With that, we’re back to the links. I swear I’m going to get some other content going again soon. Travel and family schedule has been ridiculously hectic in the last two weeks.

• The race for tickets is on and it’s not getting better. Prices keeping going up and some are getting bit by scammers. Personally, I’d never conduct a transaction like this without using a 3rd party payment system such as PayPal. Cash is a bad idea, plain and simple. Make sure everything is documented as well.
• On the subject of tickets, a post in Forbes calls attention to the unfair nature of BCS ticket distributions. Corporations spend a lot of money to get access to tickets. Family members and many avid fans devote themselves in other, less measurable ways. Who’s more worthy? The emotionally vs. financially invested argument will never die.
• Here is one person’s top five moments in Mac Court. Depending on your era, your list will vary. For me, as someone who really only regularly went to games over a four year period from 1999-2003, it goes like this:
  • 1. Arizona State, 2000. Darius Wright hit a miraculous 30-footer as the Ducks scored six points in about four seconds to stun Arizona State. Loudest burst of crowd noise I’ve ever heard.
  • 2. Freddy Jones on senior night, 2002. Against Washington, he was in a zone, dropping threes and throwing down dunks worthy of his final game.
  • 3. UCLA, 2001. Given that Oregon lost by about 15 points, this won’t rate for many. But for me, it gave me the one moment that was mine. I threw up two air balls from the three-point line during a promotion at a timeout, then knocked down five straight to win the prize. With the crowd cheering, I made sure to shush the Bruin bench. Later, SI writer Grant Wahl came and gave me his contact info at halftime. It was cool.
  • 4. A USC game, but I can’t remember the year. 1999? 2002? Can’t place it and I don’t have time to look it up right now. The crowd was so electric at the end of the game that the shooter (Brandon Granville?) was awarded an extra free throw because of a shaking basket.
  • 5. The last game in 2003. It was against UCLA and was technically a farewell party for Steve Lavin. It was well-orchestrated. But the game really stuck with me because it was my own farewell as a student and I just remember appreciating that game more than the others. There will never be another four years like it. Those were special times as a fan.
• Man, I miss being around my family and arguing the crap out of the merits of everything Oregon. Been getting my fill lately. I will defend the Ducks’ handling of LeGarrette Blount forever and ever and ever. A silent award for Chip Kelly is most appropriate when you see how well Blount is doing in the NFL. The answer isn’t always to throw someone out the door.
• Auburn fans obviously expect the Tigers to win as this poll shows. I’d like to see a poll, though, that asks the expected margin of victory. I’m guessing, by and large, these SEC peeps expect to win by double digits.
• Chris Peterson is bored, so he’s hanging out in Eugene at Oregon’s practice. I don’t have the heart to make any jokes about it. In three months, I rode the Boise State hater coaster and ended up just feeling sorry for them.
• Saw this link and had a few questions. (1) Where or what is Vernal? (2) Who is Jennings Stewart? (3) How did this paper manage to get a photo focused on the aforementioned Jennings Stewart? (4) Wouldn’t it make more sense if his name was Stewart Jennings? (5) How big of a stretch is this for a local angle? Okay, time for answers: (1) Northeastern Utah. (2) I still don’t know. (3) His mom? (4) Yes. (5) BIG.
  • (Please, Jennings Stewart, take no offense when you Google your name some day and read this)
• Urban Meyer and Joe Paterno, when not verbally french kissing each other in this article, are both concerned for the future of college football amidst numerous scandals. The business of the sport has rapidly changed. Billions of dollars are at stake and players know that. It’s hard to masquerade the game as amateur sport when so many businesses and good ol’ boys are pocketing big bucks.
• The new basketball building could lead to new academic facilities. After all, Mac Court can’t just stand empty. See, athletics does lead to academic opportunities. So there, Professor Hates-a-lot! Case closed.
• There’s something to be said for a song in the vein of “I Love My Ducks.” It was organic and good. But “We Goin’ 2 Da Ship?” It might have caught on a little bit, but it’s basically a franchise branded for numerous teams every year.

Key ingredient? Oregon offense. No, it's true.

Someone’s always good for a quote whether it’s Chip, Nacho or someone else. In this case, coach Kelly let everyone know Oregon’s offense isn’t for you to understand. “It’s like the secret to Coke,” he said. We’re not telling anyone.” On to the links.

