146 Comments

I guess I'm a little late to the game on this, but John Stockton is at the top of the class of vax conspiracy nutters: https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/591014-abdul-jabbar-says-stockton-vaccine-comments-make-athletes-look

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I'd watch this even without Marshawn making a guest appearance. With him? I'm double in. https://twitter.com/AGuyNamedNam/status/1486240728640471040?s=20

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Happy Australia Day!

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All the news I been watching/listening to have been making a big deal that today is Spouse's Day.

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Jan 26, 2022·edited Jan 26, 2022

Ugh. Another bought and paid for holiday.

And yes, Mother's Day and Father's Day are holidays that have morphed into Big Beeswax, along with all Federal holidays, all State holidays, Hallmark holidays, and holidays dreamed up by trade groups. (National "Eat Brussel Sprouts Day" is January 31. Stock up now!)

The only holidays worth celebrating are the ones you feel in your heart and in your soul, not the ones that social convention tells you to celebrate or the ones for which you get a paid day off from work.

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This is why I only celebrate National Gin & Tonic Day.

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they only morph if you let them... they havent in my house

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Good point. But I've observed that American society at large has allowed the morphing to occur in spite of the best efforts of many people to resist the commercialization.

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This is the first I've heard of Spouse's Day (sorry, Dr. Ms. Newellbany). Who decides these things? The internet tells me it's also National Green Juice Day, National Peanut Brittle Day, and National Pistachio Day, among other things, so I'm all booked up celebrating those wonderful things.

If I'm in the greeting card business, I'd have put Spouse's Day further away from valentine's day? Man, they really screwed the pooch on this one.

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Good point there, Oui We. Your Frenchness is showing.

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A toast: To wives and mistresses, may they never meet!

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Should you be making that toast?

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Lame.

Every day is Spouse's Day, no?

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If you have no kids, I suppose.

If you have kids, everyday is Kids' Day.

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Some days are like that. Even in Australia.

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Food

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Chez Panisse to open a ‘welcoming bar’ in Berkeley, closing tapas spot César in the process

Alice Waters in hot water?

https://www.berkeleyside.org/2022/01/24/chez-panisse-new-restaurant-cesar-closing

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How neighborly.

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FUCK CHEZ PANISSE

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Wut?

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Alice Waters is a terrible person.

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I would like to know why you say that.

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do I want to know why you say that?

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oooh I have a credit for potato puffs that I should use...

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One of my 21st birthday dinners was at César (Fire Starkey made fun of me for this on Fbook)

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how can you have more than one 21st birthday?

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I only had one 21st birthday, but I had multiple dinners and celebrations

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Logical...

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This is why I try not to do business with friends & family.

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Yup.

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Getting a new French restaurant in Berkeley would be nice since Liaison closed.

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La Note was pretty good, ate there last year...

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best breakfast in the bay

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When did Liaison close?

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Maybe 2015? Not sure. Right now the former location is a spot for Taiwanese desserts.

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DBD AV Club

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Another Simpsons quote applies . . .

"I have to go now. My planet needs me."

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Archive 81 on Netflix...we'll see where it goes....

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Spiderman: No Way Home (11/19, WNB). Wife and I went on a date for a burger, beer, and watch Spiderman No Way Home. I am not a MCU fanboy, so I didn't see most of Spiderman movies, nor have did I see End Game, but I do understand that there has been 3 actors in various Spiderman movies and understand the concept of a multiverse. This movie is absolutely not a stand alone movie, which left me a bit confused in some parts as big chunks of the movie were self-referential to its history that I should somehow should know. If I was confused, my wife was completely lost and hated it. Acting was hammy by Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Jamie Fox, and (surprisingly) Benedict Cumberbatch. Acting by Tom Holland, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, and JK Simmons were great. I absolutely don't understand AILF May. The fight scenes were frenetic but not suspenseful. The plot seemed contrived in order to merge the three different Spidermen.

As a counterbalance, I have now committed to watching the Downton Abbey movie in March.

