Cheer well and prosper

Cal Spirit is ALWAYS better than what they have on the Farm. From today's Daily Cal...

But the one thing that keeps me going, and the one thing that should keep all Bears sports fans going, is something President Benjamin Ide Wheeler once said: “To the University of California, then, cheer for her, it will do your lungs good. Love her, it will do your hearts and lives good.”

We all chose to come here, to walk these halls and to stand on those blue and gold benches. We chose to wear ‘California’ across our chests.

And every time I see Cal uniforms, be they the striped rugby polos, the skull caps of swimmers or the Joe Roth memorial throwbacks, I stand a little taller because they remind me of what it means to be a Golden Bear, and that’s what Wheeler meant.

Cheering and loving Cal makes you feel like a part of something far grander, far greater than any one individual. It makes you want to better yourself, so that you can do those colors proud.

[snip]

We can learn from these past generations, who stood right where we stand every Saturday, who learned in the same classrooms that we do now and who have screamed and yelled for the Bears longer than we’ve been alive.

[snip]

When that crowd, that student section, gets on its feet and blasts its lungs to the heavens, claps until every single hand is red, yells until every throat is raw and jumps up and down enough to make 70,000 other people think the Hayward Fault is just about to go, it’s magic.

But it’s not just the sound that does it, or the seismic activity. Anyone can scream, but it takes the kind of love that Wheeler talked about to make those screams matter. It’s that bursting forth of the heart that gives those screams texture, gives those screams substance and power.

So cheer for California, because it is a part of you just as much as you are a part of it. Love California, because unlike a lot of things in life, it will always be there, ready to welcome you home with open arms. And above all, believe in California, with all your heart and all your soul and all your body. Roar as loud as you can and shake those trees to the ground.

Believe in the Gold and the Blue.

The Farm Daily issues Big Game "Guidelines"

Just some pointers for the uneducated masses:

If all of this is too hard, just use common sense — if a Stanford student runs a long way or catches the ball, that’s impressive, right? And it’s also a good thing in football.

Duh!

It is also necessary to know about The Play. If you know anything about football, you are probably familiar the story, but here it is in a nutshell: At the end of Big Game in 1982 with only four seconds left on the clock, Cal managed to lateral (i.e., throw horizontally) the football five times to score a touchdown and win the game — after the Band had already rushed the field. This was a less-than-proud moment for everyone involved, and, unfortunately, visiting teams love to remind us of it by attempting to replicate it as Notre Dame did at one point during last Saturday’s game. We do not find this funny.

Cal fans find it very funny. Isn't copying the highest form of flattery?

Enemies within our midst

So Daily Cal reporters decided to do a little Big Game Week scare of their own and hike up to the Big C at night.

In the hills of Berkeley, there exists a bright beacon of Golden Bear pride, and that is the Big C. It’s a steep hike (give us a break—we work behind computers!), but the Clog sallied forth at 10 p.m. to visit and otherwise disrupt UC Rally Committee’s guarding during Big Game week.

First things first: If you plan to take pictures, make sure you have a charged camera ready to go. So much for being tech savvy.

[snip]

After huffing and puffing, we reached the top, where “C” marks the spot. Despite our loud comments of “Let’s paint it red!” and “Ambush Rally Comm!,” there was no one to hear our genius. We walked across the C, stepping on a light (oops), and we realized the C had a whole string of lights looped around. So we plugged it in.

Unfortunately, Rally Comm sucks at lighting, but perhaps that’s all for the better, considering they had Christmas lights against the dry brush of the hill. Their decorated C was lackluster at best.

We must have signaled to them because soon after three bewildered Rally Commers came trudging up the hill. We greeted them, offered chocolate, but they spurned our hospitality. They attempted to fix the lighting, and we took pictures of ourselves.

Hakka!

For those of you who will miss the Axe Rally...

The Daily Clog recommendation

The Daily Cal blog - the Daily Clog - is encouraging students to attend the Bonfire Rally (for us old timers, we'd prefer to call it the Axe Rally since we have the Axe).

For those of you who have experienced a bonfire rally before, you'll enjoy this choice quote:

For those of you who will be attending their first bonfire, the Clog encourages you to sit as close to the pit as possible in order for the most intense experience. You can thank us later.

Big Game is at a "higher level"

A Midwesterner writing in the Christian Science Monitor "gets it" about Big Game:

My first clue that a unique experience was at hand came when my hostess, a dyed-in-the-wool Cal supporter (UC Berkeley class of '62), informed me that those in the know never use the word "the" before "Big Game" to refer to the upcoming contest. This game, she explained, exists at a higher level than all other important football contests being played around the country, and therefore it was not just the big game, it was "Big Game" – a game without equal!

