DBD 10.30.09 Here Comes the Pain

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Not a fan of the girls at Texas Tech, apparently.

Not like Jigsaw from Saw, though.

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Jigsaw team: California is tough to figure. It welcomed back 17 starters from a nine-win team that beat Oregon and lost to USC by 14 points in 2008, while the Ducks and Trojans had to replace 17 NFL draft picks between them. Yet the Bears lost to both by a combined 72-6 count.

California running back Jahvid Best: Flash

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Effective immediately, coaches will no longer be allowed to employ a person associated with a prospective student-athlete at a camp or clinic, make payments to nonprofit organizations that a person associated with a prospect has either a proprietary or financial interest in, or use 1-900 telephone numbers for recruiting purposes. Coaches found in violation of any of the rules could be suspended from coaching regular-season or NCAA tournament games.

Mens BBall picked to win Pac10 in Media Poll:

BERKELEY – For only the second time in history, California has been selected to win the Pac-10 title in a preseason vote of media members who regularly cover the conference. It was announced on Thursday at the annual Pac-10 Media Day held at the Hilton LAX in Los Angeles.

The Golden Bears picked up 25 of 37 first-place votes and received 350 total points. Washington got seven first-place votes and 330 points, with UCLA taking the final five first-place votes for 302 points.

Arizona came in fourth, followed closely by Oregon State in fifth. Oregon is picked for sixth, followed by Arizona State in seventh, Washington State in eighth, USC in ninth and Stanford in 10th. “The expectations are there,” head coach Mike Montgomery said. “We’re aware of that, but I don’t know if it changes anything other than the fact that if anybody looked at us last year and said ‘oh we’ll beat Cal’ maybe now we’ll have their attention and maybe we’ll get people’s best efforts, which is great.”

The only other time Cal was chosen to win the Pac-10 came in 1993-94 and featured All-Americans Jason Kidd and Lamond Murray. The Bears eventually finished tied for second in the conference.

In other news Thursday, Cal earned a preseason No. 13 ranking in the Associated Press preseason poll and a No. 12 rating in the USA Today preseason poll. It’s the highest preseason ranking for Cal since the 1993-94 squad boasted a No. 6 preseason ranking. The last time the Bears were in the preseason Top 25 was in 2005-06 (No. 25).

Womens soccer hosts Arizonas:

This Week in Cal Women’s Soccer
The Golden Bears (8-7-1 overall, 2-4-0 in the Pac-10) close out their home regular-season schedule this weekend, hosting Arizona (4-11-1, 1-4-0) on Friday, Oct. 30 at 2:30 p.m. and Arizona State (7-5-1, 0-4-1) on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. at Edwards Stadium in Berkeley The ASU match will the final home game for the California’s six seniors – goalkeeper Rosie Aguilera, defender Brianna Bak, forward Torrey Delaplane, forward Lisa Kevorkian, midfielder Katie Oakes and goalkeeper Gina Pellegrini.

Last Week in Cal Women’s Soccer
On a two-game swing of the Pacific Northwest, the Bears could not pull out a win against Washington on Oct. 23 or at No. 20 Washington State on Oct. 25. Against the Huskies, McKenna Waitley scored the gamewinner in the 24th minute off a deflection with a shot to the lower right corner. In addition to outshooting UW, 8-7, the Bears earned four corner kicks to the Huskies’ two. Against WSU, the Bears scored in the 25th minute, but could not find the back of the net again to drop a 2-1 overtime decision to the Cougars.

Three Bears Combine to Net Weekend’s Lone Goal
Redshirt junior forward Lisa Kevorkian scored the only goal last weekend for the Bears, and it came with a little help from her friends. After registering a shot against UW, she took Cal’s first shot in Pullman at 13:35 but the WSU keeper made the save. Junior forward Alex Morgan crossed the ball from the left side into the box, where senior Katie Oakes touched it, and then Kevorkian came in for the goal from four yards out. The score was Kevorkian’s fifth of the year. The assist was Oakes’ second and Morgan’s sixth of 2009.

Q+A with another womens soccer player:

BERKELEY – This weekend’s games against Arizona (Friday, Oct. 30 at 2:30 p.m.) and Arizona State (Sunday, Nov. 1 at 1 p.m.) are the final home games of the 2009 regular season and the final home games for the squad’s six seniors. This week, CalBears.com will be running a Q&A with each of the team’s six seniors – goalkeeper Rosie Aguilera, defender Brianna Bak, forward Torrey Delaplane, forward Lisa Kevorkian, midfielder Katie Oakes and goalkeeper Gina Pellegrini. CalBears.com had a chance to discuss the seniors’ years in Berkeley and what being a part of the Cal women’s soccer program has meant to them, and today’s participant is Brianna Bak.

