111 Comments
author

What two color combo would you have Cal Athletics adopt if blue/gold were not available?

Expand full comment

I would say some color combination from the State flag but the colors aren’t that great to work with. I still want to see us play a game with the us incorporating the State flag into our helmet design.

Expand full comment
author

Yes. Be real interesting to experiment with color changes to same design. Like with the current darker blue base. Bear in gold. See how the grass looks in gold or even minimize it to a gold squiggle or just eliminate the grass. Gold stripe in different variations or no stripe. Gold star.

Expand full comment

Yes! That would be awesome. The red stripe and star would be problematic, perhaps changes those to blue and gold and keep the rest.

Expand full comment

That would be pretty cool and better than Maryland's godawful helmets.

Expand full comment
author

I'm not the kind of Marylander who goes around plastering the flag design all over everything I own (which may make me a minority out here), but I like their helmets.

Expand full comment

Took me a while to get used to the MD flag helmets. Didn't know what to think when they first came out. What jumped out at me was they were

"too busy" looking. Was not love at first site. After a couple of seasons, I became good with them.

Expand full comment

Yeah, I like them.

Expand full comment

I like them too 🤷‍♂️

Expand full comment

Get this: Penn State's iconic blue and white started as black and pink, which faded with time to blue and white and everybody said yeah that looks better - let's go with that.

Expand full comment

periwinkle and raw umber

Expand full comment

Not bad, or blue-violet and lime green

Expand full comment

Time and why we it seems to only flow in one direction and we can only seem to experience it in one direction.

Expand full comment

Not much really. I got a 2020 tax bill from the state of California in which I proved to them they had miscalculated so I don't owe them a dime. Was on hold for two and a half hours waiting for a rep yesterday afternoon.

Expand full comment

speaking of taxes. i think i need to get mine done by Oct 15

Expand full comment

Fat bear ... great cover photo today

Expand full comment
author

DBD Kitchen

Expand full comment

Thai Curry chicken last night. Pretty good.

Expand full comment
author

DBD AV

Expand full comment
author

Crumbling Democracies

Expand full comment
author

Connecticut's new law that mandates rear-seat passengers wear seat belts goes into effect tomorrow. I hear that they may also decide that it's time to start mandating unleaded gas and rewinding your rental VHS tapes before returning them.

https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-seat-belt-law-goes-into-effect-in-conn-on-friday/

Expand full comment

Be Kind, Rewind.

Expand full comment

I even had a VHS cassette rewind machine before the advent of DVDs

Expand full comment

Alton Brown would NOT approve.

Expand full comment

The Good Eats guy? That's funny.

Expand full comment

Did it look like a car? Mine did. So did the one at Blockbuster.

Expand full comment

It looked like a low box with rounded edges and a slightly convex top

Expand full comment

but my rights!

Expand full comment
author

Pelosi says not going to raise debt ceiling. Looks like she's going back to GOP to ask for reconciliation, which I think will fail. My take is that DEMs are trying to push government shutdown blame onto GOP.

https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1443344712576950275

Expand full comment
author

As a former auditor, I can say this is bad news for TFG. Literally a different set of books. With literally his name on it. That has adjustments that actively highlight what TFG doesn't want seen.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/legal-expert-detail-weisselberg-indictment-084201051.html

Expand full comment
author

Josh Mandel - who literally served as Ohio's treasurer for 8 years - has this to say:

https://twitter.com/JimSwiftDC/status/1443401398511710210

Expand full comment
author

Manchin says that the infrastructure bill is missing some wording that prohibit Medicare for abortion

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/574621-manchin-says-reconciliation-bill-must-include-controversial-hyde-amendment

Expand full comment
author

After a month of complaining that it's "too expensive" without offering any ideas of what to change, he finally has a concrete example of something to modify the bill! Nevermind that the change has nothing to do with cost... Now if only Sinema can do the same instead of wasting everyone's time with vague "nuh uh, I don't like it" complaints.

