By Jay Jones, August 6, 2008
This just arrived in the DSN inbox from James over at Ruxxe.com, proprietors of the hotly debated (here, here, and here), trademarked, and manufactured, Autzen Stadium nickname, “The House of Loud”:
Hello fellow Ducks fans!
We appreciate all of the email that we have been receiving from people excited about our “HOUSE of LOUD” shirts. We are working hard to have more of them ready before the Washington game on August 30th. Last year we had a few available in the southeast parking lot - we’ll let you know if this will be the case again in 2008.
Please visit our website as we plan on keeping it up-to-date with news & events and interesting info about Autzen.
http://www.ruxxe.comGo Ducks!… And long live the LOUD in Autzen Stadium!
If you haven’t see “The House Loud” t-shirt, here you go:
What do I think of the t-shirt? I think it’s fine. Green and yellow. White t-shirt. Clean design.
What do I think of the nickname? I love the idea of creatively manufacturing nicknames. And trademarking them. Owning them. Selling them. Again, I think the nickname is OK. Not sure if it’s going to work. For me, though, Autzen still says more, and does not require a nickname.
But you, the fan, will ultimately decide if it sticks around, or is a flash in the pan.
Even though the nickname and the t-shirt have been received with mixed reviews at best, I want to credit James and the guys over at Ruxxe.com for putting themselves out on the line and shaking things up a little bit.
You see, I’m down with Tom Jefferson. A little rebellion, every now and then, is a good thing. Mix it up a bit. Get people’s attention. And this sure did.
If I were to offer any advice to James and his beer-drinking conspirators, it would be this: just do it. I know we’re all very familiar with that phrase. But just do it. Don’t tell anyone you’re going to be doing it. Or you’re thinking about doing it. Just go out and do it. Don’t apologize. And no excuses.
Coming off the win over Michigan last year, Duck Sports News dabbled in producing t-shirts, much like James and his boys. So, we’re sympathetic with those devils at Ruxxe. Luckily, our t-shirts flew under the radar (except for the UO’s trademark management office). Yeah, we sold a few (as we could with anyone who wanted to sell gear through DSN), but we decided to get out of the gear business about as fast as we decided to get in it.
Here are a couple of the designs from last year you might see on Duck fans:
Kind of Napoleon Dynamite thing going on here.
This is the one that got us in trouble. Well, it was only a phone really. With a strong cease and desist message.
Can’t use Autzen Stadium without Oregon’s approval. Mac Court and Hayward Field are in that category, too. But “Bean Complex” is not registered. Hmmm. Someone might want to jump on that one.
Here are a few we created in our laboratories that never lived to see the outside of a test tube:
We were the Victors. Not Michigan. Hence…
Oregon turned Michigan upside down for the “W”.
This Leeroy Jenkins-inspired t-shirt almost made it to production. In the end, though, DSN declared it way too frakkin’ geeky. Actually, I came up with it. And, at the same time, I’m the one who declared it too geeky (Makes sense, right? I just used “frakkin” from BSG.)
For those of you that have a life and don’t play World of Warcraft (I kid - sort of), that means Oregon “owned” Michigan.
I’m not much of a t-shirt guy. So, I don’t know whether or not I’ll buy a HoL t-shirt. But I would like to meet James and his friends. They made some noise. And I like that.
And, t-shirt or not, at least I’ve got chicken.
[On a side note: Here's a bit of the message board fodder surrounding the University of Oregon's recently revealed "Live Green Yell O" t-shirts. You can find more here. It seems that Duck fans are not happy with any of the t-shirts making the rounds.]
Get all your sports news on the Oregon Ducks at DuckSportsNews.com. Innappropriate comment? Let us know. Spam filters are set on high. Please be patient for your comments to be posted.
jtlight Says:
August 6th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
This has been discussed, and pretty much universally rejected, over at AtQ. I wrote an article denouncing it. I don’t feel that this venture is “grassroots,” for lack of a better term.
