Great read. I’m 55 now. My bio dad and his friend stopped going to Duck games a few years ago, because of age, so I take my friends now. I’ll keep going until the wheels fall off. It’s that important. 👍
Nice commentary today, John. As a long-standing Coug, I appreciate your balanced and insightful coverage of all things sports. Last year, I made a gift to another long-time Coug, who played basketball for WSU a long time ago, shares so much with his friends having anything to do with our beloved sports programs, and he truly enjoys your writing. Made perfect sense to ensure he sees you in his Inbox every day. Thanks from an 83-year-old Coug alum living the dream in Beaverton. Cheers!
I guess for me, the best live Cougar game I witnessed was the 1992 Apple Cup played in a Pullman blizzard. The WSU win was decisive and it didn't put them in any big bowl, but showcased Drew Bledsoe's arm and the fabulous receivers, O-line, and running back Shaumbe Wright-Fair. The defense also showed up big time. It was lots of fun.
* I'm glad people of all ages are attending games and reading sports news. The sport is still exciting, I just wish college football would quit trying to be an exclusive club, where only 10-12 schools can play the game for titles. Also, when a very good coach like Franklin receives boos and calls for his firing from 100K plus because he lost an OT game to maybe the best team in America, well, I find that disgusting. Add the early-season firings and the sport is hell-bent on destroying itself and turning off fans.
That was the most thrilling in person win for me as a senior at UO. I saw the whole thing happen right before my eyes and the exhilarating excitement of the student section. I will never forget that feeling. But I admit last Saturday was one of the most exciting road wins watching from home and it really just felt like we needed it because of what happened in January at the Rose Bowl.
It is an overdue pleasure to finally get off the dime and donate subscriptions for this great service you provide. And I cannot thank you enough for being the decent person, good father and great writer you are. Most of all, I am really glad you made that soccer game. There is nothing more important! Thanks John.
How do we donate an anonymous gift to someone we don’t know through you? The donate link requires an email address to a recipient. I just want to let you find someone who needs it.
I’ve enjoyed your reporting and musings on the Oregon-Penn state game, John.
I especially enjoy your human interest stories associated with the game experience.
I’m a Penn State alum and remember going to games in Beaver stadium in the late sixties- Joe Paterno was a first year coach, taking over for Rip Engle, Franco Harris was a force on the field, Gary Beban and UCLA were on the field with a microphone in Beban’s helmet which was very controversial at the time.
The stadium was about half the capacity as it is now, and it was the fraternity norm to wear a three piece suit to the games ( with a flask in the coat pocket). It was a blast then, and I can only imagine the scene now. Thanks for bringing the memories back!
I was at the WSU game in 1997, what a game, and took my daughter to the 1998 Rose Bowl to watch the Cougs play. Ryan Leaf still has two seconds left! Best Oregon game maybe was last Saturday or the win last year against Ohio State!
Couple notable Wazzu football victories I was at include the win over Texas you mentioned and 2018 WSU vs Oregon in Pullman when College Game Day was there. Both great wins and both over great young quarterbacks (Vince Young and Justin Herbert) and great atmospheres. One reason Wazzu won was because Texas and Oregon coaches didn’t play their young quarterbacks early enough in the game. Wazzu held on to win both. Too bad these days are probably over. Go Cougs!
Great timing, John! As I’m sitting here, waiting for my wife’s acupuncture session as part of her treatment for metastatic breast cancer, you reminded me of how fickle life is for some people. Occasionally, it’s the simple pleasures that mean the most. While my wife sleeps, I can relive the Penn St. in my head, or get ready for the MLB playoffs today.
Or, the satisfaction of reading your daily emails that help your readers remain informed.
It would be great to be aware of anyone needing a subscription but none available. Hopefully, that is not a concern.
My wife and I were married on October 23, 1976. For our wedding anniversary in 1994, with me underemployed and our budget tight, we were lucky enough to get tickets to the October 22nd Oregon-Washington game. Thanks to a friend, we got seats in the donor area and witnessed one of the most incredible plays in Autzen Stadium history. The entire stadium erupted as Kenny Wheaton intercepted the pass, and the call, "Kenny Wheaton's gonna score!" echoed everywhere. That electrifying play was the highlight of our anniversary weekend and our whole football season. Now, after losing my wife this past March, that memory is a treasured reminder of a perfect day we shared together.
I love getting your newsletters and feeling more connected to my beloved Ducks. I live in another state and have season tickets and used to go to all the home games and most of the away games, and I I started an annual tradition with my godson and his parents to go to to a Duck game every year. He has consistently said it’s been one of the highlights of his year. We had been excitedly looking forward to going to the Penn State game, but then reality hit. It is just gotten too expensive to go to a college football game. From the flight there, to the need for a rental car, to hotel, rooms, game tickets, and everything else involved, we could’ve spent a week in Hawaii. Going to Penn State during a white out is a lifetime bucket list and sadly it may not get checked off.
Great read. I’m 55 now. My bio dad and his friend stopped going to Duck games a few years ago, because of age, so I take my friends now. I’ll keep going until the wheels fall off. It’s that important. 👍
May your wheels roll for decades to come Todd!
Nice commentary today, John. As a long-standing Coug, I appreciate your balanced and insightful coverage of all things sports. Last year, I made a gift to another long-time Coug, who played basketball for WSU a long time ago, shares so much with his friends having anything to do with our beloved sports programs, and he truly enjoys your writing. Made perfect sense to ensure he sees you in his Inbox every day. Thanks from an 83-year-old Coug alum living the dream in Beaverton. Cheers!