Senior defender Brianna Bak has been a stalwart on Cal’s backline for four years. A mass communications major from Manhattan Beach, Calif., Bak is co-captain this year with fellow senior Katie Oakes. After registering the game-winning goal versus No. 11 Stanford (1-0) in the final minute of regulation during her freshman year (2006), she went on to start 50 of 40 games played in her final three years at Cal. She has twice earned a Pac-10 All-Academic honorable mention.

CalBears.com: What is your best Cal story or favorite Cal experience?
BB: My sophomore year fall, Gina Pellegrini, Katie Oakes and I were going to a Christmas baseball party, and I decided that we should dress up. Katie and I were reindeer and Gina was Santa and it was really funny.

I told just a 14 year old over, over facebook, who I’ve never met before that I am living in the bushes outside her apartment. And that I stole all her dolls and cut off their heads and am having a doll funeral later, but that she isn’t invited. Is that creepy? I meant it all as a joke.

Take solace in this former Net’s performance:

THURSDAY’S WORST
Richard Jefferson, Spurs: It has been only two games, but so far Jefferson is having a hard time fitting in with his new team. He followed up Wednesday’s 1-for-7 shooting performance by going 3-for-9, finishing with just nine points.

<a href=“http:// ”http://gawker.com/5393063/gallery/gallery/2" target="_blank">http://gawker.com/5393063/gallery/gallery/2" target="new">Dude, we’ve got a person on the inside at Gawker:

Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates eventually pled guilty to trashing about 1,000 copies of the University of California, Berkeley student newspaper after the paper endorsed his opponent. He initially denied throwing away the papers, but confessed, in the words of the San Francisco Chronicle, “a month later, after campus police prepared a report to send to the district attorney.” His punishment? Re-election in 2006 (with the Chronicle’s endorsement). (Disclaimer: I edited the UC Berkeley student paper in college but was long gone when the Bates thing happened.) (Pic: by Allen Lew)

Dude, a Brook Lopez jersey?

I understand that he’s a very good center – looking to make the jump to great, but you don’t see me wearing a Todd Lichti or Adam Keefe jersey around do you?

Just remember where he went to school.

If Yi can average 15 and 7.5 this year, that’ll be pretty good.

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On Californians:

“Californians are such weather pussies. If it’s raining people stay home and you can sell a 49ers ticket for like 45 bucks.

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He played seven seasons as a professional overseas, stationed primarily in England but with side trips to Bulgaria, Russia, Macedonia, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Japan and France.

These days, Randy Duck is happiest in the 2,000-square-foot San Ramon gym he has dubbed “Hoop House,” a no-frills facility where he teaches youngsters the fundamentals of the game.

“This is what I’ve always wanted to do,” Duck said. “This is where I came from. I came from, ‘Go to the gym, work out, play all day, play all night.’ This is my sanctuary.”

Even for a guy who played alongside Jason Kidd during his freshman season at Cal, went to the NCAA Tournament three times in four years and scored 1,000 career points by the end of his senior season in 1996-97, the past couple of months have been pretty good for Duck.

The 34-year-old Danville resident was married Sept. 12, just weeks after he opened the doors to Hoop House.

Duck said he has been working toward this for years. It was in the back of his mind during his final pro season of 2003-04 in Brighton, England, where he honed a range of skills, serving as player, coach and general manager at the same time. His ambitions crystallized in recent years, during a stint coaching basketball for 24 Hour Fitness and while privately tutoring young players.

“I was doing it kind of out of the back of my truck,” Duck said. “Wherever there was a hoop, I’d train kids.”

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Over the first seven games of the season, there have arguably been two Kevin Rileys.

The one in all of the Bears’ wins, which will be dubbed the “Efficient Riley,” has completed a little over 64 percent of his passes and thrown 11 touchdowns. In contrast, the “Inefficient Riley” was almost nonexistent in Cal’s two losses with zero touchdowns and a completion rate of 38 percent.

While it’s not quite Jekyll and Hyde, the disparity in Riley’s play has arguably been the difference between a win and a loss.

So which costume will Riley don tomorrow?

That question cannot be answered at the moment, but if the Bears are going to win, Riley should be neither.

What’re the Halloween costumes you guys are sporting this year? Still trying to find a good enough Wookie look.

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Hardcore sports fans would cite that Michael Jordan scored 38 points when running a fever of 103 degrees in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, but the Bears feel like their play will be vastly improved when they take the court against the Bruins tonight at 7 p.m., at Haas Pavilion.

“Last time we weren’t healthy,” middle hitter Mindi Wiley said. “A lot of us had nagging colds and little injuries and it all added up against us. We’re going to be healthy and comfortable in our own gym.”

Cal was coming off of a big win against Stanford when it traveled to face the Los Angeles schools three weeks ago, but the Bears feel they are playing their best volleyball of the year after dropping only one set last weekend against Arizona and Arizona State.

