Amidst all of the conference realignment and the expectation that we are heading to some kind of a "super league" of the top 40 teams or so, there's been one niggling detail that it seems people always leave out: that somebody will have to lose. Won't there be cellar-dwellers in the "super league" too? And who will it be?
Everybody wants to win. But you can't win 'em all. Losing sucks, period. But we are only interested in teams that win it all, right? Can a team, or a program, be interesting in and of itself, not because of winning, but despite winning, or even in a loss?
It would seem to me that THAT is what Cal has always been to its own fans. Not the cliché "lovable loser", but something more than that. I think what Cal Twitter has done, or hopefully is in the a never-ending process of doing, is that it is telling its rich story in this new way. And it's doing it very very well by mastering the medium.
Other teams, have perhaps just been letting their W-L record do the talking for them. That's great if your W-L record and your (recent) football excellence can do that. But what happens when the wins dry up and nobody wants to talk about you anymore? Thankfully, social media has an answer to that. The Sickos Committee were an early example, and the Burners have now elevated and focused that kind of energy into their own beloved team.
Cal fandom had to look deep into that dark question, deep into itself over the last decade and a half. And then most deeply into the darkest part of the dark last year, contemplating its own death. Somewhere in that darkness these fans, these leaders of the collective, these burners, found a spark, a spark in that deep, deep darkness. And someone said, "Fiat Lux."
As a former Twitter user (for a few weeks in 2016, backing out for being overwhelmed by it, honestly), I am so impressed by the way my Berkeley colleagues have mastered it and used it for good, as the platform originally promised. This is a feel-good story to its very core, and I pray for a Golden Bear victory, a sentiment that I realize would not make it past the sign police. 😉
True confession, I didn't really get the whole Calgorithm thing before I dived in head first at the end of last week...but I now realize its power stems from how fucking on brand it is...smart, funny and all things Berkeley, and at times even Bezerkeley. And more to the point here, many of the leading voices are current and former WFC and CGB leaders. Thank you all...so great to be member of this fine community. GO BEARS!
Students and fans need to chant Go! Bears! Loudly and clearly!
Hey, the game is NOT sold out!
Check GAME TIME app.
Is anyone else concerned that the very early morning start will tamp down interest? Hopefully not!!
Amidst all of the conference realignment and the expectation that we are heading to some kind of a "super league" of the top 40 teams or so, there's been one niggling detail that it seems people always leave out: that somebody will have to lose. Won't there be cellar-dwellers in the "super league" too? And who will it be?
Everybody wants to win. But you can't win 'em all. Losing sucks, period. But we are only interested in teams that win it all, right? Can a team, or a program, be interesting in and of itself, not because of winning, but despite winning, or even in a loss?
It would seem to me that THAT is what Cal has always been to its own fans. Not the cliché "lovable loser", but something more than that. I think what Cal Twitter has done, or hopefully is in the a never-ending process of doing, is that it is telling its rich story in this new way. And it's doing it very very well by mastering the medium.
Other teams, have perhaps just been letting their W-L record do the talking for them. That's great if your W-L record and your (recent) football excellence can do that. But what happens when the wins dry up and nobody wants to talk about you anymore? Thankfully, social media has an answer to that. The Sickos Committee were an early example, and the Burners have now elevated and focused that kind of energy into their own beloved team.
Cal fandom had to look deep into that dark question, deep into itself over the last decade and a half. And then most deeply into the darkest part of the dark last year, contemplating its own death. Somewhere in that darkness these fans, these leaders of the collective, these burners, found a spark, a spark in that deep, deep darkness. And someone said, "Fiat Lux."
“[T]he darkest hour is before the dawn.”
“The Bear does not quit,
The Bear does not die.”
*I’m grabbin’ that golf cart!
“The Band is on the field!”
*Joe Roth throws the long bomb to Wesley Walker; Chuck Muncie up the middle!
Arod and the Tedford years
Andy Smith and Pappy Waldorf teams!
We cannot let this die!
Semper Ursidae
As a former Twitter user (for a few weeks in 2016, backing out for being overwhelmed by it, honestly), I am so impressed by the way my Berkeley colleagues have mastered it and used it for good, as the platform originally promised. This is a feel-good story to its very core, and I pray for a Golden Bear victory, a sentiment that I realize would not make it past the sign police. 😉
True confession, I didn't really get the whole Calgorithm thing before I dived in head first at the end of last week...but I now realize its power stems from how fucking on brand it is...smart, funny and all things Berkeley, and at times even Bezerkeley. And more to the point here, many of the leading voices are current and former WFC and CGB leaders. Thank you all...so great to be member of this fine community. GO BEARS!
Wilcox if you win this one I’ll never say anything bad about you again promise
2007: Tedford, if you can just beat Oregon in this big game I'll never ask for anything again.
*Finger curls on monkey's paw.*
We gave up everything for that fumble through the end zone.
Same here.. you know...until inevitably thr team face plants at the worst time...