Desean Jackson is out of here. If college football and Cal was a female he has hit it and he has quit it -- he's moved on. Long live Desean Jackson. Do big things in the league and get that money. While his talent will be missed, if there is anything I've learned from the past half decade about Tedford's offense, it's that there will be another who will step up. The show must go on. The recruited skill players are just waiting for their chance to shine and there are more of them then the three available spots. The feeding frenzy for playing time begins now. It will be a vicious battle of highly tuned athletic bodies but ultimately starters will be decided by how adapt they are to psychological warfare. I suspect the first shots to be fired tomorrow.
In this sense, Nyan Boateng already has the upper hand on his competition. His prior legal problems in the state of Florida only give him street cred. As it is, Florida is a filthy corrupt place; they are the worst kind. Look what that state did to Al Gore and he was a man of power. Floridians didn't care and the rest is history. One has to be cautious being around anyone from Florida, especially one who has beat the Florida legal system. You have to respect Nyan and that makes it especially hard to compete against him. As a Cal fan you should be happy he is on your sideline.
In the end, players will put on a good face to the beat writers and say how much they enjoy each other as teammates and coaches will say it's healthy competition but I know better. There will be hurt feelings by the time this is over. The mentally weak will be weeded out.
Leave it up to Cal fans to make a big deal leading up to Desean Jackson's decision -- something that was obvious to fans two months ago. What happened to us as a fan base this last month to change things? I'll admit, I even got caught up in the moment from all the mad fan talk from the past few days. Hardcore fans point out the fact that he took so long to announce, set up a conference call, and other weird analysis of his quotes as solid evidence to justify being hopeful of him staying. He had to stay. Cal is a prestigious institution after all and that has to mean something right? Pretty ridiculous stuff and I can almost hear Desean laughing all the way from LA. But kudos Desean, you probably made the biggest exit in Cal Football history even when everyone deep down already knew. You definitely have a knack for building suspense. Turning something from nothing is a valuable skill in life and we Cal fans are a dramatic bunch.
1/15/08
Desean's Decision and The State of Cal Fans
1/4/08
Cal Stock...Rising
Bowl Game Review:
Who knew that the Armed Forces Bowl would be so exciting? I have to say that the Oline and Justin Forsett did a good job against an above average Air Force run defense (#24 3.28ypc) and Kevin Riley did a great job lighting up Air Force in the air although they do have a very average pass defense. Regardless, 6 straight drives for touchdowns against any D1 team is impressive and Riley did convert some tough third downs with some amazing passes on the 5th TD drive and read the defense perfectly all game. I noticed that with Riley at QB, the Air Force defense was very off balanced and Tedford capitalized by making amazing play calls that Cal fans are accustomed to. Riley did not look like a QB who had only seen the field for his second substantial time.
Longshore will really have his work cut out ahead of him this off-season and will have to improve his footwork (Riley was constantly moving his feet in the pocket and stepping into his throws) among other things to win back his job for next year. I still believe a healthy AND confident Longshore is a great QB and much more experienced then his competition but now he has to show that he can once again hit his receivers in stride and make the big plays just to keep up with Riley. Competition is always good and it will be fun to see it unfold during the fall camp. I just hope it doesn't turn into a ASU type situation with part of the team and fans revolting against the HC decision and ultimately resulting in a coach's dismissal. After all, we Cal fans are more civilized then those ASU Neanderthals. Right?...Right?? Cal will lose tremendously if such a scenario plays out and things will most likely end up on the opposite spectrum for Cal then for ASU. Sometimes I think when it comes to sports fans, there is no metric of intelligence to differentiate fan bases. There is only raw emotions which causes all to spiral down to a constant dumbness...myself included. Anyways, you will see me spouting off my uneducated 2 cents when Tedford makes his decision because seriously...who doesn't enjoy some controversy in life?
While it was a great comeback win for Cal, if Air Force's Shaun Carney did not suffer that horrible knee injury, Air Force could have very well still have won that game. Our offense looked great but the defense needs work; even with the adjustments made in the second half.
