Usually on Tuesdays I like to check in and see what our upcoming opponent said in the weekly press conference. Of course, Lane Kiffin does not talk to anyone about anything during the week, so we'll have to look elsewhere.
Unfortunately, there's some pretty rough news from the pool. The Daily Cal reports that five water polo players in prominent positions are no longer members of the team.
Five players have been removed from the Cal men’s water polo team due to a violation of the team’s code of conduct, head coach Kirk Everist confirmed Sunday night.
On Monday, Everist said the five players removed from the team are senior goalie and team captain Justin Parsons, sophomore attacker Max Bergeson, junior attacker Perry Short, junior attacker Tommy Gilfillan and sophomore attacker Nick Santala.
“We had a code of conduct problem,” Everist said. “We had a number of players that gave me no choice but to remove them from the team.”
SB Nation's water polo site The Skip Shot reports through a source that it was drug-related, although nothing has been (or probably will be) confirmed on the situation. This is anything but good for the university or our men's water polo program, although it's good to see discipline handed down quickly and swiftly.
After the jump, let's check in with Bears in the Pros, courtesy of CalBears.com.
I doubt you'll find many Jacksonville fans complaining about the team's third round pick, although they probably wish they didn't have to use him as much. Anger had 462 yards in Sunday's game.
• Tyson Alualu, DT, Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) - Has 10 tackles and 1.0 sack in the first two games, with a season-high six in a Week 2 loss to Houston and four as well as the sack in a Week 1 loss at Minnesota
• Bryan Anger, P, Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) - Leads the NFL in punting after two games with a 52.6 yard average, punting 13 times for 684 yards with single-game averages of 52.2 yards per punt on nine punts in a Week 2 loss vs. Houston and 53.5 on four attempts in a Week 1 loss at Minnesota ... also had a career-long 60-yarder against the Texans
Chris Conte continues to shine in his role as safety.
• Chris Conte, S, Chicago Bears (1-1) - Has a combined eight tackles, one interception and two passes defended in a Week 2 loss to Green Bay and a Week 1 victory over Indianapolis, with an interception against the Colts and former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck that he returned for 35 yards
After some injury concerns, Jackson is back to his usual self. Meanwhile Kendricks is having a great rookie season.
• DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) - Has 11 catches for 191 yards (eighth in the NFL in receiving yards) for a Philadelphia team that is 2-0 for the first time since its 2004 Super Bowl season, posting seven catches for 114 yards in a Week 2 win vs. Baltimore after making four catches for 77 yards and rushing one time for five yards in a Week 1 victory at Cleveland
...
• Mychal Kendricks, LB, Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) - Has started both games and has a combined 10 tackles and two passes defended for a Philadelphia team that is 2-0 for the first time since its 2004 Super Bowl season, picking up five tackles both in a Week 2 win vs. Baltimore and a Week 1 victory at Cleveland, adding the two passes defended against the Ravens
Finally, Pete Carroll continues to enjoy the production from the SeaBears.
• Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks (1-1) - Has rushed for 207 yards and one touchdown on 47 carries in two games to lead the NFC and rank third in the NFL in rushing yards, carrying the ball 26 times for 122 yards in a Week 2 win over Dallas with 104 of those yards in the second half, and 21 times for 85 yards with two receptions for 12 yards in a Week 1 loss at Arizona
...
• Brandon Mebane, DT, Seattle Seahawks (1-1) - Has a combined six tackles, two passes defended and a fumble recovery in two games and two starts, with all the stats other than two of the tackles that came in a Week 2 win over Dallas occuring in a Week 1 loss at Arizona
Football
- USC opened as 15-point favorites over the Bears.
- At next month's AD meeting Larry Scott will include an agenda item on injury disclosure. He will have the ADs consider whether to adopt a conference-wide policy or some other set of standards where teams disclose injuries before each game (as the NFL does).
- Wilner was impressed with Cal's performance and gave the Bears a B+ for the close loss to Ohio State.
- Wilner examines the Bears' struggles against USC over the years.
- Mark Schlabach's bowl projections have the Bears playing Wake Forest in the military bowl.
- Schlabach gives a shout out to Brendan Bigelow in his weekend review of everything college football. Fun fact: Bigelow and Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas are the only players in the past ten years to put up 150+ yards on fewer than five carries.
- Bigelow was named the All-Purpose Performer of the Week and honorable mention Running Back Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards.
- The ASU game has been picked up by FX and will kick off at 1pm.
- Faraudo has some notes from Sunday's post-practice media session.
- Jake Andersen was named the Muscle Milk Student Athlete of the Week. He scored six tries, including four in the finale of the Buckeye Invitational.
- Lindy's picks the men's team to finish fourth in the Pac-12 and qualify for the NCAA tournament. In order, the teams ahead of Cal are UCLA, Arizona, and Stanford.
- Christopher Lee has joined the women's team as a volunteer assistant coach. Lee was most recently part of the coaching staff that helped the U.S. women's water polo team bring home a gold medal at last month's Olympics.
- The third-ranked men's team defeated no. 6 UC Irvine 14-7 on Saturday.
- The Bears lost 11-10 in overtime to no. 2 UCLA.
- Cal's impressive comeback fell short as they lost 8-9 to Stanford in the third-place match of the NorPac Tournament.
- A code of conduct violation led Kirk Everist to remove five players from the team, including team captain and goalie Justin Parsons.
- Chase Melton earned a spot on the All-Tournament team at the Fighting Illini Invitational. Melton won each of his singles matches in the tournament.