Another big matchup today. Sean Dawkins, footballing wide receiver, versus Robert O. Briggs, legendary marching band director. Certainly a unique matchup, but that's what sets the CGB Hall Of Fame apart from other meaningless internet competitions: uniqueness! The winner here takes on The Mayor: Kevin Johnson! Could be a tough hill to climb.
You can view the whole bracket here. Voting ends this Friday at noon, so go vote! GO BEARS!
Sean Dawkins (8)
Scootie discusses Sean Dawkins:
He played for three years, from 1990-1992. In that time, he had 129 receptions for 2124 yards. Great, you say, good Top-10 stats, but not the best. But the thing with Dawk was, it seemed like every freaking time we needed a spectacular play, there he was. He was the master of the huge play. Dawkins was Money.
He is the Cal career (with 31) and single-season (with 14) leader in receiving touchdowns. Over his career, his touchdowns came on plays which averaged 16.5 yds, 1.5 yds more than the next best guy (Bobby Shaw, who is also a worthy candidate).
Dawkins was The Man in the years that Cal Bear football emerged from the darkness. His 1990 team won the Copper Bowl for the first bowl win since 1938. The following year was the legendary Citrus Bowl season when Cal finished the year ranked #7. He was a consensus All-American in 1992, his junior year, and declared for the draft a year early, where he was drafted in the first round by the Colts.
best hands on any Cal wide out I’ve ever seen. GMac and Desean are close, but Dawk just had velcro mitts
Sean Dawkins is the best wide receiver in school history (which is saying something at Cal).He's the best because he had the best combination of size, hands and speed - Dawkins stood 6'4" and was just fast enough to create separation from make corners and safeties pay after hauling in a pass.
He's the best because all he did was score touchdowns - 31 over his career, ranking him first among all Golden Bears pass catchers. Dawkins caught "only" 129 passes over his Cal career, but almost 1/4 went for scores. The fade to #86 in the corner of the end zone was a thing of beauty, and few Pac-10 corners had the size or strength to deny him the football in the red zone.
He's the best because he was a consensus All-American and scored 14 TDs in 1992, despite facing constant double teams on a bad 4-7 team.
He's the best because he always got up for Stanford, even if his teammates didn't. Twice he was named Cal's player of the game in the Big Game. He also got up for SC - his three touchdowns drove a stake in the heart of the Trojans in Cal's record 52-30 rout in 1991.
After being drafted in the 1st round, 16th overall, Sean Dawkins went on to have a nine year NFL career.
Robert O. Briggs (9)
"The University of California Marching Band is under the direction of Robert. O. Briggs..."
Those words were as much part of the Cal football game experience as the drum major throwing the baton, the cannon firing on Tightwad Hill, or the "Roll On You Bears" chant the first time the Bears crossed midfield. Dr. Briggs was the director of the Cal band from 1971 until his retirement in 1995. A Cal alumnus himself, Briggs was an undergraduate during the glory years under Pappy Waldorf -- Briggs had the great privilege of marching in three consecutive Rose Bowls as a member of the Cal Marching Band.
via www.oski.com
Dr. Briggs died on September 17, 2008, at the age of 81. Oski.com paid tribute to Cal's longtime band director:
During Bob's time as director of the Cal Band, the Band made an extensive national tour in honor of the Bicentennial of the United States in the Summer of 1976 . The Cal Band's opportunities to perform at bowl games improved during his tenure as well, as the fortunes of Cal Football improved; in 1979 the Cal Band performed at its first bowl game since the 1959 Rose Bowl, the Garden State Bowl in New Jersey. During Bob's time, the Cal Band would march in three more bowl games and make an appearance at a conference game in Tokyo.Because of the unique organization of the Cal Band as a student-run University activity, Bob Briggs had to balance the dynamics of a vigorous and youthfully demanding student government with the requirements and politics of the larger university administration. In a position fraught with potential conflicts and burdened with competing and often contradictory demands, Bob's non-confrontational style served the Cal Band and the University well.
In his earlier days as director, Bob was more formal and reserved in his relationship with band members. He was most often addressed as "Mr. Briggs." In later years, Bob developed a more casual style and later generations of Cal Band members know him best as simply, "Bob."
Upon his retirement in 1995, at the recommendation of Chancellor Tien, President of the University Peltason appointed Bob Director Emeritus of the University Of California Band. In retirement, Bob r emained active in music, helping to organize the Solano Winds, a community musical ensemble, and serving as its conductor for the past 13 years. In 2005, Bob celebrated his fiftieth year as a director with a special Solano Winds concert.
On December 1, 2006, the Cal Band Alumni Association presented Bob with its Tony Martinez award in recognition of his many contributions to and accomplishments with the Cal Band during his long association.
Bob was an avid enthusiast of automobiles, both the classics and more modern creations. He often used one or another of his antique sedans to transport Cal Band brides and grooms to their wedding ceremonies, acting as chauffeur, a role he relished.
In his six decades of association with the Cal Band, Bob touched thousands of lives. He will be long remembered by generations of Cal Band members and Cal Band fans.