By the time you read this post, the Midterm Elections will be over. Regardless of one’s political persuasion, there will be bipartisan bliss with the absence of political ads going forward. That will be mitigated to some extent by the ubiquitous insurance commercials which will undoubtedly fill the vacuum.
Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. This is a long post. If you are receiving it through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all photos and the narrative isn’t clipped or shortened. (# External photo attribution at the end of the post.) (#1)
Charging Backward!?
Perhaps a common theme this fall is the price of arrogance. I’ll cite two sports-related examples to validate this premise. Coach Jim Harbaugh, to much fanfare, became the coach of the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024. It was felt that with his star quarterback, Justin Herbert – Offensive Rookie-of-the-Year in 2020 and Pro Bowl selection in 2021, the Chargers would dominate the West Division of the AFC.
Well, Harbaugh had two 11-6 seasons, but in 2026 he is winless with seven defeats. And Justin Herbert is having an abysmal year. I’ve never been a fan of Jim Harbaugh. He’s been involved in ethical issues during his college coaching career at the University of Michigan as summarized below:
- Recruiting rule violations during the COVID‑19 dead period.
- Dishonesty and lack of cooperation with NCAA investigators.
- Sign‑stealing and unauthorized scouting scandals.
- Failure to monitor staff and promote compliance.
These cases have resulted in severe NCAA sanctions, reputational damage, and a long-term ban from collegiate coaching. (#2- #3)
Justin Herbert, after an outstanding rookie year, seems to have reached a plateau and then proceed downward in 2026: (Oregon Live)
“Herbert has completed 59.4% of his passes, well off his career mark of 66.1%. He has five TDs, ten turnovers (including a league-worst eight interceptions, with a least one in every game) and been sacked 21 times – second most in the league including the nine times in the last two games.”
I’ve admired Justin Herbert for his academic and athletic achievements in college, but have to chuckle based on his personal life – his marriage to celebrity, Madison Beer in the fall of 2024. (#4)
I wrote about my first exposure to the singer-songwriter in this blog when Janet and I attended an amazing Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park in 2024:
“…I realized that a significant portion of the crowd – lined up for several blocks – was not in line for the baseball game – they were waiting with great anticipation for a concert at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway.
It was somewhat chilly and I wondered why most of the adolescent girls in line were dressed in tutus – in many cases supplemented by capes and tiaras. And most were without coats. I asked a security guard, and he said they were waiting for a Madison Beer concert scheduled to start at 7:30.
I thought Madison Beer was a micro-brewery in Wisconsin. I found out, however, that she’s a twenty-five-year-old singer- songwriter with ties to Justin Bieber. Fenway was one of sixty-three concerts on her 2023-2024 “Spinnin” world tour. These hardy kids had lined up five hours (or more) early for the evening concert for which they paid an average ticket price of $143.”
Perhaps, Justin should now consider (at least during the NFL Season) switching from Madison Beer to martinis from Twisted Path Gin which is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin distillery. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist…)
A Bit More Football
I’ve written before about my disappointment with the demise of the PAC 12 – especially in football. My wife is an Oregon Duck, I’m a dam Beaver and our older daughter and her husband are Washington Huskies – he a third generation Dawg. I was there during the OSU Giant Killer years and the intra-family banter during football has been fun in the past.
I have many friends who are U of O grads and at the law firm, the Oregon vs. Washington rivalry came close to surpassing what in Oregon was always known as the Civil War – until a few years ago when that term became politically incorrect.
That said, the arrogance of the Ducks has been a sore point in the past and they and Coach Dan Lanning have had a comeuppance this year – while the Beaver gridiron team has surprised everyone with its resurgence. Unfortunately, the Beavers and Ducks won’t play again until September 2028.
Given that at the beginning of the season, the Ducks were picked by some to be National Champions and #2 in several polls, it provides some satisfaction seeing the following headlines in the sports pages.
“Lanning: ‘We Just Don’t Handle Adversity Well'”
“Ducks’ lost season falls off a cliff with catastrophic loss to Illinois.”
