The Jaramillo Brothers Exit Interview: On NIL, beating Washington, selling gear, rings and the difference between Mario Cristobal and Dan Lanning
The I-5 Corridor caught up with two great mullets as their time in college football came to a close.
It started with a text.
Over the years, I’ve really wanted to write a story about the marketplace for game-used Oregon gear. Every player who has strapped on an Oregon helmet over the years ends their career with a trove of jerseys, shoes, cleats, sweatshirts…you name it.
So when I saw former Oregon offensive lineman Dawson Jaramillo’s Instagram post last month, I figured I had an in. He had just finished up his football career at NC State, where he transferred for his final two seasons, and now it was his turn to clean out his closet. So, Jaramillo created an Instagram account where he posted all his stuff. I saw it, reached out and was told to wait a few weeks to see how sales came along.
In the meantime, Jaramillo had an idea: What did I think about talking to Bailey Jaramillo, Dawson’s younger brother, too, about his experience. Bailey, a walk-on, played four years at Oregon and has a career that’s coming to an end at the same time as his older brother’s.
They had a lot of shared college football experiences. They had a lot of their own college football experiences.
“He’s one of the last walk-ons from Portland and I’m not sure that category of football player will ever exist again,” Dawson texted me.
Well, that got my reporter brain going. How about we all sit down for the Jaramillo Brothers College Football Exit Interview?
They were in. What follows is our (long) conversation about moving on from football, playing for Mario Cristobal and Dan Lanning, losing weight, how NIL changed the locker room, what happened at the Rose Bowl and, yes, how sales are coming along with all that sweet, sweet Oregon gear.
Enjoy.
(Lightly edited for length and clarity.)
What’s it like not gearing up for another season?
Dawson Jaramillo: For me, it's really weird because I've done this for, like, seven years now. It's almost hard to remember a time when I wasn't a part of a football team or doing workouts.
And it was funny — me and Bailey were talking about it just a couple of days ago. Obviously, Bailey lives with some guys who are still on the team, and we were just like, 'Wow, I can't imagine having to go to sleep tonight on a Sunday and wake up at 6 a.m. to go work out.'
It feels good. Someone described it as, like, you know, 'Your body is happy, your heart is sad.' My body — after seven years of college football — is kind of beaten down. And, I've got my knee issues, and I gotta get surgery to get that fixed, and I'll be good after that. But I don't know, college football is tough, and it wears on you — physically and emotionally. And doing it for as long as Bailey and I have, you know, it's kind of... it's kind of nice to be done.
I will say, football creates such a rigorous schedule. And we lived by that, and we enjoyed it. Having your schedule set out for you is an easy way to live. So now, being done, it's like, 'All right, well…' Because football takes up your whole morning, from the moment you wake up until about 1 p.m. every day. So that's more than half your day devoted to one specific thing. Now it's like, what do you fill your time with?
I think both of us are good at filling our time with other things and staying active. So, I don't feel that big let-off, like, 'Wow, what is the meaning of life?' Like, I’m not having a post-college football midlife crisis.
Bailey Jaramillo: Yeah, I agree. I've enjoyed having more free time — being able to wake up whenever I want and just be like, 'All right, what do I want to do today?' And usually, that involves going and playing golf.
But it's like, I'll wake up, and I'll go make breakfast, go work out, do some homework, go to the driving range, go to class, hang out with my girlfriend. It's like you're finally free. You don't have that constant feeling of always having something to do at all times. It's like we're finally human beings, almost, instead of, employees.
Dawson: I think the way that athletes approach life — it kind of doesn't matter what it is — we're still going to approach it in a competitive fashion.
A good example is, like, Bailey and I are trying to lose weight now. So it's the same discipline and fervor that we applied to getting better at football, eating a ton, and lifting weights — now we're applying that to losing weight.
It’s like, 'Okay, I know I have this goal — I want to lose 50 pounds or whatever. Here are the things I need to do, here’s the routine I need to set, and here’s how I need to be disciplined. Otherwise, I’m not going to achieve that goal.'
