Tales from La La Land

I suck at life.

That was a little dramatic.

I suck at the Q&As this year. I’m trying to be better, and it’s much easier when I have someone like Josh Frankel to work with.

When I went back to Eugene for the Cal game, I saw so many different people that would have been great for a Q&A. If I wasn’t 17 Coronas deep all weekend, I would have asked 10 different people a question and posted all the responses.

I did run into Josh Frankel, however, and we got caught up. We both recently got married and also have very fond memories of being at Oregon. I told him about the blog and how I do the Q&As and mentioned that Jared Siegel had done one.

His response was somewhere along the lines of, “Dude. I have had way more game winners than Jared. I need to be on the blog.”

He might not have said Dude, but it was something along those lines.

How fitting is it that I finally motivate to do another Q&A during SC week where Josh is a hero in his own right?

Seriously…from third-string walk-on to hero in 2 seconds. Against USC.

Love it.

1. Introduce yourself:

My name is Josh Frankel and I was a field goal kicker for the Ducks from 1996-2000. I finished my career in the University’s Top 10 in terms of career field goal percentage, and earned ALL-PAC 10 Honorable Mention as a junior. Most people remember me for that dramatic triple OT game-winning kick against USC in 1999. At the time, I was a third-string walk on kicker and figured to have as much to do with that game as anyone in the stands. By the end of the game, I was on my way to earning a scholarship and making my dreams of being a 1st-string PAC-10 kicker a reality.

Since college, I have worked for the EJ Gallo Winery, General Motors R*Works. I returned to Eugene for my MBA from 2004-2006. Currently, I work for Merrill Lynch in Portland helping a finite number of families with their financial planning. And best of all, I am a newlywed! I married Amy Swerdlin Frankel on May 9, 2009. No kids, but we have a dog, Rocky. I’m always open to communicating with fellow Ducks at joshdfrankel@gmail.com.

2. You seem to have a good track record in USC games. Can you explain what that feels like?

Every win in the PAC-10 is important. But, being from LA, as are many guys on the team, it’s always awesome to beat USC and UCLA. I don’t recall our overall record versus USC during my playing years, but I definitely remember 1999! Even ten years after that crazy triple OT game, I still enjoy going home to LA and chatting with high school buddies who attended USC. I also had the honor of being a game captain for the game at USC in 2000. It was truly special to be in front of my entire family and call the coin toss! Being on the field against USC and UCLA is incredible, but beating them is something else!

3. What are your thoughts on this week’s game and what Oregon needs to do to come away with a win?

I like our chances. We’re playing at a very high level right now and I think we present a lot of problems for USC. I’m hardly a coach, but here are my keys to success:

Defense: Eliminate the big play. Make USC earn its points. No 50+ yard plays. Be plus 2 on turnovers. No personal foul penalties.

Offense: Run the ball and be aggressive. Take time of the clock to make sure hte defense is well rested. Capitalize on turnovers. Limit penalties.

Special teams: Be Special! Win the field position game, kick 2-3 field goals and put kickoffs and punts into corners to limit big returns.

Autzen: Fans be loud!! Get in mind of the USC QB. He’s never heard anything like the magic of Autzen! The fans have a chance to win this game for the Ducks!

4. Do you make it back to Autzen for a lot of games? How is it different being in the stands than on the field.

Yes, I try to get back at least once or twice a season – and was in Seattle last weekend.

Being a fan is definitely much more fun! It’s obviously different being in the stands as you don’t have the same level of responsibility as those on the field. But it’s still a lot of work to be a Ducks fan. The players on the field rely on the people in the stands to be loud and relentless! It’s what makes playing at Autzen stadium the most intimidating stadium in NCAA. At this point in my life I truly enjoy being in the stands, but there was a time being on the field was the greatest thing in the world.

5. If my memory is correct, you had 3-game winning field goals while at Oregon. Can you describe the feeling from the time you know you will probably have to kick a game-deciding field goal until the time you’re off the field and in the locker room?

Good memory! Yes, had three game-winning kicks. But who’s counting….USC, Arizona and WSU. The best part of a game is you don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t know if you’re going to win big, lose big, or be in an all-out war until the final whistle. That’s what makes sports so great and why people chew off their fingers when watching. It’s the ultimate reality TV.

In terms of the emotions and feelings that you experience leading up to a game winning kick – The three games that we won on a field goal, I remember feeling incredibly calm and 100% in the moment. I didn’t worry about making the kick or missing it – I just kicked the ball. Sounds simple in theory, but it’s about having confidence and faith in your teammates that everything is going to go according to plan. Even 10 years later, I can vividly feel and experience the moments leading to the kick, to the kick itself and being in the locker room after the kick. I can still hear the pop of the ball going off my foot. Every kick was a powerful and wonderful memory, but the game winning kicks will stay with me forever.

6. What do you remember most about playing in Autzen stadium?

The rules are different now, but I used to love when the fans rushed the field after every game. I loved signing autographs and giving kids my wristbands. Made the experience much more meaningful to share it with the fans.

