Mickey Mantle's Liver

Statistics to consider for the Cal game.......

I know, I know.....the Beavers are three games away from a trip to the Rose Bowl.  Keep in mind, though, that those three games are against teams with a combined record of 19-9.  Also, all three of those teams are going to bowl games this year.  In other words, this is the tough part of our schedule.

The UCLA win was great.  I am glad that Coach Riley got the "UCLA Monkey" off of his back.  The win was great for another reason, as well.  After the game, three-star cornerback Sean Martin from Corona's Santiago High committed to the Beavers next year.  Martin chose Oregon State over Minnesota, Arizona State, UCLA and UNLV.  Certainly OSU's dominant defensive performance was the final straw that cemented Martin's decision.

The win was great because it was a road-win in a stadium the Beavers don't do well in.  The win was great because it marks the first time since 2000 that the Beavers have swept the Los Angeles schools, which will definitely help our recruiting.  Finally, the win was great because it was our sixth win of the season, making the Beavers bowl eligible for the 8th time in the last 10 years.

But now we have three tough games, beginning with Cal.  I thought the best comparison between the teams is to examine the team's performances against common opponents: USC, UCLA, ASU and WSU.

Cal averaged 33.5 points per game against these opponents, 5 points less than the Beavers 38.5 average.  The Beavers averaged 218.8 yards passing per game, 68 more yards per game than the Bears averaged.  The Beavers rushing offense averaged 202.3 yards per game, 20 yards more than Cal's average of 182.3 rushing yards per game.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Beavers also outshine the Bears.  The Beavers give up 178 yards passing per game, while the Bears give up 187.5 yards passing per game.  The Bears allowed 79 yards on the ground per game, the Beavers allowed 66.3 yards per game.  The only statistic where the Bears are better than the Beavers is in points allowed - the Bears allowed 13.5 points against the 4 common opponents, the Beavers allowed 16.3 points.

Against the four common opponents, the Beavers are 4-0, while the Bears are 3-1 (only loss was to UCLA).  In truth, these statistics demonstrate one thing - the Beavers and the Bears are two evenly matched teams on both sides of the ball.  The edge only goes to the Beavers because the game is being played in Corvallis.  However, recent history has demonstrated exactly how little home field advantage means in this game (Beavers won in Berkeley in 2007, Bears won in Corvallis in 2006).

Just some food for thought this week, Beaver Nation.

When will the PAC-10 hire REAL officials? OSU vs. ASU redux

OK, I have to remind myself that it is bad karma to complain about a Beavers win.  Only 10 years ago, ANY win was a good win, no matter how we got the win - even with the help of the officials.  I understand that.  I am glad we got the win, and I think the Beavers played a pretty solid game yesterday.  Of course, if they play against UCLA the way they played against ASU, Beaver Nation can kiss their Rose Bowl hopes good bye.

But there is one thing that makes me mad that is recurring more and more in PAC-10 games - the horrendous officiating.  I mean, the officiating is bordering on the absurd.  The most recent example was the phantom call against JaQuizz Rodgers on third-and-four late in the game, where Quizz was still motoring, moving forward, broke free from the pile (no whistle had blown) and eventually Quizz was tackled at the one-yard line.

Inexplicably, the Referees decided that Quizz's forward momentum had been stopped, when it was clear to everyone - and I mean everyone - that Quizz was still moving forward and the play was still alive.  Everyone, except of course the Referees.  Take a look at the replay, it is pretty clear.

What is especially tough to swallow is that the phantom whistle made the down Fourth and one.  Riley decided to kick the field goal, which Kahut missed.  The Sun Devils then took the ball down the field and scored a touchdown, but missed on the two-point conversion.  Had the refs made the right call, none of that would have happened.  The refs craptacular call nearly lost the game for the Beavers.

Of course, Tom Hansen (PAC-10 Commissioner) isn't going to do anything about the blown calls.  He never does, which makes me even angrier, because Hansen is sending the message to PAC-10 fans that amateur officiating is the standard in the PAC-10.  Officials that make calls like the calls made against Quizz should (at the very least) be publicly reprimanded, so PAC-10 fans know that the PAC-10 (and Hansen) expect professionalism on the field.

