This week is Civil War week in Oregon. For many of us, Civil War week is bigger than the SuperBowl, for it is the game that determines bragging rights in the State. As one commentator put it, “If your team wins, you have a right to live here…” That is how big this game is.
The last two years the University of Oregon Ducks have beaten the Oregon State Beavers; last year robbing them of a Rose Bowl birth. This year, the Ducks are planning on going to the National Championship game. The only thing that stands in their way are the Beavs. If the Beavs win it would qualify them for a bowl game; they have had a mediocre season this year and a loss disqualifies them from going to any bowl. More than that though, it ruins Duck Fans’ season.
I have no reason to support the Beavers. My brother who doesn’t talk to me anymore went there and I visited him while he was a student. My ex-wife graduated from there, and so I really don’t have any reason to like them, other than I always have. They are “Lunchbox, blue collar, do-more-with-less” university. They have a smaller budget and are located in a smaller town. They are not “owned” by Phil Knight – Nike owner and Chairman. And more than that, they don’t have whiny, snivelly Duck Fan cheering for them.
The fun for me is not so much beating the Ducks, heck I even have one of their sweatshirts. No, the fun for me is tweaking “Duckfan’s” nose and ruining their football season. I support the Ducks 11 games a year. My dream Civil war is for both teams to be undefeated going into the Civil War game with everything on the line, but this is second best… the Ducks have everything to lose. The Beavs have only a game to gain (qualifying for a bowl game). I would much rather play to win a shot at going to a bowl than to play to “not lose” a championship.
I will not be heartbroken should my Beavs lose. I will cheer for the Ducks in whatever bowl game they play in. But I will be overjoyed should my Beavs beat the Ducks and knock them from their perch atop the College football world.
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