Their conclusion: When the Ducks were winning, students celebrated more and grades suffered. And that doesn’t bode well for upcoming report cards — the Ducks are 11-2 this season, Pac-12 champions for the third straight year, and headed to the Rose Bowl.

OK. I’ll give them that. If that’s what the study shows, that’s what it shows. What bothers me about the article comes, once again, from the brilliant and open mind of ASUO President Ben Eckstein:

   ”It’s consistent with the culture on campus and the culture at this university where a stronger emphasis is put on athletic success than on academic success,” Eckstein said. Though a fan himself, he says the university’s financial and building priorities favor sports facilities over academics, and “there’s a lack of focus on connecting our athletic success to our academic mission” which trickles down to students. 

So according to our extremely misguided student leader, this is happening because the UO gives too much money towards athletics and not enough to academics. Excuse me while I do my best Weekend Update-Seth Meyers imitation..

REALLY!? Really, Ben? Student GPA is dropping due to going to games and having too much fun after them? They are dropping because weekend homework assignments are going by the wayside when there is a football game on. That has nothing to do with funding. That has to do with students not being fully engaged in the classes they are taking. I’ll be the first to admit it. I’d rather talk about football or watch a REPLAY of a game than sit in an ECON or Science class (two classes which have nothing to do with my major and I just need for GenEd credits). Maybe this issue isn’t about funding at all, and maybe you should stop trying to find ways to attack a department which actually brings in millions of dollars in revenue and tuition money for the University, which, by the way, helps to pay for things you take for granted (free tickets to sporting events, wireless internet), as well as things you may appreciate (the EMU, the Emerald, your Professors salary, buildings and classrooms).

“Well the Jaqua Center is for student athletes only and I’m not allowed in.” FALSE. You’re allowed in. They even have classes in the first floor classroom for us “normal” folks. It’s even a great place to study. The cafe is usually quiet, and you can grab a quick lunch in the meantime.

President Eckstein…Ben…at the end of the day football (and athletics in general) are just a scapegoat for everyone involved. For students who are genuinely not interested in certain classes, they can turn on a football game and forget about the paper they still need to write. For you and the rest of the ASUO, you don’t have a mission. You think you are trying to help the greater good of the UO by blaming overspending on athletics and underspending on academics. Maybe the greater issue is a failure to inspire.

If the overall GPA of the student body is dropping, maybe the UO needs to talk to their faculty. Take the “boring” subjects and make them interesting.

Maybe the UO needs to talk to their students. If you choose to celebrate victories, remember why you are here and remember that you are paying for those classes you’re failing.

Maybe the UO needs to talk to their ASUO President. Stop blaming things on a department which has no control over the issue you are blaming them for.

Rob Mullens and Chip Kelly aren’t making students fail classes. Students are choosing to do that on their own.
EDIT: The ASUO (and President Eckstein himself) has greater things to worry about. Instead of blaming the Athletic Department for anything and everything, maybe they should worry about lowering tuition, fixing the EMU, or working to make campus a safer place or all student, staff, faculty, and visitors.

The Los Angeles Clippers are relevant.

I don’t want to get ahead of myself and call them a contender. But you never know. The Thunder arrived quickly. As did the Grizzlies. There is a changing of the guard in Staples Center, and it’s shocking people. With the acquisition of Chris Paul, the emergence of Blake Griffin, and a mix of veteran leadership and young talents, the Clippers just made a statement that filled the Staples Center with a noise as loud as the rock concerts which frequent the building. But I can’t help but compare what’s going on with the Clippers/Lakers fiasco right now to what happened with the Angels/Dodgers a few years back.

Now, before I begin my analogy, you must understand that I understand that, while similar, they are different situations. I’ll explain that at the end.