My problem with this entire idea wasn’t the printing of shirts. It was how this entire thing was marketed. It was promoted to outside sources as official. It is not. Ideas like this should be grassroots. But to claim that it will be a nickname to Autzen like the Big House is to Michigan Stadium is utterly ridiculous. It makes the fanbase look ridiculous and like they have an inferiority complex. We’ve already been made fun of on College GameDay, etc.
The website as it is now, which does not mention other stadium nicknames, I have less of a problem with.
But I don’t think any Duck fans want to be told what the stadium should be nicknamed, and the brazen nature of Ruxxe went too far for most, especially with the trademarking and contacting media groups.
If this succeeds because fans take up the name, that’s fine. But if ESPN and others constantly refer to it as “The House Of Loud,” and the majority of fans hate that nickname, then I’ll be pissed off.
echo31 Says:
August 6th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I can’t blame them for coming up with a slogan, trademarking the slogan and putting it on t-shirts. Their only mistake was the press release announcing The House of Loud as THE new nickname for Autzen. Once the media picked up on it, it has now made it impossible to defend ourselves against Beavers and Huskies when trying to point out that this isn’t an official nickname.
Jay Says:
August 6th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
The official press release announcing the trademarked phrase was probably the main mistake.
If they wanted to sell t-shirts, that’s fine. Just don’t declare it “the” nickname. And make it a bit easier to buy the t-shirts online.
Other than that, I can see how it’s just a bunch of guys who want to wear their own Oregon gear.
But I think t-shirts are the least of Oregon’s image problems when you’ve got the Oregonian writing about a HoloDuck and an eye-muscle strength & conditioning program.
Jay
DSN
McLovin Says:
August 6th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
How about “It’s not loud, it’s Autzen loud”
Roseanna Says:
August 6th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
I’m doing a mid-vacation check-in because: 1) it’s raining today and 2) I’m afraid to get too far behind in Fall Camp news! lol… It would seem there are already some developments.
Can you imagine being a Duck Football coach just now with all this added blog news/coaching and player advice/crystal ball predicting going on?! Every little thing is so immediate. Hmm… maybe we should just skip the games, roll the dice and divi-up bowl invitations! :)
Hey Jay ‘tom jefferson’ Jones….right on with your comments there. And I don’t mind ‘the house of loud’ either, although ‘loud house’ sounds better but I guess that’s taken. ‘Autzen’ says….what? Nothing to anyone outside of the State…and to Beavs it’s as much a joke as Reser is to us Duck fans. So while the idea has been ‘universally rejected’, it’s not been rejected here!
World of Warcraft?? … ? Seriously?? What you guys are missin’…tsk, tsk, tsk :) Actually, while spending an inordinate amount of time in Book World with the written word, I’m very seriously re-thinking the dumbed down value of too much online activity. Not that it doesn’t have it’s place (in the dead of a snowed in Winter - just kidding!..lol), but for me it’s so minor compared to getting to game day with the wonderment and excitement of it all…. along with doing other ‘life’ stuff while waiting.
Okay…I’m outta here! See you in a couple…maybe!
Hank Hosfield Says:
August 7th, 2008 at 10:52 am
While it occurs to me that “You’re in the Duck House” might not make a bad T-shirt, this year I’ll be sporting something that makes more of a statement about the personal agendas of Renee and Pat to kill wrestling.
Jay Says:
August 7th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Hank -
I have to say that if we get the chance to meet, I’ll be very curious as to what your t-shirt has to say.
“Have A Nice Day”?
Jay
DSN
David C. Nelson Says:
August 9th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Jay: I’d be very curious to what your t-shirt has to say. “Have A Nice Day”?
How about this one?
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd243/wrestlingpublicist/DunceUshirt002.jpg
Still here... Says:
August 10th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Jay,
Give it up. Kilkenny is a wart to our beloved UO! Also, realize that Rene Baumgartner is a USC grad. They are running this as a busines with their own personal agendas here. Stay true to to your heart - NCAA sports is not a pro sport, nor is it for the extreme fortunate (monetary-wise) to dictate how/who/what/where our tax dollars should be spent. Football is a revenue sport. Basketball is a revenue sport. Tennis is NOT. Tennis is for those who live not only outside of Oregon, put out of the USA for Gods Sake!
