From: bnoble+@cs.cmu.edu (Brian Noble)
Subject: The Worst Sports Day in the World (tm)
Organization: School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 20:12:24 GMT


Dismal.  Just frigging dismal.  That's what it was.

This post is mostly self flagellation.  I've been charged with making
this post, but do so under no duress.  (That's for the benefit of the
other Old Blues here in the Weakest Excuse for a Sports Town.)

Saturday, October the 10th, 1992.  Ick.

First off, Miami misses on a chance to lose.  Not the most important
game of the day for me by far, but a harbringer of times to come.

A group of Old Blues trudged down to Damon's at Waterworks (IMO the
best sports bar in Pittsburgh) to see Cal lose to Washington and the
A's lose to the Jays on side-by-side screens.  Lance Blankenship (Cal
graduate) committed *two* errors, and was crucial to the drop to the
birds.  But the worst offense of the day was all mine.

In the third quarter, Washington had just gone up 14-7 after UW's
punter (that kid is *amazing*) pinned Cal inside their own 12 for two
or three consecutive series.  After the UW score, I muttered something
about Cal finally getting decent field position "on their own twenty,"
and got up to go to the bathroom.  Not much, really, but the woofing
gods heard me looooooud and clear.  I came back from my foray (and the
bathroom even has the front page of Useless-A-Today's sports section
above the urinal -- nice touch) and looked up at the screen to see
Gilbertson looking as if he had just heard that his favorite dog was
killed by an overzealous Postal Carrier.  He should have been so
lucky.  The Cal deep man dropped the ball, didn't just fall on the
damn thing to take --- at worst --- a safety, and it was 21-7 UW.
Game over.  The Bears didn't even cover, removing even the
semi-dignified "we beat the spread" cheer well known to so many Old
Blues.  So, if Gilbertson were to ask tomorrow to have my degree
revoked, he'd probably get it.  And maybe even deserve it.

We continued on to Pitt stadium, and (for only $7.50) got seats on the
50 yard line to watch ND cream Pitt.  It wasn't even as close as the
52-21 (or whatever) score would indicate.  10 ND points in the last
few minutes covered the spread for the Irish.

Moving on for a brief trip along Greek Row just East of the stadium,
we proceeded to "enjoy" a few Penn Pilsners while watching the Buccos
drop yet another game to the Braves and all but lose the series.
Three consecutive years as NL East champs, and three booby prizes for
Leyland and the Pirates.  And Bonds still can't hit for squat during
post season play.  Good riddance, Barry.

Then, reclining at the home of a fellow Cal alum to watch the Evil Red
Horde, also known as "Bill Walsh, SuperGenius, and a football team
thrown in as a bonus" beat up on UCLA to put them in the catbird seat
as spoilers of the Pac 10.  Maybe even favorites.  (Modulo USC, who
will, given the recent trend, probably beat hell outa da Mighty Kal
Bearz this week.)

And, the Penguins could only manage a tie.

All in all, a truly disasterous day to be a Cal fan in Pittsburgh,
City of Champions (sic).

And it's all my fault.

Brian
  - Try hard Bears! (And Bucs, Panthers, A's, and whoever plays Stanford)
  - Be, well, Dilligent.