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.
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. 👍
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.
I agree, the Wheaton pic is the greatest game in Oregon football history, maybe college football history. It was the first step in changing Oregon into a national football powerhouse. What other win changed a college football program that much?
The Drive to give the Ducks the lead was epic by itself and set up the Pic.
If you include neutral site games in the discussion of greatest road wins, I would say the Ducks crushing defeat of Florida State in the Rose Bowl is my choice. Two Heisman winning QB’s facing each other with a trip to the Natty on the line. Nothing better than that.
I was thinking the exact same thing. They'd had a smattering of high water marks prior, but that was the season that changed everything, and the game vs. UW was arguably THE catalyst in that change.
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.
I wonder if Franklin's team is going to end up being that great. I looked at the "blue chip" players he has and it pales vs. the top teams. Might be truer that the perception of Penn State is better than the team.
At Ohio State. At Iowa. Versus Indiana and Nebraska at home.
With a putrid OOC schedule and likely many SEC teams finishing 10-2, I'm not certain that two losses coming against the two best teams on the schedule assures PSU a spot in the PO.
He does, and there have been a few others similar, but one thing to keep in mind is that in order to lose a lot of big games, you have to have first won a lot of games to get to a big game that will be one your most likely to lose because of the quality of opponent.
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!
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.
As a UofO grad, class of 1958, I’m now approaching 90 (yes, even older than Phil) and thus have a literal lifetime of memorable Duck games, starting with the “58 Rose Bowl where we were huge underdogs but lost to Ohio State, 10-7. There were a number of Civil War games, mostly in Corvallis like the ‘94 game where we clinched the Rose Bowl. There was the Rose Bowl game where we beat Wisconsin who had Russell Wilson at qb. There was the game against Oklahoma at Autzen with the controversial ending, and of course, Kenny Wheaton’s pick to beat our real rival, the Dawgs. So many wonderful games. I could probably entertain you for several hours, John. Go Ducks!
Maybe. It helped put us in the Rose Bowl and brought Phil on board.
I was on the UOAA Board and had season tickets in Section 11, the sunny side of the field. I told Don Essig that I didn’t need to worry about rain because it (almost) never rained during the game because the roar of the crowd sent all their hot air up to part the clouds. He laughed, but then started announcing it to start the game. The rest is history!
Not sure of the year but Jim Plunkett threw two touchdowns against The Ohio State University, who only scored one, as Stanford prevailed against expressed great odds in the Rose Bowl. A few weeks later I was on the Ohio State campus to present a paper to an audience of about 300 people who were attending a Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry annual conference. In my introductory CV, it was mentioned that I had lectured at Stanford University. I opened my remarks: "Good morning, you may have noted my lecturing at Stanford; interestingly enough one of the students in that class that morning was Jim Plunkett. The subject of my lecture was 'How to throw the forward pass', and if you are as attentive this morning as Plunk was, you too can leave with some helpful knowledge". I was politely but soundly booed! Just sayin', Charlie
Thanks, Lisa. I actually laughed, it was a hilarious moment, plus I knew I definitely had their attention. Although I was an engineering student, my best freshman class was extemporaneous speaking. The professor was brilliant, and likable. His thought was that the worst thing you can do is start with some dull joke that most of your audience has heard, or cannot relate to. Thus!
Good to hear from you, and your comment put a nice puff of wind beneath my wings this morning.
Only to (hopefully) engage my posse members here and other such innocent victims. Disclosure: I am sneaking up on 91, and only my family gets to hear "GranpaRosie's stories" other than that. But I am flattered that you asked. Charlie
Kenny Wheaton scored. Without that win, we aren't even having a conversation about beating Penn State on the road. Higher quality, more nationally resonating wins since? Sure. Lots. That win put the car in gear and got it all moving.
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!
For most Stanford types, the 1971 Rose Bowl victory over Ohio State is the greatest game in school history. We were two touchdown underdogs to a Buckeye team that had been labelled one of the greatest of all time. They had Rex Kern, John Brockington, Jim Stillwagon, Jack Tatum and a number of other great players. They were ranked No. 2 in the country, but Texas had lost in the Cotton Bowl earlier that day, so a win would give Ohio State the national championship. But Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett, tight end Bob Moore, flanker Randy Vataha, linebacker Jeff Siemon and safety Jack Schultz had other ideas. Stanford won 27-17. I was a senior at the time, also serving as assistant SID under the great Bob Murphy. Other than my wedding day and the birth of my children, it was the happiest day of my life.
