One of THOSE teams?

Defense recovers fumble- Oregonian

Miami. Nebraska. Oklahoma. Texas. Florida State. Ohio State. Michigan. Penn State.
   These have historically been the football teams to put up early season brutal scores like 72-0. They are the ones we would scoff at for their obscene beatings of lowly "St. Mary's for the Blind" patsies.
   But was that Oregon? Our Oregon? We can't and shouldn't read too much into their romp over New Mexico, except to say I think this team is much more prepared for the season's start than last year's team that walked into Boise State with vengeance on their minds but nothing to back it up.

  A good thing too, because ironically, a part of BS awaits them at Tennessee. A favorite Oregon son (and cousin), Justin Wilcox, is the new defensive coordinator for the Vols after his stint of the same position in Boise. It was his defense that made Oregon look tired and silly for two games in a row. Now he's looking to go 3 and 0 over his alma mater this Saturday.
  In the Oregonian today is a great article by John Hunt about Wilcox and the defense he'll have waiting for the Ducks. Below are a few excerpts. Read the entire article here.
While reading through this, I want you to think about the toughest test for the Ducks this Saturday. Will it be Wilcox's defense? Tennessee's fairly new offense? The more than 100,000 crazy orange rednecks in the stands? Or something much worse? Read on . . .

But first, click on the video below, then continue reading while it's playing.




Oregon football: Justin Wilcox tries to stop Ducks againEUGENE -


Published: Wednesday, September 08, 2010, 7:02 PM
In defending the Oregon Ducks, it seems, Justin Wilcox has all the answers. Dave Wilcox, Justin's father, former Ducks star and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, agreed.

In the 2010 season opener with his new team, Wilcox and the Vols shut out Tennessee-Martin 50-0. Like Oregon's 72-0 win over New Mexico, it was the school's first shutout since 2003. Granted, UT-Martin and the lowly Lobos aren't exactly challenging, but Wilcox already has proved himself many times over.

"If you think you know everything,'' Wilcox said, "you might as well change jobs.''

He did, and that's the problem for Oregon. Wilcox, who shut down the Ducks as Boise State defensive coordinator a year ago, is now coaching Tennessee's defense.

If Wilcox can do it again, he will have proved himself to be the biggest thorn in Oregon's recent rosy run of success. If Tennessee, a 13½-point underdog, can somehow - with the help of Wilcox - have Oregon's number, then he will have accounted for half of the Ducks' losses dating to the 2007 Sun Bowl:

Without Wilcox in the stadium, the Ducks would be 22-3. Against Wilcox, they would be 0-3.

Now play this video, even if the other one is still running. Keep reading . . .


"We're not playing against Justin Wilcox - we're playing against Tennessee,''

"Thank God - Justin's too old,'' he said. "And he's a little skinny guy now.''
Justin Wilcox is all of 33 years old. With Wilcox as defensive coordinator, Boise State was 49-4. Not only did he help shut down Oregon to open last season, but he and the Broncos capped a 14-0 season with a 17-10 win over TCU - that's a total of 18 points to Oregon and TCU teams averaging a combined 75.

"I think he's excellent,'' said Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti, who coached Wilcox for one season, in 1999, when he returned to the Ducks from the NFL. "I think he's a bright star, shining star, the sky's the limit for him.'' [He could be the Ducks D. Coach should Alliotti ever move on.]

But like many in the Ducks' program, Aliotti stopped short of crediting Wilcox with the win at Boise last year.

"All I can say, I would never have expected our offense to look like it did on that particular day,'' Aliotti said. "But he's good, he's a rock star.''

Mark Helfrich, who had a trying debut as Oregon's offensive coordinator in Boise, said it was a combination of the Broncos' preparedness and the Ducks' lack of any kind of cohesion.

"It wasn't an 'Oh my gosh, we didn't prepare for this' kind of thing,'' Helfrich said. "We played really poorly and they played great.''

OK. Now play this one. Ya, you see what I'm doing. JUST DO IT NOW!


