Cal football losses are harder to take than, for instance, basketball, because every loss is critical in football whereas in basketball losses happen often, even to good teams. And there's always the P12 tournament, the NCAAs and/or the NIT/CBI/CIT. I mean this loss to UW against a P12 North foe was a huge one and puts us in a deep hole, with quite possibly the best team in the P12 (either them or Furd) up next at their place. Ugh.

For me, and this is the first time I've actually thought about it, this loss has lingered with me for three reasons:

1. It was the first loss of the season;

2. It was the first PAC-12 game and it was a loss; and

3. It's a bye week.

The first loss of the season hurts because even the most tempered of expectations are usually let down. Even if you thought UW was probably going to beat us, you still had hope. And you didn't just have hope for that game.

Because it was the first PAC-12 game, it was our first test. I had hope we'd win a close game and look strong-ish going into Oregon. Now I'm downtrodden about the next two games, because if we play like we did in Seattle, we're 0-3 in league play.

And, of course, because I have no immediate game to look forward to, all I can do is replay the UW game in my mind time and again.

It's a triple-threat. Kind of like Maynard rolling out of the pocket

I hate losing so much, I makes me furious. :headbang

I think any fan that bothers to come on to BI is going to be pretty devastated after a loss. That's why I come here, that's what I like (most of) you people.

-kap

BoaltBear09;582586 said:

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For me, and this is the first time I've actually thought about it, this loss has lingered with me for three reasons:

1. It was the first loss of the season;

2. It was the first PAC-12 game and it was a loss; and

3. It's a bye week.

The first loss of the season hurts because even the most tempered of expectations are usually let down. Even if you thought UW was probably going to beat us, you still had hope. And you didn't just have hope for that game.

Because it was the first PAC-12 game, it was our first test. I had hope we'd win a close game and look strong-ish going into Oregon. Now I'm downtrodden about the next two games, because if we play like we did in Seattle, we're 0-3 in league play.

And, of course, because I have no immediate game to look forward to, all I can do is replay the UW game in my mind time and again.

It's a triple-threat. Kind of like Maynard rolling out of the pocket

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Let me make it worse for you. The loss was also against a fellow P-12 North competitor. So that's like a 2 game swing since they get the tie breaker.

:headbang

another wonderful brew.

BoaltBear09;582586 said:

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...It's a triple-threat. Kind of like Maynard rolling out of the pocket

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I've been reliving the end of the game with the triple-threat roll out as the last play, only to wake up and realize that it was a dream of what could/should have been. Darn bye week, more days to dwell on the defeat.

I sit in silence for a while. Then it eats at me for the entire week.

BlueAndGold;582622 said:

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I sit in silence for a while. Then it eats at me for the entire week.

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I'd like to see time lapse photography for this.

KoreAmBear;582626 said:

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I'd like to see time lapse photography for this.

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Coping with losses

Sat, Sun and Mon.



Tues, Wed. Thurs.



Fri and Sat. (again)



Repeat as necessary

GO BEARS!

What do they say about being insane, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Well CAL football can be like that. Being a fan for over 50 years and every year expecting a different result than the year before. I guess you can call me a little crazy!

bar20;582668 said:

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What do they say about being insane, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Well CAL football can be like that. Being a fan for over 50 years and every year expecting a different result than the year before. I guess you can call me a little crazy!

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I usually hate those syllogisms, but its fkn true. Everytime I think, "maybe this will be different, we will win"...but nah, same old bears. Might start taking beta blockers.

Calcoholic;582481 said:

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It's not just psychological. Studies show that the testosterone levels of winning fans increase by 20% after the game, and the testosterone levels of losing fans decease by the 20%.

This is pretty consistent with my own personal experiences.

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What about fans of 1-10 teams?

I hope Sandy Barbour reads this thread. :bluecarrot:

KoreAmBear;582592 said:

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Let me make it worse for you. The loss was also against a fellow P-12 North competitor. So that's like a 2 game swing since they get the tie breaker.

:headbang

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Yep, and with Oregon and Stanford expected to finish above us, losing to UW likely gives us a bottom half of the Pac-12 North (4th place) and likely bottom half of the Pac-12 finish.

Sure, we can move up with an upset, but when was the last time we won in an upset?

calumnus;582693 said:

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Yep, and with Oregon and Stanford expected to finish above us, losing to UW likely gives us a bottom half of the Pac-12 North (4th place) and likely bottom half of the Pac-12 finish.

Sure, we can move up with an upset, but when was the last time we won in an upset?

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That's why we gotta win next Thursday!

+1 to the whole thread.

If you're emotionally invested in this team & in Cal, then losses are going to suck - always. I don't care if I'm 85 and see Cal lose to Stanford in the year 2066 - no one that wants to see that outcome (well, no one except Stanford fans, if they existed).

My advice? Learn to enjoy the process. Exult in EVERY win. Don't let the losses get to you. If you just wanted to see Wins and Rose Bowls, you would just be a USC fan. Last year, my buddy from Stanford and I were watching the Stanford v. USC game, and he was actually rooting for SC. Why? No good reason...he likes a winner (funny, then, that Stanford won that game).

Cal fans, in contrast, are a different breed. Cal fans LOVE Cal. We don't have bandwagon fans. Unfortunately, due to a combination of bad decisions and dumb luck throughout our history, we've had to endure more years of not making it to RB than other schools...and that is one big, nasty, steaming pile of SUCK. The years of frustration and let-downs and heartbreaks are enough to turn a young man's enthusiasm into an old man's bitterness. But you know what - tough shits. That's what being a true Cal fan is all about - gutting it out and loving your school. This is your school, right? This is your team, right? Then wake up every morning, bless the heavens that you were able to go to the Greatest School on Earth, in the Greatest Place on Earth, and watch your sturdy golden bears play the Greatest Sport on Earth. I'm angry with losses, but recognize that the best thing you can do for Cal and for yourself is to be supportive. Be proud that Tedford has a competitive and clean program. Be glad that your fellow fans are literate and make a ton of money. We have Oski. We are Cal, and no one else is going to give a damn except us.

