Meet Ben

This is Ben. Seemingly, Ben is your traditional American man. He goes to school, works, and loves a good beer. He’s working toward his dream job. His loves baseball – the traditional pastime of this nation. But Ben is anything but the traditional fan.

Ben Christensen is sporting his latest tattoo work here at Max's Tavern on Feb. 15. Photo by Victoria Davila

Some people are calling him overly dedicated, eccentric, crazy even.  Ben and his numerous baseball tattoos have gotten local, national, and now international media attention. Ben Christensen, 29, has “blown up,” as his friends are commenting online since he became one of 50 finalists in the MLB Fan Cave competition.

Ben tweets, “I’m 20% #BrianWilson 20% #MachoMan 60% #Awesome and 110% #MLBFanCave. I’m also 74% sure #ISuckatMath Vote for me anyway http://t.co/AbS3xu4a,” aiming to gain publicity and votes.

Writer

I met Ben in my favorite journalism class in ever: Reporting 1 Spring 2009. The class bonded through group assignments in the community and social media. At the time Ben more resembled Jason Lee circa the Clerks II premier. I call Ben compassionate, strong, and driven. Although the class has gone our separate ways, we share more than memories by staying connected via Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, and other blog sites.

“I love combining comedy with history and truth and spreading the word to everyone I know. With social media I’ve been able to expand my following and range,” says the Fan Cave finalist. This is how I know Ben.

Ben studies journalism at the University of Oregon, a path he started on in high school with the advice from a counselor. “I realized quickly that I was probably never going to amount to anything as a player in professional sports, but I loved to talk and write about it,” he says.

Sports isn’t my favorite thing to read about. I’m not the girl that won’t watch a game, I’d usually love to catch a good game and beer. Maybe I don’t read or watch enough, but the sports commentary is usually lacking. But Ben’s knowledge of history combined with his comedic remarks actually get me laughing and wanting to know more about a sport that is, I’ll admit, one of my own least favorites.

If, no when, Ben finally lands his dream job as a sports writer he plans to keep doing just what he’s doing now: communicating his love and knowledge of sports with the world. He explains, “I’m not saying my word is the ‘way’ but I do love to share what’s on my brain. In most cases it gives people something to think about outside of their normal routines.” He continues, “And if I can give the reader a smile just once, I’ve done my job.”

Bartender

Other University of Oregon students may know him from Max’s Tavern, where he has worked since January 6, 2010, at 4:00 PM to be specific. “I’m very precise with dates and times,” says Ben who is a bit of a sports history buff to say the least. He is not your average bartender. For awhile Ben wrote the trivia for trivia night, a now-posthumous weekly game of popcorn and cheap but fun prizes.

Among the tattoos and framed pictures Ben also collects hats, major and minor league. Each major league hat has numbers signifying batting averages and other statistics specific to the hat in some way. To someone who doesn’t know baseball, hearing him talk about baseball sounds like rocket science speak with the specific details that he spouts without a second thought, especially if you’re a couple beer into the night at Max’s.

Sports Enthusiast

Many people have probably seen Ben’s signs at Ducks football games without even realizing it was him. They usually steal some attention in the stands and on the big screens. His family has always been “big on sports” Ben says. It started out as a means to an end to wear out him and his hyper brothers but developed into a genuine love of most all sports.

You can find Ben’s video on the MLB Fan Cave website listed with the Bakersfield, California hometown and the Oakland Athletics listed as his favorite team. Although Ben spent most of his life in Bakersfield he now calls Eugene, Oregon his home. During his last five years here, Ben has grown into the person that he is today. And he’s ready to win. He wanted to apply for the MLB Fan Cave last year but ran out of time. In hindsight, he knows that he is in a much better position to make the cut with his stand out tattoos, something he didn’t have a year ago.

Sure, his tattoos and overwhelming knowledge of baseball trivia might catch some people off guard. They want to call it fanatic. But fanatic is marked by extreme unreasoning enthusiasm whereas a fan is simply an enthusiast. Therefore Ben, although not your traditional fan, is just a fan.

So vote for Ben for the MLB Fan Cave and help make a dream come true.

We Stand With The Hat

Dear Oregon University System,

I stand with the hat. A slogal supporting UO's President Lariviere from the School of Journalism and Communication. Nov. 2011.

