Monday night was typical for how things have been going for the San Francisco Giants. Christian Koss hit a game-tying home run in the 8th inning, that turned into a ground-rule double, that turns into a hamstring strain, an ejected manager, and a 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
California rugby will be well represented in international competition this summer as both current and former Golden Bears have been named to player pools for the United States, Hong Kong, Chile and Canada national teams ahead of the summer test matches. The Bears will look to make an impact as test match results this summer will play a key role in nations qualifying for the upcoming Rugby World Cup, which will be held in Australia in 2027.
BERKELEY – California Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton announced the elevation of Bryan Del Castillo to head coach of the California men's gymnastics team on Monday following six years on the Golden Bears' coaching staff as an assistant (2020-22) and associate head coach (2023-25).
Fubar Season 2 (15/17 Netflix). The spy show with Arnold and Monica Barbaro from Top Gun Maverick. A fun spy series that doesn't take itself too seriously. There are lots of little Arnold callbacks from his older movies. I think I have 1 or 2 more episodes.
My kid's school withdrew their Fulbright Scholar application sponsorship for my trans-daughter because the Foundation was taken over by MAGA and they saw which way the winds are blowing.
Trump's Big Beautiful Bill gets passed. 10 million Americans just lost Medicaid. Debt ceiling raised to $5 trillion. And ICE got over $160b in funding - more than the US Marines.
It’s time for another edition of Oski Disciple’s quote of the day.
“We've got to face the fact that some people say you fight fire best with fire, but we say you put fire out best with water. We say you don't fight racism with racism. We're gonna fight racism with solidarity. We say you don't fight capitalism with no black capitalism; you fight capitalism with socialism.” — Fred Hampton
This morning, I got on an AC Transit bus and tagged my Clipper card. The terminal read ERROR. The bus driver said, "Something wrong with the system." No fare.
Got down into the Downtown Berkeley BART station. The fare gates are wide open. The Clipper card terminal showed OUT OF SERVICE.
Coincidentally, (?) AC Transit fares were supposed to change this morning. Local rides are supposed to go from $2.25 to $2.50 and Senior fares go from $1.12 to $1.25. NO FARE FOR YOU! says the system.
I'll take this Fare Nazi. Should be the Fare Fairy, I suppose.
The DC area has Metro, which includes the subway and bus routes that cross jurisdictions of DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Most local counties have their own bus systems the cover more of their local neighborhoods. There is a trend for the local bus systems to do away with fares. Montgomery County in Maryland did this past weekend.
Edit: I’ll add that Metro recently added that you can now tap your credit card instead of having to use one of their SmartTrip cards.
You mean bus systems that allow patrons to ride for free? Whoda thunk such a thing?
And to think that San Mateo County voted against joining BART in the 1960s because of the scaremongering argument that burglars, robbers, and thieves would use BART to pull off burglaries, robberies, and thefts.
The benefits of having Metro far outweigh the costs, but there are regularly DC residents who are caught at Arlington Metro stations after shoplifting. At a certain mall and in a couple neighborhoods it’s the first place the police look.
It boggles the mind that anyone would actually use public transit as an escape route if they're going to have to wait at all for a connection. I thought pulling off a crime was all about getting away fast.
A move that was banned in sports
The backflip in figure skating was banned for 48 years since 1976 but unbanned last year
The “superman” is banned in road cycling.
This is a crazy move. The first time I saw this I wondered how someone with such big balls rode a bike.
The spitball was outlawed in baseball in 1920.
The dunk in the NCAA in the late 60s(?). Until Jackie Moon and the Flint Tropics brought it back!
Hurdling the center on place kicks, and much earlier, having a defender stand on the shoulders of 2 team-mates.
PRO
HAPPY BOBBY BONILLA DAY
Post has a big story about it today.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/07/01/bobby-bonilla-day-dennis-gilbert/
WNBA completes the Rust Belt expansion tour
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/30/new-wnba-teams-cleveland-detroit-philadelphia.html
You and me both, Stephen A. Smith
https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/stephen-a-smith-happy-reprieve-inordinate-nba-assignments.html
Dodgers, A's, and Oakland Ballers get a day off to rest their pitchers.
Devers wears golden sombrero in SF Giants’ 4-2 loss to D-Backs
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2025/7/1/24459522/devers-wears-golden-sombrero-sf-giants-loss-diamondbacks
Monday night was typical for how things have been going for the San Francisco Giants. Christian Koss hit a game-tying home run in the 8th inning, that turned into a ground-rule double, that turns into a hamstring strain, an ejected manager, and a 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Somehow the Giants signed one of the best hitters in MLB and the offense got worse.
Yup. Go figure.
CAL
Cal loses its top recruit to Oregon.
Great. We're now officially Oregon's bi---, excuse me, farm team.
The more things change the more that they stay the same. *sigh*
Go Bears!!!
New Bancroft parking lot being built now
https://www.dailycal.org/news/campus/uc-berkeley-breaks-ground-on-62-6m-replacement-for-bancroft-parking-structure/article_ad0f0ff2-0d05-4908-97be-ca2abb4483fb.html
Now they do this, after years of OSU road trips to Berkeley have come to an end for the foreseeable future.
