Ask CGB: The One Where We Lose All Perspective

Apologies for missing last week's Ask CGB, I was snowed under at work. Not that it's much better this week, but I might as well do something while waiting for my dinner to show up.

Last edition's trivia question:

A two-time Pro Bowler, I was itinerant enough to play for three teams during my nine year NFL career. Unfortunately, I was inconsistent enough at my day job (from the line of scrimmage) that my first coach briefly tried converting me to the other side of the ball. It didn't take. I did manage to (co-) lead the league in a prominent statistical category during my first year with my second team before doing, well, what everyone else on that team does. Someone who used to inspire Golden Bear fans the world over to throw up the Roc-a-fella sign (or the Diamond Cutter sign, depending on your preferences), who am I?

Pretty easy one, I thought.

The bright spot of the Holmoe years.

by katster on Oct 4, 2011 7:42 PM EDT reply actions   2 recs

It's occurred to me that we've had quite an accomplished list of DBs come out of Cal recently...though you wouldn't know it by how Nnamdi Asomugha has played this year. So let's get to this week's question.

You've probably seen me on TV during a whole lot of sporting events before, although you wouldn't have any reason to know that I graduated from Cal, really. But it's true, I earned a major in mass communications during my time at Cal before apparently suffering a brain injury (just kidding!) and deciding to get a MBA at U$C. A true pioneer in my field (of which only one person is really truly famous on a mainstream level...mostly because of a peeping tom), who am I?

A bit more obscure this time, but hey, that should just make it more fun. Logo time!

So about that headline. Perspective. aceman doesn't have it.

Is the current Tedford regime really any better than Holmoe?

I'm looking at Cal under Holmoe's record in 1998, 5-6 overall and 3-5 conference. Last year we were 5-7. This year we might not win 3 conference games.

Yes, I know that I am comparing the best Holmoe year to the worst couple of Tedford's years.....BUT STILL!!!!

We used to beat USC under Holmoe, now we never beat them. I remember a game against SC in the late 90's when we were down 30 pts, then came back and WON. A Tedford team will never be able to do that.

I don't know if it's selective memory or what...but despite a lot of losing back then, I seem to remember fewer blowout loses under Holmoe vs. Tedford.

Yes, under Tedford in the beginning we beat Stanfurd and Washington for a few years, but now that capability is gone too. Oregon, Stan, Washington, and USC are guaranteed loses now.

OB's got this one.

Comparing Tedford's regime to Holmoe's? Seriously?

The USC point is absolutely off base. Holmoe had the fortune to play against some of the worst USC teams over the last quarter century. And USC's record during the Holmoe Cal years was, I remember reading somewhere, the second worst of ANY 5-year period of SC football EVER. Holmoe's teams never had to compete against any SC team that was anywhere near the caliber of SC's teams under Carroll/
Kiffin. Carroll's first USC team in 2001 wasn't even that good and we managed to lose 55-14. 

Comparing Tedford to Holmoe is hyperbole of the highest degree. We have issues, yeah, but we're not close to THAT kind of ineptitude. Gilby years, maybe I'll give you that. 

And the questioner thinks we had "fewer" blowout losses under Holmoe? Don't think so.
97: 63-37 to WSU (and not that close)
97: 30-3 to UW (not really that close)
98: 55-21 to ASU
99: 31-7 to WSU
99: 45-0 to Nebraska
01: 55-14 to USC
01: 56-17 to Ucla
01: 48-7 to Oregon
01: 44-17 to Illinois
01: 44-16 to BYU
01: 51-20 to WSU

And those are just the ones I can remember. 

So does LeonPowe.

I realize the point is hyperbole, and we get a lot of flak around here for looking at Cal football through sunshine-colored glasses...but things would have to get a LOT worse before you can make a legitimate comparison to the Holmoe years. Is it a fair question to ask if the program is going downhill? Yeah, I think you can say that. But it's not there yet. Hopefully he'll be the man to turn it around.

And be the one to keep pushing the boulder up that hill.

Let's keep it dreary, people! LongTimeBearFan, you're up.

How bad would it have to get for Tedford to consider resigning?

After all the talk about buy-outs and what not, I have to think there would be a point where Tedford would find it the 'honorable' thing to do and resign....

Would we have to lose out and finish 3-9? Would he stick around through next year and depart if we have a third straight losing season? 

Just curious...

No one ever resigns in college football. No one. There's something in there about college football coaches being competitive and all that, which is true, but basically, no one walks away from guaranteed money. So there's really not much point in debating this.

LeonPowe's got additional thoughts to add here.

I would like to make a bowl, but honestly, all I hope for is just a team that looks to be on the way up. Currently, we don't. Its all in the manner in which we finish out the season. Also, fewer rugby punts.

I don't know, I like the rugby punts.

The haka, too.

Let's get to some cheerful hypotheticals. matrixwalker?

Would Garrett Gilbert be a good fit for Cal?

Now that Garrett Gilbert is basically a free agent, would he work well at Cal?

He's got a cannon arm, his dad played QB for Cal in the 80s and was actually Cal's QB in "The Play." it could be a steal, perhaps he could become the QB that Texas hoped he could be...and he's prolly wisened up a bit since leaving Texas...

First crack goes to (who else?) LeonPowe: