Ever since I posted all those photos of Alicia Sacremerection, I've been hearing it from all angles.  People, not happy about the blatant sexism showed by many of the posters here.  I tried to blame it all on Maharg, which worked well for a while, but it's not a complete salve.

I've been hearing a lot of stuff like:

"I often read Deadspin.com, Maxim.com, and WomenAreGeneticallyInferiorToMenAndThat'sJustPlainScientificFact.co.au/index and this was, by, far the most sexist thing I've ever read!"

"I can't believe you wrote that, it's so sexist.  And you haven't taken the trash out yet!  You better take the trash out!  You are sleeping on the couch this week!"

and, of course,

"Twist, this Petition For Administration Of Trust And Court Instructions is total shit.  What are you even doing in your office all day, you are so behind on all your work."

So, in the interest of fairness, I thought I should make amends to my female readers (esp. the hot ones, meow!)  by putting up some photos similar to Alicia Sacreleotard. 

And the best place to find those are, of course, mid 80s International Male catalogues.  There's nothing I like more than curling up by a roaring fire to read this month's issue of International Male.  I learn so much about linen
overalls!

So, here you go, ladies, feast your eyes on this studliness from the the 1986 Holiday issue. 

via jezebel.com

via jezebel.com

via jezebel.com

And if that's not enough cheesecake, here's some stuff from the 1986 Summer issue.

via jezebel.com

That one isn't that beefcake-ey, but that tagline at the top is so wildly hilarious I couldn't resist. 

via jezebel.com

via jezebel.com

via jezebel.com

via jezebel.com

So, there you go.  We've had a lot of talk of skin tight leotards and asian porn stars with their tits hanging out.  Hopefully, this evens it all out.  Each page is so amazingly amazing I wanted to link it here, but couldn't.  So, don't forget to check out the links to see more.

And speaking of links:

Here is a video of the Olympic village from a Cal perspective. 

And a recap of day 12 of the Olympics.  No spoilers, of course. 

Reminder about donating blood marrow.  We discussed it the other day, but it's important, so I wanted to link it again. 

Cal water polo is #1!

BRIDGEPORT, PA. - The University of California men's water polo team, winners of the 2006 and 2007 NCAA titles, has been selected as the nation's No. 1 ranked team in the Men's Preseason Collegiate Top 20 Water Polo Poll, it was announced Wednesday, Aug. 20 by the Collegiate Water Polo Association. The Golden Bears received 98 total points, two more than two-time national runner-up USC. Earlier, Cal was picked to finish third in the annual Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Preseason Men's Water Polo Coaches Poll, trailing USC and Stanford.

Cal women's soccer to open season at San Jose State:

BERKELEY, Calif. - BEARS OPEN 2008 AT SAN JOSE STATE: Coming off a 7-0 exhibition win over Saint Mary's, No. 15 California opens the 2008 regular season at San Jose State Sunday, Aug. 24, at 1 p.m. at Spartan Stadium. The Golden Bears, who recorded a 15-5-1 overall record last season and tied for third in the Pac-10 at 6-3, were picked to finish fourth in the 2008 Pac-10 Preseason Coaches' Poll. San Jose State begins its season against Santa Clara Aug. 22. Cal hosts Cal State Fullerton in its regular-season home opener Aug. 29 at 4:30 p.m.

Wrap up of another day of Cal football camp:

BERKELEY - The California football team completed another day of preseason training camp on Wednesday morning at Memorial Stadium, working for two hours in helmets only on mock-game situations.

"I thought it went well [today]," head coach Jeff Tedford said. "I thought there was a lot of focus and attention to detail. For some of the young guys, it's the first time they go through that type of thing. It's a learning situation for them."

Tedford was asked about senior linebacker Anthony Felder, who has been a standout linebacker since his arrival at Cal in 2005, but may not be receiving the same recognition of classmates Zack Follett and Worrell Williams.

"Tony's been around the ball a lot and doing a good job," Tedford said. "He's worked hard through the summer, investing the time, training. He's healthier than he's been. Because he's been injured and missed games [he may get overlooked]."

Okanes talks more about practice:

The Bears followed up Tuesday’s scrimmage with a light practice Wednesday morning, one that really was what coach Jeff Tedford called a “mock game.” The players wore just helmets and went through different kinds of situations that can take place in a game, and did so in chronological order, beginnign with the opening kickoff and ending with quarterback Nate Longshore taking a knee (Bears win!)

I may have posted earlier that the Bears will start planning for Michigan State today. That actually will happen tomorrow. Tedford said the coaching staff was scheduled to have personnel meetings later Wednesday. The implication is depth chart questions will be answered at tomorrow’s practice.

Implementing the game plan means scout teams will have to be set up by tomorrow. We should also get a gauge on starters and backups. That doesn’t necessarily mean there will be a definitive starting quarterback tomorrow, but it could.

This link really slowed up my comp, so watch out, but its more info on MSU.

Okanes writes an article on the LBs:

BERKELEY — Funny thing about the 3-4 defense: You might employ it because you have a deep corps of linebackers, but you might not realize just how many linebackers you need.

The Bears have made the switch from the 4-3 to the 3-4 to take advantage of a set of linebackers rated among the best in the country. But putting an extra linebacker on the field suddenly means you need more bodies to shore up your depth.

