Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.
#1: Win The Day.
It’s brilliantly simple philosophy. No matter what you’re doing, win it. It’s guided the Oregon Ducks to unprecedented heights. And the opportunity to soar even higher starts tomorrow in Dallas. It’s a big day.
Go out and win it.
Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.
#2: “Kenny Wheaton’s gonna score! Kenny Wheaton is gonna score!”
Now and forever, the greatest play in the history of Oregon football.
Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.
#3: The Tao of Chip.
Chip Kelly: football coach or (sarcastic) zen master?
“Last time I checked, there is no ‘Hall of Average.’ “
“If your expectations aren’t to be the best, then… you know, nobody rises to low expectations.”
“You better show up. You don’t have to be the best team in the country. You just have to be the best team in the stadium on that day.”
“I’ll give any teller who gives me a lollipop four stars.” Comparing banks to recruiting websites.
“Pressure is what you feel when you don’t know what you’re doing. We know what we’re doing”
“Yeah we’re gonna have a party tonight. 9:30, meet us in the Cas. If the lights are off it’s just a surprise party.” On being ranked third by the AP.
“The sports reporters are very underpaid in this state. There should be a pension system for them & maybe some of them could retire early.”
“The best teams win on Saturdays. Not the best individuals.”
“It feels like the World Cup out here with the stadium and the injuries.” During halftime of the 2010 game at Arizona State.
“Play calling is driven by the players that you have. You can’t be a riverboat gambler if you are coaching the Little Giants.”
“Maybe your parents didn’t believe in you.” Said to John Canzano.
“I’ve worn the same practice visor since I got here in 2007 … I’m just trying to save the school money.”
“You don’t get a trophy after halftime. We don’t look at the scoreboard until the end of the game.”
“I pride myself on efficiency. I need about an hour & a half at the mall & I’m boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. And I’m out of there.” On why he does his Christmas shopping on December 24.
“Can you please show her [Erin Andrews] a little respect?” To people who were jostling EA during a postgame interview.
“We don’t have to talk about rankings with these guys. Whether we’re No. 1 in the country or 101 it won’t affect how we prepare.”
“Run from being good. Chase being great.”
“We don’t have bye weeks. We have improvement weeks.”
“I really hope we don’t throw our arms out of sockets patting ourselves on the back.”
Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.
#4: Jerry Allen’s call at the end of the 2010 Civil War.
Supposedly we’re all arrogant and self-entitled, but a lot of us Oregon fans felt like Jerry on December 4, 2010.
Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.
#5: Puddles vs. Shasta the Cougar
The only college football game my wife ever attended was this one, between the Ducks and the Houston Cougars at Autzen Stadium in 2007. Since that day, her take on the sport is “more mascot fighting, less football.”
My favorite part of this video is at the end when Puddles is walking away and he kicks the megaphone. One last “F you” to his enemy.
Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.
#6: Uncle Phil.
Thanks for the basketball court and the library and the law center and the Autzen expansion and the uniforms and…
“Uncle Phil got our back, puttin’ swooshes on our feet.”
Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.
#7: LaMichael James: Statement.
Are you one of those people who thinks Stanford was better than Oregon at the end of the 2010 season?
LaMike has three words for you: Fast. Don’t. Lie.
Seriously, did Stanford’s defense magically get quicker by the end of the season? I’m sure that 49-10 run the Ducks went on to end the game was just a fluke.
Hey, by this time next week, college football will be back! How cool is that?
Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.
#8: Jonathan Stewart.
If he couldn’t run around you, he would just run through you.
My favorite play on this video is the last one, the kickoff return in the Civil War. He was like some fire-breathing beast emerging from the fog to rain destruction down on the Beavers.
Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.
#9: Oregon 41, UCLA 40 — October 10, 1970
This one had it all. A big comeback, bad coaching, controversy, and an onside kick. It was like a precursor to the 2006 Oklahoma game.
Dan Fouts and Bobby Moore (you might know him best as Ahmad Rashad) led Oregon to a 21-17 halftime lead at the Rose Bowl. But the second half was all UCLA, as the Bruins streaked to a 40-21 lead with just 4:38 to play.
The comeback was ignited by backup quarterback Tom Blanchard, who tossed a TD to Moore to pull the Ducks within 12. For some reason, UCLA coach Tommy Prothro decided that the game was in hand and that his starting QB need some rest and on came Jim Nader who promptly fumbled the ball back to Oregon.
Moore scored his third TD of the day on a 40-yard toss from Blanchard with just over two minutes to play. Now it was 40-35 and time for an onside kick.
Oregon recovered.
On the ensuing drive, Blanchard suffered a separated shoulder but stayed in the game. One play after the injury—beast mode: activated—Blanchard hit Leland Glass at the UCLA 11-yard-line. One problem: Glass and a UCLA defender, Jerry Jaso, were both holding on to the ball. The officials ruled in Oregon’s favor, and the Ducks were in business.
The next two plays were a disaster. Oregon lost four yards, and Blanchard’s injury forced him out of the game. So back comes Dan Fouts, and on 3rd and 14 he found Greg Specht for the go-ahead score with just 30 seconds left in the game.
After a failed two-point conversion, the Ducks picked off a Hail Mary to secure one of the greatest comebacks in their history.
Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.
![Countdown to kickoff: 101 things I love about the Oregon Ducks
On September 3, the Oregon Ducks will begin their 2011 football season. To get through the dog days of summer, I’m listing 101 cool, random things I love about the Ducks, one per day until kickoff in Dallas. In no particular order.#3: The Tao of Chip.Chip Kelly: football coach or (sarcastic) zen master?
“Last time I checked, there is no ‘Hall of Average.’ “ “If your expectations aren’t to be the best, then… you know, nobody rises to low expectations.” “You better show up. You don’t have to be the best team in the country. You just have to be the best team in the stadium on that day.” “I’ll give any teller who gives me a lollipop four stars.” Comparing banks to recruiting websites. “Pressure is what you feel when you don’t know what you’re doing. We know what we’re doing” “Yeah we’re gonna have a party tonight. 9:30, meet us in the Cas. If the lights are off it’s just a surprise party.” On being ranked third by the AP. “The sports reporters are very underpaid in this state. There should be a pension system for them & maybe some of them could retire early.” “The best teams win on Saturdays. Not the best individuals.” “It feels like the World Cup out here with the stadium and the injuries.” During halftime of the 2010 game at Arizona State. “Play calling is driven by the players that you have. You can’t be a riverboat gambler if you are coaching the Little Giants.” “Maybe your parents didn’t believe in you.” Said to John Canzano. “I’ve worn the same practice visor since I got here in 2007 … I’m just trying to save the school money.” “You don’t get a trophy after halftime. We don’t look at the scoreboard until the end of the game.” “I pride myself on efficiency. I need about an hour & a half at the mall & I’m boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. And I’m out of there.” On why he does his Christmas shopping on December 24. “Can you please show her [Erin Andrews] a little respect?” To people who were jostling EA during a postgame interview. “We don’t have to talk about rankings with these guys. Whether we’re No. 1 in the country or 101 it won’t affect how we prepare.” “Run from being good. Chase being great.” “We don’t have bye weeks. We have improvement weeks.” “I really hope we don’t throw our arms out of sockets patting ourselves on the back.”](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqrfts5WDz1qkq8eho1_500.jpg)
