The key to enjoying college sports is to keep your distance from the behind-the scenes stuff. I actually went to school with someone who ended up as an investigator on the inside, and, based on his stories, nothing in the papers even comes close.
To call it a cesspool is way too kind.

I'm talking about criminal stuff, like arriving to investigate a certain powerhouse school and being informed in a deep southern accent to look the other way because, "There are a lot of bayous around here, and they'd never even find your body."

The proof that he knew what he was talking about were his collection of rings from when he worked for a specific college in Florida as well as anecdotes that seemed to exhibit a vast knowledge of certain pro players he had known along the way.

My impression was that college football is even worse than we realize. So to me, these complaints about the pot and the speeding and the recruiting are like calling the Mafia out for an overdue library book. They're like calling Wall Street out for a parking ticket.

Now, if you believe there is still something wonderful about college football - and I do - you get treated to a game like tonight's Notre Dame at Michigan. Over 100,000 fans going nuts. 3 touchdown drives in the last 90 seconds. You get to watch something legendary unfold in real time. And that's a rare thing in life: When real events take on a storybook quality.

Tonight these courageous young people rose up from beneath the cesspool and touched the face of the football gods.

Bill McD, the best fun may well be Ivy League football, where it's always a game and no one goes to a post-season bowl. Go Quakers!

Regarding today's contest in Eugene, one commenter on the O's coverage reminded readers about the Wolf Pack:

"This team only beat Cal, BYU, Boise State and Boston College last year, and come back this year with a seasoned fifth-year senior and a stud wideout who just caught eight balls in the first half. I beat [sic] Coach Ault's team wins the conference again this year. Just about anybody playing at Autzen today would have run into this buzzsaw. Lots of noise, lots of speed, lots of blitzes by Aliotti (can Clay and Kaddu have been any more free to hit on those plays?) and lots of touchdowns by Darron Thomas.

They aren't world beaters, but they'd finish better than UW, OSU, WSU and Cal in the PAC-12 North..."

Not exactly "one's grandmother."

"Not exactly 'one's grandmother.'"

Trust me, anyone who dislikes the Ducks will find a way to tell you you're wrong. It's the way the world works these days, especially in forums like this.

Whatever. It's a game.

Gardiner Menefree - Go BIG RED (my parents both went to Cornell) and don't make me type out the words to a song I learned as a young child that concerns your alma mater. And back in the 50s (when my parents were there) before BCS/FCS Cornell went to a bowl game and beat Michigan.

And the Beavers were lowly as ever yesterday. Scored 0, gave up 35.

Coming home from a two week vacation, I was lucky that I have a U of O wacked out Duck sticker in my window as I sat bumper to bumper with the entire stadium of SUV's with flags flying TRAFFIC. It was insane. We were traveling North bound on I-5 before the third lane opens in Salem... stop and go at less than 10 and no more than 30 miles an hour... why? crash that was, no longer. And a Cop in the only place to pass the control freak not letting anyone pass. The poison that was spewed in that.. I can't imagine anyone wanting to party too hardy last night, the full moon was RED. Gaeeeerrrrrr (guttural) Whenever there is that much control there is that much insidious behavior.