• First off, loved the Register-Guard coverage of the game. Top notch, gents. Click the link to get a list of their stories. The Oregonian’s coverage can be found here. I’m sure it was also good, but I went through so much stuff I forgot how to read by the time I got there. It was a big day of national coverage, so let’s do the rounds.
• Pete Thamel of The New York Times was on hand and says Oregon is a step ahead of everyone else.
• Sports Illustrated was on hand. Andy Staples made note that Oregon beat yet another faceless opponent. Stewart Mandel makes note that Oregon’s defense is underrated, but isn’t sure defense is what’s going to win a championship this year.
• ESPN had triple team coverage of the game. Ivan Maisel compares Oregon to a travelling Broadway play. He also gets Nick Aliotti to admit beating USC was a big deal. Control your coaches Chip! Bruce Feldman says the Ducks are like that imminent Mike Tyson knockout punch from the boxer’s heyday. Every Pac-10 fan’s favorite Ted Miller notes Oregon is more than a two-person team. There’s gotta’ be at least, like, three guys out there.
• More superlatives here from Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports. And from Michelle Smith of AOL Fanhouse.
• It’s not all sunshine from the national reporters. Matt Hayes of the Sporting News lazily claims we know nothing about this Oregon team and that this is still the same team that lost to Boise last year. Yack!
• Dr. Saturday notes Oregon puts in another day at the office. Ho hum.
• And rounding out the national perspective, Dennis Dodd at CBSSports.com tries to nitpick, but it’s a fruitless effort.
• From the same writer that brought you the infamous Jurrell Casey quote, this story states that whatever mystique the Coliseum had, it’s gone.
• One more story from LA media perspective, this one chock full of USC quotes including Matt Barkley stating, “They’re flawless.”

Enough of that USC game. We finish on a couple non game-related links:

• With eight games down, talk is going to increase about where Oregon’s offense fits historically. It’s already being discussed. The Ducks are just 1.1 points per game off an NCAA record that has stood since 1944. With 65 against Washington, the Ducks are right on pace.
• Recognize this? If you don’t, it’s LeGarrette Blount hurdling a defender Sunday on a run that sent him over 100 yards for the day in Tampa Bay’s win.

In case you want to hate Justin Wilcox, remember, he's one of us.

Oregon may be playing an SEC team Saturday, but they might as well be preparing for the WAC.

While you might think that’s a stinging statement about the current state of the Volunteers football program, it’s actually where the Ducks are going to find most of Tennessee’s game film.

That’s because new Tennessee coach Derek Dooley brings his system from WAC school Louisiana Tech while defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox hails from Boise State.

Yeah, that Wilcox, the former Oregon defensive back and, more recently, the bane of Chip Kelly’s existence.

While most acknowledge that Oregon has a decided advantage in this game, some are pointing to the Wilcox factor in making an argument for Tennessee.

After all, in two games against Oregon, Wilcox’s Broncos held Oregon to a total of 40 points.

Most famously, he was the architect of the defense that held eventual Pac-10 champion (and offensive juggernaut) Oregon to just 8 points to open the 2009 season. Word on the street is, Wilcox has Oregon’s number.

But it’s not that simple. The Ducks were breaking in four new starters on the offensive line last year. They looked disorganized and, well, new. LeGarrette Blount was the feature back while LaMichael James got all of two carries. And a guy named Kenjon was barely an option. Simply put, that wasn’t the 2009 Oregon offense that became so prolific.

It’s also not the offense that Oregon brings to Knoxville on Saturday. The offensive line is completely intact from a year ago while James and Barner will be the most prominent playmakers.

There is the matter of quarterback. Darron Thomas is facing his first road test and it’s a doozy. Then again, he’s the quarterback responsible for 19 of the 40 points a Wilcox team has surrendered to Oregon. And he did it on just five drives in one quarter.

The Wilcox factor is probably being overplayed. It’s a catchy angle to look at and given the magnitude of last year’s game, it has some staying power among the media. But as far as relevance to what Oregon is capable of doing in 2010, it’s not that big of a deal.

Consider what Kelly said in a Portland Tribune article:

“I know Justin’s running the defense. But, we’re not playing against Justin Wilcox, we’re playing against Tennessee. It’s a little different animal.”

Indeed it is. Different players, different circumstances, different game. And while Kelly also said Tennessee looked “schematically similar” to Boise in its first game, the success of Oregon’s offense usually has more to do with its own execution than anything an opposing defense does to stop it.

Worry more about Rocky Top and humidity. Kelly can handle the Wilcox problem.

Wow.

The game wasn’t always always clean, but it was one for the ages.

Ducks and Beavers traded blows for 60 minutes and as has been the case all season, Oregon wore its opponent down in the second half and asserted itself when the game entered the decisive stages.

Until then, it looked like the Beavers might take control and use a script laid out by the Ducks in 2008 to ruin the home team’s Rose Bowl dreams. But would you believe that when things were at their worst, Chip Kelly would turn to LeGarrette Blount for the first time since the season opener?

Putting Blount in the game while facing a nine point deficit seemed crazy. Turns out, it was brilliant as the big back came up with a huge touchdown to draw Oregon within two at 30-28.

From there, LaMichael James became dominant, turning in a 52 yard lead-taking touchdown run on the next offensive series. The defense began to shine after giving up scores on five consecutive drives between the second and third quarters.

When the game was on the line in the final six minutes, it was fitting to see Jeramiah Masoli, James and Blount all turning in huge plays to ultimately ensure the Beavers would never get another chance.

Oregon State played a great game. Sean Canfield looks like a bonafide pro. The Rodgers brothers are ridiculously talented. And they all deserve a much better bowl than what might be available after Saturday’s games. The Holiday had better think long and hard about the Beavers who would travel well and be an ideal representative for the Pac-10 in the league’s second best bowl.

But I’m sure opponent respect isn’t what the Beavers were after. Clearly, they wanted the spoils of the victor, but Thursday, those were reserved for Oregon.

As the final seconds ticked down and melted into a post game celebration where fans could not and would not leave, the scene at Autzen Stadium seemed surreal even through ESPN’s cameras a state away.

I sat and watched. And smiled. And kept smiling. And then I saw that first red rose, and Oh My God! The Ducks are in the Rose Bowl! That really just happened. How sweet it is.

What’s more fun? Reading about LeGarrette Blount or Getting Hit By Him?

I have a medical condition known as Blount Fatigue. I don’t want to hear about it anymore. Give him a carry. Or don’t. Just stop talking about it! Terrell Owens called and said he wants his attention back.

Like Ron Burgundy said on his ESPN audition, “That’s just dumb”

Am I reading this right? An Oregon State player would rather play in the Holiday Bowl than root for Oregon this weekend to set up the Beavers’ shot at a Rose Bowl? And people agree with him? I always root for whatever is best for the Oregon Ducks. Period. If that means I have to dress up with buck teeth, slap a flat tail on my ass and gnaw on some trees for a weekend, so be it (do with the visual what you will).

Masoli! Look out! It’s Arizona!

Did you hear? Arizona is where Duck quarterbacks go to die (or suffer season-ending injuries). The last two desert trips have resulted in Kellen Clemens and Dennis Dixon playing their last down of college football. No, really, it happened in both 2005 and 2007. Honestly, how many of these friendly reminder articles do I need to give you? It’s mostly The Oregonian’s fault. Apparently, they want whatever resilient part of me that soldiered on two years ago to finally die.

I Smell Roses

I was just reading about this viral video that didn’t “viral” it’s way to my laptop before the University of Oregon freaked out and shut it down. But Google is still my friend and while I get the UO’s point, you can’t stop the internet. It’s kind of big. In case you’re like me and just crawled out from under your rock, here it is courtesy of Yahoo Australia (sorry Angie, you should have let me be a marketing intern).

The story is well known, everyone has their own, immovable opinions and there’s really nothing new to talk about here.

The Oregonian’s John Canzano will literally explode trying to take everyone to task, Duck fans will fall for his bait, OregonLive.com will make some money, most everyone else will say this is the right thing to do, the blog you are reading hates this topic, Blount will play on Saturday and we can all move on.

Oy vey.

FOTB Prediction: Green helmet, white jersey with green numbers, green pants, white shoes. You can simulate this combination here.

This week’s prediction post takes on a different approach after having read Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News make his case for Stanford. While applauding his gumption for sticking his neck out in defense of the home town team, I found myself agreeing with, well, none of it.

As such, I have to offer my counter. Wilner’s 10 reasons the Cardinal will win are summarized to keep this thing from turning into a novella.

10. Wilner says: Stanford plays disciplined defense which will make up for a disadvantage in speed.
OTP says: The Cardinal are 7th against the run in the Pac-10. Before last Saturday, USC was giving up roughly 80 yards a game on the ground. Oregon totaled 392. Discipline or not, the Cardinal aren’t good enough on defense to stop Oregon.

