The seedling is on its way from one of the last redwood groves of the Sonoma wine country. But, you know what, I'm going to hold on to it until we know the outcome of this one.

Also, don't forget the Beavers play their season opener against Nicholls State on Saturday!

Redemption (cough) for the Beavers. I predict victory for Stanford.

You just can't say "Go, Tree."

Too funny.

You just can't say "Go, Tree."

How about "Go Cardinal InjunTree!"???

The Ducks loss to Stanford was a pain that will last a lifetime. Everything was lined up for a college in the state of Oregon to become national champs. In addition, this reminded me of the old AFL-NFL days where something new (Joe Namath and the Jets) would defeat the same old, same old (The Baltimore Colts.) I really wanted the nation to see our offense against a boring, throwback team like Notre Dame. I watched the Notre Dame game with Pitt and I did not see a team that could handle the Ducks. I think there was an opportunity here to change the course of college football away from the dominance of the SEC, at least for a season. Who knows? Maybe a more lasting change could have occurred.

The SEC reminds me of the old NFL. It's the establishment. I still never see a 16-7 score without thinking back to the day Joe Namath shut up the old timers; the power brokers who represented - to me anyway - the right wingers who got us into Vietnam.

I will always be sad that the Ducks lost their chance here, but they were beat fair and square, at home no less.

It is time to congratulate you, Jack, for having your school in the Rose Bowl. They are a class act, and Stanford is the best school on the West Coast. I did become incensed with what I thought was a lack of class in the reactions to the game. After hearing for decades about how obnoxious Duck fans were, I was hoping for a little better. It didn't happen, but I'm over that now. I apologize for some of my comments in the wake of the contest.

I went to school with someone who became an NCAA investigator after he attended Lewis and Clark Law School. He told me when he went to Alabama they flat-out threatened his life. I hate that this turn of events has put Alabama (or Georgia) back in the BCS championship game. I see it as a sports tragedy. The Joey Harrington Ducks were hurt by a loss to Stanford as well, after enduring 2 blocked Oregon punts, but this is different. This Ducks offense is new, and it would have been great for the rest of the nation to realize how dull their offensive schemes really are. Just as we kids thought that Earl Morall was hopelessly square for the Colts, compared to the wide-open passing game of the AFL.

There's something else: In an age where we seem to get less of everything, this scheme gives you more. More plays, and at a faster pace. I really wanted to see that rewarded on an aesthetic level, but it was not to be.

Very big stretch, your comparison. Oregon, to be taken seriously, needs to play some decent teams out of their conference. It would also help if they consistently dominated the Pac-12.