The Loop

You know, the woman who runs the common area in my office building once asked about the hat. I tried to explain -- Ducks, Oregon, college ... I had to settle for explaining: "football team."

And a few weeks ago I was on the Metro with this woman who went to the UO, who was a big Joey Harrington fan. But that seemed to be our only mutual frame of reference. Luke Jackson? Akili Smith? Luke Ridnour? Onterrio Smith? No, no, no and you guessed it: no.

I'm not saying mid-thirties government employees need to follow their alma mater's sportd teams as closely as we do, but it wouldn't hurt.

I've had many the same experiences when I wear one of my Oregon hats. Most often they will occur when I'm just walking around and hear a "Go Ducks!" shouted in my general direction. At a recent Giants game it happend about three times. And while on the train from Paris to Barcelona I met a guy from Portland who talked my ear off about how great Joey Harrington is. He knew I'd listen because I was wearing the hat.
I try and do the same thing whenever I see someone sporting the Green and Yellow, and when I see someone wearing a Huskies hat I take it on myself to remind them that Washington sucks it hard.
But while living in California I've had to endure some morons who, among other things, thought I was wearing an Oklahoma hat, a "Zero" hat, and, most insidiously, thought it was an Oprah hat.

Wassup, Andrew?

I think the answer is pretty simple: most of us are college football fans before we're college basketball fans. Until I started OSF I didn't follow Ducks basketball all that much. Around mid-August, and certainly once school starts back in the P.R.E., I think this blog will pick up once again. I'll certainly be here. (And if anyone wants Loop-posting privileges but doesn't have them, email me.)

I follow what you're saying about the UO's underdog status being less than it once was, but really if you look at it in the grand scheme of things, we're still fairly obscure. But in a good way -- when in Eugene in May I bought a green-and-yellow pro-back "O" hat to wear around town (that being DC, of course) and on days when I couldn't be bothered to take a morning shower. You might be surprised at the number of comments I've got on it since then. One from a middle-aged white woman midway between the Watergate and the Lincoln Memorial (when I was walking down to the Mall to see Reagan's funeral procession come into town) and once from this big black guy at the U-Street McDonalds (when I was buying a #1 with a chocolate shake in place of a Coke). Plus others. Fear not -- we're still under-the-radar to a large degree. So is most of the Pac-10, of course. But we are still that great unknown team that we've been for awhile. If I haven't persuaded you, then I'm curious to hear more.

And compared to CU's troubles, you're right -- scandal-wise we could have had it a lot worse.

P.S. Come on fellow Loopsters, let's see some more postings!

When I think about Oregon football, I usually think about its greatness and how much fun it is to watch, but at times I also have a nagging feeling that perhaps the Athletic Department has became a tad too much like the other big names in collegiate football.
And while one side of me cheers Oregon's move into the forefront of NCAA football, the other side of me is somewhat dissapointed by the fact that Oregon's long time "outsider" or underdog status has been undercut by its success. But I'd have to honestly say I'd rather take bowl game wins and California recruits than 2-8 seasons.
The probation on Oregon than is not as damaging to my sense of pride than one would imagine. While it gives those lousy fuckers up in Corvallis something to taunt about, I'll just bide my time until the Ducks rout the Beavs at Burrito Stadium.