Since some of you are probably expecting me to defend the Pac-10...

[milohimself]

Not really the greatest set of Pac-10 vs. SEC matchups one could hope for... Mismatches in 2 of the 3 games, all of which were down south.

But I noticed on the main board a lot of "Pac-10 sucks" type stuff. Yeah, expected. I picked Tennessee to win and was fully expecting that kind of thing afterwards. It's cool, all the after-game stuff. So since I will get called out at some point (it happens multiple times every week during football season), here it goes...

I know Cal sucked. Watching that team, though, and the way they played there is NO CHANCE IN HELL they will finish in the top half of the Pac-10. Their defense just didn't know how to defend the pass. That kind of thing will get you lit up for 500-600 yards a game in the Pac-10, because every team is capable of doing it. Even as bad as 3-6 in the Pac-10 is possible for the Bears.

Washington State at Auburn... Wazzu looked alright. But what else can you expect? Getting players to Pullman (aka the armpit of the Pacific Northwest) is damn near impossible, and you're AT the place of the team who is the preseason odds-on favorite to win the SEC. So that game is really indicative of nothing.

USC at Arkansas. Upset, huh? No way, buddy. I'm still not sold USC will win the Pac-10, either. Oregon looked highly impressive, even though they were playing Stanford. With UCLA looking good, and Arizona State with the potential to get better (they have the talent, and Koetter can get them back to snuff), the Trojans could still conceivably finish as low as 3rd in the conference.

So... Yep. Cal got blown out, and it turned out to be a simple case of overestimation by the media. None of the three games really changed my opinion on the two conferences in relation to eachother. I still maintain, as always, that the SEC is a better football conference. Hopefully that last statement should dispell a few morons.

There's my deal. No responses coming to any "Pac-10 sucks" comments on the main board, if you want my opinion there it is. You all may resume being the boastful fans that you are. Go Vols

[LetMeStay]

of course the SEC is the better conference. The only thing I would have been shocked by was if Auburn lost.

[rwemyss]

At least Arizona beat the Stormin' Mormons...

[checkerboard_charly]

I think football is so important down here and out west they have other things. Like wine and weed.

But Cal was wildly overrated as we were a year ago. It happens every year. Oregon and USC are the only consistent teams in the PAC-10 and no comparison should EVER be mad to the SEC. Just to mush passion down here.

[JonWard]

Originally Posted by checkerboard_charly

Like wine and weed.

Just ask Onterio Smith

[Vol423]

Originally Posted by milohimself

I know Cal sucked. Watching that team, though, and the way they played there is NO CHANCE IN HELL they will finish in the top half of the Pac-10.

Milo, I highly disagree. I don't think there's any chance in hell that Cal WON'T finish in the top half of the PAC-10. In fact, I bet they finish in the Top 4.

[milohimself]

Oh really? How do you see them doing that when they are going to get burned all year long through the air? Trust me, the defenses they face the rest of the way won't be as tough, but the passing attacks they will face are not going to be stepping down at all.

I'm suprised you stay up late enough to catch the games out here.

[duckman398686]

In a worst case scenario, I see Cal finishing around 5th, possibly behind USC, Arizona St., Oregon, and UCLA. I still think they can get around teams like Arizona, Stanford, and Washington. IMO, they'll eventually settle into a QB situation that will work out for them. I agree that their defense looked awful. But I think it will get better as the season goes on. That being said, i still think that Cal was horrible overrated, but they still have time to work the kinks out as the seaosn progresses.

[Jasongivm6]

Originally Posted by milohimself

Oh really? How do you see them doing that when they are going to get burned all year long through the air? Trust me, the defenses they face the rest of the way won't be as tough, but the passing attacks they will face are not going to be stepping down at all.

I'm suprised you stay up late enough to catch the games out here.

Staying up late until the wee hours on Sat night is alot easier than getting up at 8 or 9 am to watch some of the games out here.

[milohimself]

I know. I remember having to get up at like 6AM to watch the Cotton Bowl.

[Vol423]

Originally Posted by milohimself

Oh really? How do you see them doing that when they are going to get burned all year long through the air? Trust me, the defenses they face the rest of the way won't be as tough, but the passing attacks they will face are not going to be stepping down at all.

I'm suprised you stay up late enough to catch the games out here.

I live in Scottsdale, AZ, and I'm very familiar with the PAC-10. I stand by my prediction. Since you can't discredit me by saying that I don't live in PAC-10 territory and, therefore, am not familiar with the PAC-10, what will you try next?

[milohimself]

When did I say that? I don't automatically assume you make baseless comments.

And I stand by my opinion. Cal is going to get burned a lot this year. Whether or not they go bowling is now entirely on the shoulders of either Longshore or Ayoob stepping up and playing big.

[OWB]

I don't think it was Cal's total defense getting punked through the air, just that poor #8 that Meachem owned the whole game..even on the run blocks..

[milohimself]

Yeah. That #8 was the kid who played backup for Tim Mixon, who probably could have made a much better attempt at covering Meach. But, sometimes things don't fall your way. For Cal, it meant getting owned because Tennessee's wide receivers are finally playing the way they were supposed to.

[OWB]

Well, Thompson (I think his name was) learned a valuable lesson over and over again Saturday night. You can't say he didn't gain some experience.