Cal appears to be doing that, and one of the reasons is the presence of freshman Mychal Kendricks, who has had as good a camp as anyone on the team. Coach Jeff Tedford said Kendricks will contribute as a true freshman.

"It would be hard to redshirt Mychal Kendricks," defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said. "He's done a really good job and is making plays. We're going to need him."

 

 

From yesterday's dump, OskiMontana had some information on the Court case.  As football season FINALLY approached and the delays seemed unending, most of us sort of turned our attention away from that situation.  But OM has been doing God's Work.  He links to some Rivals articles and explains the case in further detail.

He also links to a BDP article (by Buckwald!) and a devastating Cal response.

Debate divorced from fact serves no one’s interests. The SRC’s commitment to safety and its advisory actions in support of that commitment are guided solely by scientific research. This approach is one of the reasons that Superior Court Judge Barbara Miller recently ruled that “the record contains substantial evidence supporting the university’s decision to build the (athletic facility) as currently proposed.”

BAM!  Let's go UC Seismic Safety Panel! 

So, there you go.  I continue to dominate the battle of DBDs!  And for the ladies, a little bit of the delightful man-muscle to get you through your day.  Your unendingly sexist day.  Believe me, I know how it feels to be treated just like a piece of meat, appreciated solely for your physical characteristics. 

And boy is it fun!

So, if you see a Cal-related link, bring that bad boy (excuse me, bad person) on over, so we can discuss it.  Go Bears!  Dump away!

Alicia Sacralicious?

Alicious Sacreblue?

Alicious Sacrasomethingorother?

I don't know, I have trouble making it past the first couple of syllables in her last name.

via www.faniq.com

Oh yeah.  That's why.  Sacramaesheoiagohwagoaijpodsopkdspk[vp[fd

And now, some links!

Cal Olympic Roundup for Day 11.  I won't post results here, for spoilers.

This weekend you can check out a volleyball scrimmage at Haas, if you so desire. 

BERKELEY - The California volleyball team will host its annual Blue and Gold intrasquad scrimmage at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 23 at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, Calif. Admission is free and doors open at 6 p.m. as the Golden Bears simulate a full-match experience. Fans are invited to attend the warm-up session preceding the scrimmage.

Cal will open the season with the No. 5 ranking in the CBS College Sports Network/AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll. The fifth spot is the highest-ever season-opening ranking for the Bears and marks the eighth time in school history that Cal will open the season ranked; the sixth time since head coach Rich Feller arrived on campus.

Football held a closed scrimmage yesterday:

BERKELEY - The California Golden Bears completed their 16th day of preseason training camp on Tuesday afternoon by holding a closed intrasquad scrimmage at Memorial Stadium.

Head coach Jeff Tedford responded to media questions after the session, "I felt like the energy was good and the hustle was good. We weren't as sharp as we need to be offensively. We had some penalties as far as illegal procedure today that you expect in the first scrimmage, not in the second scrimmage. I'm a little disappointed with that. We had noise and we had guys flinching, so that wasn't good, but besides that, everything else was fine. Everybody stayed healthy through it and we got some situations done."

When asked about specific plays that stood out, Tedford pointed to a couple of big plays from sophomore tailback Jahvid Best, including a 58-yard screen pass for a touchdown, and a strong day from sophomore defensive back Bryant Nnabuife, including a long fumble return. He also mentioned redshirt freshman Shane Vereen scoring on a 30-yard run around the outside and catching a couple of passes.

Our women's b-ball team is going to be GOOD this year.  Last year was a disappointing finish, but we retain most of the team and Stanford lost a LOT.

BERKELEY, Calif. - California senior posts Ashley Walker and Devanei Hampton have been selected to the 2008-09 preseason "Wade Watch" list for the State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year award Tuesday. The 25-member list is made up of top Division I student-athletes who best embody the spirit of Lily Margaret Wade according to the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.

Walker earned an assortment of other honors for her play during 2007-08, including State Farm/WBCA Region 8 All-American, honorable mention Associated Press All-American (second time), first-team All-Pac-10 (second time) and first-team Pac-10 All-Defensive. The Modesto, Calif., product finished the season first on Cal in scoring (15.3 ppg, 3rd Pac-10), rebounding (9.3 rpg, 1st Pac-10), blocks (1.4 bpg, 3rd Pac-10) and free throw percentage (78.1%, 5th Pac-10) and was second in field goal percentage (51.4%, 4th Pac-10) and steals (1.2 spg). Walker topped the Pac-10 in double-doubles (14) last season, bringing her career total to 34.

Walker, a 2007-08 second-team Sports Illustrated All-American, is the only player in school history with at least 1,000 points, 800 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 blocks. She is seventh all-time in Cal history in points (1,470), fifth in rebounds (824) and third in blocks (139). Walker has 200 career assists.

As a junior, Hampton was chosen a State Farm/WBCA Region 8 All-American for the second consecutive year and received her second honorable mention coaches' All-America accolade.

Hampton is the only three-time first-team All-Pac-10 choice in school history and a two-time honorable mention Associated Press All-American. In 2007-08, she was second on the Bears in scoring (13.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg). In Pac-10 games, the 6-3 Oakland, Calif., native was fourth in the conference in scoring (14.3 ppg) and tied for second in rebounding (8.4 rpg). Hampton has 25 career double-doubles after registering eight last season. She is ninth all-time in scoring in school history with 1,301 points.

