Sunday, September 03, 2006

SF Chronicle: OK, about that whole 'national power' thing

Ray Ratto
Of all the lessons Cal can absorb after Saturday's reputation-destroying beating by Tennessee, the one that jumps to mind first is this idea that the Southeastern Conference is something to fool with. It isn't. Not by the Golden Bears, anyway. The last time they opened with an SEC team, they lost to Florida 41-13 in 1980. The time before that, they lost to Alabama 66-0 in 1973. They also lost to Arkansas 51-0 in 1965, but Arkansas didn't belong to the SEC then.
But this loss, this comprehensive, 35-18 tavern-style beat-down, is certainly the worst of the recent vintage because of what it has done to Cal's national pretenses, and what it could do to the team's psyche. To be so good climbing on the plane for Knoxville, and to be so bad climbing on the plane back for Oakland -- now that's some freefall for you.
Read the entire article here.

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