Happy National Championship Game Day!

A year ago, I was so stressed out about our Ducks being in the National Title game. The victory over Florida State in the Rose Bowl was awesome, but then there was that long wait for a match-up against Ohio State. There were suspensions and endless commentary and then the game itself got out of hand early.

It was no fun. I'm sure if we'd won I'd be nostalgic about the whole thing. But we lost. So, this bowl season I really didn't care all that much. Even after that oh-so-painful, triple-overtime, Alamo Bowl loss, I was like, "Meh. It's just the Alamo Bowl." It might have actually been harder if Vernon Adams hadn't gotten hurt, if we had continued to roll making me wonder, what if Adams had been healthy all season? Could we have made the playoffs with just a loss against Michigan State? But Adams got hurt, and Oregon's second string drop off is Grand-Canyon-Lethal.

So, tonight I'll sit back and watch Clemson and Alabama after getting the kids to bed. I'll root against the SEC and enjoy the spectacle. This season I've realized that sometimes it's a whole lot easier not to have a duck in the fight.

Oregon Football, Jameis Winston, and Institutional Handling of Sexual Assault Accusations

Jeff Gross/Getty Images 

While basking in the last few minutes of the Oregon victory over Florida State in the first college play-off game, I posted this article from The Nation: A Reality of Their Own: Jameis Winston, Rape and Seminole Fandom at Florida State. I was proud of Oregon's win, but I also felt so relieved because finally the good guys won.

Then, as the Ducks celebrated, they were criticized for chanting "No Means No" to the rhythm of the Seminole war chant. Coach Helfrich stated these players would face discipline and although I haven't heard what discipline would be given, it's ironic that these players, who were celebrating a victory by rubbing an opponent's face (not very sportsman-like) and weren't likely providing a display of support for Winston's victim, will face more formal discipline than Winston ever will.

I wish I could say these players, and the Oregon fans who also chanted "No Means No," were providing a thoughtful critique of FSU's mishandling of rape accusations and their use of a racist chant, but in this testosterone charged college football bowl game atmosphere, this was likely more fueled by alcohol and adrenaline than political commentary.

Still, at Oregon, students and student athletes are well-aware of what sexual assault accusations look like and how they can be handled. U of O students protested and forced the hand of administration to  act on sexual assault charges brought against three U of O basketball players. Just like the Winston case, the district attorney never brought charges, but that is when the athletic department and University stepped in. Not only were these three players were dismissed from the team, they were later suspended from Oregon for as long as the victim attended.

Our colleges and universities and their associated athletic programs have a great deal to learn about how to create safe campuses for women, but at least U of O is moving in the right direction. Once again, go Ducks!

Return of the Quack

Ah, college football, how I've missed you and Oregon, you have not disappointed.  Thanks for starting this year off with a win instead of a loss, a punch and a suspension.  Thanks for taking care of nonsense like that during the off season.  Thanks for finding a QB to run the spread, and for a tough defense that can make open-field tackles and pressure opposing QBs.  Thanks for beating New Mexico, Tennessee, PSU, ASU and Stanford.  And thanks to Supwitchugirl for the new track.  I ♥ my Ducks!  Now, NCAA, can we PLEASE get a playoff?  Who wouldn't love to see the winner of Ohio State/Boise State play the winner of Alabama/Oregon?