It was surreal. And exciting, And gratifying. My future wife and entire family were there. I'm still friends with many guys on the team after 50+ years. A day none of us will ever forget, and we reminisce about it often.
The OSU defeat of ND in the Fiesta Bowl was decisive. OSU ended the season ranked #4. But what I remember about the game was Erickson's team exemplified poor sportsmanship. It was shameful, taunting the ND players with the ball while racing to the endzone. Erickson had a winning team that season because he had recruited thugs and low-lifes.
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.
Thanks Ed.
John - any plans to have VenMo or PayPal as payment options? I would donate a subscriptions right now (fantasy football $$)
Also, appreciate the reads you bring to us regularly
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. 👍
Only so many games. I do worry about the connection to the community (and older fans) that gets lost when TV makes it difficult to watch.
And the way OTA or basic cable have eliminated sports fans. I am not raising my grandkids to follow - screwy times, bowing to all mighty dollar, etc.
Alittle bit easier for Phil, private jet and all..........
Hardy har. Original.
Agreed. Will it become PPV or more streamed like NFL? There’s the rub.
May your wheels roll for decades to come Todd!
You say that now. I did too…..but at 80 it gets very tough!
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.
Big win.
I agree, the Wheaton pic is the greatest game in Oregon football history, maybe college football history. It was the first step in changing Oregon into a national football powerhouse. What other win changed a college football program that much?
The Drive to give the Ducks the lead was epic by itself and set up the Pic.
If you include neutral site games in the discussion of greatest road wins, I would say the Ducks crushing defeat of Florida State in the Rose Bowl is my choice. Two Heisman winning QB’s facing each other with a trip to the Natty on the line. Nothing better than that.
I was thinking the exact same thing. They'd had a smattering of high water marks prior, but that was the season that changed everything, and the game vs. UW was arguably THE catalyst in that change.
It also got the Damn Huskies off our back!
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.
I wonder if Franklin's team is going to end up being that great. I looked at the "blue chip" players he has and it pales vs. the top teams. Might be truer that the perception of Penn State is better than the team.
Penn State Playoff. Playoffs!
At Ohio State. At Iowa. Versus Indiana and Nebraska at home.
With a putrid OOC schedule and likely many SEC teams finishing 10-2, I'm not certain that two losses coming against the two best teams on the schedule assures PSU a spot in the PO.
He has a history of losing big games big time. Historically he might be the worst ever statistically.
He does, and there have been a few others similar, but one thing to keep in mind is that in order to lose a lot of big games, you have to have first won a lot of games to get to a big game that will be one your most likely to lose because of the quality of opponent.
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!
Thank you Mick!
Keep up the good work, John, you are often a "voice in the wilderness!"
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!!!
Bless you and your wife, Mark.
All our sports pale in comparison to being with our spouses and walking with them in their health battles.
My brother just lost his wife after a long battle, it is tough.
Hugs to you and your wife.
Thank you, Andrew!! Please tell your brother that I'm sorry for his loss!!
We're thankful that our strong faith helps. Take care.
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
Epic wins.
Oregon State big wins: 1) over usc '67 and 1a) beating UW in '85(?), huge under dogs........
Not the ones that can, for sure.
As a UofO grad, class of 1958, I’m now approaching 90 (yes, even older than Phil) and thus have a literal lifetime of memorable Duck games, starting with the “58 Rose Bowl where we were huge underdogs but lost to Ohio State, 10-7. There were a number of Civil War games, mostly in Corvallis like the ‘94 game where we clinched the Rose Bowl. There was the Rose Bowl game where we beat Wisconsin who had Russell Wilson at qb. There was the game against Oklahoma at Autzen with the controversial ending, and of course, Kenny Wheaton’s pick to beat our real rival, the Dawgs. So many wonderful games. I could probably entertain you for several hours, John. Go Ducks!
Really tough to pick just one, but how about the Kenny Wheaton pick to beat the insufferable Dawgs! Everyone in the stadium went berserk.
