Every man has a good side - even Neuheisel.

Byline: Bob Welch / The Register-Guard

When someone dies, people say nice things about the deceased.

When someone gets fired as head football coach at the University of Washington - and that someone has beaten your teams four out of five times, once while faking a punt late in the fourth quarter with a 32-6 lead - people, at least around here, don't say nice things about him.

But Jay and Alisa Jones of Eugene will always have a soft spot in their hearts for Rick Neuheisel, fired last week as the UW coach.

"We've been meaning to send him a thank-you note," says Jay Jones, 29, who has never met Neuheisel but hasn't forgotten his kindness.

The Jones-Neuheisel story began in the wee hours of Nov. 30, 2001. Jones, a producer/digital artist for Chambers Productions, was editing a promotional spot for the company to be shown a day later on Autzen Stadium's Duck Vision screen during the Civil War game.

The plug's theme was designed to poke fun at a previous Duck Vision glitch; it featured a man in a white lab coat trying to fix a system gone haywire. Jones had interspersed sound bites from Neuheisel with a Lane County commissioners meeting and two fast-talking real estate salesmen. But the spot needed something more, Jones thought.

"We were literally flipping through the dials on all the satellite feeds at 2:30 in the morning when suddenly we saw the movie `Airplane,' ' Jones says.

Bingo! Jones took a few "Airplane" scenes and played them off Neuheisel. In one, the ex-coach says, "I tell everybody who asks that we're going to be a good team - eventually"; boom, cut to a scene of an airplane passenger throwing up in a vomit bag.

Later, Neuheisel says, "I think the experience of having won a championship is a good thing" - boom, cut to a shot of another passenger holding her stomach, grimacing and saying, "I haven't felt this awful since I saw that Ronald Reagan film."

The promo was shown in front of 46,075 fans at Autzen, drawing laughter. When word reached Seattle, it drew anger. The Dawgs complained to Pac-10 officials that, with high school recruits in the stadium, the promo was inappropriate.

The Pac-10 agreed and reprimanded the UO, which apologized to the UW and vowed to review all Duck Vision material from then on.

Last August, knowing that he was to be best man at Jay and Alisa's wedding, KEZI sports broadcaster Joe Giansante couldn't resist. While in L.A. for a media day with Pac-10 coaches, he concluded a one-on-one interview with Neuheisel by asking if he'd be willing to extend video wedding greetings to the couple.

Giansante divulged that the groom was the guy who had done the vomit video. And, remember, Giansante had been tough himself on Neuheisel, once comparing him to Hermie, the rosy-cheeked elf in "Rudolph" who wants to be a dentist and not a toy maker.

"Turn on the camera," Neuheisel said. "Let's do it."

Last February, Alisa and Jay's wedding reception came to a hush when it came time for toasts. Suddenly, on a large video screen, more than 400 guests saw the towering image of Rick Neuheisel.

His smile was warm, genuine. "Congratulations, Jay and Alisa," he said. "This is a big step for both of you and, Alisa, Jay wanted me to pass this on to you ...'

Neuheisel's head lurched forward in mock vomiting. He laughed good-naturedly, then said, "Congratulations! I hope all goes well and everybody keeps their wedding cake down."

"My jaw dropped," Alisa says. "Then mentioning us by name ...'

Neuheisel isn't going to be as good a sport about being fired, but Jay and Alisa won't forget his let-bygones-be-bygones gesture - and the unique imprint it put on their wedding reception. "Duck fans were actually saying, `He's not such a bad guy after all,' ' Jay says.

It was a classy move, indeed. And in Neuheisel's well-tattered honor, I hereby vow to forgive him for the fake punt.