The Next Greatest
by HydroTech on May 5, 2009 4:00 AM PDT
in California Golden Bears Football
Email
Print
The Daily Cal had a nice write-up on Cal linebacker Mychal Kendricks. As I was reading it, something really popped out at me:
And for his final personal blessing, Williams grabbed freshman linebacker Mychal Kendricks, looked him straight in the eye and told him this: You have the potential to be the best linebacker ever to come out of Berkeley.
Why does this pop out to me?
Well, I grew up playing a musical instrument. It was a hobby. I took some private lessons. I was alright. I made a few county honor bands but I was never good enough to make state honor bands. That experience learning a music instrument helped me gauge the talent of other musicians. For example, if someone else played the same instrument I did and I listened to them play for even a minute, I could tell how good of a player they were. If I listened to them longer, got to know how much effort they put into their trade, and how much desire they had to get better, I could gauge how much potential that person had on becoming better as well as how good they could be in the future - such as whether they were good enough to be a professional musician.
This same idea applies to all other trades including sports. So when I hear a player go out of his way to say something like "you can be the next greatest player," it really means something.
This isn't the first time I've heard (now former) Cal players say those words about (current) Cal players. In fact, I've heard former players say those same words about two other Cal players. Those are stories that I'll share in the future. But let me just say that those two players who were deemed by their peers to be the next greatest, are very talented, are doing very well in the college game, and will probably have NFL careers.
So in case you missed it, Mychal Kendricks may be our next greatest. The players told us so. And I think you ought to believe them.
What do you think Mychal Kendricks' chances are at being an NFL talent? Although we are not privy to day to day practices to evaluate the players, whom else do you think has the chance to be The Next Greatest?
36 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
props for simply being up at 4am!
Glad to see I’m not the only one.
Good article, though, definitely worth a read. I don’t know enough to have an opinion on whether he’ll be the next greatest, but I’ll certainly take Worrell’s word for it. I look forward to watching him beat the snot out of ballcarriers for years to come.
I haven't seen that many tear-stained dollar bills since my dad hired a stripper for my uncle's funeral.
I’m in between jobs (new gig doesn’t start til June), and this is what happens when I don’t have the structure I need to keep me on a regular schedule. As you can see, here I am again. Stay up too late, wake up too late, one day rolls into the next in the blink of an eye, with me having accomplished a few tasks, but usually fewer than I’d hoped for that day. Some days are better than others, but often efficiency is fleeting at best.
Trying to take steps to rectify it, but damn if it doesn’t seem a herculean task.
I haven't seen that many tear-stained dollar bills since my dad hired a stripper for my uncle's funeral.
Stay up too late, wake up too late, one day rolls into the next in the blink of an eye, with me having accomplished a few tasks
Story of my life…..
www.californiagoldenblogs.com
What keeps you up so late? Anything in particular?
I haven't seen that many tear-stained dollar bills since my dad hired a stripper for my uncle's funeral.
haha cross-thread joke ftw!
rec’d!
I haven't seen that many tear-stained dollar bills since my dad hired a stripper for my uncle's funeral.
Kendricks has intrigued me from the beginning
Even though he plays a position at which we were deep in 2008, the coaches still didn’t redshirt him. Based simply on that, I am predisposed to think that Worrell might be on to something. I won’t hang the “best linebacker EVAIR” tag on him just yet, but he does seem to have good size and speed. And with Gregory trying him at both the inside and outside spots, I’m hoping that means he’s versatile (as opposed to a tweener whom they don’t know where to put).
Marshawnthusiastic Jahvidtician and member of the PRileytariat.
Optimism
Last year, we all knew that the biggest hole on the Cal roster (wide receiver) likely wasn’t going to be filled. This year, I have a much better feeling about filling the biggest hole (linebacker). By season’s end, Mohammed, Kendricks, et al., just might have us wondering what all the fuss was about regarding the loss of Follett, Felder, and Williams.
Go Bears!
Hardy Nickerson
I don’t know, it’ll be tough for Mychal Kendricks to top Hardy Nickerson’s accomplishments.
Nickerson spent the prime of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tony Dungy moved Nickerson to the middle in his 4-3 defensive alignment, sending Nickerson to five Pro Bowls and joining the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team.
Nickerson gets kind of forgotten since he was around in the mid-80’s, but Kendricks will have to do some working to be as great as he was.
Still holding out hope that Ryan Anderson will capitulate and grant him that interview he's been asking for for months now.
Nickerson was great
CAL had some very good LBs during the 1980s who went on to good NFL careers — Nickerson, Ken Harvey, Ron Rivera, and Gary Plummer.
Marshawnthusiastic Jahvidtician and member of the PRileytariat.
Some others
Jerrott Willard (absolute STUD in the middle – too bad his knees gave out when he tried to go to the pros)
Desmond Bishop – we all know him – but led the Pac in tackles
Michael Hazelton – started at Cal at linebacker and CENTER in the 50s – one of the greatest ever at Cal
Does anyone know if they are planning on putting the names back on the jerseys for the upcoming year?
They're after our precious bodily fluids
I think not, but that's hearsay on my part
based on a comment from some post during the spring practice season.
