Ask CGB: Next in line?

Threw out a bone there last week for our literary buffs in the house.

A rather prolific writer of short stories, I didn't actually finish my degree at Cal. But I did manage to finish a whole bunch of other stories that were made into big budget Hollywood movies starring the likes of Harrison Ford, the Governator, Tom Cruise, Ben Affleck, Peter Weller (who?) and Keanu Reeves. WHOA. Who am I?

Roll on You Matt gave us the first right answer in the comments section last week:

Phillip K. USC Fan

or, err, Dick

by Roll on you Matt on Sep 30, 2011 2:09 PM EDT reply actions   1 recs

Probably should have been rec'd more than once, really. Let's move on to this week's question:

A two-time Pro Bowler, I was itinerant enough to play for three teams during my nine year NFL career. Unfortunately, I was inconsistent enough at my day job (from the line of scrimmage) that my first coach briefly tried converting me to the other side of the ball. It didn't take. I did manage to (co-) lead the league in a prominent statistical category during my first year with my second team before doing, well, what everyone else on that team does. Someone who used to inspire Golden Bear fans the world over to throw up the Roc-a-fella sign (or the Diamond Cutter sign, depending on your preferences), who am I?

Pretty sure I haven't used him before...so let's move on.

TheScientist poses a query.

Who's the next first-round draft pick?

Disclaimer: Obviously, this topic will be loaded with speculation and is just for fun.

We've had four players drafted in the first round for the past three years. Which of this year's players is going to be the next to accomplish this? Trevor Guyton helping establish a new Tosh tradition? Marvin Jones to help a pro passing game and special teams? A Sade-fueled Mychal Kendricks? Or will we have to wait for Keenan Allen in the 2013 Draft?

Keenan Allen is the obvious answer, though I'm not sure he's a lock to be a first-round pick at this point either. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's one of our young defensive guys - productive wide receivers seem to be a dime a dozen these days, and I'm not sure that he has prototypical size/speed physical characteristics that guys like A.J. Green and Julio Jones had this past year. And that's what it takes to be a first round wide receiver these days.

No one other than KA21 really has the productivity so far to merit consideration in the first, but well, our last two classes have highly touted particularly on the defensive side, so I'm going to say it's someone in that bunch. Probably a lineman. It's not like anyone saw Tyson Alualu or Cameron Jordan as first-round locks a few years ago either. 

How much pistol will we see this thurs?

we saw quite a bit against fresno and every game since we seem to be using less and less. is this due to opponent or due to tedford going back to his favorite blanky?

I'm not sure it's fair to call the pro style offense Tedford's favorite blanky - coaches are who they are, and they like their schemes. You're not going to see Chip Kelly running a pro style offense, or Mike Leach, or Urban Meyer. Likewise you're not going to see Chris Ault running the Air Raid, or Paul Johnson running the spread. If anything, Tedford's been more adventurous than most in at least attempting to incorporate new offensive formations and systems into his scheme.

Not that it's really been all that successful, mind you, but you're telling me you'd rather him stick to something that's not working? Maybe you need to think about that for a second. That said, I wouldn't mind a few trick plays here and there.

Though I'd expect him to get zero credit for calling them, and all the blame in the world if they don't work.

What a delicious question from 510Bear.

How about scheduling Pitt?

They're playing right now on ESPN.....

Advantages of scheduling Pitt: decent/respectable team, good-sized fanbase that will represent at Memorial, good & underrated roadtrip destination, Heinz Field, eastern time zone exposure?

Not to mention getting to try one of these!

Can't argue with any of that, but I mean, does anyone really want to travel to Pittsburgh for any reason? Outside of the food at Primanti Brothers? If we're going to base road trips on that criteria (delicious food, respectable team/stadium, good media exposure, large fanbase), shouldn't we be looking at...

...

As much as it pains me to say it, the SEC? I mean, I know I enjoy my fried chicken. Couldn't come up with any other reasonable alternatives. Actually, I wouldn't mind a trip to WVU either. I wouldn't go there to watch Rutgers get killed, but I love me some pepperoni rolls. Not to mention I wouldn't mind seeing some couches get lit on fire.

Then again, scheduling WVU and the SEC may end up being the same thing in a few years anyway.

burritos is one of those "new age" fans.

Fantasy football loss vs Cal loss, does it compare?

Obviously, a Cal game has more significance. However, pertaining to my fantasy football team, I have to enact the same coping mechanisms when I realize that 4 games into the season, my team sucks and the $50 I ponied up(for the 10th year in a row) is not coming back to me.

No. It doesn't compare. Shame on you for even attempting to equate the two. When my fantasy team loses, I shrug my shoulders and go on with my day. (Including in my 50 dollar buy-in leagues.) When Cal/the Nets/the Eagles lose, I sulk, I avoid reading ESPN.com or SI.com, I drink heavily, I take a walk to clear my head, and I cry myself to sleep.

Just kidding. Like I said last week, losses don't affect me that much anymore. But fantasy losses don't affect me at all. And if that 50 dollars is the problem? Come on son, make more money.

If it's on the Internet, it has to be true.

TwistNHook stepped up and filled the mailbag because of a dearth of questions. What's this? Another scheduling issue?

Really? Ole Miss went to Fresno to play FSU? Really What convinced them to do that???

Do you think we'll get to see any Tiny against Oregon or USC?

Really, we should just call him a trendsetter and leave it at that.

Do you like the Thursday night primetime games as an East Coaster?  Or do they go too late?

I mean, I love them, since Cal is almost never on national TV otherwise. The last game that I remember seeing on a Saturday on cable was the 2007 opener against Tennessee, and the last game before that I think was the 2005 game against USC. Which I remember mostly because Joe Ayoob was doing his best 2010 Carolina Panthers QB impersonation.

PROTIP: Read the above while playing Yakety Sax.

And people think the Longshore/Riley situation was a debacle. Not that I'm not necessarily expecting much more out of our Bears these next two games.

What's Chip Kelly's deal???????

I don't know. I don't have a problem with the guy. Should I? He seems like relatively normal for a successful college football coach. He's not especially entertaining or charismatic as far as I can tell. But I don't dislike him either.