Building The Dam

Pac 10 Roundtable, Week 13

The VD Special — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 07:58:09 -0000

Thank you to our friend TwistNHook over at California Golden Blogs for hosting this weeks roundtable. This is a big week for us Beaver fans, and an even bigger week for Stanford, UW, and WSU.

1. The Pac-10 has 7 bowl contracts to fill and currently only 5 spots filled. Stanford, UCLA, and Arizona State all sit in the middle of the Pac with 6 losses. Out of those three teams, which, if any, will make it to post-season play?

Of all the teams, I think ASU has the best shot. They mauled Stanford, and they would have to have beaten UCLA to get to 6. I think a Hawai'i Bowl is in order for the Sun Devils. That being said, I don't think they get to 6 wins. As of right now, I think Stanford has the best shot of getting to 6, albeit against Cal @Strawberry Canyon. I think that's going to be a closer game than most think, and I know Harbaugh is a great motivator and will have his guys ready to go to try and get that 6th W.

2. Is there anybody NOT rooting for OSU to win out and go to the Rose Bowl? Anybody? I think even Pete Carroll has to have a spot in his heart for this story. And if OSU does win the Pac10, pushing USC to 2nd, do you think USC will make a BCS game or find itself in the Holiday Bowl?

I can think of one tiny little school that wears wings on their sleeves that is rooting against OSU. They say they are our friends. They claim to root for us unless playing us. But let's face it, UO fans would be pulling their hair out if OSU made it to the Rose Bowl. I also think that every BCS and Rose Bowl executive is pulling their hair out at the thought of a rematch between a 31 point game earlier in the year. And I know that Penn State fans would love to see OSU in the Rose Bowl every other year, but they have to be hating the thought of a rematch. That does nothing for them in terms of respect. They are hoping for a game with USC. Now, that being said, I'm sure Petey C doesn't care what we do because he knows he's getting a BCS berth no matter what. Whether it be Fiesta or Sugar or Orange, he knows he's going somewhere. I also know that our Jewish homeboy Twist is a real minch (spelling?) and is rooting for the Beavs now too. Remember Twist, repeate after me "I hate the Ducks. Fuck those Ducks!"

3. Let's take a stroll down b-ball lane. What are your Pac10 rankings for B-Ball?

1. UCLA

2. ASU

3.USC

4. Washington State

5. Cal

6. Stanford

7. Arizona

8. Washington

9. Oregon

10. Oregon State

4. Now that we've seen your B-Ball Top 10 (with assuredly UCLA at the top and OSU at the bottom), who is your surprise team this year? And why is it Cal?

I actually would have to say Cal is my surprise team. I don't know why, it's just a hunch. Call it a Monty hunch. But also, I think Oregon is going to do much worse than people give them credit for. They are over rated yet again. They only win when Ernie Kent's job is on the line. They lost much more this year than they did the year before, and they underachieved INCREDIBLY last year. Also, expect OSU to win 2 Pac10 games this year. Both will be at home, and probably against the lesser competition (see: Feb 19th against Stanford, Jan 31st against Oregon). But I imagine Coach Rob will have this team confident some point this year.

5. With the legendary Lute Olsen out at Arizona, what are their chances of making the tournament this year?

Slim to none. They are talented, they always have been, but it's going to be hard. We saw what a drop off they had last year without him, and they not only lost him but a wealth of talent as well. It's sad, but I think this is going to be the beginning of the end for UA. It hasn't been the premiere program for a couple of years, and with Herb Sendek appearing to make a run at owning the desert up at ASU, look for a serious drop off. I think one of the main reasons is no one wants to follow in Lute's footsteps. The measuring stick will be long and hard (that's what she said). Only Lute could have a drop off season and get away with it at UA. The next coach that comes in won't. He will be measured by Sweet 16s and nothing less. Not exactly an inviting scenario for a team that just lost it's biggest recruits for next year...

Talk About The Arizona Game

CV3000 — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:18:35 -0000

This is a video of Arizona's 3rd quarter explosion against Cal a month ago. It's the main reason why everyone has been so afraid of Arizona this year. I don't really have time to watch it or write anything interesting about it or Arizona Football in general, so I was kind of hoping that maybe someone could pitch in with a little insight? Maybe some amateurish statistical analysis of how their season has been going? Anything helps. Thanks.

Alright, fine. Here's a little statistical comparison with relatively good stats in bold, and relatively bad stats underlined in italics. What you'll notice is that Arizona is like a bizarro Oregon State. They have nearly identical stats in: rushing yards per attempt, passing yards per attempt, passer rating, scoring defense, time of possession, 3rd down conversion, 1st downs, etc. I mean, the stats are so similar that it's crazy. Arizona has better kicking and punting and, surprisingly, they are penalized less frequently. OSU fumbles quite a bit less, has a better rushing defense, redzone defense (an area where Arizona is horrible).

It's kind of crazy...

Arizona Opponents

Scoring: Points/Game 39.7 22.7

Scoring: Games - Points 10 - 397 10 - 227

First Downs: Total 223 148

First Downs: Rushing - Passing - By Penalty 92 - 117 - 14 70 - 69 - 9

Rushing: Yards / Attempt 4.36 4.28

Rushing: Attempts - Yards - TD 395 - 1724 - 29 323 - 1384 - 15

Passing: Rating 142.06 103.55

Passing: Yards 2405 1689

Passing: Attempts - Completions - Interceptions - TD 318 - 201 - 7 - 19 298 - 165 - 14 - 9

