When a freshman tailback scores for the first time the old phrase is "act like you've been there before" if he gets a little crazy with the end zone celebration. Fans should do the same.
The only thing is, we HAVEN'T ever been here before. This is Oregon's first national championship game in 114 years of football, first one versus two bowl game of any kind.
But Duck fans ought to avoid getting in a woofing, flaming classless internet war with the Auburn fans, and ought to wear the colors proudly in Glendale without taunting or belligerence. This is particularly important when alcohol gets involved. We want to be gracious guests and bring credit to the university.
No doubt, a moment like this has to be celebrated and savored. The Ducks just went undefeated, beat the Beavs for the third year in a row, and won their second consecutive undisputed conference championship. This was a team that met every challenge, answered every doubt and critic, and won with heart and resilience and character. After a long winter and an encouraging spring and an anxious summer, the fall went by too quickly, but gloriously. Now there are five long weeks without a game. We'll rewatch every game tape, and scour the web for news and updates.
Some of us have waited all our lives for this. I attended my first Ducks practice as a high school junior. I was late getting back for the prom. After the Toilet Bowl and the Poulon Weedeater Bowl and almost getting kicked out of the league, after being charter members of the bottom ten and annually 3-8 or worse, after losing to an 0-9 Beaver squad, or watching in horror as the field goal team couldn't get lined up or a great quarterback had his worst day ever or the Ducks got two punts blocked in one game, after watching a big, clumsy tailback kick a fumble twenty yards to the opponents' end zone for a touchback, or a wide receiver fumble the ball into the end zone on the next to last play of the game on a tying drive, or watching an offseason deteriorate in a morass of court dates and embarrassing incidents and Canzano chortling, this is sweet. Really sweet. Crack open a cold light beer sweet. We're going to the Natty.
We have to be prepared for the bandwagoners. The obnoxious neighbor who doesn't know a zone read from a bologna sandwich will suddenly have a pennant on his car. Known Beaver sympathizers will show up at the grocery store in new head gear. Just go with it. Just accept it. Take pride in knowing your roots are deeper, and that you understand what it means, and what a long journey it was. Let 'em climb up on, and don't give them a push when they stagger off a few months from now.
It's important to remember that things go in cycles in college football. Tennessee won a national championship in 1998, and some mismanagement and a cycle of poor coaching choices brought the team to a place where they are just now recovering, putting together a winning streak at the end of the year to make a bowl. USC was brought down by an NCAA investigation and the departure of an outstanding coach to the NFL. Oregon won't stay on top forever, but there will always be something special about Autzen, being a Duck, and rooting for this team.
Now that we've arrived at this incredible moment, we should act like we expected it all along. It was earned by the hard work, spirit and courage of a generation of incredible Ducks, on the field, in the coaches' offices, and in the stands.
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