Thumbs up — THE NBA IS BACK!
The owners and the NBA Players Association have reached a tentative agreement that would create a 66-game regular season set to begin on Christmas Day. Looks like we’ll finally have something to watch after the Packers win the Super Bowl!
Oregon’s defense holds the line
Scoring 49 points is a big thing anytime the Ducks and Beavers meet for the Civil War, but as everyone who saw the game is starting to realize, the defense played out of their mind last Saturday. Aside from a freak Jovan Stevenson touchdown and garbage minute yards with the lead firmly in hand, Oregon allowed just 16 yards rushing. Process that one for a second.
Thumbs down — Black Friday madness
It happens every year, but it never ceases to shock us the lengths some people will go to to save a buck. This year a woman pepper-sprayed fellow shoppers in order to grab a video game system at Walmart, an over-exhausted Target employee drove her car into a canal after working the night shift and a 61-year-old Target shopper was completely ignored when he collapsed (and later died) on Black Friday. We understand that the economy is rough, but no 3-D television is worth somebody getting hurt.

The Board of Higher Education’s decision
We found out Monday night that University President Richard Lariviere will be done as president on Dec. 28. While there are still some details that need to be hashed out and interim candidates to be interviewed, the decision has arrived and we are sad.