Merkley Commits Cardinal Sin

Ridiculous wager (0.00 / 0)

Smart for Steve to propose, but if Jeff accepted the challenge with those odds I would be seriously concerned about his reasoning ability.  Stanford lost to Oregon 48-10 last year; the Cardinal were 1-11 for the season, and they're not considered much better this year.  Stanford was picked last in the PAC-10 media poll for the 2007 season.  After Stanford's four touchdown loss in the opening game of the season, Jeff is undoubtedly wise to keep the focus on beating Gordon Smith rather than betting on T.C. Ostrander.

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by: Amanda Fritz @ Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 20:31:38 PM CDT

They're looking better! (0.00 / 0)

They did get beat pretty handily, but hung tight for much of the game with a strong UCLA team. The coaches seemed happy with the effort.

But is that really the point? If you're true to your school, you back them up. Hell, I'm watching the Yanks slowly scrape their nails down the rockwall leading to the division title...but I'm still telling my Red Sox friends there's time for the Yanks to come back.

Remember, the root of fan is "fanatic." :)

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by: torridjoe @ Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 20:53:06 PM CDT

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making it weirder with convolutions in the Pac-10 schedule (0.00 / 0)

So here is the key parts of Smith's bio:
he graduated from Brigham Young University 1976; received law degree from Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles 1979; admitted to the New Mexico bar 1979, Arizona bar 1980; law clerk, New Mexico supreme court 1979-1980; practiced law in Arizona;

Thus BYU, UCLA/USC, UNM, and ASU/UA are all on the table in this betting arrangement.

  BYU plays UCLA who beat Stanford and plays Oregon at the end of the season; an Oregon win over UCLA following a Bruin defeat of BYU gives Novick win over Smith. 

Arizona plays New Mexico, having lost to BYU, then plays Stanford and then Oregon thus allowing both Merkley and Novick chances to down Smith.

Arizona State plays Stanford then Oregon, then UCLA & USC also setting up Novick and Merkley chances of downing a Smith team.

UCLA plays BYU and Utah back to back thus taking on both Mormon backed schools (Smith heritage), and then both Arizonas and Oregon before USC.  Smith could come out trounced soundly under this series.

And so far forth and ad infinitum ad nauseum whoopeee and wowza.

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by: spyder @ Tue Sep 04, 2007 at 23:27:36 PM CDT

honorary Duck? (0.00 / 0)

My friend told me that for Merkley, politics isn't hardball, it's "dodgeball." I just want to know how long he can go ducking debates with Novick before he gets an honorary PhD from the UofO?

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by: E.B. Thom @ Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 09:24:14 AM CDT

Yikes! (0.00 / 0)

I guess I'll check the "none" box for the Merkley campaign under the sense of humor column.

But if I was betting on the Cardinal, I'd want better than two-to-one odds, too.

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by: pat malach @ Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 10:42:17 AM CDT

Keep the focus on Smith (0.00 / 0)

Amanda's right- whichever Democratic candidate you support, keep in mind that they are going to be running against Gordon Smith.  We need to keep focused on Smith- he can't be allowed a free ride on his record.  Anti-choice, anti-worker, and anti-environment - he's got to go. 

If you aren't involved already, you should definitely check out StopGordonSmith.com.  Make sure to let your friends know about the campaign as well. 

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by: oregon2008 @ Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 12:07:56 PM CDT

see pat malach's comment... (0.00 / 0)

this is humor. 

it also keeps the Senate primary race (still a long ways away for most people) in the news, and increases name recognition for both candidates.

most folks i talk to don't know 1) that there's a senate race next year, 2) who merkley or novick are, and 3) how bad smith is.  Unconventional "moves" like this will pique interest in those who aren't paying attention yet.

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by: maloney @ Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 13:53:54 PM CDT

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hope beyond hope (0.00 / 0)

I cannot imagine better fortune than Stanford beating Oregon and a Democrat beating Smith.  I'll take one or the other in a pinch. 

Novick would have to give at least 5-1 odds to justify betting on Stanford football. 

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by: Big Barton @ Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 12:59:14 PM CDT

merkley's response sounds to me like... (3.00 / 1)

..."go away & stop pestering me.  as the (presumptive) democratic nominee, i have a general election to win."

kind of off-putting.  however, i guess i can see how if he had responded to steve's challenge in the spirit in which it was intended (humourously) then it may look like he's letting steve set the terms of the debate for the whole election?

i dunno, i don't get it.  maybe he just doesn't have a sense of humor.

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by: trishka @ Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 15:50:53 PM CDT

Merkley's response is understandable (0.00 / 0)

Perhaps Merkley's cold response reflects an abiding desire to avoid association with Stanford football, an embarrassing team by major-conference standards. 

Although this is a painful topic for those of us who bleed Cardinal, the proposed wager is hilarious- vintage Novick.

Steve, we'll talk again come basketball season- Aaron Brooks can't save you now. 

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by: Big Barton @ Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 18:54:20 PM CDT

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a good example of humor... (0.00 / 0)

...is this this blog post, in which both campaigns are hilariously skewered.

Anyone who needs tips in humor can get them there.

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by: maloney @ Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 22:49:30 PM CDT

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