Total Offense: Yards / Play 5.8 4.9

Total Offense: Plays - Yards 713 - 4129 621 - 3073

Punt Returns: Yards / Return 18.50 13.00

Punt Returns: Returns - Yards - TD 28 - 518 - 2 17 - 221 - 0

Kickoff Returns: Yards / Return 19.43 19.42

Kickoff Returns: Returns - Yards - TD 37 - 719 - 0 52 - 1010 - 0

Punting: Yards / Punt 43.70 42.19

Punting: Punts - Yards 37 - 1617 64 - 2700

Interceptions: Returns - Yards - TD 14 - 242 - 2 7 - 118 - 1

Fumbles: Number - Lost 18 - 8 21 - 7

Penalties: Number - Yards 34 - 297 64 - 510

Time of Possession / Game 32:09.50 27:41.40

3rd Down Conversions: Conversion % 44.36% 33.09%

3rd Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions 133 - 59 136 - 45

4th Down Conversions: Conversion % 23.08% 57.14%

4th Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions 13 - 3 7 - 4

Red Zone: Success % 93.88% 92%

Red Zone: Attempts - Scores 49 - 46 25 - 23

	Arizona	Opponents
Scoring: Points/Game	39.7	22.7
Scoring: Games - Points	10 - 397	10 - 227
First Downs: Total	223	148
First Downs: Rushing - Passing - By Penalty	92 - 117 - 14	70 - 69 - 9
Rushing: Yards / Attempt	4.36	4.28
Rushing: Attempts - Yards - TD	395 - 1724 - 29	323 - 1384 - 15
Passing: Rating	142.06	103.55
Passing: Yards	2405	1689
Passing: Attempts - Completions - Interceptions - TD	318 - 201 - 7 - 19	298 - 165 - 14 - 9
Total Offense: Yards / Play	5.8	4.9
Total Offense: Plays - Yards	713 - 4129	621 - 3073
Punt Returns: Yards / Return	18.50	13.00
Punt Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	28 - 518 - 2	17 - 221 - 0
Kickoff Returns: Yards / Return	19.43	19.42
Kickoff Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	37 - 719 - 0	52 - 1010 - 0
Punting: Yards / Punt	43.70	42.19
Punting: Punts - Yards	37 - 1617	64 - 2700
Interceptions: Returns - Yards - TD	14 - 242 - 2	7 - 118 - 1
Fumbles: Number - Lost	18 - 8	21 - 7
Penalties: Number - Yards	34 - 297	64 - 510
Time of Possession / Game	32:09.50	27:41.40
3rd Down Conversions: Conversion %	44.36%	33.09%
3rd Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	133 - 59	136 - 45
4th Down Conversions: Conversion %	23.08%	57.14%
4th Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	13 - 3	7 - 4
Red Zone: Success %	93.88%	92%
Red Zone: Attempts - Scores	49 - 46	25 - 23

Oregon State Opponents

Scoring: Points/Game 33.7 21.8

Scoring: Games - Points 10 - 337 10 - 218

First Downs: Total 223 155

First Downs: Rushing - Passing - By Penalty 100 - 107 - 16 58 - 82 - 15

Rushing: Yards / Attempt 4.38 3.36

Rushing: Attempts - Yards - TD 393 - 1720 - 20 325 - 1093 - 11

Passing: Rating 139.18 108.10

Passing: Yards 2446 1796

Passing: Attempts - Completions - Interceptions - TD 322 - 202 - 11 - 19 286 - 146 - 12 - 11

Total Offense: Yards / Play 5.8 4.7

Total Offense: Plays - Yards 715 - 4166 611 - 2889

Punt Returns: Yards / Return 9.74 10.21

Punt Returns: Returns - Yards - TD 31 - 302 - 1 14 - 143 - 0

Kickoff Returns: Yards / Return 23.17 19.54

Kickoff Returns: Returns - Yards - TD 36 - 834 - 1 61 - 1192 - 0

Punting: Yards / Punt 37.29 41.20

Punting: Punts - Yards 41 - 1529 59 - 2431

Interceptions: Returns - Yards - TD 12 - 186 - 2 11 - 165 - 3

Fumbles: Number - Lost 15 - 3 21 - 8

Penalties: Number - Yards 68 - 583 72 - 673

Time of Possession / Game 32:33.80 27:26.20

3rd Down Conversions: Conversion % 41.18% 28.03%

3rd Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions 136 - 56 132 - 37

4th Down Conversions: Conversion % 58.33% 50%

4th Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions 12 - 7 12 - 6

Red Zone: Success % 83.67% 85.71%

Red Zone: Attempts - Scores 49 - 41 28 - 24

	Oregon State	Opponents
Scoring: Points/Game	33.7	21.8
Scoring: Games - Points	10 - 337	10 - 218
First Downs: Total	223	155
First Downs: Rushing - Passing - By Penalty	100 - 107 - 16	58 - 82 - 15
Rushing: Yards / Attempt	4.38	3.36
Rushing: Attempts - Yards - TD	393 - 1720 - 20	325 - 1093 - 11
Passing: Rating	139.18	108.10
Passing: Yards	2446	1796
Passing: Attempts - Completions - Interceptions - TD	322 - 202 - 11 - 19	286 - 146 - 12 - 11
Total Offense: Yards / Play	5.8	4.7
Total Offense: Plays - Yards	715 - 4166	611 - 2889
Punt Returns: Yards / Return	9.74	10.21
Punt Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	31 - 302 - 1	14 - 143 - 0
Kickoff Returns: Yards / Return	23.17	19.54
Kickoff Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	36 - 834 - 1	61 - 1192 - 0
Punting: Yards / Punt	37.29	41.20
Punting: Punts - Yards	41 - 1529	59 - 2431
Interceptions: Returns - Yards - TD	12 - 186 - 2	11 - 165 - 3
Fumbles: Number - Lost	15 - 3	21 - 8
Penalties: Number - Yards	68 - 583	72 - 673
Time of Possession / Game	32:33.80	27:26.20
3rd Down Conversions: Conversion %	41.18%	28.03%
3rd Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	136 - 56	132 - 37
4th Down Conversions: Conversion %	58.33%	50%
4th Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	12 - 7	12 - 6
Red Zone: Success %	83.67%	85.71%
Red Zone: Attempts - Scores	49 - 41	28 - 24

Let's Skewer the Bears One Last Time

CV3000 — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:00:07 -0000

Good Afternoon, my name is Sam. I'll be your All-American punt returner today. May I interest you in our 57 yard special?

Finally, I have a chance to sit down and compose some thoughts on the utter destruction of Cal. Overall, it was a great day with many high points and only a few low points. Cal was a good team, but ultimately could not rise to the challenge of going toe-to-toe with OSU's playmakers. They had Jahvid Best trying to keep up with the exploits of James, Sammie, Quizz, and whomever was to inevitably intercept Kevin Riley. It wasn't really a fair matchup.

First of all, a hearty hip-hip-hooray to our two Pac-10 Players of the Week: Ocho Loco and Stephen "Tonga Power" Paea. The Ocho had a scorching, rocket-powered kick return score as well as a sprint, then skip to a stop, then scamper again rushing touchdown on the flysweep. 2 scores, 50 receiving yards, 20 or so out of the backfield--versatility, baby! He almost scored on a pass reception as well, but that would have been overkill and James Rodgers is a man of mercy.

Ocho Loco shows mercy by coasting at the goalline. via Thomas Boyd of The Oregonian

However, Tonga Power was not so kind. Stephen was snapping heads and putting on a bull rushing clinic all afternoon. He decided that it wasn't good enough to simply dominate Cal's All-American center, Alex Mack. No, Stephen thought it would be better if he could defeat Alex Mack aided by a double-teaming guard as well. And when Stephen decides that he's going to collapse your pass protection, well that's what's going to happen. Pads were popping, offensive linemen were getting blown off the ball, bodies were flying, and Mr. Paea was making soup up in their kitchen all day long. 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and this fabulous sack...no, not that one.

Tonga Power teacups another defenseless quarterback! via Thomas Boyd of The Oregonian

It was kind of a weird game, a bit of a slugfest punctuated by huge returns by Jahvid Best of Cal, and James Rodgers, Sammie Stroughter, and Keenan Lewis of the Team That Knows What The Hell It's Doing Wearing Black.

