Idiots Write About Sports

You know what I think. And what the readers think. So whose fault is it for losing to Oregon, Coach Tedford?

“It’s not on Joe,” coach Jeff Tedford said. “It comes down to everybody.”

Uh-huh. If I were the coach, that’s what I’d say, too. But…

It came down to 4th down, with the full-house crowd of 58,309 growing deafening. Gray got open over the middle, and the ball was a good 10 feet too high.

“I wish I could go back and do that one again,” Ayoob said. “I just threw it over his head. I don’t know what to say about it…. I take responsibility for the loss.”

Hey, Joe Ayoob got it right!

Lynch bristled when told of Ayoob’s comments, saying it was a team loss. “If Joe is going to put in on him, I’ll put it on me,” he said.

Excellent teammate behavior, Marshawn. How can you sell out your only quarterback when you’ve got two or three games left in the season?

But deep down inside, you know they’re all just trying to make the best of a bad situation with an out-of-his-depth quarterback.

When I was in elementary school, I played on a Pee-Wee baseball team that managed to win two games in four years. And no games for the first two years. They told me that losing builds character, and boy, do I believe it. That was a formative experience for me.

After a year like this, Joe Ayoob’s gonna have a whole lot of character. Which will serve him well in the future, whatever he does in life.

Don't be ridiculous. A coach should never publicly call out a player for poor play. That's a good way to lose your team.

Major props to Lynch as well for sticking up for his teammate.

I don't begrudge any success Ayoob might have in the rest of his life. I just don't want him touching the ball at all for the Cal Golden Bears during the 2006 football season.

Seth, after the Sac State game you made a knee-jerk reaction that was WAY premature. Any letter-writing campaign in the world isn't going to dislodge Ayoob -- not then, not now. If Tedford thought he had a better option, he'd use it. But who does he have? Levy? A redshirting freshman? Trust me, if Tedford thought he had bullets left in his gun he'd fire 'em...

What about Bryan Van Meter?

I wonder about Ayoob's background. He can't have been this bad always. Or else Tedford wouldn't have bothered to bring him in. Which places Ayoob in select company. It's not often nowadays--with scouting, training and coaching what they are--that we see a (presumably) decent QB utterly break down under pressure. Interesting study in sports psychology--but hard to be on the receiving end. Tangent: to what degree can Ayoob's collapse be attributed to the Tedford ballcock?

All I know is I'm getting real tired of penciling in 4 Ayoob turnovers each game, holding my breath each and every play when he's only logged 3 at the time.

Oregon really coughed up this game as much as possible to hand it to CAL, who basically took the gift and shove it back at their faces.

Ayoob needs to be benched, or basically just hand the ball off to Lynch or just throw little screens. Any ball he throws deeper than 10 yards is often off target. He is now the laughingstock of the campus despite a good WSU outing. But good QBs are made under pressure, and he cracked. This isn't what CAL football needs, and just imagine if Rodgers is still playing, the team could have easily overcame the following defeats:

UCLA 47 - CAL 40
OSU 23 - CAL 20
UO 27 - CAL 20

all within the margins of one possession. Tedford doesn't have any option however, except for Leavy at this point. Pulling a RS Kyle Reed off the bench isn't a way to build your prospect, and I don't believe he can be better than Ayoob at this point.

I am starting to think that with the uncertainty at the QB position again next year, Lynch may bolt for the NFL. That is the worst news any CAL fan needs.

Agreed 100% about Oregon, Lex -- check out my previous post for similar sentiments.

wow, seth. that's a pretty darn long monologue, but I wouldn't count Ayoob out for 06 yet. Just because he has been anemic this season, it doesn't mean he shouldn't get a shot. If this guy can settle down and throw strikes on the other hand, I dare to say this:

He is better than Rodgers :O

Shocking? Not quite considering he gives you a couple of extra plays in the playbook (i.e. QB draw for one). Rodgers was calm and accurate, but he isn't going to burn anyone with his feet.

One game isn't enough to judge Longshore, even though he looked promising. If he can show the same touch versus real competition like SC, LA, or Oregon, then by all means he should be in.

Lex, I'd take Rodgers' accuracy over Ayoob's legs any day.

Lynch is NOT bolting for the NFL this season. He's been hurt and his numbers aren't going to be first round material because of the loss of playing time due injuries.

Let's table all worrying about Lynch and the NFL for one more year.

And I would also take Rodger's arm over Ayoob's feet any day of the week.

All of you guys either skipped or blatantly decided to ignore this line, so allow me to quote myself:

"If this guy can settle down and throw strikes on the other hand ..."

Throwing strikes translates to accurancy correct?

So let's say if Vick can throw as accurately as Brady or Manning. You would still pick those two over Vick? That was my point.

No, I saw that Lex -- but it's so hypothetical that I disregarded it. I mean, if I get a nice figure and a mane of long, lustrous hair, I could be Miss America. But It Ain't Gonna Happen.

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