Stefan Frei of the men's soccer team has made a very prestigious list. 

BERKELEY - California keeper junior Stefan Frei has been named to the 2008 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List, as announced today by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Considered the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer, the recipients of the MAC's Hermann Trophy are selected by Division I head coaches who are current members of the NSCAA.

 

Frei is one of 48 NCAA men's soccer players to make the first list. A list of 15 semifinalists is selected by a coaches committee in November, with three finalists announced in early December. They will invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo., for a news conference on Jan. 9, 2009, where the winner will be announced, with a presentation banquet following.

Okanes has some info on the closed practice:

Those of you who were waiting for some grand revelations to come out of the scrimmage are going to be disappointed. The only real news is that coach Jeff Tedford said tight end Anthony Miller and linebacker Mychal Kendricks are going to play as true freshman. Defensive coordinator Bob Gregory later said the same thing about nose tackle Kendrick Payne.

There will be others. Wide receiver Marvin Jones is a sure thing to play this season as a freshman. Tedford was coy when asked about Jones after the scrimmage. That’s probably because the coaching staff still hasn’t sorted out the depth chart at receiver, and Tedford would rather wait until those decisions have been made to comment on one player.

Maryland has settled their QB controversy.  I wonder when we will settle ours?

COLLEGE PARK - Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen and offensive coordinator James Franklin went around and around over who should be the Terps' No.1 quarterback, and yesterday morning Friedgen announced that senior Jordan Steffy is the man.

What it came down to was statistical performance.

"I don't know if we [all] ever settled" on the choice, Friedgen said. "We were kind of going back and forth. I was kind of listening to everybody. I gave all the coaches - even the defensive coaches - a chance to voice their opinions. ... I just kind of listened and then didn't sleep much tossing it over in my mind. But when I came in this morning, I was pretty solid with what I wanted to do."

Steffy has been the best quarterback in camp and will lead the Terps into their season opener Aug.30 against Delaware.

In an unrelated story:

via machochip.com

Jerry Seinfeld was clearly on to something.  So, anyway, if you see any Cal-related links, bring them on over so we can discuss the shit out of them.  Dump away!  Go Bears!

A friend of mine has a great cable package and gets the Mandarin Broadcast Channel (MBC).  So, over the weekend I was able to watch a ton more Olympic sports.  Plus, NBC and its team of channels will show non-live stuff, which is great.  So, I got to watch weightlifting and badminton and ping pong.  The ping pong is insane, because its not like the way you or I would play it.  They serve in mid air and keep their arms in really tight like two TRexs are playing.

They had some crazy Equestrian sport called Drissage where you basically frog march the horse around in a big square.  Thats it.  Just walking around in a square.  And then at one point, the horse like stopped walking forward and decided to go backwards.  This was, to the announcers, worse than Little Big Horn or something.  I didn't know what the hell was going on, but apparently in Drissage you do NOT go backwards. 

But watching all these delightfully random sports (like trampoline) made me think that there's no particular rhyme or reason to a lot of the Olympics.  Sure, sports like track, gymnastics, and swimming seem truly iconic as Olympics sports. 

But beach volleyball?  Trampoline?  Badminton?  Drissage? Synchronized Diving?

I figure if we are going to just create sports out of whole cloth to put into the Olympics why stop there?

Let's do beach bandminton.  Synchronized Weightlifting (now, THAT one would be good).  Trampoline Drissage.

Frankly, let's just put everything with the trampoline. That trampoline is sick.  Who wouldn't watch trampoline synchronized diving?  You'd dive from the board onto the trampoline.  Trampoline wrestling would be sick.  Trampoline badminton. 

Hell, I'd even watch Trampoline trampoline.  Put a couple trampolines on top of each other and they'd have to jump around. 

And let's synchronize everything.  If 1 person can do it, why not 2 or 10?  Synchronized Pole Vault.  Synchronized Air Rifle. 

These are all great sports ideas and I will not stop until we have Trampoline Trampoline in the Olympics.  If they are getting rid of baseball and softball, they have a few openings.  Let's make this happen, people!  What other sports could we do?

Linkys:

Olympic Video of Natalie Coughlin

Cal Olympic Review Day 10

More info on Football camp:

In the offensive 7-on-7s, Tad Smith made a leaping catch, while Will Kapp made a nice catch and run along the sidelines for a sizeable gain. The 1-on-1s (DBs vs. WRs) also provided both offensive and defensive highlights. Ian Albrecht snared three catches, while newcomer Verran Tucker made an over the shoulder grab on a deep pass from Nate Longshore. Freshman Marvin Jones used his 6-2 frame to extended and make a play on the ball near the sideline as well. Defensively, Marcus Ezeff stuck like glue on his defender to break up a pass, and Kevin Lewis recovered nicely to also break up a pass. <!-- STORY AD BEGINS HERE -->

<!-- Template Id = 1 Template Name = Banner Creative (Flash) --> <!-- Copyright 2002 DoubleClick Inc., All rights reserved. -->

Towards the end of practice, Cal went to work in the 11-on-11s. The defense remained aggressive, as Rulon Davis chased down a shifty Jahvid Best, while Tyson Alualu and Brett Johnson road blocked running back Shane Vereen from forward progress in the lane. Cameron Jordan also applied heat to the quarterback, while fellow defensive lineman Ernest Owusu intercepted a pass after Keith Browner applied pressure to the quarterback.