I think that’s just a fun example, but really, anything in life is going to be the same —whether it’s whatever job we end up in, relationships, or whatever. As an example, I’m probably going to go into church ministry vocationally, Lord willing, and there’s a lot that goes into that — I have to do school for it, I have to read a lot — so my competitive juices are still flowing all the time. It’s just not for football anymore, it’s for something else.
And if you want to take it to a more trivial example — like when Bailey and I golf he’s way better than I am, but we’re still competing. When we went to Bandon and played in a tournament, he gave me 20 strokes a round because he’s that much better than I am. But everything we’re doing, we’re competing in. That part of who we are — you can’t really turn it off. It just depends on the change of scenery, I guess.
Bailey: He hit that pretty spot on.
What’s it like playing an individual sport like golf when you guys played selfless positions in football?
Bailey: I played two and a half years of competitive golf — like tournaments and high school stuff — and it's hard. I mean, in football, you can mess up, but if the 10 guys next to you do their job, you can still have a productive play. But in golf, it’s just you out there alone with your thoughts. If you mess up, you get all the good and all the bad from everything. If you play bad, you can’t blame anyone else but yourself.
So it’s definitely more of a mental game. I think it’s a lot harder mentally because when you're struggling, the only person you can blame is yourself. It’s hard to keep your composure when you’re playing bad. But then when you play well, the highs feel that much better because it’s all on you — you’re the one who did that.
I have a trophy on my desk from when I got second place in a tournament my junior year of high school. And it’s sitting right next to my Fiesta Bowl ring and my Holiday Bowl ring. Those three things are sitting together, and they all mean a lot to me. This little plastic trophy from when I got second place — it matters. No one else did that. I did.
So I think that’s what makes golf fun. It brings that extra level of competition because it’s you versus another person, not you versus a whole team.
What’s the best moment in your football careers?
Dawson: Being able to play together was probably the coolest thing I’ve ever experienced in my whole life, just because we didn’t get to play together in high school at all — or really on any team growing up. So in 2021 and 2022, when we were on the same team, it was so cool.
There have been other Duck brothers, but yeah, it was just really special. Especially because, you know, for the first couple of years, I was going through college football and trying to describe it to Bailey. And he was like, 'Okay, cool, I hear you,' but he didn’t really understand. Then, for him to actually go through a summer, a fall camp, and winter workouts, I was like, 'See? What I was telling you is true.' And he was like, 'Yeah, I know—this is really hard.'
So that was kind of fun because at home, he and I could talk about stuff, and my parents would just be like, 'I have no idea what you're talking about.' We’d be discussing football plays or certain workouts we did, and they were completely lost.
Just that bonding we had — it’s going to last a lifetime, you know?
On that note, what was it like not playing together the last two years?
Bailey: For me personally, it was really strange because I spent two years with him and then two years without him — I got half and half. But I got so used to waking up every day and seeing him that as soon as he left, it felt really weird.
At the same time, we didn’t play high school football together, so it wasn’t like it was the first time we’d ever been apart. But he was also going to the opposite side of the country. He was playing at NC State, and I was on the West Coast at Oregon, so we were on different time zones, and it was hard to communicate. But obviously, we still talked every day. We’d still talk football and all that, and I was always telling him how much better we were than they were — how if we played them, we’d destroy them and all that stuff.
But it was definitely weird for a while, especially going into winter workouts in January 2023. Walking into the MO and not seeing him every day — that was hard. But I knew he was over there doing his thing, and I was happy for him because I knew he wanted to experience something different. And, you know, he loves North Carolina, so I was happy he found a place that he really loved.
Why didn’t you ever go that route?
Bailey: I found people that I truly loved being around — my roommates — and, I mean, I still live with them today, from freshman year. I just enjoyed the people.
Growing up in Portland, this was my dream school. And honestly, I wasn’t a guy who was really competing to play. I’m sure I could have gone and played smaller football, but personally, I didn’t love it enough to want to transfer to a school like, I don’t know, Portland State or something like that, where I could have played.
I just enjoyed it too much here. I loved the people around me. I loved Coach Terry when he came in — he really helped bring some love back to the game for me. And I just kind of enjoyed the people.