Expand full comment
author

Sen. Sinema (DINO-AZ) doesn't yet have a DEM challenger, but she's setting herself up to be primaried.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/9/27/2054753/-Sinema-s-unforced-errors-have-cost-her-big-time-with-Arizona-Democrats

Expand full comment

She is barely a Democrat. She is basically a libertarian that caucuses with the Democrats.

Expand full comment

she's a fucking clown. Manchin might be a tedious "conservative by any other name" but at least he has the decency to pretend to have a concern even if it's mostly protecting his family's income. She's just an asshole.

Expand full comment

100% agree with this take on Sinema.

Expand full comment

Jan. 6 investigators subpoena organizers of rallies that preceded Capitol attack

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/29/jan-6-committee-subpoenas-capitol-514756

Expand full comment
author

Today in COVID

Expand full comment
author

Cal

Expand full comment

My son saw Kuony Deng at Berkeley Bowl, and he looks very injured; full cast and rolling walker thing. He also said they need to get him on a better lifting plan, since my son is thicker built than he.

Expand full comment

as someone whose fellow alumni celebrated the firing of the last SC strength and conditioning coach, I'll suggest it's not a great sign if that's becoming a point of concern on top of everything else - but isn't Deng kind of a beanpole anyway?

Expand full comment

I thought he looked less beanpole-y this year compared to the last couple years. But maybe now that he's injured, he's losing muscle mass again.

Expand full comment
author

He was a beanpole in 2019, thicc in 2020, and somewhere in between this year

Expand full comment

Also, my son is yoked.

Expand full comment

He still has eligibility doesn't he?

Expand full comment

haha, technically, yes. Fast, but at 5'9" a bit undersized.

Expand full comment

no way he's back for at least 4-6 weeks I would guess.

Expand full comment

No way is he back this season.

Expand full comment

Ya, he’s done

Expand full comment

Go Bears!!!

Expand full comment
author

🐻🏌️‍♂️💲

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUX7E4lvEpi/

Expand full comment
author

So what we do have in regards to pregame meetups and sections that a lot of you sit in at Memorial for future reference for games.

Expand full comment
author

Other College

Expand full comment

I was thinking about this after yesterday's exchange about neutral site college games and realized that I have been to precisely two (2) SC games on another campus - against Washington in 2003 and Virginia in 2008.

Expand full comment
author

Pro

Expand full comment

Giants shut out Diamondbacks for record-setting 104th win

https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2021/9/29/22701593/giants-diamondbacks-recap-camilo-doval-alex-wood

The 1962 San Francisco Giants won 103 games in what was the franchise’s fifth season in the city by the bay. More than three decades later, in 1993, they repeated the feat.

On Tuesday, the 2021 Giants — a team that, as far as I’m aware of, no one who follows baseball had predicted to make the postseason — matched that record.

And on Wednesday they broke it, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 1-0 to win 104 games for the first time in the 64-year history of the team being in San Francisco.

Expand full comment

The 2021 Giants have a chance (probably greater than 50%) of breaking the franchise record of 106 wins, set by the 1904 NY Giants with a record of 106-47. The 1905 NY Giants won 105 games (105-48). The 1905 teams also won the World Series.

I think that this year's team could easily win 107 games, if only because they are focused on winning the NL West and are simultaneously being pursued by the Dodgers who are only two games back.

Win 107 could come either Saturday or Sunday (both day games) against the Padres. Breaking the record on Saturday presumes winning tonight (vs. D'backs) and tomorrow night (vs. Padres). If the Giants pull off a 9-game win streak to finish the season, they would have 108 wins.

Expand full comment

Dodgers home run barrage keeps faint National League West hopes alive

https://www.truebluela.com/2021/9/29/22701581/dodgers-home-runs-comeback-rescue-max-scherzer-padres-lol

Max Scherzer was hit early and often, but the Dodgers offense powered a stunning 11-9 comeback win over the Padres on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.

Five home runs in the final two innings fueled the winning rally, including four in the eighth inning alone. Three were allowed by Emilio Pagán, who has allowed a whopping 16 homers in 62⅓ innings this season.

Max Muncy took him deep first, setting a new career high with his 36th home run. AJ Pollock followed with a home run of his own, his second of the game after a two-run job in the first. Pollock has five extra-base hits in five starts since returning from the injured list.

Expand full comment

Tingler was a clown to leave Pagan in after giving up two homers. I think we see why the Padres collapsed so hard. That dude is in over his head.

Expand full comment

Pagan had to at least pitch to Chris Taylor. And then it was Bellinger, who is not hitting well now to say the least. So I guess I could understand leaving him in. And the Pads probably didn't have anyone warming up in the pen. He hit a HR on a 96-97 mph high FB that he usually swings and misses this year.

But yeah, Tingler has been BAD. Both he and the GM should be gone. Though I think they just extended the GM so they won't fire him.

Expand full comment

Probably should have had someone warming up as soon as the first HR went over the wall. I do realize new pitchers have to throw to three batters now, so the second one is unavoidable.

Tingler is probably gone as soon as the season ends.

Expand full comment

Tingler SHOULD be gone...he’s been brutal w/ his pitching staff all year.

Expand full comment

Dodgers had the 4+1 game 15 years ago. B9 down 4, Jeff Kent, JD Drew, Russell Martin, and Marlon Anderson started the inning with back to back to back to back HRs. Then after the Pads scored a run in the 10th, Nomar hit a HR to walk it off.

Last night the Pads scored 3 in the 7th to go up 9-5. Bottom 7 Mookie had a solo HR. Bottom 8, Dodgers had Muncy, Pollock hit HRs, Taylor just missed a HR, Bellinger (!) hit a HR, Turner hit a double, Betts just missed hitting a HR, and Seager hit a laser out to right. So this was pretty close to a 1+4 game.

Expand full comment

And the best part was because of Joe Davis testing positive to Covid even though he's vaccinated, Nomar was on the broadcast team for the game.

Expand full comment
author

Oakland's long-dwindling playoff hopes have finally been extinguished

https://www.athleticsnation.com/2021/9/29/22701826/oakalnd-as-game-159-seattle-mariners-score-result-eliminated

It wasn’t supposed to end like this.

The Oakland A’s were officially eliminated from postseason contention on Wednesday, in a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners. The defeat sealed a sweep at T-Mobile Park, and it was the 12th straight time the A’s have lost to the Mariners dating back to July.

We had such high hopes entering the season, coming off three straight trips to the playoffs in 2018-20. But Oakland will fall just barely short this year, and it doesn’t help that they lost 15 of their 19 meetings with Seattle including seven in the past 10 days.

Tonight was more of what we’ve seen so much of lately. The lineup only scored on solo homers. The starting pitcher was good, but the bullpen couldn’t hold a tie in the late innings. There was no A’s comeback at the end.

Expand full comment

I would love to see the Mariners and the Blue Jays take the WC spots. Knock out both the Yankees and the Red Sox. I'll settle for just the Mariners taking one of the WC spots.

Expand full comment

yes please!

Expand full comment

Game #159: A’s swept by Mariners, eliminated from postseason contention

https://www.athleticsnation.com/2021/9/29/22701826/oakalnd-as-game-159-seattle-mariners-score-result-eliminated

It wasn’t supposed to end like this.

The Oakland A’s were officially eliminated from postseason contention on Wednesday, in a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners. The defeat sealed a sweep at T-Mobile Park, and it was the 12th straight time the A’s have lost to the Mariners dating back to July.

We had such high hopes entering the season, coming off three straight trips to the playoffs in 2018-20. But Oakland will fall just barely short this year, and it doesn’t help that they lost 15 of their 19 meetings with Seattle including seven in the past 10 days.

