I know you are, but 29 . . . I know you are, but 29 . . .

I've got a new drinking game for y'all to play.
Google Florida State, Oregon, Rose Bowl, Jameis Winston, etc. Search through all the media -- blogs, articles, videos . . . Every time a player, coach, reporter or blogger from Florida State utters "29 wins", take a drink. They say "undefeated" less often, so take two drinks.

You'll be drunk in half an hour. A couple of lines I found . . .

"I really don't understand that," FSU sophomore cornerback Jalen Ramsey said [on being 9-point underdogs to the Ducks]. "We're the ones who won 29 in a row. What are we scared of?"
Take a drink.

"The only undefeated team in the country," [FSU Coach Jimbo Fisher] frequently reminds questioners.

Take two drinks.

 

The following article from the Orlando Sentinel explains how FSU is needing to reach deep to find some extra inspiration to prepare them for the Rose Bowl. False self-pity appears to be the go-to motivation.
 

FSU relaxed for Rose Bowl, using role as underdog and villain for motivation

By Brendan Sonnone

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Jameis Winston shook hands with Mickey Mouse, posed for a picture alongside Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota and then, as he has so many times before, found himself surrounded by dozens of reporters.

Marcus Mariota poses with a silly cartoony character
and Mickey Mouse.

All the while, Winston could only think of one thing.

 

 "The main thing I'm trying to do is get me a smoked turkey leg, put some hot sauce on that bad boy and eat it," Winston said Saturday at Disney California Adventure Park. "I'm hungry."

[Are you gonna pay for it this time?]
 

No. 3 FSU (13-0) faces No. 2 Oregon (12-1) in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, with the winner advancing to the national championship. For some, the magnitude of this stage could spark nerve. But for Winston, along with his teammates, there is comfort in familiarity.

 

Winston, coach Jimbo Fisher and several other FSU players spoke to media members for the first time since arriving in California. While this is a different set of players, a different season and a different opponent, FSU is no stranger to playing big games in the Rose Bowl.

 

"Just being in California again, the kids knowing what to expect, how the routine of things is going to go, any time you can do something a second time definitively helps," said Fisher, who guided FSU to a win over Auburn in the Rose Bowl last season to claim the third national title in school history. "The more you're in those atmosphere and environments, it's critical."

 

Fisher points to last season's experience playing in the title game in Rose Bowl Stadium, as well as playing in the Orange Bowl the previous season, as reasons he expects his team to be unfazed by outside distractions this week.

 

"Learning on how to adapt to media on a media day, practice on a practice day, how to get ready for the game; the more often you're in those situations, the better you handle them," Fisher said. "And we've been in them quite a few times.

 [Oh by the way, Oregon has played in the Rose Bowl before. Nearly the entire coaching staff had the experience of playing in the National Championship. Half these players were in the BCS Fiesta Bowl. Nearly all of them played in last year's Holiday Bowl.
So ya, they also know how to follow the itinerary and set their alarm clocks, meet in the lobby at a certain time and remember where the buses are parked to go to Disneyland.  What exactly is the big deal, Jimbo?]
 

"It's business as usual. They're mature, they know what it takes, and they've proven it 29 games in a row." [Take a drink.]

 

However, two aspects of the Rose Bowl will be different for FSU this season. First, the Seminoles enter the game as the underdog, with some oddsmakers favoring Oregon by as much as 9.5 points when the betting line first came out. It is the first time FSU has been an underdog in 50 games, according to ESPN.

 

Second, FSU has become detested by what seems like a majority of college football fans. In the span of their 29-game win streak, [Just in case you didn't catch it the first time, this Orlando reporter mentioned it again. Take a drink.] the Seminoles have become villains in the eyes of numerous fan bases. Part of that is a product of winning.
Yes it's true. Haters are hating Florida State simply because they win.
\/
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And that is why the Indian cries.

But FSU has also been portrayed as a program that will win at all costs. Winston, who was accused of sexual assault but not charged, is the poster child for the criticism.



"Leave the poor kid alone.
He's a victim, just like me."

 "That's having a chip on our shoulder," Winston said. "When you haven't lost a game in a long time, you can get bored. The fact that so many people are motivating you to not get a loss, we need it."

Balancing fun - like spending the day at Disneyland - along with game preparation and media obligations can be a challenge. But FSU is in familiar territory and, as Winston puts it, has enough motivation to remain focused. [So playing Oregon isn't motivation enough for them? I must say, for the sake of sparing them from their boredom, these bastards really need a good beating.]

 

"Last year, I think we just shocked everybody with how we beat everybody and pulled off that national championship game," Winston said. "This year, everyone came prepared to put a [loss] in our column. We did it; another [undefeated] regular season, another ACC championship. [He apparently didn't actually say it, but it was implied. Split the difference, take one drink.]
 

"And we're not done yet." Ya. We'll see about that.

More later,
--KB

 

And We Thought USC was Bad!

This is just a quick post to make you aware of another most excellent post. Dom Pruett of SB Nation's 'Addicted to Quack' tells us that of all the lame, disgusting things we may have heard about Florida State, they are even worse.

His story tells me that the Ducks have more than an opportunity, they have a downright duty to rid the nation of Winston and Florida State. The Bowl Selection Committee and the NCAA would owe Oregon a huge debt of gratitude to do what they were too weak to do -- knock these crimiNOLES out of the picture.

Here is the intro to his funny article, Why You Should Hate: Florida State Edition.
You could write a goddamn thesis paper on all the reasons Florida State deserves your hatred. I couldn't have dreamt up a better team to write one of these pieces for. This is the pinnacle right here, folks. There isn't an NFL team as dysfunctional and putrid as the Seminoles. They are the Floyd Mayweather of college football. Because of that, I say thank you to Florida State and their odious football program.

And here is the link to the whole article.

Even their horse, Renegade, appears to stink up the field.
What do they feed that poor animal?!?

More later,
--KB

Spare me your "devastation", kids.

Would you rather be Oregon losing a hard fought heartbreaker to Ohio State, or Arizona getting shut out and blown out to Nebraska?
Would you rather be Oregon losing the Rose Bowl, or the other nine Pac-10 teams wishing they were in the Rose Bowl?  None of them would've beaten Pryor and the Buckeyes that day either.

No head hanging, Duck fans. It's not our style. Not anymore.

I was watching interviews of Duck fans leaving the Rose Bowl. I saw one young couple -- they couldn't have been over 21 year's old -- saying how they were "DEVASTATED". Their trip to Pasadena was "ruined". 

Those two are truly blessed in their young lives if their football team's loss in the Rose Bowl is their definition of devastation. 

A little personal insight: Over the holidays my wife's mother passed away with a group of us by her bedside.  I was splitting time between getting through the holidays, sharing with all of you the joy and excitement of Friday's Rose Bowl, and helping to plan and prepare for my mother-in-law's memorial service the following Saturday.

I'll tell you this. Of any tears shed this weekend in my house, none were for the Ducks.

Disappointed they lost?  ABSOLUTELY!  If you've been following my musings for even a short while, you know that I am truly bummed. I share that feeling with all of you.

But let's keep our feelings in perspective. This was likely a particularly tough year for any of you or your family, friends or neighbors. Lost jobs, lost homes, lost savings, wage cuts, health care expenses, swine flu, and don't forget the wars.

The one obvious bright spot we shared through 2009, the one escape that kept us cheering and smiling? Our Ducks. 

Don't be one of those Duck fans that goes from "I LOVE MY DUCKS"  to "Devastated" in four hours. 

Stay positive. Stay proud. This was a great team. This season was a great ride. And we all loved being a part of it, didn't we?

On the left, you'll find a poll asking how happy and proud you are as a Duck fan today. Mark what you feel, but know that you'll see at least one vote for '11'. That's mine. 

I STILL LOVE MY DUCKS.

"That's all good, KB. But really now, WHAT HAPPENED SATURDAY?"
(Photos from L.A. Times)

LeGarrette Blount lays on a bed of Buckeyes as he stretches

for his final TD as a Duck. How can we ever forget you, Blount?

