In light of recent discoveries surrounding the internet validity of certain prominent
linebackers’ girlfriends, I’d like to confirm that I am real. My appearance in Boulder will
happen and I will be at a yet to be determined drinking establishment. Let’s drink this one out.
I’d also like to confirm that Oregon is equally as real. They’re a tremendously balanced
group, garnering significant contributions from top-to-bottom. Have you had a chance to watch Arsalan Kazemi? He plays a complete game and has some of the best rebounding instincts I’ve ever seen. His veteran style perfectly compliments the needs of this team; particularly as EJ Singler’s inconsistencies seem to be more rule than exception.
Throughout much of the off-season, I questioned whether or not Oregon had the talent
to be competitive, let alone control their destiny to a Pac-12 Title. While my arguments
were grounded in fact – Artis was unproven and Dotson unheralded, Kazemi ineligible
and Tony Woods unimpressive – the Ducks have come together and played their
style to a T. Perhaps most impressively, it’s not as if anyone his having a out-of-their-
mind season. Dotson and Artis have impressed, but aren’t playing outside the realm of
what they possibly could. Woods has been very good but not necessarily dominant or
shockingly improved. So it’d seem the most impressive play by the Ducks has been in
garnering the eligibility of Kazemi. However you slice it, Dana Altman’s team holds
victories over both Arizona and UCLA and plays neither one of them again (save Vegas), an auspicious position.
And if we’re to consider Oregon’s position such, we can piggy back off of that logic and
consider what Colorado has ahead of itself auspicious as well. Sure 2-4 is a less-than-
desirable place but the Buffs have home games remaining against Arizona, Washington,
and Oregon. They’ll get 8 shots at teams currently ahead of them in the standings,
proverbially controlling their own destiny with their respectable and still improvable
18th ranked RPI. Of course for this to be the case, the offensive side of things have got to adjust. There are too many fruitless possessions and that can’t even be justified via the Kobe Assist. Grabbing a road win in Pullman may not be the most glamorous of things but winning begets winning, no matter the path.
I suppose it becomes a discussion of momentum and capturing it by any means
necessary. I think we’ll all agree that a significant gust was taken from the sails of the
Buffs’ momentum boat in Tucson. While Colorado doesn’t necessarily have a geographic
or historic rival within the Pac-12, Arizona has fulfilled that role for the Buffaloes. I love
rivalry games because they seem to represent a clean slate. The rule and play books are tossed aside and competition is on. Just win becomes the motto and doing such can really begin to catapult a team. Or otherwise. Looking around the conference at the respective rivalry games, the winner has moved on to success. Oregon won at Oregon State and has yet to lose since. Washington rolled into Pullman and has rattled off four of five victories.
Conversely, Oregon State and Washington State of struggled, which may or may not
be surprising but they’re a combined 1-9 since. You can’t slice that any other way than
bad. Take Colorado’s 2010-11 season as an example. The Buffs headed to Nebraska a
nifty 14-4 and 3-0 in conference But in Lincoln, Colorado lost five of their next six. I’m
not saying it’s a trend – I’m in fact hoping it’s not – but these rivalry games can really
operate as a springboard in either direction.
So, unsurprisingly, losing their rivalry game has hurt the Buffs. But as we said, the
remaining schedule is such that they’ll have the chance to collect the kind of wins that
tournament committee members like to see.
And that’s a good thing.
