Once again, the Oregon Ducks are beseiged by the injury bug.  Starting QB Nate Costa will have surgery to clean out a torn meniscus.  He is scheduled to be out at least 8-10 weeks.  With this being said, Stickman Justin Roper of Bowl Game Fame will start the season.  Ducks fans will say that this is not a big deal as Roper is steady and already proven.  They'll say that the QB job was close and Roper is not a #2 but a capable #1.  Chip Kelly is the only person that is going to save the Ducks on offense.  Without him protecting his sticky looking QB, Roper will be hurt and some unproven sclub will be pressed into action and that is where the excuses will start (again).

I don't wish ill-will or harm on anyone- ever.  I hope the Ducks can finally live up to the hype that they someone always muster year-after-year.  I hope they can stay healthy for a no-excuse season.  I hope that they can challenge for the PAC10 title and represent well in a bowl game.

With all of that out of the way, keep your ears and eyes fixated on Duck fans excuses.  "We lost our quarterback.  We lost our top two quarterbacks.  If only we had Dennis Dixon and J-Stew..."  I've been an Oregon native for close to a decade and still haven't run across a humble, non-angry, excuse making Duck fan.  I am going to challenge the Eugene faithful to bring it hard all year with zero excuses.  Hold Belloti accountable and demand a real coach that will get the most out of your team every year (I nominate Chip Kelly).  Be humble and do not make excuses.

Go Beav's!

What if we were put under a microscope similar to the one we placed athletes under?  What if our lives were blogged about and scrutinized?  What if our personal lives were misrepresented and judged- right or wrong?  Judge players commitment.  Judge their ability to stay focused during the off-season.  Judge their ability to eat well.

I propose a challenge.  Let's go public...

I am challenging you to list a "professional set of goals" that you would like to hold yourself accountable to for the coming season.  They can be anything.  How you will become an all-star at work?  How you can build chemistry amongst your team members?  How you will become a consummate team player?   How you will watch your diet or exercise?  Maybe list a specific work-out plan to improve strength, reduce your waistline or run a marathon for a purpose.

The bible says judge not, lest ye be judged.  We are bloggers and subsequently- judgers.  It's not New Years Resolution time.  This is the start of a new season where we can band together and judge each other the way we judge our sports icons.  I trust this group because the opinions are open and honest and I'm open to the challenge.  So much so that I'm proposing it..  Sometimes the words can sting.  But hey, I'm a professional.  I am the president of a small company.  I am well educated.  I am middle aged.  I am a former college athlete.  I am a former army officer and  I am no longer living in an athletic, soldiering body.  I am 5'10" tall and weigh in at 250 lbs.  I love me and know I can do better for my teams.  My family, my employees and my friends.

Personal Goals: Judge Me...

1.  30 minutes of cardio a day.

2.  Weight lifting (yes, I know what I'm doing) 4 days per week.

3.  Eat 5 small meals per day (160 grams of protein per day).

4.  No more soda.

5.  Quit dippin' Skoal.

I love sports.  I consider myself a decent athlete.  It's just time I start acting like it again.  I'm going to get under 200 lbs. by the end of the regular NBA season by doing it the right way.  Take the challenge and throw yourself out there as if you were a professional athlete.  Don't be afraid to open the debate and let others encourage you.  We all know that we control each and every decision we make each day.  I know I do a pretty dad-gum good job of living a good life that my kids can be proud of and will want to emulate.  I just want my inner athlete back.  I need my inner athlete back.  I will be posting a weekly Orman-mentary with progress.  Read it if you want.  Comment with whatever you want.  I don't care.  This is on me- for me- with hopes to inspire. 

Let the inner athlete out again...  Be real.

NBA HUNCHES OUT LOUD!

1.  Denver Nuggets will miss the play-off's.  Either AI or Car-smello will demand a trade. 

2.  There will be a minimum of two Phoenix Suns players who will be injured- causing them to come close or miss the play-offs.  One of the players rhymes with Hack- the other rhymes with Trash.

