Lets complain about a problem that doesn't exist

Apparently people are freaking out over Oregon's court because of the reflection from the LED ribbon around the Duck's new arena (see the reflection in that photo). I personally think that's a load of crap because...

(1) Every arena in America now has the LED ribbon
(2) Every arena in America has a basketball court that reflects the ribbon (Watch an NBA game you dolts!)

But alas, people are quick to condemn Oregon's court which is very, very Pacific Northwest-y.

If USC coach Kevin O'Neill had the urge to cover his eyes to avoid watching his team's discouraging 68-62 loss to last-place Oregon on Thursday night, he can at least take solace that he wasn't alone.

TV viewers from coast to coast had the same experience as a result of the headache-inducing glare from the iridescent ribbon board lining the upper level of Oregon's newly built Matthew Knight Arena.

The above photo offers a glimpse of the blinding reflection visible throughout the first-ever game at the $237 million arena built to replace venerable MacArthur Court. Add in the fact that the ribbon board changed color from white to yellow to green to blue every few seconds, and it made watching the game feel like staring into a strobe light.

Hard as it may be to believe, complaints over the glare actually overshadowed reaction to the unveiling of Oregon's crazy new basketball floor. The court is framed on all sides by a forest of brown-and-tan fir trees, an homage to the school's picturesque Pacific Northwest setting and to Oregon's 1939 national title team nicknamed "The Tall Firs."

Like the famed blue "Smurf Turf" at Boise State's football stadium, Oregon's forest floor is meant to be an iconic design that will immediately be recognizable to TV viewers nationwide. The design already generated buzz this summer and will surely draw more attention in the coming weeks.

Considering how much thought went into everything from the steeply tiered seats to the duck's epic entrance from the rafters to the "Deep In the Woods" slogan on the floor, it's tough to believe nobody bothered to check how the court would look on TV. Whether that's true or whether somebody just signed off on the TV image too quickly, that's a pretty brutal oversight.

Isn't this one of the dumbest things you've heard? There's an LED reflection everywhere, but since it's a new court, people have to complain.

Return of the Quack video

Brandon roots for WSU. I cheer on UW.

But this video is from the PAC 10 rival University of Oregon. I'm posting it because they did a great job.

Supwitchugirl, which entered the popular culture last year with "I love my Ducks (I smell roses)" are back with a new video -- "Return of the Quack."

Check it out:



And if you want to watch their first video here you go:

Oregon football

I just heard this during the Rose Bowl:

Next season the University of Oregon football team will be returning 18 starters.

That is a ton. Sure they just lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, but this means that it is a very young team. They most certainly will be favored to repeat as the PAC-10 champions.

No pants, no underwear, no frisbee

Walk onto any college campus around the US and holler, "Hey, anyone want to play a game of Ultimate Frisbee?" And you're sure to be pummeled by interested players.

Yes, it is that popular.

The rules are simple, catch, throw, catch again, no running, get into the endzone and one more. What was it? Hmmm...? Oh right! Wear pants.

One of the club teams for the University of Oregon forgot the last rule when they were at a competition in Corvallis, Oregon. (FYI, Corvallis is home to Oregon State University. Oregon and OSU like each other as much as UW and WSU like each other) in other words. Not a lot.

This team, has a team name of EGO. I guess it stands for Eugene Gentlemen's Organization. Anyway, the team EGO was a very high ranked team among club teams, and at the match against OSU five of the players removed their shorts and underwear and played.

Now the reasoning behind this action is not known but I guess they were supposedly wearing long shirts. Here's what I think really happened:

OSU player, talking to his teammates: "It's getting hot out boys. Let's take our shirts off."
(Remember a lot of frat guys play club and intermural sports)

EGO player: "Yuck, you're all sweaty. Don't rub against me!"

OSU: "I'm sweaty cause it's warm out. I'm in a frat. Are you?"

EGO: "No, now let's play."

OSU: "I love my frat brothers. They are the bestest."

EGO: "Whatever. Let's play. And put your shirt back on."

OSU: "You should really join a frat. We never do homework and still get A's. We also play frisbee a lot and pop our collars. Oh! And we wear lots of pink shirts and think we're tough! I love frisbee!"

EGO talking to teammate: "We've got to do something awesome to these guys."

OSU: "OMG!!!! You took your pants off!!!! I'm telling!!!!" Then he runs away.

Moral of the story: Don't play frisbee without pants on.

University of Oregon Baseball Update: A good way to start the program

It may have taken 28 years to come, but the Oregon Ducks won their season opener in baseball tonight.

The Ducks took on Saint Mary's in the first baseball game played by the University of Oregon since 1981, and they walked off the field with a 5-3 win.

I must say that is a pretty good way to start not only a new season, but a new program as well.

Oregon’s offense totaled five runs on 13 hits, while freshman left-hander Tyler Anderson recorded his first victory on the mound.

Anderson left the game with the lead after pitching 5.2 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on eight hits and four walks, while striking out five.

Freshman KC Serna, junior Jett Hart and junior Curtis Raulinaitis provided the RBIs for Oregon, while Caleb Tommasini and Raulinaitis led the Ducks with three hits apiece.

The Ducks take on Saint Mary's again tomorrow and one more time on Sunday. Sure it's just one win, but the University of Oregon is already doing what it set out do when it brought back the sport--draw attention away from their main rival, Oregon State University.

We'll be following this historic team all season here at Just South of North. So tune in for updates, stats and more.

Oregon baseball returns tomorrow

Tomorrow, for the first time since 1981, a baseball team for the University of Oregon will take the field.

After 28 years the school decided to bring back the sport. And tomorrow they take on Saint Mary's on the road.

And in true Oregon sports style, the team has about 20 uniforms and most of them are just plain ugly.


The uniforms that feature pin striping, are not just any strips. The stripes are actually the words to the Oregon fight song written down the stripe. Yes. Only in Oregon.

How about that ugly green one with a HUGE "O" in the middle. Terrible. And I hate to admit it, but the uniform on the far right is actually pretty sharp looking.