HoF Round of 32: Jeff Tedford vs Joe Roth
by Avinash Kunnath on Jul 15, 2009 3:00 AM PDT
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We move onto the Pappy Waldorf bracket, and perhaps the toughest matchup of the second round. A coach still spreading his legend versus a quarterback who's already entered Golden Bear lore.
For each athlete, you can vote in the poll; it closes a week from today at midnight. After the jump, you can read the athlete profiles written up by our commenters, and discuss in the comments your memories of each athlete and which one deserves to move on. (Check out the full bracket here. To check out the original nomination thread, click here. For those who want to track the CGB Hall of Fame posts exclusively, click here or right next to the timestamp above where it says "Hall of Fame".)
Jeff Tedford
It'd be hard to find Cal fans who didn't have a positive opinion of Jeff Tedford.
Ohio Bear: He has done an unbelievable job. If you followed Cal football in the 1980s and 1990s through the Holmoecaust, you know what I’m talking about. Perhaps something I read a long time ago on a Michigan blog said it best (and I’m paraphrasing): before Tedford, Cal was the Indiana of the Pac-10 in football. 59-30 Overall
5-1 Bowl Games
6-1 Against Stanfurd
1 Co-Conference Championship
Pac-10 COY
SAHPC
Hope
For people who might want more background on one of Cal's finest coaches, check out this widely circulated Gameday profile from 2004.
Joe Roth
To learn more about Roth, let's listen to the impeccable Keith Jackson.
"Dying is not so tough. For the last three years I've lived with the realization that the next day might be my last. I'm lucky to be here as long as I was, so don't feel any pity. A lot of people younger than me and older than me have to face up to this sort of thing. I'm nothing special. I'm Joe Roth, a student and a football player."
– Joe Roth
You can find out more about Roth here.
On a lighter side, this gives us a chance to showcase that great 1975 season again! Check out this sweet retro footage and vintage Roth.
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I would vote for Jeff Tedford
against almost anyone.
But Joe Roth is one of the defining men of the entire University and an example of courage and honor, while Tedford is a football coach.
Sorry, Coach, Joe Roth gets my vote.
An unfair matchup
I voted for Jeff “Walks on Water” Tedford because his impact on Cal football now and in the future is (almost) unmatched by anyone else. But to pit him against the most inspirational player in the history of the program is like comparing apples to fiberglass. And to match them up in such an early round is a disservice to both.
As a kid I got to watch Joe Roth, and in my basement I have a Roth Cloth; the small towel he wore during one of his games and would hand out to us kids charging the field after the clock ran out. I consider myself lucky to have witnessed both of these Golden Bears in their prime.
I'd like to smell the Roses before I die.
Wow, what a tough matchup. I guess this CGB HoF is a tough one to get into too. I think we were planning on doing 2 wild card entries, not sure how that works, but maybe Tedford can get in through that.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah TwistNHook!
www.CaliforniaGoldenBlogs.com
Honestly, I’m surprised Roth didn’t get an honorary entry into the HOF along with Mr. Bigham.
Praise be to Tedford!
I suggested it.
All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!
by rollonubears on Jul 18, 2009 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions
Legend vs. Legend
An impossible choice, clearly. My own inclination, not entirely rational, is to go with the legend I personally witnessed (Tedford), not the one before my time (Roth). I would also vote, for example, for Bonds over Mays, for Russell White over Chuck Muncie, and for Obama over Lincoln. OK, OK. Maybe I’m being a tad premature on that last one.
Go Bears!
by California Pete on Jul 15, 2009 8:12 AM PDT reply actions
wow…Bonds over Mays? Mays was roid-free though and played a tougher position (CF). He did hang on a little long though (those mets years were tough) but at least his forehead isn’t as large as my butt cheek.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
by carp on Jul 15, 2009 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Hence my inclusion of “not entirely rational”. But it’s also true that my attitude toward steroids, at least as a fan, is rather lax. If “everyone” is doing it, then it’s not really cheating as far as I’m concerned. Kind of like you’re not really speeding if you’re doing 80 while the posted limit is 65, but so is everyone else on the road. Pharmaceuticals aside, I think Bonds and Mays are pretty much a push, with my vote going to Bonds simply because I never got to see Mays play.
Go Bears!
by California Pete on Jul 15, 2009 3:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Thank you for writing tomorrow’s DBD for me.
All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!
by rollonubears on Jul 15, 2009 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, I understand “best guy you’ve seen play.” I haven’t seen Mays play either, but I’m a fan of baseball history.
No doubt about it, Barry was a HoFer pre pharma. However, was he the best ever? Was he using roids pre-Conte? Who knows. Jose was. Big Mac was.
Many people think Martinez’s Joe DiMaggio was the best ever (all-around).
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
Sigh. After 5 years of constant anti-Bonds/steroids propaganda from the media, it looks like they’ve finally turned the public’s view towards their own. First of all, if you want to discuss “PED’s”, why are you bothering to leave out the fact that Mays was hopped up on greenies for his whole career? Second of all, give it some time, but when Bonds wins his court case (regardless of what your opinion of what he did/didn’t do will be), it’ll show how there’s no actual proof of anything he did. Third, steroids have been in baseball since at least the ’70’s. Try wikipedia’ing the name “Tom House”. I could go on, but I’m going to cut myself off. :)
Anyways, I’d probably rank Mays the greatest player ever. Bonds is a close second. I exclude Babe Ruth because I hate arguing over him – it was such a different time period I don’t even think it’s possible to compare him to modern baseball players in any meaningful way. Others in the discussion include Mickey Mantle, Josh Gibson, and Ted Williams, and Joe Dimaggio.
by Missing Barry on Jul 16, 2009 8:00 AM PDT up reply actions
Pujols is coming for that title though.