Against the Beavers overwhelming defensive pressure the Golden Bears were essentially incapable of sustaining any kind of offensive output. There was a garbage trick wide receiver pass play that reminded us of all the crap Tedford used to pull back when he was in Eugene and forced to compensate for the ducks' lack of talent, and also a nifty outside run by Best when the team lost contain, and that was basically the whole day for Cal. No, literally--apart from those 2 plays, the Bears gained 132 yards from scrimmage. The Bears were unable to establish any kind of consistent interior running game, and their draw plays weren't enough to overcome the damage of failing to block the stifling pass rush. Under that kind of pressure, the offense simply caved. Cal was able to run only 57 offensive plays all game and they gained only 1 yard in the 4th quarter.

The teams traded punches in the first half, then Quizz was Quizz and the Beavs were advancing the ball at-will in the second while turning the screws on defense. As Ted Miller put it, "the Beavers made a 6 point lead feel like 60." And that is the beauty of being a Beavers fan. 80 yards is a long way to go against this defense.

Wait, I said grill the Bears, not Bear Grylls! -Discovery Channel

With all respect to the Cal Football Team and its cheerful, good-humored fans, Zack Follett is the biggest crybaby in the universe not named Mike Bellotti. He was whining after the game to anyone who would listen, saying that he was being held by Tavita Thompson. This doesn't even make any sense because Tavita is 6'6" and about 75 pounds heavier while having just as quick of a first step as Follett or anyone not named Orange Jesus--Tavita doesn't need to hold anyone. Zack, sorry bro, they're called rules. You're just deflecting blame away from your poor performance and multiple personal fouls. As a dime-a-dozen linebacker, you aren't going to get away with hitting an All-American out of bounds. Deal with it, little buddy. Zack Follett prepares to deliver his first personal foul. Do you see #25 on the ground there? Quizz was actually the one who blocked him to his location out of bounds--from somewhere outside of the picture!!!! via Thomas Boyd of The Oregonian

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Sammie Stroughter DEE-HEE-STROY Follett on the very next play after Zack had hit Sammie out of bounds. It was a bloodthirsty crackback applied on James Rodgers' flysweep touchdown. Follett's head whipped back and his feet were hanging in the air as his limp, lifeless body floated momentarily before crashing to the ground. I guarantee that it only felt like running through one of those big pieces of paper at a high school football game for Sammie. I further guarantee that Follett is still feeling it 3 days later. It's been fun watching Sammie get the best of every team's top defensive player this season, especially when it's a poor sport like Zack Follett.

How incredibly ROCKING was Reser on the back to back interception returns at the end of the game? Even though the first one was called back on a false start, karma proved that it was the correct result. Keenan Lewis was all business on his pick. It was textbook. He caught it, lined up a couple blockers, then shed a comical attempt at an arm tackle by Jahvid Best. He didn't even need to look away from the endzone while he was brushing him off.

Brandon Hardin had a great hit on Cal's punt returner, but he also appeared to be out of his lane on Cal's long opening kickoff return. It will be fun to see if he's a starting corner next year, if they don't switch him to defensive end first. He's huge.

Kevin Riley deserves credit for only throwing one interception. Under that much duress, it could have easily been 4-5 picks.

Lyle had a poor showing in the stat column, in some ways it was the worst start of his career, but he played effectively and converted a lot of 3rd downs. Going one turnover or less is really all we need out of our quarterback position to win just about every game. Everything else that Lyle usually does is just a bonus. He was playing sick, with a coughdrop in his mouth so that he could be heard on the field--and he's still hoarse in interviews three days later.

After a noodle-armed early interception, he resisted making very many risky throws. I think Lyle really reined it in and waited to find the relatively few holes presented on some of the crossing patterns we had to run when Cal mostly dropped 8 players into a very tightly spaced, shallow zone coverage. From where I was sitting, you had to admire the uniform spacing Cal had down the field. They were very disciplined, with good alignments and equal spacing all over--it really reminded me of all the synchronized karate guys at the Opening Ceremonies in Beijing this summer. If you didn't see that on TV, you can probably find it on youtube. That was definitely the best pass defense we've seen this season.

My one sour note for the game: "black outs" are stupid. Half-(lawyers) blackouts are really, really, really, ridiculously stupid. Did anyone see the Georgia game earlier in the year? It looked like 85,000 empty seats. It looks even worse in Reser, especially when you can't get your act together. NEVER EVER DO THAT AGAIN. You're making a mockery of ORANGE. We've worked a long, long time to get people to wear orange at games and we still have a LOOONG way to go until we have 100% compliance. Recruits LOVE an Orange crowd. They LOVE it. People watching Beavers games across the country respect it. They're AMAZED by Orange. When fans see it on television they literally wonder aloud, "is it really that Orange in Reser Stadium?" The best that Reser Stadium has ever looked was during the USC game this year. Why? Because of Orange. Wear Orange. Be Orange. Let us never speak of this blackout again. OVERWHELMING ORANGE FOREVER.

Now, I will leave you with the eternal brilliance of James Rodgers:

Tuesday Morning number crunching...

Jake — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:00:07 -0000

If the numbers from my notebook are correct, the Rodgers tandem has accounted for more than half of OSU's offense this season.

Are these guys good or what?

Poll

Mack Brown recruited James and Jacquizz. They became Longhorns. What Bowl do the Beavers go to at the end of this season?

Lyle at 80% or Sean at 100%?

Jake — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:49:26 -0000

No matter how hard it tries, the quarterback conversation never dies....

We witnessed Lyle Moevao lead the Beavers to a victory over the California Golden Bears last week, obviously without a full-strength shoulder. He got the job done, although having his worst full game of the season on paper. Give him credit: Lyle hit the short passes, converted four passes on third down for first downs, and completed fifty percent of his passes. Also give credit the the OSU coaching staff for sticking to their gameplan.

However, Lyle obviously wasn't at his best. When he threw the intercept to Syd'Quan Thompson on the third play of the game, you could tell that the deep arm strength wasn't there. We know that Sean is a better deep threat than Lyle, but still, you could tell by seeing Lyle under-throw and float that interception that he was somewhat off his game.

And then we learned from various sources that Lyle played the game sick.

We know that Sean throws a pretty ball, but I'll argue that Lyle brings more leadership to the table than Sean. Sean did demonstrate that he can play with high intensity in his start against UCLA, but I need to see more from #5 before I change my mind.

I'll also argue that Lyle didn't bring his normal energy to Saturday's game. He was sick, and his arm wasn't completely there. But he still got the job done.

Obviously, barring any drastic developments, Lyle will be the starter this Saturday in the desert. And he'll probably have more arm strength than he did against Cal. But play armchair head coach for a minute. Who would you have preferred to start for your team?

I know there's many of you who are calling for Canfield over Lyle. However, I think there's just as many of us who think Lyle is the man.

