Because of all the damage around Thibodaux (pronounced "THIGH-boe-dox", I think.), the football team could not see their way to travel to Corvallis for a September 1st football game. They postponed their trip until the end of the season.
Until then, the Nicholls State Colonels (pronounced "colon-ELS". I believe it's French.) lost every game miserably except one. And that one was against a lower NAIA league team. In fact, that team they defeated -- Evangel -- was the only team they had beaten the previous year as well.
So after getting smacked by a hurricane, then spanked by nearly every team they played through the season, they took the trip to Corvallis on a cold December day where they got paddled 77-3.
Now to start off this season, they're back in Oregon to play the Ducks.
In the following dramatization, Kevin Bacon will play the role of Nicholls State over the past year:
John Canzano talked with Nicholls State coach Charlie Stubbs in this story. The former Oregon State offensive assistant is currently 6-27 in his three seasons at NS. But he's unimpressed with Oregon's fancy facilities.
Says Stubbs, "I've been to places where you have all the bells and whistles," he said. "You know, I came to Nicholls our very first year, we didn't even have coaching headsets. I was like, "Are you kidding me!?!" When I came here we only had 56 players, and now we have 110 players."
Canzano goes on to write:
Stubbs said he believes too much can be made of high-definition video technology, and "bells and whistles that come with money." He remembers coaching decades ago when there was no videotape of practice.
"We didn't film. We especially didn't film practice. Everything was on a yell-ah notepad."
Yes, Stubbs said it just like that: "Yell-ah."
Veteran Oregon fans can sympathize with small, low budgeted, losing teams. The Ducks were there. But what changed was a group of supporters inside and outside the university, including the coach, who said, "What can we do to improve?"
Yes, Phil Knight had much to do with it. But it wasn't all him. It was coaches telling him and others, "Recruits LOVE bells and whistles. Let's make Oregon a fun and modern place to play."
But that's fine. If Coach Stubbs believes in what he's doing, and satisfied with his game plan and reason for being here (They'll collect a check for $450,000.), then more power to him. Good luck believing your recruits enjoy your waxing poetic about "yell-ah pads", coach.
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| Coach Stubbs: "So you got yer fancy TV's and comfy couches and swimming pools? Well Laa-Dee-FRICKEN' Daaaa! Maybe while you're soakin' your tootsies in your hot tub, you can think about me FREEZIN' MY GONADS OFF in a van parked down by the river!!!" |
Obviously he's a man who expects more of his program. At Oregon State from 1985 - 1990 under Dave Kragthorpe, he helped steer the team to a 17-48 record -- a far better percentage than what he's got now.
They say temperatures at game time could approach the low 90's. Do everyone a favor, Stubbs. Don't pass. It just stops the clock. The sooner the game ends the sooner you can collect your check.
As I write this post, Ken Goe (who asked never to be mentioned in this blog) just published a worthy and necessary story in the Oregonian [Ducks' Lap of Luxury is Poor Message] about comparing the new and opulent Hatfield-Dowlin Football Performance Complex to some of the broken down facilities that current Oregon faculty have to struggle with. No doubt some differences are stark, and I for one will always join any campaign to improve academic conditions (They can start by tearing down and replacing that worthless Prince Lucien Campbell faculty building.).
But when I compare Oregon's present situation with Stubbs' wrinkling his nose at Oregon's success as he brings his uninspired football team in to whore their pride and collect their money, it begs the following question:
Who would you rather be, A school that snivels and wallows in its wanting, or one that says "We want to do what it takes to improve."? Isn't that the inspired lesson we want to teach to college students?
While the academic side of Oregon can always improve, and I'm glad that Goe's article doesn't let us lose sight of that, let's not forget the other opulent gifts from Knight: The Knight Law Center and the refurbished Knight Library, just two of the many new and improved buildings, facilities and dorms over the past 20 years.
No, this Mad Duck will NOT feel embarrassed for Oregon's success that either depresses the Nicholls States who are otherwise free to make forward choices for themselves, or galls the USC's and LSU's for beating them at their own high dollar game.
This is Oregon's time. No apologies. Welcome to the New Age.
Nicholls State game time 1pm Pacific on the new Fox Sports 1 network.
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