What's The Ugliest Cal Football Victory You've Watched?
by Avinash on Nov 2, 2009 7:15 PM PST
in Football
131 comments
Let's face it. Cal fans who've come up under Tedford have had it easy. When Cal wins, it's usually a thing of beauty. The offense is gelling, the yards start piling, the running backs get scoring, the quarterbacks unleashing, the defenses dealing. We have these types of wins 2/3rds of the time--back in the Dark Ages, the Bears were lucky to pull it together more than once or twice a year.
However, last week's win? For 90 percent of the game, it was none of those things. It didn't even have the feel of a scrappy underdog giving a better team all it can handle before finally succumbing at the last moment. It was two teams playing grimy, their mistakes holding back any real offensive momentum. Turnovers, penalties, no running game by either side gave this one an odd feel, from start to finish. It was one of those games that probably left you shaking your head in disgust, pulling your hair in exasperation, or dousing more beer in gloominess on a number of plays.
And you know what? That's ok. Football isn't cricket; there are a good number of times you have to go and win the dirty ones too. And at the end of the day, an ugly triumph is recorded no differently than a beautiful one--a W.
I open up the floor to the readers, since I know this won't even scrap the top 50 of the aesthetically unpleasing triumphs the Bears have had to scrap through in the past. What are the ugliest Cal football victories you've watched and why?
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In person, it was definitely the WSU game in 2007. 20-17 win, a limping Nate Longshore can’t throw the ball longer than 10 yards, we let a bad Cougar team hang around all night until Forsett finally breaks free for a long TD run to basically put it away. And then we even let them score a late TD to make the score uncomfortably close.
Not to surprising that this was the only win out of our horrible post-Oregon collapse that season. If it had been a better opponent or not at home, it probably would have been another bad loss.
by sycasey on Nov 2, 2009 7:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
I was going to say that
That game wasn’t over until the Hawk caught the ball on a leaping catch to end WSU’s onside try.
I still think they didn’t make the 2-pt conversion.
In other words, Go Bears!
by royrules22 on Nov 2, 2009 7:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I remember joking with other fans in our section after the game that “Hey, we’re bowl eligible!” At the time, I was just kind of assuming that of course we’d beat Washington and Stanford! I mean, we’re not THAT bad, right?
Little did we know that the uninspiring WSU result would actually turn out to be the last win of the regular season. Yikes.
by sycasey on Nov 2, 2009 7:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I agree. Definitely the worst in recent memory. Leaving the stadium, I remember shaking my head and telling my buddies, half mockingly, “At least we’re bowl eligible now.” Sadly, that would be our last win until the Armed Forced Bowl.
This Is Our House. 63000±9000 Strong.
by minesweeper on Nov 2, 2009 7:46 PM PST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Are you……….sycasey???
President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
by TwistNHook on Nov 2, 2009 8:07 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Huh. Apparently my reaction to that game wasn’t very… unique.
This Is Our House. 63000±9000 Strong.
by minesweeper on Nov 2, 2009 8:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
This is my vote for ugliest win of the Tedford Era. So bad, a win almost felt like a loss.
So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!
by ragnarok on Nov 2, 2009 8:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
That was the only game I attended in 07. On the one hand, I’m SOOOO glad we actually won that game. On the other hand, it sucked donkeys hard. This game gets my vote as well.
Costs assessed against Twist
by CALumbus Bear on Nov 3, 2009 9:23 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
That was the only game I didn't attend.
And I’m glad I skipped it.
Stand the whole game, stay to the end, and start yelling while they're still in the huddle. GO BEARS
by JerrottWillard45 on Nov 4, 2009 4:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Yes
Cal Football: It could happen!
by CalBandGreat on Nov 3, 2009 9:46 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Cal 20, WSU 17 was pretty bad.
Oregon St 3, Pitt 0 was awful to watch, though the football wasn’t necessarily that ugly.
Whose domicile? OUR DOMICILE!
by Berkelium97 on Nov 2, 2009 7:38 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Dude, that was one of my favorite bowls of last year. I think both of Oregon State’s DEs had 5 sacks a piece or something ridiculous like that. In crazy wind no less! Yeah, that was my favorite bowl besides the Emerald bowl. Non-stop Pain Train of Bill Stull
STAY THIRSTY, MY FRIENDS
by Thoroughbred on Nov 2, 2009 7:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Somehow that guy is the 3rd rated passer in the country this season. Man, what the hell did Cignetti do.
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
by AERose on Nov 2, 2009 8:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
He got the OL to be competent to good. It was jaw-dropping seeing the entire Pitt line act like turnstiles in the Sun Bowl. Victor Butler would blow on the LT, and he’d lay out a red carpet right to the QB
STAY THIRSTY, MY FRIENDS
by Thoroughbred on Nov 2, 2009 8:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I loved that game. Pitt’s east coast media heralded RB failed to do anything against an injury depleted OSU. It was lulz.
by GBB4188 on Nov 2, 2009 8:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Cal 20 Wisconsin 14 1989 Driving rainstorm Misery Horrible football with 2 horrible teams bad dreams
Goin' balls deep with Cal since 1972!
by Fire Starkey on Nov 2, 2009 7:45 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
I agree on this one
In fact, I was in the middle of posting on this game when Fire Starkey’s post came up on my screen.