If the 72-0 win had the Ducks feeling pretty good about themselves, this week has grounded them a bit. To prepare for Tennessee, the Oregon coaches had to pop in the Boise State tape one more time - in addition to Louisiana Tech tape, the most recent stop of first-year head coach Derek Dooley, and Texas Tech tape (special teams coach Eric Russell) and others.

"When we turned that film on, that was a great dose of humility,'' Helfrich said. "There are some things from that game that we can execute, and there are some things from that game that we can throw out.''

The problem, the biggest problem, was that there just weren't that many plays to look at. Oregon's first seven possessions, stretching well into the third quarter, consisted of six three-and-outs and one safety. Before the Ducks' lone scoring drive, Boise State had 19 points and Oregon had run 19 plays. . . . . .
In their third crack at Wilcox, the Ducks already have made some adjustments. Their system for sending in plays from the sideline has changed this season. Instituted in the spring, a series of poster-sized boards, each with four distinct images, is flashed from the sideline.

Kelly said the new signage system enables an even faster tempo. It also keeps Tennessee graduate assistant Peter Sirmon from cracking the code. [Oh no. Sirmon too?!?!?]

Sirmon, a seven-year NFL veteran, was a grad assistant at Oregon last season before joining his good friend Wilcox in Knoxville. The two were roommates and teammates at Oregon from 1996-99.

And finally from some drunk Vols . . .. Turn your volume WAYYYYYY UP!!!


There is no bad blood between Oregon and Tennessee, who have never met. Among the Ducks players, there is a healthy respect and maybe, just maybe, the desire to get back at Wilcox a little bit.

"Yes and no,'' center Jordan Holmes said. "He schemed us up pretty well last year, but when it comes down to it, it's just football. He's a really good defensive coordinator. If you can beat his scheme, you can beat a lot of schemes out there in the country. It would definitely be something that we would take pride in.''

By now you know the single scariest thing facing the Ducks this Saturday:
The dreaded heinous ROCKY TOP!  Coach Kelly knows it too . . . .


The following is from R-G writer Rob Moseley's blog:

“Once two strangers climbed ol’ Rocky Top looking for a moonshine still. Those two strangers ain’t come down off Rocky Top, reckon they never will.”


Yes, that was, of all people, Chip Kelly after practice today, singing the words to the unofficial Tennessee fight song, “Rocky Top,” which played on a loop for about the last three-quarters of practice today. Reckon we heard it 25 or 30 times.

“I love the song,” Kelly said, noting he’s done the same when USC is on the schedule. “... It’s a prominent factor for us, so just, get the guys used to it.”

It was also hot and humid in the Mo Center again today. Mike Bellotti was on hand watching and said the last time he created such conditions in the Mo were in 2003 prior to the opener at Mississippi State. But he just spent one day practicing in such conditions.

Kelly doesn’t want weather to be an excuse, he said, and so had his team practice in those conditions Tuesday and Wednesday. He said players are being weighed before and after each practice, as usual, to check that they’re staying hydrated.

“Getting in this type of environment has been really, really helpful for us,” Kelly said. “... We’ll be prepared from that standpoint.”

If the Ducks can beat Rocky Top, they can beat anybody. I'm not talking about the Vol's football team. I'm talking about a method of torture used at Guantanamo Bay.

Where is Osama Bin Laden?


I do not know.


"Oh Rocky Top, you'll always be, HOME SWEET HOME TO MEEEEEE
Goooooood Olllll' Rocky Top -- Wooooa. . . . . "

Please I beg of you, STOP.

Can't you just waterboard me?

Oregon at Tennessee Game time 4:00 PM Pacific. ESPN2
--KB

Are you ready for some FOOOTBAAAAALLLLL?!?!?!?!?

I have to tell you, I have been very busy this summer. More than that, I have been focusing on things that have NOTHING to do with the Ducks. Take my family for example -- my grandsons in particular. We've had a blast together. They've spent most of the summer at my house doing what we call "Papa Camp". Working, playing, running thru sprinklers when we're not watering the garden.