If we don't make it to the Rose Bowl before I die, I want my friends to carry some of my ashes to it when we do. And, if we do WITHIN my lifetime, well, I'm buying everyone tequila shots. Lots of tequila. Cuervo and Patron. All day.

idk it still hurts i mean i root so hard and expect better results its so hard to get over losses like that. and whats worse for is seeing a former JC beating traditional football powers and going to bcs bowl games yet we have not been to one yet. i get high hopes before the season tell my friends this is the year cal is going to do some good things and surprise alotta people and all for naught. i try to keep my head up and think positive but idk getting tired of the letdown and getting blownout by sc really hate losing to them. i hope for win streaks like what they got goin against us but i doubt thatll ever happen i can dream though

bar20;582668 said:

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What do they say about being insane, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Well CAL football can be like that. Being a fan for over 50 years and every year expecting a different result than the year before. I guess you can call me a little crazy!

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Two comments:
1. Remember Charlie Brown and Lucy and the football. Charlie Brown is the typical Cal fan. This time I get to kick the ball.

2. Even though there are constant losses. There are just enough wins (some of them really thrilling) that it keeps you coming back.
It is almost like being an inveterate gambler in Reno or Las Vegas. Just when you are about to decide to never gamble ever again, you hit a small jack-pot. Then all thoughts of quitting are forgotten.

Up until Coach Tedford taking over the Bears, losing was relatively easy from week to week and year to year..especially while I was at Cal ('72) when any football loss was remedied by beer, girls from Mills College, and late night Top Dogs and Fenton sundaes. Because Coach Tedford has brought us good teams, a projected beautiful stadium and workout facility, the losses now are much harder to take..Living in Southern California makes it much worse. My dad ('41) introduced me to Cal football, but not winning..even though I vaguely remember the late 50's teams. I am much more personally invested in the team now - it is my only spectator sport - which again allows for less therapy by having another team to rely on. I want Cal to be as strong in football as say, in water polo, swimming,rugby, basketball, and now, baseball. I am proud of those other successful teams, but they don't click like football does. When we lost to UW I went into the typical funk - and I only felt slightly better when USC lost to ASU. If we had a game tomorrow, I would feel alot better. Like someone else posted, it's the hope and mystery of the "next game," or "next season.." that keeps drawing me to Cal football. My family doesn't help much "Sorry dad."..etc..and I have few True Blue Cal fans down here (Go Dave!)..Running and swimming, usually good tools for "forgetting" losses, only make things worse for me as they allow me to fret and re-visit the game that we "could have won.." as is the case with the Huskies..That's over now..So..I am getting "up" for the Ducks and continue to hope for competitive, hard fought games from the Bears!

Would you prefer nonchalance (ignorance) or pain?

I went to Cal during the Holmoe era. I never watched much Cal football except for the big game. What can I say? I grew up in LA which had no football team and so I never watched much of it growing up. The Holmoe era had irrelevant football teams.

Yes, those big games we "almost" won hurt. But, with Vedder at the helm, they weren't too surprising.

It was only with the Tedford era did I come to passionately love Cal football. With that love comes the potential for pain.

During those down times, I drown my sorrows with copious amount of "self pleasure".... to Cal highlight videos on YouTube.

Getting your heart broken is watching your team go 10-2 with a beatdown of clemson in the citrus bowl, only to see the coach bolt to asu, your incompetent AD hire gilby and then watching gilby run your team (w/Russell White and Sean Dawkins) into the ground the following season.

Btw, please congratulate me on my 300th post. It only took me 3 years to reach this milestone.

Bearsph74;582937 said:

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Getting your heart broken is watching your team go 10-2 with a beatdown of clemson in the citrus bowl, only to see the coach bolt to asu, your incompetent AD hire gilby and then watching gilby run your team (w/Russell White and Sean Dawkins) into the ground the following season.

[COLOR="Blue"]Btw, please congratulate me on my 300th post. It only took me 3 years to reach this milestone.[/COLOR]

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:beer:

CalBearS916Fan;582696 said:

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idk it still hurts i mean i root so hard and expect better results its so hard to get over losses like that. and whats worse for is seeing a former JC beating traditional football powers and going to bcs bowl games yet we have not been to one yet. i get high hopes before the season tell my friends this is the year cal is going to do some good things and surprise alotta people and all for naught. i try to keep my head up and think positive but idk getting tired of the letdown and getting blownout by sc really hate losing to them. i hope for win streaks like what they got goin against us but i doubt thatll ever happen i can dream though

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I'm with ya, bro.

UW is crushing Utah on the road right now, 31-7 in the 4th. Our close loss in Seattle doesn't look nearly as bad actually.

I think we can still finish above UW because Price will miss many if not most of their remaining games. It would be too much to ask this year to finish above Furd or Oregon, who are legit top 10 teams this year.

Chin up guys, we're only 0-1 in what is still one of the top conferences in college football.

Several years ago, my father-in-law, who is a former Arizona baseball player/donor told me at some point I wouldn't "take it all so seriously"...I doubted him. Since he has been living and dying with the Wildcats for 4 decades....it turns out that the longer you "follow a team", the less it really hurts. I hope that changes...Sadly, I still ache every weekend...