Thanks Mike!

With the somewhat surprising news today that Oregon football coach Mike Belotti is STEPPING DOWN to become Oregon's Athletic Director, the speculation begins as to how this will affect the upcoming season in terms of coaching changes, player roles, recruiting, etc.


What I will acknowledge here is the great job Belotti has done in his 14 years, with quite a number of highs balanced with some devastating lows. What Duck fan will ever forget the home debut of Belotti, the incredible come from behind victory over Illinois in 1995, the astonishing rout of a good Michigan State team in 1998 in Autzen, the magical season of 2001, or the satisfying double whammy to end his tenure this season, a blowout of Oregon State to deny them a Rose Bowl berth followed by a beatdown of an explosive Oklahoma State team in the Holiday Bowl?


Some of the low points include the Cotton, Seattle and 2006 Las Vegas Bowl debacles as well as regular season losses to the likes of Indiana. Through it all, Belotti has been a calming presence on the sideline. In this day and age, it was certainly refreshing to see that on display here for so long.


Hard to say what the b**v*r whiners in loserville will do now that their favourite punching bag is gone, but on second thought, such speculation on lower life forms is ultimately a futile exercise.


The pic is from the 1995 football poster, autographed by Belotti on the first fan day. That event took place after practice on a hot day in August of 95, on the turf of Autzen.


Thanks again for so many magical memories (there really are way too many to mention) Mike, it's been a pleasure!