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Last week's trivia:
A former NASCAR driver, I was an EECS major who graduated in 1984. Almost as amazing, I was the first African-American to race in a Busch Series race in 1999. Though I never did win a race, I managed seven top ten finishes and earned three poles throughout my career. Someone who actually started his career working at HP before deciding that turning left for hours was a better career move, who am I?
Kudos to GeoFreak, who was the only person to correctly post the answer:
Bill Lester! And not the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities who operate the Metrodome. I'd post the YouTube clip of the roof collapsing again, but I'm under strict orders not to take up too much space on the front page. This week's trivia:
One of three long-snappers for NFL teams from Cal (Which is fascinating in itself - no one circles the long-snapping wagons like our California Golden Bears! And might we actually have good special teamers after all? Lots to ponder. Bonus points, can you name the other two?), I'm the only one playing for a West Coast team. The only holdover on my team from a mid-90's Super Bowl team, I've also dated a rather famous former Playboy model who's notorious for...well, a lot of things. Who am I?
When will Tedford offer Boller's son a scholarship?
-- okaydo
HydroTech
Tedford should offer Boller's son a scholarship now. Even if the kid isn't any good, at least he'll look darn good being bad due to the genetics of his supermodel and stud parents.
Ohio Bear
Right after Lane Kiffin does.
Berkelium97
I think that's the good news Cali49a keeps telling us to expect.
solarise
Quinn Tedford is Cal's next Head Coach?
Kodiak
When he can throw his pacifier over the crib from his knees.
Did Jahvid Best get a new tattoo?
-- burritos
Berkelium97
It seems like he had more on his arms than I remember seeing when he was at Cal. I know he had the "J" "B" at Cal and a couple others, but I thought I saw something new when I watched the Lions game this weekend.
Why even recruit a QB who can't run?
-- pappysghost
Ohio Bear
Just in case he is the next Peyton Manning.
Berkelium97
So you can hear the bitter wails of Oregon fans when he beats their top-15 teams two years in a row. I'm looking at you, Nasty Nate.
solarise
Tom Brady couldn't run but did well @ Michigan & married Gisele.
Kodiak
Because poise, decision-making, accuracy, and arm strength are more important for a strong passing game. So I've heard. (sigh)
Your Stone Cold lock of the bowl season?
-- pappysghost
Ohio Bear
Oklahoma.
Berkelium97
Boise St over Utah. Utah's QB is out for the bowl and they've barely had a pulse since he got injured against TCU.
Also Oklahoma over UConn.
Kodiak
I guarantee the Cal Bears will not lose this bowl season!
Hawaii to the MWC -- can the WAC survive?
-- TopDog
ragnarok
"Survival" is not the same as "relevance". I have to believe they survive, as going independent just isn't an option for the WAC leftovers (San Jose State, Utah State, New Mexico State, Idaho and Louisiana Tech). They'll grab some other teams, probably pulling them up from I-AA, maybe trading LaTech to C-USA for UTEP to help cut down on geographic differences. But however they end up, they'll probably annually battle the Sun Belt for the title of "worst major college football conference".
Ohio Bear
Who cares?
Berkelium97
No.
solarise
Good luck!
Kodiak
(Indifferent grunt)
Will you root for the Furd in the Orange Bowl?
-- LafayetteBear
Ohio Bear
No.
CBKWit
Fuck. No.
Berkelium97
NO.
solarise
F$&@ NO
Kodiak
Eff. No.
Who are your favorite opposing Pac-10 basketball players?
-- GldnBear71
Ohio Bear
Joni Easterly, USC women's basketball early 90s. Heart. Sigh.
CBKWit
I like Klay Thompson. I'm a Coug homer, and he's a legitimate NBA player. And although he's no longer in the Pac-10, I'm a big Tajuan Porter fan. He did more to help Cal Basketball than several Cal players.
Berkelium97
Anyone but Isaiah Thomas. That name brings back bad memories of terrible Knicks teams.
Basketball away games and proper etiquette - Two related questions: why don’t schools sell visitor section tickets for non-rivalry basketball games, and what constitutes proper basketball etiquette when sitting in a sea of fans for the opposing home team? I’m pretty sure that yelling "BOUNCE, BOUNCE, BOUNCE… OHHHHHHHHH!" from the rafters during free throws almost got into Nic Wise’s head last year, but it got relatively poor reviews from nearby Wildcat fans.
-- superguy
Yellow Fever
I have no idea. I have only the faintest interest in Cal basketball and roughly zero interest in college basketball in general; maybe things would be different if we had been consistent winners during the Ben Braun years, but I decided halfway through my time at Cal that if I were going to support a losing basketball team, I would support my local professional team instead. Go Nets.
The once and mighty former BIG 3 -- FSU, Florida and Miami -- all have their head coaches. Let's look ahead to 2013. Who in your opinion will be in better shape as a football program when that day comes?
-- Brad Sontag, Jacksonville, Fla.
Yellow Fever
At the risk of reading too much into last year's results, I think I'd go with Florida State - they should have an easier path to the BCS than Florida by virtue of being in the ACC, and Miami has been floundering for so long that they hired Temple's head coach. Temple! What! And I'm the guy who was saying that Big East should look at inviting them back into the conference. But it's hard to predict how Miami's going to do under Al Golden (even though on paper he seems like the kind of smart up and comer who should do well), and Jimbo Fisher had a nice debut season for Florida State. So that's my (uninformed) pick.
Leaders and Legends??? Seriously???
-- Adam Pence, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Is there anything redeeming about the new Big Ten division names? I feel ridiculous saying them out loud and will do anything I can to avoid doing so. In my opinion, whatever they were trying to accomplish completely backfired.
-- Kevin, Cincinnati
Yellow Fever
Yeah, they're retarded. I'm confident that Surf and Turf for Pac-12 divisions would have gone over better.
And their new logo really isn't much to write about either.
I read your article on Cam Newton's speech, and I liked it, but I still find fault with it. Like many of your fellow sports journalists, you still seem to take Cam Newton's side just because of his play. DOES ANYBODY CARE ABOUT THE RULES? So what, the NCAA cleared him to play. They only did so because they couldn't establish enough evidence to keep him from playing. What is wrong with America? In continuing to praise Cam Newton even in light of this alleged scandal, it sends a message that grown adults merely value an individual human's ability to play a GAME over anything else.
-- Rob, Columbus, Ohio
Yellow Fever
I wouldn't have voted for him myself, but then, that's a matter of personal preference. If the rules say that he's allowed to play, then he's allowed to play, and he should be eligible to be voted on by anyone who thinks he was the best player in the country. Those are the rules.
I completely understand your view that Cam Newton should address the issues surrounding his father. However, I do not understand how specifics would help clarify the situation. Maybe Cam knew, maybe he didn't, but him divulging anymore information about his recruitment by Mississippi State or Auburn would, in my opinion, only provide more fodder for dissection and scrutiny. Call me naive, but I think "no comment" is the best option for himself and Auburn University.
-- Matt Connor, Montgomery, Ala.
Yellow Fever
I can't really argue with that as much as I'd like - you're probably right that saying anything would only encourage more discussion and scrutiny, because any hint of impropriety would only lead to more investigation. So that likely is the best option for himself and Auburn. But is it the best option for those who actually want to know what happened? No, so that's why people keep asking.
USC was able to somewhat withstand the current of NCAA sanctions through the hiring of Lane Kiffin, and it looks like they may be able to stay moderately respectable until the sanctions are lifted. How is Texas going rebound from a disastrous season when they have to replace half of the coaching staff at the same time?
-- Thomas, Stamford, Conn.
Yellow Fever
They're Texas. As much as we hate them here, it seems unlikely they'll be down that long, especially with another loaded recruiting class. Personally I think Greg Davis deserved something of a mulligan based on his work in previous years in being able to switch seamlessly between Vince Young and Colt McCoy and not skip a beat; maybe it was somewhat unrealistic to expect Garrett Gilbert to come in and play like his two predecessors right off the bat.
Fever, three out of the four Heisman finalists that went to New York were West Coast guys, and half of the top 10 vote recipients are from the West Coast (Stanford with two, then one from Oregon, Boise State, Nevada). Is this one of the strongest years for West Coast players and the Heisman?
-- Tim, Portland, Ore.
Yellow Fever
The USC heyday wasn't bad for West Coast players and the Heisman, though on sheer numbers I'd say it was the best.
The current bowl system is bloated -- 70 bowl teams. From what I understand some schools even lose money taking a bowl trip. Some of the matchups are HORRIBLE (Troy and Ohio). I know the NCAA cannot just automatically tell a bowl to take a hike, so I propose a solution to trimming the fat from the college football post season: Why doesn't the NCAA raise the requirements to get into a bowl game? How about seven wins instead of six? Or how about you must have seven wins AND be at least .500 in conference play?
-- Josh, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Yeah, but if you did that, you'd have to tell bowls to take a hike since there wouldn't be enough eligible games. Maybe it would be something to think about after enough bowls expire, but I don't think it's feasible right now.