How I Became a Duck Fan...

Back in the fall of 1996, I was 8 years old and life was surprisingly difficult for me. I had just moved to LA because my mom got a new job and my sister had left for her first year of college. I didn't know anyone in LA besides family and my sister was gone. It wasn't the happiest of times.

Since I was born, I had been going to Stanford games with my dad. His mom went to Stanford and his dad went to Cal; an always fun family rivalry come late November every year. My dad became a bigger Stanford fan than Cal because his parents took him to more Stanford games, simply because the parking was easier. My dad got to grow up watching Jim Plunkett, Gene Washington, and James Lofton play and he witnessed two Stanford Rose Bowl victories over the likes of Michigan (in the height of the Bo Schembechler years) and Ohio State (in the height of the Woody Hayes years). So naturally, when I was born, my dad took me to Stanford football games. I grew up watching Troy Walters, Willie Howard, and Tank Williams. I got to watch Tyrone Willingham take Stanford to a Rose Bowl and beat Cal 7 years in a row. I grew up living for The Big Game. Stanford was the school I longed to attend, until the fall of 1996.

When my sister left for college, we decided to help her move in and so the journey began to Eugene, Oregon, home of the University of Oregon. On the road trip up there, we stopped at plenty of places along the way, none of which were too exciting, but one moment will stick in my mind forever. I can't remember who, but either my mom, dad, or sister had rented "Without Limits" (for those of you who don't know what that is, its a biopic about Steve Prefontaine). I watched that movie and became infatuated with Pre. He was a symbol to me that it didn't matter how small or different you were, you could still succeed. Having moved to LA, I was different than most kids down there.

When we finally arrived in Eugene, I was absolutely captivated by the beauty of the campus. The sky was blue, the trees and grass was greener than I had ever seen before, and the brick buildings of the campus contrasted beautifully off of scenery. At that point, I knew that Stanford had competition for a special place in my heart.

There was something special about the campus, a certain aura it gave. Maybe it was the smell that Eugene has, a distinct smell of fresh air and nature. Maybe it was scene of tons of college kids moving in and I was able to be in the middle of it. Maybe it was all of the building decorated with Duck colors, showing their spirit for the University. I wasn't sure what it was, but I knew that I liked it.

Two days later, after experiencing some great breakfast foods, beautiful nature, and exploring a great campus (and helping my sister move in) it was time for a whole new experience. My sister took my family and me to an Oregon football game. Now, I had seen Oregon play Stanford in Palo Alto before and they weren't really on my radar, but that was all about to change.

My sister said that we should walk to the game, that everyone else does it, so we did. We walked from the campus, across Franklin Ave, through the science buildings, and to the Autzen Footbridge. I remember walking across and looking at the vast river, reflecting the perfect blue sky and then seeing woods. I kept thinking, "Where is the stadium? How far are we going to walk? Why are there woods?" Once we walked into the woods, surrounded by Duck fans, I remember this sort of buzz amongst the fans that Stanford games lacked, it was new to me, I was getting excited. Then it finally came, the moment I will never forget. The trees started to part and in the distance was a towering stadium surrounded by a sea of green and yellow and the smell delicious barbecue from all of the tailgating. From that moment, there wasn't much detail to tell. It was loud, the fans were hospitable, the students were crazy, and the turf was weird.

The day was glorious. Although Oregon had lost to UCLA, I had experienced a stadium better than I had ever been in and I knew from that moment on, I wanted to be a Duck.

I where my number 96 jersey at every game to signify the year that I became a Duck fan.