Positively Positive

I have realized that in the last few weeks I have been a little hard on the athletes at Oregon State. More specifically, I’ve been pessimistic toward the football team.
I never realized the facts were so negative and my articles were so coarse. I should be more constructive, and look at the bright aspects that surround Oregon State football.

I never meant to interfere with the happy image they had fashioned for themselves. I shouldn’t parade around pointing out flaws, weaknesses and deficiencies within our football team. That just doesn’t help. When it comes down to it, I should be more positive.

Today, I am.

I’m positive that everyone who thinks the football team will have a .700 record or better is completely nuts. And I use that term judiciously. Summer camp hasn’t even started yet and some people of Beaver Nation are psyched for a spectacular season with hopes of a top 25 finish.

I have yet to find parts of this team with such a vast improvement that it moves them from 5-6 to Top 25. Joe Newton might have the ability to be an All-American but that alone doesn’t equal wins.

Just ask Mike Hass. Having the best receiver in the country last year only got the Beavers five wins. Until the defense can hold an opponent under 30 points this team will be the same as last year.

I’m positive that Frosty the Turnover Man, Matt Moore, will have more interceptions than touchdowns this season if he can’t get comfortable in the pocket. Frosty better sit down with his linemen and running backs and devise a plan on how to not become David Carr.

The line has another year under its belt and Frosty needs to trust them to protect him instead of running around the backfield like a rooster let loose in Goss Stadium.

The last thing I want to see is Frosty being carted off the field after being sacked for the 10th time in the first game of the season. By the way, let me clear this up right now. A lot of people have this erroneous concept that I don’t like Frosty. Well on a leap of good faith, he has improved. This season, he won’t throw five interceptions in one game.

I’m positive that if the defense works hard enough in camp, this team could have a good season, albeit, not Top 25 worthy. Meaning, if Joe “Step Yo’ Game Up” Rudolph works on technique and strength conditioning this summer, it won’t matter if the other 10 guys sit around and get fat. Unfortunately, the off-season motivation and discipline are lacking. Matt Foley Riley hasn’t found a way to get this team fired up. He has discipline issues. Dude might be a master recruiter and dubbed an “offensive genius” but he can’t get more than half the team to run through an optional practice.

I’m positive that even if the football team went 0-13 that all of the fans would still be sitting at home praising Riley and his now $850,000 base salary. Shout out to all of you dunces who say he is worth it. If Riley made a base salary of $135,000 plus $50,000 for media commitments in his first two years, what changed between 1998 and 2003? Did his 1-15 season in 1999 as coach of San Diego prove that he was worth an extra $500,000? Even Dennis Erickson in the prime of his 11-1 season was only paid a $625,000 base salary.

I know the cost of living increased, but did it increase six-fold? Last I checked the only coaches that make around his salary are perennial Top 25 contenders. The Beavers preseason ranking is only around 40 and they haven’t cracked the top 25 since 2000, when Erickson was coaching.

I’m positive that positive articles only happen when there is positive news to report. And that is not the case with Oregon State football. I’m not a fluffer. If you want the truth, the real things I’m positive about are the other sports this fall.

I’m positive that Kelly Sullivan is an amazing coach. He is a great example of positive. Sullivan is wicked-nasty when it comes to creating great runners. In his third year as coach he is preparing for another year of improvement. As you read this Nicole Crawford is in the Rocky Mountains doing a minutes workout. How is that for discipline? Sullivan can get athletes to run through workouts while they are more than 1000 miles away.

For the first time in my life, I’m positive about soccer. How about the women’s soccer team? They managed a 10-6-1 record last year and allowed the fewest goals in school history last season behind Goalie Melissa Onstad. Add to that, a breakout year by now juniors Whitney Goodell and Jodie Taylor, who together scored 14 of the teams 24 goals. The coaches have had them training all spring and they are poised for a great season this year.

I’m positive the list goes on. Even volleyball is due to have another improving season with second-year coach Taras Liskevych. With the leadership of Taylor Studzinski and Abby Windell, and the dominance of Brittany Cahoon, this team is moving from Pac-10 bottom dweller to contender. Word has it that ‘Mr. Cahoon’ is even starting his own show on KBVR-radio with hopes of a great season.

I’m positive the football team has yet to deserve any accolades. I’m only positive when flattery is justified, not just to make someone feel good. The fact is that this is the same team that underachieved all last season. If this team wants to earn respect from me, the fans, as well as the rest of the country, they better improve and not waste another season.