I saw three factors that stumped Oregon.
1) Ohio State's defense was either better than advertised, or as good as advertised and I wasn't paying attention.  Their front four linemen were NFL players. Their ability to shed blocks was frightening. The Ducks were able to either hold or fool them a few times in a series; but they proved too difficult to sustain enough drives.

2) The Buckeyes AND the Rose Bowl itself proved ploblematic for Oregon to establish its rapid pace on offense.  Yes, the Buckeyes did own the time of possession: 41:37 to 18:23. That's a wide margin, but the Ducks are used to doing more with less.
The other factor was that it seemed when the Ducks did have the football and ran off three or four rapid fire plays, their flow was suddenly interrupted with a humungously long TV timeout. 
Also, injuries to either side often came at an inopportune time it stop the action and their rhythm. They never were able to get into their own flow with the short time they had the ball. Add two turnovers into the mix, and 17 points is about all they could do.

3) Take one guess: Terrelle Pryor. Wow, that kid's pretty good.  I'm a Holy Moly Masoli fan, but wow.  He made some passes that nobody had any business completing. He runs smooth like a clipper with four sheets in the wind. Oregon sacked him four times (Three by defensive player of the game Kenny Rowe). They intercepted him once. He limped through the game with a knee injury. Geez, that should be enough to shut down any mortal QB.
Watching him reminded me of another Rose Bowl game a few years back.  USC, meet Vince Young.

Kenny Rowe sacked Terrelle Pryor three times, but the gifted QB

scrambled away from Rowe and Will Tukuafu too many times Saturday.

The Oregonian's John Canzano wrote a good article about Pryor and Oregon's look to the future about recruiting their own Pryor-quality players.

One side note that Canzano mentioned was the following:
Note to the Ducks football operations department: Immediately educate ABC's Brent Musburger, who talked about the losing team's bright future in the closing minutes of the broadcast but identified Kelly's program as "The Oregon State Ducks."

There's no excuse for that. Musberger knows who the Ducks are. He's been to Eugene plenty of times. He had weeks to prepare for this game. It would be better to call ABC and tell them to fire the bonehead who has been an embarrassment to sports broadcasting for over 30 years.

As for the Ducks future, they return 18 starters. In addition, three JC offensive line recruits are ready to take the field next year. People are already chatting about next year's Rose Bowl and even the National Championship. Oregon will likely have to beat USC and Oregon State on the road to get it done. But hey, no Boise State next year!
Here is an article about next season from the Oregonian.

I'll put together final thoughts on the season later. --kb

Can Oregon Be Offensive Enough for Ohio State's Defense?

The theme that seems to be building through all the stories is that Oregon's strength is it's offense, while Ohio State boasts a great defense.  That is where the game lies. If the Bucks cannot keep the Ducks out of the endzone, it doesn't much matter what Ohio State's offense can do. It probably won't be enough.

Here is what Oregon's Offensive Coordinator said about the Buck's 'D':

Their defense is complete and has no weaknesses. They have great schemes, tackle well and are big, fast, talented and athletic. If I had to compare them to another team probably the great USC defenses from the early and mid-2000s. Their line can cause pressure when they rush three or four so they don’t necessarily have to blitz. They have a successful system in place and execute it well and it has paid off for them.”
– – ­Mark Helfrich, Offensive Coordinator

That part about Ohio State not needing to blitz kind of scares me. Opponents' blitzes make Masoli's job easier. He reads the blitzes and attacks the void. But a good defense that knows to stay home and stick to assignments can conceivably remove the trickery and deception and force the Duck players to rely purly on their own talent.
 
The running backs' holes may not be as big or open as long. The receivers will have to work that much harder to get open and pull in the ball. Masoli will have to be sharp as a tack.
 
This is not to say that the misdirections and fake handoffs won't work. I believe they will. But the Ducks will have to pull out all the stops. Leave nothing to chance.