We actually came into that season with some (unfounded prolly) optimism. It was year 3 of the Synder era. We had a senior QB in Troy Taylor and some okay guys on offense around him. We came into the game 0-2, but had lost to 2 games on the road. Wisconsin was truly bad (it was the last year before Barry Alvarez) and they would go on to finish 2-9 that year. We expected an easy win. But it was a mistake fest that was still a game late into the 4th quarter. We needed a defensive stop at the end to win.
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 2, 2009 7:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
That was my first Cal game as a student, back in the day when you could leave at halftime, get drunk again, and come back in the 3rd quarter. I remember nothing about the actual game. In fact the only thing I remember was Oski sauntering up to where we were sitting and drinking a screwdriver through a long straw that was coming out of his eye.
by KikiRevenge on Nov 3, 2009 6:25 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Danzig
Hey, I went to Addicted to Quack to find out more about Oregon killing USC and I see Danzig has created a highlight video for them. I feel like a jilted lover. Is he a Bear, or is he a freelance video maker? Is he paid? I thought all that cool video we had was a sign he was a devoted Bear, but now it looks like he’s a mercenary. What’s the story?
by Calbear91 on Nov 2, 2009 7:51 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
haha, he’s a devoted Bear… and a generous Pac-10 fan. some of us at CGB are chums with these weird AtQ fellows.
STAY THIRSTY, MY FRIENDS
by Thoroughbred on Nov 2, 2009 8:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
YOU WERE DANZIG’S LOVER, TOO!?!??!?!?!
Is there nothing sacred anymore?
President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
by TwistNHook on Nov 2, 2009 8:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Unlike TwistNVichy, danzig gets the benefit of the doubt for his years of unparalleled positive service to CGB. I think we can assume that he inserted subliminal pro-Cal messages in those videos or something subversive like that.
Costs assessed against Twist
by CALumbus Bear on Nov 3, 2009 9:27 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Wait there's a Calbear81 AND Calbear91?!
Cal Football: It could happen!
by CalBandGreat on Nov 3, 2009 9:47 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Dishonorable mention
Cal 27, Oregon State 14 in 1991.
We came into the game ranked 5th in the country with a 7-1 record, with the only loss being the epic game vs. Washington. Game was in Corvallis on a dark, dreary Saturday at what was then known as Parker Stadium. It was a totally lackadaisical performance. We got a blocked punt for a TD by Jerrott Willard and led 14-0, if memory serves, but then sort of didn’t do much on offense, even with all the weapons we had. Oregon State had Jerry Pettibone as its coach back then and ran the wishbone. The Beavs pulled to within 13 points of us and then had a long TD run in the 4th quarter (which would’ve made it 27-21) called back because of a holding penalty.
Because of the Oregon State wishbone offense and the lack of TV coverage, I remember the game was freakishly short. About 2 hours, 35 minutes. But it was ugly, so at least we got out of there faster.
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 2, 2009 7:55 PM PST reply actions 3 recs
Bingo. I usually like option football, but Pettibone’s option football was sooooo putrid that you started to feel sorry for OSU. To put it in context, WSU would beat ‘91 OSU by twenty exciting points. That Cal vs. OSU game wasn’t televised and I remember hearing the sound of wet feet on the turf and Joe Starkey talking about how people at OSU didn’t support their team.
by BlackandOldGold on Nov 2, 2009 9:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I was calling the game for KALX that day. Starkey was in the next booth, the closest to him I ever remember being during a broadcast. We could see him the whole game; we were only separated by a glass partition.
The game was blah. The stadium back then was a far cry from Reser now. It was a lot smaller and that day it wasn’t close to full. Attendance was prolly about 20,000. And it was a cold, overcast, dreary day. I suspected that the atmosphere sucked a lot of Cal’s enthusiasm on the field. To the credit of OSU’s fans, the place got kinda loud when the Beavs scored a touchdown on a fake option pass downfield (gasp!). Oddly, though, it seemed that the crowd energy gave us some energy and we answered with a score of our own. It quieted the crowd — which in turn quieted ourselves!
I remember feeling bummed about the win (I was young and stupid), thinking it would hurt us in the polls.
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 3, 2009 6:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
If I remember correctly, the quarterback for OSU was from Texas and he was supposedly a master at running the option. And to be fair, I think he would have done well in today’s spread option. But OSU ran the WISHBONE, and I mean this was like watching Texas and Oklahoma in the 1970s with tearaway jerseys. And our linebackers just ate up gaps because Pac 10 defenses were too quick. For some reason, maybe it was maudlin, but I liked watching highlights of OSU, particularly when they won. It was like watching the slow kid win the spelling bee.
by BlackandOldGold on Nov 3, 2009 4:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I'll need to check my childhood collection of ticket stubs to be sure, but I think I was at that game.
