Oregon State Basketball

The Beavers men's basketball team has stumbled out of the gate. There are some encouraging things in the first few games, but the results haven't been great. I've watched one exhibition game, one home game, and the Fresno St. game on BSN last night. I think the football team has infected the basketball team here early. Turnovers are killing them. Many of the turnovers are due to the heavy defensive pressure but many are very preventable mental mistakes. Like picking up your dribble too soon, jumping without knowing where you are going to pass, and just bad passes.

There have been some nice surprises. The key is that the guys who are stepping up here early in the year cannot fade in the Pac-10 season. Cuic is starting off great again. Hurd is much better on the offensive end. Marcel Jones looks like he will be a nice offensive option. And Chris Stephens is back.

Unfortunately, a few guys haven't been able to really contribute like last year. I'm not sure if Nick DeWitz is hurt, but he's not nearly as explosive as last season. He is passing up 3's he would stroke last season. He needs to get on track. Jason Fontenet needs to start looking for his shot a bit more. He can stroke the 3, but hasn't really been shooting much in the first few games. He should shoot at least four 3's each game. And Jeffers is hurt. That hurts on the front line. Oh, and what happened to Angelo? Is he in the doghouse? Not only is he not playing much, he's not shooting much.

If we can keep the guys going who are playing good going strong and get the big scorers from last year going, then we should be ok. But if this is a bunch of streaky guys, then we could be in store for a step back. A few guys have to bring it every night and be consistent or else this team won't know where to look for points down the stretch.

I like this group of guys and hope they pull together and have another good season. We've got to keep the momentum rolling.

Ken Goe actually writes an intelligent article about the Beavers

Ken Goe of The Oregonian has been taking shots at the Beavers all season in his columns and attempts at humor before the game. But I guess he didn't want to kick the Beavers while they are down. Check out his post-game column:

Save judgment on Riley for a year

Thanks seniors. Good luck in the future.

The season is over. So I'll say goodbye and thanks to all over our seniors. Especially Mike Hass, Sir Henry Anderson, Alvin Smith, Josh Hawkins, Colt Charles, Sam Paulescu, Trent Bray, Jason Ellison, Dan Haines, Kevin Swanigan, and everyone who contributed this season. Thanks guys. You will be missed.

Pregame Civil War thoughts

The Beavers are two touchdown underdogs and most local media has predicted the score to be about 41-21 in the Ducks favor. I agree that it will be a tough task to win, but I think at the very least it will be a close game. Here's why:

1. The Beavers defense has improved from last in the conference earlier in the season to 4th in the Pac-10. They are first in the Pac-10 against the run. That's a lot of improvement.

2. Every game that Kellen Clemens has not been a part of has been a close game. Down to the wire. I think that's because their offense simply isn't as good or efficient without Clemens. Their offense had been over 500 total yards 3 straight games until Clemens went out. Only one game since has been over 400.

3. Oregon State has a good running game again. The Ducks have given up a ton of yards on the ground the last three games. The Beavs should be able to move the ball even if Gundy doesn't have the game of his life.


If the Beavs were going to pull the upset then I think they would need to do this:

1. Run the ball effectively.

The Beavs need to keep their defense off the field and that means eating some clock. If Yvenson Bernard can get rolling early that will take a ton of pressure off of Gunderson.

2. Have a positive turnover margin.

The Beavers must force turnovers and take care of the ball. I think a +2 or +3 turnover margin would give them a great shot at winning the game.

3. Make the Duck QBs beat you with long drives.

Don't let them get any long bombs. Stuff the run and take away the long stuff and see if Dixon and Leaf can put together a 15 play drive with a lot of accurate short range passes. Not only will that test their ability, but it will give you more chances to get an INT or a fumble or make something happen.

4. Get the ball first in the second half.

I swear that every time the Beavs get the ball first, they lose. I don't know why that is, but please don't take the ball first!



Its almost here! Let break the streak of home wins now!

GO BEAVS!

Mike Riley writes a touching article about his wife, Dee Riley

A nice article by Mike Riley. He should have saved this one for Valentine's Day...

The Portland Tribune: Dee Riley keeps coach grounded

She lives her principles. She doesn’t compromise — I mean that in a good way. There are things that are right or wrong, and that’s the way she lives her life. Every part of our family has been positively affected by that.

I have a feeling that Mike Riley is a lot like that too.

And a little recent history...

A little Civil War history

For those newer Beaver fans, here's a little history on the Civil War from the Alumni Association.

Beaver eClips - Carry Me Back

Civil War lore

In a nutshell: OSU enters this Saturday's Civil War game in Eugene needing a win to remain bowl-eligible. The Ducks sport a 9-1 record, a top-10 ranking and have a possible BCS bowl bid on the line. Not only is this the oldest football rivalry in the West...this year marks the 109th meeting between the two schools...it may also be the most colorful.

In the beginning: OSU won the inaugural match in 1894, 16-0.

