During the summer Coach Tedford reached out to George Romero, a local Cal fan with brain cancer. Although the chemotherapy is tough on him, Romero is progressing well and says he "is out to kick some butt." He's confident Tedford will be able to bounce back and do the same next season.
Tedford invited [Romero] to the season opener against UC Davis, which he attended, and sent him a blue-and-gold Cal jersey with No. 54, Romero's long-ago football number at Pioneer High in San Jose, with his name printed on the back.
Romero's admiration for Tedford reached new heights, and has remained aloft despite Cal's 5-7 record this fall. Romero, 64, wore his Cal jersey on Saturdays, win or lose, at his San Jose residential care facility.
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"The Bears and I have had some challenges," he said of Cal football. "But they've been in it all the way, and coach Tedford has been leading them strongly with integrity and sportsmanship. I've tried to emulate that myself."
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But even Cal's losing has been a ray of hope for Romero.
"They've been a focus and an inspiration for me," he said. "They've persisted. It's not the easy successes that make it; it's what's you have to fight for. I'm still fighting, and I know the Bears will continue to fight."
After the jump volleyball coach Rich Feller wins Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Monte Poole says Cal should wait a few years before seriously considering firing Tedford, and basketball notches a win over UC Davis.
Football
- JO looks at what Cal will have to do to avoid another finish in the bottom half of the conference standings next year. He says it starts with the offense, specifically with quarterbacks. The spot will be opened up next season, perhaps allowing one of the underclassmen or even transfer Zach Maynard to take the reins.
- JO reviews the season by looking at what went right, what went wrong, and what will change in the offseason.
- Monte Poole says Tedford should be given another couple years before anyone considers firing him.
- Faraudo follows along as Cal slowly pulls away from UC Davis in a 74-62 victory. It wasn't pretty, but they got the job done.
- Monty and Franklin speak at the post-game press conference. Faraudo recaps the game and what was said postgame.
- After leading Cal to its best record in school history and to its first ever Pac-10 title, Rich Feller was named Pac-10 coach of the year.