By Fred Delkin

Our state's Pac10 grid teams have taken divergent paths to qualify for bowl 
games this season. Oregon started off by acting like a BCS contender, then 
tanked in the final half of the schedule. Oregon State began its schedule by 
floundering, then recovered mightily with an upset of USC and narrowly 
edged the Ducks in the Civil War. Now the Quackers will face BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl, while the Beavers face a yet to be invited foe in the Sun 
Bowl. OSU will play a 12th regular season match in Hawaii before bowling.

Pigskin rates the OSU-University of Hawaii match as dead even. The 
Rainbow Warriors boast a major Oregon coaching connection in head man
June Jones and his assistant (and former mentor at Portland State) Mouse 
Davis. The latter pair have built an awesome example of what Mouse's "Run 
& Shoot" can perform on offense, creating a Heisman candidate in quarterback 

Colt Brennan. The Hawaiians have averaged an astounding 48.6 points per 
game this season while losing only to Alabama and Boise State. Tune in on 
TV for this one Saturday eve.

There's also an interesting coaching connection between the Ducks and their
bowl game foe.  Oregon offensive coordinator Gary Crowton was formerly
the head man at BYU before bringing his spread offense to Eugene. We favor
the Ducks in this one.

The resignation of athletic director Bill Moos at UO should restore the Duck
funding connection with Nike founder Phil Knight. Moos foolishly angered 
former Duck track athlete Knight by ignoring the billionaire's advice on track
matters and lost Nike-bred dollars for the proposed UO basketball arena 
(which may now return). Moos also drew the ire of Duck faithful by declaring  interest in the University of Washington A.D. post 2 years ago.

This weekend will find us ignoring our deep-seated prejudice against all things
Trojan by rooting for USC to whip UCLA and qualify for a national title fray
with Ohio State. That match is the best that college football could conjure 
from this season's action.

We again apologize for recommending the ouster of OSU grid mentor Mike
Riley based on his performance until mid point of this season. The USC upset
seems to have stiffened the Riley backbone and caused him to show some 
sideline emotion in recent outings. He's also benefitted from new assistants,
particularly former Linfield head man Jay Locey. That SC win guarantees the
Beavers will have some major recruiting benefits in the off season.

Roses & Raspberries...a blooming bunch to Gonsaga's cage coach Mark 
Few (the Cottage Grove, Oregon native has forged yet another 
nationally-ranked squad as proven by his new lineup's upset of #2-ranked 
North Carolina)...No such kudos for University of Portland basketball efforts,
off to a terrible start despite a coaching change...petals should adorn the 
noble efforts of coach Nate MacMillan to forge entertainment from a very 
green NBA Portland Trailblazer squad...return boos to the Detroit Lions fans
who voice their disapproval of ex-Lion QB Joey Harrington as the former 
Duck gridder continues to shine after escaping the Motor City for residency
with the Miami Dolphins.

© 2006  Oregon Magazine