“Oregon is inconsistent, undisciplined, unprepared, and downright unwatchable. Parts of the machine are broken. Dreams of the CFP – considered the floor for this team entering the season – are dead.”
The Ducks have also had three players arrested on various charges including alleged DUI and reckless driving during the season.
The same edition of The Oregonian with the quote above had this comment by one of the columnists: “The Beavers have executed an unimaginable culture reset and the world of college athletics is taking notice.”
(The image on the right was taken yesterday at my long-time law firm colleague and Beerchasing Notable, Jack Faust’s residence. It should be noted that Oregon surprised the pundits by ranking No. 23 in the first College Football Playoff Selection Committee Rankings of the 2026 season.)
Cheers to Oregon State’s Athletic Director, Kevin Griffin and Football Coach, JaMarcus Shepherd – both in the first year – for their leadership and motivational skills!
Farewell to Friends
2026 has been a year of mixed emotions for me. I’ve lost four friends this year – three of them lawyers and one a distinguished professor. Two of the lawyers died in tragic accidents.
Craig Russillo
Craig and I were colleagues at the Schwabe law firm for fourteen years – from the time he joined the firm as a new associate after graduation cum laude from Willamette University Law School, until I retired in 2011. He was killed in a head-on crash on October 15th by a drunken driver near Mount Hood while returning to his home in Bend. (#5)
Not only was he an outstanding attorney, but a wonderful husband and father to his two children – Finn and Elle.
“His quick wit, professionalism and and legal prowess earned him accolade’s from clients and he was quickly elevated to shareholder and ultimately served on the Board of Directors and was a senior leader in the firm’s Commercial Litigation Group.
In his nearly three decades at Schwabe, Craig mentored and nurtured scores of the firm’s young lawyers with an uncommon blend of insight humor and compassion was the very heart and soul of the firm’s ‘work hard, but don’t take yourself too seriously’ culture.
He developed deep and meaningful friendships with generations of staff and shareholders at Schwabe, none of whom were ever safe from Craig’s infection humor and practical jokes.“
And I still laugh with the recipient of one of those practical jokes – Sara Cotton – now a shareholder, but in 2009 a recent cum laude graduate of Lewis and Clark Law School.
Sara, like most new lawyers, had worked incredibly long hours during her first eight months and was looking forward to a great summer vacation. At Schwabe, we did not require lawyers to record sick and vacation hours – their statistics governed when they could take time off. (#6)
A day or two before Sara was to leave, Craig (who had tipped me off) said, “Cotton, I assume you had the COO approve this vacation in advance.” Sara, gasped and said, “No one told me that was required.” He responded, “Well, you better go to Williams’ office and grovel and come up with a good excuse. Otherwise, you might as well cancel your reservations.”
When she came in, I scowled for about thirty seconds before bursting into laughter just as Craig walked in. From that time on, each summer until I retired, I would remind Sara not to forget her obligation to notify me. Schwabe had a great organizational sense of humor and Craig exemplified it.
Mark O’Donnell
Those who follow this blog have read about my friendship and respect for this wonderful lawyer and man of faith which began in 1979 and lasted until his passing in August.
My blog gave examples of the forty + years of sarcastic e-mails and letters we exchanged challenging each other’s character and intellectual ability although we always ended by toasting our brotherhood. (#7)
Mark, growing up in a family which struggled to make ends meet, had a lifetime commitment supporting charitable endeavors. These included De La Salle North Catholic High School, Gonzaga University and many Catholic charities.
In In September 2018, the Northwest Pilot Project presented him with the Agency Impact Award to commemorate his service to the organization, which provides affordable housing to seniors in Multnomah County:
“O’Donnell’s commitment has prevented 450 low-income seniors from becoming homeless.” …He also partners with SE Works, De Paul Treatment Centers and other organizations that serve at-risk kids and low-income seniors.”
Steve Griffith
Steve died on February 12th while climbing Chimborazo when he fell during the ascent.
“It’s the highest mountain in Ecuador and the 39th-highest peak in the entire Andes. The summit is the farthest point on Earth’s surface from the Earth’s center due to its location along the planet’s equatorial bulge. Chimborazo’s height from sea level is 6,263 m (20,548 ft).” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimborazo
You might ask why an eighty-year-old guy was climbing a mountain in Ecuador. Steve would respond, “Because I can!”