Overall: OSU is 44-54-10 all-time. Since 1997, the annual slugfest has been a back-and-forth affair, with each university winning at home and losing on the road. But has it always been this way? No. For the most part, the series has been characterized by long stretches in which one school has "owned" the other. For example, beginning in 1898 and for the next 23 years, OSU managed but six wins against 11 losses. Of the 10 ties the two programs have racked up (the most of any OSU opponent, in or out of conference), six of them occurred during this period. Not until 1936 would the Beavers finally enjoy a long run of success, with but eight losses (against two ties) in a 38-year period that stretched to 1974. But nothing lasts forever. The coin flipped in 1975 with a 14-7 OSU loss in Eugene. After this, Oregon State would not record another win over its archrival until Dave Kragthorpe's squad accomplished the feat, 21-10, in 1988.
Doubling-up: The two schools faced each other twice in one season in 1896 and again in 1945. UO won both games the first time, OSU both the second.

Ties: The last 0-0 tie in NCAA history was recorded at the 1983 Civil War game in Eugene. Because both teams entered the contest with losing records and going nowhere, the game is sometimes referred to as the "Toilet Bowl." In 1994, the NCAA adopted overtime rules to render tie games a thing of the past. However, no "tie" for the Beavers was more disappointing than the Civil War game of 1957. OSU beat the Ducks 10-7 to finish atop the Pacific Coast Conference with a 6-2 record, 8-2 overall. Because the Ducks had also finished the conference with an identical 6-2 record (7-3 overall) and because the PCC had a "no repeat" clause for appearances in the Rose Bowl (OSU had gone the previous season), it was the Lemon Yellow and not Prothro's Orange and Black that made the trip to Pasadena to face Ohio State.

Say what? The football field at Autzen Stadium is named for popular UO coach Rich Brooks, who played football for OSU from 1960-62. After graduation, he served as an assistant under Beaver boss Dee Andros. Brooks is tops among Duck coaches for Civil War victories. Current "Voice of the Beavers" Mike Parker is a UO graduate. Autzen Stadium and Mac Court public address announcer Don Essig is a Beaver alumnus and former member of the OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Say WHAT? SU's alma mater, "Carry Me Back," was written by W. Homer Maris in 1919. Maris was a graduate of the UO, class of 1913. At the time he penned the song, he was a graduate student and faculty member at Oregon State

Riots and neutral sites: A riot at the 1910 game forced both schools to cancel the 1911 game. The rivalry resumed in 1912, but at a stadium located in Albany. Known at the time as the "State Championship Game," the series remained in Albany until 1915. Portland's Multnomah Stadium (now PGE Park) has hosted seven neutral site Civil War games. OSU is 4-4-1 when playing the Ducks outside Eugene or Corvallis.

Trick plays: During the 1933 season, Lon Stiner's team devised a special "pyramid play" to block field goal and extra point attempts. The clever maneuver featured 6-5 Clyde Devine being hoisted skyward by teammates to just the right height to tip the ball and change its direction. First tried against Washington State without fanfare, it was later used against the UO at Multnomah Stadium and captured on film by Portland news photographer Ralph Vincent. The image attracted worldwide attention and continues to be one of the most talked about and publicized photographs in OSU sports history. Stiner's "trick play" was subsequently outlawed by the NCAA.

Pranks: For many years, pranks were a mainstay of the series, with each school trying to outdo the other in nasty deeds. However, the prank of all pranks took place, not during Civil War week, but just before OSU's 1957 Homecoming game with Washington State. Posing as reporters from the Seattle Post Intelligencer, four UO athletes "kidnapped" members of OSU's Homecoming court and took them to Salem, where the parents of one of the "nappers" entertained the group with a sit-down dinner. The story made national news and a good time was had by all.

A MUST see for Beaver fans on this Civil War week

This is hilarious. A must see. Forward to all your Beaver and D**** friends.

Civil War slide show

You gotta Believe!!!

This is what I like to see! Beaver believers! We can win we just have to believe!

Mail Tribune: Beaver backers remain optimistic

Doom and gloom, however, weren’t on the Beaver Believers’ agenda Tuesday, when highlights of previous matchups against the Ducks were shown and head coach Mike Riley appeared in a video expressing his thoughts on the series.

"I think we’ll win," said Commons, who was accompanied by his wife of 60 years, Vivian. "I think we’ll surprise them."
...

"I’m not convinced this is as uneven a matchup as everyone thinks," said Thiesen.

How about this. Steve Preece and Dan Fouts discuss the Civil War:

Nothing’s civil about this war

“Dee always said it was for the right to live in the state of Oregon for a year,” recalls Preece, owner of a commercial real estate firm in Portland and TV analyst for OSU football. “He would say, ‘We’re playing for the state championship. It’s a game we cannot lose.’ ”

...

Preece knows the feeling. He bleeds Beaver orange. And he doesn’t want to hear from heretics who consider UO-Washington a bigger rivalry.

“Because of the 40-mile distance, Oregon-Oregon State will always be one of the most amazing rivalries in the country,” Preece says. “I don’t think there is another one like it anywhere. It really is an un-Civil War.”

Need a history lesson? Try this:

109th Civil War - Civil War recaps

2004: Oregon State 50, Oregon 21
The Men in Black dominated its rivals as they scored on 10 of 13 possessions en route to a series record 50 points. Quarterback Derek Anderson looked sharp as he threw for 351 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Mike Hass. The only bright spot for Oregon was Terrence Whitehead who carried the ball for 110 yards as the Ducks failed to make the postseason for just the first time in eight years. It was the first time in the Civil War's history that both teams had identical .500 records heading into the game.

