In preparation for the ‘08 Olympic Trials, the painfully white City of Eugene is bracing itself for an influx of mysterious, dark-skinned athletes by giving diversity training to volunteers, police and hospitality workers. I don’t know what’s funnier - the actual story or the news anchor’s faux outrage. Maybe it just sounds a lot stranger to people who haven’t been embedded in this bizarre Bermuda Triangle of crazy for the past two or three years. For example, when I watched this I said, “Yeah, that sounds about right for Eugene.” Thanks to Mike G. for the tip.

Both The Oregonian and and the Register-Guard have front-page stories on Phil Knight today. The Oregonian story is huge, covering Knight’s influence in the UO and much of the controversy that accompanies it. Knight refused to be interviewed for The Oregonian. It’s funny because Knight actually requested an interview with the R-G to clear up some of the same issues that the O story brings up. He said he wanted to assure people that the new arena project was not “some kind of unseemly scam on the taxpayers.” The R-G article is mainly a Q&A fluff piece, although it’s interesting to hear Knight speak out.

One point of interest is that Knight’s $100 million donation comes with the stipulation that it can be withdrawn if the UO does not secure state-backed bonds for the new arena by June 1. The state legislature approved a $200 million bond in February, and the UO will take its case to the State Board of Higher Education next month for final approval. Coincidently, the UO spent $270,000 in lobbying expenses in 2007, up from $90,000 in 2006. I wonder how much they’re spending this year?

You know, if there’s one group in football that doesn’t get as much press as it deserves, it’s the offensive line. Well, the Duck’s offensive line is looking to put a little glamor back in the position. They just put out a calendar full of humorous, surreal beefcake shots of themselves. All the proceeds will go towards the National Childhood Obesity Foundation (natch). If you’re wondering how surreal, well …

I’d make a lot of snarky comments, but Everyday Should Be Saturday is already on top of things. Thanks to OC Alum Ian Spencer for bringing this to our attention.

A must-read for Ducks football fans (and anyone who wonders how well injured players are treated at Oregon):

Because he wanted to travel with the team, Dixon didn’t have surgery until Dec. 15. Two days later he was walking without crutches. After five days he was riding a bike. In two weeks he was throwing, and a month after that, he was running. Day after day, as Dixon lay on a massage table in the training center, Terrell tested the knee’s range of motion and Dixon watched the myriad televisions tuned to ESPN. The draftniks didn’t mention him as they talked about other quarterbacks — Matt Ryan, Brian Brohm, Chad Henne — whom he had outplayed for 2 1/2 months.

Agent pitches to potential draftees are often superficial, all about dropping names and promises. Jeff Sperbeck of Octagon went to Dixon in early January with a concrete proposal. He wanted to turn Dixon’s dormant Heisman website into a platform to broadcast his rehab. The site would rebuild Dixon’s image as trainers rebuilt his knee. He wouldn’t be ready to work out in February at the NFL combine or in March on Oregon’s pro day, but the Internet could help persuade skeptical NFL general managers that Dixon was still worth drafting.

The Oregon Commentator brings you its eighth issue of the year, The Sports Issue. Inside you will find:

• A somewhat interesting editorial
• “Rifle and Pistol Sports” by Publisher Guy Simmons
• “Sonic Doom” about the sketchy sale of the Seattle Supersonics by Managing Editor Jake Speicher
• The only NCAA bracket in the country with Sudsy on it
• “Rugby: Best Sport Ever” by Associate Editor CJ Ciaramella
• “Ray Schafer: A Model American” by Sarah Cate
• “Budget Golf” by newby Matt Tham
• “Hypocrisy of MCC affiliates disrespectful of campus culture” by Sean Jin
• “How the homeless will save the economy” by Another Perspective columnist Austin Himes
• A stellar representation of the ASUO by Bryanna Torgeson
• And much, much more!

The Oregon Ducks made the NCAA tournament, which begins Thursday.  The Ducks are a No. 9 seed and play Mississippi State in the first round.  The Bulldogs finished 21-9 overall and won the Western Division of the SEC.  The Ducks are in the same bracket as Memphis, Texas and Stanford, with Memphis being a likely second round match up.

Hopefully Mitch Platt and StingRay Schafer will lead us to victory.

There are many problems some of my friends and I have with the Pit Crew. I think it’s a shotty sports fan group for the most part. There will be a commentary about this in the OC’s next issue, next week, but for now, read this article from SI.com and decide if the Pit Crew is a good use of student funds (granted they only get a few hundred dollars, but still). I really hope the athletic department discontinues the Pit Crew section in the new arena.

There are two opinion pieces in the Ol’ Dirty today about Duck wrestling getting the ax. From the editorial:

The clearest explanation of why wrestling won’t be back next year is that there is no clear reason.

From a sports column by Doug Bonham:

Out of the research I’ve done, interviews I’ve conducted, and everything I’ve seen surrounding the end of the program, not one of the athletic department’s arguments holds much water.

My initial reaction was “isn’t Title IX a clear reason for having to cut wrestling?” But then I read this ODE feature from last week that reported:

Contrary to common belief, the decision to remove wrestling is not a Title IX issue; Oregon qualifies for Title IX under history of expansion of opportunities for women, which doesn’t require removing men’s sports.

