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There are still those who believe the most impressive aspect of the University’s athletic program is the cheerleading squad. But as we all know, there is something more impressive — and fun – than hot women: money (after all, the analogous relationship is smoke and fire). But the recent success of the football team portends great things for the program and institution.
“Not only was it the biggest win," said Oregon QB Joey Harrington, "but it was on the biggest stage and in an emphatic manner." Harrington’s word echoed around the nation as the media found a suiting sound bite from the post-game press conference. It wasn’t as fervent as Coach Bellotti’s “BCS is a cancer” statement a few weeks earlier, another sound bite that found it’s way into sports columns and EPSN segments, but it was good.
The Ducks dominating victory of Colorado seemed to come as a something of a shock to the national sports media. For an ardent fan, watching Sportscenter over and over again into the night can be as rewarding an experience as the game itself. It’s not the thrill of seeing the highlights again, it’s the chance to hear sports pundits opine about Oregon’s defense, Joey Harrington’s passing agility, and Maurice Morris’s immaculate touchdown run. The biggest media highlight of all was the USAToday front-page cover from January 2nd featuring a mammoth picture of Joey Harrington alongside the headline”Oregon Shocks Colorado.”
Though the talk of Oregon as a potential national champion faded like the sunset as Miami dragged a limp Nebraska behind it as it trudged along to it’s inevitable victory, the talk of Oregon’s bright future is just beginning.
The situation Oregon faces going into next season is similar to the one Oregon State faced last year. Oregon State had just flamboyantly walked all over former powerhouse Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, and runningback Ken Simonton was being touted as a Heisman candidate. Enter the Sport Illustrated College Football preview with both Ken Simonton and Joey Harrington on the cover, and SI’s bold pick of Oregon State as the number one team in the country. Add in Dennis Erikson’s stature as a top-notch coach and the Beaver’s were looking forward to a breakout year. But then came David Carr and Fresno State, followed by two early losses to UCLA and Washington State, and OSU was back in the Pac-10 cellar.
But there are a lot of differences between Oregon’s current situation and last year’s OSU team. Oregon’s stats tell the story of a perennial contender with three straight bowl victories, a proficient offense, a touted defense, and a well-publicized coaching staff.
This year was no flash in the pan, but the climax of year’s of dynasty building dating back to “” coaching days. Oregon State’s success last year was a Pac-10 high point, but Oregon’s achievements this year have eclipsed even Washington State’s Cinderella success. Such achievement will continue to transform our athletic department, but will bring criticism from critics who already see too much emphasis being put toward Oregon’s athletic program.
There is no doubt that college athletics have now become a business, and a profitable business at that. After all, donors don’t donate solely out of nostalgia and advertisers don’t buy spots out of charity. They each get something in return; in one case, the donor usually gets a stronger tie to a winning institution and the advertiser gets face time between kickoffs. In essence, they are both looking for the same benefit from their relationship with winning players and teams; everyone wants to be associated with a winner.
And while many sensitive citizens worry about the impending arms race that will take over college athletics, it is important to remember that the benefits the University have seen have far outweighed the costs.
In one sense, those who worry about an arms race are indeed correct. But that chase for the perfect QB who can peer above the frantic lineman swarming in front of him and rope a forty yarder to a streaking receiver is nothing new, and that type of healthy competition is an absolutely appropriate arms race.
So, too, is it appropriate.
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