2002: Oregon State 45, Oregon 24
On a crisp winter Saturday Steven Jackson ran for 153 yards and scored three touchdowns while quarterback Derek Anderson threw for 370 yards and four scores to pace a 45-24 win in Corvallis. Oregon rebounded from a 17-3 deficit to tie the score at 17-17 with 3:14 remaining in the first half. But the Beavers responded with 21 straight points to regain momentum heading into the final quarter. The Ducks had trouble with the ball turning it over four times.

OSU recruiting mention of Gabe Miller and his choices

For those looking for more recruiting information, here's a national article about Gabe Miller a TE/LB from Lake Oswego who is choosing between UO, OSU, Colorado, and Cal. Hopefully that Lake O to OSU connection keeps coming and we get Gabe.

Scout.com article on Recruiting

Oregon linebacker/tight end Gabe Miller said that two schools stand out in his mind – Oregon and Oregon State. The Ducks and Beavers lead big over California (no offer) and Colorado.

"Cal hasn't offered, but said they were really interested," said Miller, a 6-4, 230-pound four-star prospect from Lake Oswego High School. "They just want to review some more tape. They have a really good academic program and they've been near the top of the Pac-10 for several years."

Miller will be visiting Cal on Dec. 17 and said the Bears are recruiting him as a tight end. He has also scheduled a trip to Oregon State on Dec. 3. Miller has already visited Oregon (Sept. 24) and Colorado (Nov. 5).

"I thought my visit to Colorado was really cool," Miller said. "I liked all the pre-game stuff they did with Ralphy the Buffalo. I also liked hanging out with the players and feeling like I was a student there. It's a really fun and laid-back place. I like how well they've done this year. Nobody expected it and they are probably gonna win their division."

Miller says that Oregon and Oregon State are recruiting him the hardest. Miller's team is currently 10-0 and in the second round of the playoffs.

Two nice articles on two Beaver Seniors

Two nice articles on Alvin Smith and Keith Ellison. Two OSU Seniors who will be missed next year.

Alvin Smith:

Register-Guard: OSU: Smith making noise after disappointing start with Beavers

"A lot of people don't recognize what we do," said Smith, who also has 3 1/2 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries, one quarterback sack and a pass breakup.

"The idea is to grab the blocker so the linebacker can make the tackle. It's a lot of grunt work, but there's also a lot of intelligent play involved in it, too."

Keith Ellison:

Gazette-Times: Making a quick impact

“I’m glad I came here and I’m happy with the decision I made,” Ellison said. “It would have been nice to play here for four years, but I might not be in the same position I am now if I’d been here four years.

50-21...

50-21. We've got to get mileage out of that while we can. Even if we beat the Ducks this weekend I'm guessing it will be a little closer than 50-21. But maybe not, we could win 50-21 if they give up some turnovers and the 2 headed QB system breaks down.

Earlier this week I saw a quote that I find hard to believe. But if it's true, then maybe they are overlooking us. That could be good in our quest for a second consecutive 50-21 win.

Salem Statesman Journal: Injuries may force battle of backup quarterbacks

Anthony Trucks, a senior outside linebacker for the Ducks, is putting no special significance on playing the Beavers.

"The only reason it's special is that it's my last game at Autzen Stadium," Trucks said, "and I can't lose my last game at Autzen Stadium."

Whatever. I've heard otherwise. If you can't get a little extra fired up after a 50-21 drubbing last season, you are a loser. I love how arrogant the Ducks get around Civil War time. They like to think that the Civil War is no longer a rivalry and that they are a level above the Beavs. Whatever. I think if anything the Beavs were a level above the Ducks last year. I mean 50-21. Yikes.

"My team is playing with a very good confidence," Bellotti said. "I don't think an arrogance, but confidence."

Whatever. I saw arrogance on the field against WSU. I hope the Ducks get smacked in the mouth this Saturday.

Then there's this classic:

The Oregonian: Roles are reversed, not Civil War feelings

Asked how his younger players develop such a dislike for Oregon State so quickly, Oregon coach Mike Bellotti fired the first shot over the bow:

"You go to Corvallis. One time," he said.

Wake up and smell the wood mill. I've been to Eugene. It's not anything special. In fact, people like to think it's all hippies and organic food but it's more trailer trash and rednecks then it is anything else. The typical Duck fan looks a lot like the OSU fan stereotype. And the typical Beaver fan is looking less and less like that stereotype.

50-21!

GO BEAVS!

CIVIL WAR!!!! Jokes and other stuff.

It's Civil War and that means Duck jokes!

If you want to kill a few virtual ducks, a friend an I created a little online Duck hunt game many years ago while at OSU for a Java class. Kill some Ducks!!!

My DuckShoot Game

It no longer works quite like it used to, but it still sort of works.


JOKES!

Duck Jokes from BeaverFootball.com

The Duck Hate Page

This one's a classic:

A first grade teacher explains to her class that she is an Oregon Duck. She asks her students to raise their hands if they were Ducks too. No one really knowing what an Oregon Duck was but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands explode into the air like fleshy fireworks. There is, however, one exception. A girl named Kristen has not gone along with the crowd.

