Luke Falk coming off a 4,468 70% completion rate year in 2016 and Heisman talks.
Falk returns in 2017 and starts the season 6-0, including wins over #5 USC and a 33-10 beatdown of Oregon.
Takers1.0 defense. Cal's best defensive player Devante Downs goes down with a season-ending knee injury his senior year, but that doesn't stop the D from collecting NINE sacks and taking SEVEN turnovers. As the chef's kiss, Ross Bowers did an accidental front-flip TD run in that game, reprising the same thing he did in high school.
45-24 over Oregon in 2006. Felt like that team (with all those stars) really announced itself that night. Also produced probably the best Cal highlights video I have ever seen:
Mine from that season would be the Washington game at the end, when he broke the school single-game rushing record (and he really only played 3 quarters while doing it).
I think I was at this game with No 1 and his friend. Originally I was going to comment this on the Wazzu game but then I realized that was an away game.
Russell White was the headliner that day. He had something like 200 yards and scored at least 3 times in blowing out USC. And the game wasn't as close as the score. USC scored two garbage time TDs. Yup, the score was 52-14, Cal, at one point.
This was also the game in which the student section mocked Tribute to Troy and USC's Band, with the words -
Oooh that was a good one. It wasn't necessarily the score - but it was HOW Cal did it. Media and fans were talking about soft West Coast football and the Golden Bears went there and just beat them up physically on offense and defense - not super flashy, just bully ball at its best.
This was also an amazing game. Russell White was the only RB to go for 100 yds against Clemson and the Cal Band played the superman theme song when he did it. And Treggs with the PR for the TD. Well worth the 10 hour drive from Pensacola where HSB and I flew into.
Dodgers are in a blowout by the Cubs as their bullpen falls apart. Dodgers say screw it and put in shortstop Miguel Rojas to pitch the last two innings - who promptly uses his time wisely to imitate Dodgers pitchers Sasaki, Yamamoto, Kershaw, and Knack.
Maxx Crosby named Eastern Michigan University's assistant football GM. No, he didn't retire. He's going to hold the role as a side hustle when he's not on the field for the Raiders
The sun finally broke through the clouds over The Bronx in the rubber match between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants.
If my memory serves me well, golden rays of light bathed the field the moment Carlos Rodón released his 1-2 curveball to Jung Hoo Lee in the 6th. The clouds parted as the sloping breaking ball rolled out of his hand, pinwheeling like a beach ball, and Lee didn’t miss it. The 3-run homer turned a dominant outing by Rodón into a forgettable one — and I imagine as he saw the baseball land a row up in right that he, for a moment, longed for those spacious grounds at Third and King.
The A’s dropped the final game of their series against the Mets, getting shut out by New York and wrapping up the home stand on a losing note by losing 8-0 and finishing the home stand with a 2-4 record.
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers scored in only three of 27 innings over the weekend, and dropped two of three games to the Cubs at Dodger Stadium. The series finale saw a solid start by Tyler Glasnow but not much offense in a 4-2 loss on Sunday night.
The playoffs unofficially started for the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon, when they hosted the LA Clippers for the final game of the regular season, in a contest with massive playoff implications. What followed was one of the most thrilling regular season basketball games we’ve ever seen.
Ann Coulter suggests that the sightseeing helicopter that fell apart midair and crashed into the Hudson river was due to DEI. He was a former Navy Seal and the helicopter falling apart had nothing to do with him being black. Her being a racist POS has everything to do with him being black.
Trump once again brings up the idea of deporting American citizens to extrajudicial gulags in foreign countries. This time when talking to the El Salvadorean president.
Florida's state legislature went culture war by trying to prevent the Woke Mob from fighting climate change by blocking sun irradiation. They wrote a bill to ban it, but actually ended up making it a felony to cloud seed in Florida. It is set to go into law on July 1.
Trump appoints former US Rep/pastor Mark Walker as "Ambassador-at-Large" for the "Office of International Reglious Freedom". WTF is the Office of International Relgious Freedom?
3) Sunday, Trump says there are no exemptions. Commerce Secretary goes on air to counter Trump's comments saying there are exemptions but there won't be exemptions in 90 days unless there are
Beautiful costumes, fantastic sets/filming locations, good characters, and dreadful writing. It has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, but I fell asleep during the pilot. You know it's lazy writing where they tell you rather than show you what's going on... like where someone addresses someone as "niece" and then explains a situation rather than having a scene that shows the dynamics. The title character also has a half-dozen examples of anti-women bias - but they mostly tell it to her face rather than show consequences - which gets boring. My wife loved. I'm done with it.
