New half-semester (don't you dare call it a quarter) starts today. I'm taking Garde Manger, Procurement, and Advanced Culinary Skills. Let the making of aspic begin.
Culinary school now. Retire/ask to be laid off in about three months. French pastry baking school in France either in 2026 or 2027. Live Scootie-like life of experience and adventure until I die in that unfortunate kayaking accident.
This is the weirdest California football season ever, and folks, I've seen a lot of them. The Bears are 5-2 yet I'm not skipping down Bancroft Way throwing confetti. The performances have been mostly bad (see last Friday vs. NC, one of the worst games of football I've ever beheld). Nick's article sums up the way the season is going with the Bears stumbling to wins with an epically bad schedule. I desperately hope they can fall ass backwards into more wins but am decidedly pessimistic. I note that every Cal fan I know and the many on WFC that I respect feel the same way. There's a seeming unanimity of opinion that the state of the program is bad despite the record. I honestly think our 2021 team that went 5-7 was much better than this squad. Like I said, weirdest.
Concur. For me, this team is clearly missing opportunities and failing to execute. Use whatever grade or adjective that you think best applies. When I think of this team in comparison to others, I think of the 1986 team, the 2000 team, and the 2012 team.
Last year was far weirder. 6-7 that somehow earns us Game Day, a win at Auburn, our folksy QB leaving us before the season is over, an epically awful bowl game performance and whole lotta shouldas/couldas. At least from a Ws and Ls perspective, the record feels true to our talent and the schedule. And while the overall quality of the roster leaves a lot to be desired, I feel optimistic about our future in the nearer term again because of the level of support and urgency the program is all of sudden getting with JK and CC out of the way and RR RL at the helm.
I would add that the NIL has spread talent across rosters. Dominant programs are less dominant as they are unable to hoard talent like the once were able. The result is a lot of good, not great teams and whole lot more mediocre teams with a lot of holes. Good for parity, but maybe at the expense of good football.
And, a significant thing about the portal era is that squads don’t have an opportunity to coalesce like they used to. Learning a system often now involves getting a limited playbook compared to past eras, because guys can’t mature into the particular coaches’/coordinators’ systems/philosophical approach to the game (which in the past was done over several years of development). They don’t have the time to learn it. Peter Sirmon lamented this greatly; when interviewed during his final Cal training camp before bolting for the NFL. Embedded in his remarks was a thinly veiled sadness - I could tell by what he was saying that he was close to done with this dreck. In turn, with so much turnover across the board, we don’t see as sophisticated a brand of ball like we used to. There is not the degree of being “on the same page” that could happen after a coach worked with a good number of his recruits (that were recruited for being a good fit for his program, etc.) over a period of time. Instead, players just leave after a season or two, having gleaned only a beginning level of capability in a particular system. What I’ve found is the quality of play has dropped a level across college football, so I think we are essentially seeing, not just at Cal, significantly more intermittently bad products in any given week than what we used to, minus a few stacked rosters or individual players dominating from time to time.
The San Francisco 49ers forced a three-and-out on the first drive of the game, thanks to a Robert Saleh blitz. The offense answered with a 9-play drive of their own with a couple of impressive rushes by Brian Robinson. However, Mac Jones couldn’t connect with Jauan Jennings on 3rd & 9.
He kind of got carried over by his linemen too, which is supposed to be illegal. It's rarely called, though, since it's hard for the refs to see what's going on in the pile.
It’s the biggest shutout in the history of the Raiders-Chiefs series. This is bad. The Raiders are, by far, the worst team in the AFC West. They have now lost eight straight division games dating back to the start of last season. The Raiders are 1-3 on the road this season (all 10 a.m. PT starts) and have been outscored by a total of 112-30 in three straight road losses. They have been beaten by double digits in four games this season. They have not improved under Pete Carroll.
Trey Yesavage has been such a great addition to the team. He was exceptional tonight. 5.2 innings, six hits, two earned (one after he left the game), three walks and seventh strikeouts.
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers pitching dominated the 2025 National League Championship Series, but in Game 4 the offense picked up the slack as well. Shohei Ohtani was the driving force for both on Friday, leading a 5-1 win over the Brewers that sent the Dodgers back to the World Series.
Did Cal fans storm after we beat NC? I saw that ASU stormed after beating Texas Tech and I thought maybe storming the field is now a requirement of winning.
My anger towards college football has just increased (I thought it impossible). The start time for the Virginia game was scheduled to be announced today but according to the ACC website it was one of the games placed under a six-day hold and kickoff time will be determined after Saturday's games. I'm still of the belief that all kickoff times should be announced a month before the start of the season. Clearly the wishes of paying fans are never taken into consideration. Seriously f*ck these people.
