Thirsty Thursday Thoughts

A wonderful Thursday morning. The response to yesterday’s article is very positive. I find covering stories like this very personally gratifying. Every once in a while we get a chance to do good rather than just do. 

One question which came up yesterday was about why I am writing stories from a blog instead of my normal outlet. That actually is not very complicated. I write here stuff that is non-premium and has a value for me as a writer. I have a very good relationship with Rivals and my good friend the publisher of Duck Sports Authority.

One of the things I say at my day job is a stolen line from the movie Boiler Room. “Act as if.” For me, that means act as if you are the owner of the company. We have a primary business model and all of our subscribers are our customers. Much of what I have to say, if I were a regular poster would be okay. But as an admin for the site, someone who shares the inside information from my sources, what I say has a different meaning at times and can be something that comes across in many different ways. So, about three or four years ago, I started writing to my blog on topics which did not really fit the primary business model (in my own opinion).

For much of that time, however, I was working on my first three novels. Consequently, I did not do a lot of non-premium sports content.

Recently I decided that I wanted to find the good side of sports. There is so much negative. We see people build up stars hoping for the moment they fail so we can write a ‘hit piece’ on their moral failures. I want to find the good in sports because I think that athletics are an incredible way for us to learn and teach and to make a better world.

So, I rebranded the blog and decided to run with it. This blog will be wholly independent from anyone. Anyway, to answer the question, I still do all of my premium content for Rivals. This will just be my outlet for non-premium content.

Early Thursday Thoughts

This will be an interesting time over the course of the next few weeks to see how much the ‘juice’ from Spring and the subsequent commitment parade carries over into recruiting. Willie Taggart specifically designed the commitments to have maximal impact. It worked as there are definitely some people who may have been on the fence that jumped in right away.

Will that ‘mojo’ be carried forward around the country? Recruit reactions so far sure make it seem like the energy and positive vibe surrounding the program are attracting some who might not otherwise have noticed the program.

But I think it is going to take much more than just that energy. Willie Taggart is going to have to show some progress on the field came September to keep that vibe flowing. I don’t think he has to win 10+ games or contend for the North title to keep it going – but the team must show progress. 

There cannot be 70-21 blowouts, dysfunction in the locker room and another non-bowl season.

Personally, I think it is very likely that Taggart has the ship pointed in the right direction and that the 2017 season will be a very good rebound season. If the Ducks can win eight games this year, I think that they can reel in a top-10 recruiting class. If they do that, it might be the best class ever – even better than Chip Kelly. 

Now that is how you do something!