Bye Bye Bellotti

Amazon Park
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

What I have thought for the last few month's has been made official. Mike Bellotti has stepped down as Oregon football coach and will become AD as of July 1st. Let's hope the Kelly era sees the same if not better success than the Bellotti era. Mike took the program to new heights and I like that he will still be involved as AD. He faces a likely big decision regarding Ernie Kent. My feeling is that Kent gets another year and it is go to the NCAA's and win a game or two next year or a new hoops coach will open the new arena.

Life Goes On

Oregon Zoo
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Not too much to say right now - the Ducks are enjoying their worst season ever and I have no time to watch sports these days but I don't miss them too much either. Evie is growing up so fast and Emily an I are doing our best to keep up with her.

Off to Eugene

Oregon Zoo
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Heading down to Eugene for the weekend - maybe I will get some better perspective on Oregon news . . . a few predictions on major issues though:

Blount will get his act together and be a Duck this fall
Bryce Brown doesn't end up at Oregon
Mike Bellotti has coached his last game in Eugene
Oregon will finish 1-17 in the Pac 10
Ernie Kent will coach Oregon in 2009/2010

All of these are just educated hunches from what I have read and who I have talked to

Hoops

Snow in the Park
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

I decided on not doing a basketball power poll this year. I don't have the time to watch enough games this year make for a reasonable analysis but I will chime in from time to time with my thoughts. With the play of the very young Ducks this year my interest is a bit waned on college hoops this year but I am sure I will be jacked by tourney time.

Holiday Bowl

Royal Kahana Sunset
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Well definitely was a game of two halves - the Ducks played pretty horribly in the first quarter but the defense was able to keep them in by holding OSU to zero points in the second quarter. There were some very pivotal points in this game that had they gone the other way could have led to a Cowboy win. Obviously the Bryant injury was huge, that kid is a monster and has the look to be a Pro-Bowl caliber player at the NFL level. Another key turning point was the incomplete call on the what I thought was a touchdown catch by OSU that would have made the score 24-7, instead it didn't count and OSU missed the field goal keeping Oregon within 2 scores. Oregon deserves major credit for excellent kickoff return yardage, keeping OSU in front of them to not get beat by the long ball and by hitting incredibly hard on defense. Zac Robinson is probably in a world of hurt today, the kid showed a lot of mettle getting up from the Nick Reed (very borderline late hit) and TJ Ward hits. Give major kudos to the Ducks for coming together as a team and getting to 10 wins, this may have been Bellotti's best coaching job ever all things considered with the QB injury issues, the Doxey death and job status issues all hanging over him. The Ducks can hopefully use this game to springboard in to a 2009 BCS title run year.