Tailgate parties were not "in" back in my college days. As a matter of fact, we generally regarded alumni and their ilk as creatures from another world, to be avoided at all costs. At Big Game parties on the Berkeley campus, however, students, alums, and fans of all ages mingled together in Faculty Glade and along the tree-lined esplanade before Campanile, the campus bell tower.

Pregame festivities are the place where everyone gets in the proper frame of mind for the coming event – even fans need to get "up" for a game of this magnitude. Hordes of those faithful to Cal (the public university) reclined on blankets and feasted on hot dogs and sandwiches. We felt sure that those in the opposition camp (the private university for the scions of shameless wealth) were dining on caviar, crab, and other exotic seafood in an adjoining area – a fact that was never fully confirmed, though some crab legs were spotted during a brief reconnaissance.

The opponents and their supporters were often referred to as "Brie heads" (another scurrilous reference to their perceived economic status), while the home team and university were referred to only with greatest pride and respect.

Small groups of strolling student singers entertained the appreciative crowds by performing uncomplimentary poems, ditties, and songs about their rival school and its student body. High above the stadium an airplane trailed a printed panel questioning the courage of the bad guys' rugby team, which had recently forfeited a game to Cal – a clear indication of lack of virility and inferior breeding.

A Cal Grad answers questions from the uneducated masses

You will note the high degree of elitism from Farm types. And the author definitely will be in politics someday, judging from the answers. From today's Stanfraud Daily:

Q. It only seems fitting that you are a dirty Cal student, as that school yields nothing more than a derelict collection of unwashed masses.

A. It’s true — we are indeed unwashed. This is because Cal students, to preserve our exquisite skin, actually take dust baths, like chinchillas. Bathing ourselves in fine volcanic ash, we remove excess oil and moisture from our skin, while also protecting ourselves from lice and mites. We eschew the traditional practice of washing not because we are unclean vermin, but because we care about the quality of our skin, as washing is an excessively harsh treatment. Feel the difference for yourself — next time you see me, rub a finger along an exposed part of my skin, and experience the silky smooth exterior of a Cal student.

[snip]

Q. Which school has more attractive people: Stanford or Cal?

A. In absolute numbers, you will probably find more attractive people at Cal than at Stanford. And some argue that Cal students are objectively hotter — there have been some articles about how Stanford students have less sex than other university students, and maybe it’s because you find less people you want to have sex with =( . But I’m very pleased with what I see around Stanford campus, and Stanford students seem to be more physically fit than Cal students.

Q. GO F*%$ YOURSELVES STANFORD MOTHERF%@&#*$.

A. Right on, brother.

Q. Why are Cal students so much more into the rivalry between the two schools?

A. I agree, Cal students generally do take it more seriously than intended. With all of the vilifying of Stanford students that takes place, you would think that y’all are demonspawn whose presence taints and corrupts the earth, on par with people convicted of crimes against humanity. The Rally Committee at Cal is especially bad — some of those people would probably sacrifice themselves to the gods if it meant stopping a Stanford sporting victory.

You know why Cal students put so much energy into the rivalry? Because they want some attention. For whatever reason they are feeling unloved, so do a good deed at this year’s Big Game and give a Cal student a hug.

Joe Kapp is always entertaining

Joe Kapp - "still is as entertaining, unpredictable, confounding and all over map as the final scene of the 1982 Big Game that sealed his legend." From today's Oakland Tribune...

After a 15-yard celebration penalty that forced Stanford to kick off from its 25, Kapp resisted the suggestion to fair catch. He did order a 12th man off the field. "I did my great coaching," he said.

Otherwise, Kapp simply let the moment unfold.

"The players knew instantly, instinctively, we're going to play grab-asso and win this football game," he said, "because it ain't over yet."

Afterward, amid pandemonium, officials huddled to determine whether the bizarre kickoff return actually was legal. Kapp said he relied on an old bullfighter's prayer: May God divide the luck.

"You have to trust them," he said of the refs, "otherwise you'd go crazy or jump off a bridge."

When touchdown was signaled, Kapp quickly retreated from the field. Stanford coach Paul Wiggin continued to argue his case.

"I don't blame him. It's a hell of a way to lose ... with a band on the field," Kapp said. "But damn, this was his band, not mine. We have a great band, the Cal marching band, the best band in the land.