Cal Coaching RUMORS:
Goldenblogs has reported some coaching changes to the football team. I went to a source and the WR and DB coaching changes/firings have been confirmed by my source as well. The Trent Dilfer as OC and QB coach, not so much. Although, that doesn't mean it isn't true as well. I personally think that Dilfer as a QB coach wouldn't be a bad idea. He was brought in to the Niners to help coach up Alex Smith. Actually, I guess that didn't turn out so well but maybe he helped get Shaun Hill ready as well? Dilfer also held the NCAA record for most attempts without a INT until a few years ago. His record lasted for about a decade. Dilfer as a OC on the other hand, I do not think is a great idea for now. He doesn't really have the experience to hold that position...yet. He could be very good one day in a OC role, he seems to be a very football smart individual.
While Tedford is still shaking up some things, my suggestion for him is to shake up the location of the young alumni section. Yeah we may be relatively young but I'm starting to feel those years catch up to me. I would love not having to battle the sun in my eyes while watching the game. And plus, all these students coming into the section standing, obstructing my view...and what is up with all that yelling?? Is that all really necessary? Just joking everyone!
Cal v. USC: Basketball
So I just got back from my first live look at the 07-08' Cal Basketball team and I do have to say it was a great first game. I mean, Cal scored 92 points against a very good defense that held #2 Memphis to 62 points and #3 Kansas to 59 points -- albeit in losses. Those are the lowest scoring outputs for both of those teams so far this year. I was expecting the worse for this game and secretly was only hoping for a split this week but now I'm thinking about a LA sweep while I shower in my blue and gold drank.
5 Cal players scored 15+ points and as a team shot very well from three. It pretty much looked like the Warriors out there with 25/60 (~40%) shots being from three. The team made 11/25 (44%) of those three point attempts and 49.2% from the field overall. What impressed me the most was that at no time was there evidence of the Ben Braun Stallout despite many opportunities for Braun to implement it. This is a exciting team with a lot of players who can score and have the vision to pass the ball to the open man.
Boykins did not have a good statistical game against USC but he has the potential to have good games consistently. As usual, Devon Hardin missed a dunk, which he has managed to do every game I have watched in person, but this one was not a massive brick where it flew 20ft in the air. Hardin is a beast on the boards and in everything he does, which I love, but he is also so beastly that he has no touch around the hoop. It's actually comical but probably only because we won. He should have had at least 6 more points. No complaints though...but imagine how much more savage he would be if he did develop that game.
One thing that kind of bugged me was after a made free throw, the bench will, as a team, halfway stand up and then sit down. Really is that the best they can come up with? I almost rather see them do something ridiculous like the wave or some variation of it or the electric slide...
Lastly, I sat pretty close to Chris Mullin during the game and he seemed to be very interested in OJ Mayo but not so much in any Cal players. He looked impressed by some of his athletic plays. OJ Mayo was everything he was billed as and had a huge game against Cal. But overall Cal played much better as a team and convincingly won against a very athletic and fast USC team. I think USC has some good players but they are all submitting to the alpha male that is OJ Mayo which may hurt them in the long run. At halftime, my roommate ever so (un)smoothly told Mullin that Cal looked like the Warriors with all the three points. He replied that Cal will need a few more of those. Looks like Cal delivered this time.
