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THE ELEVEN TIGERS OF 6A FOOTBALL

The 6A Football Semi-Final. “Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again.” That was Grantland Rice in 1924 writing about college football. “In dramatic lore they are known as Famine, Pestilence, Destruction and Death. These are only aliases. Their real names are Stuhldreher, Miller, Crowley and Layden. They formed the crest of […]

PARTICIPATION TROPHY FOR WINNERS, LOSERS

Participation trophy for cheating sports dads. About that participation trophy deal: A rant from an adult started, “Dear Everyone Older Than Me…” It was hilarious. Turns out he didn’t want the trophy then, and doesn’t want to hear about it now. That makes sense. Who doesn’t enjoy knocking little kids hopes and dreams into the […]

OREGON DUCKS FLOCKER ROOM REVEALED

Not quitters, not winners, who are the Oregon Ducks now? Local sports radio reported a split in the Oregon Ducks locker room. If it’s a split, that means there’s two locker rooms. The winning side is the flocker room where the team builds a winning culture; the other side is a college locker room, any […]

FATHER’S DAY LONG REMEMBERED

My wife’s dad passed away when she was nineteen. That’s him with his eyes wide open. Looks like a fun guy. From all reports he was a fun guy. Outgoing, loud, opinionated. He’d have fit right in with my group. He moved to America from England with a stop in Canada along with his wife […]

AMERICAN CTE: FOOTBALL AND DRIVING

The last thing good baby boomer helicopter parents wanted was their precious getting his brain rattled loose. But they have friends, friends with dads who coach youth football. “I hear your boy’s a good kicker. He want to play some ball?” And he’s on the team, from sixth grade kicker to pulling guard on a […]

PASS THE HALF ASS, PLEASE?

The Math: 1/2 Ass + 1/2 Ass = 0. Or, > half ass. You’re thinking two halves equal a whole. Most of the time that’s true. In this equation it’s also true, but with extras: In an unprecedented alpha-numeric formula worthy of Einstein-level research, two half-asses equal a whole. An a-hole. In our regular lives […]

KING OF THE HILL IN NORTH BEND, OREGON

People know the place when you say you’re from North Bend. Ask someone where there from and you expect one answer, one place. Then you get this: “I grew up all over the place.” Hear that and know you’ve got someone ashamed of where they’re from. They know the name of their town, they just […]

A REAL FOOTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CONVERSATION

If your team’s not in the college football national championship, who do you cheer for? “What are the teams playing for the college football national championship?” Alabama and Clemson. “Clemson? Where are they from?” It’s South Carolina’s version of Oregon State. “So it’s South Carolina?” That’s where Clemson is. South Carolina are the Gamecocks. You […]

COLLEGE FOOTBALL COMPARED TO SINGERS

College football feels like singers, but which ones? College football has one steadfast rule when comparing teams: you can’t compare eras. You need to compare teams and their times instead of one decade to the next. But you can compare college football to lady singers of the same era. This era comparison includes Beyonce, Adele, […]

THE OREGON WAY OF OREGON DUCK FOOTBALL FANS

The right Oregon Duck football uniform makes all the difference. The experienced Oregon fan knows the drill by now. It’s not the first post-season, but one that matters more. Someone else plays for the national championship, or the semi-finals to get in. Oregon football made the run last years, right up to the end. This […]