It was looking like I was going to be unable to find a topic to write on. But lucky for me, the Beavers released their new jerseys today, which was shortly followed by the Beaver grads in the office talking sh** about the Civil War. Its only July, but its never too early to talk bad about some Beaver(s).
Here are the new jerseys! They are simple, classic and bring back the heritage of football. Everything that the U of O does not offer with their jerseys. The nation constantly awards the Ducks the ugliest uniform award. This doesn't seem to deter recruits. And I have heard that "all publicity is good publicity." LeGarrette Blount did mention the jerseys as a factor in his decision to come all the way to Eugene from Mississippi.
Any chance the Beavers are going simple and classic to separate themselves from the Ducks? Probably. Any chance this gets brought up in some articles as the Civil War nears? Good Chance. Any chance this rivalry ends? Better not.
These new jerseys are just one more point that the Beavs can make against the Ducks. Point out how the Ducks always need new jerseys, but aren't good. Or that the Ducks buy recruits who can't win, while the Beavs turn home grown boys into great players. Those points being said, I will agree that the Beavers have done well in the past decade, taking talent from in state or under the radar and creating teams that come out of nowhere to compete and surprise teams.
But why would the Beavs want to "bring back the history and heritage of the school" with their football jerseys? Do they really want to focus on the record 30 straight losing seasons? Its probably for encouragement.
The season is still a month away and football is always on the mind. I'll be back.
Berns
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Beer me....Part 1
Its that time of the year again when Waterfront is scattered with beer drinkers to taste many of the 72 available beers from 18 different states. Yesterday was opening day, July 24, and the events continue throughout the weekend. I haven't been able to attend the event quite yet, due to this inconvenience called work, but it is only 9:30 a.m. on a Friday. Tomorrow I will be there is full force, prepared to try and evaluate the many beer options.
There will be a part 2 to this blog post, after my weekend events. But for now, its just a little update on the festival and my thoughts.
Oregon's Brewers Festival is one of my favorite weeks of the year. It always comes in the summer, right around that time when the weekends are blending together and you are looking for a little change scenery. The Festival spans across the waterfront in, what I, among many others, consider the beer drinking capital of the world. And with more breweries within the city limits than any other city in the world, this seems like a fitting title. Portlanders and Oregonians do love their beer. The other great part of this weekend has been the excuse to try many different types of beers from different breweries. It is a nice change from the Natty light that became the beverage of choice during my days at the U of O. For $20 you can get the "collectors" cup (required to buy) and several tokens for beer samples. Its always a good idea to not plan on driving home or to give yourself ample time between the end of the drinking to the drive home. Its amazing what 10 samples of beer can do to you. (10 is a guess, but its probably more like 15). The point is, you hold the keys, never drive home drunk.
As far as my favorite things go, beer, Ducks Football, snowboarding, my girlfriend and my friends and family top the list (in no particular order). This will be a great time to enjoy a couple of those.
Tonight may require some relaxing in order to fully take advantage of what I have to look forward to, not to mention how the rest of the week went. I'll be back Monday with an update.
Berns
There will be a part 2 to this blog post, after my weekend events. But for now, its just a little update on the festival and my thoughts.
Oregon's Brewers Festival is one of my favorite weeks of the year. It always comes in the summer, right around that time when the weekends are blending together and you are looking for a little change scenery. The Festival spans across the waterfront in, what I, among many others, consider the beer drinking capital of the world. And with more breweries within the city limits than any other city in the world, this seems like a fitting title. Portlanders and Oregonians do love their beer. The other great part of this weekend has been the excuse to try many different types of beers from different breweries. It is a nice change from the Natty light that became the beverage of choice during my days at the U of O. For $20 you can get the "collectors" cup (required to buy) and several tokens for beer samples. Its always a good idea to not plan on driving home or to give yourself ample time between the end of the drinking to the drive home. Its amazing what 10 samples of beer can do to you. (10 is a guess, but its probably more like 15). The point is, you hold the keys, never drive home drunk.
As far as my favorite things go, beer, Ducks Football, snowboarding, my girlfriend and my friends and family top the list (in no particular order). This will be a great time to enjoy a couple of those.
Tonight may require some relaxing in order to fully take advantage of what I have to look forward to, not to mention how the rest of the week went. I'll be back Monday with an update.
