[Photo Quiz: one doesn't deal in hypotheticals, and the other is famous for practically no reason.
]College football analyst Kirk Herbstreit once compared the Ducks to Paris Hilton, but imitation is the most unmistakable exposer of petty criticism. For a few years now the Ducks have gotten loads of carping and mockery for the multiple uniforms and innovative looks, and suddenly many of the schools that snickered are now wearing me-too alternative colors. Thursday the Huskies were all in black, and Friday night the Boise State Shetlands looked like an electric kool-aid acid test in the most garish shade of orange since the Doug Williams' Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
I'm a hidebound traditionalist; I'd love to see the Ducks in throwback green and yellow every week, but the kids love the flash, many of them citing the uniforms as a reason Oregon caught their eye in recruiting.
It is amusing to see all these schools that once derided Oregon for innovation trying so overly hard to achieve some of their own.
On the field, I'm shocked Pat Hill's Fresno State team didn't put up more of a fight against BSU. They used to be a very tough anywhere, any opponent, any time football team, but in the last year or so they seem to have lost their edge. In past years they played Oregon and even USC extremely tough, churning out a bunch of hard-nosed players, even a few that were NFL-ready, but this was a lackluster effort. The Broncos are a strong team, especially in this competition, but the Bulldogs don't have the fire and toughness that once made them the most formidable non-AQ.
Wow, has Jake Locker ever regressed? Last spring Mel Kiper and others were talking about him as a potential number one pick in the draft, and after electing to return for his senior year, passing up millions of dollars, he's put up some stinker performances, 4-20 against Nebraska, and last night 10-21 for 68 yards and an interception versus UCLA. He was playing hurt, but there is a fine line between playing hurt and hurting your team. Keith Price had much better numbers on the road facing Oregon's defense two weeks before. Harsh to say, but Locker should have come out early, and should have sat on Thursday. While you have to respect his competitive fire, he's not right and not productive. At this point he might have a better future as an outfielder for the Angels.
Valid point. Locker would definately be better off going to play baseball. All that will happen in the NFL is he will get knocked around and beat up. His body has already taken a heck of a lot of punishment playing behind the atrocious Husky offensive lines of the past couple years. And to my untrained eye, Keith Price looks like a more talented player.
ReplyDeleteNick--
ReplyDeleteI agree. Locker has all these great measurables, but he's a career 55% passer who hasn't improved in four years as a starter. By all accounts he sounds like a good kid with plenty of athletic talent, but he's no NFL quarterback. Price has much better instincts.
Thanks for commenting.
Dale