Let me bring you back to the year 2000. The Dodgers, while not making the playoffs since 1996, were still the premiere Southern California franchise in baseball. The history, the championships, the stadium. Players wanted to be in Dodger blue. They had just traded for a talented right fielder, and had a star in left. The Angels were, the Angels. Owned by a corporation which had bigger things on its mind. Ugly uniforms. Their star player had been traded away. Their star free agent was underperforming. 3 place in the AL West. Nothing special about them. Then began the change.

Phase I : The New Manager

In 2000, former Dodger, Mike Scioscia, was hired to become the manager. He brought with him a mentality and philosophy about the game which he had learned in the Dodgers farm system. “The Dodger Way.” He loved his players and had a desire to win.

Phase II: Magic

For the Angels, the “Periwinkle Pajamas” were gone. Classic white and greys. A red hat. A simple “A” with a halo. A new brand. The Dodgers fielded a great time, but in a highly competitive division. The Angels, expected to fail once again, won the Wild Card, and eventually, went on to “magically” win the World Series.

Phase III: The Game Changer

The World Series victory helped the team gain popularity, but the Dodgers still held a slight advantage in terms of SoCal supremacy in popularity. Then came the 2003 offseason. The big fish, Vladimir Guerrero. A superstar. The Dodgers wanted him. Badly. Negotiation went on and on and, allegedly, he was about to put ink to paper. Talks turned sour in the 11th hour. The Angels swooped in and grabbed him. From that moment on, things were officially different. If a player like Albert Pujols became a free agent before 2003, the Dodgers would have had a chance at him. Not now. Maybe when the new owner gets here, but not now.

That brings be to the Clippers, the Lakers, and why this is the same (but different). Do I expect the Clippers to win the NBA Championship. Absolutely not. Do I expect the Lakers to fall into obscurity. Absolutely not. But the Lakers have always been the powerhouse. 16 NBA Championships. 16 Hall of Fame members. They are the Lakers! And the Clippers have always been…sigh…the clippers (lowercase intended). 0 Championships. 0 Division titles. 2 winning seasons since 1984.

But here come Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. Getting younger and more talented. A plan in hand and going full speed ahead. And there go the Lakers. Getting older and confused. No plan. Outlook, not so good. The Lakers were minutes away from adding CP3 to the roster and building for the future. Then the Clippers swooped in and grabbed him.

And while the Lakers will still make they playoffs (Kobe isn’t just going to give up), as of right now, it appears that for the first time…ever…they may be passed in the standings by a team that they forgot shared a house with them.

Don’t fall asleep on these Clippers. Something special is about to happen…

Names have been thrown around like a dogs chew toy during a game of fetch. Cuban. Garvey. Hershiser. Broad. AEG. Time Warner. But one name has been absent from the conversation due to his supposed lack of interest. Until now.

Peter O’Malley needs to be in the front office again. He stated his rekindled interest to the LA Times yesterday. Tommy Lasorda said it needs to happen. And it does. It just does. Not necessarily as owner. But as CEO or President.

O’Malley says he is the only one who can reconnect the Dodgers to the community. I agree. He is the only person who truly has the knowledge of the team to do so. His return to Chavez Ravine would be welcomed back in a way only comparible to what would happen if Ronald Reagan rose from the dead to appear at the Repulican Convention to announce he was running for President. That big.

Dennis Gilbert needs to be majority owner. He is a lifelong Dodger fan with 8 season tickets in the front row behind home plate. He is a former agent who knows the business of baseball and is well respected in the community, as well as in MLB’s front offices. Minority owners (faces with money) should get involved too. People who care. Vin Scully. Tommy Lasorda. Maybe AEG. As the LA Times reported, the idea of AEG renovating the Ravine and making it LA Live North at Dodger Stadium is pretty mind boggling to think about.

Whatever happens will surely be better than what we as Dodger fans have been suffering through for the past few years. Ned Colletti will finally have money to prove that he is the smart GM he appears he can be. Whatever happens will usher a new era for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Whatever happens, the future is bright…

But Peter O’Malley needs to be there to help.

