Some Competition, by Casey Mitchell

This is Casey Mitchell guest blogging for ST today. After last nights game between the Huskies and Stanford, it looks like the Ducks aren't the only team in the Pac-12 North. Cardinal quarterback Josh Nunes did not impress me at all, while Keith Price's composure on the Washington side of the ball really showed me that he can play at a high level, even when he doesn't have the numbers. It doesn't look like an easy road for Oregon this year to the Championship Game.
Speaking of the Ducks, they take on Washington State in Seattle tomorrow and the Ducks look to improve to 5-0 on the season, while Wasu is looking to get above the .500 mark. Sophomore CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu has been the spark plug to this Oregon defense and was named the National Defensive Back of the Week last week. With the contributions of Michael Clay and Ekpre-Olomu, this defense has had two consecutive shutouts and they believe they can get a third in Seattle tomorrow. The Cougars are definitely on the rise from where they were for the past couple of years, with Mike Leach as the new head coach and they are looking forward to the opportunity of knocking off the second ranked team in the land. Prediction -- Ducks 52  Cougars 20
Now with just over about a week left in the regular season, the race for October is just about as tight as it can be. In the AL East, the Yanks have just a one game lead on Baltimore and Tampa Bay is still holding on at four back in the division and only two back in the Wild Card. Over in the Central, the Tigers have taken a two game lead over the White Sox. In the National League it's a little more simple. Two teams have already clinched their division and two more have locked up a Playoff birth. The LA Dodgers, after spending all that money, are hanging on by a thread in the Wild Card at three games back. I look forward to what the rest of the week has in store!

WHEN THE DUST SETTLES by ST

Eventually this NFL ref situation will be resolved and an amazing event is going to take place at 15 stadiums around America that first week upon their return.  Fans who usually cuss out and have nothing good to say about the officials will greet them with rousing ovations.  Before the game.  Then the game will start and sometime in the 1st or 2nd quarter a long play by the home team will be negated by a holding call and the boo birds will be right back at it.  Mark my words. 
I just heard John Lynch on the radio and he had some intriguing insights.  Called the NFL owners & commissioner Goodell arrogant.  He said the growing issue of concussions, repeated blows to the head and their frightening long term impacts has already altered the landscape.  The youth league his son plays in has already been cut in half from 8 to 4 teams over parental concern.  Lynch is a Stanford guy who had a career I feel will land him in Canton as a Hall of Famer.  He has great passion for the game and like Steve Young, you've seen and heard the anguish they've expressed over what's happening with their league.  These are not dumb jocks.  These are intelligent, articulate guys who see the big picture and offer more than a hysterical, in the moment thought. 
I can not believe it's coming up on 48 hours since the Monday night debacle in Seattle and Goodell has not been seen or heard.  I'm not a fan from the get go due to his allowing Michael Vick back in the league, but this reveals a complete lack of character and credibility.  The product generates 9.1 billion in annual revenue.  We love it.  We get our own version of "The Day America Stood Still" each Super Sunday.  The most viewed programs in history list lots of Super Bowls.  How can we take the commissioners word on player safety or the Saints bounty program when he just lied to our faces in issuing the statement backing the atrocious call to steal the game from the Packers?
This has now transcended sports.  I'm going to be very curious to see the developments over the next few days.

Week Two, by Casey Mitchell

This is Casey Mitchell guest blogging for ST today. After leaping to no.4 in the nation following the route of Arkansas State, the Ducks are now focusing their attention on the Bulldogs of Fresno State. In freshman QB Marcus Mariota's first start, he showed off his ridiculously accurate arm and decision making, and there have even been talks of him possibly being the greatest signal caller in UO history. That may turn out to be true, but I'm not going to jump to that assumption after one half of football against a sub-par opponent. I really liked what I saw out of him and I can't wait to see some more of him this week. But the player that I REALLY enjoyed watching was Colt Lyerla. It seemed like every time he touched the ball it took the entire defense to bring him down. Along with DAT's strong performance, this offense looks like they picked up right where they left off. Coming off of a disappointing 4-9 season for the Bulldogs, they would love to crash the party and upset an elite team like Oregon. Although it's been a rough couple of years for them, this is a program that has had some success in the past and have played the Ducks tough. They are no Arkansas State, but I really just don't see them giving Oregon any fits. Prediction -- Ducks 49  Bulldogs 20

SELLOUT STREAK?  I DON'T THINK SO! by ST

Here's why I'm not buying into the Arkansas State game as #83 in the now very shaky sellout streak at Autzen Stadium.  Beginning with Oklahoma to open the 2006 season when the number at the turnstiles read just over 59-thousand 2-hundred, the Ducks have hosted 11 non-confererence games.  The LOWEST attended was Houston in 2007 with 57,600.  That's about 15-hundred more than showed up on Saturday.  You can twist this around, spin it, or put out 20 different press releases.  The fans have spoken.  Ticket prices are too high for a pushover opponent.  In 2009 Purdue drew a little over 57,700.  Otherwise New Mexico, Missouri State, Portland State, Utah, Utah State, Boise State, and Fresno State all saw attendance over the 58-thousand mark.  More than 59-thousand showed up for NEW MEXICO!  Not sure why anyone would value such a meaningless, vague, and now very tainted streak!  Your thoughts welcome by posting here, emailing stevetannen@live.com or send me a twitter message @sportstalk953

Gameday, by Casey Mitchell

This is Casey Mitchell guest blogging for ST today. This year's season opener for the Ducks may not be quite the task as last year's, but never the less, Oregon Football is here again! The season kicks off tonight at Autzen Stadium in the first ever meeting between the Ducks and the Arkansas St Red Wolves. Marcus Mariota takes the field for the first time as the Oregon starting quarterback, and regardless of the opponent, it will be good to see how he handles the pressure of the prime time on ESPN. He is going to be filling in some big shoes after arguably the most successful QB in Oregon history, Darron Thomas. I know that there were times last year when Thomas would make some bonehead plays, but I'll tell you what, anytime a quarterback leads his team to two straight Conference Championships and two straight BCS Bowl Games in his first two seasons starting, he gets an A in my book. Mariota will be looking to repeat that kind of success and it all starts tonight. I don't see the Red Wolves pulling off any sort of upset and the Ducks will take advantage of the cake season opener. Prediction -- Ducks 56  Wolves 10
In other sports news, today marks the first day of September baseball and the races are really heating up. After having a huge lead in July, The Yankees are now just 2 games up on the O's. Over the last 10 games the two teams have gone in complete directions. The Yanks have gone 3-7 while the Orioles have won 7 of their last 10. With just a little over a month left in the regular season, that is going to be one tight race between the two teams but also with the Tampa Bay Rays right on their heels.