers to prospects. Two prep-stars, wide receiver Denorea Stringfellow (4-Star/Moreno Valley, CA/Rivals250) and lineman Scott Quesenberry (3-Star/Carlsbad, CA), could both garner Oregon offers in the near future. “Coach (Steve) Greatwood was by on Monday. They are on the fence; it seems like they are really close to offering me,” said the fleet-footed Stringfellow. “But you never know with recruiting. He said they are still evaluating me and they will be by again to check on me. I would love to get an offer from (Oregon).” Quesenberry, a mobile behemoth in the trenches, indicated that if the Ducks come calling, it would “instantly” elevate them into the mix of final considerations. (Talented at their respective positions, Oregon’s system would allow both preps a relatively seamless transition into the collegiate ranks).

(Scott Quesenberry Highlights Unavailable)

Prospects

Cornerback/safety Hatari Byrd (4-Star/Fresno, CA) joins teammate L.J. Moore (4-Star/Fresno, CA/Rivals250) as the latest defender to be scrutinized by Oregon. Byrd, a 6’1, 195 lb. bruiser, fights through blocks and routinely finds himself at the forefront of defensive stands. “Coach (John) Neal was by and then I spoke to him on the phone three days ago,” said Byrd. “He said he’s highly interested in me and could offer soon. I’m definitely interested in Oregon.” (Both Byrd and his teammate, Moore, appear to be a high priorities for the Ducks; never underestimate the power of communication between preps).

Once a highly touted in-state product out of Lakeridge High School, linebacker Myke Tavarres (NR/Weed, CA/College of the Siskiyous) is finding himself on Oregon’s radar after spending two years in the junior college ranks. Measuring in at 6’2, 220 lbs., Tavarres effectively makes use of his mobility and hard-nosed tackling on defense. “It makes sense while I’m up there to visit Oregon,” said Tavarres. “They stopped by to check on me, and they seem interested.” (Oregon bears considerable depth at linebacker, which may make it difficult for Tavarres to garner an offer. Nonetheless, Tavarres is a JUCO player to keep an eye on).

For up to the minute recruiting news, please visit our friends at DUCK TERRITORY who graciously provide FISHDUCK with in-depth analysis and player-generated material. Look for my latest recruiting update next Wednesday, WTD!!!

WE, THE GREEN AND YELLOW, WE – THE DUCK FAITHFUL!!!

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Oregon was ranked on the fringe of the top-25 to begin the season. Today, they finish the season ranked as the sixth best team in the nation. While there is no “I” in team, there is a much needed Eugene in this one.

Wong cemented his astonishing four-year career as a Duck on April 29^th at the Pac-12 Championship in Corvallis. His high level of play is something that has not only been dominant, but extremely consistent throughout his time at Oregon.

As a freshman on the UO golf team (2008-2009), he earned an all-Pac-10 honorable mention selection and was one three freshmen ranked among the top-three golfers on the team. Wong led Oregon at the season-opening OSU Giustina Memorial, where he matched fellow freshman Robbie Ziegler for the low score on the team (70-72-71-213) en route to a tie for fourth in the tournament. To cap a remarkable freshman year, Wong became just the 10th golfer in program history to card a 65 or lower.

Going into his sophomore season (2009-2010), Wong looked at the rumor and age-old myth of the “sophomore slump” and laughed, hard. You know what Wong did as a response to the fairytale-esque ‘sophomore slump?’ He went out and won the highest individual golfer award possible, the Jack Nicklaus Award, which is given to the top golfer in NCAA Division I. He was named a member of the 2010 All-Nicklaus Team and a first-team PING All-American. Wong continued his dominance, being named the 2010 Pac-10 co-Golfer of the Year and first team All-Pac-10. For the second season in a row, he led the team with a scoring average of 70.24, ranked third nationally.

Wong set the school mark for scoring average relating to par at 0.96-under per round, tying for ninth at the NCAA Championships at 4-under 212 (69-72-71), the best finish by a UO golfer at the event in school history.