Berns
Thursday, July 24, 2008
The "Reality" of TV
Where does it end? Reality TV has taken over. From Real World and American Idol to Survivor and I survived a Japanese Game Show, reality TV is everywhere. And it is getting worse and worse.
Reality TV, used to be just that, real people in real situations. The audience could connect with these people in the situations they face. The Real World is a great example of this. Cram a bunch of college age kids into a house and have them live together. Then you watch the drama unfold in normal situations, tempers flare, hearts are broken and tears are shed. These Real Worlders are the same demographic as the MTV audience and the connection was real. Turn forward a decade. Now we have Shot of Love 2 with Tila Tequila. She is a bisexual, who gained her fame from Myspace and having millions of friends. Male and female contestants do through a series of challenges and events to earn Tila's love. In the end Tila chooses the one she has fallen for. You may notice the "2" in the title, meaning this is the second season. How the hell do you relate to that? Is there a big bisexual demographic that MTV is pulling? No. To many this is entertainment. It's like watching a car wreck.
There are 3 ways to make a reality show successful.
Rather than fight the ever growing nonsense, I guess I will just lean back, open a beer and watch. It could be worse, I could be the one eating bugs on Fear Factor or the one losing my dignity (whats left of it) on MTV. There is a lesson in this. Friends don't let friends become a reality TV star. There are better ways to get your 15 minutes of fame. But I guess if all you have is half a brain, a great tan, a 6-pack or a great rack, then jump in. The reality TV world has been waiting for you.
- Berns
Reality TV, used to be just that, real people in real situations. The audience could connect with these people in the situations they face. The Real World is a great example of this. Cram a bunch of college age kids into a house and have them live together. Then you watch the drama unfold in normal situations, tempers flare, hearts are broken and tears are shed. These Real Worlders are the same demographic as the MTV audience and the connection was real. Turn forward a decade. Now we have Shot of Love 2 with Tila Tequila. She is a bisexual, who gained her fame from Myspace and having millions of friends. Male and female contestants do through a series of challenges and events to earn Tila's love. In the end Tila chooses the one she has fallen for. You may notice the "2" in the title, meaning this is the second season. How the hell do you relate to that? Is there a big bisexual demographic that MTV is pulling? No. To many this is entertainment. It's like watching a car wreck.
There are 3 ways to make a reality show successful.
- Find attractive people, with no commonsense, no shame and are seeking their 15 minutes of fame. (ie. Audrina Partridge or Trishelle Cannatella)
- Find a celebrity who is washed up, needs the spotlight back and is willing to make a fool of themselves from time to time. (ie. Denise Richards)
- Create a challenge where people have to risk something, eat something or fight gladiators. (ie. American Gladiators, Survivor or The Alaska Experiment)
Rather than fight the ever growing nonsense, I guess I will just lean back, open a beer and watch. It could be worse, I could be the one eating bugs on Fear Factor or the one losing my dignity (whats left of it) on MTV. There is a lesson in this. Friends don't let friends become a reality TV star. There are better ways to get your 15 minutes of fame. But I guess if all you have is half a brain, a great tan, a 6-pack or a great rack, then jump in. The reality TV world has been waiting for you.
- Berns
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Ducks Preview 2008
For all Ducks fans last season had the highest of highs and lowest of lows. From beating USC and being #2 in the nation to watching Dixon laying on the ground grabbing his knee and putting up a goose egg to UCLA. There was no question that Dixon was the most valuable player to his team in the nation. And when combined with J-Stew records were broken. It's now time to move forward....
As every year, the pre-season has high hopes. Visions of national championships, Pac-10 championships or just a 10 win season. Some years these thoughts seem more attainable than others. (I know this pisses Beaver fans off, saying how arrogant Duck fans are). But here we are again. A month and a half from kick off. Will this be a season to remember? Will the new QB shine? Will our secondary be as dominate as imagined? What will life after Dixon and J-Stew be like? Let it begin.
Offense
Replacing a new QB brings up questions. How will the "O" be when dictated by his play? Coaches mentioned that the offense last year would have barely skipped a beat with Costa coming in after Dixon's injury. However, Costa suffered a similar fate, forcing him to take a redshirt year. Now its his time. Costa has the arm, the mobility and the swagger to succeed. If he can get support from the solid running backs, Jeremiah Johnson, LeGarrette Blount and Andre Crenshaw and if Jaison Williams returns to his 2006 form, life should be much easier.