Preview of the Women's Volleyball Season:

When the 2007 Bears defeated Iowa State in the NCAA regional semifinal, it advanced further in the postseason than any Cal team in program history. Not satisfied with their successes, the Bears did themselves one better by knocking off then-defending NCAA Champion Nebraska, in the Wisconsin Regional to earn a trip to the NCAA championship semifinal match against eventual NCAA Champion Penn State, in Sacramento, Calif.

Feller believes the 2008 Bears are a unique blend of experience and youth; and of calculated precision and raw athletic talent. This year, Cal opponents will bear first-hand witness to the manifestation of a returning roster that boasts a junior outside hitter who received AVCA All-America honors, a senior class poised in leadership, a sophomore setter who came within six assists of breaking a single-season school record and a freshman class that brings with it two Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 Selections.

via grfx.cstv.com

Olsonist mentioned this yesterday, but it bears repeating.  Bone marrow donation can save lives.

BERKELEY - The purpose of the University of California football team's annual Fan Appreciation Day is for the Golden Bears to have a chance to thank their tremendous fan base by signing autographs, posing for pictures and shaking hands. However, the 2008 event will have even more meaning as the Bears are coming together to support Michelle Maykin, a Cal graduate and season ticket holder who was diagnosed with leukemia in February of 2007. The event will run from 12-2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23 at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.

A true fan of the Golden Bears, Michelle, who even named her dog Marshawn after former Cal running back Marshawn Lynch, is in need of a bone marrow/stem cell transplant to help save her life. Her friends and family have been working throughout the summer on a campaign (www.projectmichelle.com) to register people onto the national bone marrow donor registry of the National Marrow Donor Program.

Members of the Cal football team, its coaching staff and the University athletic department staff will be registering to be potential donors at the marrow drive being held at Saturday's event. Staff from the Asian American Donor Program (part of the National Marrow Donor Program network) along with volunteers from Project Michelle will be present to register potential donors.

She named her dog Marshawn?!?!?!?!?!??  She is a true American hero. 

I'm going to have to speak with my wife about naming our first born child (of any gender) Marshawn.  I have a bad feeling that ain't gonna go over well.  *sigh*

Okanes talks about fall practice:

With limited game-like action, there wasn’t much chance to draw any distinction between the quarterbacks. Nate Longshore did make one mistake when he tried to dump a pass off to a running back while being pressured by defensive end Keith Browner, and it was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Ernie Owusu.

 

Good news and bad news on the injury front. Nose tackle Derrick Hill (sprained ankle) returned to practice in a limited role, but tight end Cameron Morrah and cornerback Chris Conte now have sprained ankles, although Conte wasn’t in a red jersey.

 

It will be interesting to see just how much can be decided in Tuesday’s scrimmage. The Bears have key injuries at positions where there are battles for playing time. Mika Kane and Hill, the top two candidates for the nose tackle job, probably won’t play. Conte, who is fighting Darian Hagan for a starting job, is now an uncertainty. Mike Tepper’s injury still has the offensive line in a state of flux.

 

Coach Jeff Tedford downplayed the effect the scrimmage will have on the final depth chart, but it sure seems like it’s a big opportunity for those players vying for playing time. The Bears will start game planning for Michigan State on Wednesday, and Tedford said the team needs to have its scout team in order by that time. That means we should know by Wednesday which freshman are going to play this season and which are going to redshirt. It also will be interesting to see who takes first and second team reps, although Tedford has stressed that evaluation at every position is ongoing.

Chronicle article on camp battles:

Senior incumbent quarterback Nate Longshore started off hot and has been pretty consistent, but sophomore Kevin Riley made a push during the last week. Though Tedford said he'd like one of the quarterbacks to emerge, he has maintained that both could play, repeatedly saying, "It's more a matter of deciding who will take the first snaps than it is a matter of naming a starter."

Walk-on David Seawright has been challenging kicker Jordan Kay.

Injuries could get in the way of other positions being settled.

Redshirt freshman receiver Michael Calvin , who appears to be a lock as one of the top three, might miss the scrimmage with a toe injury. Tedford said Florida transfer Nyan Boateng and sophomore Jeremy Ross have struggled with consistency, and sixth-year senior Sean Young has been the most consistent wideout in camp. True freshman Marvin Jones led the team in receiving in the first scrimmage, and senior LaReylle Cunningham made two highlight-reel catches.

The top two nose-tackle candidates, Mika Kane and Derrick Hill, have ankle injuries, although Hill participated in individual drills Monday. Freshman Kendrick Payne has drawn rave reviews from defensive coordinator Bob Gregory.

Sophomores Darian Hagan and Chris Conte are competing for the corner spot opposite Syd'Quan Thompson. Conte was limited Monday with an ankle injury.

Daily Cal article that basically says same thing.

Examiner article that basically says the same thing.

McNabb speaks on DeSean:

With Reggie Brown expected to miss significant time with a hamstring injury, Jackson has been getting a lot of work with the first offense. He's expected to play a lot Friday, when the starters will go into the third quarter against the Patriots.

