Let's just get to some links here without the witty "waddyaknows" from yours truly.  I'll skip those, so you can know the pain of trying to greet the morning without them.  I want you to yearn, dammit!  Yearn!

Some football camp info:

The California football team displayed high energy once again with a spirited single practice on Sunday evening in Memorial Stadium, with continued emphasis on 11-on-11 sessions, goal line situations and other drill specific techniques.

One group that was particularly fired up in Sunday's practice was the defensive line. Led by the vocal leadership of senior Rulon Davis, the d-line swarmed to the ball and the quarterback on several different occasions. Sophomore Cameron Jordan, along with Davis and Tyson Alualu all made disruptive plays in the first 11-on-11 session. Davis also forced Kevin Riley to throw the ball away in another 11-on-11 situation with his outside pressure. One of the new additions to the defensive line is Kevin Bemoll - a converted offensive lineman - who made his first big play of camp when he batted a pass in the air which was promptly intercepted by freshman Mychal Kendricks.

Under the direction of defensive backs coach Al Simmons, the Cal secondary has also been progressing nicely during fall camp. Sophomore Darian Hagan showed quick hands in a few of the drills today, including a pass break up in the end zone in Bears' red zone drill. Hard hitting senior safety Bernard Hicks managed to slap the ball away in mid air on an intended pass for a receiver as well in the 11-on-11s.

Don't forget about Fan Appreciation Day this Saturday:

Festivities will run from 12-2 p.m., with a pre-event starting at 11 a.m. by the North Tunnel. The stadium will not open for the event prior to 12 noon. Fans are encouraged to use public transportation (BART) when visiting the Cal campus. For specific parking information, log on to http://pt.berkeley.edu.

via grfx.cstv.com

One of the most touching scenes I've seen of the Olympics so far (more than the 40 hours of synchronized diving I've been forcemarched into watching) was the US women winning the rowing eights.  I don't know much about rowing (and was saddened that my friend got last place in the Quad Sculls finals), but the emotion that the athletes showed was unbelievable.  I don't think any of us can understand what that is like.  To work so hard for 4 years for 1 thing and finally achieve that goal. 

Well, a Golden Bear was on that boat:

BEIJING - Former California rower Erin Cafaro won a gold medal with the United States in the women's eight on Sunday Beijing time in the 2008 Summer Olympics at the Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park. The U.S. eight posted a time of 6:05.34, as the Netherlands took silver in 6:07.22 and Romania claimed bronze in 6:07.25. The U.S. victory stopped the Romanians from claiming their fourth straight Olympic eight gold.

Mary Whipple, the gold-medal winning U.S. coxswain, who took silver with the U.S. eight in the 2004 Athens Olympics, is the twin sister of Cal women's crew assistant coach Sarah Whipple.

Along with the gold medal won by former Bear Jake Wetzel and the men's eight and the silver medal won by former Cal star Natalie Coughlin with the U.S. 4x100-meter medley relay on Sunday, Cal has now won 13 Olympic medals in Beijing and would rank 12th in the overall medal standings between Ukraine (14 medals) and the Netherlands (10).

Natalie Coughlin continues her impressive march into the record books:

Beijing, China - Natalie Coughlin made Olympic history in the pool on Saturday evening, becoming the first American woman ever (in any sport) to medal six times in a single Olympiad after garnering a silver in the women's 4x100-meter medley relay at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing.

The greatest woman's swimmer in Cal history, Coughlin swam the first leg of the medley. Rebecca Soni, Christine Magnuson, and Dara Torres rounded out the quartet who posted an American record time of 3:53.30.

Coughlin has now attained 11 career Olympic medals, one shy of former U.S. star Jenny Thompson and Torres, who are tied for the record for most Olympic women's swimming medals with 12. Coughlin did however tie former Cal men's swimmer Matt Biondi with the most Olympic medals by any Cal athlete.

Although America didn't win the Men's Eights in rowing, a Golden Bear did:

BEIJING - California alumnus Jake Wetzel won the Olympic gold medal in the men's eight with Canada on Sunday at the Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park. Canada's top boat posted a time of 5:23.89 to surpass silver medalist Great Britain (5:25.11) and the bronze medalist boat from the United States (5:25.34) in the final rowing event of the 2008 Games.

Canada led at 500 meters, 1,000 meters and 1,500 meters but had to hild off the surging British and U.S. eights down the stretch.

Cal Olympic Summary Day 9.

Cal Olympic Summary Day 8.

Many of you have probably heard of the race between Phelps and Cavic where Phelps won by .01 seconds.  But only those who had, yknow, read those Better Know An Olympian posts might know that Cavic is a Golden Bear.

via grfx.cstv.com

Cal women's soccer dominates St. Mary's in a pre-season exhibition game. 

BERKELEY, Calif. - No. 17 California received goals from five different players in its season-opening 7-0 exhibition victory over Saint Mary's Saturday afternoon at Edwards Stadium.

"We felt like we had a good preseason so far," said second-year Cal head coach Neil McGuire. "The girls came in fit and worked really hard on the things we felt were important at this stage of the season. We are young and inexperienced, but our play today showed a lot of maturity. As a result, we were fortunate enough to score a lot of goals."

Ok, lot's of Olympics news here.  But there's still a ton more out there.  So, grab your links and bring them on over. 

As a reminder, I'm not sure you can copy and paste entire articles here.  My understanding is that you can only a small part of it due to fair use laws.  So, if you have a link, please post the link and maybe a short excerpt to give the essence of the article.  Dump Away!  Go Bears!

FROM THE OAKLAND TRIBUNE

BERKELEY — Two plaintiffs who sued to stop UC Berkeley from building a $140 million sports training center next to the university's football stadium have withdrawn a motion for a new trial.

The California Oak Foundation and the Panoramic Hill Association — two of the three plaintiffs that sued the university in December 2006 to stop the center from being built on a grove of trees — where protesters have been living for 20 months — had filed the separate motion in Alameda County Superior Court based on alleged building code violations.

But that motion was withdrawn Friday because of a "technicality regarding jurisdiction in the building code,'' said Mike Kelly president of the Panoramic Hill Association, which represents homeowners who live near Memorial Stadium.

"We are very pleased" that the plaintiffs withdrew their motion, UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said.

In a one-page filing, the plaintiffs said UC Berkeley officials have complied with state law in one aspect of the university's proposed 158,000-square-foot project. Michael Lozeau, the attorney for association, however, said important issues remain.

The city of Berkeley was the third plaintiff to sue in 2006. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller rejected those suits last month. The oaks group and neighborhood association then appealed to the state Court of Appeal, but the city did not join thatappeal.

Last week, the state Court of Appeal sent the case back to Miller's courtroom, saying her work was not done. Miller will hold a hearing on Aug. 25 to hear arguments from both side before issuing her final ruling.