Oregon soars

The stock market may be topsy-turvy. But if Oregon were a stock,  all the analysts would be screaming for us to buy.

It’s a great time to be an Oregonian. Both the Ducks (6-0) and Beavers (4-0) are unbeaten in football and ranked in the top 10 college football teams in the nation.

The team that Nike owner Phil Knight built, the University of Oregon, takes speed to a new dimension under coach Chip Kelly and his motto “win the day.”

Oregon State University, meanwhile, under coach Mike Riley’s skilled mentorship, has a more blue-collar aspect as the pride of Corvallis dismantles ranked opponent after ranked opponent.

But then, Oregon is more than just a football factory. We have more to do on Saturdays than to watch football. We have mountains to climb, national forests to explore, fall colors to admire, golf to play, leaves to rake, deer and elk to hunt. There is a lot of stiff competition for our leisure time. 

Face it. Oregon is more than just a football mecca. It’s a great place to call home. The state has infinite variety, from the high desert to the coast. The Cascade Range divides east from west, dry from wet, city folks from cowboys. Crater Lake, our only national park, was formed from the remains of an ancient volcano and is the deepest lake in the United States. Hells Canyon, at 8,000 feet, is the deepest gorge in North America. There are Florence rhododendrons, Tillamook cheese, Bend micro-brews and Hermiston watermelon.

And now, Oregon also has tailgating, streams of cars driving up and down Interstate 5 with all sorts of Beaver and Duck flags, the loudest fans in the country, games on national TV that get over in Maine at 1:30 in the morning. 

The notoriety does more than just boost our sports profile. Undoubtedly, the coverage attracts more students to our universities from out of state and puts us on the national map. Keep up the good work, Ducks and Beavers. Put on your blue-collar duds and go to work. Win the day.