The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different. "Because I'm not a Duck." Then, asks the teacher, "What are you? "Why, I'm a proud Oregon State Beaver," boasts the little girl. The teacher is a little perturbed now, her face slightly red. She asks Kristen why she is a rebel. "Well, my mom and dad are Beavers, so I'm a Beaver too." The teacher is now angry. "That's no reason," she says loudly. "What if your mom was a moron, and your dad was a moron. Would you be a moron too?" A pause, and a smile. "No, then," says Kristen, "I'd be a Duck!"

Behind the Beavers Beat: Civil War Joke?

Oregon State football latest verbals: Alex Fa’agai and James Dockery

The Beavers received another set of verbal commitments last week from a big defensive lineman and a wide receiver.

DL/DE Alex Fa'agai will be a JC transfer from Foothill College who will have 3 years of eligibility left. Looks like he is a stud just based on the stats he compiled during his 7 games this season. 10 sacks and 50 tackles?! Nice. Riley is really upgrading the defensive line for next year. I'm starting to get excited about next season already.

WR/S James Dockery from Palm Desert High School is a fast kid who looks like he may have some great potential. He runs a 4.5 40 and is good sized at around 6'2". 60 catches for 1,088 yards in his Junior year and looks well on his way in his senior year. He also plays safety and had a ton of tackles and a few Interceptions from that position.


Alex Fa'agai

Scout.com Profile

Had 10 sacks and appx. 50 tackles in seven games from DE/DT spots before injury in Week Seven. Has 3 years to play 2. On pace to graduate winter quarter, be eligible to enroll at Div-IA school in January and participate in spring ball.

Gazette Times Notes

The Beavers continue to pile on the verbal commitments. They received their 15th last week from Alex FaÂ’agai of Los Altos, Calif, according to several recruiting Web sites.

HeÂ’s a 6-foot-3, 265-pound defensive lineman who runs a 4.8-second 40-yard dash. FaÂ’agai plays for Foothill College and will be a junior in the fall with three years of eligibility left.

High School Honors


James Dockery

Scout.com Profile

Old Scout.com Article on James

During his junior year, Dockery had 60 catches for 1,088 yards and 13 touchdowns and added 79 tackles and 7 interceptions on defense.

Academically, he said he was in solid shape with his GPA and he scored a 1500 on the SAT.

Palm Desert's Dockery decides on Oregon St.

"I'm Oregon State all the way," Dockery said. "They believe in me and can't wait to get me up to the program and get me on a ritual. They told me I can have my choice if I want to be a redshirt freshman or maybe play special teams. Who knows? If I work hard enough in the offseason, maybe I can take somebody's spot."

Game Article with many mentions of James: Palm Desert rallies past La Quinta for perfect ending

Our big guy came up with big plays - and that's Dockery," Blackburn said.

Dockery caught a 33-yard pass to set up the eventual game-winning touchdown and then thwarted a La Quinta rally with an interception in the final four minutes to lift Division VIII No. 1 Palm Desert to a 24-21 victory that capped the first perfect regular season (10-0, 5-0) in school history and clinched an outright DVL championship. The Aztecs last won the DVL title in 1996.

"My coach tells me playmakers make plays and that's what I try to do," Dockery said. "I know I have a target on my chest with all the extra accolades I get, so I have to go out there and show I'm worthy."

Game Article with photo

2005 Stats



Full OSU recruit list from CSTV.com

BlogPoll Week 12

Finally, 'Bama lost. I honestly didn't feel they deserved to be ranked #3, but being undefeated it's hard not to put them up there. Now I can drop them. #1 and #2 are fairly obvious and really should be the NC matchup barring anything wild happening. If either should lose, I'm not sure if there's an obvious team to take over the #2 spot. Miami would the ones I'd consider first at this point.


1 Southern Cal
2 Texas
3 Miami (Florida)
4 Louisiana State
5 Virginia Tech
6 Penn State
7 Ohio State
8 Notre Dame
9 UCLA
10 Alabama
11 Oregon
12 Auburn
13 Georgia
14 West Virginia
15 Michigan
16 Fresno State
17 TCU
18 Texas Tech
19 Louisville
20 Minnesota
21 Wisconsin
22 South Carolina
23 Florida
24 Iowa State
25 UTEP


Almost:

Florida State
Boston College
Cal


Out:

Colorado
Cal
Florida State


Here's the experts:
CBSSportsline.com: Polls

Oregon State Basketball is rolling

I didn't get to see any of the scrimmages or the first game. So my first look at the hoops squad was last night in their final exhibition game against Lewis & Clark. They made us look very good. It wasn't just the starters either, but everybody looked good. I was especially impressed with some of the new guys. Jack McGillis was hitting three and playing very confidently. Brett Casey was playing backup point guard and handled their full court pressure very well. Calvin Hampton was solid on D and on the boards. It looks like he could get some decent minutes backing up the big men for OSU.