I’m not sure what we, the community of University of Oregon, ever did to you but I think we would appreciate an explanation for your actions. Your recent ousting of President Richard Lariviere from the UO is not only a blow to the future educational system of Oregon, but a blow to our overall relationship.You are like the parent of my chosen university, an in-law of sorts. While our relationship has been rocky, I felt it was really going somewhere. That is until recently.

I gave UO four years of my life, thousands of dollars and my love. UO gave me an education, memories and lasting connections. But our relationship hasn’t been easy. Going to school at a university that is known for its athletics has been hard. UO is the football star. Cheering in the stands at games is priceless. I loved it. But people talk. They said UO was slacking on the schooling. But Lariviere was changing that. He was pointing the UO in the right direction.

The fedora-wearing president was and still is an asset to UO. In the midst of a rough economic time, Lariviere managed to give pay raises to professors and faculty to “achieve pay equity with comparable schools.”  Education should be evolving. But what we have is a struggle threatening stagnancy.

Did you think Lariviere was a bad influence on the university? Didn’t you like him at first? What happened? Was it  just his different ideas, his innovation, his “lack of team work,” or a personnel issue? So far I haven’t been able to get a straight answer out of you. I don’t know why you tried to keep it a secret either, that hurts. I’m hoping this meeting you have planned with clear things up for all of us.

In the meantime I hope you have been hearing what everybody has been saying, there’s even a handy dandy petition to lay it out for you. The deans of the UO schools and colleges even prepared an official statement against the ousting. An official government ethics commission complaint has been released, signed by numerous professors. Please think about how much of an influence someone must have for them to gain this much of an outpouring of support.

We just want what is best for UO and we hope you do too. We let a lot of things slide these days. But we aren’t standing down on this. We are standing with the hat, our fedora-wearing president.

Sincerly,

Victoria Davila

University of Oregon alumna

Bill Hillar: who is the man behind the mask?

I took two weekend long classes at the University of Oregon, UO,  from Bill Hillar. Bill said he had PhD from UO. He said he was a CIA agent. He was in special forces in Vietnam. He said he was the basis for the movie Taken, after his daughter was kidnapped and taken into human trafficking. He said he had overcome so much and come out stronger for he. He was inspirational.

Hillar’s stories were unbelievable, but still people believed him. They believed the lies.

Dramatic drawn out descriptions of death and the destruction of Hillar’s life were eye opening, we thought. The way he overcame his tragedies was a triumph, we thought. But his deceit was the tragedy.

Bill Hillar lied to the numerous universities, students, public and private clients. He essentially took away opportunities to learn from real lecturers. And he did take their, our, money. I am just one of many students still paying back college loans that now include paying back money for classes taken from a fraudulent professor. The school whose students prompted the investigation, Monterey Institute of International Studies or MIIS, has already made a statement concluding that students who took Hillar’s class would be able to take another class of equal credit at no cost. The University of Oregon has made no such statement at this time.

He talked the talk of a great man, but never walked the walk. He got auditoriums full of students to tears by acting. He once said, “I began to realize, we all wear a mask of sanity.”  That was in May 2010 during a class I took from him. In hindsight, his statement became red flag of his personal character.

For the students at MIIS, the tip off was his lack of military mannerisms. Students who had served in the military reportedly did not believe the con. His website was taken down soon after.

Although he claimed to have been a CIA agent and member of Delta Force, he actually only served about eight years in the Coast Guard.

He did not overcome great losses of his loved ones like he told auditoriums full of paying students and other clients. But others have.

The silent victims of Hillar’s crime are those who have actually been affected by human trafficking and military emotional trauma. After I took the class on human trafficking from Hillar, the ASUO group Slavery Still Exists kicked off their human trafficking and advocacy awareness campaign.

Hillar may serve up to 20 years if convicted. Unable to a $50,000 post bond, he remains detained. Universities are left to decide how to deal with students credits from Hillar’s classes. Students are left feeling cheated. And while his story was fake, fraud and human trafficking are real problems that people need to be aware of.

Related articles:

HumanTrafficking.org: A web resource for combating human trafficking.

“Details surrounding arrest of former University professor reveled.” The Oregon Daily Emerald. Jan. 27 2011. (I’m quoted in this article.)

