FanPost

MUNSON'S GAZETTA:"Chase Baker's Your Man"

The above quote appeared after our first Oregon game, posted by a Duck. I think we were discussing the relative merits of our D-line (recall this was '08), Bozokovich versus someone etc., and the Duck made that remark about Chase. I started paying closer attention to him the rest of that season, and concluded that this Duck knew from whence he quacked.

Today's Statesman featured Chase Baker. For a guy with a rock star name, he is decidelty understated, although I hear he has a mischievous side to him. The thrust of the article is that Chase doesn't get noticed as much, but he's often the reason that Winn, McClellin and Crawford do. Let me most emphatically second that, and, as is my wont, give an example of what makes him a standout IMO. In the TCU game, on the penultimate drive (not the last one, where TCU was desperate)there is a 4th down that TCU must convert.I'm watching this, and I'm specifically looking for where our D-line guys are. I'm accounting for everyone, but can't find Baker. Replay it several times, and , by a process of elimination, find him IN COVERAGE about 15 yards or more down the field.May the karma gods rend my flesh if I'm lying-and I'm thinking, if our biggest guy on the field (Chase is 300 lb) can do that, we got us some bad wammerjammers. Indubitably.

In his picture in the Statesman you see a boyishly non-menancing face; his picture suggests shyness, an implied humitlity. But my NUGIE brothers I think we can all agree that he's the anchor to this line, integral to its success. In true Bronco tradition, he doesn't care who gets the glory as long as the job gets done.

As a footnote, prior to his coming here Chase's father was killed in an industrial accident.That tragedy makes his efforts here all the more poignant in my mind.I can only add what Rudyard Kipling wrote:"You'll be a man, my son." Chase is.

This content was not created by OBNUG and therefore may not meet our standards. On the contrary, it probably exceeds them.

Trending Discussions