This contrasts with the Diplomat (S2) which we watched afterward, which is great. My wife doesn't like the Diplomat despite its greatness because the two main women have messy hair in it as a way to show that they are busy, powerful, and energetic.
After UT QB Nico Iamaleava lives up to his name, details come out about his NIL deal. Dude overplayed his hand and basically flushed away the overpayment that was already coming to him and made him a toxic player who will probably have to go to G5. Oregon say they are not interested.
Iowa's Brendan Sullivan - the returing starter from Iowa's prevous season - has entered the portal presumably losing the starting job to Hank Brown - the QB that the Auburn crowd chanted for after Cal absolutely humiliated Payton Thorne with 4 INTs. Brown got his start against Arkansas and had a Dante Moore-like game throwing 7 passes to his teammates, 3 to the ground, and 3 to the Hogs.
Kyran Lacy - an NFL draft pick candidate and the LSU receiver who was accused of causing an auto accident that killed a man in December - has committed suicide in his car after he crashed it after an argument
5.2 earthquake halfway between San Diego and Salton Sea - kinda in the middle o' nowhere
What was your favorite blowout by Cal of a Power 5 opponent?
"Smoke Bowl"
October 13, 2017
#8 Washington State @ Cal. Cal wins 37-3.
Luke Falk coming off a 4,468 70% completion rate year in 2016 and Heisman talks.
Falk returns in 2017 and starts the season 6-0, including wins over #5 USC and a 33-10 beatdown of Oregon.
Takers1.0 defense. Cal's best defensive player Devante Downs goes down with a season-ending knee injury his senior year, but that doesn't stop the D from collecting NINE sacks and taking SEVEN turnovers. As the chef's kiss, Ross Bowers did an accidental front-flip TD run in that game, reprising the same thing he did in high school.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUAl-vsx9M8
45-24 over Oregon in 2006. Felt like that team (with all those stars) really announced itself that night. Also produced probably the best Cal highlights video I have ever seen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g0vfDicjw0
43-17 vs #25 UCLA 10/6/2012
Keenan Allen and CJ Anderson each had 2 TDs and Kam Jackson had 3 INTs.
There was also a stadium wide card stunt at the half time.
I was at this game and it was so much fun.
Me too, it was so fun
66-3 vs WSU in the second game of the season in 2008. Jahvid Best had two 80 yard TD runs.
Mine from that season would be the Washington game at the end, when he broke the school single-game rushing record (and he really only played 3 quarters while doing it).
I think I was at this game with No 1 and his friend. Originally I was going to comment this on the Wazzu game but then I realized that was an away game.
I remember going to this and the Big Game the previous week (also a highly entertaining blowout win). Those were the days!
Cal 45-10 TAMU 2006 Holiday
Suck it, Aggies!
I was at this game and it was a lot of fun.
November 2, 1991 - California 52, U$C 30
Russell White was the headliner that day. He had something like 200 yards and scored at least 3 times in blowing out USC. And the game wasn't as close as the score. USC scored two garbage time TDs. Yup, the score was 52-14, Cal, at one point.
This was also the game in which the student section mocked Tribute to Troy and USC's Band, with the words -
This is the only song you know,
It's boring and it's slow.
We'd really wish you'd go.
A good day.
Wasn't that the game with the oranges and the slingshots in the student section?
For sure it was the game of the "This is the only song you know, it's boring and it's slow..." stadium wide sing-a-long. Classic!
I have a strong sense that it was. But, I'm not sure if it was that game or the 1985 game vs. USC, which Cal also won, 14-6.
This was an amazing game. It seemed like everytime he took a kickoff, he was going to run it back.
37-13 over Clemson in the Citrus Bowl, New Year's Day 1992.
Oooh that was a good one. It wasn't necessarily the score - but it was HOW Cal did it. Media and fans were talking about soft West Coast football and the Golden Bears went there and just beat them up physically on offense and defense - not super flashy, just bully ball at its best.
This was also an amazing game. Russell White was the only RB to go for 100 yds against Clemson and the Cal Band played the superman theme song when he did it. And Treggs with the PR for the TD. Well worth the 10 hour drive from Pensacola where HSB and I flew into.
THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE
Dodgers are in a blowout by the Cubs as their bullpen falls apart. Dodgers say screw it and put in shortstop Miguel Rojas to pitch the last two innings - who promptly uses his time wisely to imitate Dodgers pitchers Sasaki, Yamamoto, Kershaw, and Knack.
https://www.mlb.com/video/miguel-rojas-imitates-dodgers-pitchers-on-the-mound
Gotta get your steps in
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/x9D3H6WBh3k
PRO
Maxx Crosby named Eastern Michigan University's assistant football GM. No, he didn't retire. He's going to hold the role as a side hustle when he's not on the field for the Raiders
*That'll work out well.*
Similar to Steph being GM of the Davidson basketball team.
Ferris Bueller's lesser known cousin has a Day Off - goes viral for catching a ball at a baseball game in an unusual manner after calling in sick
https://www.wmur.com/article/red-sox-fan-goes-viral-after-catching-foul-ball-using-fried-dough/64461957
Jung Hoo Lee opens the heavens (Giants beat the Yankees 5-4)
https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2025/4/13/24407742/san-francisco-giants-4-13-2025-yankees-recap-jung-hoo-lee-carlos-rodon-mlb-scores
The sun finally broke through the clouds over The Bronx in the rubber match between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants.
If my memory serves me well, golden rays of light bathed the field the moment Carlos Rodón released his 1-2 curveball to Jung Hoo Lee in the 6th. The clouds parted as the sloping breaking ball rolled out of his hand, pinwheeling like a beach ball, and Lee didn’t miss it. The 3-run homer turned a dominant outing by Rodón into a forgettable one — and I imagine as he saw the baseball land a row up in right that he, for a moment, longed for those spacious grounds at Third and King.
A’s smacked in series finale by Mets 8-0
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2025/4/13/24407597/as-smacked-in-series-finale-by-mets-8-0
The A’s dropped the final game of their series against the Mets, getting shut out by New York and wrapping up the home stand on a losing note by losing 8-0 and finishing the home stand with a 2-4 record.
Dodgers offense quiet again against Cubs, drop 3rd series in a row
https://www.truebluela.com/2025/4/13/24407757/dodgers-offense-quiet-cubs-tyler-glasnow-pete-crow-armstrong
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers scored in only three of 27 innings over the weekend, and dropped two of three games to the Cubs at Dodger Stadium. The series finale saw a solid start by Tyler Glasnow but not much offense in a 4-2 loss on Sunday night.
Four Bears in the top 27 at the Masters. No one in contention to win but still a good showing.
Poor Collin Morikawa. Takes home a 14th place and a measly $399,000. He made less than $100k per day before taking money out for gas money and snacks.
James Harden out-duels Steph Curry as Clippers send Warriors to the play-in
https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/2025/4/13/24407633/warriors-clippers-scores-recap-steph-curry-jimmy-butler-iii-james-harden-kawhi-leonard-playoffs
The playoffs unofficially started for the Golden State Warriors on Sunday afternoon, when they hosted the LA Clippers for the final game of the regular season, in a contest with massive playoff implications. What followed was one of the most thrilling regular season basketball games we’ve ever seen.
CAL
Go Bears!!!
PEOPLE'S
Park
In case y'all didn't recognize it, the lede picture is the space formerly known as People's Park and will now be student and ultra-low-cost housing
It’s about time.
POLITICS
Ann Coulter suggests that the sightseeing helicopter that fell apart midair and crashed into the Hudson river was due to DEI. He was a former Navy Seal and the helicopter falling apart had nothing to do with him being black. Her being a racist POS has everything to do with him being black.
https://x.com/AnnCoulter/status/1910900416545517794
Those people are shameless.
Trump once again brings up the idea of deporting American citizens to extrajudicial gulags in foreign countries. This time when talking to the El Salvadorean president.
https://bsky.app/profile/titonka.bsky.social/post/3lmrwi4hwvc2k
Florida's state legislature went culture war by trying to prevent the Woke Mob from fighting climate change by blocking sun irradiation. They wrote a bill to ban it, but actually ended up making it a felony to cloud seed in Florida. It is set to go into law on July 1.
https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/04/03/florida-senate-approves-ban-on-geoengineering-and-weather-modification/
Trump administration refuses to repatriate illegally deported man
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/13/abrego-garcia-el-salvador-trump-administration-00288502
Update: El Salvador says no, undoubtedly prompted by the US to say so
Goodbye NOAA
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/11/white-house-plan-guts-noaa-climate-research-00286408
Kinda like being pro-life, but not wanting to adopt unwanted children...