When you watch the Olympics, remember that Wrestling will always be here to stay!
Did I hear that 2008 is the last year for baseball and womens softball in the Olympics? Hmmmmmmmmmm. Now which sports are dying here?
Still here... Says:
August 10th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Jay,
My comment: If any baseball player was good enough, they wouldn’t be playing on the college level. Bottom line - College Baseball is for the Wanna Be’s and the Junior Varsity - I’m sorry there already is a farm club system! College Baseball is for the Cadet - Junior level in Baseball. Please read below - this type of news will be normal for any high level baseball recruit. All the UO will be getting is the throw aways that “just aren’t good enough”….God help them. Pat Kilkenny - are you going to open your pocketbook and pay this young man to stay?:
Ty Morrison will play pro ball instead of college, but the former Tigard star said the decision to give up his scholarship to Oregon and sign with the Tampa Bay Rays was difficult.
Morrison, a 6-foot-2, 170-pound outfielder who signed to play with Oregon, signed a contract with Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Baseball America reported he received a $500,000 signing bonus.
“It is really exciting,” Morrison said. “Getting paired with an organization like Tampa Bay is something I am happy about. They put an emphasis on the farm system and developing players.
“At the same time, I am going to miss out on the opportunity to go to Oregon and get coached by coaches (George) Horton and (Andrew) Checketts. They have a great staff there and the facilities are awesome.”
Morrison said he developed a good relationship with Horton, the head coach, and his assistant, Checketts, making it difficult to walk away.
“Coach Horton is one of the best in the business and it would have been great to play in the Pac-10, which is one of the best baseball conferences,” he said. “That was definitely hard to turn down. At the same time, I’m kind of ready to start playing and work my way up.”
Morrison was drafted in the fourth round of the June draft by Tampa Bay and had until Aug. 15 to sign a contract. He flew to Tampa to sign, and he will begin his pro career with the Princeton Rays, a Single-A affiliate in the Appalachian League.
“We’re very excited to have Ty on board as a member of the Rays,” Tampa Bay scout Paul Kirsch said. “As I told him and his family, I think it is a good fit between player and organization. We’ve had a lot of success with guys like Ty in our organization, drafting and developing that type of player. He’s what we call a projection guy. He’s two or three years down the road to where he will start to fill some of the promise we see in him.”
Morrison has practiced with the Princeton Rays but is not expected to make his pro debut until next week.
“I’m glad it’s over with; I was ready to get out and start playing pro ball,” he said. “I’m glad I made the decision and I’m ready to start.”
Morrison batted .382 while helping Tigard reach the state championship game this season. Kirsch said he sees Morrison as a potential five-tool player.
“One thing I think we see down the road with him is some power,” Kirsch said. “He’ll flash you a bit of everything. The speed is there, the bat stroke is there. He’s going to be a guy that initially will have to bunt and hit line drives all over the field, and he can disrupt a game with his speed, which is a huge plus.
“Down the road as he gets a feel for hitting and that type of thing, I think we will see some power. He is a potential five-tool player. He can throw and run. I think he will be a plus-fielder and plus-hitter, and I think he will have above-average power.”
Baseball America reported that Morrison’s bonus matched the most given to any fourth -round pick this year. Morrison did not reveal his signing bonus but said it was a “substantial six-figure” amount.
“It shows they have an investment in me and that definitely is something I like,” he said.
Copyright © 2008 — The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, USA
——————————————————————————–
Jay Says:
August 11th, 2008 at 9:10 am
RuDH -
I don’t know how many times I’ve written this on the blog to wrestling supporters, but name calling does not speak well for your cause.
Personal attacks are not a good idea either.