There wasn't too much not to like, so I'll touch on a few of the things that were good to see. Lamar Hurd was more aggressive and looked to take his shot more often. Sasa Cuic had some fire and looked more aggressive on the boards than he was last year. Stephens was looking to score a lot and was driving to the basket a lot like he did a couple of years ago. We need him to be a scorer. Angelo looked aggressive, but in control. He passed up 3's a couple of times to drive it to the hole. Also, he only took one shot that was more than a foot away from the 3 point line. I think he stepped up his game.

It's still unclear exactly what this team will be like this year, but they ran a ton and all could shoot so it could be a very good year.

One more side note, they were using an international 3 point line and key so a lot of the 3's the guys made turned into 2's. So in a real game the score would have probably been about 5-10 points higher.

Corvallis Gazette-Times: Easy victory for the Beavers

OSUBeavers.com: OSU Pounds Lewis & Clark, 110-63

(Jay John on how the team’s depth past the first six looks) “I don’t know. Marcel’s proven himself, certainly. Angelo is going to be there, I mean he’s a player. So Marcel and Angelo have certainly stepped up, and then from there Brett did a nice job forcing turnovers. And then the young guys got some minutes, and they got to go hard. Calvin, Liam, Jack and Mike, it’s a new experience for them to get game-style minutes. Everybody’s going to keep improving as long as they have the mindset that they’ll go hard all the time.”

The Oregonian: Oregon State 110, Lewis & Clark 63 Stephens leads Beavers in final exhibition

Beaver football woes

Bummer. It’s been really rough for Beaver fans at home this season. A 3-3 record at home is not going to get you very far. Especially when it could have been worse. I think the thing that really has shaken my confidence in this team is that the thing they were really good at during most of the season fell apart the last few games. I have felt since the Cal game that if the game was close, we would find a way to win. But instead in the Arizona game and the Stanford games they didn't find a way to win. Here’s what defined the Beavers team this season: mistakes. Not just little mistakes, but big ones. It started out as big pass plays and fumbles. Then as the season has gone on it has transitioned to penalties and interceptions.

Biggest mistake that the coaching staff has to remedy: not running the football. How do you give what may be our best weapon in the second half of the season only 22 carries? Give him 13-15 more chances and see how much easier the game last weekend is. Especially with a new QB in Gunderson who is having trouble connecting with the receivers.

As down as I feel I don’t want to overreact. I don’t want to get too high when we win or too low when we lose. When people tend to count this team out, they do quite well. If there was ever a week that they are going to be completely counted out it's this one. Oregon has continued to win, but they are not completely settled at QB. Those young guys could easily have a really bad game in a rivalry game. Plus, some overconfidence could set in. They are beatable and the Beavers have a chance.

With this team it seems like just when you think that the Beavs are done they come back and surprise you. On the other hand, whenever it looks like they are ready to break through they let mistakes get in the way.

Unlike John Canzano I do think they should play in the Civil War because you still have to play the game. To say the season is over is just being reactionary. But that’s what John is. He is Chicken Little and the unsatisfied father in some after-school special all rolled into one. When you’re playing well, it’s never good enough (exhibit A: Ducks this year). If you ever lose then the season is over (exhibit B: the Beavs this year and early last year). Enough about that.

So let's see what happens this weekend and hope we can spoil the Ducks hopes and start their slide into next season.

Relink to my hoops preview

I'm away on business travel so I thought I'd do a little recycling. Plus, the basketball season is starting so I wanted to get a little hoops content up here. After a really early hoops preview from Collegehoops.net I gave my thoughts on the team and the preview. I think this still basically applies because I have yet to see any games this season. More links on hoops to come in the next few days.

BTW, the Beavs offically signed their 4 recruits for next season and the official article is here:

Men's Basketball Announces Four Signings

---

From the July 31:

Collegehoops.net Top 144 - Oregon State Preview

Here is Joel Welser's prediction:

"...Projected Conference Rank: Losing David Lucas is huge and the loss of J.S. Nash doesn’t help either. Yet it is a solid team that will be built around Nick DeWitz, Chris Stephens, Sasa Cuic, Lamar Hurd and Jason Fontenet. There won’t be many easy games against Pac-10 opponents this year and the Beavers haven’t proven that they can do much of anything on the road. A few conference victories away from the Gill Coliseum would put OSU higher than 9th in the conference, but it will be tough for Jay John’s squad to pull that off. The bench has options and Kyle Jeffers would most likely get relegated to starting on the pine if OSU needed to play three guards with Jason Fontenet stepping into the starting role.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none..."


Yea, this is probably fairly accurate. Assuming no one makes any major improvements from last year and the newcomers don't make much of a splash I would predict they will be a little worse than last year. Probably just under .500. However, I think that people will improve and we should be able to at least sustain last year's level. Plus, everyone is in the tournament this year which means everyone has a better shot to win a first round game.

Looking at the new schedule, it does look a bit tough but about the same as last year. (Full Schedule)

BTW, we're not the only ones dealing with a big loss. Arizona (Frye, Stoudamire), ASU (Diogu), and Washington (Conroy, Robinson) all have pretty big holes to fill. Cal should be better with the return of their big man and Stanford is sure happy Hernandez stayed.

I predict the Beavs will parlay the confidence gained last season into a couple more road wins. If they get bigger crowds due to last season's success they may be able to repeat last seasons home record. That would be good, but they may not be able to win virtually every Pac-10 home game. So that would make it a wash.