And, you know, Eugene wasn’t bad. My girlfriend’s here. I don’t know — I just loved being at Oregon. It was my dream as a kid, so, I mean, I was living the dream.
Dawson, what was your final year like in North Carolina?
Yeah, it's definitely been a journey. I mean, it’s hard to play the 'what if' game, but it kind of is a 'what if' situation. You know, if I hadn’t gotten hurt my first year, I would have played a decent amount. And I didn’t get to play a ton this last year, but at the same time, I was really battling with my knee the whole season, and I just wasn’t the same player I used to be.
Coming to grips with that as an athlete was tough. But, I don’t think anything happens in life by accident. Leaving and being part of the community in North Carolina has been really cool. The people I’ve met and hopefully impacted in a positive way — it became more than just football.
I still played, and the snaps I got this past year were really rewarding, especially coming off that injury. Ten years ago, most people probably wouldn’t have been able to play again after that. So it gave me a lot of perspective. I had a big injury at Oregon in 2019, and I gained some maturity from that, but this second one really put football— and life — in perspective.
On paper, someone could say I wasted my time because I didn’t play much or wasn’t a starter. But in reflection, I loved my time at Oregon. I don’t regret anything. Man, I loved my time at NC State, too.
It’s cool to have two communities I can be a part of. I graduated from Oregon, I got a degree from NC State, and they’re on opposite sides of the country, but both places are awesome. Both fan bases are crazy.
What was it like watching Oregon this season? Was there any FOMO?
Dawson: You know, I kind of approached it like I would have been gone anyway if I had stayed at Oregon. And just seeing Bailey having fun and succeeding was more than enough satisfaction for me.
I was going to go to all their games, however far they made it in the playoffs. I went to the Big Ten Championship, and it was awesome to see him run out there, get a W, and, you know, get that sweet Big Ten ring.
Still, I’ve got more rings — got the Redbox Bowl ring, which is one he’ll never have.
Dawson, with all due respect, that was the worst game I’ve ever covered.
Dawson: The funniest thing is, in anticipation of that, Coach Mirabal, the O-line coach, was like, 'You just gotta win by one point, boys. That’s all.' And then he said the same thing the next year when we played in the Rose Bowl — and we won both games by one point.
But I agree. I think D-Mitch had the big touchdown catch, and that was totally it.
How would you compare Mario Cristobal to Dan Lanning?
Bailey: I feel like — I mean, I didn’t get Cristobal as much — but in my one year with him, it was like: shirts tucked in, no hats, no jewelry, be 15 minutes early to every meeting.
Whereas with Lanning, one of his first meetings was like, 'I don’t have many rules — just be on time, be respectful, and don’t do anything stupid.'
They’re just different. Cristobal played in the Miami days way back when, whereas Lanning didn’t play major college football, but he learned from Saban and Kirby Smart. So they’re just completely different coaches. Cristobal feels more old-school, more hard-nosed, whereas Lanning is kind of a mix of that and a new-school approach.
Dawson: I agree with Bailey — Coach Cristobal was definitely stricter.
But I will say, that discipline he instilled was a great foundation, something I’ll carry with me forever. 'Early is on time' was our number one rule, and sometimes Bailey and I joke about it, but honestly, anytime I have an appointment or anything, I’m going to be early. It’s just ingrained in me now because I know it’s the right thing to do.
And really, you set yourself up for success more often than failure by showing up 15, to 20 minutes early. There were times when we had a meeting at 6:15, and guys would be there an hour early. Guys would show up an hour early, just sitting in the O-line room hanging out — just because the fear of being late was so real.
I’ve had dreams where I wake up late for football, and I get in the car, then end up in a flaming car accident — because I’m panicking.
Or, like, the night before the first day of fall camp — you don’t sleep. You wake up at midnight like, 'Oh my gosh.' Then you wake up every hour on the hour until morning.
Bailey: It’s terrible.
Bailey, what was the best moment of this season?
Bailey: Other than winning the Big Ten Championship, I’d say one of the most special moments was going in against Washington this year on senior night with two of my good buddies — Holden Whipple, who’s from Salem, and Ty Delgado, who’s from Portland. Being able to go in and play next to them was pretty awesome, just seeing them get their moment.