But McNabb said that, once the regular season starts, he'll face defenses and coverages that he hasn't seen before and will take some getting used to.

“I think he has done a great job. (But) I have been here a while, so I've seen when rookies come in and catch a couple balls and everyone gets excited,” McNabb said. “All of a sudden, the question goes out — "What happened and why isn't he still playing or making a lot of plays?'

“This is his third preseason game, I'm sure he wants to continue to improve. Most teams we've played play coverages sometimes where they are not pressed and up on (receivers), and are pretty much vanilla.”

Jackson has been most impressive with his ability to get off the line of scrimmage and get open on a variety of routes. But McNabb said one reason for that is because opposing teams aren't game planning for the Eagles.

“This is the preseason,” said McNabb, who did a series of sprints with Jackson after yesterday's practice.

“Most teams that we have played play coverages sometimes where they are not pressed and up on them. They are pretty much vanilla. We will see a lot of different things as this continues on, but this (playing time) gives him an opportunity to work on his routes, get the right depth, work on the timing with all of us, be able to catch the ball and turn upfield to make plays.”

So, if you see a link that relates to Cal in some way bring that bad boy on over.  Go Bears!  Dump Away!

I guess it's coming as a bit of a surprise to Seattle fans that Justin totally kicks ass.  SHOCKER! 

In his last game vs the Bears, Justin rushed for 136 yards on 15 carries averaging 9.1 yards per carry.  Oh yeah, he also had 125 yards in the return game.  He finished with 261 total yards, which is 55 more than the entire Bears offense. No bullshit.  By the 4th quarter the crowd was so impressed they gave him an ovation every time he left the field... and they boo-ed the guy that came in to take a snap so that Justin could rest.

In the end it's no shocker to us because breaking tackles and gashing the defense for 136 yards per game is just what he does.

Who got the game ball?  Take a wild guess.

Game video below:

Continue reading this post »

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.

I want to watch the Olympics.  I want to enjoy the splendor and the squalor.  The dizzying highs, the terrifying lows, the creamy middles.

But NBC, you aren't making it easy.  Everytime I turn on the TV, you are blasting "SOON!  MICHAEL PHELPS!  THEN, UNDERAGE GIRLS LEAPING AROUND IN SKIN TIGHT CLOTHES."

Now, ok, I could go for some underage girls leaping around in skin tight clothes.  Who wouldn't?  Only to appreciate their precision and technique, of course.  Nobody is a bigger fan of precision and technique than me. 

But when does this all come on?  Like 2:30 in the morning.  First, you have to watch an hour of synchronized diving.  And look, it's kind of a cool sport.  I mean at first, it's kind of just falling forward at the same time.  And I loved when the announcer was talking about one of the American divers moving to Indianapolis to train with her partner.  She said:

"Being in the same city as your partner is important in synchronized diving."

What?!!?  You don't say!  Couldn't they do it over the phone

"1, 2, drop the phone and go!"

So, I could deal with an hour of synchronized diving.  But a hour EVERY night????  Then, a hour of beach volleyball!??!?!  Again, I could watch it once, maybe twice.  Look, I get it, it's chicks in bikinis.  NBC loves that. 

All I know is it keeps me from my beloved 15 year olds. 

And, ok, I can do basic math.  I can understand that this all happens 12 hours in the future, so it mostly happens overnight in America.

But wait, that's 12 hours in the future for the East Coast.  Screw the East Coast, NBC.  Nobody cares about that freak seaboard.

You know what we do for fun out here on the Cool coast?  Rock climbing or skiing or rock skiing (which, btw, is totes siiiiiiiiiiiiiiick).  You know what they do for fun on the East Coast?

They drive to other states to watch the seasons change.  "Oh, wow, that foliage is slighter redder than yesterday.  Vermont is so lovely this time of year.  Let's picnic."

We don't use picnic as a verb on THIS coast!  And they buy their groceries from places called the "Piggly-Wiggly."  I don't even have to explain any further on that one.  Let that sink in for a second.  Piggly Wiggly.  They are "Big On The Pig."  They buy their fried chicken from gas stations.  Well, OK, that one isn't that bad.

via astroluxe.com

"GET THE JO-JOS!"

Either way, people like that don't deserve to watch cool sports at reasonable hours.  But we do!  Show the Olympics to us live.  East Coasters are used to sports ending at unreasonable hours.  Most As games don't even start until 10 over there.  We aren't used to it, though.  Our sporting events start at 7. 

You are ruining the Olympics, NBC.  Get it right.  Get it right!

And now, onto some links:

Exhibition women's soccer this saturday against St. Mary's.  Go Cal!  But also Go Gaels!

BERKELEY, Calif. - The California women's soccer team kicks off the 2008 season with an exhibition game against Saint Mary's Saturday, Aug. 16, at 3 p.m. at Edwards Stadium. Admission will be charged -- $8 for adults, $4 for seniors and free for those high school age and under. Live stats will be available for all home Cal women's soccer games again this season.

Cal finished the 2007 season with a 15-5-1 record in their first year under head coach Neil McGuire. The Golden Bears tied for third in the Pac-10 with Stanford with a 6-3 mark. Cal advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, marking the program's ninth postseason appearance in the last 10 years and fourth in a row. Cal looks to ride the momentum of a 7-0-1 mark over the final eight games of last season.