Go Bears Go
by Rocksanddirt on May 5, 2009 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions
I hate that, its stupid, I don’t care for the symbolism or to match stupid with stupid, symbology. I want to know who the new players are!
They're after our precious bodily fluids
Blame Desean.
I'm old enough to understand. Jerks.
by rollonubears on May 5, 2009 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions
I think the important question here is
what instrument did the great Hydro play?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piccolo_(Dragon_Ball)
"Today's weather, excessively violent with a chance of dismemberment. Tune in later for our 5-day forecast!"
~ Three Dog - Fallout 3
Am I the only one who hasn't heard too much of Kendricks?
Thanks for info hydro.
"Stanford has no fear of losing versus Cal, as they have done so every year but one for the last 20 years. They are, however, very afraid to get injured and indeed fear for their safety." - Furd Rugby Coach on forfeiting 2001 Rugby game vs. Cal
I think Tad Smith is going to wreck everyone at TE in the same way that Craig Stevens did. He definitely has the size and poise for it, and has always had amazing hands. I think if he gets the ball he can be a bruising N/S runner who will be nigh impossible to take down.
CGB: Our points are reliable. Our logic is infallible. Our past records are illogical. And our ham is dynamite!
Who’s going to be the next Pain Train?
Bork bork bork!
by Avinash Kunnath on May 5, 2009 4:08 PM PDT up reply actions
I’ve heard rumors that one J. Best, a recent recruit at running back, has some Skilz. Now, I’m just an amateur, but I think he has the tools to be special.
Remember: Norcalnick said it first
The #1 greatest threat to America: BEARS
One of the knocks against him, though, is that he’s kinda slow. At least that’s what I heard.
Go Bears!
by California Pete on May 5, 2009 11:15 PM PDT up reply actions
haha rec'd!
I haven't seen that many tear-stained dollar bills since my dad hired a stripper for my uncle's funeral.
What about the hit squad linebackers?
I was always a fan of Sekou Sanyika and Matt Beck
Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory...
by Hey Bowles Hall! on May 6, 2009 10:33 PM PDT reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
GoldenBlogs' FAQ and Community Guidelines
Related FanPosts on California Golden Blogs
Related FanShots on California Golden Blogs
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
About Us
• About the Golden Bloggers
• Our previous site @ Blogsome
• Avinash @ Bears Necessity
• Best of the Golden Blogs
• Golden Blogs Interviews
• HydroTech's Cal Football Analyses
• Ron Fimrite's Anatomy Of A Miracle
• CGB Weekly Guides
• GoldenBlogs' Community Guidelines
• GoldenBlogs' FAQ
• CGB GIF Army
Learn More About The California Golden Blogs Clothing Store
Pac-12 On SBN
Pacific Takes (Pac-12) NORTH AddictedToQuack: (Oregon)
UW Dawg Pound: (Washington)
CougCenter: (Washington State)
BuildingTheDam: (Oregon State)
Rule Of Tree: (Stanford)
CaliforniaGoldenBlogs: (Cal)
SOUTH
BruinsNation: (UCLA)
ConquestChronicles: (USC)
HouseOfSparky: (ASU)
Arizona Desert Swarm: (Arizona)
TheRalphieReport: (Colorado)
Block U: (Utah)
Golden Bears Football Schedule
| Fresno St. | Sat 09/03 | W 36 - 21 |
@
Colorado
|
Sat 09/10 | W 36 - 33 |
| Presbyterian | Sat 09/17 | W 63 - 12 |
|
@
Washington
|
Sat 09/24 | L 23 - 31 |
|
@
Oregon
|
Thu 10/06 | L 15 - 43 |
|
USC
|
Thu 10/13 | L 9 - 30 |
|
Utah
|
Sat 10/22 | W 34 - 10 |
|
@
UCLA
|
Sat 10/29 | L 14 - 31 |
|
Washington St.
|
Sat 11/05 | W 30 - 7 |
|
Oregon St.
|
Sat 11/12 | W 23 - 6 |
|
@
Stanford
|
Sat 11/19 | L 28 - 31 |
|
@
Arizona St.
|
Fri 11/25 | W 47 - 38 |
|
@
Texas
|
Wed 12/28 | L 10 - 21 |
Pacific-12 Conference Standings
(updated 1.2.2012 at 11:12 PM PST)
| North | Conf | Overall | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
|
Oregon Ducks
|
8 | 1 | 12 | 2 |
|
Stanford Cardinal
|
8 | 1 | 11 | 2 |
|
Washington Huskies
|
5 | 4 | 7 | 6 |
|
California Golden Bears
|
4 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
|
Oregon St. Beavers
|
3 | 6 | 3 | 9 |
|
Washington St. Cougars
|
2 | 7 | 4 | 8 |
| South | Conf | Overall | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | W | L | |
|
USC Trojans
|
7 | 2 | 10 | 2 |
|
UCLA Bruins
|
5 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
|
Utah Utes
|
4 | 5 | 8 | 5 |
|
Arizona St. Sun Devils
|
4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|
Arizona Wildcats
|
2 | 7 | 4 | 8 |
|
Colorado Buffaloes
|
2 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
