(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
When the game clock finally reached double zeros and mercifully ended Cal's most humiliating loss of the Jeff Tedford era, it occurred to me that I would have to write a column about the game for Bleacher Report.
Everything that I knew (or thought I knew) up to this point about the formerly No. 6 California Golden Bears football had been completely shattered, yet what could I use to describe a team that changed so drastically from one week to another?
And then, I was suddenly reminded of the following clip from Seinfeld:
George Costanza: It became very clear to me sitting out there today, that every decision I've ever made, in my entire life, has been wrong. My life is the opposite of everything I want it to be. Every instinct I have, in every of life, be it something to wear, something to eat...It's all been wrong.
Jerry Seinfeld: If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right.
That's it.
Simply put, Cal pulled a reverse George Costanza.
From the perspective of a Cal fan, I saw a Bears team that suddenly and completely abandoned all of its better instincts—all of the qualities that had gotten them on the cusp of a top-five ranking again.
Let's examine just a few of these transformations:
1. Steady quarterback play
Through the first three games, Kevin Riley wasn't spectacular, but made the big throws when he needed to (one of which, a long ball to Verran Tucker against Minnesota, was the most beautifully thrown passes I have ever seen).
In particular, he made two crucial throws to Jeremy Ross to set up the Bears' game-winning score against the Gophers.
In Autzen? He started out 0-for-4, and when he wasn't brought to the turf, he was missing receivers high, far, and out of bounds.
The junior finished 12-of-31 for 123 yards, and 50 of them came from one play.
2. Being opportunistic
Cal was one of the nation' s best at taking the ball away in 2008, and the first three games was no different. Most importantly, the Bears capitalized off of the turnovers.
A picture perfect example is against Maryland, where Cal used a fumbled kick-off return to go up 14-0 before the first quarter was half over.
Against Oregon? When recovering fumbles in Duck territory, Josh Hill and Jahvid Best must have thought
"No! We usually score off these gifts! That's too easy! Logically, the opposite would be to give the ball back right away to the Ducks!"
3. Jahvid Best being Jahvid Best
In barely 20 seconds on one first quarter carry against Maryland, the sensational junior running back already had a 73-yard touchdown.
It took him four quarters to end up with 53 yards.
Perhaps more shocking (and irritating) was the way he was used.
Again, I will simulate the Cal's thought process:
"Usually, releasing our most explosive player on the outside edge as much as possible to utilize his breakaway speed has worked. But again, we must do the opposite. Let's have him carry the ball into the center of the Oregon defense!"
4. Solid defense
Football Xs and Os experts could probably go on for paragraphs on end about how Ed Dickson and the Oregon running backs made Cal's entire defensive unit look silly.
But the stats do just as good a job, in a lot less space:
Most total yards allowed in a game prior to Oregon: 303, Maryland.
Total yards on offense for Oregon in the first half: 303.
5. Stopping the bleeding
Cal had answered opponents scores with runs of 31-0 (Maryland), 52-0 (Eastern Washington), and 14-0 (to pull away from Minnesota team that had tied the game).
On Saturday, despite opportunities in Oregon's territory, an 11-3 deficit became 25-3 by halftime, and so on...
If anyone else has a better way to explain yesterday's trouncing (and/or tips to stop my still lingering hangover), please comment.
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