What We Already Knew: Auburn's Title Is A Fraud

Congratulations Auburn on your cheap ass tainted title.  Of course it should really come as no surprise to anybody.  Where there's smoke there's fire, and this thing started smoking weeks before the 2010 national championship.

Among the allegations that just came out were changing players' grades so they could be eligible to play, offering money to potential NFL draft picks, so they could return for their senior season, and recruiting violations committed under former head coach Gene Chizik. 

I've never understood what good vacating wins does because we all know who won, but if there ever was a case where a team deserves to be stripped of a title, it's this one.

The whole team was full of dirty players who were getting paid and bribed to be there, and didn't even have to go to class to be eligible to play.

Think about the players playing in that game that shouldn't have been, starting with Cam Newton.  The laptop thief from Florida bailed on them and wound up at Auburn, who just did a better job at outbidding others. 

That's obviously a violation.  Then there were nine others that were academically ineligible (or should have been) but had their grades changed, just so they could play.

Included in that nine was star RB Michael Dyer.  Duck fans know that guy.  If it wasn't for him and his stupid wrist that touched the grass, and the blind official that missed it (probably paid for by Auburn), Oregon may have won the game.

He shouldn't have even been playing!  Take him and Cam out of the game and Oregon wins easily.

Hey Auburn, how does it feel having basically a team full of semi-pro and ineligible athletes and yet you could only beat Oregon by 3?

Auburn fans should be embarrassed.  You can't take pride in winning it that way.  It's so obvious they were cheating.

Just look at what happened once those players started trickling out.  How did Gene Chizik following the year they bought their national championship?  8-5 to 3-9 to jobless.

That 3-9 record gotta sting a little eh Auburn fans?
What's the matter?  Run out of money and couldn't afford to buy anymore players?  You deserve whatever the NCAA throws at you, and it probably won't be enough.           

The Rise Of Oregon Football

Despite all of Oregon's recent success, I still get the occasional "we used to whip up on Oregon every year."  It's no secret that prior to 1994, the only thing Oregon was known for was their track program, and some movie called "Animal House."

1994 was a significant year in Oregon football.  It was the year they decided to take this football thing serious, and turn the program into a national powerhouse.

Oregon in the 1994 Rose Bowl

It was also significant because Rich Brooks took the Ducks to the Rose Bowl, their first trip to Pasadena since 1958.  Oregon lost to Penn State and after the season Brooks left Oregon for the NFL.  

Replacing him was offensive coordinator Mike Bellotti, who had the vision of building upon the success Brooks started. 

The 1995 season brought Oregon's second straight 9-win season and New Year's Day bowl game.  This time it was the Cotton Bowl, and another loss, but the program was still gaining attention.  In particular, from a very important graduate.

Nike founder Phil Knight wanted to help Oregon sustain their success and continue to build upon it.
His vision was to make Oregon into a national powerhouse as well.  

The result has been one of the greatest rises in college sports history.

The 2000 season brought Oregon their first 10-win season in program history following a 35-30 win over Texas in the Holiday bowl.

Oregon vs. Texas from the 2000 Holiday Bowl

The following year they earned their first ever 11-win season with a convincing 38-16 victory over Colorado in the Fiesta bowl.  They also finished the season ranked #2 in both final polls, their highest ranking in the final polls in program history.

By now Oregon was recognized as a legitimate player on the West coast.  Elite players were slowly starting to trickle in to Eugene.

Meanwhile, Phil Knight was at work behind the scenes donating money to the program to improve the facilities, and also by working with players, allowing them to be part of the uniform design.

Nike's partnership with Oregon appealed to elite recruits like former five star recruit (WR) Cameron Colvin, who chose Oregon over programs like Michigan and USC.

"Nike is the elite in sports apparel and having the ability to work with them and give feedback, while also helping with uniform design is a big deal to a teenage kid," Colvin said.

2005 brought another 10-win season and more uniform changes.  On Nov.19, Oregon played Oregon state in their rivalry known as the civil war, and the Ducks debuted some uniforms that had never been seen before.

Shocking and cutting edge to some, disgusting to others, it got people talking about Oregon football.
The players seemed to like them...they went on to crush the beavers in that game, 56-14.

In 2007 Oregon introduced Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, who instilled a flashy new spread offense to match the uniforms.  

Oregon QB Dennis Dixon scoring on a fake statue and liberty play vs. Mich

They took their show on the road to Ann Arbor for an early season showdown on national t.v. with Michigan.  The Ducks uniforms and offense were on display for everybody to see that day, and they earned a program defining win, handing Michigan their worst home loss in school history (39-7).

Oregon climbed as high as #2 in both polls and were in the drivers seat to play for a national championship, until QB Dennis Dixon tore his ACL and was lost for the season.  

The season could have been so much more for Oregon, but they finished with a 9-4 record and a Sun bowl victory over South Florida, 56-21.

2008 was another 10-win season for Oregon, and was also Mike Bellotti's last as head coach.  In 15 years Bellotti went 171-55.  Replacing him was offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

All Kelly did was take Oregon to even greater heights.

In 2009, Kelly led the Ducks to a 10-3 record and a birth in the Rose bowl against Ohio State.  Even though Oregon lost (26-17), recruits were taking notice across the nation about this Oregon offense, and wanting to play in it.

