Forget about the losses, the frustration and the general decline that Oregon sports have descended to in the past three years.
Because this is the Year of the Duck.
The schedules are full of opportunity and the athletes have had to grow up quick. Now is the time for Duck fans to reap the rewards of sitting through near-wins and unforgettable losses.
The Duck football team is poised to have its best season since 2001-02, when it set a school record with 10 wins. Blue chip recruit Jonathan Stewart leads a talented signing class that will make an impact immediately.
The home schedule includes two of the three Pacific-10 Conference opponents ranked above the Ducks in the league’s preseason poll as well as both of Oregon’s rival schools.
On the hardwood, Oregon’s non-conference schedule includes hosting Pacific, Georgetown and Santa Clara, and Illinois in the Pape Jam at the Rose Garden in Portland.
The only challenging non-conference road trips are at Vanderbilt and New Mexico.
“The schedule is set up that hopefully if we can have some success early- if you can manage your schedule, you are going to have tremendous confidence,” Oregon head basketball coach Ernie Kent said.
The confidence from a strong non- conference performance should carry over into the league schedule, where the Ducks will need to capitalize early.
The Pac-10 schedule doesn’t have Oregon away from McArthur Court for longer than three games in a row, which includes in-state rival Oregon State. The most difficult stretch includes at California and Stanford to open the Pac-10 road schedule, followed by home games against Arizona State and Arizona.
Even the non-headline sports have a great shot at reaching the postseason. Each Oregon sport seems to have made great gains in the past years, culminating talent with experience, confidence and tradition.
I can easily see not only the big three of football, men’s basketball and softball, but women’s basketball, tennis, soccer, cross country and track and field making successful bids at postseason runs.
This is a good time to be a Duck fan. One loss won’t spiral into four or five in a row. Youth has been replaced by experience and the hard times have built programs with chips on their shoulders. The only thing these athletes need is the support of the community.
I remember a time when the football and basketball teams were nearly unbeatable at home. The schedule sets up for the possibility of restoring Oregon to not only league notoriety, but national prominence as well.
Autzen Stadium and Mac Court are two of the toughest facilities for opponents to play in. Fan per fan, both are arguably the loudest in the nation. The student section has the ability to inject energy into the athletes, while the noise from rest of the fans disrupts the opponents.
Now is the time to stay past halftime; To celebrate when the football team goes into the locker room with a lead at the break, rather than boo because Bellotti doesn’t tell his players to air it out in the final minute.
The athletes are going to do their part. Are you?

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