Losing the Civil War turns out to be the best thing for us?

by The VD Special on Jan 2, 2009 3:08 AM PST Comment 22 comments

Call me crazy. Say what you will about my intelligence. But losing the Civil War turned out to be a blessing in disguise for not only us, but the entire Pac10. Let's take a look at what the probable bowl schedule would have looked like had we beaten Oregon:

Rose Bowl: Oregon St vs Penn State

Favorite: Penn State, by a large margin, especially without Quizz and Quon

Fiesta Bowl: USC vs Texas

Favorite: USC probably, but very close; UT has the athletes and coach to win, and it wouldn't be an upset

Holiday Bowl: California vs Oklahoma State

Favorite: Ok State. Oregon had the firepower to keep up with Ok St, I don't think Cal would have

Sun Bowl: Arizona vs Pitt

Favorite: After seeing Pitt play, I think UA would be the favorite. But I think Pitt would have put up points. Toss up

Las Vegas Bowl: Oregon vs BYU

Favorite: Definitely Oregon here. BYU just looked like they didn't care to be there after lofty preseason expecations.

So what we have here is probably 2 blowout losses in big games (Rose, Holiday), a potential loss on a big stage (Fiesta) and probably 2 wins in bowl games that aren't really viewed (Sun, Las Vegas). After the crappy non-conference record that we had, this brutal bowl schedule would not have helped at all. For our sake, a big time loss to Penn State would definitely had looked bad. Instead, we got a win (albeit not the prettiest win) and ended the season on a good note. So, as much as it hurts to have lost the Civil War, especially the manner in which we did, it might have turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Your guys' thoughts?

Poll

What do you think about my statement that losing the Civil War was a blessing?

Agree-- Losing to PSU again would have been bad.

27 votes

Disagree-- playing in the Rose Bowl is much more prestigous, no matter the outcome

26 votes

53 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 22 comments

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Comments

You’re crazy.

It's spelled ""S-H-U-Y-O-U-V-E-D-O-N-E-S-O-M-E-N-I-C-E-T-H-I-N-G-S-W-I-T-H-T-H-E-P-L-A-C-E"

by JShufelt on Jan 2, 2009 10:00 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Not the way we lost

In an ideal world and in hindsight here’s what I would have liked. A very close and hard fought CW and if (cough cough) if UO had to win then it would have been something like this: 48 to 42 or 41 to 38.

If things played out with a CW OSU win then I think yes the Rose Bowl would have been tough against PSU w/o Quizz or James.

BUT at the same time think about if we were able to beat UO then that means something was working without Quizz playing and maybe that meant James is not hurt and making game winning plays and/or the defense is playing much stronger and better against the spread. So we would have had some pretty awesome momentum going into the Rose Bowl and playing a PSU team we had already played. I think if we won the CW that would have shown either the Beavs were playing at a very high level and enough so to give PSU a game, or UO was just stinking up the field which obviously was not where they were at late in the season this year.

In short I think it would have been a VERY different Beaver team playing in the bowl game if we won the CW. I think the way UO was playing at the end of the season they easily give PSU a game or beat them and if we just came off beating UO same deal for us.

On the other bowls: I think Cal still would give Ok. State a game with Best. UO vs. BYU Las Vegas would have been ugly with two teams disappointed with the lackluster bowl placement. UO plays better in better placed bowls. I know you’ll hate this but UA would have handled Pitt easily. USC vs. UT would have been a possibly awesome game and even if USC loss it would probably would have been respectful and another great match up.

That all said I actually think the blow out CW loss could well be a blessing in disguise in the long term. I think it will harden the program and Riley to being more prepared in these big time games (you know the pull out the game film of that game to remind everyone of what can happen if you get full of your success), which I have a feeling we will be involved in much more during the next few Riley years.

-RVM

by rvm on Jan 2, 2009 11:04 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

just my two-cents

-RVM

by rvm on Jan 2, 2009 11:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Good points, and I did not think to consider

The “if we had won, what the would have meant we were doing”, I was just going off how we played in the CW and against Pitt.

And I hate to admit this but, after thinking some more about it, I agree you with… UA would have handled Pitt.

I support Takimoto in his effort to support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by The VD Special on Jan 2, 2009 1:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think an interesting question is if we won the CW and went on to play in the Rose Bowl would Quizz ended up playing? Especially with James going down with no chance of playing in the upcoming bowl game.

