Gold Out Memorial – Pass it On - California Golden Blogs

Gold Out Memorial – Pass it On

by danzig on May 18, 2008 8:13 PM PDT

2503760597_b85503e39b_o_medium It’s spreading. The fans want to Gold-out Memorial for the nationally televised Michigan State game. What is a Gold Out? Put simply, everyone wears as much gold or yellow as possible, creating a statement of unity and intimidation through a flood of color. The athletic department is already on board and a coordinator has been assigned with the marketing. The only problem is getting the word out to the fans.

You can check out the entire thread that started it all. You can also see the response from the athletic department:
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=166&f=1419#s=166&f=1419&t=2470026

Here’s what a complete Gold Out would theoretically look like (thanks gobears15):

Why not a Blue Out?
So why not just do our normal thing, the Blue Out? After all, the student section always dresses in dark blue. The short answer is that dark blue doesn’t have the impact that other bright colors do. This is why Penn State started the White Out for big games. Dark blue doesn’t look like it’s done on purpose, especially on TV!!

Take a look at the following picture of the 2006 Oregon game. The student section is wearing all dark blue; however, how distinct is it from the Oregon section right next to it? Does it look like our fans are ‘united’ here? Well, they 'sorta' look united. Did the press ever mention after this game how cool the fans looked in all blue?

Here are some other examples of color floods using bright colors:

Penn State - the original "White Out"

The Vols - you know what this looks like. This should change the mind for anyone biased towards a Blue Out vs a Gold Out:

Texas Longhorns - this flood really looks great on TV:

Oregon Ducks - they Yellow Out for ESPN Gameday:

Oregon State when the Trojans come to town:

Michigan State - Even the Spartans do the White Out when big teams come to town:

Texas AM - Now this is frickn impressive:

THE BOTTOM LINE
Most of us hate wearing Gold and probably don't own many Gold colored items. However, this is about unity and which color makes the most impact on TV. Is it worth spending $10 on a Gold t-shirt? Hell yeah. And if we want ABC/ESPN to pick up more of our games, we need to think about how good our fans look on TV. Lets do this, lets Gold Out Memorial! Pass it on.

Poll

What looks better in HD?

All Gold

53 votes

All Blue

3 votes

Who cares?

2 votes

58 votes | Poll has closed

The opinions expressed in a FanPost are not necessarily those of the California Golden Blogs or any of its authors. However, they are just as important as the opinions of any of the authors. And doubly so as compared to TwistNHook!

6 recs | Comment 39 comments

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Comments

I used to be RR at the Cal Golden Blogs

by royrules22 on May 18, 2008 10:10 PM PDT 0 recs

At first, I was against this idea because (1) blue is our primary color; (2) the athletic department wasn’t behind this; and (3) without the support of the athletic department not enough people would hear about this. Assuming the athletic department gets a sponsor, then this can be a huge success. The student section looked great in gold against U$C last year. I do also like the idea of the students on the block C of the student section wearing blue to create a blue C in the sea of gold. That would look awesome (just like Penn State has the blue S in their white out).

I think the toughest part of this feat is giving notice to the more casual Cal fans who do not peruse the internet, have few to none other Cal Football fans to notify them, or just keeping Cal fans from not putting a different color jacket (or such) over the t-shirt once the sun sets and the stadium gets colder. I think the MSU game is a 4 pm kickoff or something right? Hopefully that day is a hot one so it stays warm into the early evening so people don’t start covering up the gold shirt.

by HydroTech on May 19, 2008 12:04 AM PDT 0 recs

Ok does anyone have videos (or pics) of the Tennessee game or U$C game where I can see how the student section looked and how loud we actually were? I was in the student section (one row above rally comm) and so I can’t really judge…

I used to be RR at the Cal Golden Blogs

by royrules22 on May 19, 2008 12:45 AM PDT 0 recs

pictures of student section goldout during USC

RR,

here are a few low quality screen caps of the USC gold out that only the student section participated in.

notice how the rest of Memorial was mixed as usual.

by danzig on May 19, 2008 1:09 AM PDT up 0 recs

Oh sweet thanks!

One more question.. Does anyone who either watched or was in a section away from the student section during the the 2007 Tennessee game or the 2006 Oregon game know if the student section got real loud? I mean LOUD?

I used to be RR at the Cal Golden Blogs

by royrules22 on May 19, 2008 11:28 AM PDT up 0 recs

Memorial rarely gets loud.....too many times have I been told

to sit down on a 3rd and short or 4th and short situation. Bottom line is Cal fans generally suck. The culture is changing but we have a long way to go.

GO Bears!

by 33SwisherSweet on May 19, 2008 12:39 PM PDT up 0 recs

understand

i too have been told to sit down one too many times, but I don’t think Cal fans suck. I think its a matter of older fans vs younger fans. Whenever I’m in the alum section and am sitting in front of some geriatrics, i get the occasional shoulder tap. With younger fans i never have a prob.

This is what I do. When I get the ‘shoulder tap’ and am asked to sit down… I turn around and say “Sorry, I haven’t seen a game in person in years and I love Cal football so much I sometimes can’t help myself” ... They usually leave me alone after that.

by danzig on May 19, 2008 1:33 PM PDT up 0 recs

young alum section

...and this is the problem with the young alum section. in a section that’s ostensibly reserved for people who graduated in the last 10 years, there sure are a lot of older folks who have no interest in standing, and who harass me when i do. I don’t disagree with their position, either. I’m sure when i’m older, I probably won’t want to stand as much. I just wish that the athletic department would do a better job separating those who want to stand from those who would rather sit except when the game gets exciting.

So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!

by ragnarok on May 19, 2008 2:01 PM PDT up 0 recs

This is one reason I’ll sneak into the student section even after I graduate. Won’t be hard as I’ll be graduating a year early and will only be 20 and a half by that time!

I really do like the student section. Except for a handful of people who don’t understand the rules per se (usually in the first two games – they quickly learn) the student section is pretty lively.

I used to be RR at the Cal Golden Blogs

by royrules22 on May 19, 2008 2:30 PM PDT up 0 recs

That's generally what I do...

...and I’m 26. You should have no problem at all getting into the student section. In fact, except during Big Game or USC/UCLA, security is usually lax enough that it’s hard to call it ‘sneaking’.

So, basically, you gotta Go Bears!

by ragnarok on May 19, 2008 2:39 PM PDT up 0 recs

I still “sneak” into the student section. I’m no longer a Cal student, but I’m still a student. Does that count?

by HydroTech on May 19, 2008 3:24 PM PDT up 0 recs

Guys/Gals

I’m not asking that people let me stand up, I’m asking that they don’t look at me disgustingly when I make noise. I’m asking that I don’t get some stiff attorney turning around handing me his business card in an attempt to intimidate me into being quiet.

As an esq. myself, I don’t need this kind of crap. While that experience is on the extreme of the spectrum I can’t count the number of times that I’m ‘fearful’ that being loud will lead to some Cal ‘fan’ complaining to security and getting me kicked out. I don’t cuss, I don’t get mean, I just get loud, yet somehow that is not acceptable in many places in memorial.

by 33SwisherSweet on May 19, 2008 4:38 PM PDT up 0 recs

My group of young alums all sneak into the overflow student section too. Heck, I snuck into our student section at the road games last year too. One, we don’t have to worry about getting our seats together. Two, I can stand the whole game. I actually think the young alumni section has gotten much worse over the last few years – strangely older and much quieter.

http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/

by BeastMode on May 19, 2008 4:53 PM PDT up 0 recs

good idea

Personally, I enjoy watching the Stanley Cup playoffs just for these effects. The Sea of Red a few years ago when the Flames were playing…(someone? Don’t remember) was very impressive. Almost made me want to go out and buy a Flames uniform!

I'm still wondering why the Nets didn't draft Leon Powe.

by yellow fever on May 19, 2008 7:14 AM PDT 0 recs

Flames

The Flames are a sea of red for pretty much every game. And, its not just a t-shirt, everyone has a home jersey. It’s pretty fantastic.

http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/

by BeastMode on May 19, 2008 4:55 PM PDT up 0 recs

Thoughts

1) I don’t like wearing yellow, however
2) I think this would serve as a good home field advantage, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY
3) IT WILL LOOK REALLY BAD IF WE DON’T SELL OUT THE STADIUM which is a VERY likely scenario.

by 33SwisherSweet on May 19, 2008 10:18 AM PDT 0 recs

It’ll sell out if last year’s games are an indication. We sell out on big games and MSU on ESPN is a big game no matter what.

I used to be RR at the Cal Golden Blogs

by royrules22 on May 19, 2008 11:28 AM PDT up 0 recs

MSU is a big game? Who are you kidding?

Yeah, sure it’s better than Sac State, but see the comment below. We had trouble selling out the Tennessee game.

by 33SwisherSweet on May 19, 2008 4:39 PM PDT up 0 recs

MSU, not a big game.

Sorry, a game against a team that hasn’t won more than 8 games since 1999 or finished in the top 25 since that same year is not a big game. If it was the University of Michigan, then yes, big game.

http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/

by BeastMode on May 19, 2008 4:57 PM PDT up 0 recs

It's about TV and rankings

Sure there’s no rivalry on the line, there’s no revenge – however this is going to be on national TV and it affects how the pollsters see us.

Plus, Michigan State could be ranked somewhere from #20 – #25, they already are in some pre-season lists. Beating them could get us back into the polls.