2010 was a year of many firsts for Oregon: their first 12-win season, first time to ever start a season 12-0, first time being ranked #1 in the nation, and first ever appearance in a national championship game.            

If it wasn't for the refs blowing this call (his wrist was down) Oregon may have a national championship by now

  

A heartbreaking 22-19 loss to Auburn it was, but Oregon was still riding high.  They had become the "it program" with the "it coach."


The following year was another 12-win season and another trip to the Rose bowl.  This time Oregon won, defeating Wisconsin 45-38.  In 2012 Oregon earned their third straight 12-win season and a Fiesta bowl victory over Kansas State.

Kenjon Barner (24) and Oregon ran away from Kansas State in the Fiesta bowl

 Following the season Chip Kelly stepped down as head coach, leaving for the NFL.  He led Oregon to a 46-7 record, 2 bcs bowl wins (4 appearances), and had them in contention for a national championship every year. 

Now Mark Helfrich takes over as head coach, who previously served as Oregon's offensive coordinator (see a pattern going on here?)  If history is any indication, Helfrich is gonna continue to sustain the success left by his predecessors.

Since 1994 Oregon has risen to the top of the college football world.  What was once viewed at as a team that everybody whoops up on, became the bully's on the block.

This has been made possible thanks to coaches dedicated to building on the success, and one very rich alum, with the vision of making Oregon into a football power.

The talent is there, Nike, the facilities, and the commitment.  In other words, don't expect Oregon to fall off anytime soon.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS:

• 1994 - Oregon goes 9-4 and plays in their first Rose bowl since 1958 
• 1995 - Oregon goes 9-3 and was the year Nike founder Phil Knight got involved
• 2000 - Oregon's first 10-win season
• 2001 - Oregon wins 11 games and finishes #2 in the nation after crushing Colorado in the Fiesta bowl
• 2003 - Oregon gets a marquee win at Autzen over Michigan
• 2005 - Oregon gets another 10-win season and debuts a cutting edge new uniform that gets the people talking
• 2007 - Oregon clobbers Michigan 39-7 and spent the majority of the season in contention for the national championship. At this point Oregon became a national player.
• 2008 - Oregon gets a 10-win season and Mike Bellotti steps down as head coach
• 2009 - In Chip Kelly's first year as head coach, he leads Oregon to a 10-3 record and appearance in the Rose bowl
• 2010 - Oregon starts the season 12-0 and plays Auburn for the national championship
• 2011 - Oregon wins 12 games again and defeats Wisconsin in the Rose bowl 45-38
• 2012 - Oregon's third straight 12 win season is capped with a 35-17 win over Kansas State in the Fiesta bowl       

Ducks Set To Kickoff The Unfinished Business Tour

We are less than 40 days away from what promises to be a very exciting tour:  the unfinished business tour.  A tour that's been in the making since Oregon lost to Auburn in the 2011 national championship game.

Oregon's head coach Chip Kelly's resume at Oregon is pretty impressive.  How about the most wins of any bcs school over the past five years (53).  The most weeks in the top 10 of any bcs school (28).  Three straight conference championships.  And three straight bcs game appearances, including a win in last year's Rose bowl.

Auburn RB Michael Dyer's wrist sure looks down to me

The lone blemish on his resume is that loss to Auburn.  In particular, the way in which they lost.  Auburn was probably playing with an ineligible player in Cam Newton.  There were many questionable calls in that game, the most crucial of which came in the fourth quarter, when Auburn RB Michael Dyer appeared to be down (or was he?) but kept running, which put Auburn in position for the game winning field goal. 

Oregon didn't even play their best game, but still had their chances to win.  They only lost 23-19.

It had to have left a bad taste in Kelly's mouth.  Which is probably why, after contemplating an offer from the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Kelly came back to Oregon, concluding that:

"I have some unfinished business

  to complete at the University of Oregon."

It was with those words the tour was on.  Now of course Oregon has some questions to answer this year, and some big shoes to fill with the loss of Darron Thomas at QB, and LaMichael James at RB.

But they counter that with talent and depth.  Guys who are ready to step up, and ready for the spotlight.  And most experts have Oregon ranked in the 5-10 range, and being a contender for the national championship.

Chip Kelly and his rock band - one of the most exciting shows in all of college football - kick things off Sat., September 01, versus Arkansas State.

And this tour, will not end until Kelly has fulfilled his prophecy.  

 

 

A Playoff System Benefits The Ducks

Last year the Ducks 'Rose' to power. This year they hope to 'squeeze the day' by winning the Orange Bowl

Imagine if Ohio State or Auburn only had a week to prepare for Oregon.  That will be the case in 2014, after it was announced today that a playoff system has officially been approved.


No longer will there be the usual four or five week bowl layoff.  There's no question teams took advantage of the layoff in preparing for Oregon's offensive attack.

The extra time also allowed teams to rest its players and heel up.  Having fresh players and depth is a big key in playing against Oregon.

Now teams will have only a week in between games to prepare for the buzz saw, that is the Oregon offense, coming right at them.  Ask the Pac 12 how hard that is!  There's a reason why the Ducks have won three consecutive conference championships.

Of course the Ducks have to get there first, before even thinking about a national championship.  But if they do, the format plays into their strength.