103 Comments
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TD_24's avatar

Garbers was a bit off tonight and Deng has given me tons of stress this year but Deng really pulled through after his wheel route fiasco. Shoutout the whole team tonight, tons of grit like a real Wilcox team would show especially on the defense, here's to 3-3!

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Go Eat A Taco's avatar

Deng would be well served to come back next year, IMO.

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TD_24's avatar

I agree, his lateral quickness and pass recognition skills need improvement in my opinion.

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royrules22's avatar

Agreed. He's not quite there yet.

Also I doubt any juniors from the Pac are leaving early after this weird year

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TD_24's avatar

I agree on this front too, but I also wonder if juniors who feel like they are nfl ready could opt to "count" this season and be ready for the '22 draft after next season as a tune up and showcase.

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HaasBear's avatar

I like not being sad on Saturday

Huge props to Nikko. Took some big hits tonight, kept swinging, and delivered the game winner.

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TKE Prytanis 79's avatar

Indeed...great to see

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Clbear's avatar

Yes, loved his bounce back

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chowder's avatar

Well, the second half of this game reminded me of Cal under Wilcox. Good defense, below 'Needs Improvement' offense. Big props to Remigio, the offensive player of the game, and powering forward for the needed yardage on the 4th down conversion. Deng, Goode, Johnson and Bynum were the stars on defense, particularly in the 2nd half.

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WilderThanGene's avatar

Wilcox coaches like he had an Alabama offensive line.

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GoldenSD81's avatar

And Alabama talent and Alabama defense.

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WilderThanGene's avatar

Yeah, those too.

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Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Yes...this is a troubling trend bc you can’t count on forcing 2 fumbles & a turnover on downs in the 4th Q every of game.

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Justbear's avatar

and in first half, Drayden saved a TD on an athletic play. I forgot how the drive ended, whether Oregon ended with a TD anyway, but that was a great play.

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Clbear's avatar

Ducks had to settle for 3 I think?

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Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

Ya, big 3rd down play led to a FG.

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chowder's avatar

My final comment of the night will be this: I absolutely hated the broadcast tonight. I don't know what was worse; Gilmore's completely biased color coverage, or the Cancer Telethon feel that the broadcast had going to it. I know they are trying to raise money and awareness for the Jimmy V foundation, but everyone in this country is already pretty damn aware of Cancer. I get one or two little moments to reflect on the foundation, but the telecast spent two or three entire drives talking about cancer, and they had three or four different human interest stories. The world is in a bad state right now, and I turn to football as a momentary escape, I don't need one of the few happy places left being bombarded with this. It really took away from the game experience.

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HaasBear's avatar

Sure but we learned a lot about alpacas.

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GoldenSD81's avatar

Alpacas and llamas look alike and taste the same.

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GoldenBear88's avatar

The good news about Gilmore is that he didn't manage to ONCE mention the fact that he is a Furdy or that some Furdy player is going to be a neurosurgeon or future Nobel Prize winner. Give me a break!

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

Yes, seemed to restrain himself from the Furdie tendency to flex Intellectual Brutality muscles. What are we? Just another "state" school, I guess, in the Furd universe.

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Justbear's avatar

I was listening to the youtube watch along.

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Jimmy Chitwood's avatar

As was I...with Gilmore muted. Gilmore is always muted.

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Wiata78's avatar

Get ready for COVID telethons starting next year.

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GoldenSD81's avatar

Can’t have a telethon for a hoax and overrated flu!! BOOM!!

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Wiata78's avatar

Of course I can! Freedom to Telethon !

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TKE Prytanis 79's avatar

So fucking this!

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GoldenSD81's avatar

Gilmore is always terrible.

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GoldenBear88's avatar

True but we seem to pull off big upsets (U$C in 2018, Oregon today) when he is in the booth.

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

OMG- a Furdie is our good luck charm?

What a world, what a world!