Those were thin years. My aunt was going to OSU so my mom (sometimes my dad would come—he was pretty disgusted with OSU football) would take me to go watch beaver hoops, football and baseball and pay a visit to my aunt.
I remember a near empty stadium regularly. It was a sad place then… I always wondered when the other fans were showing up, as if the place was going to fill up…
Speaking of WSU, I think they are headed to some dark, dark times, similar to what we experienced here in Corvallis. Brace yourselves, Cougs!
by ArbyOSU on Nov 3, 2009 10:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Rec'd for mentioning my name. Rec'd for a game during the time I was a student.
And I remember listening to that game on the radio, and the joy of that holding penalty on OSU.
And the wishbone….((shudder))…the wishbone.
Stand the whole game, stay to the end, and start yelling while they're still in the huddle. GO BEARS
by JerrottWillard45 on Nov 4, 2009 4:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
There Has Never Been an Ugly Cal Victory
I have been to so many horrible Cal defeats, that every victory is beautiful to me.
by CalBear81 on Nov 2, 2009 8:01 PM PST reply actions 3 recs
rec'd for old blueness.
Go Bears Go
by Rocksanddirt on Nov 2, 2009 8:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm an old blue too....
…..and I didn’t see the game I’m about to suggest, only hearing it on radio, but the 2001 “victory” at Temple before a crowd of 5,000 or something in Veterans Stadium HAS TO BE counted as ugly…NAY….the ugliest.
by ohsooso on Nov 3, 2009 3:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
oh wait
I meant the RUTGERS game in 2001. And that was in New Jersey as well documented below. I think we played another unimpressive game against Temple on the road one year, but it wasn’t near as bad as the Rutgers game.
by ohsooso on Nov 3, 2009 3:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
And as SOON as I hit the reply button...
….I realized we beat Temple 58-0. I’m sure it was still unimpressive.
by ohsooso on Nov 3, 2009 3:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
You might also be thinking of the horrible 1979 Garden State Bowl in which we actually lost to the Owls.
by CalBear81 on Nov 3, 2009 4:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Cal-Oregon 2008 was pretty ugly. 8 total turnovers (5 of which were Cal’s and 4 were fumbles). There was also that blown snap that led to a Cal safety, several missed field goals, and a fumbled punt return. To top things off, Masoli couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn that day and half the field turned into an Olympic-size swimming pool.
Whose domicile? OUR DOMICILE!
by Berkelium97 on Nov 2, 2009 8:06 PM PST reply actions 3 recs
Ohhh yeah, gotta rec that one. It was ugly, but hey, a win’s a win!
CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.
by BearStage on Nov 3, 2009 1:12 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I actually liked that win just for Longshore's performance
Longshore, the Oregon killer
In other words, Go Bears!
by royrules22 on Nov 3, 2009 10:54 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Nate Longshore: He Could Always Beat Oregon
STAY THIRSTY, MY FRIENDS
by Thoroughbred on Nov 3, 2009 12:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
It was ugly for several reasons, however I could forgive some of the ugliness because of the weather, and also Riley and Best being banged up and unable to go after the 1st quarter. Also, Oregon was a good opponent, so it wasn’t one of those where we suck and only win because WSU/Rutgers/OrSt sucks more.
Also, I recall being hugely impressed by the defense (Follett especially) and also Longshore’s relief performance (not spectacular, but completing passes at all was no easy task on that day). For some of these others, there was just nothing much to be impressed with about how Cal played.
by sycasey on Nov 3, 2009 11:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Beating the Ducks is Bad?
I loved that game, sloppy as hell, but with plenty of exciting football. Besides, it made it three in row over the Ducks, and they were so sure they were going to win that game, and they thought the rain would help them.
by Cugel on Nov 3, 2009 12:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Ugliest game I’ve been to as a fan as well. Maybe 10,000 or so (maybe less!) fans that stuck around for the entire game. I saw a recording of the broadcast that night and remembered how it looked just like any other rainy football game. It wasn’t. It was pretty bad.
Remember that pond at the 20 yard line or so? Or did it become a lake. Yeah, it was pretty bad.
I had NO issues with our fans that left early that day.
by nickle on Nov 4, 2009 2:37 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I was there for the whole game
And spent $5 to buy a blue garbage bag to use as a poncho and was soaked to the skin. But the place (from the student section) sounded as loud as it did during “normal” (i.e. non big) games.
In other words, Go Bears!
by royrules22 on Nov 4, 2009 10:12 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Ugly Victory?
Cal victories are like your children. Each is beautiful.
On ATQ I'm known as JSoCal Oski
It's spelled J-etc
by SoCal Oski on Nov 2, 2009 8:13 PM PST reply actions 3 recs
rec'd for old blueness.
