Good Luck Ducks, Week 5: California Crud

The Ducks try to regroup after the worst loss that anyone can ever remember. 

I don't like sports anymore. This is probably a temporary thing, but when things beyond your control suck the fun out of the things that are, well, never in your control, it's always tempting to just walk away. Even a week later, I don't remember a worse Ducks football loss, let alone something that was so gut wrenching in any other sport that I follow. After a particularly rough game, I am usually good if you give me a few minutes or few hours to reflect and calm down.

I wasn't good on Sunday. I wasn't good on Monday. In fact, I decided not to go on a full Ducks media blackout all week. I don't really know what the point of that was, but I can tell you that it made me ill-prepared to blog about anything today.

The Ducks somehow moved up one slot in the rankings after last week's debacle (okay...?) to #19 and face #24 California tonight in their first road test. From what little I've heard, it sounds like the Ducks are nursing some injuries (Tony Brooks-James, Austin Faoliu...), so this could be a bigger test than expected. The team will get an opportunity to show that the Stanford game was an extreme aberration. Let's hope they do that and get back on track.

Abbreviated links:

• So, I never read this or any other article about the game last week, but it was so bad. Worse than the historic Alamo Bowl collapse. Worse than the Cameron Colvin fumble in the end zone in 2007. It was like a scary clown ripping off your own face to reveal that you are in fact a clown, too.
• Herbert Heisman Temperature Level: FILE NOT FOUND
• Know Your Opponent: Cal is coached by former Duck Justin Wilcox. Key quote: "Force Herbert to go deep and go often and TAKERS will take care of the rest."
• The Unis!: Oregon Ducks 2.0 debut of the white uniforms with chrome helmets.

#19 (really?) vs. #24. #Pac12AfterDark - will anyone be watching?

Game time is 7:30 PM PDT on FS1. Justin Kutcher, DeMarco Murray (wasn't it only yesterday that he was playing for the Eagles?!) and Petros Papadakis will be on the call. Keep the mute button handy.