*EDIT: I looked back to the post I wrote about “The Dodger Way.” I think that the only way to restore The Dodger Way, as I mentioned, is to have an owner who fully understands it. With the news of O’Malley looking to buy the team again, I think that this is the right, proper, and possibly the only way to restore the Dodgers to where they were.*

(apologies for any spelling errors or sentences that don’t make sense. I’m writing this on my iPad)

When I was a Freshman at the UO, I took a class called Baseball Research. Our final project was to do a research paper about a specific baseball topic. I discussed the Rise and Fall (and Rise, and Fall) of the Los Angeles Dodgers. My researched focused around two key moments which altered the franchise (forever? I don’t know, but ever since 1987). 1) Al Campanis getting fired. 2) The sale of the Dodgers to FOX from the O’Malley family. But right now, I’m focusing on Campanis.

This post is about The Dodger Way. The Dodger Way To Play Baseball was a theory. A way of life. A style. It was created by Branch Rickey, passed down to Campanis, Alston, and Lasorda. However, Al Campanis was the true visionary. Campanis, the Dodgers General Manager, put the idea of The Dodger Way and wrote a book. The Dodger Way was taught to all players, minor leagues and major leagues. Even if they didn’t read the book, they knew the idea. It was how to play the game, both on the field and in the front office. It was a bible of sorts for everyone in the organization. When Campanis was fired, Lasorda and O’Malley were the last preachers. They two then left. The team was sold, a new manager came in, and The Dodger Way was forgotten.

Baseball Hall of Fame writer and former LA Times columnist Ross Newhan wrote in 2008:
“The figures don’t lie:
Whereas there was a single-family ownership for the first 40 years in Los Angeles, there have been two owners in the last 10 years alone — uninterested Rupert Murdoch and transplanted neophyte Frank McCourt.
Whereas there were four general managers (one of them, Fresco Thompson, died a few months after taking the job) and three field managers in the first 40 years, there has since been a revolving door on those offices.
Keeping the movers busy in that 10-year period, there have been six general managers (counting Tom Lasorda and Dave Wallace on an interim basis) and six field managers (counting Glenn Hoffman on an interim basis)… Lasorda he believes that it was when Campanis left the organization that the “Dodger Way” began to slip away.”

Peter O’Malley, former owner, said, “Al’s book was a cornerstone of our success, as fundamentals always are, and that continuity was also a cornerstone. I can’t think of any organization in baseball which had that continuity for as long as we did. There was stability throughout.” So why not stick with it?

Davey Lopes, current Dodger first base coach and former player under Lasorda and Campanis, is slowly teaching the way to the players again, a necessary move. But more is needed.

Whoever the new owner is, whenever he/she/they get here, the first thing that needs to be done (besides lower ticket prices, locking up young talent in the organization, and signing a big name free agent) is this…

The Dodger Way To Play Baseball by Al Campanis needs to be passed out to everyone in the organization and read cover to cover. The Way must be restored to Chavez Ravine. The Way will bring new life and thrills to the once golden organization. The Way will bring fans back to the seats. The Way will help the Dodgers be the Dodgers.

Dear Commissioner Selig,
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alex Horwitch. Born and raised in Calabasas, CA (a suburb of Los Angeles), I am a third-year Public Relations/Journalism student at the University of Oregon. My family have been season ticket holders for the Dodgers since 1962, when Dodger Stadium opened. I was born to bleed blue, which I continue to do during good times and bad. Right off the bat, I would like to thank you for taking control of the team away from Frank McCourt. You have brought a bright future to the fans and the team. Thank you.

I am writing regarding the open position of “MLB Representative” to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Dodgers in the interim time between owners. I would love to be your man on the ground at Chavez Ravine and assist in running the team. I know what you’re thinking. “He’s only 21. Not even out of college yet. How can he run a baseball team for me?” I believe my leadership experience and positions held within the world of collegiate athletics, and my genuine love for the Dodgers will help change your mind.