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goldenone's avatar

What was with that excessive love for Oregon? Certainly not fair and balanced.

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Justbear's avatar

The defense had a few bad plays, but at the end, holding Oregon to 17 is a big accomplishment.

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HaasBear's avatar

2nd half shutout

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GoldenSD81's avatar

Great job by the defense. Special teams was asked to do as little as possible and to hide next to the curtains Comey style.

Offense did it’s usual turtle thing. Defense kept giving the offense opportunities to put the game away and they couldn’t.

I know we like to give Shaw shit for conservative play calling and sitting on a lead but I think Wilcox is of the same mindset.

A win is a win, wish we could have beaten Stanford and OSU but I’ll take a win over the ducks. Same flaws on offense and special teams as we have seen all season, the only difference is we won the turnovers margin and protected the ball.

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deehart's avatar

Lol... Comey style!

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Go Eat A Taco's avatar

I get what Cal was trying to do. Have the Ducks use their time outs. But running 3 feeble runs up the middle to then have to throw it on 4th down?? C'mon man.

So so fortunate that the defense came up big at the end else, welp the Ducks were moving the ball down the field with plenty of time. But part of the strategy was that Cal had held the Ducks most of the game save 2 plays (one was a broken coverage and the other was a mis-match Deng v Dye). So I kinda understand what Wilcox was doing but I kinda think we played it a wee bit too scared. But it sucks not having a FG unit you can trust.

The coaching decisions will look like good ones in the end cuz we won. Good to have the defense back ~ for the most part. Offense needs some work and we have to develop another QB.

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GoldenSD81's avatar

Garbers has way too much experience now to be playing so timid and missing throws. You can say some of that is on the new offense but overall Garbers seems to have taken a step back from the end of last season.

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WilderThanGene's avatar

I wouldnt mind the younger QBs getting reps, during this exhibition season

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Daddy's avatar

We calling for modster again?

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GoldenSD81's avatar

Not calling for Modster unless Garbers is injured. No point in even contemplating replacing Garbers with any one unless he is injured.

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Go Eat A Taco's avatar

No no point. His career is over unless he wants to come back next year given this year is a freebie.

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Justbear's avatar

Modster was so ready to come in. He had his helmet on the whole game.

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napabear's avatar

WTF on the game management at the end. What are you thinking with, as so aptly put "3 feeble runs," leaving 2 minutes on the clock for a team that scored 2 touchdowns on you in 1 1/2 minutes at the end of the first half?

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

Welp, I'm gonna' assume that Wilcox was declaring faith in the D. Deng came through, but, gosh, yes, this seemed like Tortuga formation and let the enemy do its worst.

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

Oops. Testudo. Something had me thinking turtles.

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TKE Prytanis 79's avatar

We need to start a campaign to ban zoom announcers...worse than not having any at all...they were totally disconnected from the game, made worse by only being able to see what we could...I found myself muting just so I could enjoy they plays...no mas!

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WilderThanGene's avatar

Better announcers would be my preference, albeit less realistic

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TKE Prytanis 79's avatar

They did not call the play by play...watching the FUCLA game right now...see the contrast...night and day. Gilmore is a sweet guy but had no business on air tonight.

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Justbear's avatar

I want Sam Ponder back on espn college football coverage.

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Wiata78's avatar

I liked Dave Fleming, but not the other guy.

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TKE Prytanis 79's avatar

Fleming tried at times, but then lost the thread...they were sitting on their couches at home!

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chowder's avatar

I usually avoid gamethreads because I don't like the cycle of negativity and onslaught of emotional and therefore illogical comments, but this team is pretty close being 3-1 in spite of not having played all that well (and yes, the reasons for not playing all that well can be debated).

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Justbear's avatar

I would avoid gamethread if I can watch the game in stands, but watching the game quietly at home by myself? I want to share the emotion. lol

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WilderThanGene's avatar

Hopefully one fine day we can post gifs again to really show each other how we feel

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Justbear's avatar

And hitting "Z" would be so much easier to navigate the gamethread too.