To put the first half of Eugene Wong’s Oregon career into a more simplified perspective; before the age of 20 Wong shattered school records, won the Jack Nicklaus Award, and proved to be the best overall player in the conference.

For those that followed Eugene Wong’s mind-boggling accolades accrued in just his first two years alone at Oregon, after his sophomore season the question was, what now? How does one top near perfection, reaching levels of success in the sport not seen in the Pac-10 since the days of a certain Tiger playing at Stanford. Now with Wong being more experienced with a room full of trophies, expectations through the roof to lead and mentor the team, could Eugene Wong reach even greater heights?  Wong’s regular season collegiate career concluded as of April 29^th, and in looking back on his junior and senior seasons, the answer is unequivocally, YES.

In the early Fall 2010 season, Wong appeared in four tournaments, posting the best finish at the Husky Invitational with a two-under 214 (68-74-72) to tie for 10^th, pacing the Ducks for the spring season. The good times kept rolling, as by the end of the 2010-2011 season Wong finished in a tie for 42nd in the NCAA Regional Tournament at 5-over 221 (75-72-74). As a team leader, Wong helped the Ducks finish in a tie for first place at the Pac-10 Championships finishing 20th at 6-over 286 (73-73-70-70). In national tournaments, he contributed to the Ducks third place finish with a tie for 19th at the 65th Annual Western Intercollegiate, while shooting 6-over 216 (73-72-71).

Wong continued to shine with a tie for 19th at The Duck Invitational, shooting 1-over 217 (74-71-72), with the UO team finishing second as a team. Wong tied for 25th at the Bandon Dunes Championship at 9-over 225 (73-76-76), and tied for 19th at the USC Collegiate Invitational shooting 3-over 216 (72-70-74). Individually, he placed fourth among his teammates, tied for 91st overall at the Amer Ari Invitational after a 9-over 225 (76-73-76).

For any major athlete, there comes a point where after such consistent athletic dominance in their respective sport that people will wonder if they have any amazing tricks left up their sleeve before their final curtain call.  It’s what I wondered about Eugene Wong going into this season, his final as an Oregon Duck. Like the great athletes, with the season now over, Wong showed that while his days as a Duck are drawing to a close, it is far from the last we will ever hear of Eugene Wong.

From a numbers standpoint in his final season, Wong set a tournament record at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational by two strokes at 18-under 195 (65-63-67), shooting a career-low for a three-round event, earning medalist honors and helping UO finish in a first-place tie.

He helped the Ducks to their second consecutive victory at The Prestige at PGA West, placing second overall, shooting 12-under 204 (70-64-70). Wong also played a key role in helping the Ducks win the St. Mary’s Invitational, shooting 1-over 217 (71-73-73), tying for seventh.

Those are the numbers. They of course look just as impressive as his numbers in his first three seasons at Oregon, showing no signs of slowing down on a frantic pace in a sport that requires such intense mental strain to maintain success.

The Pac-12 Championship began April 27th, with the #11-ranked University of Oregon men’s golf team finishing three places better than its pre-event seeding. The Ducks led by Wong nearly won its first-ever Pac-12 Championship team title in Sunday’s final-round action, being just barely edged out by #6 Cal.

In his final Pac-12 Championship curtain call, Eugene Wong from an individual standpoint made sure he played his best to let those at the next level of golf know that he’s coming for them next, somebody who seems destined to make a splash on the PGA tour very soon picking up where another Duck has been proudly waving the Oregon flag for years, Peter Jacobsen.

That may be a bold statement, expecting a collegiate athlete to make an immediate impact on the PGA Tour for years to come…but why not? Wong has been the most impressive golfer in the conference since Tiger Woods.

Wong followed in a two-way tie for third place with an overall nine-under. He finished the first day of play shooting a 69. Typically on the second day of play, players might slip due to the pressure of shooting well the first day. Eugene Wong teed off at 8:30 a.m. on the second day of play and by the end of day two, Wong had topped his outstanding first day by shooting a 68 and followed it up with yet another 69 in the third round (73 in the final round).

