Joanne Boyle -- Associated Press photo

 Cal’s practices for the next several days will be, uh, interesting.

The Bears knew it would take some time to get things rolling this season with so many freshmen playing prominent roles.   But three starters are back from last season’s 27-7 team, the incoming freshman class was ranked one of the best in the country, and Cal was ranked No. 17 in the preseason Associated Press poll.

The Bears did not expect to be 4-4 at this point, and they certainly did not expect to lose at home to a San Jose State team that was 1-7, as it did last week.

After that loss, Cal coach Joanne Boyle had a harsh appraisal of her team.

“We came in and played the first six minutes like we should have, and then we checked out.  I’m embarrassed.

“I told them the one thing I have always taken pride in is that we’ve always had tough teams.   People would knock you on your butt before they’d get an offensive rebound in the last two minutes of a game.  You might have four fouls and five turnovers, but you knew when you left, you had played your butt off. We are soft.  Physically and mentally, from top to bottom, we were soft tonight.  And we have a habit of that.  Being soft and not being mentally tough will get you a loss to anybody.  That’s where we are right now. 

“We need to find some leadership on this team.  And we need to find some mental and physical toughness.”

The Bears have a 12-day layoff for exams and don’t play again until a December 23 game at Long Beach State.   The team’s attitude in that game will be telling.