"They always know where to be."

The Play Announcers

Two articles from the Oakland Tribune this morning, one about Joe Starkey and the other about the Stanford announcer Ron Barr:

Twenty-five years later, Starkey hasn't used his riches to build a mansion high atop the Berkeley hills. Rather, he's happy if Cal's athletic program has benefited in some small way.

"There are some situations where I have to sell (the tape) to them. It's required by law," he said of people who plan to use the call in an advertisement or on a CD that's sold with a book. "But for the most part, I have never charged anybody anything. "A lot of people try to make (the $1 acquisition) into a big deal. But, really, it isn't."

At one point, the Cal Alumni Association decided to sell a tie with the words from Starkey's call on it. They offered to cut the announcer in on the proceeds.

"I never got a penny," he assured. "I told them, 'Just give the money to the athletic department.'"

----------------

Oh, how many times has Ron Barr heard Joe Starkey scream: "Oh, the band is out on the field!"?

"Enough times that if I was neurotic, I'd be on heavy doses of medicine," Barr joked.

Barr, a longtime Mill Valley resident, was the "other" radio announcer opposite Starkey when The Play, Cal's infamous last-second, five-lateral, game-winning kickoff return unfolded 25 years ago in the 85th Big Game. Barr was calling play-by-play for Stanford on KSFO, but his restrained account of the last play is rarely ever aired.

Instead, television audiences have heard Starkey's interpretation: "And the Bears have won! The Bears have won! The Bears have won! Oh, my God. The most amazing, sensational, dramatic, heart-rending, exciting, thrilling finish in the history of college football! "

Barr rolls his eyes and smiles whenever he hears Starkey's call.

ESPN: what would happen if The Play happened today?

From ESPN, including a cool video...

Imagine if The Play occurred in this Saturday's Cal-Stanford game, rather than 25 years ago.

In this age of relentless sports coverage, ubiquitous bloggers and inexhaustible opinion, The Play would cause so much debate, controversy and outrage that the World Wide Web might actually fill up. ESPN would have to add yet another channel, and even those tree-sitting protestors at Cal would climb down to call into radio talk shows.

"Moonbeam in Berkeley -- you're on with Frank the Tank and the Coach."

"Hey, yeah, I just wanted to say that, apart from its fascist plan to destroy a vital ecological habitat of moderate-growth trees in order to build a $125 million athletic facility for a sport that promotes violence, demeans women and leaves a destructive carbon footprint, Cal football rules! And Stanford should just shut the @#&% up! I had a clear view of The Play from the top of my tree, and Dwight Garner's knee was soooo not down!

[snip]

So, 25 years later, does it really matter whether Garner's knee was down or whether Ford's lateral was indeed backward? No. What matters is that a group of trained, dedicated referees followed The Play that day as best they could, and they ruled on it as fairly and honestly as possible. And, aside from a few bitter Stanford fans, we're all the better for it not being reversed -- so that we have the memory of that incredible play, the greatest play in college football history. (And frankly, those Stanford fans probably shouldn't care either, because most of them made a killing during the tech boom and currently are retired and dining on Komodo dragon filets on their private islands in the South Pacific). (emphasis mine)

Two FREE Big Game Tickets available!

From Craigslist, perhaps a Farm fan:

Two (2) FREE Big Game Tickets for Cal/Stanford, 4 PM, Saturday, 01 December...Of course there's a catch: The PARKING PASS that goes WITH the two free tickets is $200.00 (CA$H ONLY). PRIME LOCATION (132): Sunny Side, 40 Yard Line, 15 Rows from playing field. Wife can't take it any more...neither can I

25 years later - my keen fashion sense

Two shirts that I still hold on to after 25 years.

25 years later - the hoax

Still one of the funniest pranks. I went to LA for Thanksgiving the day this paper was placed in the Daily Cal newstands (if I recall correctly, the "real" Daily Cal was not published that week, adding to the confusion). People told me that women were crying after reading the headline. Thanks to my roommate at the time, I received an original.


If you hurry, there is a copy up for bid on eBay right now.

UPDATE: The Fake Daily Cal sold on eBay for $510.00. I need to increase my insurance.

The Play revisited again

Yeah, you all know it:

25 years...

Ruined Elway's last college game...

Starky's excited voice can be found anywhere in cyberspace - YouTube, mp3, transcript (I'm surprised I couldn't find it in a ringtone)...

So let's do something different...selected photos and newspaper shots from that historic day.

