There are Losers, and then there are LOSERS.

A couple of years ago, a Cal player fake flopped an injury against Oregon.
Now this. I guess cheating is the insincerest form of flattery.

USC fires student manager who deflated balls in Oregon game
Southern California tried its hardest to keep pace with Oregon‘s high-octane offense on Saturday night at the Coliseum, but at least one member of the Trojans’ staff took that effort too far.

USC has fired a student manager who intentionally deflated game footballs below NCAA-mandated pressure levels during Oregon’s 62-51 win. The university reported the firing of the unnamed student on its Web site late Wednesday night, according to the Associated Press.

Under-inflated balls are easier to grip, making them easier to throw, catch and hold. While the slightly softer balls might have contributed to Matt Barkley‘s 484 passing yards, they did nothing to help a defense that gave up a whopping 730 yards of offense – the most in USC history.

According to the school’s report, the manager admitted that he deflated the balls of his own accord after they were checked by game officials. USC has been reprimanded and fined by the Pac-12 for the incident, the school said.

Last month, USC coach Lane Kiffin came under fire for switching the jerseys of a backup quarterback to that of the team’s punter. Cody Kessler (6) wore punter Kyle Negrete’s No. 35 jersey in an Oct. 20 win against Colorado, which included a failed two-point conversion attempt in which Kessler was involved. The Trojans claim since they switched Kessler’s jersey before the game, it does not violate NCAA game rules, as reported by USA Today.

USC insists that no coaches or players knew of this. OK, I want all of you to run to your attic, basement, garage, closet or wherever you keep your old leather football that you haven't touched in 20 years. Blow it up with your bicycle pump . . . . Ya ya, I know, you can't find that little silvery ball valve insert. Those things disappear faster than socks. . . . NO. Don't bother looking for it. It's lost. Just run to Ace Hardware and buy a packet of five. I'll wait . . . . .

OK now pump the football up to regulation size. Squeeze it. Press on it. Get the feel of it.

Now take a pound or two of air out of it. Squeeze it again. Notice a difference? OF COURSE YOU DO. That's the whole idea. You will notice that the ball is softer, spongier, easier to grip.

You think Matt Barkley or any of his receivers didn't notice?  Is Matt Barkley going to tell us that he believed in his God-fearing heart of hearts the whole time that he was throwing a regulation ball?

CHEATER!!!

As for Kiffin, it's just a matter of time before he gets kicked to the curb. He says he knew nothing about this? Ya right. And those red puncture marks on Lance Armstrong's butt are just bug bites. USC's decision to hire him after suffering severe NCAA sanctions is looking worse and worse as time goes on.

Meanwhile back in Oregon,  Coach Kelly said, "They can do whatever they want. It's no big deal to us."

Typical Kelly. The team just focuses on what the team can control. The game was last week, so it's in the past. But I think Kelly secretly likes the idea that at least one member of the Trojans felt they had to cheat to beat his Ducks.

Finally, I must repeat the best comment I read on this whole affair when one reader said, "Well I always believed Oregon had bigger balls than USC . . ."

As you might imagine, John Canzano has something to add about this.


ARIZONA: A CAUTIONARY FAIL
They blew out Washington. Then they put on their big boy panties and stunned USC. It looked like the Arizona Wildcats had finally found themselves. They were on their way.

So it was so shocking when they went to UCLA and played their absolute worst game of the season, losing 66-10.  Like the attraction of a cable TV special on bad car crashes, I was drawn to watch a replay of the game.

Were key AZ players injured? Was it 31 degrees and snowing? No. They were just awful. HORRIBLE! At one point it got so bad, the announcer couldn't even be nice.

QB Scott went back to pass what appeared to be some sort of screen (BTW, most of his passes looked like some sort of screen set up because his offensive line wasn't blocking anybody all night.), he threw terribly off his back foot to his receiver who was five yards out and RUNNING BACKWARDS down the field. He jumped pathetically as the pass sailed over him.

The announcer said, "That's not even football." And he was right. Whatever game the Cats were playing, it definitely wasn't football. They looked like a bunch of disorganized playground kids at recess.

Coach Rich Rod, what is the deal? 

The single worst thing you can say about a coach is -- . . . . well wait, I just remembered Lane Kiffin, the CHEATER. So the second worst thing you can say about a coach is -- . . . . .well, then there's Penn State . . .

