Oregon Football is Back

David R.

September 5, 2010 - 2:53 PM

I had to be over at Autzen at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning to start getting ready for the season opener against the New Mexico Lobos. This first thing we always do is set up the huge inflatables in the Moshofsky Center and then we all part ways to do different things. I sat at our marketing table for a few hours to give out and posters and schedules for the fall sports to anyone who wanted them. The morning flew by and all of a sudden it was 11:30 and time to make my way down to the field.

 

It was different to be down on the field when I would normally be getting ready to head into the stadium. The team was down on the field warming up and it was awesome to be so close to the action. Before the game started we had to help out with a few of the standard pre-game activities. I took care of the honorary game captains and made sure that they knew where and when to go. After that I got to go onto the field and kind of regulate among all of the people who had lined up to watch the team run out of the tunnel. We just had to make sure that the fans on the field kept far enough back to not be in danger. When the motorcycle roars onto the field anyone in the way is in trouble.

 

All of a sudden the motorcycle charged onto the field and the crowd was in a frenzy. The team flew by and the emotions were at an all time high. The other day I heard someone say that there are really only two seasons in America: football season, and waiting for football season. Football season is the best part of the year and it's return every fall always gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. The game began and I couldn't believe I was watching it from the field. It was different not watching from the student section but I had the best seat in the house. What began as a cloudy morning turned in to a barn burner in the Willamette Valley.

 

Throughout the course of the game I had a few different responsibilities. I helped out with a Chevron promotion that involved launching t-shirts into the student section. I threw the shirts to the launcher and made sure that the scoreboard camera man was watching it so that it could be seen on the large scoreboard.

 

I also helped out with the Carl's Jr. Lucky Seat Lucky Row promotion. I walked up to the lucky row that was chosen and handed out a free six dollar burger coupon to everyone in the row while someone else gave a bundle of coupons to the one lucky seat winner in the row. It was fun to play a different role and be involved with the in-game festivities at Autzen.

 

In all of the games I have seen at Autzen this was by far the most outrageous. To say that we blew them out would be an understatement. I have never seen a team win by 72 points. Granted, I think New Mexico only won one game last season, but I just hope that we can throw a similar effort at Tennessee this Saturday in Knoxville.

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Changin' the Scene

David R.

September 2, 2010 - 1:05 PM

I had to wait for a little while to start writing my blogs this week because I have been in the middle of that little phase called "moving." Arriving in Eugene is always a relief but then after a short while I begin to remember that I have to move into a new house and get everything out from the old house. It's never fun but it has to be done and is all worth it when it is over.

 

A ton has been moved already but we aren't done yet. My roommate Peter made his way into town a few days ago so we decided to get a move on and make a mark in everything that needed to be moved. He went and got a big U Haul truck and we started in. We went with the big stuff first, taking out all of the beds and large furniture. The beds were the worst part because mattresses are heavy and require two people to move them.

 

From there we moved all of the furniture and started making our way to the kitchen. The truck was getting pretty full so we decided to make a run to the new house. It is always a strange feeling moving into a new house that is completely empty. It's a little unwelcoming at first but you get used to it after you bring in all of your belongings that make the place feel like home.

 

We made run after run with a full truck and finally at around 6 p.m. we decided to call it a day. I for one was exhausted and I had all of my necessities in the new house. There are two of us that still have yet to move out before our lease ends so hopefully that will happen this week.

 

One crummy thing about a new house is that when you first get there you probably won't have any cable or internet. I just got the cable figured out this morning but I have no idea where I am going to go to send these blogs in. Our old apartment doesn't have it anymore so it looks like I may have to hit Starbucks.

 

I have been spending a good portion of my time lately trying to learn everything I need to learn in the athletic department. I have spent a lot of time in the office trying to become acquainted with everything and get some hours in. The first football game of the season is on Saturday so I am trying to make sure that I know exactly what I am supposed to be doing. This new job has made me realize how much time really does fly by. When I found out I was going to be doing this last spring term the first game seemed so far away. Now, here I am in September and the first game is only days away.

 

It should be a great time and I can't wait to be on the field.

 

 

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Fan Day in the Mo!

David R.

August 29, 2010 - 12:35 PM

Football Fan Day had a turnout that was said to be one of the biggest in years. All the Duck fans in the Eugene area came out to show their support for the football team and to meet some of the players and coaches before the season begins.

 

The event took place in the Moshofsky Center (also known as the MO), where the indoor football field is located. I got there at 10 a.m. to start setting up some of the decorative elements. We blew up all of the inflatables that were scattered around the field. We have a huge duck, a giant lineman and inflatable stations for kids to throw and kick the footballs. The only challenge is getting them up and making sure that they stay up. Being full of only air, the inflatables can sometimes begin to wobble or wilt to one side. It doesn't help either when youngsters decide to run into to them at full speed. I can't say I blame them though, because it looks like a blast even though we have to try to prevent them from doing it.

 

There were tables located all over the field for players to sit at to sign autographs. There were players at each of the stations to sign autographs as well but there was one area that was solely for autograph signing that had a line that was over two hours long some fans said. Head Coach Chip Kelly came out and made himself available so sign autographs for a while. Everyone seemed to love the fact that the coach was out with the fans and was open to take pictures with everyone who wanted one.

