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Duck, Beaver clubs split the difference By Tim Trower If this is the week when college football divides the state, perhaps it�s fitting that Oregon and Oregon State hold separate booster club meetings in Medford for the first time in roughly a decade. On Wednesday, the Duck fans of Oregon and OSU�s Beaver believers will gather at different venues to have lunch, listen to speakers and show support for their teams, which do battle Saturday in Corvallis with the Rose Bowl berth at stake. "It�s been amazing with both teams doing so well," says Augie Avila, the regional director of the Oregon Club of Southern Oregon. "There�s more interest. People who weren�t fans before are fans now." The Beavers, enjoying the resurrection of their booster club in Southern Oregon, meet at noon at C.K. Tiffin�s, 226 E. Main St. The Ducks meet at the same time at the Red Lion, 200 N. Riverside Ave. In the early 1990s, the two sides joined forces for the first time in Southern Oregon. It was a congenial, spirited union and served as a model for factions in other areas, such as Klamath Falls, Roseburg and Bend, to come together. However, in larger areas to the north, where meeting-goers are less familiar with each other, the idea floundered. Hence, officials at the two schools abandoned joint meetings. "The people here may be a little closer to each other than in other areas," says Avila. "They do a lot of business together and enjoy getting together." There are benefits to splitting up, says Nathan Pine, who heads the new Beaver office. Both sides can devote more time to their programs, either when coaches call, when administrators speak or when viewing highlight films. Pine, who is from Eagle Point and graduated last June from Oregon State with a business degree, nevertheless encountered mixed results when he informed his constituents of the change. "At first, they wondered why," he says, "because it�s been such a success down here. People have enjoyed the joint luncheon." The Oregon luncheon costs $10 and will feature speakers Bill Moos, the athletic director; radio play-by-play voice Jerry Allen and head coach Mike Bellotti on speakerphone. At the Beaver Huddle, OSU Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart and Greg Byrne, who oversees the Beaver Athletic Scholarship Fund, will be on hand, and a coach will address the group via speakerphone. The cost is $8. School memorabilia will be raffled off at the respective meetings. There�s been a push to reinstate the Beaver Club meetings here for some time, says Pine, and only recently did the funding surface. "I�ve discovered that we have quite a fan base down here," says the 1995 Eagle Point High graduate. "I didn�t realize we had as many Beaver alumni and supporters down here. They�ve all been very helpful." Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.