“FBI arrests lecturer accused of building career on lies.” Monterey Country Herald. Jan. 26 2011.

“FBI Investigates past University adjunct instructor for fraud.” The Oregon Daily Emerald. Nov. 30 2010.

“Bill Hillar: Not a war hero, is he lying about his daughter’s death? Undercoverage. Nov. 28 2010.

The Struggle with School Spirititous

My school recent items of school spirit: a shirt made by a friend and a "O" ornament Christmas present. Photo by Victoria Davila.

Sometimes I look back my time at the University of Oregon, UO,  and it seems like much of the time all I did was study anywhere and everywhere that I went. On the bus, at the bus stop, during breaks at work and sometimes during work when I could manage it  – I mastered the act of highlighting in a straight line on a moving and bumping bus pretty impressively I thought. But The Duck Store was my escape. It was a 20 minute break between classes where I would peruse the green and yellow products without worry, I indulged in retail therapy as others call it. Those little breaks added up to a collection of rubber Duckies, a few hooded sweatshirts (some of which have been “borrowed” without being returned – and I would like them back), a couple shirts, a ducks shot glass, a lanyard, a pin and numerous other Christmas gifts through the years for my parents and some friends. Clearly, I like to represent my alma mater. I have what I call School Spirititous, and while some people are immune it is highly contagious.

The symptoms are slow at first. When you notice yourself stopping at the college apparel section of the stores, it’s already started. When your wardrobe starts taking a subtle shinning to the yellow and green parts of the rainbow more than the rest, it’s spreading. When you suddenly find yourself cringing at the combination of black and orange and wondering why Oregon couldn’t go back to having the Duck it’s official animal rather than the Beaver, you’re at full blown Duck School Spirititous.

Once you’re reached the final stage there is no turning back, no cure. For the Civil War this year on Dec. 4, I scheduled off work a month in advance. My hands has green and yellow on alternating finger nails and green bracelets on. For the month leading up to the game, it seemed people everywhere could be divided into to kinds of people, Ducks or Beavers. Immediately there is a bond with other Duck fans, from the casual fan to the debonair Duck or even the die-hard Duck. I have friends at work that I would never have made had I not worn my UO colors and donned my “O” symbol on my favorite hat. (I even made friends with a Beaver through sheer friendly rivalry and finally a general support of our state when it comes to playing other teams.)

This winter I found that when you are really struck with the condition, nothing can stop it. Each year since my 2006 arrival in Eugene as a freshman I purchased a Duck Christmas ornament. I have a small rubber Duck with a Santa hat and a green “O” on its chest, a winterized football player, a green and yellow glass ornament and a set of plastic Ducks candy canes that usually adorn my seven-foot plastic Christmas tree. But this year my tree is in storage. And without my usual bit of Christmas cheer on top of a rough holiday season in general, I never bought my annual Christmas Ducks ornament. I tried not to think about it. But it was a damper on my whole season, until I was saved by the “O.”

On Christmas day, I was blessed with the company of my family and friends. And one of those friends brought by an unexpected gift, a metal “O” ornament for the tree. The holiday was complete. I didn’t even realize how much my lack of usual Christmas traditions, my tree and ornaments, was affecting me.  It was a moment that made me realize, once again, how valuable friendship is.  Somehow when I’m really in need, I have a friend who comes through for me unexpectedly. Sometimes it’s getting a ride when I’m waiting in the cold. But this time, my reminder came in the form of an “O” to add to my collection.

Now School Spirititous can be tricky because it can be spread in many ways. For some it seems to be genetic, while for others it can struck suddenly. Most often though it begins during a students first year in their new school.

But I was never spirited about Forest Grove High School, where I attended from 2002-2006. In fact, I was the opposite. I had a black baseball shirt that said Tigard on the front in bold white lettering, for Tigard High School. One of my best friends had a shirt for Canby High School. My condition began after I was accepted to UO.

So why now? Why is it so hard to pass up the  section of the stores with green and yellow merchandise without even looking? Why do I feel the urge to say, with most certainty, that my mascot, Puddles, can most definitely beat up your mascot? (No really, he can. Check it out.) Is it the need to become part of a larger tradition? Or maybe I enjoy falling into the stereotype of the graduate who uses football games as a perfect reason to get together, chill out and drink during the fall months for the rest of his or her life. Maybe it’s because it was the first school I got to pick to attend rather than be thrown into.