Also, I've started jogging regularly again for the first time since college. I'm eating more yogurt now. I'm involved in a regional progam to help the homeless. We're talking real mature grown-up stuff here.
   I've had very little spare time or interest to spend on Masoli, LaMJ, Bellotti, new Bball coach, new A.D., spring scrimmage, quarterback dual, and everything else that's come and gone these past six months.
   I knew football season was coming, but I was too busy jogging with my grandkids while eating a yogurt  and thinking about ways to help the homeless. I was happy in my new life, putting off the childish things of football and Ducks.  And honestly, I did not feel like going back. Being a better person felt good. Rising to higher priorities, contributing to a happier self and better world -- These are the things we should be focusing on.

Poor Tyler Thomas

   And that is where I would be right now if it wasn't for one person. One man by the name of Tyler Thomas: The freshman offensive linemen for the Oregon State Beavers who, two weeks ago, while drunk and naked, entered a strangers home; and when police told him to lie on the floor, he set himself into a three-point stance and charged at them. Poor dude got oh, so tazed.
   "Wonderful," I thought. Another bonehead college football player to mess with my feng shui and harmony with all that is good in life. I must block him out and focus to remain on this higher existential plane. And I've done just that . . . . .until now.
   Today, I saw a single gold leaf on an otherwise summery tree. The air touched me with that familiar brisk chill. I heard Dan Patrick in my head. I started seeing the colors green and yellow everywhere, though having nothing to do with the trees and flowers.
My mind turned back to that poor Beaver. And in an instant, all of that higher plane crap left me. I dropped my yogurt and ran straight home, leaving the grandboys in the street. I couldn't stop myself. The itch was back.


I had to come to this computer and tell all of you right here and right now . . . .
Did you hear about the drunk and naked OSU Beaver who crouched in a three-point stance and attacked the police?
They say he was holding a beer in each hand!!!
Get it? Naked . . . three-point stance . . . beer in each hand . . . . .?


OH. IT FEELS GREAT TO BE BACK.
I'm sorry about all that "mature, grown up" stuff. This is FOOTBALL SEASON. And it's time to welcome it back -- to celebrate the great and laugh at the stupid (Guess which one you are, Trojans?!?!?!)
   This season especially, we're excited to have a Duck team eager to get back to the Rose Bowl to settle some unfinished business. And I'll tell you right now. I think they got a better than 50/50 shot at doing it.
The schedule is tougher with games at USC and Oregon State. But this team is better (Masoli who?).
   A veteran solid offensive line is back. That right there is a huge factor. LaMichael (Which, as you recall, is Spanish for "The Michael".) James is back; or at least he will be after his one game 'girlfriend fight' suspension this Saturday. Senior Remene Alston is back and healthy. And so is Kenjon (Afterburner) Barner. That would be enough running backs. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
   Two freshmen are raising eyebrows and dropping jaws. Dontae Williams out of Houston, TX -- Kelly may redshirt him -- and the one who joins the Pac-10 Hall of Fame for Coolest Names along with Sonny Sixkiller, Igor Olshansky, and Sabby Piscatelli:  Welcome to Oregon, Lache Seastrunk!  Seastrunk is another punishing runner who reminds everyone of LaGarrette Blount minus the face punching.
   And if all of them should fail, Coach Kelly has discovered that 6'4", 192 pound redshirt freshman Daryl Hawkins, recruited as a quarterback, makes a fine running back or receiver. Kelly wants to just put him on the field and get him the ball any way he can.
   Our quarterback is Darron Thomas. He's the one whose fourth quarter heroics almost pulled Oregon out of the Boise State disaster last year. It was a choice between him and the very senior Nathan Costa. Costa is the mature, stable QB who will do no harm, make positive plays, and won't hurt the team.
   Thomas is younger, a little more risky, and definitely more explosive. His reaction to run out of the backfield is quicker. And his arm . . . oh, his arm. Look for 50 yard bombs ACROSS the field. Like I said, a little more dangerous. And we are learning that that is the way Kelly likes it.
   Seniors Drew Davis and Jeff Maehl will be Darron's favorite targets this fall, along with tightends David Paulson and JC transfer Brandon Williams.
   That's the offense. Naturally, with a new QB, it may go through some fits and starts. But here comes the great news. This year's defense will be BETTER than last year's.
6'7", 272 pound Brandon Bair may be one of the best defensive tackles in the league this year. Having hit the weight room and put on some pounds this summer, "The man's too big. The man's too strong." He, along with lightning quick DE Kenny Rowe, leads a sizable but young defensive line.
   But any inexperience stops there. Oregon is neck deep in experience and talent at the linebackers and secondary.

