Out west, Oregon Basketball has become comparable to the legendary comedian Rodney Dangerfield. Oregon gets no respect.
Take a look here at this year’s pre-season media poll:
2020-21 PAC-12 MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
TEAM (first-place votes) POINTS
1. UCLA (9) 251
2. Arizona State (5) 246
3. Oregon (7) 241
4. Stanford (1) 209
5. Arizona 173
6. USC (1) 154
7. Colorado 149
8. Utah 131
9. Washington 85
10. California 65
11. Washington State 54
12. Oregon State 36
+++++++
This isn’t to say that being predicted 3rd is wrong, per se. But, shouldn’t the Ducks get the benefit of the doubt every now and again?
It’s not as if the Pac-12 produces a dominate no-brainer every year.
Over the past decade, Dana Altman has proven himself to be the best coach in the conference. And honestly, Oregon has been the best program during this time. Without the Ducks doing what they’ve done since 2010, the Pac-12 doesn’t even seem like a Power-5 Basketball Conference.
Arizona State and UCLA have recently become “nice programs.” But hello media, how about putting the odds in the favor of the Pac-12’s best program: Our Beloved Ducks.
What do you think? Did the media pollers get it right, or should our Ducks be given more respect?
Darren Perkins
Spokane, Washington
Top photo credit: Eugene Johnson
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Darren Perkins is a sales professional and 1997 Oregon graduate. After finishing school, he escaped the rain and moved to sunny Southern California where he studied screenwriting for two years at UCLA. Darren grew up in Eugene and in 1980, at the tender age of five, he attended his first Oregon football game. His lasting memory from that experience was an enthusiastic Don Essig announcing to the crowd: “Reggie Ogburn, completes a pass to… Reggie Ogburn.” Captivated by such a thrilling play, Darren’s been hooked on Oregon football ever since. Currently living in Spokane, Darren enjoys flaunting his yellow and green superiority complex over friends and family in Cougar country.