The difference between now and three weeks ago? Practice.

“Our mental game has really improved,” senior libero Kristen Kathan said. "We’ve been more active and not waiting around for things to happen our way.

Added Wiley: “We have had a lot better practice this week. Last week we played much better of a team and now we are all healthy. We’re expecting a highly competitive game. We’re excited.”

TOOT TOOT!

Learn the real reason Darian Hagan was suspended.

Apparently Bellevue is a very bicycle friendly city. Or at least that’s what it looks with all fucking bikes around. Whenever I see a bike riding around in the bike lane he/she always has to be the very edge of the lane near to the traffic. Of course that causes all the drivers ahead of me to slow down and perhaps swing into the opposite lane to avoid traffic. Considering the drivers here are very nice this is no surprise to me.

The worst is when there’s no bike lane and these people decide to ride their bikes on the main road. Of course that turns a 40mph street into a traffic jam two blocks long where everyone drives at 10mph with a guy on the bike leading the procession. Argh

So is ASU’s starting center

Erickson said cornerback Omar Bolden (knee) and center Thomas Altieri (knee) are out and wide receiver Jerry Taylor (hamstring) is questionable. Garth Gerhart is shifting from right guard to center to replace Altieri with Brent Good returning to starting right guard. It also appears that Tom Njunge will return as starting right tackle ahead of Matt Hustad, who started against Stanford.

Arizona State wide receiver/punt returner Kyle Williams had a good practice Thursday and will return from a hamstring injury to play against No. 24-ranked California on Saturday.

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Attendance for the 12:30 p.m. Homecoming kickoff is projected at 46,000. ASU drew 53,219 for its last home game against Washington but has been below 46,000 for its three other games at Sun Devil Stadium.

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Mike Montgomery was next up after O’Neill and the Cal head coach talked at length about how much of a competitor Jerome Randle is. It is safe to say that Randle, along with the Bears themselves, are going to be considered in the upper echelon for this Pac-10 this season. With four returning starters, Montgomery seemed genuinely excited about his team’s chances and rightfully so, although he did mention that the loss of the contributions of Jordan Wilkes are going to be tough to make up.

so this is another streak we should celebrate if we break

Kind of doesn’t like Brett Favre

As the man in the middle of the most melodramatic matchup we have seen in many NFL regular seasons, Brett Favre(notes) could have gone one of two ways when assessing his return to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers this Sunday.

Option No. 1 for Favre, now the main man for the rival Minnesota Vikings: Give in to the hype and go over the top in his pregame interviews, revealing the many emotions he’ll experience upon re-entering the stadium where he made so many memories.

Option No. 2: Lie like crazy.

Favre chose the latter, going so far as to describe Sunday’s showcase game between the 6-1 Vikes and 4-2 Packers as "one of 16." That’s technically accurate, in the same way that, to George W. Bush and Al Gore, Florida’s electoral votes in the 2000 election were "25 of 538."

Last week, I went 3-2 on what I deemed a crapshoot of a week. That, however, seems to be every week in the conference season. Let’s compile some Pac-10 picks right here after mine —

Wazzu vs. Notre Dame (-27.5) — I’ll take Notre Dame, but I wouldn’t be surprised with a good chunk of yardage through the air for the Cougs
Cal (-6.5) @ ASU — Cal but definitely don’t like the injury/suspension news
UCLA @ Oregon State (-9.5) — OSU
USC (-3) @ Oregon — yeah, no idea here. I’ll take USC, but to be honest, I’d rather just stay away.

Ugh. 4 favorites. Ugh.

Link here from the Daily Cal.

My frat got one of these letters. I wonder if this type of thing is going to have any impact at all.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Derrick-Brown-103886

just some speculation at this point. disclosure: i don’t really have anything to back this up … i just don’t think we’ll be able to land Michael Eubanks without some transfers out or something

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An aircraft chartered to fly the Cal football team to its game at Arizona State University landed safely this morning after the pilot reported minor concerns with the plane’s landing gear.

In an announcement to passengers, the pilot said a warning light had come on after the plane took off from Oakland International Airport. The pilot said he had lowered the landing gear mid-flight and then raised it in attempt to diagnose the problem.

About Matt Barkley…and someone who shook his hand one time.

On Fridays before home games, Marvin likes to go to the Heritage Hall pep rallies to yell and sing and chant players’ names. On Fridays, Matt likes to go to the Heritage Hall pep rallies to yell and sing and hear the students chant his name.

On Friday nights, Marvin usually has to go work at his frat’s parties, guarding the stairs so people don’t go up. On Friday nights, Matt usually has to go the downtown L.A. Marriott to study game film and get ready to star in a game that will be seen by 90,000 people live and millions more on national TV and can make or break hundreds of thousands of dollars in alumni donations.