Ouchy!

OK, this one is gonna hurt.

I play in two fantasy football leagues.  Anyone who has played in a fantasy football league is familiar with the nickname fantasy football players have for Fred Taylor of the Jacksonville Jaguars - "Fragile" Fred Taylor.  Taylor earned that nickname because he is always getting hurt and being placed on injured reserve, where he can do a fantasy football team absolutely no good.

I am starting to wonder if the NBA's version of "Fragile" Fred is the Portland Trailblazers' own Greg Oden.

Since being drafted #1 overall in 2007, Oden has logged 13 minutes of actual game time.  He has 5 rebounds, two turnovers, two personal fouls and is a 0% shooter from both the field and the free throw line.  By the way, he has yet to score a point in an NBA game.  He also has had tonsilitis. microfracture surgery, a twisted ankle, and now a sprained foot (which will keep him out 2 to 4 weeks -- which means 4 weeks cause the Blazers don't want to rush things, you know).

Think about this for a moment, Oden has as many injuries (4) as he has shots from the field (4).  And by the way, don't forget that in Oden's only season at Ohio State University, Oden missed a lot of time because of an injury to his right wrist.

Face it, the guy is injury prone.

And he looked really, really bad the other night, to boot.  He looked slow, uncoordinated, and like a rookie who had never been to an NBA game in his life.  Tuesday night was not the kind of debut that Oden and Blazer fans were hping for, quite the opposite.  It was everything we were hoping would not happen.  But it did.

And Oden got injured.

I was - and remain - a BIG proponent of Oden.  When the Blazers were holding the #1 overall pick in 2007, readers of The Liver will recall that I was loudly calling for the Blazers to draft Oden.  I am still glad they did.

But now it is time for all of us Blazer fans to admit that which we were hoping was not the case - Oden's career and performance is going to be seriously limited by injuries.

Thank God we have Pryzbilla.

The Blazers' Season Starts Today

OK, I cannot remember the last time I have been this excited for the NBA seasons to start.  Probably the last time I have been this excited was in the early 1990s, when the Blazers made a couple of appearances in the NBA Finals.

How can a Blazer fan not be excited?  First, these guys are good guys.  Not just good basketball players, but fine citizens.  They represent the franchise and the city of Portland well.  Second, they are good players: young stars like Brandon Roy and LeMarcus Aldridge are exciting to watch and deliver on the floor.  Third, the obvious: Greg Oden's debut tonight against the Lakers.  Finally, the guy Blazermaniacs have waited a year-and-a-half to get on the court and shore up the middle with finally get that chance.  Let's hope he stays healthy and provides an imposing presence in the middle.

The only thing that sucks about this season is the fact that the Blazers play in the Western Conference.  The Western Conference is easily the best conference in the NBA, which will make it even more difficult for the Blazers to get themselves into the playoffs.  According to Sports Illustrated, the Blazers will pick up 9 games in the win column over last year's result - that would mean the Blazers would reach the magical 50-win plateau.

I think the Blazers will win 83 games.  Yes, 83 games.  I know there is only 82 games in a season, but the Blazers will get credit for another win based upon style points......

Ok, I am just being silly.  But I do expect this team to be much better than last year, and equally exciting.  The one thing about the off-season that no one is focusing on is the addition of Rudy Fernandez to the roster.  In the preseason, Rudy has looked great and every bit as good as advertised. 

There are two questions that remain unanswered going into the season.  First, what kind of defense is this team going to play?  Coach Nate is an excellent teacher of team defense, and to be sure, the team's defense picked up last year (which is reflected in the team's 10-game improvement from the year before).  But the defense last year wasn't where it needed to be.  I am sure that in the future Oden is going to be a defensive force to be reckoned with, but as a rookie, I am not so sure.  I will certainly be focusing on the defensive performance of the Blazers in the first few games.