But ultimately, aren't you glad that we've got two QB's who can lead this team?!?!

So, Beaver Nation, if you were paid the big bucks, who would you have started against the Golden Bears?

Poll

Disregarding the outcome of the game, if you were Mike Riley, who would you have started at Quarterback against the California Golden Bears?

Camping for Civil War tickets at Reser

The VD Special — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:38:36 -0000

Hey guys, just thought I'd let everyone know that I am out here at Reser Stadium camping out for Civil War tickets with the rest of the students. Unlike previous games, where it is unorganized with people just coming and cutting, there are rules to keep everyone happy. So for any students coming to camp out here, are the rules...

1. You can have up to a group of 10 in your designated area. Not all 10 have to be at the spot at all times, but somebody has to be there at any given time. A student is walking around getting a name and the number of people in your group. If you tell him 8, and 10 show up, 2 people will be sent to the end of the line

2. Keep the trash in the garbages. The athletic department has told us that they will allow us to camp out so long as we keep the parking lot clean.

3. Be curteous to others. We all have classes, and some of us have tests in the morning. When it gets later, please be respectful to those trying to sleep. We are all out here together.

4. I am of the understanding that there will be state troopers walking around and monitoring, keeping everybody safe. That being said, don't expect much leway with drinking. I'm sure it's not allowed.

5. And finally, please keep it organized. Don't try and sneak your friends who didn't want to wait all night to the front of the line. It's just disrespectful to the rest of us out here.

Currently there are 100+ tents with between 8-10 people for each tent, so you're looking at already between 800-1000 students waiting in line. So get out here and get your spot in line. GO BEAVS!

If anyone is out here and can get some pictures uploaded that'd be awesome. I think it'd be sweet for everyone to see the dedication of our students now. I remember just 3 years ago you could get a student ticket the Friday before the game. Now, tickets are sold out within a couple hours.

OSU vs. Cal in Pictures

PLUBeaverBeliever — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 06:06:52 -0000

I would like to take this opportunity to formally introduce the newest member of the Building the Dam team, Blake. He's a photographer who can be found on Flickr at Blake James Photography. Sit back and enjoy some of his pictures from today's game. --jake

The view from Section 11, row 18...

BIG TIME win for our program! Reser was ROCKING...about as loud as the USC game I thought. Great job Beaver Nation! One.game.at.a.time!

The Beavers take the field for the huge match up with the Bears. The visiting team had won the matchup for the last five years.

Captains meet at midfield prior to kickoff. Oregon State won the toss and deferred to the second half.

The OSU Student Section during Oregon State's 34-21 win over California.

Lyle surveys the defense. He threw for 145 yards on 14 completions.

Shane "Money" Morales bringing one in. It was nice to see him back after he had to sit out the UCLA game due to the infamous goalpost incident.

Brandon Hughes

Sammy ready to rock....Gotta have your big time players play well in big games....Sammie came to play today. Great performance.

Layborn tracking down Best

Victor Butler putting heat on Kevin Riley. Oregon State sacked Riley five times during the game.

Chris Johnson almost taking it to the house.

Scoreboard with the Alma Mater....BIG WIN for the program.....time for the Wildcats!

Postgame React: Beavers wish Cal many happy returns

Jake — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 03:27:57 -0000

Not much else to say right now other than this was a great win for this team. I loved how our Special Teams (with the exception of that opening kickoff return) held us in the game until the offense and the defense got things rolling. Lots of positives: Returns by Sammie and James, a great day for Quizz, some big passes by Lyle, and the list goes on.

It was a record crowd of 45,969, but I thought we could have done better, as far as noise, for a sellout. Maybe it was just my vantage point in the stadium- it was still a great atmosphere for college football.

What a great game. Much more coming your way after this one sets in. For now, I'll meet you in the comment section.

Photo provided by BlakeJames Photography

Gameday Open Thread: Cal at OSU

Jake — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:30:06 -0000

Not much to say here. We all know what needs to happen.

via blog.oregonlive.com

WEAR ORANGE.... ROCK RESER!!

GO BEAVERS!!!!

California Golden Blogs Forfeit Everything But Coin Toss, Concede Defeat

Jake — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:00:06 -0000

It's a big week for the Beavers. Everyone knows that. CV3000 had a chance to serve up some condescending questions to the California Golden Bloggers this week, and here is the result of the exchange:

1. Look, we know what kind of team you field on the road, and it's basic knowledge that it would take the National Guard to slow down Jacquizz Rodgers. Do you think the Bears have any chance of even providing worthy competition for the Beavers in Reser Stadium?

Luckily for Cal, Worrell Williams joined the army reserve on Tuesday. And I'm pretty sure Syd'Quan Thompson will be parachuting in as part of the Navy Seal program. What's most important here is that Cal's D is set up to stop the run. We're focused primarily on shutting down runners. Great runners like Javon Ringer and Jeremiah Johnson. Of course, the problem there is that both of those took place in the friendly confines of Memorial Stadium. On the road, it has been a different situation.

But we did just contain (not stop, but contain) the USC rushing game. On the road. So, that gives us some hope. Rodgers is a great back. No doubt about that. But we generally have been shredded when we have to respect the pass. Moaveifksfla has played well, but with Canfield in will OSU be able to pass at the same level? Canfield has played well against WSU, ASU, and UCLA. I'd like to think that Cal's D is on a different level than those, however.

So, if Canfield can't make the Cal D honest to the pass (similar to how Masoli was in the Oregon game), then the pressure is all on Rodgers. I'll take our chances there.

[Moevao is expected to start--ed.]

2. Did you know that Mike Riley's dad, Bud, signed Jeff Tedford to his first professional football contract and that Mike Riley was Tedford's coach as a quarterback in Canada? Seems like you owe all of your recent football success to Mike Riley's family.

Generally, when we do these Q+As, we try to have open ended questions that allow for free-flowing discussion. This is a Yes or No question. Did you know blah blah blah? So, no, we didn't know. I heard Mike Riley's grandmother, Gramma Riley, appeared to Tedford in a dream and said "Flee Eugene the second you get a chance!"

What's most important is for Mike Riley's awesome younger brother/cousin(/nephew?), Kevin Riley to play well this Saturday. Go Rileys!

3. Jahvid Best. That guy plays for you. Is he pretty good or what? Most fragile freshman/sophomore Pac-10 running back since the glass-ankled Johnathan Stewart?

Derrick Doggett stuffs Ol' Glass Ankles for another loss. via blog.oregonlive.com

Yes, he is pretty good. Doesn't he lead the Pac10 in all-purpose yards? The reason why he is so fragile is more about the state of the Cal offense. He is, in many ways, our most reliable weapon. Our QB situation is unclear. Our WRs are young. He is the most reliable player, so the Ds really key in on him. He's got a chest injury, elbow injury, and ankle injury this year.