OK, the third worst thing you can say about a coach is that his team is UNPREPARED. When they come into a game and play like they just don't know what they're doing, that is 100% on the coaching staff. Arizona couldn't throw. They couldn't block. They definitely could not tackle.

I shutter to think that a self-respecting Pac-12 team like Arizona decided to take the week off, feeling like they had "arrived", after putting together a streak of two victories including one over a USC team of emerging mediocrity that has shown it has to cheat to have a chance.

I bring up Arizona's sad story because Oregon is visiting a seemingly anemic Cal team after beating those same Trojans. What could possibly go wrong?

We know that Chip Kelly is all about "Faceless opponents" and "Every week is our Super Bowl". Let's just hope that foolish human nature doesn't creep in and infect even the most disciplined of teams that is our Ducks.

Cal isn't in very good shape however. According to this article in the San Jose Mercury News, they are decimated with injuries all over the roster, including their starting QB.

Raising a Barner
Finally, if you haven't already seen it, I recommend an article in the Oregonian this week: Oregon's Kenjon Barner is mastering the art of the broken tackle. It's an excellent analysis of Barner's improvement as a running back. But it goes on to talk about other great running backs that RB Coach Gary Campbell has tutored. The internet post also includes videos of these running greats.

Oregon at Cal Gametime Saturday evening Nov. 10th, 7:30 Pacific Standard on ESPN.

--KB

You heard 'em Ducks. EVERYTHING

DAT's punt return is at the 27-second mark if you just want to watch that again and again.



REALLY BEAVERS, REALLY?
Before I talk about Saturday's game at USC, I need to say something to Oregon State.

Hey Beavs. You're probably still mad about that loss last week, and we all know exactly why. It wasn't just a loss. It was a loss to the Huskies.

It hurts doesn't it? It feels like you haven't eaten in two days, and then somebody punches you in the stomach and kicks it again after you're down.

You feel this because you let Washington hang around and believe they were as good as you. You saw their barking fans work themselves into a foaming lather. You saw their players jumping up and down like you were unlocking their kennel.

Beavs, you had beaten UDumb seven of the last eight seasons. Oregon has beaten them nine straight. And yet unfortunately we are reminded what happens when any of us -- WSU included -- takes the foot off their throats for even just a minute.

The obnoxiousness returns like it's 1990 all over again. Their goonery instantly comes out with the cheap shots and unsportsman-like conduct.

Even the purple-shirted refs were back as they somehow
missed this vicious helmet-to-helmet on Wheaton.

If you had to lose Beavs, why oh why did it have to be to them? You know what I always say: "The only way to shut up barking Dawgs is to beat 'em." But no. You gave them voice. They believe again. They think that their own poop tastes good, and now once again, they're going to expect the rest of us to eat it.   

Listen. You can hear them from all the way up there. Oh the noise of barking Dawgs. That annoying, undying, shrill, grating chorus of yaps with no purpose or quality because it's driven by the stupid, tiny, imbeciled brains . . .

. . . of Huskies.

Way to go, Beavs.

AND EVEN STUPIDER NOISES FROM DOWN SOUTH
Let me show you a clip of a story from the Arizona Daily Star that made me spew Cheerios all over my monitor.

Cats help prep USC for facing Oregon's Blur
Maybe there's a slight advantage in the schedule - that USC played the Arizona Wildcats' fast-paced offense the week before Oregon's mighty Blur.

"It'd be like in baseball, when the day after you faced a fastball pitcher, you're facing another fastball pitcher," USC coach Lane Kiffin said about the Ducks' no-huddle offense.

"It's not a huge thing, but I think there's something to that."

After losing to the Wildcats 39-36, USC will take any edge in can get.

OK, Kiffin, so after losing to AZ, you will be playing the team that beat them 49-0. But it's all good because AZ and Oregon kind of play the same.

And you know what? New Jersey experienced a blustery day a week before Sandy hit. So ya, one could say they were kind of ready, only in a "not hardly at all" sort of way.

Fastball pitcher? Coach Kiffin, your team is about to face a Gattling gun.

Allow me to try not to bore you with some stats. According to this same article, Oregon's defense gives up 19.38 points per game. USC gives up 19.5 points.

Oregon allows 351 yards to their opponent per game. USC allows 366.

