Okay, I know that this has been beaten into the ground, and that other far more knowledgeable posters have dissected the causes for Cal's calamity.  From my perspective, it just looked like Cal was slower all around, and Oregon was completely hyped.  In fact, after Cal could only manage a field goal after the opening fumble, I turned to the wife and said, "Well, we lost this one already." 

That being said, I'd like to welcome all of you younger Cal fans to the official Old Blue's club.  Now you know.  The shellacking in Eugene was the initiation.  Now, maybe (just maybe), you'll understand our behavior a bit better.  You've finally been given a peek at our psyche, and the reason every Old Blue still alive fears success more than the boogerman.  Having the Bears win games, get noticed, and gain respect is a tarp.  It's some horrible plot hatched by Dracula, Nixon, Tommy Trojan and Joe Bruin to rip the hearts out of Cal fans.  Oh, and no, it never ends.

The good news (for all of you out there), is that after a while, the scar tissue does start to accumulate, and these start to sting less and less.  Oh, they still sting, but not as much.   You learn to not think in terms of planning trips to Pasadena in January.  You learn to react to pre-season hype and high poll position with the sort of fear Frankenstein's monster had for fire.  And you learn to approach games wondering if this will be the one that will stick the shiv into your left kidney.

And, you also learn to start to talk about success in terms of beating select teams, rather than overall record and BCS bowl appearances.  After all, back in the day the overall won-loss record was meaningless, so long as we beat Furd.  Throw in a victory over one of the LA schools, and we were over the moon with delight and delierium!

Yeah, you kids point at us and make cracks about bitter Old Blues, and so forth.  Little did you all know that you were simply mocking the things you were to be.  But through it all, the Bear Will Not Quit, the Bear Will Not Die.  You know it, you tell the story.  We had a little party down in Newport.

Welcome to my world, bitches.  Welcome to being a Cal fan!

GO BEARS!