Editor’s Note: As some of you might know, UOSportsDude.com is expanding from beyond just me in order to bring to you deeper, more extensive and definitely better coverage of the Oregon Ducks this coming season. Please welcome our newest writer, Jonathan Adams, and Resident Old Man, to the blog. Although he is 33-years-old, not quite “Dude” territory anymore, Jonathan is a former Oregon student who is married to an OSU grad and lives in Washington surrounded by Husky fans. Needless to say, he misses Eugene. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Zidane's abrupt head-but left the French heartbroken and trophy-less. Although maybe not of equal grandiosity, Masoli might have done the same to Oregon.
One of my favorite pieces of sports journalism is “Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu” by John Updike. It was written in 1960, published in The New Yorker, and tells the tale of Ted Williams’ last appearance at Fenway Park. In it Updike writes: “The affair between Boston and Ted Williams has been no mere summer romance; it has been a marriage, composed of spats, mutual disappointments, and, toward the end, a mellowing hoard of shared memories.” While that quote is specifically about Teddy Ballgame and his up-and-down relationship with the Boston fans and media, I’ve always thought it more generally described how we all feel about our favorite athletes, regardless of what team they play for or what city they play in. And even though Williams wasn’t the easiest guy to root for, at least Red Sox fans got to say a proper goodbye when Williams hit a home run in his final at-bat. But what happens when the “marriage” ends abruptly and we don’t get to revel in the “mellowing hoard of shared memories”?
Jeremiah Masoli is back in the news. He is going to enroll at Ole Miss. He’ll probably see significant playing time because he is instantly be the best quarterback on the roster. He is officially no longer a student at the University of Oregon, no longer a Duck. For a majority of Duck fans he’s Public Enemy Number Two (just behind Lane Kiffin). Most Duck fans have moved on. Me? I’m the guy still pining for the girl who left me at the altar and went on “our” honeymoon with the best man. While everyone else is debating Thomas vs. Costa, I’m still thinking about Masoli.
I keep imagining November 26, 2010 at Autzen Stadium. Senior Day. The Ducks are 10-0, 9-1, whatever. Masoli is the last of the seniors to be introduced. The ovation is amazingly loud, amazingly long. If Joey Harrington is number one in the annals of Oregon quarterbacks, Masoli is at least 1A. He’s about to cap the greatest 3-year run ever by an Oregon QB. Some of the same fans who booed him in 2008 are cheering the loudest in 2010. His last game at Autzen is Ted Williams-esque. He still sails his first couple of pass attempts, just like always, and just like always he – and we – shrug it off. He picks apart the Arizona defense with his arm and his feet and moves the Ducks one game closer to the National Championship, or at the very least a second straight Rose Bowl berth. If I close my eyes I can see it. But the harsh reality is that it’s all what-might-have-been.
Through it all, the accusations, the arrest, the hearing, it’s been difficult to separate fact and rumor. Jeremiah Masoli is no doubt a bright young man and a hard worker. He has earned enough credits to graduate from the University of Oregon. He mastered Chip Kelly’s intricate offense, worked his up the depth chart to be the engineer of the most prolific offense in the nation. He was tireless in games, getting better in the second half, taking on bigger defenders. Is this really the same knucklehead who lied to the police, lied to his coach and couldn’t keep himself out of trouble after Kelly didn’t throw him off the team for his initial transgression? I don’t understand it, probably never will, and I’m tired of thinking about it. I need to move on.
It would have been easier to move on, for me at least, if there would have been a proper goodbye. Senior days, retirement tours, heck, even a final game at an old stadium, I’m a sucker for all of that stuff. But when the end comes out-of-the-blue and during the offseason no less, it’s like a Zinedine Zidane-style headbutt to the chest
Look, this isn’t a knock on Thomas or Costa. Every time Thomas breaks off a long run, or Costa makes a great throw, Masoli will become smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. But highlights of the 2008 Holiday Bowl or thinking about The Drive 1 against Arizona and The Drive 2 against Oregon State will still make me wistful, like seeing pictures of an ex and thinking about all the good times. Yeah, you’ve moved on and your current girlfriend is great, but that doesn’t change the fact that you have a lot of great memories of your ex. Even if she did break your heart.
The UO Sports Dude 