Go Bears Go
by Rocksanddirt on Nov 2, 2009 8:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Cal 20, Rutgers 10. Two of the worst college football teams I’ve ever seen, playing a completely meaningless game the day after Thanksgiving in a more-empty-than-not jumped-up high school stadium, with a crappy band and crappy fans in a crappy state that I was sorely glad to leave the next day (Newark is such a cesspool that public urination just seemed like the right thing to do). Plays that never worked all season long suddenly succeeded wildly because Rutgers’ defense was that bad. Rutgers kept running into the line for little gain, because, why not? It was like watching a pair of kittens fight, except that each kitten was trapped in its own, separate paper bag. There was no reason to stage this event, especially after 9/11 postponed it in the first place.
So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!
by ragnarok on Nov 2, 2009 8:26 PM PST reply actions 3 recs
We have a very depressing winner. Thanks be to Bak Bak for Tedford!
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
by norcalnick on Nov 2, 2009 8:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
My reply to this was too long...
So I made a fanpost.
by paleodan on Nov 3, 2009 1:04 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
This is a great fanpost
Check it out people.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash on Nov 3, 2009 7:22 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
We can haz ferst down?
CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.
by BearStage on Nov 3, 2009 1:46 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
It was like watching a pair of kittens fight, except that each kitten was trapped in its own, separate paper bag.
This is the best description of a horrible sporting event ever.
dboneisloose
by HolmoePhobe on Nov 3, 2009 9:43 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
This is it
Sorry, suggested it just above to the old blue who thinks every Cal victory is beautiful.
by ohsooso on Nov 3, 2009 3:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm gonna go with the "Tokyo Bowl" in 1987?
a bad to midling Cal Team v. a bad to midling Washington State team
in Tokyo.
on Thanksgiving.
a lame off that ended in a tie.
I was there and i don’t even remember the game.
Go Bears Go
by Rocksanddirt on Nov 2, 2009 8:58 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
Flagged for counting a tie as a victory.
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 2, 2009 9:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
in those days, it was.
Go Bears Go
by Rocksanddirt on Nov 2, 2009 9:20 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
rec’d for recognizing the small victories!
CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.
by BearStage on Nov 3, 2009 1:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Red’d for attending a Cal football game in Toyko.
by CalBear81 on Nov 3, 2009 10:06 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
A win is a win. The only thing ugly is me after a loss.
by MBT91_78 on Nov 2, 2009 9:02 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
What about before the game?
President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
by TwistNHook on Nov 2, 2009 9:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
let's not go there.....
Go Bears Go
by Rocksanddirt on Nov 2, 2009 9:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I asked for that one...
My wife calls it “Bear” mode. It is a rough weekend when Cal and the Raiders lose (the chances of a Raider loss are usually pretty good).
by MBT91_78 on Nov 2, 2009 9:54 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
Rec’d for feeling the exact same way in the fall… And having GFs get mad at me for “not having me to themselves” in the fall.. Its football season… C’mon I’ll be back to sanity in 16 weeks…
Undefeated in Southern California since Oct. 2009...
by CruzinBears on Nov 3, 2009 9:12 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Any win in which Joe Ayoob played.
CGB: Resisting Hope Since 2007
by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 3, 2009 12:27 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Really? ALL of those seven wins were ugly?
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash on Nov 3, 2009 12:50 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Sac state 48-3 or whatever it was was one of the worst offensive performances I’ve seen.
CGB: Resisting Hope Since 2007
by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 3, 2009 11:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Wasn’t that the one where Ayoob had zero competions all game?
dboneisloose
by HolmoePhobe on Nov 3, 2009 12:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Yup, that was the game
Final score was 41-3.
The memorable plays were Jackson’s punt return TD (first of his Cal career) and Steve Levy’s TD pass to Noah Smith in the 4th quarter.
Of course, Nate’s injury was a memorable play, in a bad way.
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 3, 2009 1:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Flagged for not showing the proper deference to our more “wise” commentors.
President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
by TwistNHook on Nov 3, 2009 7:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Whew!
I thought someone would’ve taken mine, although the only way anyone would have seen my ugliest Cal win would’ve have been part of the Cal football team in 1995, a very small contingent of Cal Straw Hat Band, one of my two friends or a Cal alum who lived in Oregon.
So 1995. My friends and I took a look at the schedule and noticed – hey, of the 5 road games, we’d only have to leave the state for Oregon State and Arizona. “let’s go see every game this year” – a horrible decision in hindsight as we limped to a 3-8 season.
The 7th game that season, we flew up to Portland to stay with my friend’s friend who had graduated from Cal the year before and was living and working in Portland. We woke up early the morning of the game and got in her VW Microbus (She WAS a Cal grad) and drove down to Corvallis. Along the way we stopped in a diner for breakfast – dressed head to toe in blue and gold. “Those guys must be from California” the one of the patron’s at the diner said.
We get to Corvallis and park at Parker Stadium for our tailgate. We have homemade hummus and beer and – on further review I believe that was the only thing we had to eat. Oh and a big bag of apple jolly ranchers (what I usually brought to games – and whenever we scored a touchdown, I’d throw a bunch in the air. I’m not really sure why).
