LOS ANGELES — Where there’s a large assemblage of media, there’s usually an equally large amount of food.
But while the buffet-line assortment of chicken, pasta and salad fulfilled many of the scribes’ stomachs, it was nothing compared to their hunger toward four particular individuals.
Mike Bellotti. Joey Harrington. Dennis Erickson. Ken Simonton.
All were present Wednesday at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel in Los Angeles for the Pacific-10 Conference Media Day, and each was barely given five seconds between bites of his lunch before a new herd of reporters sat down to probe his mind.
Suddenly, the two schools from the state between California and Washington have become media darlings, and that point was emphasized when the media picked Oregon to win this season’s Pac-10 football title, with Oregon State finishing second.
“Having both teams doing so well is unique, and it’s exciting because everywhere you go in the state of Oregon, people are excited,” Oregon coach Bellotti said. “I’d rather be the hunter than be someone that others look at as a bounty.”
“Last year was exciting, but that’s over with,” Oregon State coach Erickson said. “Anybody can do it this year. You guys think Oregon should win it, and I do too. They should win it, right Bill?”
Erickson, clad in a striking blue suit with a bright pink dress shirt, smiled at Oregon Athletic Director Bill Moos.
“Yes, they should,” Moos replied.
Adding to the madness Wednesday was the presence of an ESPN camera crew that was on hand to follow Harrington’s and Simonton’s every move for an upcoming segment of the show “The Life,” to be aired in late August.
Harrington and Simonton have already done a Sports Illustrated photo shoot together and both seem to be having fun with their respective Heisman Trophy campaigns. At one point during the interview session, Harrington borrowed a reporter’s recorder, joined the group surrounding Simonton, and asked him a few questions.
Media members laughed at the two in-state rivals clowning around. They were finding this stuff more appetizing than the lemon meringue pie offered for dessert.
And don’t think the other Pac-10 coaches weren’t noticing the attention given to their Oregon foes.
“They deserve it, but the fact that we were picked fourth will be a motivating thing for us,” Washington coach Rick Neuheisel said.
“The Pac-10’s back and the Ducks and Beavers are a big part of that,” Washington State coach Mike Price said. “But we have both Oregon schools at home this year, so that’ll be good for us. And we know they don’t like coming to Pullman.”
As Bellotti mentioned, Oregon and Oregon State will both be playing with bulls-eyes on their chests, getting the best efforts from their opponents game-in and game-out.
“This is what I came back for, to play in big games that mean something,” said Simonton, who was the first player in league history to rush for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman, sophomore and junior. “I didn’t come here to be a part of the 28-year obscurity. This has been the cry of a handful of dudes, away from home in Corvallis, Oregon, who wanted to start a new winning legacy. Now I’m a senior and I want to show these guys how to win and keep it going.”
As a whole, the Pac-10, which just two years ago was referred to as the “Pathetic-10,” wants to keep its improving reputation going. The word of the day, spoken by at least six coaches Wednesday in regard to their league, was parity.
“The parity in this conference is unbelievable,” Erickson said.
“The Pac-10, from top to bottom, is one of the toughest in the country,” UCLA coach Bob Toledo said.
This season, the conference champion will not play in the Rose Bowl, unless that team is ranked first or second, but that didn’t stop a few people from mentioning the title game.
Harrington said that when his class entered Eugene as freshmen, their goal was to reach the national championship game before they graduated.
UCLA running back DeShaun Foster said that he’s “looking forward to playing at home on January third.”
And Bellotti talked about his desire to see a Pac-10 representative in Pasadena.
“Of course I would love if that was us,” Bellotti said. “Our goal every year is to win a national championship, and we don’t snicker when we talk about it.”
A few short years ago, the mere mention of Oregon and Oregon State on the top of the league standings and in the top 10 of the polls would surely have produced a few laughs.
But not this year. Not with the top returning quarterback and tailback in the conference anchoring the two teams.
Of course, a few early-season losses by either team could change everything and really make ABC look bad by scheduling the Civil War in a coveted national television spot on Dec. 1.
Then again, the network could be hailed as a genius if the game has rose-like implications. Either way, the season will be unlike any other for the Ducks and Beavers, but there will be eight other teams with just as many high expectations of their own.
“It’s an exciting time for all of us, and we’re excited about what lies ahead,” Erickson said.
Added Harrington: “Preseason rankings don’t mean anything to me. How many times have you seen a team on the cover of Sports Illustrated go 6-5?”
The SI college football preview issue, with the Harrington and Simonton photo shoot no doubt included, will hit the stands later this month, and then Harrington’s 100-foot billboard in New York City will be taken down.
And all that will be left for the Ducks and Beavers to do is play football, albeit with more eyes fixated on them than ever before.
Oregon schools find themselves in Pac-10 Media Day’s spotlight
Daily Emerald
August 6, 2001
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