And obviously, I grew up a Ducks fan — we hate Washington. So being able to beat them by a lot, secure the undefeated season and lock in a Big Ten Championship berth — all on senior night — it was like all the stars aligned.
It was a pretty special moment. That was pretty sweet.
That game was freezing.
Dawson: Did you go to the game in 2021 at Washington? That was the coldest game I’ve ever played in my entire life. I just remember I was rotating back then — so I’d go in the first series at left guard, then right guard, then sit out for a series. And during the series I was out, my hands were bright red, freezing. I don’t wear gloves — I just don’t like them — and the cold was brutal. There were heated benches, and I would just sit there warming my hands.
Towards the end of the first half, I was in, and there was this defensive end for Washington. He looks at me and goes, 'Bro, can we just get this over with? I’m trying to go to the locker room. It’s freezing.'
And I was like, 'Yeah, I think we’re going to win.'
Bailey, what was it like being, essentially, on a reality show this year with Ducks vs. Them?
I think it finally hit me when they mic’d up a lineman for the first time — or when they mic’d up Coach Terry. They even mic’d up my roommate, Charlie Pickard.
We're good buddies, we talk every day and I remember going up to him, and he was acting weird. I was like, 'Are you mic’d up right now?' And he was like, 'No, no, I’m not mic’d up.'
Then I looked at the camera, and it was facing right at him. I was like, 'Yeah, you’re absolutely mic’d up right now.'
It was just kind of weird. And then you’d go watch the videos, and people would be like, 'Wow, this is sweet,' watching a 20-minute highlight reel of our practice. But they don’t see us actually beating each other up for three hours straight. They just get the highlights.
It was pretty cool, though. And then we’d go to team events, and there would be cameras there, filming us. You know, you grow up watching Hard Knocks, and it’s like— wow, we kind of had our own Hard Knocks."
Well, since I have you here…What happened in the Rose Bowl?
Bailey: Yeah, I just — I don’t know.
Going into the game, I thought we had a pretty good plan. I thought what we had was solid. I mean, you can say what you want about the second half, but for the last, what, 30 minutes, we were winning 21-7. So you can say the time off didn’t help us, but every team that got a bye lost. Say what you want, but every team that had a month off lost.
Football is hard. We were on such a hot streak, riding the momentum of winning games. In past years, an Oregon football team would have lost a game like that Wisconsin game we won, right? That’s the type of game Oregon teams in the past would have lost. As a Duck fan, that’s just been my life — watching Oregon lose down the stretch. But we were on fire. I mean, we beat Penn State, and Penn State was clearly a very good team.
Going from playing at that level to an entire month of just practicing — it’s tough. Because you can say whatever you want, but practice is nothing like a game. It’s just not the same. You’re not playing for something real, you’re not feeling that full competitive juice. So that didn’t help.
But at the end of the day, Ohio State was clearly the best team in the country, and they won it all.
Sometimes you just have a bad day.
I don’t need to tell you this, but it’s so unfortunate that you guys had one of the best regular seasons in Oregon history at a time when the regular season didn’t matter as much as it did in the past.
Bailey: Me and my roommates would sit there sometimes and be like, 'Well, if this was a normal year with a four-team playoff, we’d be playing Notre Dame. If we win that, now we’re playing in the national championship. We’d have to beat Ohio State, then go beat Texas, and then we’re national champions.'
It’s just — obviously, they expanded the playoff to get more games, more eyes on it, and more money for them. But I feel like there really wasn’t anything that needed to change.
I feel like the four-team format was fine.
What is the future for Oregon-born players at Oregon?
Dawson: I think it’s kind of funny because when Coach Taggart was recruiting me back in 2017, he said one of his goals as head coach was to put a fence around the state of Oregon. He really wanted as many Oregon guys on the team as possible, and I thought that was really cool. That was one of the reasons I wanted to play for them.
I think it’s really an individual, case-by-case thing. Like, for me, I didn’t want to go far from home, so Oregon was perfect. But then you have someone like Chase Cota, who was like, 'Yeah, Oregon’s great, but I want to go experience something else,' so he went to UCLA. Then he ended up coming back once he got his fill of a different town and environment.
