The Oregon State University Beavers had their football future in their own hands on 29 November 2008. All they had to do was beat the archrival University of Oregon Ducks in the annual Civil War to qualify for the Rose Bowl. It wuld have been the frst Rose Bowl trip in over 40 years.
Instead, the Beavs' "vaunted" defense surrendered 65 points to the Ducks and went down, 65-38.
We could still make the Rose Bowl if USC loses to UCLA next week, but that would be backing in with a record of 8-4. In such a case we would still have to face 11-1 Penn State, which whupped us badly, 45-14, earlier in the season.
So is it better to win a second-tier bowl game than get beaten up on national TV in a major bowl game? A question for philosophers, but not for money men - take the big payoff any day.
But at least our men's basketball team broke its 25-game losing streak. The hiring of President-Elect Obama's brother-in-law Craig Robinson may soon start paying dividends.
"But the real tragedy was that 15 hadn't been colored in yet." -- Steve Spurrier, former Florida football coach, teling Gator fans that a fire at Auburn's football dorm had destroyed 20 books.
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