12/22/07
Tedford's Ego is the Fountainhead of Cal Football
Happy Holidays everyone! So after taking a much needed break from all things Cal sports related, I am coming back for one last post for this football season. You know...to end the season on a high note...amend the past...look to the future and all that other jazz. But seriously, I just read through my last few posts and saw my tone progressively shift towards the negative. As a fanatic, I have no reservations putting all my emotions into the team and riding all the highs and the lows and eventually eating my way out of them. I often catch myself truly believing that my fate is determined by the performance of the sports teams that I root for. When Cal wins, I am apart of the New Master Race and behave accordingly. When Cal loses, I could very well one day become the assistant of the guy who runs the candybar/gum/fakeflowers
Speaking of gambling, I hope no one actually used any of my predictions to influence any personal bets (*Ahem* Weber) since my heads up win-loss record only went as far as the team. Most likely, if you bet on Cal, you lost a lot of money this year. As for my predictions, I had a few close ones early on before I started this blog and more importantly Cal was winning. But once this blog came up things got sour. For that I take responsibility -- I should have just stuck with emailing these out to my friends and posting on the boards. But overall it was a positive experience and I learned a lesson on the power of the internet especially when information is handled with reckless abandon.
But now let me readdress an old issue. Glenn Dickey writes, albeit a few weeks late, about how Longshore's PT could hurt Cal. The quotes from that article and other quotes from Tedford in the past make it apparent that Tedford truly believes that things must not drastically change, especially when it comes to the QB position, to much of the dismay of the fans. Some may say it is Tedford's character flaw -- the inability to concede when he is wrong, he is too loyal, or whatever other reasons us fans have generated this season. But could it be true? The man that is considered God to many Cal alumnus has fatal character flaws?
I decided it was time for me to stop putting it off and get to thinking on this difficult issue. There is no argument that Tedford has come off very stubborn. Everyone seems to be waiting or hoping for Tedford to admit that his QB decision was not the best choice. Maybe Tedford's egoism has been offensive to fans and they are waiting for him to break down in a way that only the selfless could get enjoyment from? However, this thought evoked a recent conversation with one of my friends parents about the very issue of egoism and its role in the Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead (Yes I am about to compare a literary classic with Cal football). According to Ayn Rand, "man's ego is the fountainhead of human progress." The Fountainhead's protagonist is Howard Roark whose vision in his trade is uncompromising, ignores the material draws of the world around him, and battles opponents who either don't understand his work or are afraid of what his work represents. He remains true to his work despite the draws of instant success if he compromises some of his values but is handicapped among his peers for his individualism. Ultimately, Roark is exalted to the top of his profession as the public recognizes his excellence despite the powers to tarnish his luster.
Now I couldn't help but see the similarities between Ayn Rand's protagonist Howard Roark and Cal's HC Jeff Tedford. Tedford is uncompromising in his trade (Quarterbacks), ignores the material draws of the world (NFL and better college HC jobs), and battles opponents who don't understand his work (fans and apparently players). He also does things the right way which is unusual in today's game with quick fixes. So to make things short I am going to conclude that Tedford is the man when it comes to Quarterbacks and his ego, that shapes his decisions around Quarterbacks, will bring Cal to the Rose Bowl one day. To accept this conclusion, one must believe in Rand's objectivism philosophy. However, to reject this conclusion...you and your altruistic ways should probably be sitting in some trees.
Now I'm not completely serious. I can recognize when I'm stretching an analogy. But the point is that Tedford knows Quarterbacks and us fans, and to extent the players, only think we do. Yes there are some compelling statistics and arguments out there that us fans can throw out there but ultimately I am glad that Tedford will not drastically change how he approaches coaching. He has shown slight adjustments every year, which is good, but he has never abandoned what made him successful in the first place. I chalk this year to bad luck and unusual circumstances -- not a fatal character or coaching flaw. My gambling instincts tell me so. Thankfully, we will be able to put this season in the books soon enough.
*Note: I guess you can believe in objectivism and still reject my conclusion but now you are just being difficult although I would like to hear your reasons. I also need to stop comparing everything in life to Cal Football . Finally, there will be one more post for the BHAF Bowl Game Preview so I guess this isn't my last post. I'm a sucker for the punishment.
Go Bears!