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still not sure how DBD works, especially the topics inside the thread (sorry, I'm a slow learner), but if it's not against the protocol here, I'd recommend Belle, a Japanese Anime movie with 95% rotten tomato ratings

good story, great music, and stunning, amazing graphics ... I was surprised that they created a metaverse with animation better than anything I've seen with all the hollywood special effect houses

Now in movie theaters, but not sure how much longer (two versions, one in japanese with subtitles, one with english dubbed ... I'd recommend the japanese versions due to the singer)

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first rule of DBD is that there are no rules

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I don't like superhero movies. In fact, I only saw the original Spiderman, and maybe Spiderman 2. While watching this, I had to have No 2 and 3 explain some things to me.

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Also, it was $5 Tuesday showing at the nicest theater in town. There were 3 other people in the theater during prime showing hour.

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I liked it a lot, but you definitely need to have seen other Spidey movies.

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Even the Andrew Garfield ones?

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Those are probably the least necessary, but it does help to understand where the Garfield version of the character is coming from.

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I saw it in December and enjoyed it well enough without having any of the MCU backstory - atypically, I enjoyed the element of seeing the reactions of the people who did get all the inside jokes. (As my children will tell you, I hate fun). Mind you, I probably enjoyed most the joke for old people of "Magic Number" by De La Soul playing over the closing credits, so adjust for that I guess?

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there were a lot of inside jokes re: the 3 different actors playing Spiderman. Junior and I found it hilarious and overall a quite good MCU installment

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NWH is absolutely a fan service movie.

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ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE

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I just channel surfed through the sports channels to get to CNN to see what the talking heads are saying about Justice Breyer. The last of the sports channels is something called Next Level Sports. It's currently showing a football game from last October between Diablo Valley College and Laney College. What's up with that?

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Airtime to fill? Free content? IDK

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The third worst fight song in the Pac-12?

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I'd say UCLA is both the third worst fight song and the second best. It's the third worst because fuck them for stealing Cal's and they fuck it all up, too. But it's still not worse than USC or Furd. It's the second best because it's still pretty close to the obvious choice for best fight song. I realize this is mathematically impossible but it's my answer.

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I was told that there would be no math here...

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Stanford's, which also happens to be the second worst and the worst fight song.

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I agree IF we are talking about "All Right Now".

BUT, I don't think that's 'furd's official fight song. I believe it to be "Come Join the Band". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrs8JkUgjhs

Someone may know better than me, but I believe that the LSJUMB plays "Come Join the Band" at football games after halftime as the football team takes the field.

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I'm talking about all of their fight songs.

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Fair point.

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OSU

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LSU fires Sr. Associate AD who oversaw football recruiting and alumni relations that brought a $50m Title IX case against the school. I'm no employment lawyer, but firing a whistleblower may not be a good legal defense strategy.

https://www.tigerrag.com/sharon-lewis-out-at-lsu-amid-pending-litigation/

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LSU doesn't seem to give a fock and pretty much does what it wants...

Bayou Pretentiousness...

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I do a lot of employment lawsuits, and the number of plaintiffs I've seen so crazy things at work after filing lawsuits, thinking that the lawsuit will protect them, is really high.

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maybe they wanted someone else to sue them.

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Today in Covid

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Someone did this to the John Stockton statue

https://twitter.com/andyblarsen/status/1485496837515595777

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Suspense

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Carpenter

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40 years later and the special effects in The Thing are still very impressive

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OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY

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So far I've only seen it on NBC, but they are reporting Breyer to retire at the end of this term from the Supremes.

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Nominate Kamala Harris and deliver the Dems out of bind...or is that an issue because she cannot be the tiebreaker to confirm herself?

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Jan 26, 2022·edited Jan 27, 2022

Fox News is pushing this, which means this is probably a bad idea.

Are you unhappy with her as VP? I think I was more disappointed with her while she was the DA for SF and AG for California than I was with her as a Senator and VP.

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I honestly did not know this. I am not unhappy with her. Just thinking ahead to 2024, the likely candidates, Harris' polling numbers, and a nice way to move Harris out of the field of candidates.

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Thank goodness.

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Confirmed, WaPo

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McConnell will try to block it saying there is too little time left in Biden's administration for him to select a candidate.

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He will but he doesn’t have the votes so fuck him. “Elections have consequences”

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I can't WAIT to hear his argument for that. Amy C.B. was rushed through in 35 days. Ol' Mitch will come up with some reason it shouldn't happen because he's the world champion of not having shame - I just can't wait to hear what it is.

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He can try but he can’t block it. Only Manchin and Sinema can block this. I don’t think we need to rush someone through in 35 days as we still have time before the next election.

