Idiots Write About Sports

As has been discussed at length around the Web, this was a crushing psychological loss. In reality the game was pretty close, and if USC is indeed on course for the national championship game, there’s not a lot of shame in losing to them in their own stadium, after keeping the game in doubt for three quarters.

But Cal fans know that this was supposed to be the year Cal surpassed USC. That Cal had the team and the talent, and that USC was having a down year. And who knows? Maybe at some other point earlier in the season that would’ve been true. But it wasn’t true on this particular day, and so although Cal was one win away from the Rose Bowl, that win didn’t happen.

I generally thought Cal played well, and the fact that they were leading at halftime despite having turned over the ball twice was encouraging. There wasn’t a lot of room for error in this game, not a lot of groan-worthy “woulda, coulda, shoulda” moments like, for example, the Arizona game. The offense stalled out in the second half and USC broke through, end of story.

The Cal blogs are littered with garment-rending and teeth-gnashing this week, and I fully understand those emotions. And although I admit I’m disappointed in the sequence of events that really marked the end for Cal offensively — namely the two plays called after they had 2nd and 1, failing to get the first down. And don’t get me started about that long field goal attempt, which was terrible game strategy.

But generally what I have to say is not necessarily something rabid Cal fans want to hear: Cal didn’t lose this game, USC won it. I wish Cal had won it, obviously, but it was USC’s great coaching and good play, including a lack of turnovers and a perfectly timed long pass on 4th and 1 to extend the lead to 14, that won the day. Yes, Cal’s players seemed a bit intimidated (though not as much as versus Tennessee) and Cal’s coaching seemed timid. But it was USC’s boldness that swing things.

Other notes from my seat just a dozen or so rows from the rim of the stadium, opposite the Cal band and biggest Cal contingent….

Next to me were two Cal fans, John and John, from New York. One of the Johns was actually a recent Cal drum major. That was pretty cool, but I have to say that Drum Major John was also so drunk that I had to grab him twice to prevent him from tumbling ass over teakettle into the row in front of us. The third time I figure he’d owe me his firstborn or something.

The Coliseum is definitely an ancient structure, although as a Cal fan I can’t really ding them on that one. I was really impressed with the quality of food on the outside ring of the stadium, though. We had some barbecue and grilled corn on the cob that was excellent. Given the sad state of affairs that are Cal’s concessions, USC wins that battle.

In terms of fan environment, I guess I’d have to say that my USC experience was the most negative of the three true away games I’ve been to. At Washington the fans were polite and cheered on their own team without harming others. As Tennessee the fans were amazingly friendly, with the exception of a couple drunken louts after the final gun had sounded. As we exited the stadium after the game, I did have several older USC fans tell us to drive safely in a friendly voice, which was perfectly decent.

But. That doesn’t really excuse the jackass behind me who was talking trash all night, or the three different people who came up to my wife and shouted “Cal sucks!” in her face. Hey, you guys are champions. Your team is perhaps the best in college football. Act like it. Or the football gods — or are they the Whammy Gods? — will punish you severely.

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