I swore it would be different this time. As the Oregon Ducks' 2005 football season approached over the last few weeks, I told myself I wouldn't take it quite so seriously. Even in recent days, with disaster overwhelming New Orleans in the form of hurricane and floods, I tried to put this silly game in perspective.
But with kickoff for Oregon's season opener against the Houston Cougars just four and a half hours away, I'm almost beside myself with anxiety.
A lot of it has to do with last season. You see, I can take the losses that I see coming. USC whips us? OK, maybe that can't be avoided. Arizona State or Cal get by us in a squeaker? It happens. But last year Oregon was a 20-point favorite in its season opener at home against Indiana, and thanks to seven turnovers and a 97-yard kick return touchdown called back on a penalty, we lost. And the team never really recovered, finishing with its first losing season in well over a decade.
On paper, Oregon should definitely beat Houston. The Cougars were 3-8 last season, and Oregon is loaded with returning starters at every skill position. Kellen Clemens is one of only two senior quarterbacks in the Pac-10. Running back Terrence Whitehead is coming of a 1,000-yard season, and now he'll be backed up by freshman Jonathan Stewart, the highest-rated high school tailback in the nation last year. Receiver is stocked with thoroughbreds. Defensive back, once a big liability, is full of shut-down corners. And the defensive line is anchored by an absolute monster in Samoan Haloti Ngata.
But you just never really know. Something tells me that from 4-7PM today I'll be doing a lot of housework: scrubbing floors on my hands and knees, running the vacuum over every inch of carpet. What, you thought I was going to watch the game? Too nervewracking. I'll tape the game and watch it later if we've won.
This is what I call a relaxing pastime. Go Ducks!
You'd think 1,000 miles and a football team all my own (a #1 football team in fact) would quell some of the stress ... but not so much. I definitely locked myself in my office for a bit when Oregon was losing to Houston. But at least it all worked out in the end. I'm just not looking forward to Sept. 24. I'll lose either way.
Posted by: Sara | September 07, 2005 at 07:32 PM