Here is Oregonian writer John Hunt's summary of the defense:

But the big excitement surrounds the defense. Under the direction of coordinator Nick Aliotti and with the infusion of ideas and energy from second-year defensive line coach Jerry Azzinaro, the Ducks should be improved from the unit that ranked fourth in total defense in the Pac-10 (336 yards) but first in yards allowed per play (4.6).


One key move appears to have paid off threefold.

The Ducks moved Eddie Pleasant from linebacker to rover, which put more speed in the secondary (Pleasant is the fastest defensive player), more speed overall (replacements Josh Kaddu and Bo Lokombo can move, too) and an enforcer in the defensive backfield to replace the departed T.J. Ward.

More position switches could pay off, too. Dion Jordan and Brandon Hanna have moved from receiver and linebacker, respectively, and now form fleet bookends on the second-team defensive line -- a unit that appears more than solid with Brandon Bair and Zac Clark inside, between Terrell Turner and preseason award watch list fixture Kenny Rowe at the ends.

Seniors Spencer Paysinger and Casey Matthews, the kind of players opposing coaches swear have been in Eugene for 10 years, lead the linebacking, along with Kaddu and Lokombo. The latter spent fall camp wreaking havoc on the Ducks' offense. Deep depth here includes hard-hitting Bryson Littlejohn, Dewitt Stuckey (another impressive fall camp) and coaches' favorite Michael Clay.

All that talent and versatility will have the Ducks often setting up in a 3-4 alignment.

The back four will include a bulked-up John Boyett (a team-best 90 tackles last season) and Pleasant at safety, Talmadge Jackson at one corner and what could be a corner by committee on the opposite side as coaches impatiently await the maturity of mercurial Cliff Harris. [Harris is a great, great talent. Word is he's kind of a bonehead, though. Has trouble following rules.]

The versatility of this team will be their strength. Pleasant leads several men who have the size and speed combination to come up as linebacker or drop back in the secondary. That corner by committee thing Hunt mentioned isn't a bad thing. It's Alliotti's good problem of having three or four young men who are very talented at that position.

Scouting New Mexico State.

The Lobos have this really good linebacker named Carmen Messina  . . . . . . That's it. 

Gametime Saturday, 12:30 Pacific time and will be televised by that fascist monopoly, Comcast.

--kb

Kelly on Patrick

Yesterday Oregon coach Chip Kelly was on ESPN's Dan Patrick Show. As we get to know Kelly better, we can see that he's not one to throw out any controversial bulletin board stuff. His vanilla comments make Mike Bellotti look like Mel Gibson; although there was one point in the interview where I thought Kelly stuck his foot in it. Here is a link to Patrick's page.

Below is a written transcript of the interview with my comments in green.

A daily recap of the Dan Patrick Show

Q&A with Oregon coach Chip Kelly

DP: Did you try to keep [Jeremiah] Masoli?

CK: Did I try to keep him? No. We have standards here at school that are straightforward, plain and simple. People have asked me, "Was it a hard decision?" No, it wasn't. He knew [he would be suspended] if he pled guilty. I had talked to him the day before. "If you plead guilty, you're suspended for the season. That's a decision you're making." He pled guilty and he was suspended for the season. We put a plan in place of zero-tolerance. If you can adhere to that plan, you'll have the opportunity to come back in 2011. And he didn't, so he's gone.


DP: Is he a bad kid?

CK: No, he's not a bad kid. He's made some bad decisions, but he's not a bad kid.


DP: How surprised are you that [Ole Miss head coach] Houston Nutt is going to give him another chance?

CK: I don't know. They're the ones who have to make that decision. In today's society, I'm never surprised at anything.


DP: Would there be a heads-up you give to Houston Nutt about Masoli?

CK: No, I talked to Houston. I think he did his due diligence and called around. I know he had talked to our offensive coordinator earlier. I actually talked to Houston last Thursday. He called and reached out while we were at our Pac-10 media stuff. I had a chance to share some thoughts with him.


