Growing up, I always hated the fall.
I know. Sounds like blasphemy, right? How could I not love the sights and smells of autumn in Eugene?
Well, I’m not from around these parts. Back home, 2,000 miles away in Chicago, fall took on an entirely different meaning. The trees didn’t just change colors; they died completely, and were not to show any signs of life until spring arrived months later. School, of course, would start again, and the drab hallways of my high school did nothing to brighten my mood.
Ironically enough, fall was also the time that my favorite sports teams collectively fell apart. Like the leaves on a tree, it was one after another.
In a good year, the Cubs would show signs of life in July and August, and then September would hit and they would choke spectacularly. The Bears would debut “Anemic Offense Version 50.0” around Labor Day, while the laughable post-Jordan Bulls would have to wait until Halloween to collectively horrify us.
It wasn’t fun, and with all those factors put together, how can you blame me for despising fall?
I bring all of this up because it recently occurred to me how quickly things have changed. I’ve spent the last three autumns here in Eugene, taking classes on a spectacular campus while the trees slowly morph from a heavy green to a bright orange or piercing red.
And all the while, I’ve watched an Oregon football team grow into something truly special, completely reversing the trend I’d become accustomed to with my hometown teams. It’s almost like a backward world.
I still remember the first game I attended at Autzen Stadium, when the Ducks faced off with UCLA on a bitterly cold October night. Emerging from the tunnel onto the walkway that led to the student section, I took a minute to let my surroundings soak in.
The sun was just setting as kickoff approached; the clouds above tinted a bright orange. Tree-covered hilltops stood behind me, and for one of the first times during my freshman year, I felt truly at home.
It was just two years ago, but so much has changed since that night. If you remember, Oregon barely eked out a 31-24 victory over an inferior Bruin squad. Jeremiah Masoli, still an unknown commodity, completed just 5 of 19 passes. Mike Bellotti was still the head coach, and the Ducks were unranked.
Now, in October 2010, I log onto ESPN.com and Chip Kelly’s mug glares right back at me. He’s the Oregon head coach now, and his team is No. 2 in the whole country. Ahead of Alabama. Ahead of Florida. Way ahead of USC. (Oh, and Kelly’s on the front page of ESPN.com because one of its writers named him the midseason coach of the year).
Back on the frigid night in 2008, I could never have imagined this. I’d challenge anyone who says they did. The rise of the Ducks has been truly a joy to watch, and their path has reached a new peak as we head into this bye week.
There have been growing pains, sure. Last year’s offseason chaos certainly ranks as the low point, and the Rose Bowl loss hurt, too.
But now, there’s just so much to be excited about. Oregon is being talked about as a legitimate national championship contender. LaMichael James is in the top five of nearly every Heisman list. Kelly just signed an extension, clearly signaling that he wishes to stay in Eugene for the long haul.
Am I saying that Oregon will win the national title, or that James will be recognized as the most outstanding player in the country? Of course not. In an absurdly deep Pacific-10 Conference, just about anything can happen.
But gosh, it’s fun to dream isn’t it? As I walked to class on Monday, a crisp fall breeze rustling through a brilliantly decorated line of trees, I couldn’t help but stop and soak it all in. I’d imagine the Ducks are doing the same this week.
Maybe fall isn’t so bad, after all.
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