Now enough with the snarkiness and onto the game

Now enough with the snarkiness and onto the game. What a game it was. It was a rare, much-hyped clash that actually lives up to it's billing. In this case, everything was set up for a massive prime time disappointment. Top 20 teams, Rose Bowl on the line, rivalry gameall conditions for a disappointing blowout and one giant anti-climax. Instead, the kids from the Beaver State (although most in green and yellow would argue that it is now the Duck State) put on one heck of a show for the watching eyes of a national audience. Jeremiah Masoli did not have a great start to the night. His first drive was cut desperately short by a poorly thrown (but probably catchable ball) that was deflected by All-World tight end Ed Dixon and intercepted. Sean Canfield and the Beavers immediately drove for a quick score, and Autzen Stadium went eerily silent. Not for long. It is cliche and accepted for one to write that a team or player has overcome adversity to reach the pinnacle of athletic achievementto say that one is disrespected, to take on that "nobody believed in us but us" mantra.Yet it would be hard to argue with any Oregon players for thinking just that after the a season opener that went so horribly wrong.

After all, many people were counting Oregon out; even their own athletic director appeared to be disrespecting the new head coach, making unwelcome appearances on the sideline during their train-wreck of a loss to Boise State. Fast forward a few months to the sight of Oregon players dancing around a frenzied Autzen Stadium with the trademark roses in their hands, and one cannot doubt the efforts that this team made to be at this point.A microcosm of this struggle was the appearance, after several weeks of active inactivity on the sideline, of embattled running back LeGarrette Blount. Everyone knows about his sucker-punch, and everyone knows about his suspension, which was initially ruled to be season long.What few people know is the effort that Blount himself put in to be able to make his return to the team in the most important game of the year. Cynics will argue that coach Chip Kelly inserted him into the game because the team needed him to win, regardless of wrongdoing, but that would be discounting the apologies, shame, and embarrassment that Blount has worked through to earn his way back into the lineup.Tonight, it was Blount contributing the tide-turning touchdown against the hated rival. On another crucial first down run, Blount had the opportunity to trash-talk another Beaver after a particularly hard tackle. Yet Blount showed his newfound maturity, almost pausing to consider his options before rising and jogging back to the huddle without bravado.

It was a refreshing turnaround for a young man with a lot of professional promise.Blount merely reflects the course of Oregons season. Following the Boise State debacle, few would have thought that tonights raucous celebration would be possible. Yet there was Chip Kelly, unable to be heard over the roar of celebrating students, trying to console a defeated but valiant Canfield as he left the playing surface.There was Blount hugging replacement-turned-superstar LaMichael James in the closing seconds. There were the fans rushing onto the field in a wild frenzy of joy. One couldn't help but feel sorry for the Beavers, as this was their second lost opportunity in a row. With the conference championship at their fingertips, they have twice succumbed to the efforts of their most bitter rivals And that, for Oregon, may be the sweetest victory of all..