I think there will still be Oregon kids who get opportunities, but they have to be superstars. And with walk-ons kind of disappearing, that era of Oregon/Portland walk-ons being the backbone of the team probably won’t exist anymore. It’s kind of an extinct creature now, which is a bummer.
You look at some of the guys over the years who came from Oregon or Portland as walk-ons and played for the team — walk-ons, in general, have made a lot of football teams successful. Every football team, really. Guys like Ryan Walk, who started as a walk-on and ended up being a starter — you just don’t get those guys anymore. At least, not at big Power Five schools. Instead, those guys go to smaller schools where they can play right away.
I think the transfer portal is kind of a bummer for that reason. Like you said, you can’t really bring a guy in and develop him anymore. Ty Thompson is a great example — he waited his turn at Oregon behind Anthony Brown and Bo, but in the end, he had to leave because he never got his shot.
It’s just kind of a bummer because classic college football was, you come in as a freshman, you don’t know anything, you develop over time, and by the time you’re a senior, you’re playing. But now, either guys leave before they get that chance, or a coach brings somebody else in over them.
So yeah, it’s kind of a bummer. I’m kind of glad I got out when I did.
Bailey: Yeah, I agree. Unless you’re the number one or two player in the state of Oregon, it’s kind of hard to make the Oregon team, considering they’re out there recruiting five-stars from Texas, California, Florida — all over. It’s tough to compete with that.
And I think Oregon high school football is really disrespected. No one looks at Oregon and says, 'Yeah, we need to go get some guys from there.' But if you think about it, Oregon has produced a lot of great football players.
You’ve got Ndamukong Suh, he’s from Portland. Talanoa Hufanga, the starting safety for the 49ers, he’s from Oregon. Troy Polamalu — he’s from Oregon. You’ve got guys from Oregon who have made it big. Like Dawson said, Chase Cota was an Oregon guy.
There’s good talent in Oregon, but sometimes these big schools overlook them just because they’re from Oregon. And when you’re playing Oregon high school competition, it’s hard to get noticed.
It’s too bad because a lot of guys aren’t going to get the opportunities they deserve just because they’re from here. And now that rosters are getting cut to 105, it’s going to be even harder for these guys to get their shot at the big stage.
So yeah, they’ll go JUCO, they’ll go to smaller schools, and with the transfer portal, they might work their way up. But if you’re not a top guy, you’re not going to start at a big school right away.
What was your guys’ experience like with NIL?
Bailey: For me personally, we got team NIL deals, so they would set up deals for everyone, which was nice. But beyond that, I would just reach out to companies on my own.
If I wanted to work with a brand, I’d just DM them on Instagram and be like, 'Hey, I play at Oregon. I love your company. Would you mind sending me a hat or a shirt?' I tried to work with some golf companies too, since I’m a golfer, and I’d ask, 'Would you mind sending me something?' And in return, I’d just shout them out on Instagram or TikTok.
But I wasn’t making crazy money — I wasn’t doing the deals where guys were getting $10,000 or $20,000. I’d get, like, a free hat or a T-shirt. So it wasn’t like I went in expecting to make big money. I knew I wasn’t going to be one of those guys making six figures, so I wasn’t disappointed when I didn’t get those deals.
Did that change the dynamics of the locker room at all?
Bailey: I would say yes and no. I know a lot of guys tried to keep their numbers private, but obviously, word spreads throughout the team. You tell one person, and then pretty soon, everyone knows.
But for the most part, a lot of guys made about the same amount. Unless you were the starting quarterback or a top linebacker, most guys were making similar money. So I don’t think many players really cared as long as they were all getting paid.
There was a lot of “Ohio State’s roster is worth this. Oregon’s roster is getting paid that.” The $20 million figure was thrown out a lot. Do you think that was accurate?
Bailey: At least last year, I don’t think we were a $20 million roster. I think people like to throw out numbers and say, 'Oh, this guy is getting $500,000 a year,' but what they don’t realize is that a lot of those deals are spread over four years — or the entirety of a player’s career.
