Golden Nuggets: Happy Big Game Week, Prescribed Fire, and the California Language Archive
Healthy forest management involves periodically setting fires to trees.
Hello and welcome to Golden Nuggets, our weekly recap article where we try to highlight all the fun, funny, or interesting things you might have missed roughly over the last week across Bear Territory (the whole damn world of course).
Set That Tree Ablaze (periodically)
We start this week with important forest health related news out of the of UC Berkeley College of Natural Resources following a 20-year study up at the Blodgett Research Center showing the potential for periodic prescribed fire helps protect older growth trees and thereby avoiding carbon escaping to the atmosphere and promoting forest health! Read more about the study here.
And Happy Big Game Week!
Men’s Water Polo Senior Day
Cal Men’s Water Polo celebrated their Senior Class this past week. Congrats to Albert Ponferrada, Marci Szatmary, Nik Mirkovic, WIlliam Kelly, and Bende Pardi!
Hot Links
Biomining, What Does It Mean?
Berkeley Engineering profiled a team of UC Berkeley led-researchers solving the problem of rare earth element mining using viruses. I’m sure its all above board even though it sounds like the establishing sequence of most apocalyptic video games. Read more here.
UC Berkeley California Language Archive
Did you know UC Berkeley has a language archive? Did you know its helping keep Indigenous languages alive? Read more about the archive here!
Big Game Through the Eyes of Transfers
In the lead up to Big Game, the SF Chronicle caught up with current Cal co-defensive coordinator Terrence Brown (former Stanford defensive back 2009-2012) and current Stanford linebacker Hunter Barth (former Cal linebacker last year) to talk up the Big Game rivalry and what it means to play for both sides (a couple of splinters in your butt in my opinion.) Read more here.
Small Bites
Baseball released the 2025-2026 Schedule
Happy Birthday Whoopi Goldberg (former Berkeley resident). Enjoy your Top Dog.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele doubled down at staying at Cal
Marshawn recorded a Door Dash commercial at a recent Cal Game
Golden Bear Honors
Jaron-Keawe Sagaploutele was named the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week (pls don’t audit the voter roll)
Luka Lukic (Men’s Soccer) was named to the All-ACC Third Team
Sophie Scott (Volleyball) was named a winner of the CalHOPE Courage Award
ESPN re-ranked all QBs after the end of October, and Jaron moved up a few spots.
Puff Morris (Women’s Basketball) was named ACC Rookie of the Week
Cal Athletics Recap
Men’s Soccer lost 1-2 to Virginia in the ACC Championship
Men’s Basketball got run of the gym in Manhattan, but then turned around and forced their way back inside losing narrowly to Kansas State (96-99) and beat Presbyterian (67-57)
Cross County registered a couple of Top-15 Finishes at the NCAA West Regionals
Men’s Water Polo lost to Stanford (9-13)
Women’s Basketball beat Charlotte (69-44) and Harvard (76-65)
Men’s Tennis and Women’s Tennis began competing in the NCAA Singles and Double Championships
Cal Pros Recap
Football
Jaylinn Hawkins has Stanford thoughts. Keenan Allen had a fantastic catch against the Jags.
Basketball
Jaylen Brown didn’t get anyone with his hair this week. But he did drop 33 in a win over the Clippers.
Next Week in Bear Territory
Women’s Tennis competes in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships (11/17-11/23)
Men’s Tennis competes in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships (11/17-11/23)
Volleyball takes on Stanford (11/19) and then plays them again on Sunday (11/23)
Women’s Basketball takes on Saint Mary’s (11/20) and Grand Canyon (11/24)
Rugby takes on UC Santa Cruz (11/20)
Men’s Water Polo plays Johns Hopkins in the MPSF Championships (11/21)
Men’s Basketball plays against Sacramento State (11/21) and UCLA (who is that? 11/25)
Cross Country competes in the NCAA Championships (11/22)
Football takes on Stanford (11/22)
And so we find ourselves again at the end of Golden Nuggets. I appreciate you all reading this, and I have a ton of fun writing it. Last week’s most clicked link was the bear making off with the chainsaw, in the event you wanted to watch someone prep for Big Game again.
As always, let me know what I forgot in the comments, and hope to see you around Bear Territory! I unfortunately won’t be able to make it to Big Game, but I hope to live vicariously through all of you. Thanks again for reading, and see you next week!
Please send the forest study results to Cal Fire. Periodic fuel load reduction is a very good practice. Go Bears, Beat Stanford!
It appears that the news of the special burning is spreading like.. well…