I contacted Joe Giansante, associate athletic direct — external communications, asking if Title IX actually isn’t connected to cutting the sport. He said that Title IX was a factor in the decision, but only because it is a factor in every decision the department has to make. He said that Title IX and money have incorrectly been pointed to as the sole reasons for the sport being eliminated. From an e-mail: (more…)

 

The $100 million pledge by Phil and Penny Knight has a timeline, reported by the Oregonian Saturday and the RG today. The agreement of the Knights’ gift says none of the $100 million may be used for construction purposes and it expires on June 1. So unless the Legislature approves the $200 million in bonds for construction of the new arena by Feb. 29, when the current emergency session ends, the athletic department will not get the $100 for the Legacy Fund.

“We’ve said from the beginning, to people who’ve asked about it, that (the Knights’) pledge is contingent on us being able to move forward on the arena project,” said Allan Price, the UO’s vice president for advancement, when contacted Saturday. “But we haven’t made a big deal about it.”

[…]

“Clearly, we’ve said that the arena project is the highest priority for the athletic department,” Price added. “And if we can’t move forward on it, why give that money to the Legacy Fund?”

And if the Legislature doesn’t approve the bond request? Then it looks like that would be a deal-breaker on the Knights’ donation, Price said

The most talked about football recruit in the nation, Terrelle Pryor, held a press conference today, which is national signing day, saying he will wait to decide what school he will attend. His top four schools are Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State and Oregon. Pryor said he will visit Eugene.

The Duck’s offense seems to be the best fit for Pryor, a 6′6″ 227-pound QB from Jeannette, PA, but the long distance from Oregon to his home has been reported as a major factor.

The list of commits thus far includes six 4-star recruits and one 5-star.

It was a big Saturday for me. After I dropt three straight games of chess on Friday, the home teams came through with a 3-0 record.

The day started with an 84-74 win by the Ducks basketball team over the No. 21 Arizona Wildcats at the McKale Center in Tuscon. The Ducks now have a 2-game winning streak at the McKale Center for the first time ever. Coach Ernie Kent said it looked like “Oregon of Old,” and the team overcame losing three of its last four games to mediocre opponents. Malik Hairston led the way with 29 points and Maarty Leunen had his eighth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The women’s team also beat the Wildcats, 59-53 at the Pit. Anyone have an update on when Stingray Schafer will be able to play? (more…)

UCLA has decided to hire Rick Neuheisel to coach their football team:

Neuheisel, a quarterback who was the MVP in UCLA’s 1984 Rose Bowl victory and later served as a Bruins assistant under Terry Donahue, was hired Saturday as his alma mater’s 16th coach.

His five-year contract is for $1.25 million annually, plus incentives.

[…]

Colorado was placed on two years’ probation by the NCAA for infractions committed while he was the Buffaloes’ coach. All were deemed secondary violations and most involved improper contact with recruits.

The AP story glosses over Neuheisel’s infractions while at the (first) college football program he destroyed. Here’s what the Gazette of Colorado Springs had to say back in 2002:

The NCAA announced Tuesday it has reduced the number of Colorado football scholarships, restricted coaching visits and placed the school on two years probation after a three-year investigation found more than 50 violations.

[…]

Most of the violations involved improper contact with recruits from 1995 to 1998 under coach Rick Neuheisel, now at Washington.

“In many instances these violations would not be considered very serious, but in the recruiting process, any recruiting violation could impact the decision of a prospective student-athlete,” said Tom Yeager, commissioner of the Colonial Athletic Association and chairman of the Committee on Infractions. “What made this case ‘major’ were not only the calculated attempts to gain a recruiting advantage, but also the number and pattern of the violations.”

So he commits “more than 50 violations” at one school, places bets on college athletics at another school, and is gleefully welcomed (and given $1.25M+/year) by the Bruins.

To put this hire into perspective, Rick Neuheisel was replaced by Gary Barnett because of his ethical lapses. Yes, Gary Barnett.

Congrats, UCLA!

Football Head Coach Mike Bellotti released a statement today saying he is “100 percent committed to the University of Oregon.” Bellotti allowed UCLA officials to meet with him in Eugene and discuss the Bruin’s vacant coaching position.

“I have a great job at the University of Oregon and believe we have built a special football program here…I never considered it an interview, merely an opportunity for them to provide me with some information and insights into their program.”

I can’t really see Bellotti going to another Pac 10 school any time soon, especially since the Ducks still seem to be in a building phase, with some top recruits signing and lending an ear to Belotti and University of Oregon.

Baseball released the Mitchell Report yesterday.  The investigation led by former U.S. senator George Mitchell linked 85 former and current players to steroid use in the last 10 years.  The list also included the names of 31 all-stars and seven MVPs. (more…)

There’s nothing like a new logo to really jumpstart an organization. The Oregon Track Club revealed this snazzy new look, created by Nike designer and former UO pole vaulter Tinker Hatfield, at the beginning of the year. 

The prominence of the club, “along with its partners the University of Oregon, local and state government, corporate sponsors and the local community,” reached a high with today’s announcement that along with the 2008 Olympic Team Trials, the 2012 Olympic Trials, and the 2009 and 2011 U.S. Outdoor Track & Field Championships will be hosted in Eugene and at Hayward Field.  

“We like to think that Eugene is the spiritual home for track and field in the United States, and we wanted to make it the physical home, as well,” said Vin Lananna, associate athletic director at the University of Oregon.

The “associate” part probably wont be there for long. In case any student groups want to get a piece of the pie, OTC business memberships are $100. I’d love to see the Chess Club in the Prefontaine Classic Program.