That looks pretty even, doesn't it? But for anyone who has watched Oregon play, what is the one glaring asterisk next to their stats?

You know it. The large bulk of opponents' points and yards have come in the second half against Oregon's second, third and fourth string after the game has been decided.

That is not the case with USC. With scholarship restrictions and injuries, plus the fact that they just can't blow very many teams out,  the starters play into the fourth quarter on both sides of the ball.

Had Oregon left it's starters in to run up the score while keeping other opponents scoreless, the world would already know what should be made clear tomorrow.

Hurricane Oregon is powerful enough to completely destroy USC.

But will we see that happen?  It would be an amazing thing to behold, if Chip Kelly will allow it.

Looks like Reign.

DUCKS NEED NEW APPROACH TO REMAINDER OF SEASON

Here are the facts.

Fact 1: Oregon manhandled ASU, and got passed up by Kansas State in the BCS.

Fact 2: The Ducks clobbered Colorado and got passed again in the BCS, this time by Notre Dame.

Fact 3: Lane Kiffin, USC, and a lot of other people across the country still believe the Trojans can hang with Oregon, maybe even pull the upset.

The problem? It's been made pretty clear that Oregon hasn't played any significant ranked teams. Add to that the fact that once Oregon gets an insurmountable lead at halftime, Kelly throttles back and pulls the starters, coasting to a win.

I don't fault that one bit. The final score is not so important to risk unnecessary injuries. That is, perhaps until now.

For all the buildup to this game, legitimate or not, everyone will be paying attention. USC is still Oregon's biggest foe to date (I say "to date" out of respect to Oregon State, but don't get all geeked up Beavs, you still dumped a stinky one last week.).

Coach Kelly, it's time to pull the chocks away from this fighter jet. It's time to fire the cylinders and blow the soot out of this hot rod engine. It's time to move this horse from the short oval to the long straight.

No more easing back and jogging across the finish line. No more collecting hit points for a judges decision. Because you know what? The judges aren't giving you the decisions you want.

Although it's a great mantra, don't just "Win the Day" anymore. Don't just win the game.

Win every quarter. Win every drive. Let's see what this team can do when they are free to do it to the final buzzer.

And not just for USC. Let the Ducks finish out the season that way. Let their dominance be made so clear that even the BCS computers can see it. Sway some swing voters and some of their 60 first place votes away from Alabama.

Bud Withers of the Seattle Times basically says the same thing here as he suggests Oregon should "lay it on USC and Stanford" because they are mutual opponents of Oregon and Notre Dame.

THE USC HYPE ENDS HERE
Since that upset last season, USC has been a biting bug on the Ducks' butts. Yes they have QB Matt Barkley and his two great receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. They resemble the great pass-and-catch trios of Montana, Rice and Clark or Marino, Duper and Clayton.

Those three played perfect football through the first half last year in Eugene. Then USC hung on for dear life in the second to win 38-35.

This year is going to be different. This R-G article talks of one player, defensive back Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, but might as well be characterizing the entire defense as stronger, more experienced and better.

Furthermore, the bad news for USC's win last year was that they gave Nick Aliotti a firsthand look, valuable game film and a better team with which approach the rematch. And history shows us a lot of Pac-10/12 teams who successfully got by Alliotti's defense . . . . once.

On the offense, Mariota, Barner, DAT, Lyerla, and the starting receivers -- I hope Kelly keeps them on the field through to the end of the game AND the season with one mission in mind.

I'll let the following video convey this new mission -- a new mantra. "Win the Day" got us to this point. Now, starting at the L.A. Coliseum, let Oregon take the next step . . . .

Crank the volume, then listen to at least 39 seconds to get the full ....uhhh, gist. You're welcome to shut it off after that. . . . .if you want. Otherwise, have fun and get into it. Stand on your desk and heave your chair out the door.



Although this music may not be for everyone, some might enjoy it. Take Beaver Coach Mike Riley, for example.

Whoa, that was FAR OUT!  I could have used that last week.
What key was that in? OK, let's give it a whirl here...
"Destroy everything, like a steamroller baby,
a burnin' churnin' heap of destroyin' funk.
Cause that's why I'm here, oh ya,
Walkin' down that country road...
and destroyin' everything I see....
la la la laaa la la...."

Oregon at USC gametime: Saturday, 4pm Pacific on FOX.