The two pictures below are from his climb with my college fraternity brother, Craig “The Dude” Hanneman at the summit of Mt. Vinson (16,050 feet) in Antarctica – they climbed it in 2008 – one of the Seven Summits. (#8)
You would think that a person who is a graduate of Harvard College, the University of Oxford and Stanford Law School, might tend to be a bit bookish or cerebral in activities and dealings with others.
Notwithstanding his academic pedigree, Steve Griffith was the polar opposite. Besides his distinction as a litigator with a wide-ranging practice for thirty-seven years at Stoel Rives – one of the Northwest’s most prestigious law firms, he was esteemed for his reputation as a civic leader, friend and family man. (#9 – #10)
Steve was a very giving person demonstrating throughout his life that he should share his natural gifts with others. He taught school and coached for two years in Liberia as a Peace Corps volunteer and in 2015, he and his wife, Chris started a preschool in Gbarnga – the same town in which he served years earlier.
Dr. Doug Morgan Professor Emeritus of Public Administration – Portland State University (#11)
The following was written by Masami Nishishiba, Director, Mark O. Hatfield School of Government.
“Doug passed away on October 21, 2026 and was a cherished member of the Hatfield School community, a dedicated educator, a respected scholar, and a generous supporter of our students and programs. As one of the founding donors of the Morgan-Ellis Family Endowment, Doug played an important role in strengthening the Hatfield School’s ability to support students and advance our mission of public service and making government stronger.
…I will deeply miss Doug’s wisdom, warmth, and unwavering commitment to the Hatfield School. He was not only a valued colleague but also a trusted friend whom I could always count on for thoughtful advice and encouragement. His generosity extended far beyond financial contributions—he gave his time, shared his ideas, and genuinely cared about the people and the future of the School.”
I first met Doug in 2024 over coffee and was thrilled shortly afterwards to have a reunion after many years with my Portland State University graduate school professor and advisor, Dr. Walt Ellis and his best friend, Doug, over lunch at Gino’s Restaurant and Bar in mid-June. Janet and I both earned our master degrees from PSU and the Hatfield School has an excellent national reputation.
Walt and Doug had just announced the establishment of the Morgan-Ellis Family Endowment for Community-Centered Education, Scholarship and Governance and kick-started it with a $100,000 donation. (#12)
Each then committed $1 million estate gifts to strengthen the core work of the Hatfield School by funding student research assistantships and deepening the school’s partnerships with local governments through the School’s Center for Public Service.
The loss of these friends is a good reminder to nurture friendships and treasured relationships while we still have the opportunity.
Cheers
External Photo Attribution
Other than those enumerated below, all photos were taken by me or generated by AI.
#1. Wikimedia Commons (File:Ballot Drop Box Boston.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Author: Whoisjohngalt – 3 August 2022.
#2. Wikimedia Commons (File:Jim Harbaugh (Michigan Wolverines football coach) during Sept. 29, 2018 game against Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field (441201710451).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Author: Maize & Blue Nation – 29 September 2016.
#3. Wikimedia Commons (File:Los Angeles Chargers sideline.jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Author: All-Pro Reels -12 September 2021.
#4. Wikimedia Commons (File:Madison Beer @ The Wiltern 11 28 2021 (51783561891).jpg – Wikimedia Commons) Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Author: Justin Higuchi – 28 November 2001.
#5. Oregon Live Obituary (https://obits.oregonlive.com/us/obituaries/oregon/name/craig-russillo-obituary?id=62850829).
#6. Sara Cotton (https://www.schwabe.com/professional/sara-cotton/_).
#7. O’ Donnell Law Firm LLC Website (https://www.odlf.net/about-us/professional-team/attorneys/mark-odonnell/)
#8 Fordham Institute (https://fordhaminstitute.org/about/fordham-staff/stephen-griffith)
#9 – #10. Courtesy of Craig Hanneman.
#11-#12. Hatfield School of Government – Portland State University (https://www.pdx.edu/hatfield-school/).
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