The running game should remain solid. JUCO transfer Blount is a big boy who shined in the spring game. With the three talents mentioned above lining up all over the field, there should be little drop off from last year.
The receiving game has more questions. The depth chart is talented, but inexperienced. J-Will has the measurables to be a first round draft choice. Now if his head and hands can get to that level. The nickname 50-50 became deserving as he seemed to drop balls at so many crucial moments. USC transfer Jamere Holland provides a spark and top talent speed. But he hasn't played in a football game since high school. Jeffery Mahel, Aaron Pflugrad and Drew Davis will all have their moments, but none have proven to be a go to at this point. The tight end position has All-American talent. Ed Dickson is athletic of a tight end as you find. The guy was a basketball player too in high school like Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. If you have seen this guy dunk, you know he is for real, not to mention he was second on the team in catches last year.
The O-Line should be strong again. Max Unger, another All-American talent will hold down the middle and All-Pac 10 Fenuki Tupou wil protect the left. The rest of the line returns with experience and talent. Other than potential starter CE Kaiser, everyone has a start under their belt. This will be key for a QB, with all off-season to gel and will help the running game find those holes.
Defense
Are we returning to the days of "Gang Green"? This defensive unit has a ton of talent and plenty of experience. The biggest question mark is at tackle. But with two seniors, Cole Linehan and Ra'Shon Harris, and two top JUCO prospects, Justin Thompson and Blake Ferras, the middle should be able to hold. The undersized, yet extermely talented Nick Reed returns with his 12.5 sacks, while Will Tukuafu comes from the other end spot. The line should be solid, if the middle can hold and Reed can keep the pressure on the QB and slow the running game. The biggest advantage for this D-line is the secondary.
The secondary is STACKED! Walter Thurmond, Jarius Byrd and Patrick Chung return for their third straight year together. Chung and Thurmond were 1 and 2 in tackles last year. Chung flirted with the NFL, but returns to make arguably the best secondary in the nation. With 20 picks combined last year, there is no reason this number shouldn't be similar. (unless teams run, run, run).
The linebacking corps is fast and athletic. Kevin Garrett, John Bacon and Jerome Boyd all got experience last year. At times the unit made mistakes and seemed to be the weak link of the team, but this year will be a different story. They may be the weak link, but with this defense that may be expected. John Bacon has Casey Matthews, the young sophomore, pushing for the starting job. If this unit can fill the holes in the running game, put pressure on the QB on the blitz and use their speed in the passing game, this D will be great.
Schedule
The out of conference games will be good challenges, other than Utah State. Purdue possess a solid passing attack with Curtis Painter at the reigns, while Ian Johnson of Boise State is a talent. These are good tests against both the passing and running attacks.
The key is to open up with a win against the hated Huskies. The game is in Autzen, but Locker is experienced and talented. He can run and apparently has improved his throwing accuracy. The Ducks can easily go into the USC game 5-0.
The toughest tests of the season are all on the road this year. Cal, ASU, USC and OSU. 2-2 is a very reasonable outcome. I want to say a 10-2 season is very reachable. I have a feeling that this team is going to be better than people think.
Overview
Chip Kelly has proven he can make the offense move. The defense is one of the stronger all-around units we've had in sometime. The schedule is not as favorable, but its what it is. There is a lot of experience on both sides of the ball. The key will be making sure Costa (or whatever QB) is put in a position to succeed without too much demand put on his shoulders right away. If the defensive tackles can be solid, the entire defense will be that much better.
There are always "what ifs...". Last season is now full of them. There is nothing that can be done, so now it is time to move forward and make this new season one to remember.
Count on updates and game recaps. But until kick off, I'll have to blog about something other than Ducks football. I guess there is always Blazers basketball.
- Berns
As every year, the pre-season has high hopes. Visions of national championships, Pac-10 championships or just a 10 win season. Some years these thoughts seem more attainable than others. (I know this pisses Beaver fans off, saying how arrogant Duck fans are). But here we are again. A month and a half from kick off. Will this be a season to remember? Will the new QB shine? Will our secondary be as dominate as imagined? What will life after Dixon and J-Stew be like? Let it begin.