What this shows is that Eugene Wong is getting better as he is getting older, which is something that will bode well for him at the professional level if he decides to go that route. With the great team performance at the Pac-12 Championship, the Ducks surged from 11^th in the nation to sixth, and now head to Ann Arbor, Michigan to play in the first round of the NCAA Regionals at the University of Michigan Golf Course on May 17-19. This is the sixth straight postseason bid under head coach Casey Martin for the Ducks. As a result of Oregon’s great performance at the Pac-12 Championship, the Ducks are the second-highest ranked team in the three-day, three-round regional tournament.

The top five teams from each of the nation’s six regionals then advance to the NCAA Championships, set for May 29-June 3 at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, CA. The Ducks have savored one regional title (2010), finished second (2009) and also placed 10th (2011) in the current 13-team regional format. In the previous 27-team regional format under Martin, UO took second in ’08 and 19th in ’07.

As far as program history goes, Oregon has made three of its 24-NCAA appearances under Martin’s tenure. The Ducks third-place tie in 2010 was its best-ever in program history, and one place better than its showing in 1959. His other youth-laden squads in ’09 and ’08 placed 22nd and 27th in the collegiate finale, respectively. Last fall, Oregon ranked first nationally after it opened the campaign with three-straight team wins in the St Mary’s Invitational, The Prestige and Alister MacKenzie tournaments.

Getting back to Eugene Wong; last Monday, he picked up his second Pac-12 Golfer of the Year honor.

Eugene Wong has the experience and leadership to take the Ducks into the regionals and potentially to the NCAA Championships. Statistically and literally, Oregon has never had a golfer of this magnitude and skill. As prep star in high school, Wong won the 2008 Junior World Championship at the legendary Torrey Pines in San Diego.

Eugene Wong is ranked as the highest scoring golfer in the Pac-12. Perhaps it is blasphemous to make such comparisons to athletes who have transcended their sports, but the conference has never seen a player like this since Tiger Woods, and if Wong continues his consistent improvement he could be the next to dominate the sport at the next level on the same trajectory as Woods. That is not to say that Wong is at the Woods plateau yet, but as far as individual skill and honors go, Eugene Wong has matched Tiger from a collegiate career perspective.

Eugene Wong has helped to make golf a serious sport in the Pac-12 again, and more than the trophies, honors and scorecards, that should be the leadoff accolade in the Eugene Wong legacy. At the pro level golf IS Tiger Woods, he brought an audience of millions to the game, the most recognizable name arguably in the history of golf. Eugene Wong continues his rise in the echelon of the greats, and whatever his next step may be after Eugene leaves Eugene, expect great things. After all, it’s what he’s always done, one of the best golfers in Oregon history.

It’s been a year of great team and individual achievements, trophies and other accolades.

But if you thought that the post-Rose Bowl hangover lasts nine months, if this is a time to hibernate until football starts anew, then this past weekend was a loud wake up call announcing that the University of Oregon athletic program is only just getting started.

It’s getting to be championship time, spring sports are wrapping up, settling the annual arguments of who is the best in the land. Conference championships abound as a precursor to the national competitions where the trophies that really matter are won, and in the thick of it in nearly every active sport the Oregon Ducks are poised to be among the best in the land.

It wasn’t always like this, in fact it’s never been like this. The University of Oregon may have a proud history, but never before have the Ducks been so dominant in every sport. There have been times when the Ducks have been very good at football, or basketball, or track; but not simultaneously. Not like this.

This past weekend only further validated that Oregon has truly arrived as one of the premier athletic programs in the entire country. Duck athletes showed their merit in grand fashion inside the great cathedrals of sport scattered around the UO campus. When the dust settled, championships were won, along with a formal invite to host a national tournament, with the prospect of more to come on the horizon.

Oregon softball will host a regional tournament this week

At Howe Field, Oregon softball completed a remarkable year by taking 2-out-of-3 in their final home-stand over UCLA. The 12th ranked Ducks finished the regular season third in the Pac-12 with an overall record of 39-15, doing so despite a brutal schedule rated as the 8th toughest overall RPI, playing teams ranked in the top-25 an astonishing 23 times over the course of the season. Sunday the NCAA Tournament draw was announced, with Oregon picked as the 11th seed of the 64-team tournament, selected as the host and top-seed of a four-team regional now set to take place May 17-19 at Howe Field.

