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CGB Hall of Fame: (1)Alex Morgan v. (16)Andre Carter

One of the most popular athletes in America right now Cal's own Alex Morgan. And yet last year in the HOF vote she didn't even make it out of the first round...will this year be different? Alex is taking on Andre Carter, one of the best defensive players to ever come out of Cal and he of a long NFL career. Who gets your vote to move on here in the Joe Kapp Region?

Harold Cunningham

(1) Alex Morgan

Here's her profile prior to the Olympics:

Qualified-Meet Alex Morgan (via Team USA)

And here's how she fared in those Olympic games:

Alex Morgan - Goals USWNT (via Viviana Campos)

Alex Morgan is somewhat of a cult heroine on CGB (mostly on the DBD) because of her wholesome good looks. But she is not CGB HOF-worthy simply because she has so many admirers among Cal fans. Alex Morgan is CGB HOF-worthy because she might be the greatest Cal women's soccer player ever there was. And since Cal is the alma mater of Joy Biefeld Fawcett, that is saying something.

Alex closed her Cal career as the third leading all-time scorer in California women's soccer history with 107 points (45 goals). She was the team's leading scorer in her senior season (2010) despite missing several games due to being called up to play games on the USA National team. She led the nation in scoring for much of the season and it's not a stretch to say she would have won that title easily had it not been for her commitment to USA Soccer.

The accomplishments don't stop there. Alex's career is dotted with achievement:
● First team All-American as a senior
● First-team All-Pac-10 selection four times
● First Cal player ever to be named as a finalist for the Hermann Trophy, the Heisman of women's soccer
● Led Cal to the NCAA tournament in each of her four years
● Second-team Freshman All American in 2007

She started playing regularly for the senior U.S. Women's National Team in 2010 and had her breakthrough in 2011. She scored vital goals all along the way for the Red, White and Blue and ended up accomplishing her goal of earning a Gold Medal.

Alex was also drafted first overall in the 2011 Women's Professional Soccer draft by the Western New York Flash where she helped them win the championship the same year. She is currently a member of the Portland Timbers Women's Soccer club, who play in the W-League.

(16) Andre Carter

Redskins minicamp 2010: Andre Carter (via Homer McFanboy)

Coach Tom Holmoe pulled quite the coup in 1997 when he recruited studly Andre Carter to play his college football at Cal. Carter's college career was certainly forgettable from a wins-losses standpoint, as Carter was unfortunately in the middle of the Holmoecaust. But Carter was certainly a bright and shining light on Cal's "Hit Squad" defense of those years.

MinerNiner lays out the case for Carter.

Carter played for the California Golden Bears from 1997-2000. During his junior and senior years he was a unanimous All-Pac 10 Conference selection. In 2000 he won the Morris Trophy, awarded to the Pac 10's top defensive lineman as voted on by the starting offensive lineman from the conference. In addition to being selected as the Golden Bears' most valuable player, Carter was also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the nation's top defensive player. Finished as the school's all-time sacks leader.

#2 seed Scott Fujita was also big on his old teammate, calling Carter his favorite teammate (HT kolwave).

When Fujita got to Cal as a 6-4, 195-pound safety who was the last man on the depth chart, his intensity on the practice field routinely perturbed his veteran teammates. "I was kind of the annoying, walk-on, ‘Scout Team All-American' who irritated the old guys," Fujita explained. [...] It was hard not to feel excluded, especially when everyone was lining up for training table and I wasn't allowed to eat. Andre Carter would sneak me food all the time. He really took care of me in every way. He's my brother from another mother."

White might've been more important for us at Cal, but Carter has definitely had the better professional career.

Ohio Bear: Great career as a D-lineman at Cal, became a top-10 pick in the NFL draft, and has had a long pro career. On top of that, he has become CGB's meme for "needing an adult."

Kodiak: This guy was an absolute beast off the edge. Could stuff the run, rush the passer, and was known for running down backs/receivers down the field...even on the opposite side. If not for being knee-capped by the Holmoe era, he would have put up unreal #'s.

Similar in speed to Cam Jordan, but not as big. However in terms of motor/focus, he started from day one and was a force even as a true frosh.