I guess for me, the best live Cougar game I witnessed was the 1992 Apple Cup played in a Pullman blizzard. The WSU win was decisive and it didn't put them in any big bowl, but showcased Drew Bledsoe's arm and the fabulous receivers, O-line, and running back Shaumbe Wright-Fair. The defense also showed up big time. It was lots of fun.
* I'm glad people of all ages are attending games and reading sports news. The sport is still exciting, I just wish college football would quit trying to be an exclusive club, where only 10-12 schools can play the game for titles. Also, when a very good coach like Franklin receives boos and calls for his firing from 100K plus because he lost an OT game to maybe the best team in America, well, I find that disgusting. Add the early-season firings and the sport is hell-bent on destroying itself and turning off fans.
He has a history of losing big games big time. Historically he might be the worst ever statistically.
The Penn State victory was exhilarating but wouldn't have been possible without "Kenny Wheaton is going to score!"
That game turned the whole program around.
That was the most thrilling in person win for me as a senior at UO. I saw the whole thing happen right before my eyes and the exhilarating excitement of the student section. I will never forget that feeling. But I admit last Saturday was one of the most exciting road wins watching from home and it really just felt like we needed it because of what happened in January at the Rose Bowl.
It is an overdue pleasure to finally get off the dime and donate subscriptions for this great service you provide. And I cannot thank you enough for being the decent person, good father and great writer you are. Most of all, I am really glad you made that soccer game. There is nothing more important! Thanks John.
How do we donate an anonymous gift to someone we don’t know through you? The donate link requires an email address to a recipient. I just want to let you find someone who needs it.
Thank you for the inquiry, Keith. Ditto, John.
Ditto
I’ve enjoyed your reporting and musings on the Oregon-Penn state game, John.
I especially enjoy your human interest stories associated with the game experience.
I’m a Penn State alum and remember going to games in Beaver stadium in the late sixties- Joe Paterno was a first year coach, taking over for Rip Engle, Franco Harris was a force on the field, Gary Beban and UCLA were on the field with a microphone in Beban’s helmet which was very controversial at the time.
The stadium was about half the capacity as it is now, and it was the fraternity norm to wear a three piece suit to the games ( with a flask in the coat pocket). It was a blast then, and I can only imagine the scene now. Thanks for bringing the memories back!
I was at the WSU game in 1997, what a game, and took my daughter to the 1998 Rose Bowl to watch the Cougs play. Ryan Leaf still has two seconds left! Best Oregon game maybe was last Saturday or the win last year against Ohio State!
Couple notable Wazzu football victories I was at include the win over Texas you mentioned and 2018 WSU vs Oregon in Pullman when College Game Day was there. Both great wins and both over great young quarterbacks (Vince Young and Justin Herbert) and great atmospheres. One reason Wazzu won was because Texas and Oregon coaches didn’t play their young quarterbacks early enough in the game. Wazzu held on to win both. Too bad these days are probably over. Go Cougs!
Great timing, John! As I’m sitting here, waiting for my wife’s acupuncture session as part of her treatment for metastatic breast cancer, you reminded me of how fickle life is for some people. Occasionally, it’s the simple pleasures that mean the most. While my wife sleeps, I can relive the Penn St. in my head, or get ready for the MLB playoffs today.
Or, the satisfaction of reading your daily emails that help your readers remain informed.
It would be great to be aware of anyone needing a subscription but none available. Hopefully, that is not a concern.
Thanks, John!!!
I was at the Big House in 2007 when unranked Oregon beat Michigan 39-7. Not as exciting a road win, but perhaps even more significant.
For OSU, it would have to be the Fiesta Bowl, with the 2006 win over #1 USC as a very close second.
Long ago, and it feels like another lifetime entirely at the moment.
This is just sad, and no one seems inclined to do anything about it.
WeavTheBeav
My wife and I were married on October 23, 1976. For our wedding anniversary in 1994, with me underemployed and our budget tight, we were lucky enough to get tickets to the October 22nd Oregon-Washington game. Thanks to a friend, we got seats in the donor area and witnessed one of the most incredible plays in Autzen Stadium history. The entire stadium erupted as Kenny Wheaton intercepted the pass, and the call, "Kenny Wheaton's gonna score!" echoed everywhere. That electrifying play was the highlight of our anniversary weekend and our whole football season. Now, after losing my wife this past March, that memory is a treasured reminder of a perfect day we shared together.
I love getting your newsletters and feeling more connected to my beloved Ducks. I live in another state and have season tickets and used to go to all the home games and most of the away games, and I I started an annual tradition with my godson and his parents to go to to a Duck game every year. He has consistently said it’s been one of the highlights of his year. We had been excitedly looking forward to going to the Penn State game, but then reality hit. It is just gotten too expensive to go to a college football game. From the flight there, to the need for a rental car, to hotel, rooms, game tickets, and everything else involved, we could’ve spent a week in Hawaii. Going to Penn State during a white out is a lifetime bucket list and sadly it may not get checked off.
The journey of life is pungently frequented with brilliance that only John Canzano can seemingly share at will. 🙏
Spot on John! Toss out the health care directive if I can watch one more game of my favorite football team!