Washington State Recap / Moving On

After huge wins over UCLA and Washington State, the state of the Bear Nation is predictably gloomy. Because that is what Cal fans are, sadly. The Bears went on the road to win at UCLA - the first road victory in LA for Jeff Tedford since he has been the Cal Coach - and were promptly saddled with the fact that UCLA sucks. So, they decimated Washington State by 32 points, and the questions keep coming: why did we give up so many (17) points? Why does the defense suck so much? We could never do this against a real team.

Never mind that in 11 offensive plays the Bears had 28 points and three consecutive three and outs. Or that, leading 35 to 3 three minutes into the 2nd quarter, they started rotating in the scrubs. The Bears defense sucks. We are doomed.

Eeyore was the yell leader of the guy sitting next to me at the game. I almost had to punch him.

Yes, we all want National Championships and undefeated seasons. But guess what - there are 120 other teams that also want that. So that means that, statistically speaking - since we have 5 already, we have about 500 years to wait for another one. So get over it. And start to enjoy the season that you have. The Bears are 5-2, and they have a reasonably good chance to go to 10-2. All of the remaining games are winnable. We have our two toughest remaining games at home. And if we go to 10-2, we have a chance at going to 11-2, which would be the best team that JT has assembled yet at Cal. And most of the team comes back next year, along with a new facility very far along, and the makings of a new stadium. Our funding is getting developed for long term success.

There is such a hunger for a BCS game right now that it is incredible. It is like Heroin for some of these guys. What is going to happen if we go and LOSE? I think there really could be people who end it all. If that is the case, man, just quit going. Give it up. It is not healthy and it is not good for society.

There are huge issues with the University right now. Funding issues, structural issues, legislative issues - essentially the future of the University is being threatened by the state legislature (who, by the way, is perfectly willing to build a stadium in LA). Focus some of your energy in getting those issues fixed. Focus your energy in writing you state senator and representative on these issues, instead of writing on message boards and article commentaries. The pain I hear out there is too much.

As far as it goes, if the BCS was set up for the last 12 years as it is today, the Bears probably would have gone twice - in 2004 and 2006. We will get our chance again. I think this year the Pac 10 gets two teams in, if Oregon and SC keep winning except against themselves. The Pac 10 is developing a reputation for being a good conference - better than in the past. That is good news and bad news for the Bears. If Oregon wins out, then it is no longer SC and the 9 dwarfs. Cal and SC would be tied for 2nd, and Oregon would get the nod. SC could go play Florida in the sugar bowl - a game people would pay a lot of money to see.

The Bears do have some issues on the team. The defensive secondary and the LBs look like they need some improvement, and the mindset of Kevin Riley is critical. That being said, these kids can improve and they will. And, regardless of what people say - it is not the schemes of the coaches that are causing these lapses. It is the execution of the field. That is the least fixable part of the game - fixable generally only through recruiting. So stop killing yourselves because the kids are not as good as you thought they were. Over time, we will get better.

GO BEARS!!