Drive Safe
12/8/07
Cal v. Kansas State: Ben Braun Comes Out Swinging
Wow, best get your licks in on Tedford now. A friend forward this gem of a quote by Ben Braun:
"On how he can help Eric Vierneisel find his groove:
He's got to get fully healthy [ankle]. I know that's not an alibi for Eric, but when he's been at his best, he's been healthy. So he's got to get fully recovered. And he's just got to knock a few shots down. I can tell you that when he's practicing he's knocking a lot of those shots down. So he's got to carry over from practice to the game, and that's a confidence factor. I'd be more concerned if he wasn't knocking down shots in practice, but he is. And then I'm also concerned because I'd like to see him healthier. When you're a shooter, you have to have your feet under you. It's difficult - I don't care if you're a quarterback trying to throw, or you're a shooter trying to shoot - it's a lot easier if you've got your base under you. You don't want to be shooting off of one foot and worrying about your steps."
Ouch! Ben Braun can see when someone is down and he is not letting this opportunity get by him. Ever since Tedford arrived on campus, he has been compared in accomplishments in wins, post-season appearances, disposition, and even graduation rates. That coupled with the worst stretch in the Ben Braun Era, began a growing contingency of anti-Ben Braun fans advocating for a search of the next "Tedford" of basketball -- one who can lead Cal to the next level. Just on cue, as soon as football stumbles leaving fans shook up, Ben Braun has emerged looking like the New King of California. Just as Jay-Z proclaimed that he is "hip-hop's savior," Ben Braun is the "Cal fan's savior." Who knows if this will last through the PAC10 season but it already has helped the transition from this football season.
While Ben Braun talks a big game he really hasn't done any different from Tedford in handling this situation. Vierneisel is averaging 21.8 min/game this season. That's more then half the game. In the most recent game against Jackson St, Vierneisel logged in 17min while shooting 1-7 from the floor. This game was a blowout and if Vierneisel needed to rest that ankle to improve his dismal shooting, then Braun probably should have sat him out this game or at least played him less. I guess credit Braun for not starting him at least. I also don't mean to be so harsh on Vierneisel either. It's not like he has been throwing the inbound pass to our opponent at crucial moments -- there is no reason for me to give him the Longshore treatment yet. As a consolation, Vierneisel did have 3 assists...
Kansas State
K-State (5-3) is a relatively young team with 4 Freshman seeing meaningful minutes. The starters are on the smaller side but on the bench are a pair of 6'10 players -- both do not contribute much in scoring or rebounding. K-State has three players averaging at least 10ppg with all three being Freshmen. If you have been watching college basketball at all this season, then you already know about the Freshman sensation F #30 (6'9,235) Michael Beasley. Beasley has been averaging 25.8ppg (57.9%), 14.8 rpg, and can shoot the three (40%). His only knock against him so far is his low FT shooting (65%) although the season is young and his sample size is small. The other two freshmen to watch are G #0 Jacob Pullen and F #12 (6'6,220) Bill Walker. They are averaging 12.1ppg and 11.3ppg, 6.2rpg respectively. As a team, they are a poor FT shooting team (63.6%) and three point team (25.9%). K-State has problems with turnovers (18.3pg) but generates 7.5 steals per game. Overall, they shoot decently high percentage shots, shooting 42.6% from the field.
What Does This Mean For Cal?
Cal is better at threepoints (32.4%), freethrows (73.9%), and has a higher FG% (49.3%) then K-State. Cal also has a significant height advantage and should out rebound their opponent. The matchup to watch is Ryan Anderson/Devon Hardin v. Michael Beasley. Beasley will be a great defensive litmus test for our big guys and will be an indicator of how well we will defend against P10 athletes. K-State is very young and has only scored more then 80 points once to Sac St. I see K-State having problems scoring against the consistent Braun defense. K-State should not be overlooked at home who took #17 Oregon to overtime in a three point loss. Once again, if Cal can hold K-State under 80 points they will most likely win this game.
Homer Opinion?
