Oregon Daily Emerald
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
“Baseball is the only field of endeavor
where a man can succeed three times out
of 10 and be considered a good performer. ”
MLB Hall of Fame member Ted Williams, who finished
his 19-year career with a .344 batting average.
■ In my opinion
SCOTTI. ADAMS
INTENTIONAL GROUNDING
Fall Classic
looms under
a successful
football year
With all of the big news pouring out of Oregon
football, I almost forgot there was a World Series
going on. Lucky for me, I caught the ninth inning
of game two Sunday night, and after looking over
the first two games of the 2005 series, I came to
realize that this could be one of the most exciting
series of all time to start 2-0.
The final inning of game two was a fall classic
in itself. The White Sox had Houston on the ropes
with the final out of the game looming until the
Astros’ Jose Vizcaino came off the bench as a
pinch-hitter for Adam Everett in the ninth inning
with two on. Unlike in game one, Chicago’s clos
er Bobby Jenks could not pick up the save Sun
day as he gave the 16-year veteran Vizcaino an
ill-fated breaking pitch on the outside corner
which was laced into left field for a two-run single
tying the game at six.
It made for one of the biggest and most for
gettable hits in World Series history thanks to
Scott Podsednik, who lined a 2-1 pitch from
Brad Lidge into the right-center field bleach
ers, settling the score at 7-6 and sending the
Southside into bedlam.
The right-handed closer Lidge turned to
watch Podsednik’s walk-off shot disappear into
the night sky at U.S. Cellular Field, but did not
see where it landed. He didn’t have to. Instead
he brooded over the lost opportunity of knot
ting the series at 1-1 and paced toward the
packed Astros’ dugout.
“I’m frustrated by it, but I’m not changing a
darn thing” Lidge told reporters after the
game. “I’m ready to get out there and as
quickly as possible. ”
Lidge is right not to want to change his strate
gy. He surrendered only five home runs during
the regular season but has now given up two in
the playoffs — both game-winners.
One day earlier, the White Sox knocked Roger
Clemens out of game one after two innings en
route to a 5-3 win. Jose Contreras worked for his
third win of the post-season and Chicago’s
bullpen stayed the course during the game that
featured three home runs, five pitching changes
and 17 hits.
The Astros are now one loss away from being
swept out of their franchise’s first World Series,
but luckily for them they will have a home crowd
on tap at Minute Maid Park for game four tonight
and five tomorrow. Winning games on the road
has not been a problem for the White Sox this
postseason however. The Red Sox couldn’t beat
them at Fenway and Chicago stole three wins in
Anaheim.
It’s hard for me to see how Chicago would
even need to return home to wrap this thing up.
They’ve already taken care of the Astros’ two
aces, Clemens and Andy Pettitte, and aren’t
strangers to scoring big. The White Sox should
have the franchise’s first world title since 1917 in
a matter of days and I expect to see White Sox
fans showing their colors on campus next week.
This postseason, white appears to be the
new red.
sadcum@djailyemerald.com
360 DEGREES FROM ORDINARY
Courtesy
Oregon student David Feldberg won the Triple Crown of disc golf, earning victories in the National Series Title,
US Open Title and the Cash Title. Having played for the past eight years, Feldberg is rapidly turning into the
poster child of disc golf.
Disc Golf is a burgeoning sport,
and Oregon's Avery Jenkins and
David Feldberg are professionals
BY SPENCER CRUM
FREELANCE REPORTER
Oregon is notorious for having produced
some of the Pacific-10 Conference’s best
athletes. Many have even possessed the
talent to take it to the next level, as was the case
with Fred Jones, the Lukes, Joey, Maurice Mor
ris, and Igor. The Oregon Ducks are represented
at a higher level. Now they can add David Feld
berg and Avery Jenkins to the list.
Feldberg and Jenkins, both accomplished
Professional Disc Golf Champions, are compet
ing at the professional level. Jenkins mastered
the distance competition, winning the 2005
event at the U.S. Open. He also won the 2004
Canadian Disc Golf Championship and the
2004 Japan Open.
Feldberg, fresh off the tour of his life, won the
Tiple Crown in disc golf (National Series Title,
US Open Title, Cash Title).
