Perspective of a Duck

As Auburn lined up last night to kick which was basically an 11 yard field goal, I sat there with my friends at the bar, praying for a bad snap, or a block, or a Boise State shank. But somehow when the camera shifted to behind the goal post and I saw it was basically an extra point...I knew it was over.

It's hard to believe that this season is over. This season in which Oregon went from a troubled off season and huge questions at key positions, to Pac 10 Champs and going for the National Title. What a ride this has been.

Supwitchugrl made their what seems to be now, annual Youtube music video, complete with scenes with cheerleaders, in Autzen, dancing mascot, and mini tractor. After that I swear there have been so many Duck songs this year that I will probably try to compile a Duck CD. The Ellen show came to campus. Sebastion Bach made a power ballad. Jimmy Kimmel put on Duck gear. Lebron James was at a home game.

LaMichael James rushed for over 1700 yards for the Oregon single season rushing record and he didn't even play in the first game. Darron Thomas emerged quietly as THE quarterback. Only a redshirt sophomore he rarely looked like a sophomore. Cliff Harris oozes confidence and play-making ability even when he scares you and drops a kick off. Josh Huff came on late and looks like the WR of the future in the wake of Jeff Maehl graduating. Jeff Maehl will make a name for himself on Sundays. He's not the sexy name but he will come in and get the job done. Kenjon Barner was probably the best backup running back in the conference and would start if not for LaMichael.

There was the 72 yard TD run by LaMichael at Tennessee where he made people miss like a video game, tip toed the sideline, and dove into the endzone to change the momentum of the game.

There was the onside kick when Oregon was down 21-3 to Stanford in the 2nd quarter and had just scored to make it 21-10. Kicker Beard caught his own kick to get the ball back and Oregon scored again to make it 21-17 and never looked back.

There was the fake punt in the Civil War to seal the game.

All that lead to this National Title game. Yes, Auburn is bigger and from the SEC. Yes, Auburn won. But they didn't blow Oregon out of the stadium like many people were claiming they would. They weren't dominate. They barely moved the ball at times. They turned the ball over too.

It was evident to me that these were two different styles of teams and the talent was pretty even although in different areas. In football, when the talent is even, it comes down to breaks in the game. Auburn got most of them. Oregon didn't. Auburn won because it had the ball last. Not because they were that much superior.

Although as a Duck fan it was a bitter bitter pill to swallow. It was hard to watch a run by Dyer when he looked like he was down, and he kept going to pick up the yardage for field goal range. You'd rather Cam just flat out beat you than have it be a controversial call in which if Oregon had known Dyer wasn't down would probably would have not stopped and would have made a tackle before he got down the field.

There was the interception by Cliff Harris in the 2nd quarter that looked solid until they overturned it and gave Auburn the ball back. Auburn touchdown the next play. Sometimes in football shit happens.

But after the sting subsided the only think I could think of was how bad I felt for these players. How special a group this was. How hard they worked. They played the "right" way. They won each day. Took it a day at a time. They forced a team curfew of 10pm on themselves before the bowl game. They were down during the season at points and always came back like one of those wind up cars you pull back and let loose. They played for Chip Kelly and they played for each other.

They at times played so fast that I couldn't even believe it. I felt I couldn't leave my seat or I would miss something. The defense had the most play makers I have ever seen at Oregon. They created turnovers. The return game was the best we have ever had. The kicking game at the least fairly solid.

I have grown up a Duck fan since I was about 8. I attended the University and screamed in the student section while avoiding the occasional puffs of weed smoke and drunken people falling off the benches. I have rushed the field several times including the controversial win over Oklahoma. I have been around before the renovation of Autzen. I was at games when the stadium was a bit rough, the facilities crude, and the parking lot full of pot holes so when it rained there were huge puddles.

I will tell you I have never been more proud to be a Duck. I feel like these kids are my brothers. I believe in this program. I believe in them more so for who they are and how they conduct themselves than how they have become the most winning team in Duck history. That is my perspective as a Duck.