One of my friends on the trip had a blue Cal sweatshirt and I had the same exact sweatshirt in gray – it said California above and Berkeley below and in the middle was a silhoutte of a bear. Whenever we needed luck we would both go “rub the bear. rub the bear.” We said it a lot that season.
So the game. I honestly don’t remember very much. OSU had some of the nicest smelling port-a-potties I’ve ever pissed in. It was sprinkling rain. We sat with the local Cal Alumni Association in the corner. The Pettibone offense was in full effect, except this was the season they added the forward pass – so whenever they completed one, the scoreboard graphic would have Benny the Beaver throwing a pass – then the graphic “The PASS is now an OPTION!” In front of us were two obnoxious OSU fans who would turn around and talk trash. Keep in mind this was the era that OSU was one of the worst teams in the country. Temple bad. Or WSU currently. We threw green jolly ranchers at them until they went away – most of the alumni section was older anyways, so it wasn’t much fun to harass.
So the game – well, despite OSU being historically bad, we didn’t get a win until scoring a touchdown on a Pat Barnes sneak and hitting the extra point with about 2 minutes left on the clock. Even worse, Barnes was thrown out of the game for taunting. Taunting. We just won 13-12 over the worst team in the pac. Arrrgh.
It was freezing by the time we got to the Microbus – one of my friends was smart enough to climb into the back and sleep on the engine to keep warm. We froze all the way back to Portland – arriving around 10pm then went to Le Bistro Montage for late night Spicy Spam and Mac, Oyster Shooters and rude waitresses.
And then SWA back to Oakland on Sunday.
by LeonPowe on Nov 3, 2009 12:49 AM PST reply actions 4 recs
Holy epicness Batman.
Rec’d, especially for “The PASS is now an OPTION!” Too much funny.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash on Nov 3, 2009 12:53 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
That reminds me of the Minnesota game this year. Every time Minnesota got a first down, the PA announcer would yell, “And that’s another Golden Gopher…” (and then the announcer and the entire crowd would yell simultaneously) “FIRST DOWN!!” And this big “FIRST DOWN” graphic would appear on all the jumbo screens.
It was pretty damn ridiculous, but the crowd loved it. I’ve never seen a team/fanbase so excited about first downs.
CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.
by BearStage on Nov 3, 2009 1:23 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
This is pretty common nationwide. When I went to go see the K-State vs. Cal opening game in 2003 (in “neutral site” Kansas City, MO) the Kansas State annoucer would do the same thing.
Also, I kind of remember the same thing happening in Pullman in 1998 when I went there for THAT beatdown, I mean loss.
by LeonPowe on Nov 3, 2009 1:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
When we went to Illinois in 2003, the PA announcer there would do a farily subded announcement of the result of the play (e.g., “Halsey the ball carrier, a gain of four yards..”), followed by a pregnant pause, and then an ear popping yell:
“FIRST DOWN FOR THE ILLINI !!!!!!!”
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 3, 2009 5:59 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
That’s not nearly as bad as when Minnesota scored a touchdown, and the PA announcer yelled, “That’s six points in the Bank!”
So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!
by ragnarok on Nov 3, 2009 8:09 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I wonder if that’s part of the deal with the naming rights for the stadium?
by turkey on Nov 3, 2009 10:16 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I wish we could save our points in a bank for later usage…
CGB: Resisting Hope Since 2007
by Spazzy Mcgee on Nov 3, 2009 11:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
If everyone could do that, we’d never beat USC.
CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.
by BearStage on Nov 3, 2009 10:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
haha i thought that was kinda clever :-)
but still f***ing annoying because it meant 6 more points for Minnesota.
CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.
by BearStage on Nov 3, 2009 10:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Ugh we were sitting next to this rather large woman (and coming from me I really really mean it) who kept going crazy for the first down calls.
In other words, Go Bears!
by royrules22 on Nov 3, 2009 10:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Indiana has a first down dance which is quite fun after a few.
CougCenter WSU's second main blog
by Dancing Football on Nov 3, 2009 10:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
WSU does that too. Very annoying – fortunately there were not a lot of them in the game I witnessed there.
by tmoran3020 on Nov 3, 2009 11:55 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Your mom is annoying.
CougCenter WSU's second main blog
by Dancing Football on Nov 3, 2009 12:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Well played.
CougCenter WSU's second main blog
by Dancing Football on Nov 3, 2009 12:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Awesome story
I love those horrible days that completely redeem themselves by being an epic tale later on.
by USAFGoldenBear on Nov 3, 2009 4:43 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
That sounds almost as horrible as a roadie my buddies and I made to Arizona for a game one year.
God, I really, really hate Arizona.