CAL 83-76
12/2/07
The Blame Game: Cal Football Turns to Tabloid
Something is not right in the world of Cal football and all fans are searching desperately for an answer. How can a team look so great, fall so fast? Unfortunately, searching for an answer will result in finger pointing and placing blame on someone...something. Longshore, Bob Gregory, and Tedford are the most popular targets as they should be. By the nature of their roles, they hold the highest profile positions and have the most responsibility. It comes with their jobs and they know that and have to take the responsibility for problems and mistakes that they and the team have made this season.
Longshore has made a lot of "predictable" mistakes in key situations all season. 3rd and long with a chance to tie or take the lead late in the 4th quarter in opposing territory? I've seen this show before and it doesn't end well. Did anyone else tell the person next to them, or at the very least, had the feeling that Longshore was going to throw a pick at the end of the Stanford game? I hate to admit it but I also made the same call right before his pick against USC in the 4th. I'm not proud of it but when you have been burned once you start to expect it. I guess I'm starting to understand the mentality of The Curse of The Bear. I'm sure I wasn't the only one. I really wish I was wrong both times.
But until that last throw, Longshore looked really good on that last drive. He threw a good ball to Jordan (who also made a great catch) and two good balls to Hawkins (one was perfect) who just couldn't bring it in for the tying touchdown. Unfortunately, Longshore, due to extreme case of bad luck or the lack of a certain intangible, threw a pick. Another observation: Longshore has also regressed in his ability to put touch on the ball. There is no reason for him to throw a ball 10 yards out of bounds on a pass he was not trying to throw away.
But as easy as it is to place the blame on Longshore, Cal as a team should have never been in a situation like that against Stanford. There must be something more. There isn't one thing that can explain a free fall of this magnitude in a team sport like football. One cannot be positive of the reasons this team has underachieved. There is too much information kept in-house. This doesn't mean that I don't have my own suspicions.
I will not name players because all my information is not direct. Plus, Tedford states that he will disclose details of his tirade after the Washington game -- a game where it was apparent that many players quit -- after the season in a Chronicle Article. The following are RUMORS and should be treated as such. If any of this is true, it will be hard for names not to get out eventually.
I have heard the same type of information from different sources that I trust-- people that have no contact with each other -- that there are talks of a dysfunctional locker room. No surprise here. It is obvious that some of the team has quit on Tedford this season. But it seems to be much worse then what any fan could have imagined. There are rumors of selfish players leaving practice when they feel like it, not suiting up for team walk-through like the rest of the team, and even not showing up for practice -- basically insubordination. Reading quotes from players only reinforce this thought. Brandon Hampton talks of it as well as Mike Gibson in CC Times Cal beat writer Okanes' blog article. From what I've heard, this parasitic attitude has rubbed off on other players as weeks passed and losses accumulated to the point where Tedford had to set an example to the team.
So how come Tedford just doesn't kick off the player if this is true? We'll it could be more complicated then that. Recruiting is a factor. A coach should never throw a player under the bus. If something goes wrong, to the fans and media, the coach takes the blame as in any leadership role. As hard as it may be to get recruits to talk to our coaches after this season, it would only be harder if a high profile player was abandoned. The coach's character would be tainted and that could be used against him in negative recruiting tactics by other coaches. Ultimately, Tedford's responsibility is to prepare the kids for their future, be that in the NFL or in life in general, which is paramount to any of his personal statistics, despite what fans may think. So if a player is a high profile player, for example the face of Cal football and national figure, Tedford can't just kick him off. He must find a way to bench the player for the season without hurting his future prospect for the NFL -- without labeling him a cancer.
From what I've heard there is more then one player. The severity of individual player's derelictions is unknown but I assume all will eventually surface, especially if these rumors are true.
When a team collapses, one party cannot be blamed. Tedford has made his mistakes as well. For example, why he stuck with Longshore for so long even though I, a fan, could tell Tedford the outcome of a close football game with the ball in Longshore's hands*? I'm sure players felt the same. I'm sure Tedford has substantiated reasons for his decisions. Maybe better communication to the team was needed to express that. In the end, Tedford should have never let the team get to this point.
