Sunday Morning Sidewalk: Baseball, dogs, and the beauty of a slower Sunday

With the dead period upon us and only a handful of commitments scheduled, there isn’t much in the way of breaking recruiting news this week. Tomorrow, I’ll share some thoughts on the upcoming commitments and where Oregon stands with each prospect.

But today felt different — more contemplative than analytical.

Last night, I was sitting on my deck watching baseball, and I snapped a quick picture. That simple act transported me back to last summer, to the moment I took over as publisher of Duck Sports Authority. Those first few months were a whirlwind: wall-to-wall practice coverage, recruiting calls flying in every direction, stories almost writing themselves as excitement buzzed around the program. It felt like we were taking off again, and in many ways, we were.

But as the season ended on January 1st, the content pipeline began to slow. The outreach wasn't quite there, the engagement changed, and I found myself reflecting on what it really meant to be deeply embedded in that daily grind. Those warm summer nights on the deck last year felt like toasts to each day’s hard work — small moments of gratitude in the middle of chaos.

Last night, though, felt different. It wasn’t defeat or resignation, but rather a quiet sense of appreciation. A soft exhale after years of relentless hustle. Maybe, in some ways, it felt like a small reward for all the effort poured into building something meaningful.

Fiji woke me up at 6 a.m. sharp, and we started our day with a long walk. True to form, she spent most of it digging in the field and proudly catching a mole — a perfect start to her day. After that, it was errands, another walk, a trip to the dog park, and some playful chaos with one of her friends. A full, sun-soaked day.

What was noticeably absent was the constant buzzing of my phone — no recruiting calls, no texts needing immediate responses, no direct messages piling up on X. For once, I wasn’t trying to balance two jobs at once during those walks. Instead, I got to simply exist in the moment, fully present with my dog and the sunshine.

We came inside at a decent hour, and I settled in to watch the last half of the A’s comeback win over Toronto — a simple pleasure that felt extra sweet.

I know the Oregon staff has been out of the office last week, using this brief window to grab some precious family time before this week’s fellowships and meetings to set the tone for fall camp. Soon, they’ll finalize the messaging around the theme for the 2025 season and chart out the preparation strategy.

And while I’ll always miss the camaraderie we shared on the old DSA boards, there’s a surprising freedom in stepping away from that grind. Last year, my mission was to provide every single member with the content they deserved — wall-to-wall, all-in. This year, I’m writing what I want to write, at the pace that feels right. It will be less frequent, but maybe, just maybe, it’ll be better.

I won’t be combing through comments on ScoopDuck or Duck Territory. I’ll keep my thoughts here on the Flock Talk forum. Even if it sometimes feels like I’m just talking to myself, there’s a quiet comfort in it. And sometimes, that’s more than enough.

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Jax Tanner Thoughts

Earlier in this recruiting cycle, I said that if Oregon made an all-out push for Jax Tanner, he was theirs to lose. But ultimately, the Ducks chose not to fully press down on the gas pedal here.

A big part of that decision lies in Tanner’s timeline. He won’t be back in football pads until 2028 after his mission. Meanwhile, Oregon is chasing elite offensive line talent in the 2027 class and beyond — prospects who can help sooner and develop into multi-year contributors.

That doesn’t mean Oregon is writing Tanner off forever. When he returns, if there’s mutual interest, the Ducks will absolutely circle back and evaluate another recruiting push. But for now, they have more immediate needs on the offensive line that can’t be ignored. Building a foundation that reduces dependence on the portal has to start now.

There’s no question that Tanner is a fantastic interior offensive line prospect. By 2028, he’ll have matured physically, spent time in a mission environment that builds mental toughness, and he’ll be ready to hit the weight room and film room with a renewed edge. In many ways, he might be an even more intriguing prospect at that point.

In the meantime, Oregon will focus on potential ‘flip’ candidates and other top targets to fill out their 2026 offensive line class.

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Some mornings are meant for recruiting updates, and others for reflecting on the journey — the grind, the quiet, the dogs, the ballgames, and the shifting pace of life. Today felt like the latter.

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