I ask because the entire vibe–pregame and during–is different for the later starts.

The fraternities were up and drinking 3 hours before gametime and the entire crowd seemed pumped before kickoff. There has to be an additional edge to the home team.

The UCLA game reminded me of some great 5PM or later victories under JT:
1. Tennessee revenge game
2. Michigan State
3. Oregon with Dennis Dixon (my favorite game after the SC overtime)
4. Washington State (Joe Ayoob’s finest hour and the 707′s L. Cunningham with a key TD catch)
5. Arizona and S. Vareen’s 4th Q dash to seal the deal
6. Maryland revenge game after Javid’s barf the year before
7. Even the SC loss in the rain with Longshore’s late interception was exciting

Here’s to more fall memories.

Go Bears!

Yes, receivers getting separation, but it seems like it comes one of three ways- either right out of their break (of course), or perhaps either a blown coverage or just superior beast mode (Keenan and Rodgers). I think what helped a lot was the coaches simplified the playbook and approach for this Maynard passing game wise. He either threw on quicker 3 and 5 step drops or they rolled him out in the right situations. In those 2 scenarios, e didn’t have as much time to think/overthink about things or make as many post snap reads.I still need to watch the game on dvr again to be more sure.

I was on the other side, so couldn’t comment on ZM exhibiting more leadership, but that question made me think of something very cool that I didn’t mention earlier.

Between the 3rd and 4th quarters, while the TV audience was away I’m sure, both teams,- both teams came together on their respective sidelines in big huddles. Both had leaders/coaches in the middle getting their sides fired up. The game was still very much in doubt at this point. UCLA was fired up. But Cal- and I cant remember when I’ve seen this- the whole team, dressed out and street clothes, just turned into a fired up, mass of humanity, jumping up and down in a way that was unbelievable. It went on and on. It was like a volcano exploding, like a mosh pit.

The whole stadium, seeing fire we haven’t seen out of a Cal team in forever, went nuts. There was a sincerity and a feeling there that made you feel like these guys meant business and were going to find a way to win. IT came across that they REALLY cared and had fire and passion and knew they NEEDED to find a way to win. I can’t describe it well, but it was different that I’ve seen a Cal team in years. Then they went out and did it. It was really something,. Can they re-capture that EVERY week? I dont know, but if they did, we would see the Cal team we’ve been dying to see.

RE; play calling- I feel like for years, Tedford bring these OCs in, but they really aren’t true OCs, as Tedford runs what HE wants, not what they might want. Therefore, the revolving door at OC. Maybe he stepped back a bit and let Arroyo do more his think.

Don’t forget, not to rain on anyone’s good feelings- we still had 3 turnovers, all unforced and avoidable, all on Maynard. But UCLA had SIX TURNOVERS. They somewhat gave the game away, we tried to do the same, but in the end we stepped up and did what it took to win the game, even winning it handily in the 4th quarter.

Cross is articulate, bright, a gentleman, a stud and a hero to boot.

Dan, 707, Covina, and anyone else lucky enough to be at the game. Did zm seem like he was finally being a leader on the sidelines? On tv it definitely felt like he’s finally getting leadership part that comes with being qb.

Does it seem like the receivers are getting better separation than last year? (wc. It does to me. again on tv without benefit of high master shot)

General observation: I’m guessing/theorizing that m arroyo had to grow into the job as THE play caller. But, more importantly, I think jt and jm got out of his ear and just let him call the game and stopped micro managing. I’m guessing that’s why the delay of game penalties and t/o’s went down. ma’s calls are no going straight to zm.

PHENOMENAL post. One of the best I’ve read on here in a long time. You definitely outshone my ramblings above at #23.

One add to poart of your post baove. You so deftly stated… ” This is Cal and NOWHERE on campus should mediocrity reign. The Cal community was right to send a mediocre coach in Braun packing. And Cal will be right to send another mediocre coach packing at season’s end.”

What I would add, which I have many times in the past here, to this, is this … Sandy Barbour herself has stated MANY times that one of the main athletic department goals for every sports team at Cal is to win conference championships and challenge for national championships. Cal does this in many sports, but is NOWHERE near that in Football under Tedford. He was close to entering that realm for 2-3 years, but since 2007 mid-season, the program has fallen further and further away from SB’s stated goals. This major shortcoming exists in THE MOST IMPORTANT sport in the entire program.