https://bsky.app/profile/jonathancohn.bsky.social/post/3lmply6xufk25
[Poll last year] 68% of Cuban Americans voted for Trump in Miami-Dade county
https://news.fiu.edu/2024/fiu-cuba-poll-2024-cuban-american-voters-support-for-trump-at-an-all-time-high
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/trump-end-immigration-program-cuban-republicans-florida-rcna197998
Cubans here on legal protected status have 14 more days until they have to leave
Cuban-American/former Telemundo news host/US Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R, FL-27)
"How could Joe Biden do this to the Cubans?"
https://x.com/repmariasalazar/status/1903503465130893641
Trump appoints former US Rep/pastor Mark Walker as "Ambassador-at-Large" for the "Office of International Reglious Freedom". WTF is the Office of International Relgious Freedom?
https://www.wxii12.com/article/mark-walker-appointed-president-trump-ambassador-international-religious-freedom/64464480
Oh. It's a white nationalist position
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/11/state-report-anti-christian-bias-033535
MAGA dude firebombs PA Governor Josh Shapiro's (D) governor's mansion. Governor and family have to flee. Damage is extensive. Attacker had a hammer.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/cody-balmers-alleged-anti-biden-rifle-posts-surface-after-arrest-in-josh-shapiro-home-arson-case-101744582820365.html
https://bsky.app/profile/yasharali.bsky.social/post/3lmqbsd7ypx2q
1) Last week, Trump says not looking to pause his tariffs, nor have exemptions
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-not-looking-pause-tariffs-weeks-rollout-market-uncertainty-rcna200014
2) Friday, Trump pauses tariffs, exempts chips
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/12/trump-exempts-phones-computers-chips-tariffs-apple-dell.html
3) Sunday, Trump says there are no exemptions. Commerce Secretary goes on air to counter Trump's comments saying there are exemptions but there won't be exemptions in 90 days unless there are
https://www.mediaite.com/news/trump-claims-there-was-no-tariff-exception-in-fiery-social-media-post-nobody-is-getting-off-the-hook/
This is just sad. He could walk into a Utah business and fire everyone and they'd blame Joe Biden
https://ironcountytoday.com/2025/04/10/tariff-fallout-mine-owner-blames-chinas-actions-not-trumps-for-shutdown/
It's the back-and-forth and uncertainty that will kill business investment more than the tariffs themselves. Who wants to operate like this?
DBD AV CLUB
The Law According to Lidia Poët (Netflix, WNB)
Beautiful costumes, fantastic sets/filming locations, good characters, and dreadful writing. It has 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, but I fell asleep during the pilot. You know it's lazy writing where they tell you rather than show you what's going on... like where someone addresses someone as "niece" and then explains a situation rather than having a scene that shows the dynamics. The title character also has a half-dozen examples of anti-women bias - but they mostly tell it to her face rather than show consequences - which gets boring. My wife loved. I'm done with it.
This contrasts with the Diplomat (S2) which we watched afterward, which is great. My wife doesn't like the Diplomat despite its greatness because the two main women have messy hair in it as a way to show that they are busy, powerful, and energetic.
https://www.avclub.com/global-politics-hair-the-diplomat-netflix
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
I saw this job on Indeed. I wonder if I should click the button to apply
https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?from=appshareios&jk=93da66768b500dd1
Never heard the “at Manoa” in their name before.
After UT QB Nico Iamaleava lives up to his name, details come out about his NIL deal. Dude overplayed his hand and basically flushed away the overpayment that was already coming to him and made him a toxic player who will probably have to go to G5. Oregon say they are not interested.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/44642537/sources-tennessee-moving-starting-qb-nico-iamaleava
Iowa's Brendan Sullivan - the returing starter from Iowa's prevous season - has entered the portal presumably losing the starting job to Hank Brown - the QB that the Auburn crowd chanted for after Cal absolutely humiliated Payton Thorne with 4 INTs. Brown got his start against Arkansas and had a Dante Moore-like game throwing 7 passes to his teammates, 3 to the ground, and 3 to the Hogs.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/44636013/iowa-hawkeyes-brendan-sullivan-enters-transfer-portal
Kyran Lacy - an NFL draft pick candidate and the LSU receiver who was accused of causing an auto accident that killed a man in December - has committed suicide in his car after he crashed it after an argument
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/44664128/former-lsu-wr-kyren-lacy-died-apparent-suicide-police-chase-authorities-say