This has been a fun weekend for Ducks fans. If losing that game to USC wasn’t bad enough worse news came yesterday that probably the biggest recruit in Oregon basketball history Jabari Brown is leaving the team after only 2 games. No real reason as to why Jabari is leaving has come out other than coach Altman saying that he has been frustrated the last 2 games.

Who wouldn’t be frustrated if you have started your college career like Jabari has. Shit I think the 50 year old guy from my rec league that can barely make it up and down the court has put up better numbers than Jabari has. Here’s a quick peak at the kind of numbers that would send anyone running home.

25.5 min (3rd on team)

6.0 ppg (Tied 2nd to last)

27.3 fg% (Last on team)

3.5 3pt att (2nd on team)

14.3 3pt % (Last on team)

6.0 ft att (1st on team)

41.7 ft% (2nd to last)

5.5 turnovers (More than double 2nd most)

Not quite the numbers most of us and I assume he has hoped to see after the kind of hype he has been getting coming into the season.

I went with Kinger to what could be Jabari’s last game as a Duck, and it was very noticeable that he was just not into the game. Kinger even mentioned that he thought Jabari was playing like he didn’t give a shit. Half-assed jogging up and down the court and going into the corner and just camping out like he wasn’t even a part of the offense. Even when the Ducks were making a comeback and the 1500 people that were in attendance started to get into the game he still just stood in his corner uninterested.

So when Kinger told me that Jabari was bouncing before the game yesterday I really wasn’t in complete shock like most Duck fans were.

So whatever coach Altman has to do to keep this kid in Eugene must be done. Even with his game attitude and his horrific numbers he’s going to be a legit player. So Dana, take the kid to a strip club, tell him all will be well, make some promises that you don’t even have to keep, but you cannot let this kid leave if you want to get all the Duck fans behind you while you are the coach here.

From O Live:

For one night only, Oregon fans will be able to catch an early preview of the 2011-12 men’s and women’s basketball teams as the Ducks tip-off the year with Matt Knight Madness on Friday, Oct. 14. The doors to Matt Arena open at 7:30 p.m., with the event scheduled to start at 8 p.m.

See that convenient name change? Matt Knight Madness. Where has Midnight Madness gone? Any college kid of the past decade can tell you it’s a great time to sneak booze in the event, take a ”break” every 30 minutes to liquor up, yell and scream when the BMOC leads the 3 man weave, and when it’s over (at 1 am mind you), you’re so drunk you want to destroy things on campus.

But apparently that’s changed. Screw the big party that gets everyone excited about the season. Even ESPN’s coverage of “Midnight” Madness begins at 9pm in the east. Every student looking to have a good Friday night will have bailed before you can grab their attention for 3 hours, and every fan there to watch will have seen one too many power lay ins to make it to midnight.

Ducks open exhibition in 3 weeks, time to get to know Altman’s boys again.

It was only a matter of time till everyone else in college sports caught up with Oregon and tried to swoop in on our style, but Towson? Give me a fucking break here Towson. Nobody outside of degenerate gamblers and people in Baltimore actually know you exist or give a shit about you. I would have bet good money that 9 of 10 people didn’t even know Towson was a school or where it was located prior to them leaching off our idea.

This is what we have to deal with now that Oregon has become the envy of college sports. When you have the best facilites and the kind of swagger that our teams have everyone else is bound to get in line and do what we do.

Now if only we can find a school that will take Supwitchugirl and the rest of the fake fan SWUG nation with them, life will be perfect.

Duck Territory- In need of a post player next season Oregon’s Dana Altman was lucky to have Chris Larson out of Black Hawk College in Moline, IL visit on the last weekend in May for an un-official.

Larson decided to pass on offers from Troy University and Florida Gulf Coast college to walk-on at Oregon.

“I felt like Oregon presented the best chance for me to play right away and everything fit me the best.”

Larson said he has a good back-to-the-basket game and can also step outside and hit a jumper if he is let open.

“I’d like to think with my shot blocking skills (3.5 blocks per-game), rebounding, and scoring I can come in and help,” said Larson.

Larson was an unknown out of Hudson high school in Hudson, IA because he played in only three AAU tournaments and decided to play junior college ball to generate interest.

“I visited the other two schools who offered and just a few hours ago decided I wanted to go to Oregon,” said Larson.

Larson instantly becomes Oregon’s tallest player on the roster next season and will be the Duck’s tallest player to don the green and yellow since Ray Schafer played for Oregon back in 2007-08.

Has there ever been a team that has had more transfers in and out in a 1 year span than Oregon has. Shit I think Sim might be the only guy next year who has been on the team for more than 2 years, but this is what you need to do to turn around a team that was way down in the shitter like Big Ern had the Ducks in. Now we got a top level recruit coming in in Jabari Brown, a good looking veteran transfer in Olu Ashaolu and now a big man who can hopefully block shots and rebound. Throw in Loyd, Jacob, Nared and EJ returning and we could be looking at a pretty good team next year or at least a team I’d be happy to watch play every game.

