On Christmas Day Oregon fans count their Duck blessings

Sports, Howard Cosell once said, is the toy department of human life. On a day devoted to the exchanging of toys and keepsakes, it’s appropriate to take a moment and consider what a blessing the Ducks have been in 2011. Duck fans have a special gleam in their eye this year.

Winning is exhilarating. Those of us who have seen 30 or more Christmases can remember the gloomy winters when by now the lights had gone completely dark on the Oregon football season, when there wasn’t much to talk about, football-wise, at the family dinner.

A friend of mine, a woman who’s lived in Eugene all her life, said to me the other day, “I’m not much of a Duck fan. I remember what how it used to be, when the kids were part of the community. They’ve gotten too big time, and the fans have become obnoxious and spoiled.”

There’s a group of people that feel that way. A lot of them wear purple and gold. Success does invite arrogance in some. But my friend apparently doesn’t know about the O Heroes program, all the quiet community gestures the core of this team has made, the coat drives, the bowling outings, visiting hospitals and schools and supporting the troops through email friendships and the spring game jersey ceremony. Lindsay Schnell of the Oregonian has done a good job in telling that story.

James Harris, the counselor and nutrition coach that directs many of the Ducks’ community efforts, has quietly instilled a community consciousness in the Oregon players and staff.

It’s gratifying to see that not only are the Ducks winners and champions, they are also good people.

Christmas and New Year’s blessings to the readers and supporters of DSH. Here’s a Christmas stocking stuffer, provided by Mike Wines of Oregon Duck Soup, “The Top 21 Oregon Duck Touchdowns of 2011.” I wonder how he arrived at that number, 21?

Arrow to top