Also on the diamond, over at PK Park the Oregon baseball team was making quite a bit of noise as well. It’s been an unbelievable year for Coach Horton’s crew, a season that has been marred by a rash of injuries yet ever defiant somehow the team has triumphed, going from unranked to start the year to now top-10 and in first place of the Pac-12 conference.

Baseball is in first place in the Pac-12

While the softball team was busy taming UCLA, across the river it was the other Los Angeles school being taught a lesson, as the Ducks defeated USC 4-3 and 4-2 over the weekend, the finale of the series taking place Monday afternoon again at PK Park. The wins enabled Oregon to retain top billing in the Pac-12, almost certain to now host a regional and possibly super-regional once tournament play begins. Nine regular season games remain on the schedule, with Oregon in the drivers seat coming off this weekend’s performance to soon be crowned Pac-12 champions, with visions of Omaha to follow.

But the real attention all weekend was on Hayward Field, the grand old house of run, the epicenter of TrackTown U.S.A. Built in 1921, it is as vibrant as ever, hosting the inaugural Pac-12 Championships this weekend, with track & field’s mecca set to also host the Olympic Trials in June.

Once again the Oregon track & field teams shined. The men’s team received a boost from a few athletes now available following the completion of spring football, in particular DeAnthony Thomas. The women’s team, ranked #1 all season, needed no extra help, as Oregon’s dominant performances one after another led to an easy victory. When it was all settled, Oregon’s women’s team had tallied 200.5 points, the next closest school was Stanford with 123.5.

Pure dominance. Better yet, call it a four-peat, four straight, or just plain winning. No matter what sport it may be, an almost 80-point victory is the kind of total absurd performance usually reserved only for Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals games. This was the epitome of being taken out to the woodshed, making them cry Uncle, stealing their lunch money kind of dominance.

It was all smiles at Hayward over the weekend as the men's and women's teams swept the Pac-12 Championships

It was proven on Hayward’s track over the weekend, the Ducks are tops in the conference, and now set their sights on being tops in the country.

The men’s team fared almost as well. Arizona State was the favorite coming into the weekend despite Oregon’s home advantage. The home cooking proved just what was needed, as several gutsy finishes Sunday pushed the Ducks onward to take the Pac-12 title with a final tally of 140 points, the favored Sun Devils finishing second with 116.5.

For the men’s squad, it was the sixth consecutive Pac-10/12 outdoor championship.

But not everything was 100% golden, as the one sport not in Eugene for the weekend came up just short, literally. The women’s golf team, ranked #21 and playing well at the NCAA Central Regional Tournament in Columbus, OH, missed the final cut by one single stroke. Their ninth place finish was 18-over par, 306 total, in a very competitive field, the top eight teams advancing to the NCAA Championships. Their season now officially over, attention switches to the #11 men’s golf team performing in their NCAA Regional May 17-19 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Cassy Isagawa and the UO women's golf team had a remarkable year, even if falling one stroke short of advancing this past weekend

But that’s kind of the point, even if the title isn’t emblazoned with UO, their performance is memorable, like every Oregon team this year. Nearly every single Oregon athletic program was nationally ranked in 2011-12, some climbing from way down the list to earn national respect and recognition for their achievements. Whether men’s golf, baseball, or softball win a championship of their own is almost irrelevant at this point, it would be merely a cherry on top, as the performances comprising the rest of Oregon athletics over the school year have already etched this time in the record books as the single-greatest year in the history of UO sports.

Oregon's 2012 started off with quite a bang, and the good times just keep rollin'

It started with a bang, Oregon women’s volleyball defeating the #1-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions to open the year, ending a home winning streak that was the third longest in NCAA history in any sport, and the good times have kept rolling. A Rose Bowl trophy now sits comfortably inside the Casanova Center, next to an Indoor Track & Field national championship, an Acrobatics & Tumbling national championship, and multiple conference titles.