More info on Natalie Coughlin at the Olympics.  I don't want to give spoilers out, but she's so dreamy!  Sorry!

Cal football has a scrimmage:

Berkeley - Eleven days into its fall camp, the California football team scrimmaged for the first time at Memorial Stadium, as quarterbacks Nate Longshore, Kevin Riley and Brock Mansion all got reps on Thursday evening.

"I thought for a first scrimmage, it was pretty clean," said head coach Jeff Tedford. "It was pretty penalty-free for the most part; with it being the first day handling the clock and game situations, I was impressed by how that happened. We still need to get a lot better in certain situations so we'll continue to work at those. For the most part, I thought it was well-organized and the kids did a nice job."

Riley, who took his first snap under center with the second unit drove the team down the field, culminating with a three-yard touchdown throw in the back corner of the end zone to LaReylle Cunningham.

Freshman Covaughn DeBoskie was the beneficiary of a 1-yard touchdown run when Mansion drove the third team down the field in the third possession of the scrimmage.

Longshore, later in the scrimmage, hooked up with senior Sean Young, who made a sliding catch in the end zone.

Interview with Cal Olympian Shellie Onstead.

Okanes gives time for Big Game:

Just received word that The Big Game on Nov. 22 will start at 12:30 p.m. TV plans aren’t set yet.

And he has more info on the scrimmage:

–Jahvid Best was held out of the scrimmage as part of his designed rest this fall. Backup Shane Vereen took advantage, rushing for 71 yards on 11 carries. Vereen also was in on punt and kick returns.

Vereen has been hampered by a sprained ankle this fall and says he’s still not feeling totally healthy.

“I still think I have a step-and-a-half missing,” he said. “It makes it easy when your O-line and fullback are blocking well. Your lack of speed doesn’t show as much.”

One of the more memorable moments from the scrimmage came on a punt return, when freshman Covaughn DeBoskie crushed Vereen too early as he was attempting to field the punt. It was a big hit, and one that resulted in a scolding from coach Jeff Tedford.

“If I was sleeping, it would have woke me up,” Vereen said.

Screw you with your East Coast bias, NBC.  Dump away!  And Go Bears!

I've officially run out of material.  Down to the bottom of the barrell.  All I have is a series of dead baby and Heath Ledger jokes, each one more disturbingly disturbing than the last. 

Wait wait wait, Ok, I just wrote a joke.  Ok, I think this one should be good. 

Why did the chicken cross the road?

.......

.......

To get to the other side!!!!!

hahahahahahahah

ok, let's keep this party going with another TwistNHook classic.  I just wrote this bad boy.  Fresh off the presses:

Why is 10 afraid of 7?

.........

........

Because 7 8 9!!!!!!!!!!

hahahahahahahhahah

Whew, that was close there.  I had run out of jokes, but I'm happy I'm able to write solid comedy so quickly.  And so hilariously! 

That should be enough comedy for today.  I don't want to overload you guys with hilarity.  Let's get to some links:

Cal men's soccer predicted to be in the Top 15:

The California men's soccer team was selected 13th in the College Soccer News' preseason national rankings. The Golden Bears, who look for a third consecutive Pac-10 Championship this year, were the highest Pac-10 team in the poll, just ahead of No. 14 UCLA.

Cal will square off against three teams in 2008 that were ranked in the top 10 of the poll - No. 3 Maryland, No. 5 Santa Clara and No. 7 Creighton. The Bears will also play No. 12 SMU this season. Reigning NCAA champion Wake Forest was picked No. 1 in the poll, followed by Connecticut at No. 2.

 

Here's a video of some Cal Olympians in Beijing. 

Some national pub for our backers:

Berkeley - Senior linebackers Zack Follett and Worrell Williams of the California football team were both selected to the annual Butkus Award Watch List announced on Wednesday. A total off 66 linebackers from across the nation were tabbed on the list, including nine from the Pac-10.

A hard-hitting product of Fresno, Follett has been Cal's sack-leader in each of the last two years, to go along with eight career forced fumbles. He is also on this year's preseason Watch Lists for the Ronnie Lott IMPACT Trophy (defensive player who excels on and off the field), the Bronco Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defensive player) and the Chuck Bednarik Award (also for top defensive player). Last season, Follett earned All-Pac-10 Second Team honors after totaling 64 tackles with a team-best 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks despite missing the second half of the Louisiana Tech game and all of the Arizona and Oregon games due to injury. Follett also earned conference honors his sophomore campaign and freshman All-America honors in 2005.

A three-year starter and pre-season All-America selection by Phil Steele's magazine, Williams led the Bears in forced fumbles (3) while ranking second with 105 tackles (eighth in the Pac-10) and 8.5 tackles for loss (second on the team) in 2007. The 250-pound native of Sacramento played in all 13 games with 11 starts last season, including a memorable game in the opener against Tennessee where he registered nine tackles in the victory, while recovering a fumble on the opening drive and returning it 44 yards for his first career touchdown.

More Olympic non-Spoiler information on Coughlin (who I heard is getting married soon, OH NOES!) and the Cal Olympians. 