It's a tough team to read and a lot depends on the success of players such as Jeffers, Hurd, and Angelo. Guys who haven't quite broken out to become major offensive threats. We need go to guys. Cuic and Stephens are go to guys as long as they can find some consistency. DeWitz is the go to guy. We need some breakout seasons from the new/young guys to really keep last season going and make a push for an even better season this year.

The first few games should be really revealing.


Go Beavs!

Big game this weekend vs. Stanford

Doesn't get much bigger than this game, does it? I can't wait for this weekend. It's gonna be cold, damp, and perfect football weather. Unless you live in mild Palo Alto. Those kids won't be ready for the cold and wet and hopefully they can't cope.

Big game Beavs. We gotta have a win!

BlogPoll Week 11

I can't figure out how Alabama is still undefeated. Man are they living on the edge. The defense is strong and I guess that wins games. UCLA laid the biggest egg of the weekend with Florida St. and Boston College hot on their heels. Florida is hanging on somehow. Just doing what it takes to win. Can't complain about that.


1 Southern Cal
2 Texas
3 Alabama
4 Miami (Florida)
5 Louisiana State
6 Virginia Tech
7 Penn State
8 Georgia
9 UCLA
10 Notre Dame
11 Ohio State
12 Oregon
13 Texas Tech
14 Florida State
15 West Virginia
16 Auburn
17 Florida
18 Wisconsin
19 Michigan
20 Fresno State
21 TCU
22 Colorado
23 Louisville
24 Minnesota
25 Cal

Watching:

Boston College
UTEP
Northwestern
Iowa
Georgia Tech
South Carolina
Iowa State
Boise St.

How to mess up a free throw shooter

Basketball season is just around the corner. So I thought I'd post this snippet from an article on the NBA that I found over at the Duck blog on the Oregonian. I know, I know. I don't know how I got there but at least something productive came of it.

This should be handed out at games in the student section behing the basket. Read on:

ESPN.com: Lies, damned lies and NBA myths

6. The Crowd Can Affect Free-Throw Shooting
A few words for everyone sitting behind the basket: Sit down. Shut up. For the love of John Wooden, lay off the Thunderstix.

Fact is, you're not making much of difference.

"The balloons, the signs, all that stuff that goes on behind the basket never bothered me much," says former NBA guard Steve Kerr, an 86.4 percent career shooter from the foul line. "The only thing I was ever distracted by was the situation."

Kerr has company. Lots of it. Last season, the 25 teams with split stats listed on NBA.com shot an average of 75.7 percent from the foul line at home and 75.3 percent away, a whopping difference of 0.4 percent. Ten squads even shot better on the road.

Guess what? All those noisemakers aren't going to make a guy miss.

All of which suggests that those oh-so-clever BRICK signs aren't exactly getting the job done.

"Just sitting there yelling, waving your arms, that doesn't work," says Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas. "It has to be something you haven't seen before."

Such as?

"When I was at Arizona, the Oregon Duck had this big smile," Arenas recalls. "He stands in the back, kicking the goal over and over. We must have missed six free throws straight because we were laughing at him."

As it turns out, Thunderstix and wiggling balloons have little effect because the brain simply blocks out random motion, like white noise on a television screen. According to this Slate.com article, fans behind the baseline would be better off moving side-to-side in unison.

Why? Confronted with a field of background motion, observers tend to believe that they are moving while the background remains still -- think of sitting on a stopped subway train while an adjacent train passes. David Whitney, a visual scientist at the University of California-Davis, has demonstrated that a field of background motion can influence hand motions, such as the flick of the wrist on a free throw.

Kerr concurs.

"The most effective one I've seen might have been at Duke, or maybe Kansas," he says. "As soon as the guy was about to shoot, the fans would all move from the right side to the left. It would create this visual of everything moving."

Put those same fans in Duck costumes? Now we're getting somewhere.

If you could get sychronized, just moving back and forth as one sea of humanity could be really distracting. Might even make someone sick. That would be awesome.

Stories on the Beavers victory over Washington

Some articles on the games from the local papers:

Corvallis Gazette-Times: Piling on the dawgs

The defense allowed only two plays of 25 yards or more, and forced three turnovers. Both those areas have been a concern.

Linebackers Keith Ellison and Trent Bray were disruptive to everything Washington (1-8, 0-6) tried.

They combined for three quarterback sacks and forced a fumble each.
...

“The change at quarterback helped us,” defensive tackle Alvin Smith said. “We knew he wasn’t as mobile, and it took away their best threat.”

Now the Beavers face their next bottom line. They need one more win in the final two games to become bowl eligible.

I love to see the defense dominating someone. Even if they are the worst team in the Pac-10. This year has been rough for Beaver fans to watch the pride of our team, the defense, get beat so badly. Game ball goes to the D and Alexis Serna.

Corvallis Gazette-Times: Serna enjoys kicking at Husky Stadium

Serna tied former UCLA star John Lee’s Pacific-10 Conference record on Saturday. Lee was also 6-for-6 against San Diego State in 1984, when kickers could use a two-inch tee as an aid. The NCAA record is seven.
...