But he's only missed 1 game, which was the ASU game. To his credit, he has pushed through. Even playing with a very bulky arm brace. He certainly hasn't been helped by a shaky O-Line decimated by injuries. So, keep an eye on him this Saturday. Because lord knows the OSU D will be doing that, too!

4. We heard there's more panhandlers in Berkeley than even in Eugene, but far fewer meth labs than Eugene. Is that a positive? What are your thoughts on this ratio? Can you promise to not bring them with you to Real America this weekend? Thanks.

I don't even see how this relates to college football. I was told we could have an open and substantive dialogue on the two most important and serious things in life: college football and the internet [and Beavers--ed.]. Now, we are discussing panhandlers and meth labs. Ratios and bringing things. I wasn't told there'd be math or potluckery.

I guess what I am trying to say is your OSU education is showing again. College football Q+A my ass.

Cal education designed their weight training program. via i.a.cnn.net

5. Who is your smartest or most impressive player on either side of the ball? It's acceptable to leave this answer blank.

Probably all-everything C Alex Mack. He is anchoring an offensive line with essentially every other starter either injured or out of position. He HAS to manage the game well for Cal to win. He's been doing that incredibly well. There were a few problems against USC, but otherwise the OLine has been doing admirably well. Especially considering the situation! He even is a published author with an article in the Sporting News. There is a LOT of responsibility on his shoulders and brain and he is doing a great job managing that responsibility.

6. When I look at the California Golden Bears statistics, the only conclusion that I can come up with is that the Golden Bears definitely are not good at anything except intercepting the ball, but there's still a chance that they might be okay overall. Do you think they're good at interceptions because they get to practice against interception machine, Nate Longshore or would you attribute it more to practicing against Kevin Riley?

Yeah, Cal sucks at everything. We suck so bad our defense is the 110th worst defense in the nation for yards per play (compare: Oregon State at 92nd). We seem to only be able to hold opponent's QBs to a passer of rating of 98.23 for 115th worst in the nation (compare: Oregon State at 95th). Our rush defense is horrible and we give up 3.1 yards per rush for 106th worst in the nation (compare Oregon State at 90th). Our passing offense is so horrible we're only a whopping .3 yards per attempt behind Oregon State. We truly do suck at a lot. There is no way Cal can beat Oregon State. The stats clearly, as clear as an opaque object, show that Oregon State is a better team.

7. Who is your best young player that we might look forward to terrorizing us for many years in the future for writing this? Is it Shane Vereen? Is he related to the famous tap dancer, Ben Vereen? You can deny it if you want to.

Ben Vereen is disappointed that his son was not recruited by the Orange & Black.

Well, Vereen is a great running back slash avant garde dancer. He does a little tap, some jazz. You know how it is. He's also a sophmore, I believe. As is Best. [Vereen is a freshman--ed] So, those guys are here to stay. We also have Tracy Sloum, who has shown some great moves when he actually gets the ball. Our stable of RBs will be the strength of this team for years to come. If we can have an offensive line with more than 1 original starter on it, we could match up well against any team!

8. 3-4 Defense: socialist experiment for Fake America to overthrow Real America? Discuss.

Cal would like to take advantage of their four talented linebackers.

This was designed to take advantage of the talent situation. We have 3 g-r-e-a-t senior leader LBs on this team. Not to mention some solid depth behind them with Eddie Young and The Prophet Mike Mohamed. So, the entire scheme was altered to take advantage of this. I think it has helped us slow down the running games of our opponents this year. We'll see how well it does against Quizz on Satuday. A true challenge that will be.

Pac-10 Heisman, Week 11

Jake — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:32:06 -0000

It's time to unveil the Pac-10 Heisman Finalists for Week 11, which, coincidentally, are the same as last week.

Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State: Jacquizz turned in another great performance, this time against UCLA in the Rose Bowl. His weekly average is now up to 121 yards per game after he picked up 144 in Los Angeles. Jacquizz and the Beavers return to Reser to play California this week, who has the fourth best run defense in the conference- they give up an average of 116 yards per game. Quizz's performance against that defense will be crucial to the success of his team, as they look to finish strong in their final stretch of games.
Marck Sanchez, QB, USC: Sanchez threw for 238 yards, two touchdowns, and had no interceptions last week in a win over Cal. He solidified his spot atop the Pac-10 passing chart with an average of 235 yards per game. The Trojans now must play Stanford, who has the worst secondary in the Pac-10. Another upset, anyone?
Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford: Gerhart only rushed for 21 yards last week at Autzen Stadium against the Ducks, as injuries sidelined him for parts or the game. His counterpart, Anothony Kimble, did end up breaking 100 yards on the afternoon, though. He's expected to play against USC this week, but the injury could be a factor in his effectiveness. against the Pac-10 leading USC run defense.

The overall voting:

Rank	Player	Points
1	Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, OSU	65 (4)
2	Mark Sanchez, QB, USC	45 (1)
3	Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford	30
4	Willie Tuitama, QB, Arizona	5
5	Nick Reed, DE, Oregon	5

Fifteen points were awareded for a first place vote, ten for a second place, and five for a third.

This week's voters: Couquest Chronicles, California Golden Blogs, Addicted to Quack, House of Sparky, Building the Dam.

Question: What kind of Bear is best?

The VD Special — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:39:40 -0000

False. Black bear.

So in case you guys didn't know, we have a pretty big game coming up against Cal, who apparently is UCLA's twin brother that got separated at birth: both are UC schools, both have nicknames referring to bears, they share the same fight song, thecolor schemes are similar, the academics similar. They basically are each other. One is better at football than the other, currently, and I'll let you guess which one it is. But needless to say, Cal is coming up to Corvallis looking for vengance. Last year when we played, the Golden Blogs Bears were #2 , and #1 LSU had lost earlier in the day. The Bears were ready to take that step forward into the #1 spot. Chants could be heard from the student section "WE'RE NUMBER 1!" the minute the LSU score was announced. But a couple of key plays helped shaped what was, the great words of Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach, the greatest upset in Oregon State history of the year. This play started the greatness for Oregon State. Note: Look how happy Kevin Riley looks at the beginning:

After that goaline stand, Oregon State was looking pretty solid. Until Mike Riley's son Kevin decided to take over the game and drive Cal right down the field. Then he decided to make the biggest mistake of his young career. With Cal trailing 28-31, he marched the Bears all the way to the Oregon State 12 yard line. With 14 seconds left (and no timeouts) the Bears had one last chance to try to get to the end zone. Let's watch :-D

What a game right?! Even Sean Canfield had his best game of his miserable year, going 18-33, 186 yards and NO touchdowns INTERCEPTIONS. The Cal game was the turn around game for us last year, and this year we need the win more than ever. The stakes are as high as they've ever been for a lot of Beaver fans, and the game should be a good one. So, all that being said, I ask you fans of Building the Dam!

Poll

What kind of bear is best?