Best of all; with baseball, softball, and track all still pursuing post-season dreams, Oregon athletics are not done yet. For the 2011-2012 year, in sports there has not been another school in the entire country that can claim to be Oregon’s equal of program-wide success. Enjoy it Duck fans, these indeed are extraordinary times.

 Upcoming Events

Baseball

Monday, May 14th – USC vs. Oregon at PK Park – 6pm
Friday, May 18th – Seattle vs. Oregon at PK Park – 6pm
Saturday, May 19th – Seattle vs. Oregon at PK Park – 2pm
Sunday, May 20th – Seattle vs. Oregon at PK Park – 12pm

Softball

Thursday, May 17th – Portland State vs. Oregon at Howe Field – 6pm
Friday, May 18th – 2nd round games of tournament begin – 11am

Men’s Golf

May 17-19 – NCAA Regionals – Ann Arbor, MI

Track & Field

May 24-26 – NCAA West Preliminary Rounds – Austin, TX

What to do, what to read, what to ponder…Oh, and what to write?

Best Duck hat. Ever.

That is, absent anyone going 118 mph down Interstate-5 with a spliff between their teeth. So I’ve come to realize it’s a time best reserved for fishing.

Which is what I did this week. I went fishing for a Duck hat.

Not any old Duck hat, either. If I could find it online, I wanted something more or less vintage, even an antique — say a classic Oregon hat from the 1950s or 1960s — and in good shape.

Turns out the trophy hat I was hoping to land escaped me, at least on eBay and such. But I did manage to snag a good primer on retail Duck.

Garage sale!

Cowgirl material

It’s no surprise Oregon fans possess all kinds of headwear — the official Nike caps, for instance, and knock-offs — but, man, the pool is larger than even I ever envisioned.

You could, if you wanted, have a hat for every occasion year-round.

Need something to ward the sun off at your very own garage sale? How about this crossword puzzle at the far right? (Charge at least a dollar for it.)

Wondering what to wear at the Pendleton Roundup, ladies? The straw one above will do quite nicely.

Chicago, yes. Pendleton, no.

But dudes — whoever you are and whatever you do — don’t don this while standing amongst a bunch of ranch hands in northeastern Oregon. It should work, though, for that business trip to Chicago.

Chirp, chirp.

Likewise, this snazzy hat to the left is perfect for the urban birder. If there was any doubt before that you loved waterfowl, then this pretty much seals it. Who else would wear a UO hat while stomping around Sauvie Island, searching for one of those harlequin ducks. Plus, the wide brim provides shade while you hunt the prey with binoculars.

Ducks win!

The UO even has you covered if you are off to old Scotland and the links. This plaid number you can pretty much wear your entire British Isles vacation. (If anyone asks you about the hat, tell them the Ducks would crush the Glasgow Rangers or Manchester United in football. That’ll get their attention.)

Oregon in purple. Ick!

And finally, we come to this one. I think it is best I provide the official description found on eBay: “Vintage rare Oregon Ducks cursive purple Mardi Gras snapback trucker hat/cap-70s/80s.”

Vintage? Purple? I can already hear the roar of laughter emanating from Seattle as I type away on my laptop.

And from truck stops up and down I-5.

Maybe I’m missing something here, but I doubt it. I vaguely recall a cursive “Ducks” on some hats back in the 1980s. But purple? Say it ain’t so.

Go Horses!

It’s priced, by the way, at $89.99.

So where does this little fashion show of mine leave Oregon football fans? I guess a little closer to mid-July and the first drum beats of the approaching season.

Go Ducks!

And certainly a little further removed from last weekend’s 138th running of the Kentucky Derby and all those god-awful hats that have become nearly as important as the horses.

Put it this way, what would you rather be seen in?

This contraption at the upper right?

Or that beautifully constructed, well-built, attractive, colorful, humorous, thought-provoking, green-and-yellow head piece at the left?

You decide.