He is 22-for-24 this year and 39-for-44 lifetime on field goals. He’s made 56 consecutive extra points since his much-documented 2004 meltdown at LSU in his first start, when he missed three extra points in a 22-21 overtime defeat.
...

“Eight-for-10 on field goals are NFL numbers, 7-for-10 are college numbers,” Read said. “Alexis is kicking with the pros right now.”

How nice is it to have a solid kicker. Man, I'm so happy he's going to be here for another 2 years. We've been lucky with Ylinimi and Serna over the last few years.

Corvallis Gazette-Times: True Beavers fans brave the elements

“At least the rain’s falling straight down now,” cracked Sally. “In the beginning the rain was falling sideways, and that was a lot worse.”

The Portland Tribune: Serna’s six field goals sink Huskies

“The defense was outstanding,” Riley said. “They physically stayed after the Huskies. They never found anything they could do. It started with our good run defense. We made them throw and then we got after the quarterback.”

The Oregonian: Serna's hot right foot takes some of the chill out of Seattle

The conditions were miserable.

Biting cold.

Rain coming down sideways.

A strong wind that made the passing game an adventure for both teams.

And Oregon State coach Mike Riley loved every minute of it.

"It was fun," Riley said. "Everybody should get a chance to play in that once in a while."

The Oregonian: When Beavers turn to Bernard, the tailback delivers

"There were a couple of times when he went head-to-head with some guys, and that's why I kept asking him, 'Ev, you all right? You all right? Keep going?' " Moore said. "And he kept saying, 'Yeah, I'm all right,' "

So Moore kept handing the ball to Bernard. And Bernard kept pounding into the line of scrimmage. And when it was over, Bernard had rushed 35 times for 122 yards in helping carry the Beavers to an 18-10 victory over the Washington Huskies.

It was Bernard's fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game and pushed him over 1,000 yards for the season -- the first Oregon State tailback to reach that plateau since Steven Jackson in 2003 and the first sophomore to do so since Ken Simonton in 1999.

Actually, Jackson was a sophomore during his first 1000 yard season. He left as a junior, remember?

UW Recap: A win is a win

Yesterday's game against the Huskies is a huge argument for "take the points". It was a game in which the Beavers totally dominated but lacked creativity in the red zone so the score was much closer than it should have been. I can totally understand the coaches being a little gun shy in the red zone after Matt Moore absolutely killed them last week by not even giving them an opportunity to take the points. They definitely went conservative on offense in light of the rain, wind, and trying to get Matt's confidence back. But conservative was enough. Bernard pounded away and had another solid game. Matt Moore didn't make any big mistakes and kept the ball moving down the field.

The defense however went the other direction. They wanted to stop the big play so they took more chances and blitzed like they did against Cal. It's obvious what this defense needs to win. Pressure on the QB. Against WSU, Cal, and UW we had considerable pressure on the QB and won because of it. The secondary played much better as well. Nobody was running free 30 yards downfield. And even when the Huskies caught a ball it seemed like someone was there to tackle them or at least make the catch difficult.

Overall, good job in tough conditions. If that defense can show up against Stanford then we have a good shot at winning.

OK, now what happened in Tucson? I guess that 2 point loss to Arizona doesn't look so bad when formerly undefeated UCLA gets blown out by 38. Maybe this Tuitama kid is for real. In Eugene, the Ducks looked very beatable with their two-headed QB monster. If Ayoob was a better QB, Cal would have won that game.

Go Beavs! Beat the trees!

College football on TV

Another away game. For those not going to Seattle that means another potential day of college football channel surfing. Especially with the torrential downpour outside. Here's what to watch:


(Pacific Time)

Saturday, Nov. 5
Iowa at Northwestern, ESPN, 9:00 a.m.
This should be an interesting game. Northwestern has put up some serious points so it should be a fun game.

Tennessee at Notre Dame, NBC, 11:30 a.m.
If Tennessee was a little better this could be a classic game. But Tennessee is definitely strong enough to win with the defense they have.

Cal at Oregon, ABC, 12:30 p.m.
Very interesting game. How will Oregon do without their Senior QB?

Alabama at Mississippi State, CBS, 12:30 p.m.
For those who will not watch the Ducks unless it's the Civil War

Oregon State at Washington, FSN, 3:30 p.m.
If the pattern holds this season (WWLLWWLL), we will start a new 2 game winning streak in Seattle.

Miami at Virginia Tech, ESPN, 4:45 p.m.
This is the big game of the day. Two top-10 teams butting heads. Should be fun!

Stanford at USC, TBS, 7:00 p.m.
Upstart Cardinal against the Trojans. Could be a good first half until USC turns it on.

What fans attend games by percentage of stadium capacity.

There's an interesting analysis over at FanBlogs.com that analyzes basically what schools/conferences get the most fans in their stadiums. Obviously its easier to fill the stadiums in Pullman and Corvallis than it is in Baton Rogue, but it's still an interesting look at who does the most with what they have.

Which college football fans are going, or not going to games this season

Essentially - how much, in percentage points, are fans filling up their football stadium. The reasoning for this is simple. Does the school put butts in the seats if they have those seats available? By using this, we can tell what conferences as a whole are more popular by simple supply & demand.