1982 Program

Front page - Oakland Tribune

Back page - Oakland Tribune

Sports Page - Oakland Tribune

Photo of the Axe and the exuberant crowd

Front page of the Berkeley Gazette

Go Bears!

Tickets available for Big Game

The SF Chron reports that the Farm has 750 tickets available for Big Game in the Cal section. $65 each. Do your comparison shopping with ticket sellers on ebay and craigslist.

Perhaps the Farm should hire Hanna Montana as the halftime show. Tickets would command $1,000 and would at least pre-empt the Farm's shuffling band.

Oski & the Tree / Golden Bears v. Oaks

The Daily Cal's Blog - the Daily Clog - presents the video of Oski v. The Sapling. And they noted something else:

And here’s another thought: Anyone see an allegory here? If Oski can beat up the Stanfurd tree, how does that bode for, say, a grove of oaks against a group of Golden Bears?

Of course, that reminds me of a certain Monterey Pine also located within the Oak Grove that will probably come down. Really old Rally Comm alums may stage their own protest. Click here if you don't know what I'm talking about.

Call for photos from Cal Fans

Bears Necessity is calling for all Cal fans worldwide to provide better signage than the Farm's Axe Committee "be-at Cal" competition.

The pathetic Redfurds over on the other side of the Bay have resorted to the most bizarre tactic to motivate their Cardinal: elitist internationalism.
[snip]
Let’s show them what we’ve got. Email your Cal football friends all over the world, tell them to go the nearest landmark or exotic locale they can find, and let Cal pride be heard. The Bears will not whimper into hibernation. We’re going out roaring.

If interested, contact Bears Necessity.

Delays in posting

A family emergency has delayed new posts. Stay tuned.

Versus to televise "The Play 25"

And so the commemorations begin...from the channel that brings you "World Extreme Cagefighting".

John Elway, Stanford Quarterback in 1982, and Others from “The Play” Reunite to Discuss the Game Together for the First Time in 25 Years

VERSUS to also air this year’s game between Stanford and Cal on December 1

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of “The Play,” VERSUS has assembled some of the principals from the 1982 game between Stanford and the University of California to relive their memories for a one-hour special called The Play 25, which will air on November 24 at 6 p.m. ET. This one-hour special looks back at the most famous play in college football history – when Cal scored the winning touchdown to defeat Stanford, 25-20, while Stanford’s band was already on the field celebrating. The special will also re-air all week leading up to this year’s match-up between Stanford and Cal on December 1 at 7 p.m. ET, which can be seen only on VERSUS.

Big Game Stories 25, 50 and 75 years ago

The Sunday SF Chronicle this week provided brief snippets from articles from 25, 50 and 75 years ago. Included in the research:

Nov 21, 1982:
Shocked and grief-stricken Stanford players and coaches reacted with bitterness and anger at what one of them termed a robbery in the 85th Big Game. "This was an insult to college football," quarterback John Elway said after Cal's unbelievable 57-yard, five-lateral kickoff return gave the Bears a 25-20 triumph on the last play of the game. "It was just a farce. The officials didn't have control of the whole game. They ruined my last game as a college player. It was a very bittersweet ending. I did not want it to end this way. It's something I'll have to live with for the rest of my life."

Nov. 22, 1957:
A group of gentlemen from the University of California will engage a group from Stanford University in a game of football on the latter's playing field. Naturally, every hotel in San Francisco is crowded to the rafters with people known as "Old Grads," the railroad and bus companies are dusting off everything that can roll, hundreds of traffic police officers will lose their day off, and the international frankfurter and peanut magnates are rubbing their hands in anticipation of a killing. It happens every year about this time, and it is called the Big Game, even though it doesn't last any longer than any other game and is rarely for a championship. There is a trophy involved, however. It is an old ax worth several dollars. This is now in the possession of the Californians, which makes the Stanfordians very angry. Big Games are often sentimental. Alumni from the two institutions traditionally gather and try to remember one another's names.

Nov. 20, 1932:
A Big Game that might well go down in history as the "dog-in-a-manger" game was fought out in Berkeley Memorial Stadium. When the final whistle blew, the score was carefully calculated by the officials, recounted by the players and finally audited by faculties of both universities. It read: University of California 0, Leland Stanford Jr. University 0. And never did a score mirror a game so perfectly.

"Be At Cal" photo contest by the Axe Committee

The Farm's Axe Committee currently has a contest for the best picture that proudly screams for people to "Be At Cal". For more information, check out the "unofficial" farm blog.