Sorry, Kari

Jeff Alworth

VinceAs many readers of BlueOregon know, our own Kari Chisholm is a faithful Trojan alumnus, and yesterday journeyed to SoCal to watch the Rose Bowl live and in person.  Ah, but it was not to be.  Reggie and Matt have the Heismans, but this morning, Vince has the title. 

Congrats to the 'Horns and condolences to the Trojans (and Pac Ten).

Now, just one thing.  Why don't you give up those Cali allegiances, Kari?  Bout time you became a true green Quacker Backer. 

  • Bob (unverified)
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    Two observations from last night's game:

    1. Did someone hit Pete Carrol upside the head with 3 minutes left to go or something? Going for it on 4th and then calling a TO on the 2-pt conversion?

    2. Vince Young uncorked easily the most impressive performance I have ever seen in a college FB game, particularly such an important one.

    I agree btw, that Kari should switch allegiances, GO DUCKS!

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    Thanks, Jeff. You're hilarious.

    I was at the game last night - in the USC endzone, and had a crystal clear up-close-and-personal view of the final two touchdowns by Vince Young that sealed the deal.

    Helluva game. Seems like they could have played 60 more minutes, and they just would have kept trading touchdowns.

    As for being a Quacker Backer... sure, other than my beloved Trojans, I'm a Quacker Backer. And a Beaver Believer.

    Call it a cop-out if you want, but I'm agnostic on the whole green vs. orange business.

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    To broaden the conversation a bit, I'll also point out this article from the LA Times:

    The archetypal football coach comes in two forms, stone-faced or caustic, both decidedly autocratic. The standard was established by the likes of Bear Bryant and Woody Hayes. But tonight, when the No. 1 Trojans meet the No. 2 Longhorns for the national championship at the Rose Bowl, a different breed will pace the sidelines. Pete Carroll of USC is known as personable, a prankster even, conducting practices as upbeat as they are competitive. Mack Brown of Texas says he has tried to loosen up and better understand his players, which includes lending an ear to their music. "For too many years, you had to scream and shout and beat a table to be a coach," Brown said. "That's not right."

    Having watched these two great coaches achieve the extraordinary (and having seen something similar back in my own high school varsity swimming days), I wonder: Is it finally time for the autocratic, screaming-and-yelling style of coaching to go the way of the Neanderthals? Is it finally time to recognize that motivating, educating, and coaching young people to achieve can be based on more than fear and hatred?

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    Well who am I to throw stones? As a proud Wisconsin grad, I have to say that, should the green ever face the red, my quacking starts backing out--to the joyful strains of "On Wisconsin."

    Maybe THAT'S what Kermit meant when he said it ain't easy bein' green (or lightning yellow).

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    USC was the better team last night, but Vince Young was the best player. he was enough to overcome USC's superior team, but Texas was also lucky time ran out. another 30 seconds or so, and the Trojans win on a field goal.

    and not to forget the bogus TD -- unbelievable how badly the refs and timekeepers did. missed calls and screw-ups in the championship? must have been set up by the same people who designed the BCS in the first place.

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    I haven't had a team win in the post-season yet this season, including the pros (here in the Bay, we got screwed), except one - the University of Florida, over Iowa in the Outback Bowl. Which, by the way, includes not only Oregon, but USC. A USC win would have cemented the Pac-10 as the best conference in the land. TACKLE SOMEBODY, for God's sake!

    I'll openly admit it - I'm sick and tired of the 'Big' conferences: Big 12, Big Ten, Big East, big deal. And now that Oregon has started its basketball season (my other great sports love) to the tune of possibly not even making the Pac-10 tournament, I'm even more bitter and acerbic than usual.

    But I'll just throw this out there: your school is your school. So I don't agree that Kari should abandon that investment in the Trojans (even for another conference school) any more than I should have to quit wanting to Beat The Hell Out of (Air Force and) Navy. Not that Army is going to win very soon, either.

    And I respect you, Jeff, but it's a shame football season is over, because Wisconsin during basketball season epitomizes all that is odious and reprehensible about Big 10 basketball, doing so unexceeded by anyone except the team they just beat, Michigan State. If they ever called a foul in that conference, Izzo and Ryan would be at Detroit and UW-Stout, respectively. One of the happiest moments of my career as a sports fan was going to Boise for the Dance and watching Georgia Southern drop the Badgers like a hot rock in the first round.

    Anyway, 2005 sucked, football season very much included. God owes me an extra GOOD year this year.

  • confused (unverified)
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    this is just great... Kari flies to LA, drops a couple hundred bucks that could have been donated to charity, and burns up a shitload of CO2... what kind of liberal leadership is this?

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    Yeah, that's right - no one should ever have any fun in their lives whatsoever.

    Puh-leeze.

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    Heh. I LOVE that--liberals shouldn't take planes to go to football games. That's debate on a high level, I tell you what.

    John, my tongue was in my cheek when I told Kari to give up the Trojans for the Ducks. Always back your alma mater! As for UW basketball, I agree its ugly. But so what? A college team is made up of the best talent that can be recruited, and Wisconsin is usually made up of slower, less athletic Wisconsin kids. Every now and again they get a ringer from Chicago, but mostly they have to do with players who weren't getting recruited by Duke and Michigan State (at least Michigan is a larger state with a much bigger pool of talent). The choice isn't between becoming an up-tempo, fun team or a grinding team, it's between being a sucky grinder and a good one.

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    Sorry, bro, you hit a nerve, is all. Don't mind me.

    But c'mon - didn't Finley play there? You've had more than one at a time. And if the choice isn't between becoming an up-tempo fun team or a grinding team, I have three words for you:

    <h2>Explain West Virginia. :)</h2>

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