In Tedford's career, he has never dealt with this unique problem which is not uncommon when dealing with so many egos. In some ways I guess it's a necessary skill for if and when we build the SAHPC and get better athletes with egos of their own. It has happened to programs before and will happen again after us. I am sure after this season Tedford will have a much better idea how to recognize a problem or defuse a harmful situation at an early stage when it eventually comes up again.
*For the record, I believe that Longshore has the talent to be successful on the field and seems to be a good leader that will translate well off the field as well. Unfortunately, Lonshore seems to have lost his confidence. In no way do I place blame on him or any individual for all of Cal Football's problems.
11/29/07
The Big Game: Cal v. Stanford v. Missouri
Ok, I'm officially pumped for this game! It took me awhile but I've officially come around. And I say this in all sincerity, The Big Game is something special. Of all divisions of college football, there are only 9 longer rivalries. That's pretty damn impressive. Cal also trails Stanford in the head to head 54-44-11. This game represents an opportunity to close the gap. I would like to see, in my lifetime, Cal holding a winning record in the series. But all of that has a insignificant impact on my excitement for this game and its outcome. To be honest, I am pumped because this game has a more personal meaning. My older sister is a Stanford alum and needless to say, she didn't even know that The Big Game was this weekend. To make matters worse, while she was an undergrad, she attended the Rose Bowl when Stanford (8-3) won the Pac10 in the 99'-00' season. My sister also had a Final Four basketball team to watch. If and when that happens for Cal, that will be one of the better years of my life. But I digress. This game has woofing rights on the line. My sister may not care, but she will. If things end up positively, I will spit hot fire. But after 5 minutes of smack, my sister will ask me if we can change the subject to something more interesting. I love my sister but man, do I hate Stanford fans.
But how about everyone else? A friend working in NY told me today that Cal fans stop showing up for games at the local bar after a few loses. He does enjoy the space now at the bars though. My pessimistic friend from my post before told me to bet the house against Cal when I was in Vegas over Thanksgiving. Cal fans seem to be indifferent this year and Stanford fans are always indifferent. But I still think that Cal fans care very much about this game but are viewing it from a distance to protect themselves. They will watch, but no one will know.
For Cal fans, a breakout performance is needed from a non-stater to get us fans looking forward to next year ala Steve Levy. But I'm not talking about the QB position, that is played out. With Djax out for this game, there will be an opening for the third WR spot. I'm hoping WR #11 Jeremy Ross will have a breakout game.
I'm pretty disappointed in the students from both schools. Where are the pranks, the creativity? The best part of our rivalry is hearing about the ridiculous pranks on each other. That I feel that differentiates this rivalry from the all of the rest.
*This Big Game edition of the dankdown will not recognize any Stanford players and in spirit of the rivalry...
Stanford Defense:
SUCKS (actually only slightly worse then ours)
Stanford Offense:
SUCKS
Stanford Special Teams:
SUCKS
Stanford Coaching:
SUCKS
What Does This Mean for Cal?
We better win.
So there you have it. My most comprehensive and mature work to date. I was told by my NY friend that my posts have been a great read while "on the crapper" at work. Hopefully, this Big Game edition does not disappoint.
GO BEARS!
Homer Opinion
17-10 CAL
On the other side of the Bay, Cal basketball also has a big game on Saturday evening (although not The Big Game). Cal Basketball (4-0) has quietly won all its games and just came back from beating Nevada on the road. In typical Braun fashion, this team controls the clock, plays good defense, and prevents shootouts. Cal has yet to score 80 points in a game in all of their wins. Braun likes it this way. For example, last year the team was 1-8 when opponents scored more then 80 points and Cal only scored more then 80 points 4x. Last year, was a bad offensive season but in Braun's tenure, he tends to like to score between 70-80 points. Since 2002, Cal has played 152 games. Of those, Cal has scored 80+ points in 31 games (.204).
