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What’s your favorite Cal sports memory?

All of us have our favorite moment or moments in Cal sports history — and today we take a trip down memory lane.

NCAA Football: Texas at California John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

We all have our memories. We all have our stories. We all have tales of Cal sports that conjure great thoughts.

Or perhaps we all have painful memories of the Golden Bears that you can’t shake.

Either way, sports memories and memories of sport are a part of nearly everyone’s life across the country but definitely anyone reading this right now. At an unprecedented time without sport in our life for the foreseeable future (thanks coronavirus), I figured it was time to take a look back at some of those memories and get talking about days of old while nothing new is on the horizon.

Allow me to start with my favorite memory of Cal sports.

With nearly two decades of sports journalism in me upon drumming my keyboard for this article and 16 years of playing and coaching football (and volleyball, basketball and track & field), I have a ton of memories both good and bad and from my time playing, from schools, teams and franchises around the country. One absolutely sticks out to me, though.

It’s Jahvid Best.

And no, it’s not the Jahvid Best memory. It’s all of them.

Single-handedly one of the most dominant running backs of his generation with a rare mixture of balance, speed, shiftiness and strength. Underrated by every stretch of the word among those who now judge him by his short NFL career, every Jahvid Best highlight brings back fond memories of modeling how I coached my running backs to run the ball.

Of how to be your quarterback’s best friend.

Of how to always keep your feet moving.

Of how to finish at the goalline.

There are so many Jahvid Best moments that drum up these fond thoughts but perhaps that last one is what I always remember more vividly. Whether it was him leaping from the five-yardline to reach the pylon or staring down defenders as he trotted in for six points, he always fought hard for that extra inch, foot, yard.

That stare down as he crosses the goal, knowing full well he was better than that or any other defender in his path.

So there you have it, my favorite Cal sports memory. Did I cheat a bit by saying one player in general? Sure, but c’mon, Jahvid Best memories are just that, the best.

Now it’s your turn.

Drop a story of your favorite Cal sports memory, from any team, any player, any era. Find a gif if you want as well and drop it below in the comments.