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This loss is solely on Slater Zellers and Charlie Ragle. Stupidly not taking the ball first with the momentum didnt help but those 2 need to be told personally that they lost this game.

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I don't think any loss is every solely on an individual or two because there are always a thousand other moments where a player could have made a play to change the course of the game. Not making a critical mistake could of course swing a game, but the loss is on everyone.

Also, I'm taking this opportunity to remind everyone that these are real humans we're watching (including a 20-something kid) who sometimes read this. Criticism is always fair, but just a reminder to keep it reasonable.

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That reasoning is spot on. I do think I'm keeping it reasonable unlike that Lars Thiemann outburst (man that guy just gets my blood boiling) but its good to get that reminder out. However I think the weight of what Zellers did does warrant it, because he had 3 terrible long snaps today, only 1 of which cost us but did cost us in terms of score and couldve costed us further.

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HeтАЩs still a kid trying giving it every damn thing he has. He knows it was off and will work to get better. Lay into the coaching staff who didnтАЩt have us ready.

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Lars Thiemann outbursts are completely justified, so long as no profanity is used.

At the end of the day, the kid is not a PAC-12 caliber player, and youтАЩd be hard-pressed to find a 7-footer that gives you less than he does in 20 minutes per night...

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I can only imagine the feelings in that locker room post game. This is one of the most painful losses in recent Cal history.

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I can think of a whole lot of more painful losses. Stanford last year, Utah in 2015, the McIlwain Arizona game, the Hill-Mary, Oregon State 2007, Arizona 2006, just to name a few.

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Honestly Nevada and TCU losses felt worse.

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This felt like a program defining game to me.

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Not even close. We lost on the road in OT against a divisional opponent after a 14 point comeback. No shame there. It was winnable but not embarrassing. Tcu and Nevada were worse Ls

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I feel like "worse" Ls and "painful" Ls are two different things.

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Momentum is not a thing in spite of what Cal great Shane Vereen may say. Every play is a chance to change momentum.

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It makes no sense to take the ball first from a game theory perspective. If your defense makes a stop, all you need is a field goal and you win. It takes the decision-making element out of "do I go for it on 4th".

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Sep 26, 2021
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He doesn't have a wikipedia page yet. You should create one.

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Long snapper

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