The other question that needs to be answered is the Blazers shooting.  If you ask me (which you haven't), offensively the Blazers' biggest hole has been outside shooting.  Not so much three-pointers, but those 15 to 20 foot jump shots that a team needs to hit in order to open things up on the inside, where Oden could then do most of his damage.  Good shooting means more Oden, which means more wins.

I fully expect the Blazers to win 50 games.  Once again, Kevin Pritchard has done a materful job not just putting this team together, but keeping this team together (Channing Frye, anyone?).  You know the old saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Go Blazers!

Craig Robinson and his brother-in-law on ESPN Outside the Lines

OK, so I am a Republican.  But this is a sports blog and this is a pretty cool interview/story about Craig Robinson (OSU Men's Basketball Coach) and his brother-in-law.  Some guy named Barack.

Dear 49ers.....Keep Mike Singeltary

OK, readers here know that I am a rare breed of Bay Area football fan because I cheer for BOTH the 49ers and the Raiders.  These are tough times, because...well....both my teams stink right now.  And to be frank, as long as Al Davis is running the Raiders, that team is going to be smelling things up for a long time.

Ah, but the 49ers, on the other hand, have the solution (I believe) to their problems right in front of them in Mike Singletary.  I hope to God that the 49ers (ESPECIALLY after yesterday's post-game press conference) sign Singletary to a long term contract to coach the 49ers.

Why?  Because Singletary represents all that is great about the NFL.  He also has a body of work to back up his words.  He demands attention, focus, and commitment to the team, all qualities he displayed in his 11-year Hall of Fame career.  And there is no doubt that in that 49ers locker room, the best player in the room is Mike Singletary, and the players know it.

I surely hope the 49ers keep Singletary around for a long time.  believe he is the guy who can restore the winning tradition of the 49ers.

Why I hate the Huskies......

There are only two teams in all of sports that I absolutely despise.  And by despise I mean  really, really, really, really can't stand.  You know what I mean, when either of these two teams are playing, I ALWAYS root for their opponent.  One team is Satan's Team (otherwise known as the Los Angeles Dodgers) and the other team is the Spawn of Satan's Team, otherwise known as.....the Washington Huskies.

My hatred for the Fuskies runs sooooo deep that I actually wear green and gold the week before the Ducks of Faber College play the Fuskies.  Every game, I hope above hope that whoever is playing the Fuskies will run up the score.  I would like to see someone (USC maybe?) score 100 on the Huskies.

Does that make me a bad sport?  Probably.  But I can live with that, at least when it comes to the Huskies.

Why?

Anyone who lived through PAC-10 football in the late 1980s through the late 1990s can understand why.  During that time period, the Huskies were a very good football team, which was nothing new.  The Huskies program had been strong up to that point for a very long time.

But it was different in the 80s and 90s.  The Huskies were good, and their fans (and the University of Washington Football Program) let you know it.

Now, it is one thing to be confident, another thing to be cocky, and still another thing to be downright obnoxious.  Well, "Husky Nation", during this time, made obnoxious fans look well-mannered.

How many times did I, as an Oregon State Beaver fan, have to listen to Husky Fans talk about how the Beavers were lucky to be in the same time zone - let alone conference - as the Huskies.  Husky fans - and even the Husky athletic director at one time - questioned whether the Beavers belonged in the PAC-10 Conference at all.  The ultimate in disrespect.

The arrogance and contempt of both Husky fans and the Husky program earned Husky Nation the label as "the worst fans in the PAC-10 conference" by every other program in the PAC-10.  Of course, Husky Nation said that the rest of us were jealous of their program.  The truth is that we were sickened by it.

Of course now, 15 years later from the height of Husky football, we come to find out the program was cheating.  That's right, the only way the Huskies could reach their pinnacle is by cheating.  But that doesn't stop Husky Nation from living in the past, boasting about how great their program used to be.

Now, the Huskies are at the bottom of the pile, where they belong.  Friends of mine who are citizens of Husky Nation are much more humble when it comes to football, and they all acknowledge that the hatred they encounter by the rest of the PAC-10 is well deserved.