IMHO, it makes it more important than Maryland or Colorado St.

Pre-season rankings:
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=335879
http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10813944

by danzig on May 19, 2008 5:12 PM PDT up 0 recs

greed with danzig. I meant big game in that it has big implications for us and for national publicity (this is a primetime ESPN game and that’s gotta count for something right!?)

Plus we’re wearing mustard top and that means it’s an important game (WSU was important—we were on a 3 game slide!)

I used to be RR at the Cal Golden Blogs

by royrules22 on May 19, 2008 5:28 PM PDT up 0 recs

Guys, it's become a problem amongst me and my friends as well as the

internets – this throwing around of “big game.” It seems as if every game is a “big game” until the next one. Although I agree that every game is important the term “big game” should be reserved for games like cal v. sc 04, cal v. tenn 06 and 07 etc.

by 33SwisherSweet on May 19, 2008 7:43 PM PDT up 0 recs

I am still going to disagree.

MSU just does not have the cache of Tennessee, that’s just a fact. Also, just because this game is “bigger” than Maryland and Colorado State does not make this big. Yes, the game is on national TV, but that alone will not drive ticket sales to the point of selling out Memorial. It’s going to take a serious effort from ATO to come even close to it.

http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/

by BeastMode on May 19, 2008 7:50 PM PDT up 0 recs

For the record, I see the significance of the game in the bigger scheme of things, no one is arguing that it isn’t important.

http://sportingcontrarian.wordpress.com/

by BeastMode on May 19, 2008 7:52 PM PDT up 0 recs

sure

I’m fine with that. MSU can just be an important game. Although its a pretty darn important game.

WashU, Maryland, ColSt will not be ranked and will probably not be televised, so the only shot we got at impressing the AP pollsters across the country is to whoop ranked MSU rather convincingly.

This man is darn popular with the pollsters, he’s MSU’s savior. There will be alot of journalists in the Big10 wondering if he’s the real deal. We can put that to rest by stopping him at Memorial. I’m convinced that JT will not be taking this man lightly.

by danzig on May 19, 2008 7:57 PM PDT up 0 recs

I'd have to disagree having partaken in a little ticket brokering in last year's games

Tennessee Game (yeah, what was called the biggest game in YEARS) barely sold out before the game went off.

U$C game took 2 months to sell out. The bottom line is, Cal fans are still rather apathetic about sports. I hate saying that, but it is true.

Indicative of what you can expect to be lower attendance figures this year is the fact that some of my friends did not renew their season tickets this year and yet were given repeated extensions by the ticket office to renew and retain priority. The ATO would not be doing this if tickets were selling like hot cakes. Trust me, the MSU game won’t sell out and if it does it will be close to game time.

by 33SwisherSweet on May 19, 2008 12:37 PM PDT 0 recs

If SC didn't sell out, it is the ATO's fault

I went on-line to purchase single game tickets early in the morning the first day they became available. I was able to get Arizona tickets easily, was lucky to get reserved endzone tickets (where the tarp normally is) for Tennessee, but completely unable to get any ticket for SC. I tried throughout the day, both reserved & GA (I even tried to buy just one ticket in case blocks of multiple tickets were sold out) but consistently got the message that nothing was available.

by southseasbear on May 26, 2008 8:08 AM PDT up 0 recs

Sellouts and "Gold Out"s

First, the Tennessee game was slow to sell out not because of lack of interest but because the Athletic Department purposely held back single-game tickets for as long as possible in order to maximize the number of season tickets sold. With a team from the Big “Ten” (Nigel Tufnel says, “Their conference goes to 11”) coming to town, and a lot of eager anticipation among the Cal faithful-plus a national TV audience to boot-I fully expect Memorial Stadium to be packed for the Spartans, if not actually sold out.

Second, I love the idea, but does it have to be called a “Gold Out”? When Winnipeg Jets fans broke out the original “White Out” back in the 1980s, the name made sense. Can’t we come up with a more clever, color-appropriate name? There’s the rather obvious “Gold Rush”. Another idea, which would take the White Out idea full circle, would be to call the event the “C of Gold”; back in 1987, the Winnipeg White Out was a response to the Calgary Flames’ “C of Red”. Lastly, for all you fans of the Mongol Empire-and who had a better rushing attack than Genghis Khan?-Cal fans could be dubbed the “Golden Horde”.

Any other (and hopefully better) ideas?

Go Bears!

by California Pete on May 19, 2008 7:28 PM PDT 0 recs

Not so sure they were holding back tickets. In fact, I'm pretty certain they didn't.

Demand was so much lower than expected for that game that I know a few people who took a beating on re-selling their tickets ie, less than 1/2 of face. Probably serves them right for trying to scam the system, but believe it or not demand was relatively cool on that game.