My nephew was going to take his son to the game if it wasn't a night game but with only six days notice he's going to make other plans. The school where I work has given up taking students to Bears football because of the unknown start times. TV uber allles.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For the second time in as many weeks, the California women's soccer team came back from down a pair of goals to tie a top-10 program. The Golden Bears scored two goals in the final 16 minutes to draw with Florida State on Sunday at the Seminoles Soccer Complex in Tallahassee, Florida.
The California field hockey team's defense was tested early and often on the way to a 6-2 loss against No. 5 Syracuse at Kentner Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Golden Bears' two goals from Liz Klompmaker and Zara Schmitz were the most the Demon Deacons gave up in ACC play this season. Cal (6-7, 2-5 ACC) had to defend 18 Wake Forest (13-2, 6-0) shots while taking nine.
BERKELEY – The California volleyball team forced five sets for the second contest in three days Saturday afternoon, welcoming Florida State to Haas Pavilion in hopes of starting a new winning streak after upsetting No. 14 Miami in a reverse sweep Thursday night. Ultimately, however, the match finishes in the Seminoles' favor (22-25, 25-15, 25-20, 22-25, 16-14), with Florida State improving to 9-8 (3-5 ACC) and Cal falling to 6-12 (3-5) on the year.
One current member and one alumnus of the California men's gymnastics team will be competing at the top gymnastics meet of the year next week as senior Theodor Roald Gadderud and alumnus Aidan Li become the first Golden Bears to represent their respective nations at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, held this year from Oct. 19-26 at the IMS Arena in Jakarta, Indonesia. Each session will be broadcast on Eurovision, while start lists, live scoring and results will be hosted on the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) website.
SUNNYVALE - The California men's cross country team finished its fall campaign Saturday morning at the Bronco Invitational at Baylands Regional Park.
Tad Kawabata led the Golden Bears in 13th place, finishing with a time of 24:21.5. Roland Ruckmann-Barnes placed 15th with a time of 24:24.9 while unattached runner Bradley Arrey crossed the line at 25:14.3. Dylan Bissell finished at 25:15.8 and Michael Ridriguez registered a time of 26:46.3.
Cal improved to 3-0 all-time against North Carolina with tonight's victory. The Bears were also a 35-30 winner in Travers Family Head Coach Justin Wilcox's head coaching debut in Chapel Hill, N.C. in 2017 and a 24-17 winner in the 2018 season opener for both teams in Berkeley. Tonight's contest was their first meeting with both members of the ACC.
DBD Logistics
New half-semester (don't you dare call it a quarter) starts today. I'm taking Garde Manger, Procurement, and Advanced Culinary Skills. Let the making of aspic begin.
Did you retire and start culinary school?!?
Culinary school now. Retire/ask to be laid off in about three months. French pastry baking school in France either in 2026 or 2027. Live Scootie-like life of experience and adventure until I die in that unfortunate kayaking accident.
Scootie sighting!!
Also, I'm out of town on Thursday and Friday, so you're one your own on those days, kids.
Worst 5-2 team
https://x.com/mpete91/status/1979747833403371773
Honestly, I think we'd beat the majority of the ones I listed in the poll
This is the weirdest California football season ever, and folks, I've seen a lot of them. The Bears are 5-2 yet I'm not skipping down Bancroft Way throwing confetti. The performances have been mostly bad (see last Friday vs. NC, one of the worst games of football I've ever beheld). Nick's article sums up the way the season is going with the Bears stumbling to wins with an epically bad schedule. I desperately hope they can fall ass backwards into more wins but am decidedly pessimistic. I note that every Cal fan I know and the many on WFC that I respect feel the same way. There's a seeming unanimity of opinion that the state of the program is bad despite the record. I honestly think our 2021 team that went 5-7 was much better than this squad. Like I said, weirdest.
Concur. For me, this team is clearly missing opportunities and failing to execute. Use whatever grade or adjective that you think best applies. When I think of this team in comparison to others, I think of the 1986 team, the 2000 team, and the 2012 team.
Last year was far weirder. 6-7 that somehow earns us Game Day, a win at Auburn, our folksy QB leaving us before the season is over, an epically awful bowl game performance and whole lotta shouldas/couldas. At least from a Ws and Ls perspective, the record feels true to our talent and the schedule. And while the overall quality of the roster leaves a lot to be desired, I feel optimistic about our future in the nearer term again because of the level of support and urgency the program is all of sudden getting with JK and CC out of the way and RR RL at the helm.
I guess I should have said IN MY OPINION this is the weirdest Cal football season ever, though I would have thought that went without saying.
I would add that the NIL has spread talent across rosters. Dominant programs are less dominant as they are unable to hoard talent like the once were able. The result is a lot of good, not great teams and whole lot more mediocre teams with a lot of holes. Good for parity, but maybe at the expense of good football.