FAN RELATIONS:

At the University of Oregon, I am President of the “Pit Crew,” the largest student group on campus. The Pit Crew is the association in charge of the student section at Mens/Womens Basketball, Football, Baseball, Volleyball, and Softball. I have worked closely with the UO Athletic Department and Marketing Department to help encourage student involvement and turn-out at these games. I have run successful campaigns to involve students and make them aware of promotions at games. I ran a extremely successful campaign to “Green Out” the Los Angeles Coliseum for our game at USC this year, appearing on John Canzano’s radio show in Portland, and printed in newspapers both here in Oregon, as well as the USC Daily Trojan. At basketball games, I lead the students down to the tunnel before the game starts to welcome the team to the floor. At all sporting events, I help organize and lead cheers for the student section to encourage the team and its players. I also believe that since I am a fan, I will be able to speak for the fans on what changes should be made.

EVENTS AND PLANNING:

In this past year, I have worked with NIKE in helping to organize and manage several events in regards to our football program. I assisted with the “NIKE Toga War” prior to the UO-OSU Civil War Game. I served as a “man on the ground” for NIKE during the Civil War Game to help capture the students reactions during ESPN Game Day, and during the game itself. I worked with both NIKE and the UO Athletic Department during the opening of the new Matthew Knight Arena for its opening ceremonies, as well as the “NIKE Clash Of The Champions” event held at the arena. As a member of the a’cappella group on campus, On The Rocks, I served as Tour Manager, planning not only concerts, but also events and activities to attend while on tour.

MARKETING, BRANDING, AND PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Recently, I have worked with multiple NIKE employees (including Tinker Hatfield , creater of the Air Jordan brand, and Todd Van Horne, NIKE Sport Apparel and Innovation Creative Director) on the marketing and re-branding of The Pit Crew. This includes helping design a new logo and shirt for The Pit Crew. As Public Relations director of On The Rocks, I promoted our appearance on NBC’s “The Sing-Off,” as well as the release of our album, multiple concerts, tour, and other appearances. I am skilled in social media communications and have run many viral campaigns for On The Rocks.

OTHER LEADERSHIP:

As a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity at the UO, I served as Assistant Pledge Master and assisted in running the pledge program, fraternal education, and successfully inducted 25 new members in the fraternity. In high school, I was director of the student run a’cappella group, Unstrumental. I directed 2 plays and also served as Treasurer for a club on campus. Over the past three summers, I have worked as a camp counselor for children ranging in ages 6 to 16.

I hope that you consider me for this position. It would be a dream come true to help run such a historic franchise, and one that means so much to me.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you. No matter what, I want to thank you again for removing Frank McCourt from his reign of incompetence. Think Blue!

Respectfully,

Alexander C Horwitch

When OTR left to go to the East Coast last Spring Break, things changed for all of us. We Rick Roll’d in our first venture into viral success. Then came back to Eugene and went CRAZY VIRAL (just a little FYI, before it got removed, the outdoor video had upwards of 7.5 million views. Thanks Gaga). We gained new fans all over the world, and our shows had the largest crowds ever. All the success was amazing and was a true humbling for all of us. This was OTR’s 10 year anniversary. We released an amazing album. Amazing for all this to happen now.

Then we got a phone call.

Flash forward to June, and we’re flying down to LA to audition for “The Sing-Off.” NBC saw our videos and wanted us to come down and audition. Had fun with it. Flew back to Eugene for finals. Went home for summer, worked at the same summer camp I went to when I was little. Was having a great time.

Then we got another phone call.

We made the show. I quit my job with a week left in first session, went on vacation with my family, got home, then moved into a hotel with 88 other extremely talented people. The experience from Day 1 in the Radisson was unlike anything I had ever done in my life. From the first people I met, to the last person who’s name I finally remembered, I noticed something about everyone. This wasn’t going to be a competition. This was A’Cappella Camp. We were all working our asses off to produce a great sound and try and be the best we could be on the show. But no one wanted someone to go home. We all just wanted to keep singing with each other. As each episode passes, we only got closer. Eliminations were filled with emotion. The parties that followed were filled with entertainment with one (or two) of the groups for the last time.