SC and the Furd are the only guaranteed sellout. My bet is 90% of capacity for Michigan State.

by 33SwisherSweet on May 19, 2008 7:42 PM PDT up 0 recs

The only way this game sells out....

is if MSU fans really turn out well. If they can find a way to bring 10k+, it should be a sure sellout, but anything less than that probably means a crowd of 60-70,000 people. And btw, a game that has an attendance of 65,000 looks exactly the same as a sellout on ESPN, because the only empty seats are the first five rows of the West Side, and the top 10 rows of the corner seats on the East Side, which they never show anyway. I bet that this season, Stanfurd and UCLA sell out, Arizona State and Michigan State come extremely close (~70,000), Washington draws 60,000, Oregon draws 65,000 (Duck fans always show up extremely well), and 55,000 for Colorado State.

by RollOnYouBears667 on Jun 1, 2008 8:33 AM PDT up 0 recs

Good point

Why didn’t I think of that? We should call it something else, that’s obvious.

I actually like both “C of Gold” and “Golden Horde”. I’m sure we can come up with something original, but I really want “C of Gold”... it sounds awesome.

As soon as we agree to a name, we have to contact Megan at the Athletic dept to stop “Gold Out”. There’s plenty of time till the MSU game, but we should give her enough time to make the changes with the sponsors etc.

Megan M. Mosness
Director of Game Day Experience
Cal Athletics
2575 Bancroft Way – Hearst Annex A10
Berkeley, CA 94720
Phone: (510) 642-4780
meganmosness@berkeley.edu

by danzig on May 19, 2008 7:45 PM PDT up 0 recs

I love "C of Gold"

“Golden Horde” is good, but doesn’t quite work for me. Much as I like violent metaphors for football, something about the Mongol reference doesn’t work. Plus, it would draw inevitable whining from those offended to the fact that Genghis, you know, raped and murdered on an epic scale (I’ve never been politically correct in my life, so I don’t care, but it’s going to be hard enough to get everyone involved without an uphill battle against the historically sensitive).

The Bear will not quit, the Bear will not die

by Calfan on May 20, 2008 2:24 AM PDT up 0 recs

My preference would be "California Gold Rush"

I like the sound of it, but, more importantly, the historical significance of the event that eventually led to the growth of Northern California, particularly the Bay Area:

1849 – Gold Rush
1850 – California granted statehood
1860 – College of California founded
1868 – Cal

by southseasbear on May 26, 2008 7:57 PM PDT up 0 recs

Here’s my pathetic attempt at trying to use Photoshop to see how a gold out memorial will look with the student section still wearing blue. I also added a splotch of green to imitate MSU fans

I used to be RR at the Cal Golden Blogs

by royrules22 on May 19, 2008 9:19 PM PDT 0 recs

C of Gold

With all the fans wearing gold and the student section all in blue, it would truly be a “C” of gold. Great idea.

by mauibob on May 28, 2008 9:01 AM PDT 0 recs

Gold Memorial

I posted comments on a bunch of Cal YouTube videos telling Bears fans to wear gold to the game. What are all of these comments about the “C” looking good from the blimp? How do we know that there is even going to be a blimp there???? It honestly is not a high-profile game at all! It is VERY likely that it will be either an unranked team Vs. a high-20s team OR two unranked teams. I agree that the gold out could be a great tradition and look awesome, though. Will there be a sponsor or do I have to buy my own gold Cal shirt?

by RollOnYouBears667 on May 30, 2008 11:18 PM PDT 0 recs

Great idea!

I love the modern idea of a California Gold Rush!

I have been to two Texas A&M games at Kyle Field; those folks are real fans! 86,000 people who stand up for the entire game except for the TV timeouts. The upper deck there is always all red since that is the student section. I have also been to South Bend for a game and all Irish fans pretty much wear blue and it is not very noteworthy on TV.

So go for the Gold, stop whining about, it’ s not like anyone is asking you to wear that most horrible of all colors, Cardinal RED! I cannot wait for the season to start and hope to make it back home for one game this year. Until then I’ll just have to pay a couple of bucks a month for the Fox Sports package to watch our California Golden Bears.

by CalBearinTexas on May 31, 2008 10:03 AM PDT 0 recs

Hey!!

I created a Facebook group for this a few days ago. This has been popping off like crazy as there are already over 600 members. I’m trying to get this sucker to get as big as possible so that it will be noticed. If any of you guys have Facebook accounts, join the group and invite your friends. Additionally, if anybody has information as to who I should contact in order to propose this idea, let me know!

Here is the link to the group on Facebook

by DeKeith on Jun 1, 2008 7:26 PM PDT 0 recs

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=53336400164&ref=mf

by DeKeith on Jun 1, 2008 7:27 PM PDT 0 recs