Coach: “Son, this is your 5th year in the program.” Student Athlete: “Spot on, Coach. Gimme five, my man.” Coach: “Give you five? What, as a once 5-star recruit, have you given me or this team? I can’t figure out whether you are lacking in intelligence or you’re simply apathetic.” Student Athlete: “Coach, I don’t know and I don’t care.” …
How the Pac-12 Went Off the Rails and the SEC Got on Track
Once I had a conference, I made it run, Made it run just fine. Once I had a conference and Keith Jackson called it a King. Brother, can you spare a dime? (To the tune of “Brother Can You Spare a Dime?”) In 1970, a USC team led by coach John McKay (an Oregon graduate) went into Tuscaloosa and played like …
Do the Ducks Have 2021 National Championship Potential?
“So be true to your school now, Just like you would to your girl or guy.” This off-season, there have been a lot of Duck fans taking the Beach Boys’ advice and being “true to their school,” many predicting a Natty in 2021 or the near future. Not so fast, my feathered friends. Can the Ducks Beat the Best? I …
Gambling With Larry
(To the tune of “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers) On a warm summer’s eve In a manse in San Francisco I met up with a gambler He was looking slick and chic. We both took a flute Of champagne from his table And as we were sippin’ He began to speak. He said, “Son, I’ve made a livin’ Out of …
The Big 22: Creating an “All-Hat” Conference?
Lay a map of Texas over Western Europe and you will find that The Lone Star State covers Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of Belgium, France, Italy, Croatia and the Czech Republic. And the great state of Texas is 28 times larger than the Green Mountain State, Vermont. That’s a lot of hat and a lot of cattle, …
Dollars, (Non)Sense and Preseason Rankings
In my previous articles, I’ve written a lot about dollars and cents. But enough about that. Now, I’m ready to talk college football (CFB). Let’s talk Ducks football. … But I hope you will forgive me a short interlude, an inquiry into whether the following makes sense … I’ve been to Boulder, Colorado. It is a beautiful small city adjacent …
Reviewing the Bidding on 2019 CFB Predictions
We were all sea-swallowed, though some cast again (And by that destiny) to perform an act Whereof what’s past is prologue; which to come, In yours and my discharge. — William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act 2, Scene 1 On January 10, 2018, I posted an article titled “Oregon and the Pac-12: Is it TIME TO ABANDON SHIP?“ Said title appeared …
Pac-12, What the Tuck?
The Pac-12 Conference is in a nose dive. And the announcement on February 11 that Colorado (CU) head football coach, Mel Tucker, was leaving CU for Michigan State likely evidences that the dive has reached terminal velocity. You know what I think? It doesn’t matter what I think, especially when compared to the thoughts of the people cited below and …
Recruiting in the Conference of Champions
“Playoffs! Playoffs?” — Mora, The Elder College football Playoff (CFP) appearances and titles go hand-in-hand with recruiting results. When Clemson Dabo-Dabo-Do’ed and won its first title in 2016, its recruiting classes from 2013 to the year of that first CFP Championship averaged 15th in the country. This average, when compared to the classes other CFP title winning teams, is a …
The Pac-12 Conference (Call): Can We Get a Ticket to the Dance?
Help me, information, get in touch With Bill Hancock, please. His phone is always busy Talkin’ with Dabo Swinney. I cannot read the number, Nick Saban took the call, And he left me and Larry A faded post-it on the wall. Help me, information, 2 for 6 is kind of sad. Even Larry knows this, And that boy, he can’t …
Hats Off to Larry
Hats off to Larry It may sound cruel The folks who hired him Were a PAC of tools He told you lies He made fans cry, cry, cry And you keep throwing money At this fool, fool, fool This fool? Hats off to Larry He took a tennis ball All the way from Florida To a San Fran Taj Mahal …
Will the Ducks’ Schedule Cost Them a Shot at the Playoff?
Enemies to the right of me, Enemies to the left of me, Into the Valley of Jerry Rode Mario and the Ducks. We have met the enemy! And they are us? How about giving Coach Mario Cristobal, his staff and the student-athletes they coach, a fair shake? Let’s review this BCS 2.0, the so-called College Football Playoff. Half a decade …