[RUGBY] Bears Represent On International Stage In 2025
https://calbears.com/news/2025/6/30/rugby-bears-represent-on-international-stage-in-2025.aspx
California rugby will be well represented in international competition this summer as both current and former Golden Bears have been named to player pools for the United States, Hong Kong, Chile and Canada national teams ahead of the summer test matches. The Bears will look to make an impact as test match results this summer will play a key role in nations qualifying for the upcoming Rugby World Cup, which will be held in Australia in 2027.
[MGYM] Del Castillo Named Cal Men’s Gymnastics Head Coach
https://calbears.com/news/2025/6/30/mens-gymnastics-del-castillo-named-cal-mens-gymnastics-head-coach.aspx
BERKELEY – California Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton announced the elevation of Bryan Del Castillo to head coach of the California men's gymnastics team on Monday following six years on the Golden Bears' coaching staff as an assistant (2020-22) and associate head coach (2023-25).
DBD AV CLUB
Fubar Season 2 (15/17 Netflix). The spy show with Arnold and Monica Barbaro from Top Gun Maverick. A fun spy series that doesn't take itself too seriously. There are lots of little Arnold callbacks from his older movies. I think I have 1 or 2 more episodes.
OUR CRUMBLED DEMOCRACY
My kid's school withdrew their Fulbright Scholar application sponsorship for my trans-daughter because the Foundation was taken over by MAGA and they saw which way the winds are blowing.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fulbright-board-resigns-accusing-trump-meddling/
That's bullshit. Sorry to hear about this SGB.
I’d read about the resignations last month. Sorry it impacted on your daughter’s chances of getting selected.
Trump's Big Beautiful Bill gets passed. 10 million Americans just lost Medicaid. Debt ceiling raised to $5 trillion. And ICE got over $160b in funding - more than the US Marines.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/01/senate-passes-big-beautiful-bill-00434918
Looks like Musk and Trump did not bury the hatchet
https://bsky.app/profile/sahilkapur.bsky.social/post/3lsuvegmu5k2d
DOJ purging its ranks of people who did their job prosecuting J6 insurgents
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/attorney-general-pam-bondi-fires-jan-6-prosecutors-capitol-riot-doj-rcna215661
DECOY
Ohtani's dog.
His actual name is デコピン (deko-pin). Deko is a child's forehead. Pin means flick with your finger. This is dekopin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJhginIeDtQ&t=16s
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
I wonder if EA is going to include NIL pools and players jumping from school to school
https://awfulannouncing.com/gaming/ea-sports-announces-return-cbb-video-game-franchise.html
They're going to have Cal sign most major transfers and HS players for a top 5 class, and then have them jump to Oregon soon after.
It’s time for another edition of Oski Disciple’s quote of the day.
“We've got to face the fact that some people say you fight fire best with fire, but we say you put fire out best with water. We say you don't fight racism with racism. We're gonna fight racism with solidarity. We say you don't fight capitalism with no black capitalism; you fight capitalism with socialism.” — Fred Hampton
UNEXPECTED HAPPENINGS
Pygmy Nuthatches feeding at my front yard suet feeder. In my thirteen years living at this house, it’s the first time I’ve noticed this species here.
This morning, I got on an AC Transit bus and tagged my Clipper card. The terminal read ERROR. The bus driver said, "Something wrong with the system." No fare.
Got down into the Downtown Berkeley BART station. The fare gates are wide open. The Clipper card terminal showed OUT OF SERVICE.
Coincidentally, (?) AC Transit fares were supposed to change this morning. Local rides are supposed to go from $2.25 to $2.50 and Senior fares go from $1.12 to $1.25. NO FARE FOR YOU! says the system.
I'll take this Fare Nazi. Should be the Fare Fairy, I suppose.
The DC area has Metro, which includes the subway and bus routes that cross jurisdictions of DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Most local counties have their own bus systems the cover more of their local neighborhoods. There is a trend for the local bus systems to do away with fares. Montgomery County in Maryland did this past weekend.
Edit: I’ll add that Metro recently added that you can now tap your credit card instead of having to use one of their SmartTrip cards.
You mean bus systems that allow patrons to ride for free? Whoda thunk such a thing?
And to think that San Mateo County voted against joining BART in the 1960s because of the scaremongering argument that burglars, robbers, and thieves would use BART to pull off burglaries, robberies, and thefts.
The benefits of having Metro far outweigh the costs, but there are regularly DC residents who are caught at Arlington Metro stations after shoplifting. At a certain mall and in a couple neighborhoods it’s the first place the police look.
It boggles the mind that anyone would actually use public transit as an escape route if they're going to have to wait at all for a connection. I thought pulling off a crime was all about getting away fast.
This is not the most critically analytical and highly educated group of people out there. Clear thinking is not their strong suit.
Oh, hey, the SF Chronicle now has an article up...
Widespread Clipper card outage affects multiple Bay Area transit systems
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/clipper-card-outage-bart-muni-20402667.php