And, a significant thing about the portal era is that squads don’t have an opportunity to coalesce like they used to. Learning a system often now involves getting a limited playbook compared to past eras, because guys can’t mature into the particular coaches’/coordinators’ systems/philosophical approach to the game (which in the past was done over several years of development). They don’t have the time to learn it. Peter Sirmon lamented this greatly; when interviewed during his final Cal training camp before bolting for the NFL. Embedded in his remarks was a thinly veiled sadness - I could tell by what he was saying that he was close to done with this dreck. In turn, with so much turnover across the board, we don’t see as sophisticated a brand of ball like we used to. There is not the degree of being “on the same page” that could happen after a coach worked with a good number of his recruits (that were recruited for being a good fit for his program, etc.) over a period of time. Instead, players just leave after a season or two, having gleaned only a beginning level of capability in a particular system. What I’ve found is the quality of play has dropped a level across college football, so I think we are essentially seeing, not just at Cal, significantly more intermittently bad products in any given week than what we used to, minus a few stacked rosters or individual players dominating from time to time.
According to Sagarin, it's Western Kentucky.
(UConn is ahead of Cal in his current rankings.)
PRO
Oh, Jesus, no.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/46651928/ex-mlb-catcher-jesus-montero-35-dies-traffic-accident
Christian McCaffrey puts himself on the podium for MVP in the 49ers win over the Falcons
https://www.ninersnation.com/san-francisco-49ers-news/151748/christian-mccaffrey-puts-himself-on-the-podium-for-mvp-in-the-49ers-win-over-the-falcons
The San Francisco 49ers forced a three-and-out on the first drive of the game, thanks to a Robert Saleh blitz. The offense answered with a 9-play drive of their own with a couple of impressive rushes by Brian Robinson. However, Mac Jones couldn’t connect with Jauan Jennings on 3rd & 9.
I was watching the baseball game then turned over in time to see his fourth quarter touchdown. Amazing strength to fight his way over the goal line.
He kind of got carried over by his linemen too, which is supposed to be illegal. It's rarely called, though, since it's hard for the refs to see what's going on in the pile.
Supposedly the Line Judge or the Head Linesman should have seen that based on their positions. Apparently not.
Raiders are completely dismantled in Kansas City
https://www.silverandblackpride.com/las-vegas-raiders-game-information/112914/raiders-are-completely-dismantled-in-kansas-city
It’s the biggest shutout in the history of the Raiders-Chiefs series. This is bad. The Raiders are, by far, the worst team in the AFC West. They have now lost eight straight division games dating back to the start of last season. The Raiders are 1-3 on the road this season (all 10 a.m. PT starts) and have been outscored by a total of 112-30 in three straight road losses. They have been beaten by double digits in four games this season. They have not improved under Pete Carroll.
We have a prognostication league at work. I bet against the Raiders except when the point value for their opponent is simply too low (2 or 3 points).
Jays Push Series To Game Seven
https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/game-recaps/59321/jays-push-series-to-game-seven
Trey Yesavage has been such a great addition to the team. He was exceptional tonight. 5.2 innings, six hits, two earned (one after he left the game), three walks and seventh strikeouts.
Shohei Ohtani masterpiece finishes Dodgers NLCS sweep
https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-scores-standings/106084/shohei-ohtani-home-runs-strikeouts-dodgers-nlcs-sweep
LOS ANGELES — Dodgers pitching dominated the 2025 National League Championship Series, but in Game 4 the offense picked up the slack as well. Shohei Ohtani was the driving force for both on Friday, leading a 5-1 win over the Brewers that sent the Dodgers back to the World Series.
wins series MVP based one the 1-game performance. deservedly so.
ELSEWHERE IN COLLEGE
Both dozens of fans stormed the field
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46652781/stanford-fined-50k-acc-fans-field-win-vs-fsu
I figured it would be easy to find a video of this happening. Nothing so far.
Did Cal fans storm after we beat NC? I saw that ASU stormed after beating Texas Tech and I thought maybe storming the field is now a requirement of winning.
No one stormed the field after UNC.
Some of us stormed out after enduring 654 commercial breaks that lasted somewhere between interminable and forever.
A lot of replay reviews in this one.
HC Norvell fired. No, not that one.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46650475/sources-colorado-state-firing-head-coach-jay-norvell
Florida beats MS State 23-21, so naturally they fire Billy Napier
https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401752741
https://www.on3.com/teams/florida-gators/news/florida-gators-part-ways-with-head-coach-billy-napier/
CAL
Re: the Virginia Tech game Friday--how often do you see a 2-5 team given a 75% chance to beat a 5-2 team?
My anger towards college football has just increased (I thought it impossible). The start time for the Virginia game was scheduled to be announced today but according to the ACC website it was one of the games placed under a six-day hold and kickoff time will be determined after Saturday's games. I'm still of the belief that all kickoff times should be announced a month before the start of the season. Clearly the wishes of paying fans are never taken into consideration. Seriously f*ck these people.
