Ducks lose
Palo Alto, California: Forget everything I
said yesterday about our deluxe campsite at Stanford Stadium. Before dawn
this morning we heard a knock on our door - it was the Stanford Parking
Police. We were not welcome where we had set-up camp. We had to move. (Why
isn't there someone to tell you where to park when you arrive?) We put
everything away, and brought down the satellite dishes and drove 100 yards
down the parking area... and started over. At this site we were not so lucky
with satellite reception and could never get our television to lock-on. We
were not happy.
The C-Class RV to the left was camped next to us last night
(the martini reference from yesterday). When we were asked to move this
morning - they moved with us. This group is related to Oregon lineman (#90)
Blake Ferras who was recruited out of San Francisco City College with
Duck QB
Jeremiah Masoli.
Speaking of Masoli... he is from the Bay Area and 400 friends and family
gathered in the soccer field adjacent to Stanford Stadium today for a huge
BBQ/family reunion before the game... in matching #8 Masoli t-shirts no
less!
The Masoli's
Stanford Stadium game parking
The parking/camping area really began to fill-up... and it
was quite evident there were as many Duck fans in attendance as Stanford
fans. Weird.
The Stanford team is called the Cardinal. No, not the
Cardinals (as in the bird), but cardinal (as in the color). The team mascot
is a tree.
Known fact: Stanford has the worst mascot EVER.
Ryan, Steve, Mary, Julie and me before the game (not pictured: DT and Kip)
Before the game, the Stanford Marching Band made fun of
Oregon (the State, not the school). References were made about forests,
covered wagons and Spotted Owls. It was fairly pathetic. If they wanted to
slam us, why not just compare the average SAT score of the students? Geesh.
Like Duh.
Mary, Julie, Steve and DT
It was HOT inside the stadium and we had the sun beating
down on us all afternoon - quite a change from the rain and clouds of
yesterday.
Let's get Ducked Up
Oregon receiver
Jeff Maehl fans in the stadium
Of course The Duck was in Palo Alto
And the cheerleaders
And apparently some sort of new pompom glove thing???
Oregon coach Chip Kelly (white visor) talks it over with the ref
LaMichael James takes the ball and runs...
and runs...
the red color try to catch LaMichael James...
they even snag him once or twice...
but they can't stop LaMichael James.
I don't think so.
Goodbye
Adieu. Adios. Auf Wiedersehen.
I can type anything I want... but the Ducks lost. Fell hard
to the color red at Stanford Stadium. 52-41. Ugly loss too. Not to mention a
very long drive home.
Here is a photo of #90, Blake Ferras. Don't mess with Blake.
Jamere Holland lines up across Cardinal
Johnson Bademosi
Phil and The Duck
When NIKE co-founder Phil Knight walked into the Oregon
bench area at the end of the game, the Oregon crowd gave him a standing
ovation. Mr. Knight may be an Oregon alum and the biggest supporter... but
he earned his MBA at Stanford. No one ever doubts his loyalty however. I'm
pretty sure Phil bleeds yellow and green.
Beating Oregon must have been a very special victory,
because the students stormed the field after the game. This was the first
game I have ever attended where there were more visiting fans than home
fans. Very strange - and just not right.
After the terrible loss, we went back to our RV for a few post-game
beverages (drowning our sorrows, so to speak). We were able to see a few of
the Oregon team members before they boarded the charter buses to the
airport. We saw LaMichael James munching on Popeye's chicken with his Mom.
Jeremiah Masoli was having his photo taken with groups of cousins. It was
fun... but definitely would have been more fun if we were taking a victory
back to Eugene.
You win some. You lose some.
Today, Our Ducks lost.
Until my next update, I remain, your GO DUCKS correspondent.