All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!
by rollonubears on Jul 16, 2009 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Ha. Not buying it. At 1B Pujols would have to be pretty spectacular for a long, long time to even get into the discussion. If you notice the players on my list, they all had a lot of value outside of hitting at much more important positions defensively, except for Ted Williams (who was supposedly a not very good fielder to put it kindly). If you care to look at the offensive standard Williams set for someone like Pujols to get into the argument, here you go:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/willite01.shtml?redir
by Missing Barry on Jul 16, 2009 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions
1957, at age 38, Ted Williams posted a slash line of .388/.526/.731 for an OPS of 1.257 and OPS+ of 233. Good luck Albert.* :)
*Not really, screw Albert Pujols and I do not want to see him doing well for a different NL team. If the Giants somehow acquired him, my opinion would of course change.
by Missing Barry on Jul 16, 2009 12:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Pujols is a gold glover.
All aboard the Jahvid Best rickshaw!
by rollonubears on Jul 16, 2009 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions
At 1B, the least demanding defensive position on the diamond, which also has the highest offensive expectancy on the diamond. In other words, the single least most important position in baseball.
by Missing Barry on Jul 16, 2009 2:34 PM PDT up reply actions
" the single least most important position in baseball."
:)
the least important position in baseball.*
by Missing Barry on Jul 16, 2009 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Ew. We’re really bringing the discussion down to the Kurkjian level?
by Missing Barry on Jul 16, 2009 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions
While Tedford is perhaps the single most important thing that has happened to Cal football in the last 50 years, Joe Roth is a mythological figure.
Roth is Rudy, Rockne & the Gipper, and Brian Piccolo covered in blue and gold. If ever there was a spiritual center for Cal football, one which still walks the aisles and tunnels of Memorial, and one to which all future Cal football players should pay homage, it’s Roth. He’s as much a part of Cal lore as stealing the Axe, Founder’s Rock, and the fight songs.
If any one person in Cal football is bigger than Tedford, it’s Roth. And I think even JT would agree with that.
Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
by SoCal Oski on Jul 15, 2009 8:31 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
JT’s actually somehow winning. Wow. Maybe I just overvalue Roth’s contributions or the modern blogger has no idea/interest in Joe Roth.
"We lose to Stanford in many sports, but if you want to make a Cal team quit, bring a weapon."
--Coach Clark
the modern blogger has no idea/interest in Joe Roth.
Sadly, looking at some of the votes on the other HOF matchups, it seems that modern Cal fans have no knowledge of Cal Athletics history, or they just don’t care.
Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Tedford is not ready for the HOF over Roth.
in a few years maybe.
Go Bears Go
It was tied and Tedford has made a ridiculous run. Kinda surprised it is becoming this lopsided. That said, i voted for Tedford since this is about who we saw in action.
It'll be just you, me, and Peter Nincompoop.
Is it?
How many people were watching Cal football in 1982?
Joe Roth should never lose a Cal fan vote. It’s a damn shame.
You need to find older Cal alum and direct them here. Fight for the cause!
by Avinash Kunnath on Jul 15, 2009 8:09 PM PDT up reply actions
Ted Miller linked to this on his lunch links. Lots of CGB love from Miller lately!
Whose domicile? OUR DOMICILE!
Check out Joe Roth's web site
All Cal fan’s are encouraged to visit www.joeroth12.com to learn more about the legendary Cal QB. Over the summary many new photos, documents, and articles will be added to Joe’s site. Its been 32 years since Joe died but his spirit and energy are strong and alive today!
The Golden Boy
Joe Roth was great. In my years at Cal, our quarterbacks included Vince Ferragamo (chased off to Nebraska because he couldn’t start at Cal), Steve Bartkowski and Joe Roth. Roth was the best of the bunch. His story is incredibly compelling and inspirational. In 1975, he led the Bears to a 48-15 destruction of Stanfurd down on the farm. That game should have put us in the Rose Bowl except for the choke artist that USC is
Tedford hasn’t gotten Cal to a Rose Bowl yet. Wait until he has done that before you put him in the Hall. The real point is that if you asked Tedford, I’m sure he would be embarrassed if he were chosen oven Joe Roth.
This is definitely going to be a real tough one. But there might be a second chance for Roth later on!
by Avinash Kunnath on Jul 20, 2009 5:39 AM PDT up reply actions
Joe Roth
Wow! Two posts in one day after only reading for 2 years. I was on the “goon platoon” in early 70s (now called the scout team) riding back from a practice (must have been raining or wet, because in those days, we then practiced at DVC in Pleasant Hill or another JC with an all weather surface). I happened to ride back on the bus next to Joe (amazingly he treated me just like a first stringer, t\hat was his way). When we returned to Berkeley, there were more than a few people who saw the bus and stopped to clap. Joe wondered what they were doing, but we all knew that clapping was for Joe. Don’t get me wrong, Jeff Tedford is great, and I admire everything he has done for the program, and I think that some day he will earn the title of the greatest coach in Cal history, insuring entry into the Cal hall of fame (I am sure Pappy would be glad to move over). Although, it is clear to me that many on this blog are much (much!) younger than I, for a hall of fame not to include Joe would be a shame, in my view
by GoldenBear 77 on Jul 18, 2009 7:51 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Trying to figure out how
I would love to e-mail (somehow I am blocked at work, damn firewalls), but I will get to you. Not sure I can "help educate [you] all, but have some fun stories about Mike White, Jeff Sevy (tackle for CAL and the Chicago Bears), etc.
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