Expand full comment

I think the A's hoisting of the trident and doing the hand wave invoked sea elements which were the province of the Mariners. Neptune became angry and placed a curse on the end of our season.

Expand full comment

whoa - this is a good theory!

Now, how come there's no curse on UCLA for using our fight song?

Expand full comment

Arizona's "Bear Down" thing is encroaching a little bit into our side of the lawn, too

Expand full comment

Except that "Bear Down" has nothing to do with Cal.

Expand full comment

Agree, this.

Expand full comment
author

End of Quarter

Expand full comment

The only things that could ever happen at the end of the quarter is for the marching band to play something cool (preferably the Cal Band) or for the home team to celebrate its alumni athletes. No more damn ads.

Expand full comment
author

Last day of the fiscal year, so naturally Congress is scrambling to avoid/ensure a government shutdown.

Expand full comment

I don't even take this seriously anymore. It's obvious gamesmanship that will end before we hit the deadline.

Expand full comment

There will be a shutdown, but no default if I had to guess. We've had many shutdowns before, no biggie.

Expand full comment

hmph. They're an enormous waste of time and money, but unless national parks get closed, that's not visible to the general public.

Expand full comment

Well, it happened in 2019 and there was a shutdown. I think it's a shame to politicize the non-political functions of the government as a resource for the people. Of course, house members and senators still will be paid regardless.

Expand full comment

53 days IIRC, much as I enjoyed the time off, it wasn't the best. I managed to avoid losing any pay because I don't take a lot of PTO, but I had folks who were in the hole on PTO and taking leave without pay by the end of it.

Expand full comment
Sep 30, 2021Liked by SGBear

During an earlier shutdown a sign was posted at the head of one of the trails I run. After the shutdown ended I snagged the sign and it's now on my bathroom door. "Because of the federal government shutdown, this National Park Service facility is closed."

Expand full comment

I love to think that a sign with that wording is in a private home.

Expand full comment

with a majority party in both chambers, no less.

Expand full comment

A majority but not a super majority that can defeat a filibuster.

Expand full comment

which they could bypass if they wanted to. It's not in the constitution after all.

Expand full comment

I honestly think the best play is to remove the filibuster, and then eliminate the debt ceiling, it's completely pointless. Then re-install to keep M & S happy.

Expand full comment
author

lmao my end of quarter isn't for 9 more weeks.

Expand full comment
author

What's on my mind? I've always wanted to wrestle an alligator.

Expand full comment

I have two friends who have done this. Both said it's not that hard. Sneak up, then pounce on the mouth - one arm on top, one arm on bottom, then squeeze. Those scary jaws exert enormous pressure when closing, but do not have much ability to open against pressure.

Now, having said all that, noooooo thanks!

Expand full comment

I first saw that interesting fact in a Batman comic.

Expand full comment

Were they wearing khaki shirt and shorts?

Expand full comment

Nah, they were wearing beer muscles.

Expand full comment

Were they also wearing beer goggles?

Expand full comment

In terms of wrestling a bear, do you think you could defeat a panda in hand to hand combat?

Expand full comment
author

Let me answer your question with another question: how far could you drop kick a puppy?

Expand full comment

I’m a Cal fan so I wouldn’t be able to hold the puppy long enough to execute a proper kick.

Expand full comment

Not a chance. Well, maybe a red panda.

Expand full comment

Good call on the panda.

Expand full comment

Red Pandas are beautiful animals but they aren’t related to pandas or bears.

Expand full comment

That's why I might be able to take it.

Expand full comment

Reds are quite nimble though.

Expand full comment
author

the more i think about it, the more im liking the idea of trying to be a WFC contributor at some point next year through an intern system or hiring system.

Expand full comment
author

Great idea!

Expand full comment
author

Feel free to email us at admin@writeforcalifornia.com to express your interest to the team. We're always willing to bring aboard new writers.

Expand full comment