So aside from the very well put “This is Cal and NOWHERE on campus should mediocrity reign”, Cal’s goal is greatness in everything. That will NEVER happen under Tedford. We have 6 consecutive seasons of proof.

Pre-game-

Arrived in town about 3:45. Just a GORGEOUS afternoon in Berkeley. Warm 75+ degrees, blue, blue skies, slight breeze. Just a perfect early October afternoon, the kind of day you know from your fondest memories.

Walked everywhere trying to find a place to hangout and watch the A’s and some college football. It dawned on me – Berkeley really kind of sucks these days for that type of pregame festivities where you want to sit, have a beer, order some food, watch some games on a few tvs, maybe with some windows so you don’t feel like you’re a shut in on a spectacular day. You know, a good/great sports bar/restaurant? Raleigh’s, gone (fire). Lavals gone. Looney’s gone. Blakes gone (now Pappy’s, completely different concept). Huge bummer. Anybody have any suggestions?

The Bear’s Lair was packed before 4, not a seat to be had, great weather outside, but about 100 freakin degrees inside where all the TVs are, wall to wall people, no food service anymore, and A’s game nowhere to be seen. EVERY tv has the same game (Texas-WVU). Clueless.

Ended up at Kips. A sweaty madhouse, got the only few seats left in the dark, ear splitting back room. Old, small lousy TVs blocked by hordes of obnoxious fUCLA fans. Couldn’t wait to eat (food is improved) and get out of there. Good place to go pre-basketball night game in the winter. Not on a gorgeous fall game day.
From there, over to Sproul Plaza to watch the band, up Bancroft past all the frats, the turn past the International House … that new view of the stadium in all its splendor. I will never get tired of that. On to Maxwell Family Field to hang, chat, watch the band come by. What a wonderful and beautiful slice of heaven.

The Game-

GREAT crowd, loud, it was all electric under the lights. I expected way more empty seats, so pleasantly surprised at the very solid turnout to watch a 1-4 team- homecoming and UCLA aside.

A couple of nice moments- during a first half timeout and the patriotic and moving halftime ceremonies, 1st Lieutenant (and former Cal TE) Garrett Cross was introduced in his Marine Dress Whites and represented the Marine Corps on the podium. Cut quite a figure, his 6′ 6″ frame, still looked like he could play, in those dress whites. Starkey interviewed him in the 2nd half, he just returned from deployment in Afghanistan. Should be very proud and appreciative of him and service and fine representation of Cal. Final note on Cross- didn’t know he played rugby at Cal a couple of year after he was done with football.

A funny note- with the halftime ceremony already under way, Sandy Barbour comes running out of the north tunnel, jogs under the goal post, cuts through the bands in formation, who were playing. She heads to the portable platform set up at midfield with Cross and other dignitaries, jogs right up the steps, goes to the podium mic, and without a pause of breath, launches into her short speech, introductions and the stadium re-dedication. I mean she made it right at that second. It looked really odd- like the heck was she? By Vince Lombardi standards, she was quite late. I hope she had a good reason.

Overall, I feel like last night proved what I have been saying for years. We have a LOT of good players, a lot of weapons, and that we should be way better than we are, and we are under-achievers under Tedford. Last night for the most part felt like it used to feel much earlier in the Tedford era.

Now, I have to say that this is the first time in I can’t remember when that we played pretty well and had a strong win against what seems to be a fairly decent team. Not sure yet how good UCLA is, but they certainly didn’t play well last night.

Going into last night, I would say that we would win 0-2 more games. After last night’s performance, I could see several additional wins beyond that, however, who knows what team will show up. I take my hat off to the team last night. They played with heart and lots of passion, and were frequently urging the home crowd to get even louder. If they can play like that last night, why not before this? It will be interesting to see where it goes from here.

Maynard- wished I could say it was a great game, but 1 bad pick that handed UCLA their first TD and then both fumbles on poorly executed hand offs- the guy can’t stop shooting himself and the team in the foot. I could have really said this was his best game otherwise, but 3 turnovers? That has, and will, kill us against a good team.

Was listening to game too, and Pawlawski said that the coaches had tweaked the offense, with Maynard rolling more and also getting rid of the ball on quick drops. And that worked. Many on here have been screaming for that- it’s obvious- and the coaches finally do it. Let’s see if they stick with that approach. It was great, but … where’s that been?