The Swamp

Welcome to college football nation. Each week I will be letting you know the rundown of all the other teams outside of Eugene. As much as we want to talk Duck Sports 24/7, sports do exist outside of Eugen as well, here we’ll be covering all the news around the country to digest to keep Duck fans informed Oh, and we’ll discuss Oregon topics as well.

Before we go any further, let’s give a shout out to the Oregon Men’s baseball team. After being nothing more than a club team from 1982-2009, Duck baseball is now a Top-10 team and currently are in first place in the Pac-12 with a very realistic shot at winning the Pac-12 title. What better way to enjoy the weekend then knowing the Ducks spanked the Beavers 3-2 in their last game before this weekend’s USC series.

Now let us get into some football talk, since that is what we are all about down here in the South. Now a few thoughts for the week.

1. Spring ball left a lot of questions for most teams. It will be hard to imagine who may have the advantage towards becoming the starter at QB for Oregon this year based on the spring performances. Some say it is a no-brainer to go with the experienced player, but after watching Marcus Mariota move the ball so easily and break off those long runs, I don’t think Bryan Bennett should turn his back on the kid for one moment despite what he did while subbing in last season. For all we know, it could be a game time decision, and Chip Kelly has time to mix it up with three cupcake games before conference play. We Florida fans can relate to this situation well because Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett both looked great in the spring game with no clear-cut favorite there either, but hopefully they’ll have a running game that can score at least once inside the 10 yard line. Ugh!
2. Conference Alignment is out of control. The NCAA needs to step in and do something before we have UCONN playing San Diego State for a BCS bowl bid. Also, schools need to swallow their pride and keep the rivalries alive despite switching conferences. No more Texas vs. Texas A&M, Nebraska vs. Colorado, or Missouri vs. Kansas thanks to teams switching conferences. If you told me conference realignment meant no more Florida vs. Florida State, then I would put everything to a halt. As long as money is a factor then rivalries and conference loyalty will always take a backseat to maximizing revenue. Get rid of the greed and get back to the pure fun of college sports, unless you’re a fan of watching UCF travel to Boise State for a BIG JOKE…I mean BIG EAST Title. Now there’s talk of Boise State perhaps backing out of their move to the Big East, they’ll have to pay a lot to nix the contract if suddenly suffering buyer’s remorse, or maybe they finally realized just how may frequent flier miles they would be accruing once switching conferences.
3. Here is a thought: what team in the PAC-12 North could be a sleeper this year? I am going with the state of Washington as a whole. With both coaches in place, the Washington schools have a chance to pull off some upsets and shake things up. Never overlook a Mike Leach squad (even if he is now coaching WSU), while Washington is dangerous with Keith Price running the offense, if only they could figure out how to play any defense whatsoever. The additions of a couple Ducks to the Husky staff in Peter Sirmon and Justin Wilcox might just be able to do that, though if their bowl appearance is any indicator they have a LOT of work to do to stop the bleeding.
4. You have to feel bad for Arkansas football…maybe. They still might be a Top-10 team, but without their coach I do not know how long they can hold it together in a very tough SEC WEST division. John Smith is not the answer for Arkansas (unless he wins 11 games and possibly an SEC title). The news breaking Saturday of three players arrested for burglary makes for an awkward cherry on top of an already bad situation in the wake of the Bobby Petrino scandal.  Look for Arkansas to pounce on the next great coach out there. Do Duck fans think Chip Kelly would head to the SEC to give his offense a try? It happened a hundred years ago, when Arkansas snatched away the most innovative coach in the country in Oregon’s Hugo Bezdek, though Bezdek did eventually return to Oregon after a six-year stay in Fayetteville.
5.  Playoffs…we are talking about playoffs. The FCS division decided to expand their playoffs to 24 teams. I feel that is a smack to the face of all the BCS leaders involved with the process of making a 4-team playoff happen. How hard can it really be? There are a million solutions for how the playoff should be coordinated, if excluding the money factor. That’s a big IF though. Do what is best for the fans and players, get us at least an 8-team playoff. So what if the SEC sends three or four teams one year, It will be money well spent. I really feel fans will relate and pay big money to see Boise State take on Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Or how about Oklahoma vs. LSU for a trip to the national title game? The possibilities are endless. Let’s get a playoff going now so we can start working out the inevitable kinks. PLAYOFFS or bust, baby!

