Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

Pummeled.

Beat down.

Huge loss.

Those words may describe how University of Oregon football fans still are trying to come to grips with the Ducks loss last night.

It was a college football semi-final game and the Indiana Hoosiers drubbed the Ducks by a 56 to 22 score.

So much for the Ducks this year.

U of O Coach Dan Lanning was insightful in his comments after the game by saying two things:  First, he gave huge credit to Indiana, and, second, he his team should be evaluated on the basis of its full season, not just losing the last game.

Here’s hoping Lanning stays around Eugene, Oregon for years.

As for the Hoosiers coach, Curt Cignetti, he’ll now lead Indiana against the Miami Hurricanes in the national championship game January 19.

Cignetti, who, to me, always appears sullen on the sideline, had the following to say after Indiana won, under this headline from Yahoo Sports:  “’I am happy — at times,’ but Cignetti is all business on the Hoosiers’ sideline.

“If the broadcast cameras focused solely on Cignetti during the Rose Bowl, viewers may have thought the No. 1-ranked Hoosiers lost to No. 9 Alabama in a blowout.  Instead, the inverse was true.  Indiana obliterated the Crimson Tide, 38-3, leaving no doubt that it would advance to the College Football Playoff semi-final as the favorite to win its first national championship.  Yet, Cignetti did not crack a smile until after the game was over.

“Screenshots of Cignetti’s facial expressions circulated across the Internet throughout the Rose Bowl.  From his expressionless gaze to his looks of displeasure, the second-year Hoosiers coach never appeared satisfied with his team’s performance in a game that was never in doubt.  And that’s exactly what he wanted.

“Cignetti’s demeanor during the CFP quarterfinal rout was no one-off occurrence.  It was not some gimmick, either.  Anyone who keeps a close eye on him during games — whether it be a playoff battle or a regular-season matchup with an FCS opponent — will see the same scowl.”

Well, even before the commentators, I also noticed Cignetti’s scowl on TV before it became a national topic.

Why does he scowl?

Football is still a sport, so why doesn’t he ever have fun and show it on his face?

I wish for the fun if only because Lanning appears to have fun on the sideline – dedicated to trying to win, but also appearing to enjoy the moment.

So, I say try to win, but have fun doing so in what still is a sport.  Always scowling is bad form for a coach – read, Cignetti — even if he wins.