9. Wilner says: Chris Owusu, who has taken three kicks back for touchdowns, is due to break a big return beacause he hasn’t in awhile.
OTP says: Stanford and Oregon are the top two teams in covering kickoffs. I doubt either will break down this week even against stellar returners. And as we’ll see later, Wilner has a penchant for figuring something will happen on the sole basis that it’s due. In that case, I’d like to bet everything I have on black.

8. Wilner says: Stanford ruined Oregon’s big season in 2001.
OTP says: Cute fact and completely irrelevant for a game being played in 2009.

7. Wilner says: The Cardinal believe they can win and almost did a year ago with a gimpy Toby Gerhart and no Andrew Luck.
OTP says: Oh my God! And the Ducks don’t have LeGarrette Blount like they did last year! Okay, give Wilner credit. He’s getting closer to having something to do with 2009. Still pretty irrelevant, though, considering the conditions of that game were terrible.

FOTB Pick

6. Wilner says: Masoli played a clunker in his last game in the Bay Area against California.
OTP says: Yikes! That’s three completely irrelevant points in a row. The Cal game was played in roughly three feet of standing water. Masoli has never played well in rainy conditions. Saturday’s forecast is all sunshine.

5. Wilner says: Only USC has gone undefeated in Pac-10 play this decade so Oregon is due to lose eventually.
OTP says: Perhaps the most irrelevant point of all. Oregon is playing Stanford, not some mystic voodoo that disallows a team from winning all its games.

4. Wilner says: The game is played on grass which will slow Oregon’s speed, but not effect Stanford’s physicality.
OTP says: Maybe. The Ducks have only played one game on grass this year and it was their worst offensive output of the season. It was also without Jeremiah Masoli and LaMichael James was still well over 100 yards. Pretty sure the playing surface won’t mean a thing when Oregon’s at full strength.

3. Wilner says: Stanford’s wine and cheese crowd will have a reverse atmosphere effect and lull the Ducks to sleep.
OTP says: Really? This is the third best reason Stanford wins? There will be plenty of atmosphere courtesy of the thousands of Duck fans expected to attend.

2. Wilner says: It’s good to play teams after they faced USC. Oregon is primed for a letdown. Stanford is rested coming off of a bye.
OTP says: Uh oh, Stanford is outscoring opponents 109-21 under Jim Harbaugh coming off of a bye week.  What? That was against Washington State, San Jose State and Notre Dame? Really, they even lost to 3-9 Notre Dame? Scary. Well, what about teams letting down after playing USC? A quick fact check reveals Oregon is 6-1 this decade following games against the Trojans.

1. Wilner says: Stanford controls the ball with it’s power running game against an undersized Oregon defense. They mix in some play-action passes and the net result is less possession time for Oregon. Stanford will score at will in the second half while the Ducks offense sputters from its lack of rhythm.
OTP says: Ok, if Stanford does win, this is probably how it happens. However, the blog would like to dip into an overused cliche and channel Lee Corso with it’s first “Not so fast my friend!” of the season. Oregon is two seconds from being in last place for time of possession. You can go on long drives all you want. It takes IBM’s Roadrunner supercomputer more time to run 2+2 than it does for the Ducks to score (too geeky? Yeah, thought so). As for wearing Oregon down in the second half, well Mr. Wilner, it hasn’t happened yet, so it’s bound to happen now. Right?

Hopefully, so too will the Oregon Ducks football team.

Eugene was some kind of utopia on Saturday and given how early many got started with ESPN’s College GameDay, there was very little of the day that went unused. For the blog, it started with an early morning flight and ended late at a place that would make ESPN’s Neil Everett proud (Rennie’s of course). For all, it was one hell of a day.

But this isn’t so much about the party as it is about how we move on.

All the excitement and hype of the day and the week preceding may have manifested itself into three and a half hours of perfection that vaulted Oregon into a Rose Bowl driver seat, but it’s all for not if the Ducks don’t forget everything they just did. They’ll need to put forth the same preparation and the same effort for a Stanford team that defends its home turf like a rabid animal.

In year’s past, this was a legitimate concern. Oregon played hangover games all the time and left you feeling frustrated by a group so capable and yet so easily distracted.

Now, not so much. Chip Kelly’s stringent policy that the most important game you’ll ever play is this week seems to really work. It’s fun to mock because it’s so silly to fans and media, but it has a genuine purpose that his team has bought hook, line and sinker.