That’s all the thoughts for now. I look forward to interacting every week with not only Duck fans but fans from all conferences. Let me know your thoughts and comments below.

Last thing, why don’t you date a girl from the University of Washington? Because she looks like a dawg! (Insert corny joke music) ‘Til next week FishDuck readers.

A few interesting links from around the nation…

• It just keeps getting worse for Arkansas…
• More on the Arkansas’ trio who didn’t get the memo to keep incognito with the nation’s eyes on them in the wake of the Petrino firing.
• Nick Saban says “heck no” to the playoff idea.
• The ACC has a lot of ESPN money coming there way for many years to come.
• For Duck fans hoping to exact some revenge on Michael Dyer for that whole “wrist thing” in the BCS national championship when Arkansas State comes to Oregon to open the season, looks like he may not be making the trip, or any others for that matter any time soon…
• Texas Longhorns two stepping with the law.
• Suspensions galore at Oklahoma, leaving the Sooners with just one receiver who has ever caught a pass in a game.
• And speaking of legal issues, remember Terrelle Pryor? Ya know, that guy that almost came to Oregon, then completely destroyed the Ohio State program and led to the downfall of the sweatervest? In an interview with Sports Illustrated he said he sold items to help his family.
• Florida State has a new mascot that may be the worst idea since Roboduck. Granted, all mascot news these days has been a major disappointment after Ole Miss wasn’t able to secure Admiral Ackbaras their new mascot.

LSUfreek’s take on the whole Petrino situation:

Some worthwhile Oregon-related stories to check out from the past week…

• Matt Prehm at Duck Territory ponders if Kenjon Barner could become the #2 career leading rusher at Oregon?
• Ken Goe of the Oregonian joined the guys from AddictedtoQuack for the weekly ATQ podcast to discuss UO Track & Field.
  Adam Jude at The Register Guard covers De’Anthony Thomas’ return to the track just in time for the Pac-12 championship.
• Columnist George Schroeder of The Register Guard also had a nice piece on De’Anthony after his stellar performance at the Oregon relays last week.
• ESPN‘s Ted Miller did a feature on Oregon’s “Preying Mantis,” defensive end Dion Jordan.
• Former Oregon punter and longtime NFL player Josh Bidwell was on 750 The Game talking with John Canzano.
• Graham Watson of Dr. Saturday showed off the absurdity of Oregon’s new bling, er Rose Bowl rings.
• AddictedtoQuack highlighted the newest commit to Oregon’s men’s basketball team, Willie Moore.
• Jeffrey Martin of The Oregonian features undrafted Oregon departee Darron Thomas and his pursuits of an opportunity to play in the pros. It sounds like Thomas has been invited to join the Cleveland Browns, best of luck DT!
• Curtis Anderson of The Register Guard considers the possibility of Oregon completing a fourth straight sweep of the Pac-10/12 titles this weekend.
• Ken Goe of The Oregonian has a very nice article on Oregon women’s track rising star English Gardner as a lead-in to the Pac-12 Championships.
• Register Guard beatwriter Rob Moseley covers highlights from Chip Kelly’s Pac-12 conference call this week.
• John Hunt of The Oregonian recaps Oregon’s 3-2 victory over Oregon State this past week in baseball.
• Locas Clark of The Daily Emerald highlighted Oregon softball’s emerging star Kailee Cuico.
• Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian has a nice feature on Oregon baseball assistant coach Mark Wasikowski.
• Isaac Rosenthal of the Oregon Daily Emerald previews this weekend’s baseball series with USC.

The opinions expressed in these videos are strictly the opinions of Keeerrrttt1 and do not necessarily reflect the views of all involved with FishDuck.com.

The FishDuck Weekly Video Log
Episode #42 – May 11th, 2012

Topics include:
Spring sports ending (0:50), FishDuck.com update (5:05), Random Tweet of the Week (7:45), Music Recommendation of the Week: Justin King (7:59)