I’m sure some of the five-star high school recruits are getting that kind of money, but a coach isn’t going to hand out a $500,000 deal to a guy who’s not going to play for him. The top guys are definitely getting good money, but if you’re not going out there and playing 50 snaps a game, coaches aren’t just going to hand you a million dollars and say, 'Oh yeah, now our roster is worth $20 million.'
Some of the top guys, sure, they make a lot. But not everybody is making over $100,000— a lot of players are making way less.
Dawson, what was your experience like?
Dawson: Most of it was the same, especially at the beginning. You know, in 2021, when NIL first came out, we were getting team NIL deals. At that point, there were some guys who got more, but it was a small number, and pretty much everyone else was getting the same amount.
I also did the same thing with brands I liked — I’d reach out, and sometimes they’d send me stuff, sometimes they wouldn’t. But it never hurt to try. Sometimes it was as simple as, 'Hey, I really like this restaurant. Do you think they’d give me free food?' You never knew.
But I think when the collectives were introduced at individual schools, that changed a lot and definitely created some disparity between guys on the team. I did see some division — it didn’t last super long, but at times, some guys would get paid on a certain day while others wouldn’t.
And then there were two different collectives, and they paid at different times and in different amounts. Some guys were getting more, some were getting less. Some scholarship players were getting money, others weren’t. Walk-ons got nothing.
So it just kind of created a weird mood in the locker room at times, and it was hard to compartmentalize all that and then just go out and play football."
What are you going miss the most about being 300 pounds?
Bailey: Eating
Dawson: Yeah, Bailey’s roommate Charlie is still on the team and went to Chick-fil-A the other day and was like, 'Yeah, I’m gonna get three sandwiches, a milkshake, a fry, and some nuggets.' And I’m just like, 'Dude, I wish I could still do that.'
Part of me can, but part of me can’t — I just can’t eat that much anymore. And then the other part of me really can’t because I can’t afford to eat like that if I don’t want to get fat.
But there was nothing better than finishing a really tough workout and then just going out and eating as much as you wanted. That was really rewarding.
Now, Bailey and I always say we’re going to eat a lot, and then we just don’t. Like, our brains go through the whole plan — 'Oh, dude, when we go to Chick-fil-A later, I’m gonna get two sandwiches, two 12-count nuggets' — and then we just never go.
Maybe we’re just tricking our minds into enjoying the fantasy.
Historically, linemen go one way or the other after they retire. I’m trying to go down, I’m not trying to go up.
What’s your guys’ experience been like selling gear the last month?
Dawson: It’s exhausting. Honestly, it really is. But we’ve done pretty well.
Camden Lewis was my inspiration. He graduated a year before I did, so I kind of followed his lead. You create an Instagram account, follow a bunch of people who follow Oregon Empire or big Oregon football accounts, and then start posting pictures of everything — clothes, jerseys, shoes, gloves, lanyards, posters — anything someone might want to buy.
You take pictures, set a price, and then people slide into your DMs like, 'Hey, I want to buy this,' or they start haggling with you. Then you have to get their address, figure out the form of payment — Cash App, Zelle, Venmo, PayPal — whatever works. After that, you either ship it to them or meet up in person.
That first week I did it, I literally did nothing else. Just received orders, packaged orders and sent orders.
It was exhausting. And stressful too.
How much stuff did you have to get rid of?
Dawson: At least 200, maybe 250 items. And a lot of it is just clothes — full sweatsuits, stuff like that.
The thing is, it’s so hard to say this, Oregon — Cristobal hated it. He didn’t love the flash — but the stereotype is that if you go to Oregon, you get a ton of gear. Which is true. A lot of it is awesome, but a lot of it isn’t. It’s not really utilitarian.
And Bailey and I were in kind of a unique situation because we got a lot of sweet gear. Like, a camo Oregon jacket is super cool, but at this point, I’d rather wear a Bandon Dunes jacket.
That’s just how it is. So I have all this sweet gear, but I’d rather trade it out and go to the Bandon pro shop.
What did you get the most replies on?
