Ruby!

Ruby! by BeFunky.com
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

I should really post more here but sometimes life just gets so crazy and you just lose track of time. This is our newest addition to the family, a spirited and cuddly little pup named Ruby. We adopted her in November and believe that she is likely a Red Mini Pinscher with perhaps a bit of Chihuahua in her. Ruby is a high energy dog who goes and goes and goes then crashes. She loves to snuggle and if she isn't running at full speed is likely sleeping or about to fall asleep.

Final Four Picks

At the Playground
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Well didn't post pre-tourney and didn't get to watch as many games as usually due to my Grandma's passing but it has been an enjoyable tournament so far. We had a lot of double digit seeds win the first weekend but got a Final Four with all traditional powers and top 4 seeds. On paper should be the best Final Four weekend since 2008. I like Kentucky to beat Ohio State in the finals and luckily this is what I had on my brackets for the most part too. If that happens I will take home some $ which is always nice!

Update on Life

Waipuilani Park
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Haven't posted since before New Year's so here is my recap of 2012 so far. The Ducks started it off with a bang winning a very exciting Rose Bowl game!. 95 years in the making! The family spent a glorious week in Maui in January getting away from the dreary Oregon winter. The little girls continue to grow up quickly, Mady is using more words by the day and is getting closer to being out of diapers (yeah says Mom and Dad!). I am looking forward to the NCAA Tournament and this week will closely follow the action in Eugene to see if the Ducks can pull off the amazing and earn themselves a spot in the Big Dance. Still think it may take winning the Pac 12 Tournament to have it happen . . .

Alamo Bowl Light?

The Girls in Hood River
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Oregon and Wisconsin both have incredible offenses but the winner of the Rose Bowl will be the team whose defense makes the most stops. I see a high scoring game that will likely make folks think of the battles between Michigan State and Wisconsin this year more than say last night’s Alamo Bowl. Look for Oregon to score quickly and Wisconsin to score on longer drives. The key question will be if Oregon’s defense is too winded to stop Wisconsin from scoring late in the game. I’d compare Wisconsin’s offense to a Stanford’s though with much better skill position players. Obviously Oregon blew out the Trees but the Ducks won’t have as large of a speed advantage and it should keep the game closer. The Badger’s QB Russell Wilson will have A class wideouts compared to the C level guys Stanford was throwing out there. Oregon will need to bring pressure on Wilson or he will pick apart the young Duck corners on play action as I see the Ducks attempting a lot of selling out to the run early. On the other side of the ball I think Wisconsin has some major questions defensively. They have a lot of size on defense but size isn’t the best defense against Oregon on the edges. The Badger linebackers will need to make tackles in space – if they don’t look for a bunch of explosion plays from LMJ, Kenjon Barner, Huff and DAT. If Oregon can score early and often Wisconsin will lose both the chance to have Ball kill clock and keep Oregon’s defense on the field for long sustained drives plus Wilson will not have the play action in his arsenal. He is deadly on play action just like Andrew Luck and the Ducks were able to shut him down for the most part as they forced him to throw almost every play in the final three quarters. Watch Oregon carefully there first few drives – is DT throwing accurate balls and are the wideouts making catches? If so this game could get ugly fast. If Oregon is not crisp and has a case of the drops like what happened against USC Wisconsin will be in the game all day and has a great chance to win if they can establish the run early. Oregon wins their first Rose Bowl since 1917 (is there a single Duck fan who remembers that game still alive?) by a score of 38 to 31.

Preseason Projections Reviewed

Vacation to Maui
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Here were my projections pre-season. included are notes as to what really happened . . .

North: Well reverse WSU and OSU and I nailed this one the injury to Jeff Teul was the biggest factor here I think.

1. Oregon
2. Stanford
3. UW
4. Cal
5. WSU
6. OSU

South: Well I whiffed on UCLA I guess but as expected this division was a joke in 2011.

1. USC
2. Utah
3. ASU
4. UA
5. CU
6. UCLA

Champion in a blowout UO over Utah at Autzen Stadium. I am calling it a few hours early but like Oregon big tonight over UCLA.

Pac 12 Offensive POY: Andrew Luck Not that I went out on a limb here but got this one correct . . .
Pac 12 Defensive POY: Shayne Skov Skov was hurt in September on the bad grass of Tucson Mychal Kendricks from Cal ended up winning

Freshman of the Year: George Farmer USC Farmer didn’t play until mid-season and played RB – Marqise Lee and DeAnthony Thomas were both dominant and shared the award

Breakout Star: Markus Wheaton OSU – Wheaton had a good season but only scored 1 TD – If I were to pick again I take Curtis McNeal from USC or Keith Price from UW

Coach of the Year: Kyle Whittingham - The cupboard was pretty bare for Utah at the skill positions overall a disappointing year one in SLC. David Shaw won it but I think that Lane Kiffin should have.
Hot Trend for 2012: At least two new coaches in the South – Got this and well really should have said it would be 3


Trending Up: WSU – This may have come true had they been healthy at QB this year.

Trending Down: UA – UA was not in a bowl this year and fired their coach Mike Stoops mid-season

Bowling: UO, Stanford, UW, Cal, Utah, ASU – UCLA got a waiver and is eligible even though they will finish 6-7

Don’t be shocked if: Utah “wins” the South with 4 conference losses – Had they not crapped the bed against CU this would have happened instead UCLA pulled off the feat despite getting boat raced 50-0 in their final game versus USC

Team I could be very wrong on: OSU – Nope OSU was in the words of Dennis Greene “what we thought they are”

Call me crazy but : One of either Mike Stoops or Rick Neuheisal don’t survive October – Surprisingly Rick made it to late November I was wrong on this one – Stanford could have lost to USC and Cal but Luck pulled those both off and well Oregon destroyed Stanford.but I was correct on Mike

Fairly certain: Only one Pac 12 team will play in a BCS bowl and it will be Oregon in the Rose Bowl – I hope this doesn’t happen, it will be a raw deal if Stanford doesn’t make the Fiesta Bowl

You heard it here first: Stanford beats Oregon but loses two other games in league play – I was wrong on this one – Stanford could have lost to USC and Cal but Luck pulled those both off and well Oregon destroyed Stanford.