Phoenix Five - now 10 years

Daily Cal photo

The Daily Cal reminded me that it was 10 years ago that the famous Phoenix Five allegedly stole the Tree costume.

During the two-week hostage crisis, the "Five" released a proof of life video and several letters, including one signed by the mascot stating that the tree was no longer happy with its working conditions at Stanford.

But due to a house arrest of sorts that was subsequently placed on Oski Bear and threats made by the chancellors of both universities citing the illegality of stealing something estimated to be worth $1,000, the Tree reluctantly returned to its home, unharmed.

A Comprehensive List of Big Game Pranks

This list is pretty good.

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.

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.

Football Statue all Dressed Up

From the UC Berkeley News Center - the Football Statue was all dressed up today.


Photos at right by Steve McConnell



Douglas Tilden's Football Statue (officially called "Football Players") was the precursor to the Axe. San Francisco Mayor James Phelan promised to award the statue to the winner of two of the three Big Games of 1898, 1899 and 1900. Cal won the first two, thereby winning the statue.

Go Bears!

Final 2005 Big Game Week Thoughts

I had a chance to see a portion of the video produced by Stanford students that generated controversy. Although it was intended to be funny, was actually a little disconcerting. An article about this 10-minute video appeared in the Oakland Tribune, which summarized it as such:

So for the sake of the "CalSucks" spirit, the Latino community is all about tacos, the black community is all about athletics and the Asian community have eyes that don't open all the way. Is this a rivalry? Or racism?

This is a Big Game prank that probably went a little too far. While the video authors believe they were making fun of stereotypes, it can further create hostilities, and that's not good for the image of an institution of higher education.

The ideal of the University of California, and all higher education public and private institutions, to be representative of the general population is something I fully embrace. It's good for Berkeley; it's good for California. Chancellor Birgeneau stated earlier this year:

Only through experience with and appreciation of other cultures can our citizens navigate today's globalized society. This is but one reason our student body at Cal must reflect the majestic tapestry of cultures and peoples that constitutes California. We must remember that education is a public good, not a private right.

As I said earlier this week - honor the Big Game and its traditions. Plus, always remember the University's motto - Fiat Lux! Let There Be Light! Don't allow that light to be covered.

California, here's to Thee;
Honor to thy name;
Alma Mater, carry on
To fortune and to fame.
Queen beside the Western Sea
Rule our destiny;
Stand for right,
Let there be Light,
California, Here's to Thee.
Written in 1956 by James Murray Hunt; arranged by Howdy Brownson.

Go Bears!

Big Game Pranks

In today's SF Chron - True to form, UCRC is not giving very much credit to any pranks attempted by furd this year:

UC Berkeley student leader Nate Hedberg says he likes a good prank as much as the next guy, but the stunts he's been hearing about during this year's Cal-Stanford Big Game run-up strike him as scarcely worthy of the name.

Dumping Cardinal-red Kool-Aid in a fountain on the Cal campus. Splashing red paint on the big "C" on the hillside over Memorial Stadium. Infiltrating a Cal fraternity to reclaim home plates allegedly lifted from Stanford baseball fields over the years.

"If they could pull off something impressive that was entirely legal and didn't destroy anything, especially in broad daylight, I'd give them credit," said Hedberg, who chairs Cal's school-spirit-boosting Rally Committee.

The latest pranks are "pretty much old hat," he said.

[snip]

And some of the stunts aren't considered very entertaining, such as a video that a group of Stanford students posted on the Web this week in an attempt to make fun of their Cal counterparts.

"The video is sophomoric, of questionable taste, insensitive and not very funny, in our opinion," Stanford officials said in a statement Thursday. "It does not accurately represent either Stanford or Cal students."

[snip]

A fourth incident, confirmed by Deputy Ken Bates of Stanford's Public Safety Department, took place at 3:30 Wednesday morning on the Stanford campus. Responding to noise complaints, officers met a caravan of six cars.

"They stopped the cars and found that these were members of the Cal band's trumpet section," he said. "I think we identified about 35 and warned them about disturbing the peace. And they were sent on their way."

The band members were headed for Stanford President John Hennessy's house to jolt him awake with blaring brass, said Stanford junior Kavi Vyas, a resident adviser in the all-freshman dorm.

Go Bears!

Idle hands are the devil's playground

According to the stanfoo daily:

The rivalry between Stanford and UC-Berkeley was unleashed last week in anticipation of Saturday’s Big Game when groups of Stanford students recaptured several baseball home plates lost to a Cal fraternity, turned a Cal fountain bright cardinal and painted red the letter C on a Bear hillside.

[snip]

The same group later attempted to recolor the letter C on the grassy hillside near Bowles Hall, the participant said. Three-quarters of the letter had been sprayed from yellow to red when they had to flee because some Cal students discovered the action and were calling the police.

Although the mission was not fully accomplished, the student seemed content with his groups’ achievements.

“The rivalry [between Stanford and Cal] has been pretty one-sided,” he said, referring to the lack of response on Stanford’s part to Berkeley’s repeated pranks. “The Cal kids are the ones who really care about the rivalry. But we decided to get back at them this year.”

Slow news day on the farm, I guess.