BtD Collaborative Power Poll, Week 11

Jake — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:29:58 -0000

It's time to unveil the results of week two of collaborative power poll voting. If you're not a registered voter yet and you'd like to be, shoot me an e-mail.

Now, this week's poll:

	Team	Points
1	USC	69 (6)
2	Oregon State	64 (1)
3	Cal	54
4	Arizona	51
5	Oregon	41
6	Stanford	35
7	Arizona State	29
8	UCLA	21
9	Washington	13
10	Washington State	8

This week's games: Oregon State/Cal, Washington State/Arizona State, Arizona/Oregon, USC/Stanford, Washington/UCLA.

Voters: The comment thread is all yours to post your ballots if you wish, defend your selections, and debrief the final publication. Non-voters: Complain/agree at your own risk.

Coach Rob Takes Team to D.C. for His Inauguration

Jake — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:50:49 -0000

Hail to the Chief! The Craig Robinson era officially begins this Friday for Oregon State, as the Beavers must travel cross-country to face the Howard Bison.

Howard, led by head coach Gil Jackson, finished 6-26 last season, and went 3-13 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. They were young last season-- they return four starters-- and are relatively young again this season, as there are only two seniors on the roster.

The Bison played two exhibition games in the Bahamas in August. They went 1-1 against two of the Bahamian national teams.

Howard struggled finding a point guard last season, and lost several close games as a result. The coaching staff made this position a priority while recruiting, and brought in Calvin Thompson and Chris McHenry to help run the point. They both had good outings in the Bahamas, suggesting that the Bison will have consistent players running the offense.

Howard's strength lies in their backcourt, where guards Eugene Myatt (pictured, right) and Kyle Riley form a talented duo. Myatt is Howard's returning leading scorer (14.1 points per game last year), and Riley, now a sophomore, will have more opportunities to contribute.

Junior guard Curtis White led the team in three point shooting and assists a year ago. The 6'5", 195 pound guard will also have more opportunity for playing time this year due to the graduation of Jaron Smith.

The Bison don't have many threats down low outside of senior forward Randy Hampton, who averaged just over ten points a game last season. Kandi Mukole, Adam Walker and Paul Kirkpatrick are expected to see time at the forward and post positions.

Tipoff is Friday at 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific in Burr Gymnasium.

Silly LA schools, monopolies are for Beavers.

CV3000 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:34:37 -0000

Silly LA schools, monopolies are for Beavers.

Nothin' but.... brick?

Jake — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:44:36 -0000

(I know, I know. Nobody wants to talk about basketball right now.)

If there's one thing that's guaranteed in the game of basketball, it's the logistics of a free throw. When a player goes to the line after being fouled, they're always going to be fifteen feet away from a ten foot basket, standing behind a twelve foot line.

Yet, why has it been so hard, historically, for Oregon State to make baskets under these circumstances?

"To win the big games you must get to the Free Throw line, and then you must make them."

--Rick Majerus, Saint Louis Head Coach

Over the last eleven years, the Beavers have only ranked under 100 nationally in free throw shooting three times. The Beavers shot 72.7% in 2000-2001, but things hit rock bottom when Oregon State shot 53.4% from the charity stripe two seasons ago. The Beavers have ranked over 225th nationally six times over the last eleven.

In last week's exhibition opener, Craig Robinson's team shot 51.7% from the line, missing a total of fourteen free throws. In the second exhibition against Concordia, the Beavers improved to 72.7% from the free throw line, leaving six points on the court.

Last year alone, the Beavers missed 236 foul shots over the course of 27 games

Now, granted, Oregon State hasn't assembled the greatest teams over this stretch. But a player doesn't need to be a superstar to make most of their free throws. Why can't we make them?

Whichever choice you vote for in the poll below, I would be interested to hear in the comments if you think Oregon State's free throw/shooting percentage will improve under Craig Robinson.

(image via Big Sky Shootout)

Poll

What is the reason for Oregon State's free throw woes?

Pac 10 Roundtable, Week 11

The VD Special — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:05:01 -0000

Thanks to TwistNHook from CGB for the organizing the questions for this weeks roundtable. Things really begin to pick up in the Pac 10 starting...right...NOW!

1. USC and OSU win out. OSU wins the Pac10 and goes to the Rose Bowl. USC doesn't win the Pac10, but due to the BigXII and the SEC cannibalizing themselves, manages to get into the National Championship game. Discuss.

This would send the nation into an uproar. I can hear the fans from opposing conferences now. SEC- "MY GOD, HOW CAN USC, WHO LOST TO CRAPPY OREGON STATE, GET IN OVER FLORIDA, GEORGIA, LSU, ALABAMA?! HELL EVEN OLE MISS WOULD BEAT SC BECAUSE THEY CAN BEAT FLORIDA AT THE SWAMP! DIDN'T YOU KNOW THAT THE SEC RULES EVERYTHING!" $C is the scum of the football community, because they regularly embarass us and we have nothing to fight back with." Big 12- "Texas beat USC in the NC a few years back. Oklahoma has a 2-1 record recently against Oregon. Texas Tech beat Cal in the Holiday Bowl. Since USC beat Oregon and Cal this year, how can you put them in over any one of us?" Big 10- "Penn State and USC both have 1 loss. Penn State beat Oregon State. Oregon State beat USC. 'Nuff said." I would refuse to blog for one calendar year if SC got in just so I wouldn't have to listen to SEC retards.

2. Oregon State is the only team that controls its Pac-10 destiny due in large part to freshman phenom Jacquizz Rodgers, but their next 3 games will be their toughest stretch of conference games. What are their chances of winning out and going to their first Rose Bowl since 1965?

It's going to be tough. Real tough. I believe we are playing better than all three teams we have remaining on our schedule, but to beat two solid teams in Cal and Arizona (at Arizona) and win the Civil War is never an easy task. I can only imagine a Civil War with the Rose Bowl on the line. Nothing the Duckies would love more than to ruin those hopes like we did for them in 2000. We would hear it for years. But all that being said, there is no reason the Beavs can't do it--and they are likely to be favored in each remaining game. I would rather play this 3 game schedule with everything on the line than 1 game against USC with everything on the line. Anyone care to disagree? I would call you an idiot.

3. It's pretty widely accepted as of now that the Pac-10 is having, across the board, its worst season in years. Give us your #1 reason for this sudden downturn in quality.

Two main reasons, and one has to do with the other. 1) Poor QB play, largely due to youth, injury and/or instability at the position--pretty sure Rudy Carpenter is the only Pac-10 QB to play in every game for his team this year! Head over to ESPN.com and read Ted Miller's blog for some interesting insight into the QB play this year in the Pac 10. 2) Recruiting. Again, another article written by somebody else, but USC has essentially sucked dry California and a majority of the west coast on the premise that "practice time at SC is more valuable than playing time at UCLA." After watching the Bruins tank this year, I don't think anybody would disagree. Not sure if it can effect an entire conference, but teams are now more likely to be recruiting elsewhere. Oregon and Oregon State have since dipped into Texas and Oklahoma for players, and I think it's a trend you will continue to see with other Pac 10 teams. But it just goes to show how important coaching is. Oregon State is having another strong showing--solidifying our spot at the top of the Pac-9--and it's due to the fact that we pick up guys that the USCs/Cals/UCLAs of the world overlook, and we turn them into gems.