DP: What did he want to know when he called you?

CK: He just wanted to know about Jeremiah as a person. We didn't talk about football. There was no: How fast is he? How strong is he? How does he read this coverage?


DP: Did you caution him at all about taking Masoli?

CK: No. It's kind of between me and Houston, but I just shared with him what happened and the events that happened here.


DP: What are your thoughts on the Pac-10's expansion?

CK: I think our footprint obviously got bigger in adding Colorado and Utah. We're excited about that [and] the fact that we've got to 12 teams so now we can play a conference championship. One of the knocks against the Pac-10 is that we don't play a conference championship like the SEC or Big 12 or ACC did. When it was playing out and you had all those other teams involved, it was kind of exciting. I was on the sidelines. I didn't have a vote in what we were doing because obviously I'm just a coach here. But it was kind of crazy for a little while there, when it was Pac-10, Pac-12, Pac-16.


DP: Did you think Texas would come to the Pac-10?

CK: I didn't know. There were so many teams thrown out at some point in time. I thought we were going to bring in Manchester United.


DP: What about Boise State? Did you think that would be a fit with the Pac-10?

CK: I never really heard that name, to be honest with you. It seemed like [Pac-10 commissioner] Larry [Scott] was going after the schools that were separating from those other BCS conferences. We never really discussed it until we got to our Pac-10 meetings. What we discussed what we were doing in moving forward with Colorado and Utah.

[What is Kelly supposed to say? "We really wanted Texas. Getting Colorado and Utah was like being nice to the ugly girls who are friends with the cute girl. 
Boise State? I wouldn't invite them into my Amway pyramid."]

DP: Who's the favorite to win the Pac-10?

CK: We were voted in by the media. Last year, they picked us to finish third and Arizona to finish eighth, and we finished 1-2. I think some media are very savvy, and obviously the ones who picked us are.


DP: Do you consider yourself the favorite?

CK: Not really. We don't worry about that. I know that's coach-speak for everybody, but we really don't. Everybody counted us out last year after the Boise State game when we lost our opener, but the great thing about college football is that one game doesn't make your season. Our players stayed focused, and 90 days from the day we played Boise State, we beat Oregon State on Dec. 3. One thing we know is that we control it, and it's up to us.


DP: What's next for the Oregon uniforms? Anything new or any surprises this year?

CK: Yeah, there are actually a couple of new wrinkles. I'm trying to get a camouflage stealth look, so people don't know what players have the ball.

[Go back to the diamond plating and let Nike provide diamond plated footballs.]

DP: Have you run into Lane Kiffin at all?

CK: I ran into Lane. We spent a week together, the entire Pac-10 coaches. We did a whirlwind tour of New York City and Bristol, and then back out to Los Angeles for media day. So all 10 of us spent last Monday to Friday together. [Oh SNAP! There it is. Kelly's pulling a Letterman and making a rude joke about Palin's daughter. . . . . Oh wait . . . . ESPN . . . . Bristol, CN.
OK never mind.]


DP: Were there any awkward moments with all you coaches together?

CK: No, we bonded. And the Pac-10 coaches are kind of like a boy band now.


DP: Who's the lead singer?

CK: [Arizona State head coach] Dennis Erickson, by far. Dennis Erickson is our Justin Timberlake.
[And Rick Neuheisel is David Lee Roth -- the star of the band until he nearly destroys it.

Arizona's screamer Mike Stoops: Definitely Robert Plant.]


AZ Coach Mike Stoops

DP: I would've thought Kiffin. I need a younger guy up there in front. I don't know about Dennis.

CK: I would go with Sark [Washington coach Steve Sarkisian]. If you're going younger, I would put Sark up there. He's got the personality.

[Kelly strikes me as very binary. On/Off.  Yes/No.  He's in, til he's out.  He doesn't suppose, speculate, think outloud, project, pontificate, or daydream. If he wasn't a coach, he would make a great presidential press secretary. ] --kb

Masoli gets sacked. Duck fans get 'Bash de Bundad'

Eugene, OR (AP)
Suspended Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was kicked off the team Wednesday, two days after a police officer cited him for marijuana possession and driving infractions.
In a statement, the university said Masoli was dropped because he did not "adhere to obligations'' outlined by coach Chip Kelly. The coach, through a spokesman, declined to comment.