Now we just need Clarence Thomas to retire or die. It would be poetic justice for Biden to replace Thomas.

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Jan 26, 2022·edited Jan 26, 2022

Uggh...I thought poetic justice would be served by allowing Obama to choose a replacement for Scalia.

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Yup. I'm not as worried about Manchin as I am Sinema - there's nuthin she likes more than fame

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Federal judge rejects challenge to ‘weighty and urgent’ Jan. 6 committee

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/25/eastman-jan-6-panel-ruling-00002184

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That Jim Banks tweet has an absolutely epic ratio.

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PRO

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Warriors looked good, Curry, not so much (shooting)

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Wiseman may be more Anthony Randolph and less Chris Bosh....

But Kuminga could be Kawhi Leonard....

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Wizards blew a 35 point lead last night. Lost the game by one on a made three plus one with less than two seconds left. I normally don't watch them but while I was making dinner I heard they were up by thirty at half. By time I finished eating the collapse was in full swing so I turned on the TV to watch the train wreck.

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Aaron Rodgers, Atlas Shrugged.

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Hypocritical BBWA elect steroid-using DH David Ortiz on his first ballot, while denying steroid-using best hitter in the history of the game Barry Bonds. Odd because DH’s rarely make it in, and steroid users never do...

The moral of the story seems: be nice to reporters, like Big Papi...don’t be a dick, like Barry.

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eh, blaming them I think is a bit off (not defending them either) but I think baseball needs a truth and reconciliation process. I could be wrong, but isn't only Canseco and Giambi (might be others) to come Clean? I do think the constant lying is a character issue.

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How much does the fanbase as a whole really care any more? I ask this given we are currently in the last two playoff rounds for a sport where no one really gives a c**p if someone is roiding.

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I really have no idea how much the fan base cares; I'd assume it's mainly oldtimers who are still upset.

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Bill James once laid out an argument that the Hall of Fame voting process needs to be overhauled, because putting so much responsibility on just the baseball writers (and then throwing everyone to small committees rife with cronyism) creates too much appearance of unfairness. Everyone should be able to vote: players, fans, coaches, front-office people, all baseball media (not just writers), etc.

And he made this argument in the early 90s. Seems like the case is even stronger now. I'm not saying it should be a big free-for-all fan vote like the All Star Game, but giving them SOME say would be good. Same for the players.

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I frankly do not think there should be a record of %age of votes (though I have no idea how you prevent this from happening since I also think all voters should make their votes public).

I still have problems with a closer being the first unanimous HOFer, when players like Griffey, Mays, Aaron, and Jackie Robinson were not unanimous and some not even close.

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Didn’t someone “not vote” for Griffey just to keep him from being the 1st unanimous HOFer? (one vote). Ridiculous. I’m ok with Mariano being unanimous. I am not ok with Mays, Aaron and Robinson not being unanimous. They should be made “retroactively unanimous.’

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three ballots did not include Griffey for unknown reasons. I cannot think of one reason for not doing so. Refusing to vote for someone on the first ballot is out because not long after they voted in a closer unanimously on the first ballot. Refusing to vote for someone because of the steroid era makes no sense with Griffey, and now with Ortiz in the HOF.

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From ESPN: "Ortiz has long denied that he used banned substances, and in 2016, commissioner Rob Manfred said the tests in question were inconclusive because 'it was hard to distinguish between certain substances that were legal, available over the counter and not banned under our program.' Manfred added that during subsequent testing Ortiz 'has never been a positive at any point under our program.'

I think Ortiz and Bonds should both be in. I'm a life-long Giants and Red Sox fan and to me the biggest difference between the two is that Ortiz seems to be a fine person and Bonds a complete jerk. It was fitting we won our World Series after he left.

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Ortiz is a good enough hitter that he probably belongs in the Hall, eventually.

But a failed '03 test is a failed test, regardless of what damage control Manfred tried to pull a decade later. Plus, one look at Ortiz as a Twin in '02 v. him as a BoSock in '03 is like the before and after of Bonds....it's night and day. The guy used...they all did. And Ortiz is undoubtedly a good guy, but does a DH really have any business being a first ballot HOF'er. It took Edgar Martinez, a better hitter, 10 years to get in.

The hypocrisy by the BBWWAA voters who voted for Ortiz but not for Bonds shows a lack of objectivity that should cost them their privileges...not making their votes public is cowardice.

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I heard that Ortiz's move to Fenway and the coaching to get him to be willing to hit balls the other way to bounce off the Green Monster helped his swing immensely.

Not saying there's no roid use and improvement from that use. Just relaying that story.

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I think learning to swing the other way, especially early in your career, does help your swing. It helps keep the bat in the zone a little longer (I think). Jason Giambi, I think, said that's what his dad did. Make him work on going oppo when he was young. Kept his hands inside the ball and then when he got stronger and quicker, the bat sped up and he naturally pulled the ball more.

So I could see this explanation for why he became a better hitter.

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Yeah, I have no real problem with Ortiz being elected. It's the moralistic reasons for voting for him and not Bonds or Clemens that don't make sense.

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That's definitely fair, and you could argue that Edgar opened the door for future DH's...but just being a larger than life, happy go lucky guy shouldn't be enough tho to tip the scales, given the failed test.

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Bonds would have been a top 5 player (not just hitter but also hitter) in the game even without steroid usage, so I find steroids to be a pathetic excuse to keep him out of the HOF.

Also, GBBR.

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Claiming Bonds' numbers were inflated due to use of PED's discounts the fact that he was hitting against pitchers who were juiced too. And if anything, Clemens' 7 Cy Young's while facing lineups of juiced hitters couldn't have been easy.

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I completely agree. I’m not a Bonds fan but he has a HoF resume and career before the steroids era.

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Seems to me that Bonds and Clemens (and probably a bunch of other guys) will get in once their case is thrown to the Veterans Committee, which is usually populated by former players. That group will probably be more sympathetic to the steroid guys.

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I was reading a story that said they rejected McGwire. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

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I think once the older players, like Joe Morgan, die, Bonds and Clemens will be voted in by the Veterans committee.

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They might have to wait for a later version of the Veterans Committee containing more players from this era. Some of the old-timers right now are still resentful of the younger guys having used steroids, breaking their records, etc.

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Joe Morgan's sanctimonious crap didn't help their cause.

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A player's PR quotient is their most important stat.

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Well, L.Ron Rodgers was right about this.

https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1486057945620226050

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Like I said yesterday, he is so thin skinned that it makes it very easy to troll him.

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CAL

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Here come the rental micro-cabins into Berkeley backyards

https://www.dailycal.org/2022/01/25/berkeley-city-council-adopts-adu-housing-ordinance/

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My friend (UCLA alum) invited me to Cal-UCLA basketball game tomorrow. Should I go? Does Cal have any chance?

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Yeah, you should go (COVID concerns notwithstanding). It will be a good environment. We'll get popped though.

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.01%

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So…you’re saying there’s a chance!?!!!

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Go to the game! Because go Bears!

No, no chance.

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I've been to many football games but never a basketball game. I will give it a try.

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Pauley Pavilion is one of those arenas that college basketball fans should go to for a game at least once, IMHO.

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Hmmm...what would be my top 5 on a CBB bucket list?

Cameron Indoor seems like an obvious choice.

Hinkle Fieldhouse has gotta be in.

The Pit in Albuquerque makes the cut.

Maybe the Palestra in Philly.

And then, yeah, I suppose Pauley.

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That's a great list.

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I've only been once and that was in the 90s. I don't recall being particularly impressed with the facility itself. But if you're a Cal fan, it would be a wholly unique experience just to experience a full arena and an engaged fanbase again, even if it's not our own.

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Go Bears...

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[Rugby] Both legs of Cal's annual games against rival UBC have been cancelled.

https://twitter.com/CalVarsityRugby/status/1486457493110751232

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you mean Go Bears!!!

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In emailing with my late friend Kevin I would sign off with Go Bears! He in turn would sign off with GO BEARS!!! At one point I thought off matching his all caps and three exclamation points but decided it was his thing. Still miss him, one of the greatest Cal fans I've had the privilege of knowing.

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This food YouTube-er must have read yesterday's DBD...

https://youtu.be/tQfKTsh5ycs

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I like that he showed his mistakes. You learn more by knowing what not to do than watching it done correctly. It adds reasoning to the demonstration, which then becomes applicable to meals in which you're not following a recipe.

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He has an entire series where he goes over recipes he botched.

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