Golden Nuggets: The RedBox Bowl is Almost Here!

Football

• Jake Curtis argues that Cal’s season will be viewed through the lens of whether they won the Redbox Bowl or not.

It’s different now. Bowl games provide the final, lasting impression of a team’s season. It stamps the team’s identity for that season, and it is the image the squad will live with throughout the spring and summer. The bowl-game result is the single most important factor in determining expectations and preseason rankings for the next season.

Last year, Cal’s offense sputtered badly in its 10-7 loss to TCU in the Cheez-It Bowl. Chase Garbers was benched at halftime after throwing three interceptions. That was the image people had of the 2018 season for Cal and Garbers, and the image that was carried into 2019.

• Jeff Faraudo takes a look at Evan Weaver’s impact on Cal Football, and how he could set an NCAA record in his last game on Monday.
• Nam’s “Five Things” list includes taking care of the ball and taking care of business.
• Brett Johnson has had a great freshmen season, and will start in every game this season.
• As I did back in 2009 and 2011, Gabe Cherry sings for the University Gospel Chorus, check out his voice!

• Josh Yuen’s list of potential OC candidates includes the realistic and the fantasy: could Ron Rivera or Tony Gonzales return?
• Trace Travers has posted his Cal Team of the Decade (2010-2019), do you have any agreements or disagreements? Let us know!

Basketball

I promise I have looked for MBB and WBB articles and just struggle to find any. I’m not intentionally neglecting them.

• I did however, miss this article on Jaelyn Brown and Charmin Smith from December 18, from Pac-12 writer Michelle Smith. Worth a look!

Brown characterized the months that followed the 2018-19 season a little “rough”, particularly following the unexpected departure of longtime coach Lindsay Gottlieb.

“We didn’t know who was going to be the coach, who was staying, who was leaving,” Brown said. “But we had to make those changes and we had to move forward.”

When Smith was hired, Brown breathed a sigh of relief.

“She has a presence that’s undeniable,” Brown said. “She’s headstrong and willful and disciplined and she makes us want to be those same things for her. Our players listen to her. We look up to her. We know she has our back and we have hers.”

Olympic Schedules

• Get your calendars ready, Women’s Lacrosse and Beach Volleyball posted their schedules recently.

Hope everyone has had a great Holiday Season! Go Bears!