“I’ve never been able to break through and
beat the game’s greatest players,” Feldberg said.
“This was a breakthrough for me. I was able to
win easily. I’ve been learning to win, and I fi
nally know how it feels to win. ”
Feldberg is relatively new to disc golf. His
first experience was eight years ago, when his
friends showed him the game. Feldberg remem
bers: “They said it was a Frisbee golf course,
and they handed me a Frisbee and we played
25 cents a hole; $6 later I learned a lesson.”
Numerous lessons and seven years of play
ing have made the difference.
“I knew what it was like to lose, and now I was
feeling what it was like to win,” Feldberg said.
Feldberg finally feels he is in the “happy
place” and has the confidence in putting it
together. He is finally starting to feel like
DISC GOLF, page 6A
■ Football notes
Dixon and Leaf ready for action
After losing Clemens for the rest of the season,
the Ducks are eager to continue their winning ways
BY LUKE ANDREWS
SPORTS REPORTER
The 14th-ranked Oregon Ducks,
fresh off their fourth-straight win of
the season, now enter the bye
week in preparation for California,
which visits Autzen Stadium in
two weeks.
And the timing of Oregon’s bye
week could not have been better.
The Ducks’ draining 28-21 win
against Arizona last Saturday
proved costly as senior quarterback
Kellen Clemens suffered a broken
ankle and will miss the remainder
of the season. Backups Dennis
Dixon and Brady Leaf are left with
big shoes to fill for the final three
games of the regular season.
“It was unfortunate what
happened and how I got in, but
Dennis and I have to prepare to
keep this team rolling,” Leaf
said. “I am extremely excited for
this opportunity. ”
The extra week of preparation
gives Dixon, who will take the
majority of snaps in practice, and
Leaf the opportunity to grasp Ore
gon’s spread offense and a
chance for Oregon coaches to for
mulate playbooks catered to the
two respective talents.
“The nice thing about the timing
of this is that we have two weeks to
prepare, so we can get a lot more
work done,” Oregon head coach
Mike Bellotti said. “It’s a lot more
this week about the Oregon Ducks
and making sure we figure out
what parts of the offense we want
to focus on for Dennis and Brady.”
Dixon, a sophomore from San
Leandro, Calif., has played sparing
ly this season. He’s completed 15 of
20 passes for 130 yards with one
touchdown and two interceptions.
Most known for his flair run
ning the ball, Dixon, who broke
Oregon’s 40-yard dash record for
quarterbacks previously held by
Akili Smith, has rushed for 66
yards on seven carries this sea
son and has scored one touch
down — the go-ahead quarter
back sneak in the season-opener
against Houston.
“Dennis is an unbelievable ath
lete. He can make plays that me
and Kellen could never make just
on sheer athletic ability,” Leaf said.
A sophomore from Great Falls,
Mont., Leaf is the younger brother
of Ryan Leaf, a former Washing
ton State standout and second
overall selection in the 1998 NFL
draft. Brady Leaf made his Oregon
debut in the home-opener against
Tim Bobosky I Photo editor
Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon has taken over the reins after an ankle injury
sidelined Kellen Clemens for the rest of the season. Dixon has appeared in seven
games, rushing and passing for one touchdown in each this season.
Montana, throwing for 25 yards
on 2-of-5 passing.
In relief duties against the Wild
cats on Saturday, Leaf was 5 of 10
for 53 yards and an interception,
but completed two key first downs
to lead the Ducks to victory.
. Though Bellotti has named
Dixon the starter, he expects both
to share time under center.
“We’re the same football
team,” Bellotti said. “We have
some weapons at quarterback,
and we have some weapons on
offense that are not going to be
denied. So I think our attitude is
pretty good.”
While the circumstances causing
their jump to the first team are dis
appointing, both Dixon and Leaf
FOOTBALL, page 6A