The good news is that defensively, this years team is much improved so far. Cal is averaging more then 10 boards a game compared to last years team -- the biggest problem last year -- and almost double the amount of steals and blocks per game. The bad news is that this year, the team is turning over the ball 6 more times per game and the offense is performing the same percentage wise. The silver lining is that Ryan Anderson is dominating offensively and grabbing boards (reminds me of a Keith Van Horn), Devon Hardin is healthy and a rebound machine (still finding his shot and FT% is down), and Patrick Christopher is emerging as a scoring threat. Anderson and Christopher average 20+ points a game. Jerome Randle has played two games -- one where he was spectacular and another where he contributed as a role player. Other then that this team has no other scoring options yet. However, we still have players injured that have yet to show how they will contribute this season.
Missouri
Missouri (5-2) is a very explosive team on offense. So far this year they have only scored under 80 points one time this season and that was when they won 79-55 against Fordham. In contrast, they have scored 90+ points three times. Missouri has 4 players who average 10+ points a game. They also have a fairly deep bench with players who can contribute offensively.
As a team, Missouri shoots 48.5% from the floor. Most of their shots are from inside the three point line but G #3 Stefhon Hannahwith shoots excellent from beyond the arc at 41%. This team is small with only one player who is 6'9. Despite the lack of height, they have done a good job at getting boards and creating blocks -- only slightly less then Cal's season per game numbers. They average an amazing 10.7 steals per game and only turn over the ball 11.9 times a game -- much better then Cal's numbers.
What Does This Mean for Cal?
Cal will have to slow down the pace of the game because most likely we will not have the offensive firepower to keep up with Missouri. Cal does have a height advantage and should have opportunities under the basket to score and a rebound advantage over Missouri. The Cal guards will have to limit their turnovers over a very opportunistic and aggressive defense. Missouri's defense looks to be average and Cal should be able to score points, although probably not more then 85. It is necessary to hold this high power offense to under 80 points however, that alone does not guarantee a victory. Cal since 2002 is 7-21 when allowing opponents more then 80 points.
Homer Opinion?
79-75 CAL
11/21/07
Cal v. Thanksgiving: The Curse of the Bear
Gobble! Gobble! That would be the sound of the 2007 Cal football team, possibly the biggest turkey of college football this season. I keed, I keed of course...sort of. If you think I'm being a little harsh its not because Cal lost last week but because of how the team lost last week. Seriously, I don't think I've ever seen a Tedford coach team quit on the field like that. I have seen Tedford teams out-played and out-coached but never out-hustled. Our offense and defense just cannot get on the same page this year. But as they say "with every failure there is an opportunity" and the adjustments that Tedford makes next year and how the team responds to them could prove how good Tedford really is or for you pessimists how overrated he is.
But hey! This season isn't over yet. Well mostly it is...but there is still at least one more game to be played and I really want to see a Cal win, not only because its Stanford, but also because I believe that a Bowl game at AT&T Park would be a lot of fun. It may not showcase the best football but the bar scene would be off the hook just like a Giants game but only filled with more passionate fans -- Cal fans. How I envision it, the pre-game feel would be very similar to the Insight Bowl in 2003 -- probably my favorite Cal game I have been to and one of my more "memorable" pre-games. For those who don't remember, that game showcased an upstart Cal team that was less talented then their Hokie opponent (which I think was a turkey) who at one point in the season was ranked #3 with a 6-0 record. Virgina Tech would free fall at the end of the season and finish 8-5 and unranked after a shootout loss to Cal in a game they should have won if not for numerous special team mistakes -- usually a strength of a Frank Beamer coached team. Damn! Hot start, disappointing finish and losses due to poor execution...I just realized that Cal is the 2003 Virgina Tech this year. Oh well, Beamer was able to recover from that disappointing season, key players graduating, and players leaving early for the NFL and lead VaTech to a Sugar Bowl berth the following year in 2004. So keep things in perspective Cal fans and relax. Things might not end up as bad as you think.
Too optimistic for your liking...read ahead.