Whatever the reason may be, I know what it’s not. I don’t wear my colors to represent Phil Knight and I don’t wear them to show that I believe athletics should trump education. I love the unity that a football game creates in the stands, but I loath the separation that it can cause in the school.  Watching some athletes play crossword puzzles in class rather than pay attention while millions of dollars gets spent creating the John E. Jaqua Academic Center for Students  was more than painful, to say the least. This is the point of the struggle with School Spirititous.

I understand the need to rebel against the corporatism of the game, or the brand that it promotes. I fully respect those that wish not to wear the little swoosh symbol on their clothing. Personally cannot stand the new Ducks sweatshirts with the semi-large, at least to me, Tostitios logo. Tostitios is where I draw the line.

But most of the time, I look beyond the brands, labels and colors and just remember that it’s fun to be part of a group rooting for the same team in life. And when it’s freezing cold outside, the sky is black, the lights are bright, your team makes the winning touch down – there is nothing like the feeling of jumping up and down, hugging and high-fiving the group of people around you, who for the last couple hours have become like old friends sharing drinks and stories as the quarters counted down the game.

I’d like to think I have my condition in check  these days. .I can pass by The Ducks section of a store without stopping, although it usually gets a backwards glance as I walk away. And similar to my “O” ornament, my championship memorabilia for the year is actually a shirt made by a friend with the words “National Forecast” on the front and the image of clouds and reign and words “Oregon Reign” on the back. I have also managed to get through the football season only watching about half of the games for work reasons. But I do have Jan. 10 scheduled off. After all, it is the National Championships and it is my team. I may get by some days without wearing my school colors, but I’m pretty sure I will always bleed green and yellow.

I Love My Ducks

I Love My Ducks. Ducks vs. Huskies. Nov. 6, 2010. Photo by self.

Jet black uniforms. Yellow outlined numbers identify players. Grey-silver feathers on their shoulders. Grass in two shades of green. Ducks in formation on the field. Count down to first down. It’s 12:30pm on Nov. 6, 2010. Ducks vs. Huskies.

I’m in the middle of the game and I have a beer next to my desk and it’s a nice fall day outside.  Not too cold and only slightly overcast near Hillsboro, Oregon. ABC College Football broadcasters report that it’s  nice but cloudy day in Eugene, Oregon. University of Oregon’s Ducks are undefeated and #1 in the nation. A chance at the national championships is on the line.

“I’m not into statements. I’m just into winning games,” said Chip Kelly to ESPN.com. Ducks fans everywhere hope that he can deliver on his baller sounding non-statement.

The first quarter starts out slow. After a series of more calls and penalties than touchdowns Oregon finally scores. Washington gets on the board to match Oregon’s three points with their own. But before I know it, it’s Washington 6, Oregon 18 at halftime.

We are known as being the best second half football team. I’m not a football scholar but I think we can maintain. Fingers crossed.

However, we are also known for an outrageous year of football player shenanigans last year, a mascot that beat up the University of Houston’s Cougar mascot and having a wide variety of uniform options because of Phil Knight. Ducks are called out on these matters daily. Yes, our football players got in trouble. Yes, we have alumni that donate to sports. Yes, it’s actually annoying to us non-athlete students sometimes. But like an annoying friend that you have bonded with, you are still loyal friends at the end of the day.

No matter the outcome, I still love my Ducks. And on that topic I must give props to my other Ducks that coined the phrase “I love my Ducks.” These University of Oregon Journalism students created an Internet sensation with I Love My Ducks (I Smell Roses) last year and have only continued to ride the wave of success with I Love My Ducks (Return of the Quack). Known as Sup Witch You Girl?, they created a stir with 2009’s I Love My Ducks video that went viral when the Ducks were heading toward the Rose bowl.

By the way, it’s 3:15 and my Ducks are winning 39 to 16. We already beat one record for the day with 60,017 in attendance in Autzen Statium.  “Minutes away from going 9 and 0 in Oregon history,” they say on TV as I pull away from the keyboard clacking of blogging.