3.  OJ Mayo will find himself in some sort of weird investigation and he'll try to blow it off quicker than he transferred high schools.

4.  Michael Beasley, Shawn and Dwayne won't get along.  Pat Riley will be blamed.

5.  Jason Kidd will not last the season in Dallas.

6.  Kevin Love will be voted Rookie of the Year.

7.  Baron Davis will not be happy in Los Angeles.

8.  Pau Gasol will be caught in an anti-American photograph and explain that he was just joking.

9.  Agent Zero will have zero tolerance for managements inadequacies and blog about it.

10.  Jermaine O'neil will not be any better in Toronto.

11.  Ron Artest will do something stupid.

12.  Chris Paul will not be like last year.

13.  The Pacers will be better than last year.

14.  Greg Oden will surpass expectations and begin the Oden/Bynum duel that will be nationally televised for years to come.

15.  Brandon Roy will take another step towards being "Kobe North"

16.  Luke Walton will not be a Laker for the full season.

17.  Yao will say Ow and Tracy McGrady will punk out again.

18.  Dallas will not be as good without the lil' General on the sidelines.

19.  Kwame Brown will be an all-star (c'mon- thats a joke).

20.  Vince will not last in Jersey.

21.  Jerryd Bayless will be compared to Tony Parker.

22.  Rudy Fernandez will be compared to Manu Ginobli.

23.  Mike Conley will end up in Portland somehow.

24.  LaMarcus Aldridge will be an all-star.

Feel free to comment, argue or add your own... 

Portland Trail Blazers new shooting guard Rudy Fernandez showed that his offensive game will make a smooth transition to the NBA again in the gold medal game.  He scored 22 points in his second game against the strong US Team.  His explosive leaping ability was on display with power dunks and significant hang-time for a 6'5" player.  His long range shooting was verified.  The quick first step and movement without the ball should be incredible as a number two to Brandon Roy and Portland fans are just now realizing what a player we locked down.

Nate has to be grinning.  He earned a gold medal his new shooting star earned a silver. 

Welcome to Portland Rudy!  We are singing OLE!

Not Cool...

1. Spurrier running up scores when he could be developing young talent in blow-out games.

    

2. Michelle Wie.  

    

3. The name Craphonso (Former KC Chief).  Seriously.. Cra phonso...  

    

4. Orenthal James Simpson  

    

5. Nick Saban

    

6. Bobby Petrino

    

7. Brady Leaf or Tony Mandarich

    

8.      Shaq's rapping

9.      Stabbing Monica Seles.

10.  Mike Tyson wanting to eat children.

11.  Barry Switzer

12.  Cedric Ceballos (from his 4 day AWOL status from the Lakers in 3/96, where he claimed he had family problems, and was found to actually have been waterskiing at Lake Havasu, Arizona)

13.  Sam Cassell (ET wannabe)

14.  Tito Ortiz

15.  Lawrence Phillips

16.  Maurice Clarett

17.  John Rocker

18.   Reggie Bush

19.  Bynumating: (loving Andrew Bynum when he has crappy career avgs)

20.  Sam Bowie

21.  Tim Sylvia

22.  Don King

23.  Brett Farve today

24.  Dennis Erickson

25.  Darius Miles

26.  Stephon Marbury

27.  Zach Randolph

28.   Alex and Madonna

29.   Odenators: (people hating on Greg Oden)

30.   Stoops (Arizona style)

31.   Jimmy Clausen (don't proclaim you'll win four Heisman Trophy's)

32.   The One-And-Done Rule

33.   Emmit Smith with the Arizona Cardinals

34.   Joe Montana with the KC Chiefs

35.   Sergio's waggle TO's crying... "That's my quarterback"

36.   JessiTony (QB)

37.  Chicago Quarterbacks

38.  Goodyear tires

39.  Victoria Beckham

40.   Jail Blazers!

and that was a five minute blast...  Any more?  Welcome one- Welcome all