I'll admit that I am a newbie, a young alum, when it comes to wisdom of Cal sports history. I have seen two years of Holmoe but only have read about previous years of suffering, false hopes, and disappointments. I do not have that emotional and psychological damage of a long suffering Bear fan. Take my friend for example, a Cal legacy who has seen it all. I asked him this week what I should write about on this bye week that hasn't been beaten to death. Without hesitation, as if he had prepared for this moment, my friend proceeded to develop a piece for me to write about. He even had a title for it: The Curse of the Bear. I have to admit, its a damn good title and an interesting concept especially for those who are not too familiar with Cal history -- although I must warn readers the following content may be disturbingly pessimistic.
"The Curse of the Bear" is synonymous with the biogeochemical cycles (i.e. the carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle) -- the cycles of life . In life, essential elements are distributed as different compounds that are cycled through organic processes which eventually, with enough time, will return to the initial state of reference. According to "The Curse of the Bear," we have already reached this initial state without realizing it. The initial state is what is called the "pre-Holmoe Zone." During this time reference, Bill Snyder (not so much Keith Gilbertson), a good head coach, briefly put Cal in the national spotlight but could never win the big one to deliver the glory. In 1996, in his first and only year as Cal HC, Steve Mariucci started the season 6-0 before losing the next 6 finishing the season 6-6. That year the 49ners HC George Seifert resigned and the 49ners were in need of a HC. Mariucci accepted the position and left Cal to flounder in what is now known as the "Holmoe Zone." I believe no explanation is needed to define this later era. Does any of that sound familiar?
Currently, there are rumblings of a 49ner HC change after a disappointing year that had high expectations. Depending on how the team finishes, the 49ners could very well be looking for a new coach. Tedford, who has turned down multiple HC gigs at the pro and college ranks, always cited his happiness in his current situation and location. The 49ner position however, would not require him to move, allow his son to finish at his current high school, and would keep his wife happy. While a very paranoid idea, the 49ner position does not conflict with any of his previous criteria for staying at Cal besides his dedication to build a program at Cal. His dedication after this tumultuous season and the impending court ruling announcement on the SAHPC, is yet to be determined.
With the hypothetical departure of Tedford to the 49ners, Cal will be left to hire a Tom Holmoe reincarnation. Who would this Holmoe reincarnation be? Well, when Mariucci left, Cal hired the DC Tom Homoe as the new HC. We all know how that ended. Likewise, Cal's new Holmoesque HC would be Tedford's DC, Bob Gregory thus sending the program into what will be known as the "Gregory Zone" -- the next step in the cycle. Could Cal hire another good coach, for example a Lloyd Carr? Not according to my friend for life runs in cycles and history repeats itself. It is "The Curse of the Bear" and, as he so ominously states, is "inevitable."
So you probably wonder how I can possibly be a fan of Cal with a friend like that. I don't know either. But surprisingly there are a lot more experienced Cal fans who share similar sentiments. It's like Cal is the Chicago Cubs/former-Red Sox of college football with too many moments of almost. Another star crossed team guided by Murphy's law. Yet the nation knows nothing of the history of suffering that Cal fans have endured. I think that should change. All I know is when Cal finally reaches the pinnacle, it will release a heavy burden from fans who like my friend can seriously be a major downer -- especially when I'm trying to get my pre-game on.
But to happier thoughts. It is Thanksgiving which traditionally celebrated the conclusion of the harvest season and to basically give thanks that we are no longer hunter gatherers and well fed to survive the winter season. It has slightly evolved since but the theme of giving thanks for things we appreciate remain the same. So things I have been thankful for this season: An amazing Tennessee game with great fans, weather, and a win. The thrill of watching ESPN and hearing Cal mentioned every show for half the season -- good and bad. An epic Oregon game where things that went wrong for once actually happened to the opponent. And every single gameday which has been filled with great food and friends including my friend who sometimes manages to keep it a little too real for me.
Drive Safe