Defense finally got pressure on QB- it was great, but … where’s that been?

McClain played like a beast. Very impressive.

Bigelow- mixed bag here. So he can hardly get a look one game, and the next game he starts? Then he plays, and then disappears. All seemed kind of weird. Also, heard that on his touchdown that he was lined up in the wrong place. Also, interesting conversation with very reliable source. The net is that BB is a bit learning challenged. In the end, they guy is a ridiculous talent, beyond his explosive speed. You can see what he does when he gets the slightest bit of daylight.

I thought last night was my last game of the season. Its tough to avoid the pull of a wonderful fall Saturday in Strawberry Canyon. We’ll see.

But I did come home after the disappointment in SF, with no knowledge of the Cal outcome, and thoroughly enjoyed watching the Bears dominate their sister school!! I was surprised, to say the least. Had this Cal team played even 80% as well as they did Saturday night in their previous games, I think they could be 4-1 if not 5-0! And Tedford would be getting praise left and right.

But no, the team is 2-4, struggled to beat an FCS team in the cupcake game while smashing up a ripe team to be smashed – ucla, starting a freshman qb etc. There still in absolutely no excuse for losing to Nevada. And the osu game, well, we know how JT “went for it” during that game…more or less cementing his reputation as a, excuse my french, p_ssy coach unfit for winning tight, challenging games, much less a berth in the Rose Bowl.

So, to me, this game means:

1) it is great to beat ucla after losing to ALL 3 in-state rivals last year. And not only to win, but to win with inspired play for most of the game on both sides of the ball. Kudos to the coaching staff and players for the exciting game against a middling, mistake prone, opponent – maybe we swayed a recruit or two that ucla is not where they want to be next season?

2) Win or lose at wsu, I still think that CMS is mostly full for the early BG on the 20th. Thus the program’s coffers not suffer TOO much on THE big payday of the year for the Cal sports community. I will be there with friends and family, wasn’t so sure about that 2 days ago.

3) Tedford gets a slightly longer leash because maybe one or two of the wealthy donors who were in attendance decided NOT to write that check contributing towards the inevitable buyout…crap.

I remember that Braun’s Bears would tease us with inspired ball once in a while – as JT’s teams have for the last 7+ years, setting us up for the inevitable disappointment. I was at Haas in 2006 vs ucla with a championship on the line and I just KNEW that Howland was going to make the necessary adjustments at HT, while Braun would definitely not. ucla won the game and the title on our home court.

We Cal fans are not dumb. We see the OVERALL ARC of a program and decide if that is the product of over or under achievement. If a team is over-achieving, a la Tedford’s early teams and ALL of Monty’s teams, then us fans generally give the coach all the slack in the world and come to revere them – that’s how I felt about early JT, Bruce Snyder, and Monty right now.

But if the opposite is true, if we sense an under-achieving squad then we pounce, as we should. This is Cal and NOWHERE on campus should mediocrity reign. The Cal community was right to send a mediocre coach in Braun packing. And Cal will be right to send another mediocre coach packing at season’s end.

The brutal truth is that ultimately, this game meant nothing. As Sick Boy says in Trainspotting when contemplating Sean Connery’s acting carrer: “All I’m trying to do is help you understand that The Name of The Rose is merely a blip on an otherwise uninterrupted downward trajectory.”

Willie Taggart anyone?

Dave, I’m a bit more optimistic as I think we can get to 6-6… IF IF IF Maynard plays well. If he returns to high passes or passes behind the targets we could easily go 3-9.

Best Player not named Allen- CJ Anderson. Beastmode. Reminds me of Lynch.

Biggest Surprise: Avery Sebastian & Kameron Jackson. These two young DB studs have had great games AND made a big impact the past few weeks. Treggs & Harper a close second as true freshmen. Sorry guys, but Bigelow was expected to be a playmaker. It’s sad he was wasted last year with little action burning his redshirt.

Biggest Disappointment: OLine. Granted injuries have played a major role in why this group looks so bad, but I cant help but wonder if Coach Miz was not the OC would he have more time to focus on the OL.

RollonyouBears- there was something magical Saturday night in CMS. I didn’t like the extra late start, but TV times now rule the Pac12. I’d love 4 or 5pm games all season. Noon kickoffs are just too damn early.