Yes, Rene went to USC. But she’s from Oregon. One of my sisters went to USC. And she’s a huge Duck fan. Where someone went to school doesn’t really matter a whole lot. Most Athletic Departments across the country are full of people who went somewhere else.
If Oregon’s AD was full of only Oregon people, it would be the worst AD in the country. You want the best. And sometimes the best don’t always go to Oregon.
In light of Mr. Kilkenny’s accomplishments, the fact that he did not graduate is not that big of a deal. But I would entertain arguments regarding his lack of experience in the world of collegiate athletic administration. Although, the experience in building a $500 million company should not be easily dismissed.
RuHD, you’re going to love this: I actually think there is an argument to be made that wrestling should not be an Olympic sport (I would include boxing, diving, and gymnastics in this category, too). Not a big fan of subjective scoring systems. I know wrestling has a very technical point system, but I think it could be considered subjective. Although, wrestling does have the fact that is was part of the ancient Olympic games going for it.
Come on, RuHD. Between baseball and wrestling, which sport is retreating at a faster rate? The Olympics have dropped baseball and softball (The British didn’t want either because they don’t play baseball or softball.). OK. Over 400 colleges and universities have dropped wrestling. Yeah. I don’t think so.
Jay
DSN
Still here... Says:
August 11th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Jay,
Several comments:
1) Get with it Man! All sports are subjective. Football - Yes, Nice “win” over Oklahoma.
Basketball - Depends on which refs are calling the game. Look at the pros, and those refs who are in jail doing their time.
Baseball - Balls and strikes called by an Ump. Hmm.
Now, you’re going to love this. Diving, gymnastics, (yes, this would include Rene’s beloved Cheer, Jay), and tennis (just think about John MacEnroe with the judges).
The only sports that aren’t subjective would include swimming, track, wrestling, and fencing.
2) Say what you think - but Baseball and Softball are being dropped by the Olympics. Face the facts - this is on a world stage, my friend.
3) Your comments pretty much gives confirmation that college sports is basically a business, with a P&L statement, and strategies on how to make more money. Forget the athletes. forget the education.
You even said, “In light of Mr. Kilkenny’s accomplishments, the fact that he did not graduate is not that big of a deal”. What? It is a big deal! Kilkenney is the head of the AD, and he should set the proper example to these kids coming into the UO. How many kids end up going pro? Not very many. Each year? Probably 6 to 10 at the most. What happens to the rest of the kids?
Well, an education isn’t that important. Each of these kids are thinking what their life will be after college. - “Why should I stick it through and get my education? Kilkenny didn’t, and he’s successful”.
Shame on you for that statement. Shame. I can’t believe you made that comment.
Also, do you know what kind of company he built? You may want to do the research. It will surprise you. Especially as he has the keys to build the new arena. In the end, Pat Killkenny’s legacy will be that of no eduction, poor student-athlete graduation rate, and more lawsuits against him and the UO than any other DI University. Up to now, I wonder how much their legal fees are compared to Bill Moos. Nobody will share than information, but I’m sure it’s staggering.
Jay Says:
August 11th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
RuHD -
Obviously, there is a human element to all athletics.
However, not all sports depend on judges to determine scoring. When a football player scores a touchdown, the referees do not get together and determine the number of points for that touchdown based upon an elaborate set of criteria. When someone hits the ball over the fence, the umpires do not gather on the mound and try to determine the number of runs that home run was worth. Scoring in those sports is not subjective. Official calls might be. But not the scoring.
And wrestling falls into that category.
If wrestling matches were determined by incapacitating an opponent or an opponent quitting, I would be fine with that kind of a definitive result. Otherwise, I think a lot of scoring in Olympic sports is open to subjective interpretation.
No one is denying the fact that baseball and softball are being dropped from the Olympics. The only people in denial are wrestling supporters who think their sport is thriving at the collegiate level.
College sports is a business. So is the Salvation Army. Just because a company is in business doesn’t mean that there are not other priorities, such as the education of student-athletes, beyond P&L statements and long-term financial strategies.