7. Who were your funniest teammates?

I think most guys would say Eric Nicolaisen. He is truly hilarious. Keep your eyes open for him on various commercials…

8. Can you recall a funny on-the-field moment?

Kickers were always up to something funny (or odd) during games and at practice. We kept ourselves entertained at practice by playing practical jokes on each other. One of the jokes was to throw a football in the direction of a porta-potty whenever someone entered the restroom. One day a couple of us kickers saw Coach Bellotti enter the porta-potty. We told fellow kicker Dan Katz (who didn’t see Coach go in) that he could get revenge against another player who got him earlier. Dan started to slowly approach the pot and his left arm cocked and ready to fire. And all of a sudden Coach Bellotti walked out of the porta-potty. Dan had to quickly abort mission and when he turned around we were all on the ground laughing. Still brings a smile to my face to think of that.

9. What do you miss most about playing collegiate football?

Two things: First, the comradery was unbelievably special and I am who I am today in large part for being on the Oregon team. Second, there’s a line that says “football is life,” and I assure you that this is an astute observation! The life lessons learned from football are plentiful. For instance I learned something about all of the following: handling competition, overcoming obstacles, team work, hard work, persistence, dedication, patience, poise, ambition, managing others expectations, success, responsibility, community, reliability, consistency…the list could go on and on. To say the least, I learned a lot about life from being a collegiate football player and I use these lessons everyday.


10. What do you miss least?

The weight room squats! Sorry Coach Rad! I had three knee surgeries during school from squatting and I still pay the price from those. However, my 410 squat was 5th all time among kickers/QBs, good enough for the record book! So the surgeries were well worth it, but I don’t squat much anymore.

11. What were your thoughts after the Boise State game and how do you feel about how the team has rallied since then?

Like most Duck fans, I was embarrassed after the game. Not so much by the loss, but by the melee that followed. One of the most important elements of being a competitive athlete is self-control. You must practice self-discipline and keep emotions under control at all times. Good judgment and common sense are essential on and off the field. Unfortunately, in a moment of weakness that was captured on national television, the Ducks and the University were exposed – and negatively portrayed in the media.

However, I gained a lot of respect for Coach Kelly for his quick and decisive actions, and his ability to keep the team moving forward. And I thought keeping Blount on the team and letting him practice was a genuine sign that Kelly truly cared about Blount as a person. He knew Blount needed the team, even if the team didn’t need Blount. I am very proud of how the whole situation has been handled and I look forward to Blount’s return in a couple weeks. I am sure Blount is grateful for this second chance and let’s all hope that he makes the most of it.

The team as a whole also deserves a ton of respect for their poise since the Boise State game. All teams experience hardships, but great ones find ways to overcome the adversity. From what I have seen since Boise State, the Ducks are flying together and representing UO alumni with pride.


12. Will you be at the game on Saturday?

Unfortunately I won’t be at the game. Amy and I are going on our honeymoon this week. We’re off to Belize on Friday night!! But I’ll be thinking of the game and sending positive vibes from the beach in Belize!

13. Seriously. How good is Morgan Flint?
He’s Mr. reliable! I think he’s going to knock me out of #10 on career field goal %!!!

Roger that.

1. Introduce Yourself: I’m Erik Nicolaisen. I grew up in Portland, went to High School at Jesuit in Beaverton, and then on to the University of Oregon in 1998 where I had a rather forgettable collegiate football career. Unless of course you’re a fan of the legendary Oregon kickoff return team of 2000.

2. What have you been up to since graduating from Oregon? After football, I dove headlong into the theater program at the U of O. I always knew I wanted to make a career in acting, so I took an advertising job that relocated me to Los Angeles in 2003. After a few years, I quit the day job to pursue acting full time. I’ve had my share of mini successes (commercials, a weekly set at the Comedy Store, video games, TV & films roles, etc.) I like to think that my best is yet to come. I also write, direct, and produce original content. You can view some of my projects here: www.eriknicolaisen.com

3. Isn’t Chris Tetterton also in the entertainment business? Who is more famous? Yes, Chris is also in the entertainment business, and unfortunately for the two of us, we’re equally unrecognizable. Some nights I’ll invite him over to share in my canned beans, and other nights I’ll bus over to his tent for some Ramen. Misery enjoys company.

4. Describe one of the most funny moments while you were at Oregon? I have a million hilarious memories of my time with the Ducks, but most of the best stories aren’t acceptable in mixed company. I always loved how Faiva Talai, the Samoan JC transfer, would magically forget the English language when it came time to do extra conditioning after practice. Coach Ross would yell and yell as Faiva walked away, seemingly forgetting even his own name. My first year, embedded with the D-line was by far the most hilarious. The best comedy always comes from the insecure fat guys!

5. What is harder…Marriage or Fall Camp? Well, it’s only been 5 months, but I think I can safely say Fall Camp.

6. If you could go back to college and do anything differently, what would it be? I regret that I didn’t insist on playing offense – TE, Fullback, whatever. Believe it or not, I was recruited as a center. Yup, an offensive center. Bellotti thought that if I gained 30 lbs, I could be a successful Pac-10 center. Needless to say, I never did gain that weight, and I got stuck in a holding pattern on defense. I just wasn’t the same football player on that side of the ball. It’s easy to look back at 30 and clearly see what a 19-year-old should have done. Stupid kids.

7. Have you been to any games at Autzen since graduating? I went to a game in 2001, versus Stanford. It was pretty miserable on multiple levels. For starters, it was the Ducks only defeat that year. It was also a torrential downpour. Most importantly, it was the first time I’d attended a game since making the tough decision to quit playing football. The athlete turned spectator for the first time in life. A strange and somber day (I presume Mike Bellotti is experiencing a similar feeling). The only highlight of the afternoon, was decoding Coach Pellum’s defensive hand signals and then miraculously predicting the upcoming blitz. The folks sitting near me must have thought I was a witch.