It was a family. If someone was sick, we asked them what they needed us to do to make them feel better (“We need to buy honey, lemons, tea, and medicine!”). Late nights hanging out, talking, singing, relaxing in the hot tub, hallways or conference rooms in the hotel. Early mornings waiting in the lobby for our vans to take us to the studio.

The pre-taped shows wrapped September 8th, exactly one month after we moved into the hotel, and we all went home. Forbidden to talk about anything that had happened, we all communicated through Facebook and texts almost daily. The show aired December 6th. The next day, December 7th, one day short of being 4 months since we moved into the hotel…

We got another phone call.

All 10 groups would be coming back for the finale. All 89 of us together. A family reunited. We picked up where we all left off. We watched like proud brothers and sisters as the finalists performed with music icons. The final two were named, and the emotion stated to come over again. After this commercial break, all of this would be over, for real this time. Committed was named the champion, we joined them on stage, and then celebrated until the early hours of the morning. We all left the next day, anticipating the next time we will all see each other. An amazing experience I will never forget and has changed my life forever. Who would have thunk it!? All this came from Rick Rolling a subway car in New York.

Just waiting for that next phone call.

(NOTE: Yes, there were many other eventful things that happened in 2010, which I may touch upon in a different blog post. However, I felt it most pertinent to write about The Sing-Off as my final post of 2010. Have a Happy, Healthy, and Safe New Year everyone!)

In the “What Ever Happened To” realm:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BattleBots

Dodgers receive
Ted Lilly
Ryan Theriot
Cubs receive
Blake DeWitt
2 pitching prospects (Elbert? McDonald? Withrow?)
EDIT: Lilly/Theriot traded for DeWitt and 2 prospect pitchers Brett Wallach & Kyle Smit

Dodgers receive
Dayan Viciedo (#1 White Sox prospect)
Relief Pitching
White Sox receive
Manny Ramirez

Dodgers receive
Jose Bautista
Blue Jays receive
Dayan Viciedo
Jon Link

Dodgers receive
Kelly Johnson
Diamondbacks receive
Ryan Theriot (AZ was trying to acquire Theriot before but the Cubs said no)

There is also the very interesting idea of a 5 team trade in which all these moves are essentially made (all the major players going as predicted) and each team throwing in some prospects here and there to each other.

If only….

UPDATE: So I was only right about the Cubs/Dodgers swap. However, McDonald did end up getting traded (as predicted) along with minor leaguer and smoker of the herb Andrew Lambo for Octavio Dotel (RP). All in all, a mildly successful deadline day. Now if only we could win! On another note, Ned loves waiver deals. Look for the Dodgers to be active on Aug 31.

Yet, this isn’t a post about stress. Look at the title! Stressed but CONTENT, content being the key to the phrase. Even with all these things going on right now, I have found an event, moment, thing, whatever that has helped me be able to take a breath at any point in the day and say, “Finally! Something is going the way I had really hoped it would go!” You could browse the history of this blog and find plenty of posts which say, “I hope this happens this way,” and “I hope this happens that way.” Yet when it was least expected, one moment helped change everything for the better….and if I dare say, for the best! Great things can happen, and do happen. Now just to wait for all this stress to end (next week I will be a semi-free man!) so I can spend my free time how I wish. However, even with all the stress, this new found revelation gives me something to stop in the middle of my day, stop for a moment, take a breath, and for the rest of the day feel like relaxed and happy!

UNRELATED: 2 episodes of LOST left. Still trying to figure out what I’ll do when that show is out of my life. Need to find a new drama to watch. Flash Forward? Fringe? Something LOSTish. Suggestions?