I don’t know if I ever really ended up hearing the extent of Quizz’s injury but sounded like there still was a slight chance to play in the Sun Bowl, and just wonder if the Rose Bowl would have increased the thoughts for playing him. It’s all a “what if” game here, and I think the answer probably would still be no, but interesting nevertheless.

-RVM

by rvm on Jan 2, 2009 1:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

He broke something in his shoulder

No way Quizz was playing

I support Takimoto in his effort to support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by The VD Special on Jan 2, 2009 1:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, didn’t know about the break. Guess I kind-of tuned that storyline out when it was announced pretty clearly he was a no go, but I just remember at one point kept seeming like there was this “40% to 20%” chance for playing at times popping up in the media. But if he had a break makes sense.

If we made the Rose Bowl and Quizz had to sit it out and stand on the sidelines I think he would have literally imploded in his desire to play for he looked just about to at the CW and Sun Bowl, so probably a good thing we didn’t make it!

-RVM

by rvm on Jan 2, 2009 1:58 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

"But if he had a break makes sense."

That there was no way he would play.

-RVM

by rvm on Jan 2, 2009 1:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I hope we can help out in the same way next year!

I keeed. I keeed!

For the Pac-10 (In terms of money), it would have been better for OSU to win, but with Oregon winning, the bowls did align very well for the Pac-10 (In terms of national respect).

It's spelled ""S-H-U-Y-O-U-V-E-D-O-N-E-S-O-M-E-N-I-C-E-T-H-I-N-G-S-W-I-T-H-T-H-E-P-L-A-C-E"

by JShufelt on Jan 2, 2009 11:14 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Now who is talking the crazy talk?

On the first part, the last part was actually pretty straightforward and sensical for you!

-RVM

by rvm on Jan 2, 2009 11:24 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Don’t go spreading any rumors now.
I don’t want people to know that I have an ounce of straightforwardness and sensicalability.

It's spelled ""S-H-U-Y-O-U-V-E-D-O-N-E-S-O-M-E-N-I-C-E-T-H-I-N-G-S-W-I-T-H-T-H-E-P-L-A-C-E"

by JShufelt on Jan 2, 2009 11:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Too late, and by the way I’ll take every advantage of exposing you Duck!

-RVM

by rvm on Jan 2, 2009 11:47 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But… but… we’re not even married!

It's spelled ""S-H-U-Y-O-U-V-E-D-O-N-E-S-O-M-E-N-I-C-E-T-H-I-N-G-S-W-I-T-H-T-H-E-P-L-A-C-E"

by JShufelt on Jan 2, 2009 12:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

not bad...

but that statement does make a little sense in regards to one’s possible (albeit twisted) reading of my comments, so I think you need to call this one good and admit defeat that there is JShufelt sensicalability. If you lay low for awhile it might pass over… :)

-RVM

by rvm on Jan 2, 2009 1:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

DAMNIT! I hate admitting I’m smart!

You win this round, rvm!

It's spelled ""S-H-U-Y-O-U-V-E-D-O-N-E-S-O-M-E-N-I-C-E-T-H-I-N-G-S-W-I-T-H-T-H-E-P-L-A-C-E"

by JShufelt on Jan 2, 2009 1:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

TAKE THAT!

wait a minute…

-RVM

by rvm on Jan 2, 2009 2:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Despite what Uncle Phil has you believe

Money isn’t everything. Respect goes a long way for the future.

Hell, look at Illinois. They played in the Rose Bowl last year, and that did absolutely nothing for them this year, despite the money

I support Takimoto in his effort to support Roger Kieschnick in his quest to becoming the best Kieschnick ever to play professional baseball.

by The VD Special on Jan 2, 2009 1:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But Illinois doesn’t collect all the Rose Bowl money – Most conferences, including the Big-10 and Pac-10 share the bowl payouts.
That’s why Oregon, in terms of dollars and cents, screwed the Pac-10 over.

I’m so confused… You guys are saying the civil war, in a way, was a good thing, and here I am, a Duck, saying it was a bad thing…
I don’t like these games you guys are playing with me!

It's spelled ""S-H-U-Y-O-U-V-E-D-O-N-E-S-O-M-E-N-I-C-E-T-H-I-N-G-S-W-I-T-H-T-H-E-P-L-A-C-E"

by JShufelt on Jan 2, 2009 2:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs