If you want to discuss all the March Madness First Round Action going on right now, go here.

Best of Berkeley 2010 has started off and that means we have to defend CGB's title as the best Berkeley blog.   Stuff those ballot boxes, people!

Apparently the bench is a fun place to be for members of both the men's and women's teams.

"Sometimes bench players think they know what players should be doing, so we like to talk," says Harper Kamp, who is redshirting this year due to injury. "We're not always right. But that doesn't stop us."

The women's team pokes plenty of fun at its starters.

"We make fun of some girls," Tierra Rogers says, her use of "some" meaning more like "every." "If it's a bad call, then we make fun of the refs. If the game is boring, we get off topic. We have a lot of inside jokes."

But it's not all about talking smack; freshman Eliza Pierre says that when Lauren Greif is on the bench, it's as if she's a sixth man on defense.

"When the ball goes into the corner, L.G. will stand behind the girl and say all kinds of stuff like, 'Don't you shoot. Don't you do it. That's right. Pass it. You better listen,'" Pierre says. "She's always cracking me up."

And it's not only the players who are cracking jokes during games. Men's coach Mike Montgomery isn't making those trips up and down the bench just to teach.

"(Montgomery will) come down and make a joke because he likes to think he's funny," Kamp says. "He'll come down and say all kinds of things. It's not rated G, so it's probably not for the Daily Cal. But it's a lot of sarcasm." 
...

When the handshakes are through and the game starts, the actual bench sitting begins. For the men, the physical act of sitting in a confined space might be the hardest part of the whole game.

"I struggle out there," Kamp says. "It gets pretty cramped. My knee gets tight, so I gotta stretch it. We try to share seats, but there's always an extra one, so we fight over that."

And what's the best part of the bench for Kamp? Getting off of it.

"I've been sick of it since the day I got there," Kamp says. "No offense to Nik (Knezevic, who he sits next to), but I'm tired of him. I gotta get back out there." 

After the jump Monty and the team talk about Amoke's suspension, Faraudo looks how Amoke's absence may affect the team, Cal has the chance to shine on the big stage, Wilner makes his bracket picks, and more.

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Theo Robertson has spent much of his career in the shadows of Randle and PC, but his consistency and commitment have earned him much-deserved praise from his coaches and teammates.  NBA scouts have noticed him too...

He knows he's overlooked, but he also knows that in the end, it won't matter. For Robertson, talent isn't measured by how many interviews he gets or the cheers he elicits. His play will be the thing that takes him to next level.

That's why Robertson spends almost eight hours a day in the offseason working on his game. It's why he doesn't concern himself with the number of shots he gets or how many awards he collects.

"My goal was to come here and win and become a better basketball player," Robertson says. "I'll get an opportunity hopefully when my career is over to showcase what I can do, but even then, I don't know how that would change who I am. I'd still be a guy that would come in, and help a team win in whatever capacity they needed me to do that." 

Jamal Boykin firmly believes that his brother Ruben was a catalyst to his success in basketball, as their childhood competitions led him to strive for consistent improvement.  Now a solid player in Italy, Ruben's success has led teams to express interest in Jamal.  

It's eight o'clock in the evening somewhere in Allen Fieldhouse, the historic arena at Kansas, and Ruben is on his feet as Cal takes on the top-ranked Jayhawks. He's processing sights and sounds of a basketball game that's unfolding in front of him -- he flew in from Italy last December to watch the game -- cheering loudly enough that Jamal can hear him over the capacity crowd. His ticket is a portal into the world of his younger brother.

He follows the 6-foot-8 forward with love and loyalty, watching as Jamal racks up 15 points and 15 rebounds.

"That just meant the world," Jamal says. "He's always been my biggest fan."

Because of Ruben, European clubs are fond of him as well.

"Every team that he's played on has shown interest in me," says Jamal. "Because of how great he is as a person, and what he brings to the table, they figure, 'If there's another kid with his genes, then we could take him, too.'" 

After the jump JO gives us an update from practice three, Uncle Ted interviews Tedford, Genyk talks about working with Cal's kickers, Amoke gets suspended indefinitely, and various important writers/figures post their brackets--including Obama who picked against Cal.

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Cam Inman says the NCAA needs to be more focused on preventing teams from traveling excessively during early rounds of the tournament.

When colleges are slashing staff and hiking tuition, the NCAA Tournament should keep teams closer to home. It would cut down on travel costs (which go on the NCAA's tab), and it would liven up arenas with more fans who have a rooting interest beyond their office pools.

"We'd love to have all of the teams stay as regionally close as possible," Dan Guerrero, chair of the NCAA Division I men's basketball committee, said on a Monday conference call. "But if you did that, you'd really be manipulating the seed lines."

Seed lines? We're talking about seed lines? Outside of the top three or four seeds — whom the committee has become quite adept at identifying and preserving— the tournament serves as an early-round crapshoot every March.

We need more than so-called upsets (see: No. 12-over-No. 5, No. 11-over-No. 6). We need more of a local touch.

Would it be so sacrilegious to make Cal a No. 6 seed in San Jose instead of the No. 8 status it'll take into Jacksonville (Fla.) on Friday night against Louisville?

Would Saint Mary's be offended if, instead of going as a No. 10 seed to Providence (R.I.), it received a No. 11 mark and a Thursday night date in San Jose?

San Diego State is an 11th seed, and UC Santa Barbara a 15th, and those automatic qualifiers (by virtue of winning their conference tournaments) certainly could have fit in San Jose. Instead, such spots feature No. 11 Washington (vs. No. 6 Marquette) and No. 14 Montana (vs. No. 3 New Mexico).

Non-California-grown teams also are having to dart cross country. Why? To fulfill the NCAA's motto: Play basketball, see the country at 30,000 feet, text your relatives back home, watch us collect television revenues at your fans' expense.

"I've always felt the people who support you, the parents of the kids, should be in a position to see their team play," Cal coach Mike Montgomery said in a Monday conference call. "When you move a team 3,000 miles, it makes it more difficult for everybody. I never thought that was right."

After the jump Calvin talks more about his knee, Wilner and Ratto give opposite takes on Cal's bracket matchups, former Cal coach Todd Bozeman gives some insight on playing Louisville, and more.

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Monty, PC, Amoke, Randle, and Boykin talked about the NCAA tournament during yesterday's press conference.  Here's a sample of what Boykin had to say.

On potential facing your old team at Duke

"I do still talk to some of the guys. One thing I really don't want to do is have that be the focus. The focus is Louisville. So just taking one game at a time, the focus is Louisville."

On Louisville beating Syracuse twice this season and Syracuse beating Cal

"Well, we didn't have Theo [Robertson] that game and Syracuse is very unique in that they play a zone, so we could have really used Theo that game but I feel very confident in the fact that we had a very tough preseason. We've played with Kansas, the number-one overall seed, and you know, we battled with them throughout the whole game. It was still a game with about four minutes to go, so we know what it looks like as far as playing the big-time teams and we're not intimidated. We're confident in our abilities and we're excited for the challenge."

On whether he was worried that Cal might not make the tournament

"Well we can't control what a lot of people are saying. We just feel very fortunate that we are in the tournament and at this point it's just about preparing as best we can. We want to represent the Pac-10 as best we can. I feel we're a strong conference and we hope that our team, along with Washington, can represent the Pac-10 the best as we can."

On creating a legacy at Cal

"Without question I feel like we've already built a legacy this year and it's sad but at the end of the day you're only as good as your last game. A lot of times you're remembered for how you finished. We want to make sure that we finish strong. Whether it's in a win or a loss, we played our hardest, we gave our best effort, we prepared the best, we had all the best intentions, we were focused, we executed on offense, we knew the game plan, we got the right amount of sleep, we recovered our bodies well. All the little things, all the big things, we want to make sure that we do this week from here on out so at the end of the day we will know, we will leave no doubt that we gave it everything we had. "

On last year's experience in the NCAA Tournament

"Last year, I know I definitely had some moments like, `Wow, we're in the NCAA Tournament.' We were so happy about that, but this year, that was the expectation all year long would be that we would play in the NCAA Tournament. Not that we took it for granted, but I feel that you have a different swagger to yourself when you know you're going to play all year. I think the experience of going there and maybe not playing up to our best, for whatever reason, whether it be jitters or adjusting to playing in a bigger dome, whatever it may be, we've seen it. We're a senior group. We know it. And we'll be prepared this time around."   

After the jump the seniors talk about a nerve-wracking selection day, Alexis Gray-Lawson leaves the hospital and heads back home, baseball puts up a fight against another highly ranked team, and more.

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After suffering from turf toe and then tearing his ACL during 2008, Michael Calvin has struggled to live up to the potential he displayed in high school and on the scout team.  As one of only four receivers on the team, he knows he needs to take advantage of every opportunity to become a starter again.

"I feel like I have to seize the opportunity," Calvin said. "This spring ball is going to make or break me. I just have to come out here and compete."

Verran Tucker and Nyan Boateng have exhausted their eligibility, and Charles Satchell has moved from wide receiver to safety. That leaves Calvin, Marvin Jones, Jeremy Ross and Alex Lagemann as the only scholarship receivers left. The Bears signed five wide receivers in February and will welcome them to Berkeley in the fall.

Cal coach Jeff Tedford said the incoming group of receivers will compete for immediate playing time, but their inexperience makes them an obvious uncertainty. That's why now, more than ever, Calvin must prove he has finally overcome the hangover of his torn anterior cruciate ligament in the fall of 2008.

"Hopefully, he can stay healthy and play all through the spring," Tedford said. "There's no question he should be in the (rotation) when fall comes."

Calvin was an All-American receiver at San Lorenzo High and showed enormous promise as a scout team player in 2007. But a sprained toe limited him during the early stages of 2008 before his season came to an abrupt end when he tore the ACL in his right knee while running a post-corner route during practice.

Calvin was healthy for most of last season but said he never regained full confidence in his knee. It was a mental block that contributed to his getting buried on the depth chart. He caught just one pass for 9 yards.

Calvin suffered some swelling in his knee near the end of last season and underwent arthroscopic surgery about five weeks ago to have it cleaned up. He said he feels completely healthy again and is ready to move forward.

"You have to put it out of your mind. If you don't, you're going to come out here and second-guess yourself," Calvin said. "You're going to second-guess your technique and you're going to second-guess everything you do on the football field. I personally can't afford it. I have a spot to work for."

Calvin said he still feels like he can do everything on the field that he could before his knee injury; it has just been a matter of getting past the mental barriers. To that end, Calvin has gone to a clean slate this fall, turning in his No. 84 for No. 11. He hopes to start playing like a more famous No. 11 in the NFL — Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

After the jump Cal loses a thriller to Washington then draws a first-round matchup against Louisville in Jacksonville, FL, women's bball likely ended its season with a loss to Stanford, football hires a pair of assistants, and more.

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BREAKING NEWS: Jeremiah Masoli has been suspended for the 2010 season.  [Correction:] He has the option to redshirt in 2011. LaMichael James and Rob Beard are suspended for the opening game, ensuring they will only win by 20 against New Mexico.

After the loss to Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl, Tedford has been itching to get his team back on the field.

"I've been in a really bad mood for a long time," he said this week. "You're always irritable after a loss, but then you have the next week to do something about it. You're forced to move on. It really leaves a bad taste in your mouth when you lose a bowl game, and I'm sure it does for the whole team.

"We need to improve. We want to make sure we stay positive, but if we want to compete, we have to make sure we're getting better."

Tedford and his reshaped coaching staff will tackle several pressing issues between now and April 24. That doesn't include replacing dynamic tailback Jahvid Best, who chose to enter the NFL draft after his junior season. Shane Vereen sparkled after Best went down with a season-ending concussion Nov. 7, making tailback one of the few set-in-stone positions.

Still, the Bears have plenty on their plate. They must integrate a new defensive coordinator (Clancy Pendergast), find answers in the secondary, upgrade their special teams, locate help for Marvin Jones at wide receiver and dramatically improve their pass protection.

And, oh yes, they also could use better play at quarterback.

As usual, the quarterback situation counts as the most compelling story line of spring. Senior-to-be Kevin Riley enters practice as the starter, but Tedford made it clear - as he did last year - that it's open competition to determine who starts the opener.

Beau Sweeney and Brock Mansion hadn't earned Tedford's trust at this time in 2009, but the coach now seems more open to the "open competition" concept.

"Kevin has been our starter - you hope everyone improves with experience, and it's no different with him," Tedford said. "He'll start (spring practice) as the starter, but Beau and Brock are right there on his heels. ... We're not going to come out of spring with anything guaranteed."

After the jump Best/Alualu/Syd talk about Pro Day and the Combine, Ted Miller interviews Kevin Riley, JO reports from the first day of practice, Cal's big win over Oregon gave the starters time to rest, ESPN lists Cal as a tourney team most susceptible to a "giant killer," and more.