On ATQ I'm known as JSoCal Oski
It's spelled J-etc
by SoCal Oski on Nov 3, 2009 7:22 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
My senior year
We drove (yes drove!) to Tucson. . . .TWICE. First for the football game (a totally unremarkable 20-15 loss – who scores 15 points? was that 5 field goals? ugh. I can’t even remember) and then another road trip on the last weekend of the basketball season, where we actually had a chance to pull the upset off in McKale, but Jelani Gardner turned the ball over twice in the last two minutes. The good news was we timed our trip back to Berkeley perfectly so that we were in Los Angeles near my house when the NCAA draw was announced. We made the tournament . . . round 1 in Dallas, against Kelvin Cato and the Iowa State Cyclones. Ugh, another horrible road trip. I’ll save that for basketball season.
by LeonPowe on Nov 3, 2009 9:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
The team or the state?
…‘cause I think the state is pretty damn cool. I mean, I’m not thrilled with the relative monochromaticity of its populace, but hey, that’s a lot of places.
CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.
by BearStage on Nov 3, 2009 10:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
This is painful. I can confirm my presence at this game. Freshman year of HS.
All I can remember thinking is how close I was to witnessing a PAC 10 win for the Beavs… My life used to be so Coug-like it’s not even funny.
by ArbyOSU on Nov 3, 2009 10:12 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I do not believe either team won that day. But OSU didn’t win a tiny bit more.
by LeonPowe on Nov 3, 2009 6:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
+1 for the rude waitresses
The Montage is renowned for rude waitresses and its flexible standards for cleanliness in the kitchen. Servers with B.O. and community seating have always turned me off of this place. Love the way they wrap the leftovers though.
by ArbyOSU on Nov 3, 2009 10:14 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
The opening hours were very strange too – something like 4pm to 4am?
It was a lot of fun though, after a freezing cold day of riding around in a VW Microbus. Did I mention we tailgated with only homemade hummus, pita bread and beer? And I don’t even drink!
(I believe it was Two Dogs Ale)
by LeonPowe on Nov 3, 2009 6:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
1998 24-14 over WSU (2nd Year of the Holmoecaust)
We only had ~200 yards of offense and our defense outscored both teams’ offenses combined (21-17). We only had 12 FDs and they only had 11. Our lone offensive points (a FG) came after a turnover where we lost yardage in the three plays after the turnover. There were 9 turnovers total between the two teams.
by forgebond on Nov 3, 2009 6:27 AM PST reply actions 2 recs
Sounds suspiciously like Cal-Oregon 2008 (eight turnovers, three led to 10-15 yard fields for offensive touchdowns), although this looks much worse.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash on Nov 3, 2009 7:36 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Arizona 96
This was (and may still be) the longest OT game in College Football History. It went to something like 8 OTs, and since the stadium was so empty, Mooch asked the student section to move to either end of the stadium depending on which way the ball was being driven. We ended up winning when Dick Tomey (or was it Mackovic?) finally had enough and went for 2 when a PAT would have tied it (again). Sure, Cal won, and it was kind of fun and silly running back and forth, but damn was that an ugly game. It also resulted in the NCAA rule that you have to go for 2 after a certain number of OT sessions.
by Oznog on Nov 3, 2009 10:35 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
Ooh that's a good one
Oznog, would you be interested in writing a fanpost on the game for next week before Arizona?
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash on Nov 3, 2009 11:18 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
We established a CFB rule that day!!!!!!
8th quarter’s ours! 8th quarter’s ours! 8th quarter’s ours! 8th quarter’s ours! 8th quarter’s ours!
And wasn’t that game another epic session of the student section shuffle down to either end of the field to watch the OT? …. man Memorial before seating regulations was an interesting place…
Undefeated in Southern California since Oct. 2009...
by CruzinBears on Nov 3, 2009 11:37 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
If he doesn't want to
I can.
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 3, 2009 11:46 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
EPIC game
I loved that game. We didn’t have lights, so I’m pretty sure the reason he went for the fake FG 2 point conversion was just as a “well, it’s getting dark – lets either win or lose it right now.”
Since the entire student section went to the endzone of the play (and I don’t think Holmoe requested this, it was just mic-men being fantastically obnoxious I think), I saw the stop at the goal-line right from the goal-line at about the 20th row. Awesome, awesome experience.
BTW although yes the stadium was empty (by today’s standards), there were still plenty of people sitting where the students pushed into. They were none the too pleased. Fortunately every OT would go to the other side so we left them shortly…
by tmoran3020 on Nov 3, 2009 12:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Errr...
Fake extra point → 2 point conversion I mean.
by tmoran3020 on Nov 3, 2009 12:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
there were still plenty of people sitting where the students pushed into. They were none the too pleased.
Yeah, I was in one of those sections (the Young Alumni section). It was odd, but I don’t remember being too annoyed by it. I liked the enthusiasm and the noise.
I was so exhausted after that game. And had no voice left.
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 3, 2009 1:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Hehe. Well I’m glad I didn’t piss at least one fan off then. I remember getting yea olde stink eye from one lady in the third OT (north end zone if memory serves).
Awesome game, I don’t think it can qualify for ugliest cause of the amazing finish.
by tmoran3020 on Nov 3, 2009 1:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I think it was the mic men and not the coach. the mic men were ROWDY that year, and it was awesome. If not for the mic men, we wouldn’t have had the fracas after the Big Game that year. Rushing the field, demolishing the Tree(literally)…all after a loss. Ahhh, good times.
CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.
by BearStage on Nov 3, 2009 10:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
It was Tomey. The rule’s called the Tomey Rule.
Also, this was my vote. Also, like WSU 2007, it was our only win after a 5-0 start. Except that in 2007, we actually won our bowl game.
-kat
by katster on Nov 3, 2009 12:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
in the 12 years of watching Cal football
I can’t remember an ugly win. Mostly cuz I was reared during the holmoe-caust and a victory is sweet no matter what the score is or how ugly the game was. Even some of the recent ones mentioned above like the Wash St-Cal game in 2007 or the Oregon win of last year were great. Wash St was great cuz we stopped that prolonged losing streak (if only for one game). The Oregon win last year was gritty and I’m glad we pulled out the win. I only remember ugly losses. Start a post about that and I can easily give you my top 5.
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory...
by Hey Bowles Hall! on Nov 3, 2009 10:37 AM PST reply actions 0 recs
My ugliest wins of the HolmoeCaust...
Weren’t actually wins (we called them “moral victories”) and all included statements similar to…
“Hey well at least no one got hurt today”
or
“Hey well we covered the spread”
Those were the ugliest Cal wins I’ve witnessed…
Undefeated in Southern California since Oct. 2009...
by CruzinBears on Nov 3, 2009 11:39 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Also the mic men perfected the oratory about how the fans of the other team were the real losers since they had to go back to where they came from instead of staying in awesome Berkeley…
by turkey on Nov 3, 2009 11:47 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
agreed!
I remember being so happy because we only lost to defending national champions Nebraska by 21 in 1998.
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory...
by Hey Bowles Hall! on Nov 3, 2009 12:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
That was huge! They were all about demolishing people, so losing by 21 was pretty good!
So much red in that stadium… That game was sold out, and 3/4 of the stadium was covered in Nebraska red. The Tedford-ite students have never seen anything like that in Berkeley, and I hope they never do.
That stupid inflatable mascot still jiggles in my nightmares… :(
CGB: Wasting Your Potential, Your Time, & Your Life Since 2006.
by BearStage on Nov 3, 2009 10:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Washington in 2006?
http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/recap?gid=200610210059
I remember we were down a chunk of the game too and it was a scary 4th. Our rushing game really came to a halt and so did the passing game. Lynch saved us…
by dmo580 on Nov 3, 2009 12:04 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
For me, the OT plays (Lynch TD, Bishop INT) were far too exciting for that to qualify as “ugliest win.” Though I did spend much of the game wondering why we weren’t blowing those guys out.
by sycasey on Nov 3, 2009 12:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Don’t forget how Washington tied it…a Hail Mary with no time left that never works in college football, unless you’re playing against Cal of course.
And never forget the cart. The OT (both sides of the ball) + marshawn ghostriding made the game from fail to epic. Only marshawn would be able to do something like that.
Man, I miss marshawn lynch.
by nickle on Nov 4, 2009 2:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
They tied it because our DB (Bishop?) was an idiot and tried to intercept it instead of knocking it away
In other words, Go Bears!
by royrules22 on Nov 4, 2009 10:16 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
How about Illinois in 2005?
Illinois came in to Berkeley and I remember the media saying they were like the worst 2-0 team in the history of college football. We had DeSean, Marshawn, Joe Ayoob….er….we had Desean and Marshawn. And yet we trailed 14-10 at halftime, i believe, and ended up winning mostly because Tim Mixon returned a punt for a touchdown, breaking approximately 15 tackles on the way (I think several Illinois players missed tackles multiple times). This win, combined with impressive performances against Washington (who was terrible), Sacramento State, New Mexico State, and Arizona (we shut them out) made us possibly the worst 5-0 team in the history of college football.
by JeromeTheMetronome on Nov 3, 2009 12:32 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Does that make UCLA 2005 the worst 8-0 team in the history of college football.
Email: bearsnecessities@gmail.com
by Avinash on Nov 3, 2009 12:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Yes
Yes it does.
Or Iowa this year.
by JeromeTheMetronome on Nov 3, 2009 12:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Spectacular alias, sir.
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
by norcalnick on Nov 3, 2009 9:40 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Did he put you in a headlock, only to whisper in your ear “no one will ever believe you”?
Because if so, yeah, I’ve been there too.
"Let me tell you a story. I was a political prisoner for two years. The instant I was released I ran to McDonald's. I had a Big Mac and a Coke.
It was fantastic."
-Toyama Koichi, US Presidential candidate from Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGZqOkeYbB0
by AERose on Nov 3, 2009 5:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
No, but after the game I ended up getting a photo with him, me in my Cal gear, him in his Illini gear.
by Yes We Cannon on Nov 3, 2009 5:53 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Post it!
You have my permission to black out your face for privacy considerations however
In other words, Go Bears!
by royrules22 on Nov 4, 2009 10:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Some of these wins that are being mentioned
Are not ugly. Sorry, they’re just not.