Some very encouraging notes on Fall Camp by Okanes:

–Wide receiver Marvin Jones could be a star. He already is playing so confidently for a true freshman. He has the size (6-3, 185) and athleticism to become a nightmare matchup for opposing defensive backs.

–Wide receiver Nyan Boateng looks like he means business. During the spring, Boateng didn’t demonstrate the best practice habits. He appears to have shaped up his act in that department. Combine that with his natural ability, and he could be a serious weapon.

–Tight end Cameron Morrah appears ready to break out. Maybe he heard all the talk about Tad Smith during the spring. Morrah has been the quarterbacks’ favorite target during camp, and you could make the argument he’s the team MVP during camp so far.

Feldman says Mack is indispensible:

Alex Mack, Cal, C: Whoever Jeff Tedford names as his starting QB will lean heavily on Mack, the best O-lineman in the Pac-10 and maybe the country too. The Golden Bears only surrendered 11 sacks in 2007 and without Mack, a great technician that has, according to his coaches, freakish flexibility and athleticism, that number probably doubles.

Okanes on Longshore:

Longshore also is fighting for his future. A year ago, he was regarded as one of the top junior quarterbacks in the country. Now his NFL prospects are uncertain.

"Football is like life; there are good times and bad times," he said. "At this point, I'm completely over last year, and over all the nonsense that came with it. I've realized that's behind me. "

via extras.mnginteractive.com

That's a solid start.  If you see any links relating to Cal sports, bring those bad guys over here, so we can discuss them.  Dump away!  Go Bears!

Ted Miller outlines a grim possibility for Opening Week.

California fans need to prepare for a distinct possibility that many will not embrace, one that will inspire slapped foreheads and furious and outraged typing across the Golden Bear Nation.

Nate Longshore could win the quarterback job over Kevin Riley.

So how will Bears fans handle that? Will the raucous booing Longshore faced walking off his home field in Sourberry Canyon in 2007 return the first time he hurls an ill-advised interception?

Not saying Longshore is definitely the man. There's still about a week to 10 days before a decision needs to be made as earnest preparations begin for the Aug. 30 opener against Michigan State.

But folks who've watched more than a handful of practices -- when pushed to make a call -- suspect it will be Longshore.

So it might be good for fans to prepare. Let us suggest Dale Carnegie's lesser-known classic, "How to Win Friends and Influence Quarterbacks."

I wrote a similar article earlier this year about it (you're stealing my columns Ted) and maintain a somewhat ambivalent stance on the issue. I don't like booing athletes, but I can imagine the hyped up students turning nasty and even some of the grayer Bears getting a little frustrated if Nate struggles. I doubt he will, but the possibility of more boos out of the gate is not at all remote.

I'm not going to influence the vote on the poll, but you can vote and leave your thoughts in the comments: Should college athletes be booed? If so, under what circumstances?

And separately, if Nate Longshore does start and has a below-average performance against the Spartans, what will be your reaction? And what do you think will be the general fan reaction?

Sure, he's got his 11 Gold Medals and his 18 months on probation for a DUI, but he ain't got nothing on me.  I challenge you guys to a DBD-Off and have brow beat all of you into submission such that I can post it up AFTER I get back from Court and you still haven't challenged me.

This is almost too easy, people.  Where's the challenge?  Where's the fight??  I don't do it for the big money contracts.  I don't do it for the Bear Dump groupies (hi, Maharg!). I do it for the love of the Bear Dump. For the challenge.

But this is no challenge.  You guys have to bring it.  Nothing has been broughten so far.  Nothing.  Having had broughten nothing, how am I to respect you? 

Embarrassing how easy I have destroyed all of you.  Embarrassing.  I'll keep this short, since I now, in theory, should work.

Info on the Olympics. More info on the Olympics.

Another day of fall camp. 

BERKELEY - While continuing to focus on situational exercises, the University of California football team held a two-plus hour practice in full pads on Tuesday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

The situational drill which created the most energy on the field was a goal-line situation with crowd noise being pumped into the stadium. Redshirt freshman Shane Vereen and sophomore Tracy Slocum both scored touchdowns in the drill, while the defense also had highlights, including a stop in the backfield by sophomore Keith Browner.

"I like that both sides had success and it was very competitive," head coach Jeff Tedford said of the drill. "There were a couple walk-ins, but for the most part it was very competitive down there. There was a lot of energy, excitement and good hitting. It was a good drill. I think the kids were really pumped up for it."

Tedford was also asked about the performance of the quarterbacks - all four of whom had highlights on the day. Sophomore Kevin Riley had a nice hook-up with redshirt freshman Michael Calvin in 11-on-11 action and then lofted a perfect pass to the corner of the end zone for a leaping Calvin in a red-zone situation. Senior Nate Longshore had solid connections with senior Drew Glover and a pair of tight ends - junior Tad Smith and freshman Anthony Miller, while in red-zone action, he found senior LaReylle Cunningham for a TD in the corner.

"I thought all of the decisions [by the quarterbacks today] were pretty good," head coach Jeff Tedford said. "One of the receivers should have got out of bounds with eight seconds to play so we could get a time out, that was not good."

Info on Fan Appreciation Day:

via grfx.cstv.com

Stop embarrassing yourself, people.  That's what Olsonist is for.  He embarrasses himself enough for the all of us.