Another quote by Helfrich shows that confidence still runs deep in the offensive minds at the Casanova Center. This story from the Cleveland Plain Dealer gives Buckeye fans the plain truth:

Ohio State offense vs. Oregon offense: "Our No. 1 job is to score."
By Doug Lesmerises, The Plain Dealer
December 29, 2009, 3:28PM

Mark Helfrich, the Oregon offensive coordinator, today offered a quick glimpse into the different offensive philosophies that will be on display in the Rose Bowl.
I told Helfrich that a coach had once said the first job of the offense is to not put the defense in a bad position. I neglected to mention it was Ohio State's Jim Tressel that espoused this idea. What is the take of Oregon, and head coach Chip Kelly, on the offense's most important job?
"Our No. 1 job is to score," Helfrich said. "I don't think we approach it that way. We don't operate too much, and I think this comes from Chip, we don't operate too much in 'nots.' We don't operate in 'don't do this.' We want to play fast and have fun."

 
I can say it in two words:
\/
\/
 

OVER

 

WHELM

 
That's it. No fooling around. The rapid pace between snaps -- "As fast as I can talk," says Coach Kelly. The fakes. Misdirections. LaMichael James. Ed Dickson. Masoli. A stable of receivers.  And then, just like in the Civil War -- On my command, unleash Blount.
 
Just when the Buckeyes think they've got a handle on Little Train James, just when they think they can contain Masoli, just when they think they can eat everything Chip Kelly dishes to them, the coach needs to come to the Buck's table like a server at Olive Garden holding a peppermill. And he needs to pour on a generous sprinkling of Blount onto their heaping plate til it overwhelms the senses. 

What do the Duck offensive players think about their chances against this great Ohio State team? Let's ask Ed Dickson . . .
“[Ohio State defensive players] all look like they could play in the NFL today. They are very physical and we have to match that toughness…when our offense is faced with a challenge we’ll usually rise to the occasion and we are really excited about that. They are very fast and very big, but we feel we have a slight advantage. We will never back down from anybody. We welcome all comers.”

– – Ed Dickson, tight end

"Would you like some ground pepper with your meal? . . . . . . Say when . . . ."
 
Be advised though, Ohio State is VERY aware of what they'll be up against with Oregon's offense. They will be entering this contest with their eyes open. And if the pace is too fast, not to worry. They have a plan.
Here's the latest from the Columbus Dispatch:
 
Buckeyes brace for Oregon's fast pace

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 3:07 AM
By Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

LOS ANGELES -- The Oregon offense is like a kid playing hide and seek, rushing through the countdown and shouting "Ready or not, here I come!" way too early.
The Ducks actually delight in this. They love catching defenses in mid-adjustment.

"Oh yeah, it's a chance to get a cheap pancake," left tackle Bo Thran said yesterday. "Sometimes, (defenders) are late getting into their stance or late getting lined up, so yeah, our tempo definitely helps out a lot."

Running back LaMichael James said he enjoys surveying a defense scurrying this way and that, chests heaving.

"It's really fun to look at those guys and see them tired and have their heads down," he said. "I tell (quarterback Jeremiah) Masoli to speed it up and say 'hut' right now, because it really is fun to see."
[Come, come now, LMJ. That's just mean.  You're sounding like the kind of guy who would heckle the Special Olympics.]

Much has been made of the Ducks' frantic pace. Some of it seems legitimate; some seems to be entering the territory of urban legend.

Oregon definitely pushes the tempo. Of its 65 offensive scoring drives in regulation this season, 25 -- or 38 percent -- took less than two minutes off the game clock.

That's how the Ducks are seventh nationally in scoring (37.7 points a game) while only 115th in time of possession (26 minutes, 58 seconds).

It is what sets the Ducks apart. They are not the only team to run the spread and the read option, not the only team relying on quickness and a dual-threat quarterback.

But when you pair the scheme and the talent with the go-go-go pace, it can be disconcerting. Confusion becomes Oregon's ally.

"We don't want a defense to be set. We want a false step right at the snap," offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich said. "Hopefully, that's created by playing fast and creating a moment of indecision for those guys."