Maybe. It helped put us in the Rose Bowl and brought Phil on board.
I was on the UOAA Board and had season tickets in Section 11, the sunny side of the field. I told Don Essig that I didn’t need to worry about rain because it (almost) never rained during the game because the roar of the crowd sent all their hot air up to part the clouds. He laughed, but then started announcing it to start the game. The rest is history!
Not sure of the year but Jim Plunkett threw two touchdowns against The Ohio State University, who only scored one, as Stanford prevailed against expressed great odds in the Rose Bowl. A few weeks later I was on the Ohio State campus to present a paper to an audience of about 300 people who were attending a Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry annual conference. In my introductory CV, it was mentioned that I had lectured at Stanford University. I opened my remarks: "Good morning, you may have noted my lecturing at Stanford; interestingly enough one of the students in that class that morning was Jim Plunkett. The subject of my lecture was 'How to throw the forward pass', and if you are as attentive this morning as Plunk was, you too can leave with some helpful knowledge". I was politely but soundly booed! Just sayin', Charlie
1971 Rose Bowl Charles. The following year Don Bunce led Stanford to a famous victory over Michigan 13-12 in the Rose Bowl
Thanks, B, for the info. A lot of life has been lived since then. Charlie
Thanks, Lisa. I actually laughed, it was a hilarious moment, plus I knew I definitely had their attention. Although I was an engineering student, my best freshman class was extemporaneous speaking. The professor was brilliant, and likable. His thought was that the worst thing you can do is start with some dull joke that most of your audience has heard, or cannot relate to. Thus!
Good to hear from you, and your comment put a nice puff of wind beneath my wings this morning.
Only to (hopefully) engage my posse members here and other such innocent victims. Disclosure: I am sneaking up on 91, and only my family gets to hear "GranpaRosie's stories" other than that. But I am flattered that you asked. Charlie
Best moment in sports for me was watching my 2004 Red Sox come back from being down 0-3 games in the ALCS to win 4 straight and beat the Yankees!
YES. Then, go on to win it all! I was in St. Louis covering that series.
As a long-suffering BoSox fan, all I can say is YES!
My Dad, who passed at age 98. He waited seven plus decades before watching the Sox win it all.
I’m glad he got to see that! I was a fan just before the “Buckner” series and recall years of disappointment up until 2004.
The journey of life is pungently frequented with brilliance that only John Canzano can seemingly share at will. 🙏
Thank you my friend.
Kenny Wheaton scored. Without that win, we aren't even having a conversation about beating Penn State on the road. Higher quality, more nationally resonating wins since? Sure. Lots. That win put the car in gear and got it all moving.
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!
They have expanded and expanded. It's mind-bending to see the scope of it.
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.
This is the first game i really remember as a fan!
For most Stanford types, the 1971 Rose Bowl victory over Ohio State is the greatest game in school history. We were two touchdown underdogs to a Buckeye team that had been labelled one of the greatest of all time. They had Rex Kern, John Brockington, Jim Stillwagon, Jack Tatum and a number of other great players. They were ranked No. 2 in the country, but Texas had lost in the Cotton Bowl earlier that day, so a win would give Ohio State the national championship. But Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett, tight end Bob Moore, flanker Randy Vataha, linebacker Jeff Siemon and safety Jack Schultz had other ideas. Stanford won 27-17. I was a senior at the time, also serving as assistant SID under the great Bob Murphy. Other than my wedding day and the birth of my children, it was the happiest day of my life.
Love this.
Definitely a great win! Followed by Don Bunce on Jan 1 1972 leading Stanford to a great victory over Michigan 13-12.
Almost any team beating OSU buckeye!
My family watched on tv.
It was surreal. And exciting, And gratifying. My future wife and entire family were there. I'm still friends with many guys on the team after 50+ years. A day none of us will ever forget, and we reminisce about it often.
The OSU defeat of ND in the Fiesta Bowl was decisive. OSU ended the season ranked #4. But what I remember about the game was Erickson's team exemplified poor sportsmanship. It was shameful, taunting the ND players with the ball while racing to the endzone. Erickson had a winning team that season because he had recruited thugs and low-lifes.