I will say this is the first time in years that I have actually been excited for Oregon basketball to start.

Matt Prehm, DuckTerritory. After trekking across the country last week on visits to Oregon, Texas, and San Diego State senior Louisiana Tech transfer Olu Ashaolu is transferring to Oregon to finish his college career.”I felt like looking at Oregon they were missing one final piece on getting back into the tournament and I looked at myself and felt I could be that piece,” said the 6-foot-7 forward.”I liked everything about Oregon and it felt right.”"I enjoyed meeting the staff and getting to know them and then the core group of guys coming back was a big plus and then you look at who is coming in and you add a player like myself and we have a shot to do some things next season.” At Oregon Ashaolu will replace the departed senior Joevan Catron with a similar skill set. “Coach Altman says his teams are at their best when they have four shooters and a big man that can roam the middle and I feel like I can be that guy,” expressed Ashaolu. “With guys like Garrett [Sim] and Devoe [Joseph] outside and then you add a guy like Jabri Brown and Austin Kuemper, myself, and the rest of the team it was a perfect fit.’ Ashaolu says he will bring an inside presence down low for the Ducks but that he also has leadership qualities he knows will come in hand on and off the court next season. Ashaolu will enroll at Oregon next month and will be on campus in time for the program’s trip to Italy.

Well suck on that egg, Ernie. You tried your hardest to drag the storied Oregon basketball program through the mud and into the depths of Hades. And well, it sort of worked. For awhile. But no more. Rising like from the ashes like a  Phoenix the only two words that can be associated with the Mighty Ducks of Oregon are “WE‘RE BACK!”

Adding the 6-foot-7 Ashaolu who averaged 14 and 9 at La Tech last year is a big pick up. Looks like Altman has quickly put together the most athletic front court Oregon has seen in a long time.

But, you know what they say. Once a program gets too big, the NCAA always comes sniffing around in hopes of bringing you down. Could this be the pancake that broke the camels back???

When asked about his trip to Oregon and what stood out the most to him Ashaolu gave an interesting and un-expected pick.

“I actually really liked the breakfast we had one time there,” said Ashaolu. “I think we went to this place called The Original House of Pancakes and it was the best food I’ve had in a long time.”

Great, first it was Willie Lyles, now its some hash browns and a tall stack at OHOP. I knew I could never trust the scurrilous owners of OHOP. Those guys with their delectable meals were just too good to be true. Of course they were gonna grease the kids with fantastic meals, it’s just common sense. There is a rumor on AngryBeavs.com that Phil Knight was the one truly behind steering Ashaolu to OHOP on that morning in question. Yahoo! is going to break this ‘crepe caper’ any minute now, trust me. Dirty Ducks.

Here’s a long an pretty decent review of Dana Altman’s first season in Eugene by Steven Pivovar of the Omaha World-Herald.

My question is when the UofO get tired of all the granola eaters complaining about how the sports programs have become “too big” and bail for K-Falls? Seriously, I think I would have noticed that one. Was this like a Baltimore Colts ‘in the middle of the night’ situation?

No disrespect to Mr. Pivovar, but pick up a map before you hit that send button to the editors, because clearly they aren’t gonna pick you up. Seriously the two are so far apart you may have said Altman was resurrecting Oregon basketball in the Indus River Valley.

As I first reported (SPORTSbyBROOKS’d) the University of Oregon is in the Willamette Valley, not the Klamath River Valley. So don’t fret Duck fans, Willie Lyles will still be steering players to Eugene and not to Lake Ewauna.

Congrats to Coach Altman for beating those scallywags from Creighton. Gratz to Joevan, who’s career has come full cirlce, from Elite Eight to CBI Champs. The Strow Show gets a tip of the cap as well. EJ, Armstead, Sim, straight ballers homie.

If it wasn’t Catron hitting a shot in the last minute, it was Sim clutching up. EJ Singler with ice water flowing through his veins hits the cold-blooded two with 4 seconds left to win the title!!!!

We’re #101!

Oregon Daily Emerald

By now, if you haven’t turned away already, you are probably wondering why I have so painstakingly recounted this story for you. Well, as you may have heard, in this past month’s issue of GQ Magazine, Oregon’s basketball fans were ranked as the 14th “Most Obnoxious Fans in America.” They took their place on this list alongside such reviled fan bases as the New York Yankees, the Duke Blue Devils and the Los Angeles Lakers.

According to GQ’s criteria, Oregon basketball fans are “hecklers from hell” known for “vicious taunting” and “projectile launching.” The article went on to describe the now infamous 2008 incident with Kevin Love, when student fans threw food at his family and were so cruel in their insults that his grandmother was brought to tears.

The incident drew national attention and there have been no repeat incidents of such absurd behavior as a result. Yet, I can recall various instances of less vicious but still questionable behavior from games this season. Chanting “No means no” at a player accused of sexual assault, for example, cannot happen anymore.

