Got into a conversation the other day with a coug fan about who has the worst fans in the Pac 12. His answer? Oregon. And the beaver fan butting in on our conversation naturally said the same thing.
And they're not alone in this. Many of the other fans from the conferences 11 other teams say the same thing.
To be fair, even I can admit Oregon fans can be a little overzealous at times. What can I say? We're proud of our teams' recent success. The seed that was planted 18 years ago when Kenny Wheaton went the other way against Washington, is now a full grown Douglas Fir tree.
Oregon fans love to point out that their fir is more beautiful than yours! So if you're getting tired of it and want them to go away, it aint happin'.
Oregon has a track record that goes back to "the pick" in 1994, and has been building since. Joey Harrington took the program to the next level in 2000 and 2001. In both years - 2001 especially when they were snubbed out of the NC - Oregon was in contention for a national championship appearance.
Since Chip Kelly has been here (first as an OC in '07) Oregon has climbed to even greater heights. National champion contenders in '07, '09, played for it in '10, and again a contender last year.
Oregon is the only team currently in the country to have played in three straight bcs bowl games.
And fans that used to say, "Kelly has yet to win a bcs game," can no longer play that card after Oregon's win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.
Sure Oregon lost an experienced starter at QB in Darron Thomas, who went 23-3, but the Ducks have depth all around, including at QB.
Both Brian Bennett and Marcus Mariota have tremendous potential.
Combine that with many key players returning, some people project Oregon will be BETTER in 2012, and they're set up nicely beyond 2012 as well.
Of course there are the sanctions yet to be handed down, and that's the only hope fans from the 11 other teams have. However, from what I've read so far, I see no reason to think it will be anything more than a slap on the wrist.
And Chip may leave for the NFL as he almost did earlier this year.
The point is this: the program that turned the corner in '94, will keep movin' along.
The Ducks aren't going away.
Life is all about taking risks. You're never going to get anywhere if you don't. You have to have faith that things will work out.
The great Martin Luther King Jr. once said about faith "it's taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
Darron Thomas took a giant leap in faith over the weekend by announcing his decision to go pro. You ask many of the draft experts, and they'll tell you they were baffled by this decision. Most of them have him going in the late rounds at best.
Thomas told ESPN on Saturday that he can "offer leadership, (a) winning attitude, hard work and I can make big plays. I saw what Cam Newton did this year. He took his raw talent and made a spark. I can do those things, too."
I have to respect him for this. Chase your dreams and don't be afraid of failure.
Instead of being negative, now it's time to celebrate his career, and look back on some of my most memorable moments of him.
They say the backup quarterback is always the most popular player on the team. Which is why I wanted to see him play right away, even in front of Jeremiah Masoli, who was doing pretty good in his own right. I was excited when Oregon landed the four star recruit from Houston, Texas, for the potential of what he could do. I envisioned another Dennis Dixon.
We got our first taste of Thomas on a sunny, but chilly, September afternoon at Autzen stadium against Boise State. The Ducks were inexplicably losing bad. The Ducks were just flat and fell behind early. Things went from bad to worse when, starting QB Jeremiah Masoli got knocked out for the rest of the game on some cheap shot hit. Chris Harper came in to play quarterback, but was ineffective.
With the Ducks down big in the fourth quarter, they needed a change at quarterback to provide them with a spark. In came Darron Thomas, and did just that. He nearly brought the Ducks back from a 24 point fourth quarter deficit, and went 13 of 25 for 210 yards and 3 touchdowns - in just one quarter - in a 37-32 loss.
It was a sign of things to come.
Thomas became a starter in 2010, and was successful in his debut by going 13 of 23 for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns - IN ONE HALF - in a 72-0 win over New Mexico.
He made the most of his first start on the road, in legendary Neyland stadium - in front of nearly 110,000 fans - by leading the Ducks to a 48-13 win over Tennessee. The weather delay from the lightning storm did little to affect him. In fact, it provided a 'spark' (pun intended) as the Ducks were trailing at the time, 13-3.
He played a huge roll in his first game as starter against rival Washington. He threw for a then career high 24 completions, for 243 yards and a touchdown; carried 12 times for 89 yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. He totaled 330 yards and a career high 4 touchdowns on the road against USC. A game in which the trojans labeled it "their superbowl."
Ducks won that game 53-32.
Thomas led Oregon to a 12-0 regular season record that year, and an appearance in the national championship. Despite the fact the Ducks lost (Dyer was down) he played well. He set individual game highs of 363 yards, 27 completions, and 40 attempts. He also threw for 2 touchdowns, and BCS championship game record for longest pass play, on an 81 yard strike to Jeff Maehl.
In 2011, Thomas led Oregon to another conference championship and a 12-2 record. He was brilliant in Oregon's 45-38 win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl, going 17 of 23 for 268 yards, with 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.
All in all Thomas threw for 5,910 yards, 66 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions, while leading Oregon to a 24-3 record over his two years as a starter. Arguably the most successful quarterback at Oregon - even more so than Joey Harrington.
Thomas has a confidence about him...that certain swagger you need to be successful. Which is why I think he's leaving now, despite what the "experts" are saying. He has that confidence in himself - the faith if you will - that he can be successful NOW. The same confidence he had to step in for the first time, and nearly lead the Ducks back against Boise. The confidence to go on the road for the first time, in front of 110,000 hostile fans. The confidence to throw for 330 yards on national tv, in what was your biggest game at that point. I think Thomas will be fine, and I wish him the best.
And "experts" have been wrong before. Kurt Warner, Tom Brady anyone? How about Victor Cruz? Nobody saw him comin.
Thomas leaves the program in good hands. Whomever takes over - most likely Brian Bennett - is in position to have a successful first year. The Ducks have a pretty light non-conference schedule, which will give the new starter a chance to get some experience, and develop a rhythm with the team. And there is plenty of talent on offense coming back as well. This will give the starter and the young talent a chance to develop a nucleus.
Countdown to spring ball has already begun! May 5th we will get to see these guys, and what the future holds. Well, at least get a better idea.