8. What’s it like to see a new coach at Oregon after seeing Bellotti for so many years? It’s definitely strange. Almost as strange as our uniforms.

9. What do you miss most about Eugene: My teammates. Taylor’s or Rennie’s on a Saturday Night. The Rookie show. The first live practice of the season. That soup cart on campus. Chief & Dean. The UI freshman year. A $900 scholarship check and $150 rent (seriously, where are those days?). Wearing sweat pants for a month straight. The dorms. Being in shape. Bowl practices. The chill of fall and the smell of fireplaces. Being 18-21 years old.

10. Did you see either of Oregon’s first two games this season? What are your thoughts? I saw both games. My wife (also an alum) has come down with a SERIOUS case of Duck flu over the last few years, and her mood for the remainder of the weekend depends solely on the outcome of the Duck game on Saturday. The Boise St. game was perhaps the worst start in recent memory, but I highly doubt that’s the team we’ll see against Oregon State.(I was happy to see Wilcox’s Defense play well though.) The Ducks will get back on track. If not, I’m sending Coach Kelly an invoice for my wife’s anti-depressants.

11. What is your guilty pleasure television show? Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares. The Simon Cowell of the cooking world visits failing restaurants and turns them around with a combination of brutal honesty & wonderful ideas. I love that show.

12. if you could say one thing to one of your Oregon coaches, who would it be and what would you say? Jimmy Radcliffe. I didn’t really understand it then, but the focus of his life and his commitment to the program are at the heart of U of O athletics. Its inspiring to see a man thanklessly devoted to what he loves to do. I’d say “Thanks for leading by example.”

Because I couldn’t find a former player with a Purdue connection, I went a different route with this week’s Q&A.

An old friend gave me a heads up that one of Oregon’s assistant video coordinators worked at Purdue before joining the Ducks’ staff in 2008.

I thought he might be able to give some good insight into what his job entails and how the two programs differ. At this point, football is basically a year-round sport and the people that work with the program – marketing, public relations, video, etc. – work very long hours with almost no days off.

So, I really appreciate Eric taking the time to answer the following questions.

1. Introduce Yourself: My name is Eric Day. I am the assistant video coordinator for the University of Oregon Athletics. I mainly work with the football team, but do work with almost all teams. I grew up in Indiana as a Purdue fan my whole life. I graduated from Purdue with a degree in Statistics and minors in English and Economics in May 2007. So my education has nothing to do with what I do for a living. I worked for Purdue football as a student for the 2004, 2005, and 2006 seasons. I worked full time for the 2007 season. I moved to Oregon in June 2008. This is my second season in Oregon.

2. Explain your duties as video coordinator: I’m responsible for making sure the coaches have all the video they need to be prepared for every game. All of our video is digital, so I basically maintain a network of digital video. The coaches watch every practice as soon as they walk off the practice field. They also want every game we play plus every game our opponents play. They also watch a lot of NFL or other college teams in the off season. The video is also linked to a database, so each play has a ton of information attached to it that includes down, distance, play name, or anything else they want. They can then use that information to game plan and make reports. The coaches spend a lot of time watching video, I just make sure it’s there for them.

3. You’ve worked for Purdue football and Oregon football. What’s the biggest difference between the two programs? I would have to say the biggest difference is national exposure. If Purdue went 10-3 last year and won the capitol one bowl, they wouldn’t be on SI or anything like that. At Oregon, we started using helmet cams on the QBs’ helmets this year. We weren’t the first school to do it, but it got more publicity than when other schools did it. I don’t know if it’s because of the jerseys, but the national media seems to like Oregon better than Purdue, even when Purdue was having success.

4. Be honest, will you be sporting a Purdue t-shirt under your Oregon gear on gameday? I will not be wearing any Purdue gear whatsoever. I usually wear a Purdue sweatshirt Saturday morning when I watch the Purdue game on tv, but I won’t be doing that this weekend. I love Purdue, and I will always love Purdue. I hope they win every game, except for when they play the Ducks.

5. Best memory of Coach Tiller? Coach Tiller is one of the greatest people I’ve ever been lucky enough to interact with. My favorite memories of him are just day-to-day interactions that aren’t entertaining enough to write in this blog. However, my most interesting memory would be when he called me in his office the day after my car caught on fire during practice. It’s a long story…don’t ask. However, I will say this about Coach Tiller. There seemed to be a large group of Purdue fans that loved to give him a hard time as if he wasn’t good enough. They quickly forgot where Purdue football was before he took the reigns. Coach Tiller brought in a level of success that Purdue football had never seen before and may never see again. 10 bowls in 12 years with one rose bowl after Purdue had only 5 bowl games before he came. I know there are more bowl games now, but it was almost embarrassing to be a Purdue football fan in the early to mid 90′s. I hope all fans give him the credit he deserves now.