If you want to go down the “he didn’t graduate - therefore he isn’t a good role model” road, that’s fine. You don’t think that Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, or Steve Spielberg (a recent college grad) would be welcome to head a department in their respected field at a number of prestigious higher education institutions throughout the world? Please.
As far as Pat Kilkenny’s previous company is concerned, I am familiar with Arrowhead General. And if you have something to say about it, I would encourage you to come out and say, and not beat around the bush with insinuations.
Mr. Kilkenny has been on the job for little over a year. One year. Hardly enough time to affect the education of student-athletes and their graduation rates. If those are a concern of yours now, they probably should have been a concern of yours before Mr. Kilkenny ever stepped into the AD’s office.
When it comes to the lawsuits, RuHD, please bring some facts, not just hyperbole, to the discussion.
But here’s a question for you: how much are your wrestling supporters costing the State of Oregon in legal fees?
Jay
DSN
Still here... Says:
August 11th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Jay,
You continue to twist and turn the facts to suit your own views. First of all, Pat Kilkenney is the UO Athletic Director with no college degree. On top of that, he wasn’t even an athelete. Very Unqualified!!! His qualifications are, Hmmmmm….Money. He also built a business on providing insurance to the very high-risk companies and people. If you ask every multi-millionaire how they accumulated their wealth, 95% of them will say mostly luck and being at the right place at the right time.
You keep bringing up Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, and Steve Spielberg. How can you even attempt to compare these guys with Pat Kilkenny and his poor management of an athletic department? That is like saying that Bill Gates (because of his success with Microsoft) is qualified to be a doctor, with no education nor experience. What you are experiencing is a very false sense of what a student athelete represents and the importance of a college education.
I have been a critic of Mr. Kilkenny from day one. I’m sure when it was announced that Mr. Kilkenny was to take over as AD, like all of us, you read through his bio to see who Pat Kilkenney was. When I read that he did not have a Master’s degree, let alone a college degree, I realized that there had to be something behind this decision: Money. My first reaction was OK, he could bring a business perspective to the AD. Then, I felt guilty in my thoughts because I was compromising my own beliefs and principles about the importance of an education.
How this effects student athletes means nothing to you for now. We will never see it now. But for a 19 year old kid who looks up to people as role models (including this AD), this could be damaging to a young person’s future outside of sports.
I have seen countless times of athletes (including the UO) who were basketball, football, track stars in college, but did not receive their degrees. After college, they were borderline pros. Not really cutting it, but good enough to try out. Every one of them said they wished they had gotten they degree. Once the glitter of being a star is removed, they are just like everyone else.
Jay, do these kids a favor and be an advocate of education - and this starts from the top.
And besides, I am not a wrestler.
David C. Nelson Says:
August 11th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Jay: “But here’s a question for you: how much are your wrestling supporters costing the State of Oregon in legal fees?”
This could be phrased another way. How much did Pat and Renee’s decision to drop wrestling cost the State of Oregon in legal fees?
You could also ask: How much will the decision to adopt baseball, a sport that loses money at every college in the land, cost the University of Oregon?
Oh, I forgot. It’s going to make money here. Something about signage, luxury boxes, and broadcast rights turning a sport that loses money everywhere else into a moneymaker at Oregon. Yeah, right. With Enron-style bookkeeping it will.
Yes, of course. Those hundreds of other qualified ADs, including those who work in areas of the country where the weather is more suited to baseball, never thought of those innovative methods. It took a college dropout to be so creative and venturesome.
By the way, Jay, Dave Thomas turned Wendy’s into a fine hamburger company without a high school diploma, but that humble man would have never assumed a position on a college campus that traditionally called for a college degree. And in the twilight of his life, Thomas went back to school and earned his GED.
He did so not because he needed a high school diploma, but instead because he was concerned about what kind of example he was setting for his company’s employees. What are the chances that Kilkenny will make up for his deficiency in order to become a proper role model for those football players with the 43% graduation rate. Two chances: slim and none.