CGB Hall of Fame: (5) Mychal Kendricks vs. (12) Jocelyn Forest

(5) Mychal Kendricks

Cal Football: Mychal Kendricks Highlights - LB #30 (via calathletics)

Kendricks was a mainstay in the Golden Bears defense for many years and I think that everyone reading this has to say that they appreciated the intensity and skill with which he played the game. I am sure he'll make his mark while playing on Sundays next year and he should be just as fun to watch in Eagles green as he was in Blue and Gold.

Via Official Cal Bears Profile:

Earned several All-American honors as a senior, including second-team selections
by Phil Steele and College Sports Madness ... also a third-team All-American
selection of Yahoo! Sports and an honorable mention pick of SI.com ... named the
Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection as a
senior, after earning second-team all-league honors during his junior campaign ...
finished his career with 258 tackles to rank tied for ninth all-time at Cal, while
adding 36.5 tackles for loss (-144 yards) to miss finishing among the school's all-
time leaders by one-half of a tackle for loss ... also had a punt return in which he
was credited with 26 punt returns yards after he blocked a punt before teammate
Bryant Nnabuife picked the ball up and ran 30 yards for a score vs. Colorado State
in 2008, five pass breakups and a forced fumble ... recorded at least 0.5 tackles for
loss 24 times in his career, including in 19 of his final 25 games ... played inside
linebacker as a 2011 senior after spending most of his collegiate career as an
outside linebacker.

And of course, who can forget this?

Mychal Kendricks vs. Derrick Coleman (via schmeezed)

(12) Jocelyn Forest

Ososdeoro relates the unbelievable story of Forest's run through the World Series of Softball.

I'll let Sports Illustrated say it:

Jocelyn struck out 15 and one-hit Arizona, 2-1. And she didn't stop for a month straight. In the NCAA regionals she pitched every inning, had a 0.87 ERA, and Cal went 4-0. In the World Series the same thing happened: every inning, 4-0, 0.50 ERA, most outstanding player of the tournament. And again she one-hit Arizona, this time for the national title. It was Cal's first NCAA women's championship in any sport. "Winning was just so awesome," says Jocelyn. "We were unstoppable."

Incredible. Want to know what makes it even more than incredible?

HolmoePhobe: That Arizona game was one week after her sister was murdered...
Read that whole Reilly SI piece. Check out some of the highlights from the title game where Forest outdueled Jennie Finch. And if you have some spare time, take a look at this story from the Collegian to find out how Forest has made the transition to pitching coach for Penn State softball. You've gotta feel for her.

After graduating from Cal, she competed professionally in the NPF while also conducting pitching and strength/conditioning seminars for young girls.

In her own words:

"Teach your kids how to be part of a bigger picture and a common goal. Teach them that their role, no matter the role, is important to the teams goal. Give them the tools to play their part. If you are a player pull your team together and remind them of their love for the game. Remind them that there's no better feeling than working together to win. Practice hard and support your teammates. Do the job you are given as best you can. Prepare with all of your effort for the time when your role is even bigger. And if you've already got a big role respect your teammate who is ready when you need her. Be champions. Respect each other, play for each other, win for each other.

When you do that, your future will take care of itself. "