6. You moved to Eugene from Indiana. What was your first impression of Eugene? I first noticed how green everything was. When you look north from the top of the press box, there are tress everywhere, but I know there’s houses everywhere there, too. I love Eugene. It’s a great place to live. And after a year of the weather, I’m kind of mad at my parents for making me endure Indiana summers and winters. Although when you live there, you don’t know any better. It makes me laugh when the students that work for me tried to warn me about the “horrible” winter here. 40 and rainy is way better than 15 and snowy any day. I went back to Indiana in January for a week, and the car at the airport said it was -10. People that have lived here their whole life don’t even know that temperature exists. I wear shorts year round here. Plus if I miss sledding, I just hop over to the pass and sled/snowboard for a day.

7. How do the coaches fare with the video technology? How many times are you called in for computer assistance? I am called into their offices all day for computer assistance. Half the time it’s because they messed up, the other half is because the program/network is messed up. I will give them credit though. The software we are using is very powerful and very sophisticated and none of them grew up using computers. Some coaches are better than others, but all of them know enough to get done what they want to get done.

8. Fill in the blank: Autzen Stadium _______________ Autzen stadium is great place to watch college football. It is also the loudest place I’ve ever been for a football game, and I’ve been to Michigan, Penn St, and Ohio St. I hope our fans show Purdue just how loud it can be. I watch from the top of the press box, so I can see it all. I have the best seat in the house because there is nothing I can’t see and I don’t have to crane my neck to see a certain part of the field.

9. You haven’t sent any video to Purdue have you? I have sent lots of video to Purdue. I sent all of our games from 2008 and our Boise St game from 2009. But they sent me their games in exchange and that’s normal. Besides that, I haven’t sent them anything.

10. What is the one thing about Purdue football that will surprise Oregon fans? I hope I’m right since I haven’t checked this fact in awhile, but I’m pretty sure Purdue has had more starts by alumni in the NFL than any other college during the super bowl era. I found that to be surprising. There is definitely a history there of good players. I just hope Purdue can keep the momentum of the Joe Tiller era going.

Damon is probably going to be upset with that headline.

He played at Oregon, and I think he’s a Duck at heart. But, right now, he’s a coach at Boise State.

This is the second Q&A for DG, but my goal for this season was to try and have the Q&As relate to the game of the week. (I am already at a loss for Week 2 when Oregon plays Purdue, so if anyone has any ideas, let me know).

I asked him all new questions, and tried to get some sort of scoop.

It didn’t work. The Broncos are 64-2 on the blue turf since 1999. He dodged my question about how to cope with the blue, so there must be some sort of advantage that they use. Seriously, that is an insane stat.

Kirk Herbstreit gave the advantage to Boise State. But, he’s a pretty boy so his vote doesn’t count.

I can’t believe it’s game week. I live for college football season and am really excited to see what Chip Kelly brings to the table this season. I am planning to utilize my twitter during the games, which will be a new thing. I am sure I will regret that seeing as I tend to pop off pretty easily.

GO Ducks!!

1. Describe your thoughts heading into the first game? What is it like to coach against your alma mater where you have such fond memories? Honestly my thoughts are all over the place. I never been against the Ducks. I break it down like this: I will always be a Duck, but I’m married to the Broncos right now. And my father always told me a happy wife is a happy home.

2. Be honest. What color clothing will your daughters be wearing at the game? Honestly, it better be PJ’s. My two-year-old is too crazy to sit down for longer than 5 minutes. So we dont take her to the games.

3. How do you protect your eyes from staring at blue turf all year? Do you have special shades? I see what you are doing Allison, and it’s not going to work. But I like your style.

4. Can you give us Duckies a little sneak peak of your game plan? Maybe just the first 15 plays? Damn you are good. Well not sure if you know this, but I’m on the defensive side as a GA helping Justin Wilcox. I would assume the plan is to not let the very powerful Oregon offense score too many touchdown in those 15 plays.

5. Where is the (most likely) Duck friendly bar where we can celebrate our win? Right now probably my house is the friendliest. I’ve been so busy helping and trying to figure out how in the hell are we going to stop Masoli and Le Blount that we just drink ourselves to sleep in the office. So I don’t really know the bar scene yet.

6. Let’s talk about your time at Oregon. Can you recall a funny on-field moment that has stuck with you? Does that crazy hippie guy still slam the opposing teams mascot doll on the ground as the crowd counts the points? I don’t remember who we were playing but we scored like 60 on somebody and that dude was everywhere. First of all, where is the security? Second, he shouldn’t be allowed in the beer garden, that’s for sure. We always just laughed at the dude as he would go crazy slamming the doll.

7. Do you prefer Bellotti with ‘stache or without ‘stache? With Stache. I don’t know what it is, but unless you can’t grow a stache, I have a problem trusting you. Every man should have a stache!

8. Do you keep in touch with your former teammates? What do they say to you leading up to the season-opener? I keep up with a lot of guys. I just talked to Kenny Wheaton and I was trying to get him tickets, but I’m a GA and I only get two tickets, so you know those are gone. Mostly, the question is how do you feel about coaching against the Ducks, and its the same answer: “very uncomfortable”. And if the Broncos are for real, and I say, ‘well you saw what happen last year’, then they are a better team than last year. So it should be a good game.

9. Talk about your life after college? What have you been doing leading up to your current position at Boise State? Having two beautiful punk-ass lil girls. I say that because I can’t believe how beautiful they are and how they have me wrapped around their fingers even though they can’t talk yet. It’s really going to suck in the future! But, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Career-wise, I got my masters and am planning to become a Division-1 football coach in the near future.