A Springfield police officer cited Masoli late Monday on charges of possessing less than one ounce of marijuana, driving with a suspended license and failure to stop when entering a roadway, said Sgt. Tom Borchers of the Springfield Police Department.
Masoli can either pay a fine or contest the accusations at a June 24 court appearance, Borchers said.
Kelly suspended Masoli in March for the entire 2010 season after the QB pleaded guilty to burglary for his role in the theft of laptops and a guitar from a fraternity. Masoli remained on scholarship and practiced with the team this spring in hopes of returning for the 2011 season.


I'll leave it for the wiser, more philosophical thinkers to say what this latest goof-up with the law did to Jeremiah "Weed" Masoli.
"It only hurts him." "More than anyone, he let himself down."

For now, I'd like to stay shallow and tell you how he hurt us Duck fans.

Jeremiah, you lovable, enjoyable, entertaining, brave, talented dumb ass, you hurt your fans large. We literally sang your praises (I Luv My Ducks). We bought #8 jerseys. We watched you do great things for our team. REALLY GREAT. You were the heart and character of this Rose Bowl team!

But when it's all over and we look back, what will we remember?

I can't put it in words. In times like these, there's only one way to best express what Jeremiah has done to us Duck fans. Only one medium can show our pain:

Artistic Brazilian Interpretive Dance.

Here you will see two performers. The man represents us Duck fans. I know, he looks a little like Masoli; but for this exhibit, he is us.

The woman is Masoli. Beautiful. An absolute artist. A marvel to watch, delighting us with her talent. But in the end, what are we ultimately faced with? What part of Masoli strikes us?

Warning: The following Artistic Brazilian Interpretive Dance may not be suitable for children or bosses. Viewer discretion is advised.



The expression on the poor boy's face says it all. "I'm enjoying this . . . No wait . . . . On second thought, I'm NOT enjoying this."

So now we say "So long" to Jeremiah Weed Masoli. He made you cheer. He made you cry. He broke your heart. He bruised your face.

Holy Moly Masoli. Before you go, could you please get me a wet wash cloth and some antibacterial soap?

Advertisement

BELLOTTI STEPPING DOWN AS A.D. Will join ESPN.

Shocker!!!!!
Below is the text from ESPN. Click to see actual article here.

Updated: March 19, 2010, 4:52 PM ET


Bellotti quits as Ducks AD, joins ESPN


Former Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti has resigned as the Ducks' athletic director and will join ESPN as a college football analyst.


Bellotti, who assumed the position of athletic director in July, will provide studio and game analysis among several ESPN platforms, making his debut April 17 on ESPNU's telecast of Auburn's spring football game.


"I am really excited to join the best team in college football broadcasting," Bellotti said in a statement Friday. "Working as an analyst for ESPN is a dream come true and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I will bring the insight, experience and expertise I have gathered from 36 years of coaching college football to the studio and telecast booth. Spring ball is in full swing, I can't wait to start."


In 14 seasons, Bellotti's Ducks went 116-55 as he became the school's winningest football coach. In 2001, Oregon won 11 games, including a 38-16 victory over Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl to finish ranked No. 2.


"Coach Bellotti ranks as one of the most successful head coaches in the perennial power Pac-10 Conference," Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, production said in a statement. "His knowledge and experience will deepen our roster of analysts and provide us with a unique perspective of someone who recently coached in the game."

Mike Bellotti left football to be an athletic director, but football never left him. That's why he's now at ESPN instead of Oregon, as Ivan Maisel notes. Story

A UC Davis graduate in 1973, Bellotti joined Oregon in 1989 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Rich Brooks.
"He wanted to get back in football. That's the impression I got," current Oregon football coach Chip Kelly told ESPN.com's Ivan Maisel on Friday. "He's really, genuinely excited about the opportunity. I'm happy for him. I'm sad. I had one of the best situations. When your AD actually understands what it's like to be football coach, it's great."
Bellotti's tenure as AD had been tumultuous. Earlier this week, he dismissed men's basketball coach Ernie Kent because of losses and dropping attendance.

He's also seen a spate of player misconduct on the football team. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, mentioned as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, was suspended for the upcoming season last week after pleading guilty to a second-degree burglary charge.

Masoli was the biggest name atop a list of incidents involving nine players, five of whom were kicked off the team or suspended for 2010.

Running back LaMichael James, who set the Pac-10 freshman rushing record last season, pleaded guilty to an unrelated harassment charge and was suspended by Kelly last week for the season opener Sept. 4.

"I want everyone to know I'm not running from anything at all," said Bellotti, who said he will continue to make Eugene his home.

Information from The Associated Press and ESPN.com's Ted Miller was used in this report.

[When Bellotti was in the booth doing color for the USC game last Halloween, you could tell he was having a ball. But the timing of this just  adds to the topsy turvy rocking of the ship.
Some bloggers commented that Ernie Kent would make a better AD than Bellotti. Perhaps now that deserves more serious consideration.

Well, best of luck to you, Bellotti. But your timing sucks. You totally pulled a Sarah Palin.  --kb

Bellotti resigns

Top ten things Ernie Kent said to Mike Bellotti before he was officially fired.

10. O.K. Mike, before you say anything, let me tell you my great idea for next season. Are you ready?  Four words: HALF COURT SPREAD OPTION !!!

9.  I told Tajuan Porter he needed to drop a dozen three's every night. How is it my fault he couldn't do that?

8.  No Mike, I did not spray paint 'Kiss my ass, M. B.' all over the walls of the new arena.

7.  O.K. maybe I did. But I had nothing to do with drawing a swoosh with a slash through it and the letters 'F.U.P.K'. on Phil Knight's helipad.

6. O.K., O.K maybe I did that too. But the guy who mooned the Knight Arena construction webcam with the words, "You'll miss me when I'm gone. --E.K." written on his butt, . . . . that wasn't me.

5. I must say that I am proud of my kids going to class, graduating, staying out of trouble . . . . By the way Mike, how's that goin' with your recruits?

4. Hey Mike, Jordan says "Hi . . . .dopey backstabbing royal bullshitter. "  . . . . What? . . . . I said, Jordan says "Hi. Hope we get back to the Rose Bowl soon- . . . er . . . . "

3. The scoreboard in your new arena will NEVER swing. I WAS. I AM. I ALWAYS WILL BE . . . THE SCOREBOARD SWINGER!!!

2. You can take away my Oregon dream job; but you'll never take away my fine New York suits.

And the number one thing Kent said to Bellotti before he was fired . . .

1. I'll sue you for discrimination. You can't fire me just because I'm not Obama's brother-in-law!

Ha ha. Ho ho.  Look at me, I'm David Freakin' Letterman. But to get serious, I must talk about what brought Ernie back to Oregon 13 years ago.

Back then our coach was Jerry Green, a Kansas guy. He was going to turn Oregon into Kansas. He brought in the preseason 'Midnight Madness' scrimmages. He changed the font on the uni's to that familiar Kansas Riverboat style. And for his entire tenure at Oregon, he complained about Mac Court. He convinced himself after a year that he could NEVER make a Kansas out of Oregon. He grew to resent Oregon. In Green's final season, as fans questioned his recruiting and coaching, he kept saying, "I've got the toughest job in all of basketball," meaning he stopped believing in the product. He couldn't convince kids to play here because he hated it himself.

After showing Green the door, in walks Ernie Kent. A Kamikaze Kid who LOVES Oregon. He loves the old barn that is Mac Court. He changed everything back to reflect and show off and mean OREGON. And then he did better than any other Oregon basketball coach to introduce the rest of the nation to the Oregon Ducks. Pac-10 tournament champs. Two Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA's. I recorded that Sweet 16 trouncing of UNLV. What a glorious game. I consider that the brightest moment of the Kent era.

Still I was one of those who said Ernie had to go. Why? Honestly, I don't know. I can't tell you exactly why it wasn't working. It was likely a whole lot of factors. All we know is it just wasn't.