Washington 2006? C’mon. That was Marshawntastic, not ugly.
Oregon 2008? True, it was a slog fest in the rain at Memorial and there were mistakes galore by both sides. I’ll grant that. But I don’t see this as an ugly win. We stepped it up on D against a very good offensive football team.
Arizona 1996? Epic, not ugly. We moved the freaking ball at will that day against a good defense. I don’t think we can call a four overtime classic “ugly”, even if you hate the college football overtime system as much as I do.
Washington State 1998? Okay, a little closer to ugly. And it certainly was ugly on offense. (Poor Demeane Douglas to have to play on that offense…but I digress…) But I don’t think it was ugly in the same way as, say, the Rutgers 2001 game. The defense was kinda impressive that day. WSU wasn’t THAT bad an offensive team. Yet, we scored 3 defensive TDs.
Illinois 2005? Maybe for an uninspired first half, it was ugly. But we dominated the 2nd half. Played kinda well in the 2nd half of that one, didn’t we?
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 3, 2009 1:36 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Well, I guess if anybody is the King of Ugly, it’d be you.
President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
by TwistNHook on Nov 3, 2009 2:22 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Do I get a throne with that title? At least a crown?
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 3, 2009 7:06 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Good news! You win a kingdom!
Bad news! It’s Ohio.
by LeonPowe on Nov 3, 2009 7:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Probably doesn't count as truly ugly, but Cal @ UCLA 2002 had ugly style
This being the game where we won by taking an intentional safety on the final play, to avoid punting the ball away or risking any kind of turnover. We won 17-12. It was a pretty pitiful offensive exhibition by both sides.
Cal ended the game by surrendering a safety on a 38-yard loss when Kyle Boller lateraled the ball backwards to Jonathan Makonnen, who was waiting for the ball in the endzone…
There was something like 12 seconds left, so we have to do this long backwards lateral, and Makonnen kind of jogs his way back there and loiters as the seconds click down – the UCLA defenders have no hope of getting all the way too him to do anything (their only hope is to strip it), and finally he either kneels or walks out the back.
See the re-cap here
I want special credit because this was A) my 30th birthday, and B) I got a bunch of friends together, 6 TVs, and 6 PS/2s, and after the game we got them all hooked together so we could play racing games where each person had their own TV. That rocked.
Stand the whole game, stay to the end, and start yelling while they're still in the huddle. GO BEARS
by JerrottWillard45 on Nov 4, 2009 4:56 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Oo, oo, other things made this game ugly
UCLA CAL
FIRST DOWNS………………. 18 11
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)………… 39-29 34-40
PASSING YDS (NET)…………. 197 133
Passes Att-Comp-Int……….. 29-16-1 30-13-0
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS….. 68-226 64-173
Fumble Returns-Yards………. 0-0 0-0
Punt Returns-Yards………… 6-76 3-4
Kickoff Returns-Yards……… 4-43 3-96
Interception Returns-Yards…. 0-0 1-13
Punts (Number-Avg)………… 7-35.3 10-33.5
Fumbles-Lost……………… 4-2 2-0
Penalties-Yards…………… 7-65 10-111
Possession Time…………… 32:52 27:08
Third-Down Conversions…….. 4 of 16 5 of 17
Fourth-Down Conversions……. 0 of 1 0 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances……. 1-4 2-2
Sacks By: Number-Yards…….. 2-15 7-76
This included two, count ’em, two blocked punts by Tyler Fredrickson.
Though I admit we had a great goal line defensive stand after giving it to them (on the 1st blocked punt) at our 3-yard line. We even blocked the field goal try. We also held them to nothing on the 2nd blocked punt where they got in our 20.
We tried to give the game to them. But they weren’t having it.
I love the final two lines of the re-cap (who writes these, anyways?):
This showdown of north and south, albeit on a much smaller scale than the World Series featuring Anaheim and San Francisco, lacked any spectacular plays.
What could have been a shootout was anything but for the Bears’ season-high crowd of 46,697 on homecoming. Cal entered the game averaging 38.7 points, and UCLA 33.5.
Ouch. Do you detect the unhappiness in the writer being forced to watch and then write about this game? And nails us for only get 47k for homecoming.
Stand the whole game, stay to the end, and start yelling while they're still in the huddle. GO BEARS
by JerrottWillard45 on Nov 4, 2009 5:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
I attended this game
Game 1 of the World Series, Giants vs. Angels, was going on at the same time as the football game. It was obvious by the crowd reactions that people were following the baseball game on the radio. That was weird enough. And then the game was weird.
I flew out from Ohio to attend this game, specially for the homecoming. It was a great weekend. And that day was special: Cal beat Ucla and the Giants won Game 1 of the World Series. That was one of, if not the, best sports day of my life.
Praise be to Tedford!
by Ohio Bear on Nov 4, 2009 9:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
Dude, any win in 2002 was epically awesome. Never think otherwise. Ever.
President Emperor Warlord Of The Sun!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
by TwistNHook on Nov 4, 2009 7:44 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs
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