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DISASTER ON DAD'S WEEKEND!

11-15-2010 - Dad's weekend 2010 was shaping up to be a lot of fun. I came to Corvallis with the expectation of seeing a Beavers win and having a fun weekend with my daughter. We went to an old, although changed, hangout of mine from my college days for dinner. The pizza at Woodstock's was everything I remembered it to be and I am still impressed with the guy standing behind the counter tossing pizza dough into the air. Granted it is not the same small pizza place it was in the 1970's. Gone is the long narrow pizza parlor with the cramped seating. The new woodstock's is large and spacious but the pizza is just as good as I remember.

My daughter and I proceeded to the women's Civil War Volleyball game vs the Ducks. As a parent of a current all-conference volleyball player, I am impressed with the power of the D1 college game. Those ladies crush the ball at the net and hit serves that dive straight down. It was fun to watch even though the Beavers lost to the Ducks, it was a fun night. I was even able to find my twitter buddy Nicole at the game.

Saturday morning started well. I won an item at the AGD auction and had a good time talking with other dads. My new Dad's weekend sweatshirt is pretty cool. I enjoyed the breakfast that AGD's served. It was a good Dad's breakfast with pastries, fruit and bagels. A good start to a game day that is for sure. I was ready to watch my Beavers dismantle the hapless Cougars. My wife, a Cougar alum, even conceded that her Cougars could not win the game on Saturday.

My daughter and I walked across campus to the MU and had a light snack before the game and watched the Northwestern - Iowa game on TV. In hindsight I might have taken something from that game in that the underdog Wildcats of Northwestern unset Iowa.

As we settled into out seats at Reser Stadium there was something that I could not explain at that time. It was a feeling that at the time I could not describe. I now know that the feeling was one of worry. Reser did not have the usual feeling of joy and excitement prior to the game. The weather was cool and damp and even fans in my row were grumpy. Complaining about the seating being so crowded. Perhaps if they did not have more people then tickets they would not be so crowded. Geez!

From the opening kickoff the Beavers were not in this game. The Courgars first drive was 14 plays. The second was a touchdown and the 4th drive was a touchdown. Meanwhile the Beavers only managed 2 punts and a missed field goal in their first four drives. At halftime the Beavers trailed the 1-8 Cougars 21-0. The outcome of this game was written before the opening kickoff. The Beavers were not there to play and the Cougars got their first pac-10 win in two years.

For a team that returned 20 starters from last season and two top offensive players in the Rodgers Brothers, this team has NO leadership. Ryan Katz is immature as a QB and is trying to win games like a high school player would. With his arm. At this level, games are won by making smart decisions and using the tools you have at hand and not by trying to force the ball into situations. A true team leader weather in sports or in business knows his abilities and those of his team. A leader is a person who uses the tools available to him to accomplish the job at hand. At is not about him, it is about getting the job done no matter who gets the job done. Ryan Katz is not being a leader, he is being a child. Making emotional decisions, trying to do it all by himself and wondering why it does not work when it fails.

Likewise Quizz Rodgers are not being the type of leader this team needs for similar reasons. It is clear that the leader on the field for this team has been James Rodgers. With James on the sideline for the last few games this team has tanked by losing to the bottom three teams in the conference.

Coach Riley and his staff have to teach these young men how to be leaders on the field and in the community. That maturity will help them on the field.

Until Ryan Katz, the Rodgers Brothers or another player becomes a mature responsible leader for this team, they will continue to fail.

I do not expect this team to suddenly find leadership in the midst of turmoil. With only three games remaining and all against ranked teams, the Beavers are not in a situation to suddenly jump back into the spotlight. From what I hear from my sources on campus, this team is in disarray and does not have a the feeling that they can win any of these final three games. The kicking game is terrible, the QB situation is in deep trouble and Quizz is having his worst season at Oregon State. The rest of the team is taking its lead from these players who appear lost. So how can we expect to come back and beat three ranked teams. Coach Riley has a week to figure it out.

BY THE NUMBERS

 

Key	STATISTIC	OSU	WSU	Advantage
.	Scoring Offense	14	31	WSU
.	Pass Attempts	13/23=.565	10/15=.667	WSU
.	Passing Offense/YPC	164/12.6	157/15.7	WSU
.	Kickoff Returns	27.6	19	OSU
.	Punting	39.0	40.2	WSU
.	Turnover Margin	+2	+3	WSU
.	Rushing Attempts / YPC	25/3.9	61/3.6	OSU
.	Rushing Offense	97	221	WSU
.	Total Offense	261	378	WSU
.	Punt Return - PUNTS/YPR	1/17	1/0	OSU
.	First Downs	13	22	WSU
.	Sacks	4	5	WSU
.	Penalties	6/60	9/99	OSU
.	Red Zone Offense	1/2	4/4	WSU
.	3rd Down Conversions	2/10	10/17	WSU
.	4th Down Conversions	1/3	1/1	WSU
.	Field Goals	0/1	1/1	WSU
.	Time of Possession	19.05	40.55	WSU
.	Totals	4 wins	14 wins	OSU

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