Ducks’ Loss Brings Harsh Reality

Darren Perkins Editorials

If only Saturday’s loss had been to USC, Stanford, or Washington — against one of the Pac-12’s better programs — I’d feel much better about things. I could say that the Ducks are a legit top-25 team, that they scratched and clawed to the bitter end against one the conference’s premier teams, and almost pulled it off. I could say …

Charles’s ASU-Oregon FishWrap: “Growing Pains”

Charles Fischer, Mr. FishDuck Editorials

My wife burst into the infamous FishDuck.com ManCave late Saturday night and shouted, “What was that huge THUD out there?” I told her … “That was us Oregon fans coming back to Earth.” There is no sugar-coating that game. The Ducks lost to a 1-2 team known for poor defense and are known by all to be in the bottom half of …

Three Reasons Oregon-ASU Never Became a Rivalry

Nathan Roholt Editorials

Amid the chaos following their game, the two coaches ran toward each other for a common ritual of their profession: the post-game handshake. While this interaction is normally brief and emotionally distant, after this particular game one coach, Arizona State’s Todd Graham, chose this moment to voice his contempt for the coach he was facing, Washington State’s Mike Leach. Broadcast …

Upon Further Review: Did Nebraska Tell Us Anything New?

Matt Bryant Editorials

I’m still flummoxed that the Cornhuskers ever hired Mike Riley. He seems likeable enough but, even as the winningest coach in Oregon State’s storied football history, one struggles to call him a “successful coach” by any meaningful measure. When the Cornhuskers needed an institutional change from Bo Pelini, whose worst season was 9-4, Mike Riley did not jump to mind; at …

Jokers, Comedians and Petty Thieves

Mike Merrell Editorials

Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out As the 2015 college football season turns the corner toward the home stretch, the Oregon Ducks are finally starting to hit on at least six or seven cylinders, but as far as a playoff berth goes – it is too little too late. Still, it’s turning out to be a reasonably decent season for a year in which the …

Ducks’ Coaching Secures Big Win in the Desert

Mike Merrell Editorials

Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out Reminiscent of the Joey Harrington-led Miracle in the Desert of 2000, the Oregon Ducks once again broke hearts in Tempe, Arizona with a 61-55 triple overtime win over the Arizona State Sun Devils Thursday night. In what some fans would call a rebuilding year and others would call a year to fire all the coaches, the Ducks …

USC and ASU: The Mouths that Roared

Mike Merrell FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out By this time next week, half of the teams in the country will no longer be undefeated. As the season progresses and more teams fall, reality will set in for more and more fan bases — and coaches. Positive, confident outlooks are to be expected, but there are good reasons for coaches to know how far to …

Athlon Ranks Helfrich in Bottom Half of Pac-12 Coaches

Mike Merrell FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Mike Merrell’s Three-and-Out In a move certain to offend all college football fans who haven’t been advised to sell when their IQs reach 50, Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan labeled ASU’s Todd Graham (77-41) the best head football coach in the Pac-12. If that wasn’t gray matter-challenged enough, he relegated Oregon’s Mark Helfrich to the bottom half. It’s time for Lassan …

The Pac-12 Days of Christmas

Caleb Couturie FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

*Please note that this story is completely fictitious, and meant to be nothing more than a satirical look at the Conference of Champions. Any and all references, conversations, and situational humor is strictly fiction, and in no way depicts any actual situations that have occurred in real life. This was done as a collaboration by FishDuck.com writers Caleb Couturie and …

FishDuck Recruiting Special: Pac-12 Talent — No. 9 – 7

Chris Charbonnier FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The following is the No. 9 – 7 countdown of Pac-12 schools, part of Chris Charbonnier‘s ongoing special report for FishDuck.com.   The introduction of this series is located here: http://fishduck.com/2012/02/fishduck-recruiting-special-pac-12-talent-introduction/ The countdown of No. 12 – 10 is located here: http://fishduck.com/2012/02/fishduck-recruiting-special-pac-12-talent-12-10/   In case you missed the introduction, you can find it here. It will give you some good …