Winning caused the University of Oregon’s Autzen Stadium turnstiles to start spinning wildly following the 1994 season’s access to the Rose Bowl.  Since that modern gridiron milestone, eight bowl appearances have followed and this  past season opened in an expanded, upgraded Autzen arena.  Sadly, the ’02 season didn’t match Webfoot expectations and an awakened UO fan base was quick to say so.  Head coach Mike Bellotti and his veteran defensive aide Nick Aliotti found themselves suddenly unwanted by major schools.  That led these coaches to a desperate move to shore up a questionable returning defense by petitioning a California court to pardon felon Rodney Woods, whose prep and junior college credentials promised national starring status.  This was a bold move for a football program known as squeaky clean in recent years.

Quarterback questions still follow the graduation of Joey Harrington and went unanswered last season, compounding the obvious weaknesses in the defensive secondary which prompted the questionable Woods acquisition.  The 2003 Duck pigskin forays include six home games, topped by a 9/20 date with perennial powerhouse Michigan.  Spring practice will give an indication of quarterback promise.

Meanwhile, in Corvallis

Dollar signs had dominance in post season pigskin affairs at Oregon State.  Dennis Erickson couldn’t resist the Forty Niners’ offer to renew his coaching experience in the NFL and ex-OSU coach and Corvallis native Mike Riley now returns to guide the Orange and Black.  His 2003 Beaver grid edition has pleasant aspects that include a rather soft pre-league schedule and a somewhat friendly Pac10 lineup of foes.   Unlike their down-valley cousins, the Bevos cavort on a home field ranked as the smallest and least impressive in the conference, inhibiting the booking of big name opponents.  Overall, if Riley can unlock the potential in a veteran squad, a bowl game can beckon at season’s close. What of collegiate cage prospects?

Money has become a factor in determining Duck basketball prospects, which soared into the NCAA tourney elite eight last season and unprecedented national media notice.  Coach Ernie Kent couldn’t equal his legerdemain of 2002-3, and now fervently hopes that NBA financial inducements don’t cause key returning players, the two Lukes, Ridnour & Jackson, to leave early for the big bucks.  Webfoot athletic investors will soon be asked to approve plans for a new basketball arena, since ol’ MacArthur court finally fails to provide the financial support a prominent program demands, and keeping Kent is another financial challenge.  Up the path in Corvallis, new cage coach Jay John brought some winning relief to what had once been a nationally prominent program, but is at least two recruiting  years away from contending in the Pac10.

Baseball follies still abound

Politicians continue to bedevil Portland’s bid to acquire a major league baseball franchisefor 2004.  Politicians continue to bedevil Portland’s bid to acquire a major league baseball franchise for 2004.  Portland Mayor Vera Katz’s foolish footsie with the minor league thinkers (and financiers) who created PGE Park.  A bold move by the native Americans who operate Spirit Mountain Casino proposed complete funding for a new baseball stadium if Portland would accept an off-reservation casino placement, but Governor Kulongozki said “no” (even though nobody asked him) and that now colors any legislative decision to favor other funding mechanisms (meanwhile, Vera is faced with a plea by the Portland investors in PGE Park to lift or soften their considerable debt).  

Speaking of athletic investments…

Sports Business Journal reports the Portland Trail Blazers will post a $100 million deficit this season, largest one year loss in history for any U.S. sports franchise.  Team president Bob Whitsitt brainlessly claims this is justified by the team’s appeal to a large fan base.  That base is shrinking, Bob, and your management that has spanned both the Seattle Sonics and Seahawks as well as the Blazers has yet to produce a championship.  However, we certainly admire Paul Allen’s unbounded faith in your services and we applaud your recent axing of  Harry Hutt, Blazer executive who received press credits for the mess surrounding last year’s “Trade Whitsitt” fan expulsion incident.  That caper demoted Harry to mishandling Allen’s adventure in a local cable TV service.  Mr.Allen continues to wield his Microsoft-generated millions demonstrating proven ways to lose money while alienating the public.

© 2003 Oregon Magazine