Taking a closer look at the numbers, though, it may not be that big of an adjustment for Ohio State. Oregon averages 69.3 plays a game; OSU's opponents averaged 64.5 this season -- so the Ducks run about five more plays a game. [Time out!  Back up the Percentages and Statistics 201 Class for just a second there. Let's recap. Only 69.3 plays per game. Time of possession less than 27 minutes per game. As for points per game, let's just throw out the first half of the season and say in the final six games they have averaged a little over 42 points. That's six TD's per game.
Well they're obviously not taking a lot of time on those plays. And they're putting up a lot of points. So how does one explain Oregon not running that many more plays than OSU's other opponents?
You can't, unless you look at the rule book where it says once a team has scored, they have to stop making plays and give the ball to the other team.  And THAT, my friends, is the achilles heel in the Ducks' armor.
Six TD's per game? That's six naps the Buckeye defense can take while the Ducks are forced to kickoff and let Terrelle Pryor and company try to keep up.]
The Buckeyes also have seen some elements of hurry-up and "look-look" (when a team lines up, then looks to the sideline for the call), most recently this season against Toledo and Michigan. [Michigan? You're comparing Oregon to Michigan? Coach Kelly's first year at Oregon when they went to Ann Arbor, THAT Michigan?]

But OSU is certainly concerned -- enough to significantly increase the amount of running and conditioning during the past month. They've dubbed it "the Run for the Roses."

"In the beginning, guys were huffing and puffing, and now guys are more into it," defensive lineman Doug Worthington said. "Guys are running to the ball, the wind is there, and things are more second nature. It has already helped, and hopefully it will help on January 1."

Safety Kurt Coleman said, "It's mind over matter."

Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said the biggest challenge is getting the calls in on time. But he has also prepared his players what to do in case they don't get the call.

In a nutshell, the instructions are: Pick a defense, any defense. Just be set to go at the snap.

"If we don't get the call, as linebackers, we're going to have to make our base call and go out there and ride with it," linebacker Austin Spitler said. "Just get lined up. As long as everybody is on the same page, we're going to be successful." [WOW! . . . Good luck with that, guy.   Pick a defense, any defense? Just go out there and "ride with it"?   These people really don't have a clue, don't they. 

I have to also wonder how far Ohio State's Athletic Director spewed his coffee when he read this.  He must have been thinking, "I've got umpteen million dollars worth of coaches on the sidelines and in the booth.  We're in the freakin' Rose Bowl, and the D. Coordinator is saying, 'In case we don't get in the defensive call in time . . . '

"In case you don't get in the call in time? . . . .   What am I paying you guys for?"

Ya, I'm sure this is going over really well in Columbus.
"In case we don't get in the call in time . . . . . In case Oregon is just snapping the ball and running plays faster than we can look at a chart and give a hand signal . . . . . .
I know, I know, this is the Rose Bowl and all. And we're 0 for 3 in our last bowl appearances, but in case this is just too hard for us to handle . . . . . ."

"You guys just . . . . run a play . . . any play.  And we'll just stand here and pray to God that it works. Because that's all we'll be able to do.

You guys on the field just . . . . just . . . . Ride with it . . . .GO FOR IT . . . . . Go for broke . . . . . Break a leg . . . . . . Take the cheese . . . . . Run one up the flag pole and see who salutes.  We'll be right here rootin' for ya.

Because we won't have time to get in a play. We'll be too busy with our heads down looking at our charts, recalculating Oregon's plays-per-game statistics, wondering how soon our next nap is coming up . . . . . "


Buck(eye)ing Tradition
Another comparison between the two teams has to do with overall style.
Here is Jeremiah Masoli's take on it:

“[Ohio State is] definitely a tradition-rich team with a long history, while we’re known more for our recent teams and flashy uniforms that Nike generously provides for us. We play different types of styles, too, so it will be fun to see them match up.”

– – Jeremiah Masoli, quarterback

Time out for just a minute. I think Masoli has been reading too many national sports mags and blogs. I'm hearing the same thing everywhere: Oregon is flashy, new, edgy. Ohio State is LONG in history (old), and full of tradition. 
Tradition, tradition, tradition. What do people mean? If I were a Buckeye fan, I would take exception. The overuse of the term is suggesting a meaning of 'outdated' or 'antique'.
 
Certainly Ohio State doesn't want that label. After all, they went out and got a top flight QB that Oregon coveted.  If they want to recruit the big guns, they can't allow the "tradition" talk to get out of hand. They'll need to rebuke any talk of a team like Oregon being edgy and new compared to their "tradition" image. 
 