 

The cheerleaders came out as well and they were all decked out in the new Oregon spirit t-shirts. Every so often they would perform cheers and dance routines to entertain the fans who were making their way around. They too made themselves available to meet with fans and take pictures with the little ones.

 

At the end of the event I unfortunately had to play the bad guy role. The event was supposed to end at 2 p.m. and at 1:59 p.m. there was still a huge line for all of the players signing autographs. The team is busy and the players had been there for hours so it was important that they be done at 2 p.m. I had to go stand in the middle of the line and inform everyone standing behind me that I was cutting off the line. After hearing the complaints from those who had been waiting the line finally dwindled and and I didn't feel as bad about being the jerk.

 

Fan Day was an all around success and it was nice to get a little experience before the season begins. I can't believe that the season is only a week away but it is already that time again. I am going to head into the office this week to make sure that I know what I am supposed to be doing come Saturday morning for the season opener.

 

 

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The Great Voyage

David R.

August 28, 2010 - 5:29 PM

After running around for hours on end until almost midnight on Wednesday, my car was finally packed up and ready to go. As much as I would have liked to have a companion for the ride, I don't think another person could have possibly fit in the car. Even in the front seat I had things packed to the top of the car.

 

I didn't leave my house until around 7 a.m. on Thursday morning. I thought it was probably better for me to sleep a little longer and get some rest since I had been working a ton from Sunday to Wednesday night. The Atlanta Braves were in Denver to play the Rockies and since it was my last series of the summer my boss decided to let me work all three games. I was glad to make some extra money but the time that I had set aside to get ready for my trip was cut down, which made Wednesday night seem like a fire drill.

 

I took the route that I had planned on taking, which took me over the continental divide and into Utah. It wasn't until I had been driving for a few hours that I realized that this new route was surely slower than the regular route through Wyoming. On interstate 80 in Wyoming the speed limit is set at 75 mph for the majority of the ride, and the highway runs straight, so travelers can gain some serious ground. On interstate 70 through the western half of Colorado, the speed limit is set at around 65 and the road winds through the mountains, making it harder to keep a constant speed.

 

I eventually made my way through Salt Lake City and up to highway 84, which takes you through Boise and into Oregon. Honestly, the next worst part of the drive (2nd to Wyoming) is the stretch from Boise to Burns, Ore. The whole way I kept thinking to myself, "Wow, I'm making great time." I thought I was moving right along. Wrong. After hauling for an hour I was approaching a mileage sign which I thought would tell me that I was getting close. It instead reported that I had more driving left to do than I had already done since leaving Boise. I thought it had to be a mistake. Wrong again. I continued to drive and drive and drive and after thinking I would never make it, I drove by the cathedral known as Autzen Stadium. I was finally back.

 

We have the keys to our new house, now it is just a matter of making the switch. My roommates were down yesterday so we moved in a few things to claim our territory then we chose rooms. The house is older but still in good shape and will make a great place to hang around in for our last year here.

 

Tomorrow is my first day with the Athletic Department for Fan Day. It sounds like a good time and will be good practice before the season begins on Saturday.

 

 

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Morning Trip to Boulder

David R.

August 21, 2010 - 2:12 PM

Waking up at 4:45 in the morning can really throw you for a loop. That's what time we were up this morning so that we would make our 6:40 tee time in Boulder. This weekend is that last one that I will be here for this summer, so I thought it would be a good idea for me to get in one last round of golf with my dad and brother. We needed a fourth to play so we invited my uncle to come along. He lives right in Boulder so it wasn't too far out of his way.

 

We were one of the first groups to go off this morning so we were able to beat the rest of the crowd-and the heat. We never had to wait on anyone and made our way through around the Flatirons Course in under four hours. Since we were done at 10:30 in the morning we beat the afternoon heat waves. It was still rather cool when we finished, and right now I sit here writing this blog in plain view of our outdoor thermometer that says 94. I sure am glad I'm not outside in that.

 

It can be hard to get up so early in the morning, but it is well worth it. If there is no one ahead of you, like there usually isn't in the morning, then you don't have to worry about being held up. South Suburban Golf Course (the course by my house) is known for the notorious late afternoon hold up. This course is constantly packed full of people because it is relatively cheap and convenient. If you play too late in the afternoon, not only will the sun abuse you at will, but you will be forced to wait before every shot and become another victim of the golf course death march (figuratively of course). It's never enjoyable and can make the frustration of the game alone seem ten times worse.

 

It doesn't feel like I should be heading back to school, but at the same time, I have never gone back this early. As I usually do I will probably try to delay the packing as long as possible. I can usually get everything stuffed into my car in one day's worth of hard packing. The car that I take to school is very durable, but there's no sense in taking any chances when you're about to drive 1,200 miles by yourself. I'm going to take my car into the shop sometime this week to have everything looked at before my journey. Every so often on the drive out there I will see someone's car on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and I hope that never happens to me.

 

No one ever likes to feel like they're getting old but my brother, who has always seemed so young to me, started high school the other day. He already has his permit and will be driving by himself when I get home from school in June. I just hope I never come home to find that my baby brother is bigger than I am!

 

 

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