In short, placement on such a well-known magazine’s list of shame illustrates that Oregon’s image problem has yet to disappear, and fans should take this as a sign that there is plenty of room for improvement.

We tend to treat the sporting world as its own separate bubble, free of life’s conventional rules and schools of thought. Within this bubble, it’s perfectly acceptable to drink yourself into oblivion in public, eat like a pig and, yes, scream hateful insults at complete strangers.

This trend cannot continue, in Eugene or elsewhere.

Just a couple of things.

First of all, that GQ article was a joke. Listen GQ, I subscribe to your rag to make sure it’s still in for me to wear eyeliner and to see if argyle sweaters are still ‘Cosby chic’, not to read about meanie-head fan bases.

Secondly, can we get over the whole “Kevin Love game” already? Shit, how many years ago was that? The dude just collected like 1,000 double-doubles in a row in the association while collecting big checks, I think he’s doing well for himself. Who else was in attendance for that game? I was, and while there were definitely some inappropriate signs in the Pit Crew and prolonged chants of “Pussy…Pussy…Pussy… ” every time he flopped to the ground like he just got hit by sniper fire (or honestly, even when he got legitimately fouled…) and I did hear one homophobic slur being chanted, but some of the urban legends that have come from that game are laughable.  Listen, 2008 wasn’t that long ago, if 6 year old kids were holding up signs saying “Kevin Love SUCKS” as Stan Love alleges (and even if they were, big deal, that is pretty tame) or coming up to his sisters and mother and calling them “whores” until they cried, don’t you think someone would have caught that on camera? I’m not even talking about KEZI or KCAL, but just some random dude with a cell phone camera? That stuff doesn’t get by anyone, so I have a hard time believing it did in just this one game.  Oh and memo to Stan Love: fans throw the bingo cards down from the rafters at every home game at Mac Court, don’t think you are so special. The night was pretty bad, but not as bad as the myths and definitely not bad enough to still be crying about.

Lastly, being on a “worst of list” with Philly fans, Yankee fans, Raider fans, Red Sox fans and the Cameron Crazies isn’t the worst thing in the world. Everyone can sit on the soap box and say they want their arenas and stadiums to have a classy and churchy feel, but come on now? Deep down we all wish Mac Court really was more like Cameron Indoor, The Rose Garden had the allure of Staples and Safeco was as electric and as feared a place to go as Fenway and Yankee Stadium. Sure, great teams take the stage there, but it’s rowdy fans that really bring those places alive. On the field I want winners, in the stands I want ass holes. Sue me.

PS-Kevin Love doesn’t suck, nor did he ever. But his dad is a first class clown, and always will be. For being so successful, it’s sad to see him be reduced to such a bitter and ugly human.

Tonight Dana Altman officially kicks off the “return to glory” tour in his old stomping ground of Omaha, against his former team, the Creighton Bluejays,

For all of you that are somehow unclear how the CBI tourney works, it’s a best-of-three, with one game in Omaha and two in the U (if necessary).

Monday, March 28: @Qwest Center. Omaha, Nebraska. 5:00 PT

Wednesday, March 30: @Matthew Knight Arena. 7:00 PT

Friday, April 1 (if necessary) :@Matthew Knight Arena. 7:00 PT

 

Key players for Creighton: No idea

Key players for Oregon: Joevan Catron?

Advantage: Oregon?

Style of play for Creighton: Scrappy white players?

Style of play for Oregon: Ugly

Advantage: Push

Coaches:

Creighton: No idea.

Oregon: Dana ‘I made Kyle Korver’ Altman.

Advantage: Oregon, duh.

Home court advantage:

Creighton: Expecting 15,000+ tonight at the Qwest Center. How many will be soaking with Natty Ice and looking to get a piece of the carpetbagging Altman?

Oregon: Praying to draw 7,000. Maybe giving away some SWUG gear would bring in all the fake fans and fill the place up? Just an idea, Giantsante.

Advantage: Oregon, duh.  Like every 4th grader, middle-aged soccer mom and I Phone using co-ed says: “I Love My Ducks.”

Keys for an Oregon championship:

Make more shots than Creighton.

Rebound, rebound, rebound.

Don’t turn the ball over.

Score more points than the Jays.

Come strong, and don’t suck.

Let’s party like it’s 1939 baby, lets get another banner for historic Matthew Knight Arena!

DO – Feel good about yourselves.  If you are in the tournament you might as well win it. 

DON’T – Dog pile on the court.  Those are reserved for real championships.

DO – Laugh at the Beavers as they will undoubtedly accuse you of copying them.

DON’T – Hang a freaking banner like our little sisters up north.  That would be embarrassing.

DO – Give Catron a slap on the ass on his way out for a job well done.  His hard work and leadership rubbed off on this team.

DON’T – Carry him off the court.

I’m sure the rest of you will have plenty to add.