Deluxe Apartment in the Sky…

I guess that’s not all. I have BELIEVED.  Since Bill Musgrave’s junior year, I have believed that this might be possible.  Through Danny O’Neill, and Tony Graziani, Akili Smith and Joey Harrington, Kellen Clemens and Dennis Dixon, Jeremiah Masoli and Darrin Thomas, I have believed that THIS MIGHT BE THE YEAR.  The first year that I can remember a national championship being spoken of openly in Eugene was 1996, in which Graziani told the Daily Emerald that the Ducks true goal was not just the Rose Bowl, but the national title.  Things did not go well that year.  Oregon since 1987 has been fabulously successful, but only in 2001, 2007, and now have they been spoken of realistically in national title terms.  Ironically enough, 2007 and 2010 were the only years wherein I had serious doubts about the ability of the Ducks to compete.  The 2007 game against Arizona, perhaps because of my incertitude, remains one of the most crushing moments of my adult life.  I remember saying to Oregon alums at my December 2007 wedding, “I wish we could have met again under happier circumstances.”

But now we have a national championship game.  I’m glad that it’s against Auburn; I have no doubt that the Ducks will prevail, and there’s no way that the SEC fans who surround me would ever take seriously a championship not won against an SEC team.   Until January 10…