I now actually feel sorry for the Huskies.  Why?  Cause we were there once, and we may return to the dregs of college football sometime in the future.  Maybe with the certain dismissal of Willingham at the end of the season the Huskies will make it back to respectability.

And perhaps learn some humility along the way.

Why tonight's game against the Utes scares me....

I have several reasons why I am fearful about tonight's game in Salt Lake City against No. 15 Utah.  It is on the road, for one.  The Beavers always seem to be a bit "down" when they are playing on the road.  Almost like it takes the Beavs about a quarter or so to get their heads about them before they start playing.

The second reason to be fearful is the Beavs win last week, one of the biggest victories in the history of the program.  I am afraid that perhaps the team spent more time reading press clippings than practicing (a nasty habit the program has developed over the last few years).

But the biggest reason I am fearful that the Beavers won't pull this one out is based on the Utes' running backs - and in particular the size of the Utes' running backs.

A disturbing trend has taken shape on the Beavers' defense.  When the Beavers face a "big" running back, our defense makes the "big back" look like Gale Sayers. 

Consider this, in our two losses to Stanford and Penn State, Toby Gearhart ( 6'1'', 228 pounds) and Evan Royster (6'1, 220 pounds) ran for 147 yards on 19 carries and 141 yards on 17 carries, respectively.  In those same games, Stanford and Penn State's "smaller" backs did not fare so well.  Anthony Kimble of Stanford (6'1'', 200 pounds) and Stafon Green of Penn State (5'10', 189 pounds) ran for 49 yards on 18 carries and 19 yards on 11 carries, respectively.

In our two wins over Hawaii and SUC, Hawaii's backs (Kealoha Pilares,  5'10'', 190; Daniel Libre, 5'8'', 185) and SUC's backs (Stafon Johnson, 5'11'', 210; Joe McKnight, 6', 200) ran for a total of 47 and 58 yards, respectively.

The trend developing with the Beavers defense appears to be that the Beavers have a hard time stopping bigger running backs.  Exhibit A is the Beavs' defensive performance against Stanford, where the Beavers tried to knock Gearhart over, rather than wrapping him up and gang-tackling.  The same failed tackling was also evident in the Penn State game.

Utah's running backs are big.  Darrell Mack stands 6-foot, 220 pounds - a fireplug if there ever was one.  Matt Asiata stands 5'11'', 230 pounds, a "fireplug's fireplug", for sure.  These are big backs that are not going to get knocked down very easily.  The Beavers have to wrap these guys up and gang-tackle, otherwise it will be a long night for the defense.

Now, if I figured this out.  If I noticed this trend, then surely Mark Banker and his staff have noticed this trend as well, and made sure the team worked on tackling the big guys all week, right?  I sure hope so, otherwise it is going to be a long trip home from Salt Lake City.

It's STILL a great day to be a Beaver!!!!

With most of Beaver Nation still flying high after Thursday's monumental win, it is time that we get focused for the task at h and - the Utah Utes.  The "problem" with a big win over the top-ranked team in the land (I can't believe there is any problem with that) is that teams won't be surprised by you later in the season.  They see what you did to #1, and don't want to be the next meal on the upset-plate special.  So expect every team we play from this point forward to be especially geared up for the Beavers.

Plus, you know fans of these other teams -- again starting with the Utah Utes) -- are going to start playing "six degrees of BCS Separation" now.  It goes like this: Oregon State beat USC, when USC was #1.  If we beat Oregon State, that must mean we are #1!!!!

Or worse: We beat Stanford, Stanford beat Oregon State, Oregon State beat USC, when USC was #1, that must mean we are #1!!!!

Also, little Quizz is going to find out this Thursday that teams are  going to key on him, given what Quizz did to the Prophylatics the other night.  Quizz isn't gonig to be a surprise to anyone, again.