Dump away!  Go Bears!

It was a beautiful evening in an overcast California Golden Blogs, and CALISETH did nothing to spoil that somehow paradoxical statement.  Though the support for Longshore vs. Riley was palpably pro Longshore during pregame warm-ups, CALISETH maintained a steady composure throughout his limited role.  Upon taking the field as the first new QB in CGB for over 17 years, the fans finally embraced him, and left their seats in applause.   Though they have been largely childish and petty throughout the Longshore soap opera, the fans of CGB finally seemed reserved to their fate.  And their fate quickly looked promising as CALISETH proved he belonged.

Despite being plagued by a poor grammar, misspellings, and general miscues by an early starting lineup, CALISETH persevered and eventually left the game with a 10-0 lead against Olsonist.  His play, to be frank, was very, very solid for a first start.  Many novice fans of the blogging somehow believe that modern QB’s are somehow supposed to come into the league and dominate.  Well, TwistNHook hasn’t done that, and certainly neither has TwistNHook.  After serving behind HydroTech for three years (who admittedly refused to mentor CALISETH) CALISETH looked ready to fill the shoes of a QB who had long ago lost his humility.

CALISETH eventually led the CGB to a "Hiyo!" and a "Oh, Snap!" off a pass that was nothing short of spectacular.  Feeling pressure and needing to escape, CALISETH gunned it to Maharg for a helmet popping "Nailed It!".  No, literally, Maharg’s helmet popped off, yet he recovered and ran it in.  No doubt it was gratifying for CALISETH, who was told earlier in the week during practice that he "sucked" by a six year old (Ed Note:  True Story!).

For CGB fans, the writing is already being washed off the wall; they need to embrace their new QB, CALISETH.  Next week, Saturday to be exact, they face the 49ers.  I already have my tickets, and I hope you do too.  This is our chance to let the 49ers know just how much they fucked up by picking that disappointment ZooNews.  As CALISETH said, and I am paraphrasing, "this is special, this post means allot."  At the time SF OC McCarthy, the current coach of Niners Nation, said they were going with CALISETH.  They didn’t, they took Zoo News, and they look like fools as a result!  Go CALISETH, Go CGB!  Beat the Niners Nation, the team that let you get away!

via assets.sbnation.com

Let's get some links up in this bitch:

Olympics News, including info on how Natalie Coughlin did (Hint:  Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good).

Article on Fall Camp.  It even has news from Tedford on Rogers:

Tedford also commented on a former Golden Bear player, standout quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who made his first professional start Monday evening for the Green Bay Packers against the Cincinnati Bengals.

"We spoke through the summer," Tedford said. "And I had a chance to watch his first few series [in tonight's exhibition] and he was really, really sharp. He showed great command; he threw great balls - two were dropped, one was off the guy's chest and one was dropped on third-and-17. He looked great. I'm really excited for him; I think he's going to have a great year."

Rodgers finished his evening 9-of-15 for 117 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown to James Jones, in his first game action since the much-talked about saga in Green Bay surrounding Brett Favre and his return to the NFL.

"I texted him today telling him how proud I was of the way he's handled the whole situation," Tedford said. "That's not easy to do; everything you do is scrutinized. From what I've seen, he's done a very nice job of keeping his poise and composure and really focusing on the job at hand - being the quarterback of that team."

Cal gets a new Golf transfer:

BERKELEY, Calif. - Sophomore Joanne Lee, a 2008 All-Pac-10 honorable mention selection while at USC, will transfer to Cal in time for the 2008-09 school year, Golden Bears' head women's golf coach Nancy McDaniel announced Monday.

Lee will not be able to compete in any tournaments during her first year in Berkeley but will be practicing with the team. She earned a waiver to have three years of eligibility remaining when she begins playing for Cal in the fall of 2009.

"We are thrilled to have Joanne playing for Cal beginning in 2009," McDaniel said. "Joanne is one of the most experienced Northern California players, having played in her third straight U.S. Open this summer and being an All-Pac-10 selection as a freshman at USC. Being from San Carlos, Cal is the right place for Joanne as she continues a promising collegiate career."

Tedford apparently said this:

“Nate and Kevin have done a really nice job of supporting one another and coaching each other and praising each other,” Tedford said. “It’s not a competition like, ‘I have to do better than you.’ It’s a competition of, ‘I have to do my best to make this team successful and this offense productive.

Quotes from Nate:

–Longshore said he didn’t throw for 2 1/2 months after suffering the pectoral muscle in the spring. He said it’s been an adjustment mechanically coming back.

“Coming back from that is real awkward,” Longshore said. “You lose the proper technique. It’s much more of a mental effort. Coach Tedford and Coach Cignetti have been great about letting me know if my mechanics are this way or that way. It just takes a lot more focus to do it the right way.”

Longshore said it takes him a few more minutes than usual to warm up, but then everything is fine.

I'm excited, because my friend seemingly (and I say seemingly, because the rowing rules are a bit confusing to me) made the Olympic Quad Sculls rowing Final this Sunday.  I can't imagine what it feels like to make an Olympic Final.  Except for that time I totally lost a case.  That has to be similar.  And that OTHER time I lost.  Both prolly pretty similar to, yknow, being in an Olympic Final.

Dump away!  Go Bears!