Here's an Ohio State player to set the record straight:

Ohio State senior Kurt Coleman compares the Ohio State and Oregon programs

OK fine . . . Tradition it is.  Ohio State is like "Fiddler on the Roof" -- two entities that no 18 year-old athlete of today can relate to, but you can still count on them to sing and shout the word "TRADITION".

Also he did offer his own word to characterize Ohio State's approach to stopping Oregon's offense:
 
"Hopefully". 
 
Is there any Duck fan out there who is NOT sooooooooo ready for this game?
 
--kb

Terrelle Talk

[However Terrelle Pryor goes, so go the Buckeyes. While his stats are comparable to Masoli's, he has thrown 10 interceptions to Masoli's five this season. Nevertheless, he is a great passer and scrambler.
The big news is he's playing hurt. According to Mike Tokito's article in the Oregonian:]

Pryor on Monday surprised many by revealing an injury that had not been spoken of previously: a slight tear in the posterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees. He would not reveal which knee was injured or how he was hurt. Pryor also had been hobbled by an ankle injury early in November, but says he'll be ready to play Friday.
"I'm hurting everywhere," he said. "It doesn't really matter. I don't have time to worry about injuries. Neither does anybody else on our team." [Well good luck with that "not worrying" thing. We had a QB once who had a knee injury, but nobody worried about it too much. Then they went to Arizona and . . . . well I'll spare you the gory details.

Here's a video of Pryor's press conference. You may recall he was heavily recruited by Oregon when he chose Ohio State. He talks about that in the video. Tokito adds to it in the following:]

Two years ago, when the 6-foot-6, 235-pound Pryor was the most sought-after recruit in the country, the Ducks were in contention to sign him. Oregon coach Chip Kelly, then the offensive coordinator, was the Ducks' point man in the effort.

"Chip Kelly, he can recruit like crazy," Pryor said.
Pryor said Oregon's relationship with Nike and what he perceived to be "about 20 million uniforms" for the Ducks were attractive, but the distance between Eugene and his hometown of Jeannette, Pa., was a big minus. Ultimately, though, he didn't so much rule out Oregon, Penn State or any other school that recruited as he embraced Ohio State and coach Jim Tressel.
"Once you got see the Buckeyes and you talk to coach Tressel and coach Tressel wants you, he's going to get you there," Pryor said.
There are plenty of fans who thought Pryor, who has run the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds, would have been an ideal fit for Kelly's spread offense. Some believe Ohio State's much more conservative, run-first offense hinders Pryor's ability to excel, but he says the play-calling is fine with him.
"I'm not Jim Tressel, I can't pick the plays," he said. "Whatever they give me, I try to do to perfection."

Rose Bowl: Terrelle Pryor

[Pryor wears those glasses because he read this book in his Literature for Athletes class about a guy that nobody recognized whenever he wore them.

I have a hunch about the difference between Kelly's play designs for Masoli and Tressel's for Pryor.  When the ball is snapped into each quarterback's hands, it appears that Masoli already knows whether the first option of the called play is there for him or not. He also knows what options two and three are because they are designed into the play. Hence, the 'Spread OPTION'.

Tressel's plays are simpler.  And so Pryor is left more to create on his own if the play breaks down.

That could go one of two ways for Oregon. If they stay at home and play good disciplined defense, they can contain him and avoid big explosions. But if they let Pryor get away, or give him time to scramble and find a receiver, they got trouble.

 Here's another video from the Oregonian with Duck defenders talkin' some Terrelle. Notice they mention Darron Thomas. The third string QB is playing the roll of Pryor on the scout team. :]

Ducks talk: On Ohio State QB

[Both teams know that their defenses cannot just go after the opposing QB balls-to-the-wall. Look for both to execute careful and contained blitzes. 

Think Washington's Jake Locker. Containment is the key. Unless of course they see Pryor walking gimpy with the bad knee. Then he's LIVE MEAT!]
--kb

Merry Christmas wish from Ohio State fans

Wishing all of you and yours the happiest of holidays.
--kb