Offense
Replacing a new QB brings up questions. How will the "O" be when dictated by his play? Coaches mentioned that the offense last year would have barely skipped a beat with Costa coming in after Dixon's injury. However, Costa suffered a similar fate, forcing him to take a redshirt year. Now its his time. Costa has the arm, the mobility and the swagger to succeed. If he can get support from the solid running backs, Jeremiah Johnson, LeGarrette Blount and Andre Crenshaw and if Jaison Williams returns to his 2006 form, life should be much easier.
The running game should remain solid. JUCO transfer Blount is a big boy who shined in the spring game. With the three talents mentioned above lining up all over the field, there should be little drop off from last year.
The receiving game has more questions. The depth chart is talented, but inexperienced. J-Will has the measurables to be a first round draft choice. Now if his head and hands can get to that level. The nickname 50-50 became deserving as he seemed to drop balls at so many crucial moments. USC transfer Jamere Holland provides a spark and top talent speed. But he hasn't played in a football game since high school. Jeffery Mahel, Aaron Pflugrad and Drew Davis will all have their moments, but none have proven to be a go to at this point. The tight end position has All-American talent. Ed Dickson is athletic of a tight end as you find. The guy was a basketball player too in high school like Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates. If you have seen this guy dunk, you know he is for real, not to mention he was second on the team in catches last year.
The O-Line should be strong again. Max Unger, another All-American talent will hold down the middle and All-Pac 10 Fenuki Tupou wil protect the left. The rest of the line returns with experience and talent. Other than potential starter CE Kaiser, everyone has a start under their belt. This will be key for a QB, with all off-season to gel and will help the running game find those holes.
Defense
Are we returning to the days of "Gang Green"? This defensive unit has a ton of talent and plenty of experience. The biggest question mark is at tackle. But with two seniors, Cole Linehan and Ra'Shon Harris, and two top JUCO prospects, Justin Thompson and Blake Ferras, the middle should be able to hold. The undersized, yet extermely talented Nick Reed returns with his 12.5 sacks, while Will Tukuafu comes from the other end spot. The line should be solid, if the middle can hold and Reed can keep the pressure on the QB and slow the running game. The biggest advantage for this D-line is the secondary.
The secondary is STACKED! Walter Thurmond, Jarius Byrd and Patrick Chung return for their third straight year together. Chung and Thurmond were 1 and 2 in tackles last year. Chung flirted with the NFL, but returns to make arguably the best secondary in the nation. With 20 picks combined last year, there is no reason this number shouldn't be similar. (unless teams run, run, run).
The linebacking corps is fast and athletic. Kevin Garrett, John Bacon and Jerome Boyd all got experience last year. At times the unit made mistakes and seemed to be the weak link of the team, but this year will be a different story. They may be the weak link, but with this defense that may be expected. John Bacon has Casey Matthews, the young sophomore, pushing for the starting job. If this unit can fill the holes in the running game, put pressure on the QB on the blitz and use their speed in the passing game, this D will be great.
Schedule
The out of conference games will be good challenges, other than Utah State. Purdue possess a solid passing attack with Curtis Painter at the reigns, while Ian Johnson of Boise State is a talent. These are good tests against both the passing and running attacks.
The key is to open up with a win against the hated Huskies. The game is in Autzen, but Locker is experienced and talented. He can run and apparently has improved his throwing accuracy. The Ducks can easily go into the USC game 5-0.
The toughest tests of the season are all on the road this year. Cal, ASU, USC and OSU. 2-2 is a very reasonable outcome. I want to say a 10-2 season is very reachable. I have a feeling that this team is going to be better than people think.
Overview
Chip Kelly has proven he can make the offense move. The defense is one of the stronger all-around units we've had in sometime. The schedule is not as favorable, but its what it is. There is a lot of experience on both sides of the ball. The key will be making sure Costa (or whatever QB) is put in a position to succeed without too much demand put on his shoulders right away. If the defensive tackles can be solid, the entire defense will be that much better.
There are always "what ifs...". Last season is now full of them. There is nothing that can be done, so now it is time to move forward and make this new season one to remember.
Count on updates and game recaps. But until kick off, I'll have to blog about something other than Ducks football. I guess there is always Blazers basketball.
- Berns
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
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