10. What is your guilty pleasure television show? The Baby First channel because I’ve only seen my 4-month old for three weeks, and it if my baby girls are up, I know they are watching that show.

This Q&A was picked especially for the Civil War. Brent Haberly bleeds green and gold like no other player (except for maybe Joey, but we didn’t really want to rehash his Civil War in Corvallis) I came across.

One of the reasons that I always thought so highly of him is that he worked harder than almost anyone else. He seemed to embrace being on the team more than anyone on the team and I loved that about him.

When he broke his arm senior year, he was not able to practice and would sometimes keep me company during the extra long ones on Wednesday and Thursday. Although he had been told that he wouldn’t be ready to play in the Civil War that year, he used to always tell me, “I’m playing. This my NFL. This is my Super Bowl. I don’t care if I’m hurt the rest of my life.”

How can you not respect that?

Based on some of his answers, I’d say he has no love for the Beavers and is as true of a Duck fan/former player as you’ll ever meet.

1. Introduce Yourself: This is Brent Haberly – ex linebacker and UO alum! Class of 2007.

2. You grew up watching the Ducks. Can you describe what it was like to play on a team you loved to watch growing up? Growing up, I only missed two Duck home games. My parents had their first date in Autzen and I used to sleep under the old wooden bleachers during the game. That was back when there was nobody there because we were 2-9. I never had a dream to play in the NFL or be a superstar. All I wanted to be was a Duck. At first, I was star struck playing with all of the guys I used to watch on TV. I was just happy to have a jersey. But as time went on and after all the practices and workouts, I said to myself, “I can play with these guys.” I got an opportunity and never looked back..

3. Do you think guys from California understand the rivalry? I don’t think the Cali boys understand the game until they play in it. Their first go around is just like another game, but after that, they get it. I still have old teammates from the Bay Area and Southern California texting this week and letting me know they still hate the guys who dress up like Halloween 24/7!

4. Will you be attending this year’s game? Of course I will be there. I hate that place though. I usually hold my breath when I pass it on I-5. I can’t wait to play spoiler. I will be there with a bouquet of roses and I will be plucking them one by one on the 50-yard line after we win!

5. What are your thoughts on the game this year? Any particular matchups you are interested in? This one is big. I don’t think that OSU is as good as everyone thinks. All these ignorant OSU fans think their ticket to Pasadena is already punched. I had the opportunity to speak at the DAF luncheon at the Rogue Valley Country Club on Tuesday. We had Coach Bellotti on the phone and he said to watch out for J-Will. I am glad they haven’t given up on the big guy. He can do big things in this game because people have forgotten about him. But obviously as Masoli goes so do we. Patrick Chung will ball like always and I love watching Matthews play because he is so young and so talented! Can’t wait to see him light up the run game!

6. You suffered an arm injury late in the season as a senior. Is there anything that could have kept you off the field for the Civil War? The injury changed my life dramatically for the better. Before I was injured I thought I had it all figured out. Getting hurt let me take a step back and realize that getting complacent will destroy you. I told the doctors before the game, I said “listen, you spent 10 plus years going to school to be a doctor, and let’s say that the day before your final exam to get certified your professor said that you can’t take the exam. That’s me! I have played ball since I was in 2nd grade. This is my final exam. I’m playing. Figure it out!” I cant imagine watching that game from the sidelines.

7. Can you describe a funny on-field moment from your playing days at Oregon? Toooo many to write down. I have a couple though. Nick Reed tackling Yvenson Bernard by his dreadlocks! I lost it. I was laaaaughin soooo hard. They were pissed. In the “fog bowl” in 2005, I remember Ryan Gunderson was playing QB because Matt Moore was hurt. I heard through the grapevine that he was a Duck fan growing up. We must have blitzed him 50 times that day. I picked him up off the turf and told him I was sorry this is how his first one had to go. He put his arm around me and I walked him back to the huddle! And the TD at Arizona obviously. I have a lot of family in Arizona and I grew up saying, “Bear down Mildcats!” They were all in the exact end zone that I scored in. You should see the home video! haha

8. Who was your funniest teammate and why? Again, too many to name. Devan Long was hilarious. We had scooters we rode around on and we named ourselves the night riders. We were dumb. Parris Moore was stupid funny! There was never a dull moment. Dave Martin just had no clue! Those three were just too funny every day!

9. What do you miss most about playing on Saturday’s? I miss crowd pleasing. I had a lot of fun on the field and there is no better feeling then making 60,000 people stand up and scream. People say I had too much fun, but I lived it man. I loved making plays and felt like every play I made was my first. I miss the police escort to the game because now it is a mission to just get to Autzen..

10. What do you think of Quizz Rogers? Quizzz Rodgers, huh? I’m over it. Give me a break. I’m pissed that he broke my buddy JD Nelson’s dad, Darrin Nelson’s, Freshman record for rushing. I hate the fact that he has put Corvallis on the map. Did I spell it right Cornvalley? Anyways, I just want to shut them up. I’m going to stop there.

11. What are you up to? I live in Medford, Oregon right now. I work for a freight management company called International Commodity Carriers, Inc. (ICCI). I work for/live with the CEO/donor to the Ducks program H. Dewey Wilson III. We have a great time and enjoy each others’ company. Come visit! We have plenty of room!

