Welcome Back Spring

David R.

February 21, 2010 - 11:02 AM

In my three years at the University of Oregon I can't remember the last time it was sunny out during week eight of the winter term. The sun was shining all weekend and I made sure to be outside catching as many rays as possible. The roof on my fraternity house is flat and very wide, so when the sun is shining this tends to be one of the most popular leisure spots. We just recently finished renovating the destroyed basketball hoop in our front yard, so those who weren't on the roof decided to dive in to a pick up basketball game.

Yesterday morning I happened to be walking by the student recreation center and I noticed a sign that said that the first 50 students to attend the women's tennis match received a free t-shirt. I love free clothes, and I had never been to any type of competitive tennis match before, so I decided to go with a few of my friends. The Ducks were taking on the Alabama Crimson Tide, and seemed to be doing well from what I could see. Watching the match allowed me to support my Ducks and gain some exposure to a sport that I had never watched in a live setting before. The free -shirt is pretty radical, and I happen to be wearing it as I write this blog!

As the day progressed and I became tired from laying in the sun, I remembered that the Oregon Men's basketball team had a game against the Golden Bears from the University of California. Given that this season is the last one to ever be played in Macarthur Court, I decided I should probably go to a game, considering that I will be one of only a few University of Oregon graduates who will be able to say that they were at the U of O to witness games in both Macarthur Court as well as Matthew Knight Arena. The struggles continue for the Ducks as they once again find themselves at the bottom of the Pacific 10 Conference. With a promising start to the season, the hopes of being a part of March Madness have slipped away, unless the Ducks can find some way to win the Pacific 10 tournament. Coach Kent was successful in attracting some highly-noted recruits to the University of Oregon, now it becomes a matter of whether or not he will be able to develop his young players by the time they are upperclassmen. With a new stadium on the rise for next season, Duck fans are hopeful that a simple change in location to an amazing new stadium will jump start the Ducks in the right direction. Matthew Knight Arena, which began as nothing more than an idea, has blossomed into a basketball cathedral that can be seen from the top of Spencer Butte in the foothills of Eugene.

The top of Spencer Butte allows viewers to see the progress of our new stadium, as well as the large O that is tattooed on the front of Autzen Stadium. The hike itself isn't too difficult, and the view from the top is breathtaking. As spring time is slowly becoming more of a reality, I plan to spend as much time as I can in the lovely West Coast sunshine.