Nobody likes to see a good coach get fired. It's not like Jerry Green. That was a situation where Oregon had to fire him fast so as not to give him the satisfaction of quitting. He couldn't get out of Eugene fast enough for him or us.

But this is a sad move, even though it's the right move. One person was reported to have said, "Ernie Kent doesn't deserve to be fired; but Oregon deserves a change."

I suppose its appropriate that Ernie Kent goes out with Mac Court. He helped to bring a respectable end to a rich historic era. When the basketballs and towels are loaded up into the moving van, ready to go to their new gleaming home; when the popcorn machines and soda fountains are disassembled; when the doors are swung shut for the final time at the old barn, and somebody yells, "Last man out, turn off the lights." . . . . 

Let that man be Ernie Kent.

Why? Let him explain it in the following video, the press conference of his firing . . .

Ernie Kent reflects on his time at Oregon

Meanwhile, LeGarrette Blount has been a perfect boyscout!

Message on Chip Kelly's answering machine.

"Mr. Kelly? I'm the facilities manager at the Rose Bowl here in Pasadena.  We just found your football players' brains. They're here in a duffel bag marked 'jock straps'. Sorry about that. I hope you weren't missing them."

That is the only way I can figure how this group of guys went from brilliant to stupid faster than the fans could take down their Rose Bowl decorations and carefully put them in the attic for another 15 years.

Let us recap:

Jeremiah Masoli and Garrett Embry are accused of entering the SAE's house and stealing stuff. (Holy Moly! Is that my laptop, Masoli?)  Garrett Embry has been kicked off the team because that was just the latest of a series of stupids he's committed. Up til now, the investigation was ongoing.

Meanwhile, just literally around the corner the Ducks' poor kicker Rob Beard nearly got his head kicked in by a couple of thugs for no apparent reason. Funny story . . . turns out there was an apparent reason. These thugs were responding to a very drunk Beard forearming a 19-year old, 90-pound girl and knocking her to the ground. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault, but maintains he was too drunk to remember pushing her.

Defensive end Matt Simms got some revenge on the guy who beat up Beard. Too bad he pummelled an innocent person. He's off the team.

Sophomore linebacker Kiko Alonso was charged with DUI. Rumor spread that Kelly kicked him off the team. But it wasn't true. He just suspended him from playing for a season.

But that didn't stop wide receiver Jamere Holland from believing it was true.  And he decided his Facebook Page was called Facebook because it was the perfect forum to FACE his football coach. He called Coach Kelly's decision "Weak, weak, (bathroom word) (bathroom word)". My favorite line -- and unfortunately I can't find the exact quote now -- was when Holland said something like, "Look at me. I made some bad decisions and I'm still on the team."

I was envisioning Chip Kelly's Facebook Page the following day (assuming he had one) where at the very top it always asks, "What are you doing right now?"
Kelly:  "Kicking Jamere Holland's stupid ass off the team."

Then just in time for Valentines Day, Springfield police arrested Oregon starting running back LaMichael James on Feb. 17 on suspicion of strangulation, fourth degree assault and menacing of his alleged girlfriend. He was then required to wear an electronic bracelet, prompting laughing OSU fans to send me this:

New part of Duck uniforms

and this . . .

Oregon 2010 Media Guide

That brings us to today. The Eugene DA annouced they will charge Jeremiah Masoli and Garrett Embry with 2nd degree robbery -- a felony.

Also, LaMichael James will change his plea. He had earlier pled 'not guilty'. Word is he will change it to 'no contest' and get probation, battering spouse counseling, etc.

All three, coincidentally, will appear in court on Friday. Kelly said he will have a decision on Masoli and LaM. J. Friday -- probably after their court appearances.

What will happen to Masoli and LaM. J.?  The blog and twitter talk (which is about as reliable as trying to hold water in your hands) suggests the following:

LaM. J. will get a multiple game suspension.

Masoli? He's gone, not just for allegedly committing this crime, but also for lying to Coach Kelly about it afterwards.

The following is an interview by Kelly on ESPN's Outside the Lines February 23rd. I'll leave you with it while we wait for the other shoe or hammer or whatever to come down on Friday.