4. Each season can bring significant change to a college football team, whether from graduation or a change in starters. Now that we've seen the majority of the 2008 season, what do you think will be the significant changes for your team to contend with in 2009?

I'm not sure where there will be significant changes in our team except for the better. Losing our DBs might hurt, but it's the deepest area of the team this year. And losing Sammie and Shane Morales hurts. But we return a wealth of QBs, obviously Quizz and James Rodgers, a lot of our OLine is back, and we have some young guys on the defensive front that are solid. However, I think the biggest loss is going to be losing Norris and Butler on the defensive ends--they change the way that opposing team runs their offense. But if Simi Kuli (and a couple other JC transfers who may be in the pipeline) decides he ever wants to show up, that would be huge for our depth and allow us to continue our 8-10 player rotation. I think next year's team, with a hot start/favorable early schedule, can go 10-2 or 11-1.

5. Will USC ever suck again? EVER!

No. There are certain programs that will never be down (even though USC was down for a while before Carroll got there and variously throughout the 90's). Sure, they may have a bad season here or there. But programs like Michigan, Ohio State, Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, and SC don't stay down for long, if at all. Pete Carroll has made it his priority to make USC into a program that wins forever, and there's no doubt that it's looking that way right now. He has also turned that job into the #1 job in the country, so if and when Pete decides to up and leave for the NFL, USC will have its pick of the litter of coaches. And don't think that Paul Hackett is going to be running USC again anytime soon.

The real question is when will Washington decide they want to be respectable again?

Poll

As an added bonus, I have this question to ask ALL fans! Would you rather:

Recruiting Update: Week 12

The VD Special — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:13:50 -0000

Not only are the Beavers rolling on the field, they seem to be excelling in recruiting as well. OSU picked up a couple of commitments over the past week, and the kids coming in will fill some holes.

Sean Martin, Defensive Back, 6'0", 170 lbs, Corona, CA. Apparently he had already made up his mind, but decided to commit by phone to Mike Riley after the UCLA game. He was at the game, interacted with the coaching staff, and then committed. His other current offer appears to be from Minnesota, and he is being recruited by most of the Pac 10 schools. Even with the forthcoming graduation of Afalava, Lewis, and Hughes the Beavers have excellent depth in the defensive backfield for next year and we should all expect for Sean to redshirt and not really compete for playing time until 2010.
As most of us have probably already heard, we got a pair of local boys to commit. Quarterback Jack Lomax (son of Neil) and WR Micah Hatfield, both from Lake Oswego High School. Jack Lomax is having a ridiculous career for the Lakers. I'm not sure the EXACT stats, but he has something like 50 TDs to 5 INTs over the past two seasons. Micah Hatfield appears to be a skinnier version of Mike Hass, maybe even quicker, though probably not as strong at the same age. He will need to bulk up to play in the Pac-10 (as will Lomax), but he catches everything and has great on field communication with Jack Lomax. Lomax likes Oregon State because he feels the program is much like Lake Oswego's. A lot of people are reminded of Alex Brink when they see Jack play. Also, Lomax is probably not finished growing yet, so don't trust any numbers that you see for his height or weight at this point (Jack's older brother was about the same size in high school, but wound up being 6'7" 230). When he's competing for playing time in 2010 or 2011 he'll be around 6'3"-6'4" and 210-230--his dad has said that he expects him to be the same size as Neil was when he was quarterbacking in the NFL.
Joshua Andrews, OLine (guard?), 6'2", 257, 5.0 40. Think of a smaller version of Andy Levitre. He's quick off the ball, and moves the D-Linemen at will. Give him a redshirt year to bulk up and Coach Cav will have this guy ready to go in 2010, '11, or '12. Andrews chose the Beavers over scholarship offers from Washington State, San Diego State and Colorado State--that's more scholarship offers than UO's combined starting offensive line from 2007 received out of high school.

This puts up us to 15 commits so far. We are eying a JUCO DBack who, according to Beaver Blitz, is just waiting for an offer from Oregon State. He says when it comes, he will sign. This will be good for depth and special teams and he might have a shot to play opposite Tim Clark next year.

Big game coming up this weekend. Not sure what, if any, recruits will be in Reser. But a good showing from the crowd and team would go a long way to impress them. NO BOOING A KNEEL DOWN, MKAY GUYS? Go Beavs!

This Week is Your Chance to Deserve to Say "We"

beavers415 — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:12:06 -0000

It's been a while since I've posted a real rant on BtD but with the economy in the shape that it is in my priorities have been with work. I hope you can understand. But with Beaver Nation experiencing what could be one of the greatest seasons ever I couldn't hold in my thoughts any longer.

First of all, I love that everyone is dedicated to the "one game at a time" philosophy. Not just the players, but especially you, the fans. I truly believe that your thoughts and hopes for this team help in every single way. It may seem "hippie and holistic" but I truly believe if you can focus and imagine good things happening for your team, it will happen. You just have to have faith and Beaver Nation has that with this team.

So what about this game against Cal? Every week it seems like each game just becomes bigger and bigger and the stakes become higher and higher. OSU is facing a very tough Bears team that has won its past two games inCorvallis and in convincing fashion. The last game in Reser was over well before OSU got on the board. It was especially annoying for me because I was living in San Francisco at the time and got suckered into bringing a Cal fan up for the game.

(Actually, the Cal fan was pretty gracious in victory but he should have been after dropping one of my Beaver flags on I-5, puking on my brother's living room floor and hopelessly hitting on OSU coeds in embarrassing fashion. We referred to him as "The Cal Guy" because we just met him through a mutual friend/Beaver fan and he was being That Guy. He was a good enough dude but he was the DB of Destiny that weekend. But he did buy me three other Beaver flags for the one he dropped on the freeway and I still rock those flags to this day)

Regardless of recent history in Corvallis, I think OSU will win this game and do it in convincing fashion (although I will take a squeaker if it means the W). Here are my reasons why.

This team is focused: I know, I know, I just said this, but you can see that this team is taking things one game at a time and not looking ahead to any opponents. They didn't look past Hawaii, WSU or UW and while we've seen many teams say the same things that the Beaver players and coaches are preaching this team is really pulling it together. I don't think this will change against the Bears, especially since you cannot even get a cat nap in againstCal without the Bears taking advantage.