School - 2005 % to date (2004 final %)

SEC - 95.2 (94.0)
Big 12 - 94.5 (92.1)
Big Ten - 91.4 (88.2)
ACC - 90.2 (93.6)
Pac-10 - 85.2 (78.7)
Big East - 85.0 (78.6)
MWC - 79.4 (77.6)
WAC - 67.3 (70.6)
MAC - 55.8 (59.3)
C-USA - 55.3 (53.4)
Sun Belt - 63.0 (49.4)

Pac-10
Oregon - 108.2 (107.5)
USC - 98.8 (92.6)
Oregon St - 97.7 (102.8)
Arizona - 95.3 (86.7)
Washington St - 92.0 (99.3)
Washington - 87.8 (89.3)
Cal - 85.7 (94.8)
Arizona St - 81.6 (85.1)
UCLA - 65.6 (66.1)
Stanford - 39.0 (42.0)

For a look at all the schools in the country and the entire article click the link above.

Vote for Mike Hass in fan Heisman poll

Jake over at the Beaver Believer Blog has found a site where fans can vote for the Heisman. Not officially of course. The good news is that Mike Hass is on the list. The bad news is that he's like 25th on the list. Time for Beaver fans to start voting!

Hass for Heisman

VoteForHeisman.com

Cost of a brand new half stadium: $80M. Getting spied on by OSU while at your tailgater: priceless.

Is anyone else a little concerned with the new story about OSU cracking down on drinking? It's not the drinking part and kicking out those who sneak in alcohol. It's the use of secret spy cameras that get me.

Cameras help catch drinkers at Reser

During Saturday's loss to Arizona, Oregon State Police trooper Jeff Smith watched Beavers fans in the stands and outside in the parking lots, using cameras and live video-feed technology installed during the stadium's recent expansion.

With four surveillance cameras trained on the stands and seven set up around the exterior, Smith watched a computer monitor in the newly set up security room, alert for any furtive movements, such as a fan pouring liquid from a flask into a soda cup.

...

With a zoom function capable of extending his view by about 600 yards, Smith spotted a young man chugging from the funnel of a ``beer bong'' across the street from the stadium.

OK. I can see cameras inside the stadium. But having cameras trained on the tailgating parties I think that may be going a little too far. Spying on people across the street? Ugh. At least now people know the range of the cameras and can make sure to get wasted out of the camera range.

What was it that Ben Franklin said? "To those who are willing to give up liberty for security, you will soon find yourself without either." Something like that.

Anyone else bothered a little by this?

The QB situation

Hind sight is 20-20. Anyone who says they would have pulled Matt Moore before he fumbled the ball on the 3rd to last possession is talking out of hindsight. He had just lead the Beavers to 2 touchdowns and got the Beavers within 2 points of Arizona. Not to mention the Beavers had driven within field goal range. Matt Moore was 14-15 before the interception. If someone can give me a good, realistic reason as to why Gunderson should have played at all in the second half before that fumble I'm all ears. I thought we should have ran the ball a little more down the stretch, but I thought Matt had settled down and was going to lead us to victory in the 2nd half once again.

Chris Matthews obviously thinks Matt Moore should have been pulled. But yet gives no reasons why other than he had 6 ints. 3 of which came in the final 6 minutes of the game. Do you put Gundy in after the fumble? Does that really give you your best chance to win?

Riley, Erickson, and Poor Decisions

I think people are being a little irrational. The only argument for pulling Matt Moore I can see is if you do it in the first half. Second half, there was no point in the game where it made sense. He was playing too well until the last couple of minutes.

As for the future, I think that Gundy should get a series or two a game where he can get a little real game experience. Let's see how he can do. But for the Washington game I agree with leaving Matt Moore as the starter. Lightning doesn't strike twice, right?

For more rational thinking read Brooks Hatch today:

For those who think coaching is easy...

BlogPoll Week 10

The polls get much easier to do around this time of year. Generally you've seen everyone play at least once and everyone has played someone decent. The top 3 are very strong again this year and I could see someone getting left out of the NC game again and not being happy. I think if we simply had a 4 team playoff then all would be well. There's never really been more than three teams at the top that could legitimately lay claim to being the best in the nation. That would end much of the playoff talk because it wouldn't be a watered down playoffs with 32 teams or anything like that. The bowls would stay and the real NC would have to win it on the field.

Of course barring anything bad, this is what will happen next year (Fox to sign deal for BCS games).


1 Southern Cal
2 Texas
3 Virginia Tech
4 Alabama
5 Louisiana State
6 UCLA
7 Miami (Florida)
8 Florida State
9 Penn State
10 Georgia
11 Notre Dame
12 Ohio State
13 Wisconsin
14 Oregon
15 Texas Tech
16 West Virginia
17 Auburn
18 Florida
19 Boston College
20 Michigan
21 Fresno State
22 Cal
23 TCU
24 Colorado
25 Louisville

OUT:

Minnesota
Northwestern


Others I'm paying attention to:

Minnesota
Northwestern
Louisville
Colorado
Iowa
Georgia Tech

Another Beaver Halloween pumpkin

I have to give props to Jake over at The Beaver Believer Blog. He took the Oregon State Beavers logo stencil and made his own Beavers pumpkin.

Check out the finished result over at his blog:

Beaver Pumpkin