Wednesday, April 10, 2024
A Parliament Of Owls
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
The Boss Abides
Pete, who for many years coordinated the Charles Snowden Media Internship Program for the UO School of Journalism and Communication, passed away on December 3, 2023, of acute myeloid leukemia, a fast-growing cancer that was diagnosed only in November 2023. I first met Pete in 2006 when he was hired by the UO School of Journalism and Communication. We would come to share an office for more than 12 years.
Ralph (Pete) Peterson was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on October 3, 1944, the fourth of five children to Evelyn M. Trepanier and Ralph G. Peterson. After graduation from Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, Pete attended Eastern Michigan University with the intention of becoming a high school English teacher. In 1966, he earned a BA in English and, as an ROTC graduate, a commission as second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Pete traveled to Oregon in 1968 to be near his high school sweetheart and enrolled at the University of Oregon, earning a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Pete and his sweetheart, Chilton, married before he left for Vietnam in 1969 to serve as a Medical Service Officer in the 4th Medical Battalion. Following his honorable discharge in 1971, Pete joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW).
The newlyweds returned to Oregon from California in 1971, when he accepted a teaching position at Lane Community College, initially in speech and communication and later in journalism. The following year, Pete earned a second master's degree in journalism from the UO. At LCC, Pete developed a penchant for teaching media law. He loved teaching and serving as advisor to the student newspaper, The Torch.
After 32 years, Pete retired from LCC. But it wasn't long before he missed the student contact and accepted a position in 2006 coordinating the Charles Snowden Media Internship program at the UO School of Journalism and Communication before retiring a second time in 2014. Pete, a man of many talents, continued to pursue his passions as a writer and thespian, and participated in church choirs and the Eugene Concert Choir.
For over a decade, Pete and I shared an office with about a half-dozen j-school instructors in the UO SOJC. Dubbed "The Biullpen," our office was a lively, action-packed venue, with students coming and going at all times of the day. Because of Pete's seniority compared to the rest of us, we designated Pete as "The Boss." He loved it. Pete was one of the kindest, most respectful people I have ever met.
Pete was exceedingly polite in an old-school sort of way, yet he also had a wily sense of humor that everyone loved. When we all temporarily moved to the UO Annex during a major remodel of Allen Hall, Pete chose the desk farthest way from mine. "Sorry, John, but your voice projects to the back row," he quipped with a wry smile. Pete Peterson was a gentleman, a scholar and a classy individual. I will remember him fondly.
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Kamikaze Krazies
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Through The Camera Lens
In November, I traveled as professional advisor with the University of Oregon Chapter of PRSSA for a professional development tour in my hometown of Portland and caught this shot of downtown on a sunny fall day in the Lloyd District on the lower east side of the Willamette. The Bonneville Power Administration Headquarter's Building is in the foreground.
Saturday, December 30, 2023
Duck Dynasty
Both my Dad and my Mom had attended the University of Oregon in the late 40s, though both completed their college careers in Portland at the University of Portland and Marylhurst College respectively. My Mom moved back home to attend her sick father and my Dad found UP to be a better fit for his career as a high school science teacher.
When it came time to decide on a college, I considered such out-of-state journalism schools as the University of Missouri and Northwestern University, and came close to choosing the University of Colorado like my cousins. But due to economics and the fact that UO had one of the finest journalism schools in the country, I chose to stay in-state and moved to Eugene.
When I arrived at UO, Jerry Frei was the UO football coach, having succeeded the legendary Len Casanova (below) in 1967. Frei had been offensive line coach for Casanova, who had become the winningest Duck mentor of all time. When I (finally) graduated, Oregon had cycled through three more coaches. In short, the team struggled during my college career.Yet conference realignment is only part of the college football’s transmutation. The creation of the “transfer portal” and the ability to pay college players through “name, image and likeness” endorsement deals have also brought us to this new world of college sports. Through the transfer portal, college players can more easily seek transfers.
NIL money isn’t always the reason for a transfer, but with top college players, especially quarterbacks, it is the primary motivation. Throughout this past season, media pundits highlighted the irony of the 108-year-old Pac-12 being so stacked with talent in its final year. But the volume of top-level players in the conference should surprise no one.
Many have written about how a decimated Pac-12 will affect coaches and staff and “student athletes.” But what of the millions of people who have invested years as fans? These followers of college football understand that it was often less about Oregon State beating Washington or Washington State beating Oregon than their connection as fans.
So as the UO and other Pac-12 schools move into the brave new world of college sports, there's a palpable sense of shared grief over all that's been lost. Many will try to cling to those traditions that can still be saved and continue to be savored by fans. One thing is for sure, once a Duck, always a Duck (or Beaver, Husky or Cougar, depending on affiliation).