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Thirty-one writers who regularly cover the Pac-10 participated in a survey on a variety of topics.  Here's a list of many answers given to the questions.  There are some pretty entertaining answers in there.

Cal fared well in writers' opinions:

Your choice for Pac-10 player of the year:
1. Jerome Randle, Cal 13 votes, 2. Landry Fields, Stanford 12, 3. Quincy Pondexter, Washington 6

Your five-man all-conference team: 1 tie. Landry Fields, Stanford 31, Quincy Pondexter, Washington 31, Jerome Randle, Cal 31, 4. Derrick Williams, Arizona 22, 5. Patrick Christopher, Cal 13,
...
The Pac-10's most entertaining player:
1. Jerome Randle, Cal 14, 2. Isaiah Thomas, Washington 6, 3. Venoy Overton, Washington 2
Also: Michael Dunigan, Oregon, Landry Fields, Stanford, Jorge Gutierrez, Cal, Quincy Pondexter, Washington, Tajuan Porter, Oregon, Klay Thompson, Washington St., Max Zhang, Cal, 1 each.

The Pac-10 coach of the year:
1. Herb Sendek, Arizona St. 18, 2. Mike Montgomery, Cal 8, 3. Kevin O'Neill, USC 3

A couple writers had a pretty good sense of humor.

If Oregon makes a change, your choice for the Ducks' next coach:
1. Mark Few 7, 2 tie. Steve Alford 2, Cameron Dollar 2, Scott Drew 2, Mike Dunlap 2, Bob Knight 2, Paul Westhead 2
Also: Randy Bennett, Todd Bozeman, Jamie Dixon, Tim Floyd, Steve Lavin, Mike Montgomery, Chris Mooney, Josh Pastner, Tony Rodham (Hillary's brother), Dave Rose, Reggie Theus.

Which Pac-10 player will be the best NBA player in five years?
1. Derrick Williams, Arizona 8, 2. Tyler Honeycutt, UCLA 7, 3. Klay Thompson, Washington St. 6
Also: Landry Fields, Stanford 3; Abdul Gaddy, Washington, Quincy Pondexter, Washington 2 each; Jayne Appel, Alex Stepheson, No one, 1 each.

After the jump we have more on the Pac-10 survey, the 2010 Big Game moves two weeks earlier, Monty talks Pac-10 tourney, Wilner looks ahead to the Pac-10 tourney, Braun congratulates Randle, and Gary Franklin Jr continues to shine.

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Randle and Monty talk about the Pac-10 Player of the Year award.

Randle on winning the award:
"I was surprised that it happened, but it feels great. I really want to give a lot of credit to my teammates. I probably would not have gotten this honor if it wasn’t for them. Coach has really believed in me. (Former)  coach (Ben) Braun really paved the way, and taught me a lot. With Coach Montgomery coming in, it really opened the door for me and taught me a lot to become the player that I am right now. I just want to let him know and give him thanks."

Randle on how he heard about the news:
"It was crazy. I was in class and coach Montgomery called me, and I thought that I must have done something wrong. I said, `What’s going on?’ I received a text from someone in the office saying that they needed to talk to me, so I went over to the office and they congratulated me on the honor. I gave them thanks for being there for me and teaching me a lot."

Randle on his teammates also receiving awards:
"I feel like my teammates are just as responsible for this award as I am. They obviously had to make shots when I passed them the ball. Just being the great players that they are, really opened up the game for me. Patrick (Christopher) and Theo (Robinson) are great scorers as well, so it’s hard to just focus on one player. You have to focus on Theo, Patrick, Jamal, Jorge, all of them. I feel like it really opened up the game for me, so they really play a key role in this."

On the feeling on campus:
"I’ve never seen this campus like this before. Everyone is excited. I’ve received a lot of messages, e-mails, all type of things. I’m really happy it’s like that. But then again, we still have a lot basketball to play. We need to go down to the Pac-10 Tournament, and take that (title) as well. But right now, it’s really exciting. Everyone is behind us 100 percent. We are just ready to bring it home again."

After the jump we look at linebackers and receivers, Randle earns more honors, Cal moves up in ratings/bracketology, and Jerry Palm really wants the Bears to travel to Spokane.

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