Bailey: Helmets. Everyone wants helmets. I only got to keep — or sell — four of them. I sold them all. I had a lot of people DM me before I even posted anything about helmets. Just like, ‘Hey, you selling helmets? Do you know any of your teammates selling helmets?’
What’s on the “Do not sell list” for you guys?
Bailey: I kept all my bowl jerseys — I wasn’t getting rid of those. I’m also keeping probably two or three pairs of shoes that were just my personal favorites.
Other than that, I kept every pair of shorts I ever got. I also held onto some of the more basic T-shirts — the ones that aren’t super flashy. Like, the black ones with just an 'O' on them, or a couple of jackets with just the Duck logo.
I’m a simple person — I like wearing dark navy, black, and simple colors. So anything that was more understated, I kept.
And of course, I kept my Rose Bowl stuff from this year — there’s no way I’m selling that.
But other than that? Yeah, I pretty much sold everything else.
Dawson: Yeah, I kept a couple of pairs of shoes I really liked. Some clothes had sentimental value — like this hoodie I wore a lot during my first knee rehab. I love that hoodie, so I’m keeping it.
A lot of the bowl gear, too — we got a ton of tech fleece at Oregon, especially for the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl. That stuff was pretty sweet, so I kept it. And then there were a few pairs of travel pants that are actually pretty utilitarian — you can kind of pull them off as business casual, so I held onto those.
But here’s the blessing and the curse — we got a ton of stuff, but some of it was just... out there. Like, a zip-up hoodie that goes all the way to the top of the hood, neon green, with cut-off sleeves. When am I ever going to wear that?
So it was easy to sell that kind of stuff because someone out there would buy it. And a lot of it, I just gave away. One of my trainers at NC State was always joking about how weird Oregon’s gear was. He’d be like, 'Dude, I gotta get some of that.' So I told him, 'I got some tear-off sleeve warm-up clothes that you would love.'
That’s got to be pretty cool to see all these people who want to, kind of, live the life that you guys did.
Bailey: I mean, I get it. When I was a sophomore, junior and senior in high school, Dawson was at Oregon. So I’d always be like, 'Hey, you got any cleats? Any gloves? Got anything I can take?'
I’d wear his backpack around school. I wore Oregon cleats in my high school games, and I’d be like, 'Give me anything you’ve got left over — let me wear it.'
I wanted to wear all the Oregon stuff because I felt like I was part of the team. And then, I ended up going to Oregon, too.
But yeah, I was always trying to steal his stuff. If he said, 'Oh, I don’t really like this,' I’d be like, 'Well, I’ll take it!' I’d take his T-shirts, his sweatpants, his shoes.
I actually still have a pair of shoes in my closet from my junior year of high school that he gave me. He was like, 'Yeah, I don’t want these.' And I still have them.
Dawson: That was a reality where I was like, ‘I have to go into Bailey’s closet and see what clothes he had.’ Because if they were still in Portland, that meant he didn’t want them, and I could sell them.
And there were some items where I was like, 'Dang, I haven’t seen this since 2018.’
When’s the next time you’re getting on the course?
Dawson: We were at our sister’s volleyball game yesterday in Eugene, and Bailey and I were like, 'Dude, there were a couple of things in the Bandon pro shop I wish I would have gotten.'
And he goes, 'I'll go down and get them for us.'
I was like, 'Really? You’d do that?' And he’s like, 'Yeah.'
Then I asked, 'Do you want to just go and play?' And he was like, 'Yeah.' So I called and made a tee time — we’re going to play.
But we’ve got a big trip coming up. On Thursday, we’re both flying to Arizona. I’m going to Ryan Walk’s bachelor party, which is pretty cool — he’s getting married in June. And Bailey is going to the Waste Management Open.
Then from there, we’re flying to Florida for a week-long golf trip with our dad. So yeah, we’re teeing it up a lot.
After that, I head to Raleigh to get surgery and start my life, and Bailey stays in school and starts his professional golf career. Bailey’s going to be the first ex-football player turned pro golfer.
— Tyson Alger, The I-5 Corridor
You asked the other week about content we want. This... yes please.
Maybe my favorite article of yours, so many great nuggets here and perspectives you don't get often.