12. Who would win a 40-yard dash? Don Pellum or you? The 40-yd dash question. My phone blew up when Anthony Trucks said on his Q&A that DP would beat me. I left him a mean voicemail!!!!! I would get him. I think he has an old knee problem that would give me the edge, but like Anthony said, he might trip me before I finish! I love that man though. I might just let him win. I have a lot of respect for him. He made me the player I was!

13. What’s your guilty pleasure television show? Hmmmmm. I usually just watch ESPN, but an oldy but goody is Flavor of Love. Does that count? Yaaaaaah Boyyyy!

Go duckies!

Speaking of If I Were A Boy. I think I’d like to be a college football player for one day. Hang out in the lockerrom, play X-Box, run out of the tunnel, throw a TD pass, get treatment and do fun boy stuff on the weekends.

For all my girly bloggers, I know the football Q&A blogs are kind of boring, but trust me when I say that Brady Leaf was kind of, um, cute. Sorry, honey, but you already know this to be true and I’m sorry that your No. 1 flame, Tyra Banks, went from SI swimsuit legend to annoying talk show host.

And, to all the Ducky fans out there. Say what you will about Brady. I always thought is attitude towards every situation was stellar. Brady was never supposed to be a starter. He played for three different offensive coordinators during his career and he always picked up the pieces when things fell apart. No matter what his role was – winning against Cal with a late TD or third-string guy holding the clipboard – he was so accommodating and friendly.

Not that I’m a stalker, but I usually get to these guys through Facebook. Over the past few months Brady has been to: Bratislava, Budapest, Venice, Rome, Paris, San Sebastian, Barcelona, Spain, NYC, North Carolina and is now back in Montana.

It’s no surprise really, as he always seemed to be a free spirit. You can tell that in his world traveling, answering a Q&A was not at the top of his list as he doesn’t get into much detail, but still, big props for taking the time.

1. Introduce Yourself: I’m Brady Leaf and 23 years of age.

2. What have you been doing over the last year? Besides growing a GIANT beard? The last year I lived and worked in Alaska until mid September and just got back yesterday from 2 months in Europe.

3. Have you been back to Autzen to watch a game since you graduated? I have not been back to Autzen to watch a game yet. Actually, I have never seen a game from the stands at Autzen so I’m looking forward to that.

4. There’s been a lot of talk about all the injuries to Oregon QBs. In your opinion is it a fluke or is there some legitimacy to it having to do with the system? It could be a fluke, but when you have your QB run the ball, the chances always increase.

5. Describe what goes on when a team is down three QBs. How do you keep it all together? Do all of the QBs know the playbook through and through? Well it is difficult as a younger player to be thrown into that type of situation, but the coaching staff and leaders of the team keep morale high and the men who are playing focused.

6. What do you miss most about your college days? The relationships, all shapes and sizes.

7. Are you going to move to Alaska and live in a tent forever? No, Alaska is just for the summer. The winters are too cruel.

8. What is your dream job? I’m living it. I just took a job in the Grand Caymans working on a fishing boat.

9. What’s the biggest fish you’ve ever caught? Well, the largest fish I caught this summer was probably a 90-lb halibut.

10. Name the website you visit everyday: Well I usually do not get to the internet everyday, but when I do I always visit yahoo.com to get caught up on current events and to check the email.

11. What’s your guilty pleasure television show? My favorite is The Office, but guilty pleasure would have to be The OC when it was on. That was a while ago. I haven’t watched TV in a while.

Yes, I realize the Q&As aren’t coming as frequently. Brady Leaf gave me some line about traveling all over the world in Europe and working on a fishing boat and Schwartz stalled because of some game or something.

I said I was going to venture away from Oregon football player Q&As, and I will. Just like I will win the lottery. At some point.

Anyways, Geoff took time out of his crazy busy schedule to humor the A-Ross blog. His brother is a freshman O-Lineman at Cal and I have gained a big respect for their mother. I am fearful of spending an extra $300 a month on groceries for Spaghettios and Cheese Whizz when I have babies. Something tells me she didn’t get through a month without spending upwards of $1,000 for these two. And, for all I know there are others.

I should have pressed as to why Mitch chose Cal over Oregon, but I live in California. I am starting to wonder how Oregon even competes in recruiting. I mean, yes, I know they have the wings on their new black uniforms, but who’s going to see them when they’re wearing giant parkas to prevent the sideways rain from soaking them? Sun trumps a flatscreen in November.

Without further adieu…Geoff Schwartz. O-Lineman Extraordinaire.

1. Introduce yourself: Geoff Schwartz. 3 career rushing yards.

2. Describe your situation with the Carolina Panthers and what your day typically entails: I’m currently on the practice squad. Working my tail off to make the roster. Wednesday and Thursday’s are busy days – 6 a.m. wakeup. At the stadium by 6:30 a.m. Special teams meeting at 7:20 a.m. (which on the practice squad I don’t go to). 8 a.m. team meeting, followed by Offense/Defense meetings from 8:15-10:15 a.m. Walk thru on the field from 10:30 a.m.-11 a.m. Practice from 11-1. Lift (practice squad lifts Mon, Wed, Thurs and Fri. The roster guys just lift twice a week) and lunch between 1-2:30 p.m. 2:30-4 p.m. is meetings and then off for the day. Friday and Saturday end up being half days by schedule, but you can stay and do extra.

