Bye Week Relief

Well, I have to say that I am relieved with the Bye Week.  There was a lot of pressure last week on us poor fans, and although I am very glad we won, it just makes every week with a game so much more intense.  I know that this is the best thing about College Football - kind of like a game show where you have to get everything right, or you lose it all.  That is the situation that Cal is in with a number 3 ranking.  Not that the season would not be great if we finished 11 -2 with a top 15 ranking, but really, after you have tasted top 3, it would be a bit of a disappointment.

So having a bye week takes a bit of the pressure off.  I think that is good for the team, as well as the fans.  It gives a bit of time for some perspective.  And it allows us to breath a bit.

In fact, as I think about it, I would be very interesting if Ohio State to move up a spot this week while we were idle.  I wonder what the impact would be on the team - I think JT would simply say - you know you have nothing to do with it - the only thing you can do it win every game and then you force the issue.

At this point in the season, Cal is in the driver's seat - if we win every game, we will be the National Champions.  While that is sort of true every year, this is as close as we have ever come.  I think giving the team time off now gives them time to digest the new reality, and gives them time to focus on a critical week of practice next week.

The one interesting aspect of this is that the game that was traded to give us the bye this year - vs Washington - could be against a much improved Washington team with a more seasoned QB by the end of the year, in a pretty hostile environment.  I hope that does not come back to bite us.  But, clearly, the rest now is more important.