The home crowd will be fired up: While I wasn't particularly impressed with the Beaver Crowd's enthusiasm against ASU (although the die hard fans are always exempt when I make these kinds of statements) I think the crowd knows how important this game means to Oregon State. Not only is a Pac-10 Championship within reach, but this game will be broadcast regionally on ABC. Every Beaver fan should know that voices come back, tired legs will prevail and nothing buys you more respect from your piers from other schools then a great home crowd. And if you are still worried about being sore for cheering too much at this game, don't forget that God invented beer for these types of occasions. Just be responsible and don't be a jerk to the Cal fans that drove a long ways to do the same thing for their team.

(And I hope the rumor that the Student Section is planning a black out is true. That would look really cool)

This team is really confident: While some people might be discouraged that the Beavs couldn't put a slumping ASU team away at home and were sloppy on offense against UCLA in the first half, the way that this team has responded shows that this team knows how to win games. Sure, I would love to see OSU coast to a victory in every game, but I find it more comforting seeing so many different players stepping up to make plays throughout the game. When this happens, your teammates know that they don't have to carry their team and they just have to go out there and do their jobs.

How else does Sean Canfield recover from three costly turnovers in the past two games? He knows that he doesn't have to do it all because he has a great offensive line and the best freshman running back in Pac-10 history (let alone the best RB in the Pac-10 this year).

What about Victor Butler rolling out in coverage to intercept the game tying two point conversion against ASU? Would he have been able to do this if Slade Norris and Stephen Paea couldn't get pressure on the passer with great consistency?

How about Greg Laybourn's game clinching interception last weekend against the Bruins? How is it that this guy just seems to be in the right place at the right time at the most important times in the game? I'll tell you why. Coaching.

Greg was saying that his coaches told him before the play "watch for the wheel route." All he had to do was wait for Kevin Craft to throw the cheese (pun intended). Give the pressure that the Beavers d-line was putting on the Bruin QB, it was just a matter of time till things floated into his hands.

And this last Laybourn example just shows how much the faith these kids have in their coaching staff. Mike Riley knows he would never have to pull his pants down at halftime to get their attention. This team knows that if they execute the game plan the way they practiced it all week they will be successful. It doesn't matter what "cage" the other team has planned or how many 4 and 5 star players are lining up on the other side of the ball. If this team executes, they win. It's as simple as that.

I have a lot of respect for Cal but: The Bears will have to be better then the Beavs on all these counts to beat them and I don't see this happening.

But let me kiss up to the Bears for a second. Cal has a great defense and the 3-4 look with a very talented linebackers could cause the offense some fits. Let's also not forget that Cal always has playmakers on their offensive side of the ball and their o-line is one of the best in the conference.

OSU fans shouldn't forget that if it wasn't for Joe Ayoob completing 2/3rds of his passes to the field turf worms in 2005 ("an embarrassment to the forward pass" was what one of my Cal friends texted to me after the game) and Kevin Riley's bonehead mistake of thinking he could outrun Pac-10 linebackers with no timeouts and less then 10 seconds remaining, Cal would own a four game winning streak over the Beavs coming into this game. With Nate Longshore being the more effective QB against the Trojans last week and his impressive outing in 2006 against OSU, the Beaver DB's better have their heads on a swivel.

But that is why they play the games.

OSU might be catching Cal at the perfect time. If there is one thing I know about the Bears, is they don't recover well from hangovers. All last week the local media was playing up the "program changing" opportunity the Bears had against the Trojans. This was the Bears "Super Bowl" and the key to their run at the Roses. When they lost to USC, the feelings coming out of Berkeley was that their season is now a disappointment. The team's goals have regressed to hopes of a Holiday Bowl appearance and fans in the Bay Area are taking a more cynical approach to the Bears. Anyway you slice it; this is not good for the Cal faithful.

Don't worry Cal fans. You have a great program and have one of the best coaches in the Pac-10. You will have your opportunity in this conference and a tough defeat to the Trojans is not that bad. You might figure this out someday, but not this weekend against the Beavs.

One final thought: We have some of the greatest fans in the nation and I am not saying that because I am a blatant homer, but we can be better. While 50% of you cheer like this is the last game you will ever see, the rest of Beaver Nation needs to step it up for this game. This is especially true if you are one of those fans that say "we" when talking about OSU sports teams. If you really truly think you deserve to say "we" when referring to the Beavs, then you can earn it by doing your part and lifting up this team with your undying support. This is even more crucial when your team isn't playing well and they need a lift. At this point in the season, this is the biggest game of the year and as much as I believe that the fans were an integral part in the victory over USC, you will be for sure during this game.

So stand up, yell loud, wear Orange (unless you are in the student section), and give a Cal fans a beer to show them who the best fans in the nation are. They may need it after the whooping they receive this Saturday. This week is your chance to deserve to say "We."

(photo via photos.oregonlive.com)

Basketball goes 2-0 in exhibitions, regular season starts Friday

Jake — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:00:07 -0000

The election is over, Robinson's brother-in-law is now the Presidential elect, and it's almost time for the Men's Basketball season to begin.

The Beavers took care of their two exhibition opponents, Saint Martin's and Concordia, and open the regular season on Friday in Washington D.C.

In the exhibition opener against Saint Martin's, the Beavers squeaked out a narrow four point victory, winning by the score of 80-76. The Beavers found themselves ahead by ten points with three minutes left, but the Saints closed the gap quickly. Jake Linton hit a three pointer with just over a minute left to cut the Beaver lead to three, but the Beavers hit several crucial foul shots with under a minute left to preserve the victory.

Omari Johnson led the Beavers with a double-double-- 18 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Daniel Deane with 15 points and 6 boards. Seth Tarver also earned a double-double with eleven points and eleven rebounds. In total, five players scored in double figures, and the team had 16 total assists.

After the game, Robinson commented that, "It was a good test. St. Martin's played a great game. They played different defenses and it gave us the chance to work on some stuff."

Six days later, the Beavers looked more improved against Concordia, winning 82-57. Six players reached double figures in the contest. Daniel Deane led the troupe with 15 points, followed by Omari Johnson with 14 and Lathen Wallace with 13.

The Beavers quickly amassed a lead against Concordia, and led at one point in the first half by the score of 29-9. Oregon State led 31-17 at halftime, and continued to dominate in the second half. With 2:31 left in the game the Beavers held a 37 point lead, but managed to win by only 25.

After the game, Coach Robinson commented on the distribution of scoring and free throw shooting. The Beavers were 16 of 22 from the line-- 71.5%, and 10 of 12 in the second half. Oregon State shot 64.9% from the free throw line last year, which ranked 294th nationally. Hopefully the improvement against Concordia is a sign of things to come.

It was definitely a positive to see the team put up more than 80 points in both exhibition games- the Beavers average 59.9 points per game (ranking 317th nationally) last year. Granted, the competition wasn't nearly what it will be come Pac-10 time, but we need to start somewhere, right?

Oregon State will open the 2008-2009 season and begin the Craig Robinson era this Friday in Washington D.C. against Howard University. The game will be played at 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.