I don't mean to be a negative Nellie, but I want to make sure the victory is put into perspective.  Yes, it was a great win for the program.  The timing couldn't have been better.  Think about it, had the Beavers played the Prophylatics on Saturday, there is no way the Beav's victory would have gotten half the publicity it got on Friday.  Hell, the Beavers win was the lead joke on Jay Leno's monologue on Friday's Tonight Show.

With all the upsets that occurred on Saturday, the Beavers win would have been big, but not that big.

National television, a stage where the Beavers usually look like arse, was even better.  The Beavers took full advantage of the opportunity presented, no doubt about that.

But how many times, Beaver Nation, do we see a team pull an upset like the one the Beavers pulled on Thursday, only to see that team lay a real toilet-bomb in their next game?  I want this win to be the springboard to a 10-2 record.  I don't want this win to be the highlight of the entire season, that is all.

I don't want the Beavers to start reading their press clippings, thinking they are God's gift to college football.  Want to know what happens when a team develops that sort of mentality?  Well, take a look at Exhibit A - the USC Prophylatics.

This week is all about one thing: Focus.

Focus. Focus. Focus. Focus. Focus. Focus.

What a Great Day to Be a Beaver!!!!!

The day after what I believe was the greatest game in OSU history, I  got this great EMAIL from Ben F. ranking the best wins in OSU football history:

With euphoria brought about by Oregon State’s huge upset of #1 USC, I thought I would make a list of my top 10 games in program history. So, without further ado:

1. 1967 Giant Killers II (Tied #2 UCLA, Beat #2 Purdue, then shut out O.J. Simpson’s #1 USC)

Ok, so this one is actually three games, but to really appreciate the magnitude of them all, they need to be grouped together. The word “magical” is the only way to describe the season. In the words of The Great Pumpkin (Dee Andros), after putting down the #2’s, “We’re tired of foolin’ around with No. 2. Bring on No. 1,” and bring on #1 they did in the program’s first (official) victory over a top-ranked team. Any Beaver fan from the era can still remember what they did on that memorable day. OSU finished the year ranked seventh.

2. 2008 Giant Killers III (Beat #1 USC at Oregon State)

41 years after the infamous “Giant Killers” team (which I consider Giant Killers II), Oregon State did it again. Featuring true-freshman Jacquizz Rodgers and his older brother James (or Quizz and Quan as they are known as), the “Quizz Show” dominated what many consider to be Pete Carroll’s best team ever, a large claim considering he had several conference and national championships under his belt, as well as a couple Heisman winners on his prior team rosters. Meanwhile, the Beavers entered the game with a paltry 1-2 record and were predicted as 25 point under-dogs.

3. 2006 #3 USC vs. Unranked Oregon State

Sometimes referred to as another Giant Killer team, the squad in 2006 did the unthinkable: beat an unbeatable USC. Having had only one win against the Trojans since 1967, Oregon State was a true under-dog. Receiver Sammie Stroughter even passed out smooth stones to teammates to motivate the “David” team against “Goliath.” USC rolled into Reser Stadium with a 38-game regular season winning streak and a 25-game conference winning streak, but after a failed 2-point conversion batted down by Jeff Van Orso, they left with both streaks reset to zero.

4. 2000 Fiesta Bowl (Notre Dame and Oregon State)

Played in January of 2001, the 2000 season’s bowl game was memorable. The first bowl victory in three decades, this was regarded as the program’s best game in school history by those not around to witness the Giant Killer programs. Co-Conference champions and a missed field goal away from being 10-0 and playing for the national title, Oregon Statesettled for the Fiesta Bowl- a BCS bowl against Notre Dame. Considered the under-dogs, OSU shocked the nation with a man-handling of the Fighting Irish, allowing only 3 points against their starting defense. Finishing the season ranked 4^th, Oregon Statewas back on the map for the first time since 1967.

5. 1933 Iron Men (Giant Killers I)

One of the best squads in school history is all but forgotten in today’s modern era, but no top ten lists would be complete without tribute to perhaps the best team the state of Oregon has ever known. Top ranked USC (unofficial rankings as the AP rankings were not introduced until 1934) came to Corvallis as the two-time defending national champions, but their 80 players were not enough to get past 11 Iron Men. Without any substitutions, Oregon State ended their 25-game win streak with a 0-0 tie. A lasting tribute to the 11 Oregon State Hall of Famers, the Iron Men are forever remembered in the OSU Fight Song with the lyrics "Men of Iron go tearing down the field."

6. 1999 Cal at Oregon State

While this game was not memorable in itself, it represented a changing tide. Working on the coat tails of Mike Riley, Dennis Erickson’s squad beat Cal to get their 6^th win, ensuring OSU’s first winning season in almost three decades, ending a 28 year streak of misery. And to think they were projected to go 1-10 that year.

7. 1998 Civil War

Every modern-era fan remembers this game with pleasure. How can we forget Ken Simonton’s run into the end zone to win the game? The star running back scored the winning touchdown in the game’s second overtime to cap off the season that set the stage for the 1999 squad to finally get that winning season.

8. 1985 Oregon State at Washington

Until Stanford beat USC 22 years later, the game in which the 38-point favorite Huskies lost to the Beavers was the largest overcome point spread in NCAA history. Oregon State, with its quarterback and best receiver injured, was reeling from four consecutive losses, one to a Division I-AA school. Having lost ten in a row to the conference-leading Huskies looked poised for a smashing of Oregon State. Even the Seattle media was assuming the game was little more than a long practice. Oregon State had other plans. A blocked punt near the end of the game put the Beavers on top to win it 21-20, and not  surprisingly, the Seattle media was a no-show to the post-game conference with Oregon State. They were probably too embarrassed by the shouting of “You can blame this one on your media!” heard by OSU players departing the field.

9. 2007 Oregon State at California

Oregon State was unranked, was 3-3 with three ugly losses, and was the visiting team. California was ranked #2 and was poised to take the top ranking with the loss of #1 LSU. That was as far as they ever got. The mediocre team from Oregon State chose that game, just as in the previous year against #3 USC, to turn their season around. The game was essentially neck-and-neck most of the way, with the edge slightly in Oregon State’s favor until the fourth quarter, but a costly mistake by Cal’s freshman quarterback let the clock run out with OSU on top 31-28.

10. 2000 USC at Oregon State

Although Beaver Nation would not realize the importance of USC’s 2000 visit to Corvallis until after the game was underway, the game was important enough to sneak into my top-ten list. The matchup was not any more important than any other games that season and there were no real implications from the game that were unique to the two teams, but nevertheless, it was a historic moment. For the first time since 1967, Oregon State beat USC in football. A streak even longer than the 28 losing season streak had finally ended; the last piece of Oregon State’s football curse was finally laid to rest in the most successful season in modern OSU history.

Honorable Mention: 1933 Civil War

The 1933 Civil War might seem very obscure to the average fan, but it was a game in which NCAA history was made. The Iron Men tried and implemented their famous “Pyramid Play” in which a lineman was hoisted on a teammate’s shoulders to block a field goal. The Iron Men lost the game 3-13, but the new play was born. The following week the play won their matchup against Fordham, and the play captured on film became the most famous photograph in the history of sports in Oregon. The play was later banned, leaving Oregon State as the only team in the NCAA to ever successfully pull it off.

Honorable Mention: 2007 Civil War

Except for that Oregon State won in Eugene instead of Corvallis, the 2007 Civil War was very much like the 1998 Civil War. The game was huge for Oregon State fans of the modern era because not only was it a fantastic double over-time thriller, but it was the first Civil War in ten tries for the visiting team to win—and Oregon State was the team to claim that distinction. Finally ended on a James Rodgers fly sweep for a touchdown, a side by side image of James and Ken Simonton’s 1998 run are eerily similar. The biggest difference was in 1998, the home crowed went ecstatic. In 2007, the hostile home crowd was speechless. Both were equally enjoyable.

Thanks Ben F. for the great EMAIL.

GO BEAVERS!!!!!!!!