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Leland's avatar

No one misses Z more than I do. I keep trying to push for Substack to work on that, but I'm not holding my breath.

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OldSoCalBear's avatar

I’d settle for not having to opt out of the newsletter every time I post

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Bluehenbear's avatar

THIS ⬆️⬆️⬆️

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

@Oracle, too. But that died a few years ago.

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

I also miss not having my email inbox looking like a troll tried to SPAM me to death.

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Leland's avatar

I blocked those emails. You should too.

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GoldenSD81's avatar

Same here.

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AirBear2015's avatar

Sadly, I feel its partly because our opponents were at the same or worst level as us...

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GoldenSD81's avatar

Hot takes are going to be hot.

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paulie's avatar

I resemble that remark

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

First of all, I’ll take one of those yummy Cal cookies.

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Leland's avatar

Hit up @kf_bakes on IG. She's a friend of the site.

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

Actually I will. Thanks. I’m a baker myself, so I may hack this. LOL

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Wiata78's avatar

Truly beautiful cookies

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HelloBowlesHall's avatar

Right? Those look amazing.

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

Okay, I contacted the maker. Thank you, Leland, I am always anxious to support Cal-friendly business. Bearing in mind that these are custom cookies, the prices is $40/dozen, but she is booked through December. She is currently taking orders for January, which you should put in now so you can have theses treats for Cal BB or, hey, our FB bowl game, right? ;)

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

Oh, and her name, as Leland already said, is Kristen. Sorry to SPAM you with another email, but I could not find the "z" button. ;)

<insert funny, smart GIF>

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ak_A_bear's avatar

Post game attitude hours were quite the contrast to previous weeks. Much preferred.

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Go Eat A Taco's avatar

Can't wait to see what the writers come up with for this game. What an inauspicious start ~ 2 defensive penalties: one was holding by a DL (WTF??) and the other was a chop block by a DB (WTF?? that was a 300 lbs lineman coming at him). The announcers were miffed as well saying something like, "folks these are PAC12 officials and things are weird with them".

Oregun gifted us with so many penalties that we should have won by 21 but we refused to take advantage of the penalties.

Thank gawd the defense held Oregun scoreless in the second half. And the last possessions by both teams....cardiac material.

WFC have fun writing this tale!!

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Justbear's avatar

And I don't think we had any defensive penalties after those two to start the game.

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GoldenSD81's avatar

Tonight’s unusual game and win over Oregon reminded me of the monsoon and Memorial flooded win against Oregon in 08.

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Justbear's avatar

That was a weird game. I remember Follet was chasing Masoli throughout the game.

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GoldenSD81's avatar

I remember all the players just hydroplaning for 5 yards after being tackled and Oregon’s long snapper struggling.

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Justbear's avatar

And Kevin Riley had a concussion and Nate Longshore had to come in for him. Longshore always found ways to beat Oregon. And Oregon had that pass first QB come in once in a while during the game. Forgot his name but something like Harper or Hooper.

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GoldenSD81's avatar

I think Oregon might have played all three of their QBs in that game. Masoli, Leak and I think it was Hooper.

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goldenhair's avatar

holy shit we did it

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paulie's avatar

My reaction exactly

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WilderThanGene's avatar

This game reminded me of one of those space crafts with a solar sail. But instead of solar radiation, it was Oregon penalties/mistakes, our clever time consuming huddles, and Garbers' time consuming kneel-downs, gently pushing us to victory

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wildebeestmode's avatar

IS THIS WHERE I OVERREACT AND SAY THE BEARS ARE WINNING THE ROSE BOWL????

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GoldenSD81's avatar

Next year......in Pasadena...

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Bowlesman 80's avatar

I was gonna' say Pappy Waldorf, with a whistle, in Pasadena.

Or Colonel Mustard, with a wrench, in Doe Library.

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