My nephew was going to take his son to the game if it wasn't a night game but with only six days notice he's going to make other plans. The school where I work has given up taking students to Bears football because of the unknown start times. TV uber allles.
I'm going to guess it'll be 7:30. We're not a premier team so all of our West Coast starts will be 7:30 PM except for hopefully Furd.
[WSOC] Cal Completes Comeback, Draws At No. 7 FSU
https://calbears.com/news/2025/10/19/womens-soccer-cal-completes-comeback-draws-at-no-7-fsu.aspx
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For the second time in as many weeks, the California women's soccer team came back from down a pair of goals to tie a top-10 program. The Golden Bears scored two goals in the final 16 minutes to draw with Florida State on Sunday at the Seminoles Soccer Complex in Tallahassee, Florida.
[FH] No. 19 Cal Downed At No. 5 Wake Forest
https://calbears.com/news/2025/10/19/field-hockey-no-19-cal-downed-at-no-5-wake-forest.aspx
The California field hockey team's defense was tested early and often on the way to a 6-2 loss against No. 5 Syracuse at Kentner Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Golden Bears' two goals from Liz Klompmaker and Zara Schmitz were the most the Demon Deacons gave up in ACC play this season. Cal (6-7, 2-5 ACC) had to defend 18 Wake Forest (13-2, 6-0) shots while taking nine.
[VB] Bears Bested In Five By Seminoles
https://calbears.com/news/2025/10/18/volleyball-bears-bested-in-five-by-seminoles.aspx
BERKELEY – The California volleyball team forced five sets for the second contest in three days Saturday afternoon, welcoming Florida State to Haas Pavilion in hopes of starting a new winning streak after upsetting No. 14 Miami in a reverse sweep Thursday night. Ultimately, however, the match finishes in the Seminoles' favor (22-25, 25-15, 25-20, 22-25, 16-14), with Florida State improving to 9-8 (3-5 ACC) and Cal falling to 6-12 (3-5) on the year.
[MGYM] Pair Of Cal Gymnasts To Compete At World Championships
https://calbears.com/news/2025/10/18/mens-gymnastics-pair-of-cal-gymnasts-to-compete-at-world-championships.aspx
One current member and one alumnus of the California men's gymnastics team will be competing at the top gymnastics meet of the year next week as senior Theodor Roald Gadderud and alumnus Aidan Li become the first Golden Bears to represent their respective nations at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, held this year from Oct. 19-26 at the IMS Arena in Jakarta, Indonesia. Each session will be broadcast on Eurovision, while start lists, live scoring and results will be hosted on the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) website.
[XC] Bears Close Out Regular Season
https://calbears.com/news/2025/10/18/cross-country-bears-close-out-regular-season.aspx
SUNNYVALE - The California men's cross country team finished its fall campaign Saturday morning at the Bronco Invitational at Baylands Regional Park.
Tad Kawabata led the Golden Bears in 13th place, finishing with a time of 24:21.5. Roland Ruckmann-Barnes placed 15th with a time of 24:24.9 while unattached runner Bradley Arrey crossed the line at 25:14.3. Dylan Bissell finished at 25:15.8 and Michael Ridriguez registered a time of 26:46.3.
[FB] Postgame Notes: California 21, North Carolina 18
https://calbears.com/news/2025/10/18/football-postgame-notes-california-21-north-carolina-18.aspx
Cal improved to 3-0 all-time against North Carolina with tonight's victory. The Bears were also a 35-30 winner in Travers Family Head Coach Justin Wilcox's head coaching debut in Chapel Hill, N.C. in 2017 and a 24-17 winner in the 2018 season opener for both teams in Berkeley. Tonight's contest was their first meeting with both members of the ACC.
Go Bears!!!
WOOL
i have a lot of merino wool stuff, everything from socks and underwear to baselayers and sweaters. good stuff
POLITICS
Trump tries to seize Congress' purse string responsibilities. Let's see if those lickspittles concede their power to the King
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/19/trump-struggles-to-crack-his-tariffs-piggy-bank-00612284
Trump asked Zelenskyy to concede his land as it stands. Zelenskyy's patience with this man is monumental.
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-us-donald-trump-tense-white-house-meeting/
Trump commutes the sentence of runner-up Heisman Trophy winner George Santos, specifically citing that he's a Republican
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115391767709119144
I saw somewhere that Santos is all in on prison reform. Sure, OJ.
Trump today started demolishing the East Wing of the White House!!!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/20/white-house-begins-demolishing-east-wing-facade-build-trumps-ballroom/
It's in keeping with his ongoing demolition of the constitution.
DBD AV CLUB