3. What’s the biggest difference between playing in college and in the pros? That it’s a business and most of the players treat it as such. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have fun, but they have a different attitude about the game then we did in college.

4. If you weren’t playing football, what sport would you like to play? I’d be a pitcher, but not for the Dodgers!

5. Did you pull a Brett Favre and tell your brother Oregon’s playbook? Ha, No I didn’t. Our defense is so hard to learn for the guys at Oregon, there would be no point in even trying to tell Mitch. He is a smart kid and could figure out how to play on his own.

6. What do you miss most about Eugene? The college atmosphere. Charlotte is a great city, but the crowd at games sometimes just doesn’t get loud when we need it most.

7. What was the funniest on-field moment when you were at Oregon? There are things that you don’t realize happen during the game, and when you turn on the film, they are funny. Those are the best moments and they tend to be when guys celebrate on the sideline after a big play. They just react naturally and don’t think that anyone will really see them. I just got a text from one of the OL guys and he said that he was watching one of the clips when someone made a sideline reaction from 2005. So those are the funny moments.

8. Do you keep up with the current team, and, if so, what are your thoughts? Yes, I keep up with the team this year, and was at the Cal game. I don’t think the team has the swagger and confidence that we did last season. We knew last season we were going to win every game. I didn’t get that attitude on the sidelines Saturday afternoon. And offensively it’s very hard to do well when we don’t have a great passing game and all the QBs keep getting hurt. Great comeback win against Stanford. Thought the team played a lot better than the game at Cal.

9. Do you keep in touch with many of the current players? Oh yeah, I do. I talk to some of the guys everyday. Mainly the senior OL guys, Unger, Lewis, Kendall, Hucko, Teague and Fenuki. We are still good friends and it’s weird to see them still playing without me and I’m the youngest by age in that group. I really enjoyed my time at Oregon and all the OL guys.

10. Name three things you can not live without: Cell phone, TV and meat.

11. Do you cook? If yes, what is your specialty? You don’t get to 330 pounds without being able to cook. Ha. My best dish is shrimp pasta. And I actually made a beef and chicken stir fry tonight that was good.

12. Who would win a 40-yard dash – Manny Ramirez or Bengie Molina? Haha, probably Molina because Manny is a Dodger and they always underachieve.

13. What’s the dumbest nickname anyone ever gave you? I have gotten so many nicknames over the years I can’t really remember any horrible ones. I tend to forget those real fast.

14. What’s your guilty pleasure television show? Grey’s Anatomy. But, in my defense, I only watch it with my girlfriend.

I got a special request from some loser named Duckgirl to get Morgan Flint for a Q&A. This marks unchartered territory as he is the first Q&A with a current player. Hopefully I don’t get a call from the SID office for not setting up this interview with them.

As I’ve said before, I think kickers have an interesting role on collegiate football teams. Games can be decided by one kick. Maybe not every week, but it happens. I think this week in particular, the kicking game will be a big factor in the Oregon vs. Cal game. If things shake out the way I think they will, it’s going to be a close game. Oregon can’t afford to miss PATs or field goals this week.

Duckgirl seems to think Morgan should be kicking more. Perhaps he’ll get his chance this week.

Anyway, enjoy Duck fans.

Perhaps they are discussing a fake field goal play in which Morgan will make a TD pass. Probably not.

1. Introduce yourself: My name is Morgan (yes I realize that is a common girls name ). I grew up in Bend, OR (where there are actually seasons other than rainy and not-rainy) and I honestly have the most amazing family in the world.

2. How tall are you? And, I’m not talking about what the media guide says. Well, the media guide says I’m 5’9″, but I’m really more like 5’9(1/2)”, but who’s counting? Haha

3. What do you say about kickers who injure their ACL by celebrating a winning PAT? Good ‘ole Bill Grammatica, what an athlete…Haha. It’s sad that many kickers get labeled by ridiculous plays like that…but if you are celebrating a made PAT, then maybe the injury is Karma coming back to bite.

4. What is your dream play? Well, my “dream play” would be hitting a walk-off homerun, but on the football field I wouldn’t mind having a fake field goal, kicker-pass play either I keep trying to convince Bellotti that we need to put that in the playbook, but he hasn’t really bought it…..yet.

5. Who is the funniest person on the team? I think it’s a toss-up between Jaison Williams and Mark Speck. J-Will says the most ridiculous and hilarious things I’ve ever heard. Mark will do anything to make you laugh at any time, so he keeps things entertaining throughout long practices.

6. Is there any truth and logic to “icing the kicker”? Well during the time-out, I’m sure the kicker gets a little more nervous than he normally would, but when it comes down to the kick, after you line up and are ready, a kick is a kick….but I’ve never been “iced” before so I can’t say I’m an expert.

7. I am sure Matt Evensen is your peep and I love me some ME also, but can you shed any light on the missed PATs and field goals that don’t seem characteristic of him? Is there more logistics to it than the fans might know? Yeah Matt is an amazing guy, definitely one of the best on the team and a great friend. He has one of the best legs in the nation. He had an amazing Junior year, and I think he may just be putting too much pressure on himself to succeed, and potentially play at the next level. And to be fair, a few of the kicks he has missed were not his fault, although the blame is often passed to the kicker.

