Oregon Ducks

1. Not that Aaron Brooks. From the same school that gave the sports world another Jaison Williams (current WR) and Steve Smith (former CB), comes current point guard and Pac-10 Player of the Year candidate Aaron Brooks. He can't throw 50-yard backward passes, but highlights before this season include breaking his wrist after punching a basket support at UCLA and then nearly breaking a semi-albino shooting guard's face. In all fairness to Brooks, I'm not sure if popping a Washington Husky is technically a punishable offense. 2. Mac Court is really old. McArthur Court is about 80 years old, and if you go to a game there, you might die. OK, maybe not, but a lot of the stands are supported by wood, and when fans start getting excited and get on their feet, being in the building becomes, to say the least, uncomfortable. The rumor is that a new arena won't be built until there's a new coach, due to the fact that people (read: those with the greenbacks) seem to want Ernie Kent out. A 23-win regular season, however, probably ensures that somebody will be hit with a roof shingle or fall through the stands at some point next season. Also, on a somewhat related Mac Court topic, the student section was told to tone it down after starting a "Your Son Hates You" (clap clap, clap clap clap) chant directed at Henry Bibby. Classy all the way. 3. Fun Duck Facts. The uniforms (save for maybe the bright yellow ones) probably won't blind anybody and have no diamond plating or fade paint ... Backup point guard Adrian Stelly worked as a janitor at Mac Court his freshman year before walking on the following year ... shooting guard Chamberlin Oguchi plays for the Nigerian National Team ... shooting guard Bryce Taylor has improved significantly since cutting off his Sideshow Bob dreadlocks before the season ... It's not a typo, forward Maarty Leunen really does spell his name with two As ... Freshman Tajuan Porter is 5'6" and somehow tied the Pac-10 freshman record for threes ... I once saw backup forward Mitch Platt in a Quizno's. I don't remember his order, but it didn't impress me, much like his 30.8 percent free throw percentage that season. — Dan Rubenstein