There was no hangover from Boise State, just a win the following week. After beating Cal in an emotional, “we’re back” statement game, they went right back to business and dismantled a Washington State Cougar team in a way no one else has done all year.

I can almost guarantee Stanford has their full attention, LeGarrette Blount’s status notwithstanding. The Cardinal is a team that has only one loss at home in the last two seasons and is still somewhat in the race for the conference crown.

Lose to Stanford and Oregon opens the door back up for a litany of teams to challenge for the top spot. Win and it’s virtually shut to all but Arizona.

No doubt, a big game looms this weekend, one the Ducks can ill afford to lose. If eight games has been any indication, the Ducks know this more than anyone.

Note: This was the FOTB’s idea, so as such, she gets sponsorship of the post.

Matt Barkley as Ken Doll

Matt Barkley is coming as lifeguard Ken. FOTB's been calling him Ken doll from day one, so it fits.

Byron Hout as Michael Spinks

Byron Hout, LeGarrette Blount's target at Boise State is going as Michael Spinks, the heavyweight fighter that lasted just 91 seconds against Mike Tyson in 1988. What can we say, he's a "one punch and down" kinda' guy.

Oregon Cornerback Will Wallace as Braveheart

Will Wallace, the sophomore cornerback from Oregon will be there as Braveheart. Seems kind of obvious. No imagination.

Terrelle Pryor as Jeremiah Masoli (He Only Wishes)

Terrelle Pryor has told us he'd visit Eugene before, but this time he says he means it. Said Pryor of the impending trip: "Autzen Stadium on Halloween night? Hell yeah! I've always wanted to know what it's like to be the Oregon quarterback so I'm going as Jeremiah Masoli. You think I can stay?" No. No, you can't.

Kirk Herbstreit as Barry Manilow

Kirk made a good choice on this one because let's face it, this is exactly what he'll eventually look like.

Pete Carroll as a Failed NFL Head Coach

Ah, one of those throwback costumes. After the game, he can go as a failed college coach in the state of Oregon.

Reser’s Fine Foods as Nike

Crappy Photoshop effort aside, Al Reser is having his company go as Nike so he can feel what it's like to be in the big time. Of course, his burritos and potato salads are worth a lot more than this blog, so who am I to judge?

Tim Tebow as Himself

You knew Tim Tebow wouldn't miss a chance to show up as himself. Bastard thinks he doesn't have to wear a costume like everyone else.

As for me, I’m giving that nice couch groove some time off and am probably figuring out a way to enjoy beer before noon at the Rose Bowl as you read this. Here’s a select look at the week that was in links with a thanking nod to Duck Sports News for its daily collection of news.

• Ted Miller had a superb mailbag on Friday. He has a great response to the thought that LeGarrette Blount’s reinstatement had anything to do with the presence of a lawyer. There’s also a well-reasoned take on why an 11-1 Oregon would be higher ranked than 12-0 Boise. I know, pie in the sky stuff, but something I was thinking about addressing during the bye week.
• sportsBYbrooks wonders about Oregon’s “laundering” of Blount with big names like Tony Dungy and Dr. Harry Edwards. At this point, if you commit a very public crime, wouldn’t your first call be to Dungy?I’m kicking myself for not writing about this.
• Ken Woody, who’s always worth a read, tackles the Autzen Mystique. There’s science, human opinion, stats and a few shades of homerism. In other words, all the elements for a great post.
• Jeff Smith formally introduced us to Nate Costa and after reading, you have to feel at least a little more confident that Nate can handle the moment this weekend.
• Not a link because I wouldn’t even know who to credit, but the biggest news of the week was the ongoing saga of Oregon’s injury situation. Chip Kelly remained tight-lipped and even seemed a little, pardon the pun, chippy. I’m thinking he’ll need to relax a little bit over the long-haul in laid back Eugene.
• I actually linked to this yesterday, but it’s worth repeating. Paul Wulff said he was miffed at Chip Kelly’s defensive challenge to preserve the shutout last Saturday. He also says he’s collecting chips on his shoulder to pay back someday. Something tells me Chip isn’t shaking over Wulff’s “chips.”
• Finally, on the recruiting front, the Ducks picked up a marquee offensive lineman from Arizona named Nick Rowland. He’s listed as one of the top players in the country at his position by multiple scouting services.