8. What do you do in your spare time? Well, sadly, I spend a lot of time doing homework, but I like to go bowling (my high-game is a 249, but I don’t like to talk about that much Haha), playing baseball, camping, watching sports, eating, and I LOVE watching movies, but I’m always up for anything.

9. Approximately how many hours a week do you spend on Facebook? Oh geez, sadly a few…I guess I am what you would call a “facebook whore” haha. I realized I spent too much time on Facebook when they changed the platform, and it kinda made me mad haha…..sad.

10. Approximately how many hours a week do you spend on the playbook? Playbook? What is that?….how many hours?….Well, this next hour, plus 11 more some time and I’ll have an even dozen in my career

11. What is your guilty pleasure television show? Well, I used to love watching The OC (Seth is my idol, and Rachel Bilson – if you’re reading this, will you marry me?). I like Grey’s Anatomy, and The Office is amazing, but I’m really more of a movie guy.

Hi Everyone,

I know what you are thinking. Way to pull an A-Ross and go three weeks without a Q&A. What can I say? I’ve been busy. And, a little flaky, but here we are again.

By the way, the Q&As will likely start to take different forms as I attempt to break the Oregon football player streak. Because, I have questions for people. And some of these people don’t play sports or write about sports.

So, if you see a Q&A with Sanchez asking him why he likes to play at 3 a.m. or with my mom asking why she calls at 7 a.m. on a Sunday, that is why. Curiosity is killing me these days.

Back to this week. There’s no better person to reintroduce the Q&A than Anthony Trucks. I don’t think you’d meet a more solid person both on the field and off. His son and wife attended practice most days and you’d never meet a sweeter family.

Not to mention, AT was somewhat of a badass. Period. But, you wouldn’t have been able to tell that by just having a conversation with him off the field. He also reflects linebackers Don Pellum in that he never seemed to be satisfied and continued to work hard even through his last days.

Trucks Family At Holiday Bowl vs. Oklahoma

1) Introduce Yourself: My name is Anthony Trucks, former University of Oregon linebacker. My senior year I led the pac-10 in sacks, tackles-for-loss, forced fumbles, and fumbles recovered, and was fifth in the conference in total tackles.

2) What have you been up to since graduating from Oregon?: Since graduating, I have played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, The Washington Redskins, and, most recently the Pittsburgh Steelers. I tore cartilage in my left shoulder in the first preseason game and after extensive rehab I am having season ending surgery to repair it. Since I have been home I have started to build an athletic performance company called Trucks Training.

3) What do you miss most about Eugene? There are so many things that I miss about Oregon. Oregon is basically where I grew from boy into a man. I miss my teammates, friends, coaches, all the people of Eugene and the list goes on.

4) What do you miss most about being on the Oregon football team? The Oregon football team is unlike any other I have been on. The pride that I have for what our team accomplished is unmatched to anywhere I have been. I miss “Oregon Football”, period. The type of work ethic and camaraderie we had makes me wish I could play there forever.

5) Describe the feeling of running down the tunnel and into Autzen Stadium for the first time: The feeling of running down the tunnels gives me chills just thinking about it right now. I can feel the skin on my head tighten just thinking about being able to run out onto that field with the fans so loud that I can’t hear myself think. There is no feeling that can match it and none that ever will. Especially when that Harley engine roars up and you can almost feel your heart jump out of your chest.

6) You have an amazing family. Do you think your kids will be athletes? I just want my kids to do anything they want to. I would obviously love for my children play sports but that is a decision for them to make when the time comes. With that said my son Anthony Mack Trucks is going to be a MONSTER!!!!!!! LOL.

7) If you were stranded on a desert island, name three things you couldn’t live without: If I was stranded on desert island I would have to have my wife, son, and food. When I have more kids then they will take the place of food.

Do you keep up with the current Oregon team? If so, talk about the linebackers: I do somewhat keep up with the team and from what I’ve seen the linebackers are doing alright. But there’s always room to improve until we have an All-American playing out there.

9) Who would win a 40-yard dash: Coach Pellum or Brent Haberly? I dont know who would win. Habs would say he would, but D.P. is a tricky man he might just trip Habs before he got a chance to get off the line LOL!!

10) What’s your guilty pleasure television show? I cannot get enough Heroes and Fringe when it comes to TV. I’m into that Sci Fi futuristic type stuff.

I’m sorry people, but Brady Leaf as not been prompt in his response to my questions. He’s busy going all Into The Wild in Alaska or something. I thought he would be able to shed some light on the QB situation. Maybe enlighten us all to what it’s like preparing for a game with your sixth-string quarterback or why Duck quarterbacks are getting hurt so often.

Maybe he’ll be done by next week.

The good news is that some boy bloggers stumbled across my blog by way of Rob’s blog and became enamored with what they call “chick bloggers”. I told them many would beg to differ that I could be classified as a chick, but they still asked me all kinds of girl questions. I sent them photos of me camping and forcing people to do shots of jager because that’s what really defines me.

I HEART BIG FIRES

TARA! THIS IS A GREAT IDEA!! I PROMISE!

But they used a dress up photo to prove that I can be girly. Thanks, guys.

Anyway, here’s a link to their blog and the questions they asked. I played along despite the fact that they think the main things that define a woman are: wine, Gossip Girl, crying and shoes. They forgot cheese. But, I suppose those things come up in my blog from time to time.