I dropped a note to Oregon Ducks coach Mario Cristobal on Monday. It was his birthday. So I wished him a happy one and braced myself for the reply.
It came: "I'm not very happy!!!"
Oregon's 38-31 overtime loss to Stanford did that. It had to be especially painful for Cristobal. It was a signature moment for the program. The Ducks spent three-plus quarters announcing, "We! Are! Back! America!" ... and they were, right up until they tripped over themselves and let it slip from their fingers.
It didn't help on Tuesday that Oregon learned that the ABC broadcast of the game delivered a live audience of 4.