Cal Keeps Baseball After All... For Now...

They came up with the funding... well, almost...

Almost two months after Cal-Berkeley reinstated three other teams that were on the chopping block, the school said Friday that baseball would survive after their massive fundraising efforts.

Cal said financial commitments totaling $9 million were presented to Chancellor Robert Birgeneau by former Golden Bears pitcher and fundraising leader Stu Gordon. The total was short of the initial $10 million goal, but the school's administration was confident enough in that missing million dollars to say the program would continue.

Here was Kevin Cohen's CalTV report from when the initial news of elimination broke...
((HT: caltvinfo))

Cal Hoops Gets Probation For Phone Calls

The NCAA has put Cal's men's basketball program on two years probation for making more than 300 impermissible recruiting phone calls.

The sanctions add some odds and ends to the self-imposed sanctions after reporting the 365 calls. Head Coach Mike Montgomery and three assistants already have served penalties limiting contact with recruits. One unidentified assistant will also not be allowed to make phone calls for a two-month period- from March 12 to June 11.

The only other additional penalties handed out were a limit of five official paid visits for the next two academic years, a public reprimand and a requirement that Montgomery and two assistants must attend a rules seminar.

The HQ guesses that's like having someone attend an anger management class or a defensive driving course...

Or something...

Here's CalTV's wrap on the UCLA game from earlier this week...

DEVELOPING: Cal Kills Baseball And Gymnastics, Reinstates 3 Others

Cal-Berkeley reinstated three teams that were going to be eliminated in budget-cutting moves but is still going to eliminate the baseball and men's gymnastics teams.

The school announced the decision to keep the men's rugby, women's lacrosse and women's gymnastics teams. The two women's teams had been slated for elimination back in September, while men's rugby was going to be reclassified as a "varsity club
sport" despite its consistent national championship title wins.

Campus officials say they received between $12 and $13 million in pledges from the group "Save Cal Sports." They believe $8 million will be available for the three sports that were retained. That will cover their costs for seven to 10 years- according to their own financial estimates.

Cal Vice Chancellor Frank Yeary says that any money that had been pledged for baseball and men's gymnastics were insufficient for any kind of long-term viability.

Here's a story from CalTv's Kevin Cohen when the news first hit last year...

OSG Buzzer Beater: UCLA Claws Past Cal On A Last Second Tip In.

Not only did UCLA's Reeves Nelson have a career night with 24 points Nelson also won the game for the Bruins at Pauley Pavilion with a tip in at the buzzer.

Check out the highlights. (Thanks Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area)



UCLA is now 4-2 in the Pac 10, 12-6 overall.

TWTW: Oregon Ducks Upset At Cal

((HT: KVAL-TV Eugene))

No, we didn't screw up the headline... think about it...

Jeff Maehl caught a 29-yard pass for Oregon's only offensive touchdown in Strawberry Canyon, and Oregon escapes when an illegal motion penalty against California's kicker gives them the 15-13 victory over Cal.

Cliff Harris returned a punt 64 yards for the only touchdown in the first half for the Ducks, now 10-0/7-0 in the Pac-10/11, only managed 317 yards and went scoreless in two quarters — the first and the fourth.

Nick Krupke was indoors for this one...

Cal Cuts Three Sports: Baseball, Gymnastics, Lacrosse

And rugby gets reassigned to "varsity club" status- which means that they have to raise their own funds... rugby is only the most successful sport in university history...

163 athletes are affected as the school is cutting four million dollars from their budgets...

"We went two years without hiring faculty, where we went a year with furloughs, where we laid off 500 low paid workers which we hated to do. We can't justify university support of athletic at the level of $10 million, $15 million or $20 million. It's just not possible," Cal Chancellor Robert Birgenau said in his dirge of a press conference.

Lyanne Melendez is in Berkeley with the bad news...
((HT: KGO-TV San Francisco))

TWTW: A Wynn-Wynn Situation For Utah

((HT: KSL-TV))

Cal jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead against Utah in the SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl...
Cal then responded as only Cal does and proceeded to lose the game...

And, by the way, the HQ would like to alert everyone to the pronunciation of the flower in question... It's "Poin-set-uh," not "Poin-set-tee-uh..."

We seem to have to remind everyone of this every year...

Utah's Jordan Wynn threw for a career-high 338 yards and 3 TD's as Number 23 Utah won 37-27...

The Utes scored 27 straight points to win their ninth straight bowl game- the longest current streak in the country. The Golden Bears, in a bowl game for the school-record seventh straight year, had their four-game postseason winning streak snapped.

Wynn improved to 3-0 at Jack Murphy Stadium ((yes, the HQ knows about the corporate title, but we're not getting paid to mention the name))- including two section championships while the starter at suburban Oceanside High.

Here's your highlights from our friends at KSL-TV- again...

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

College Basketball 09-10: Pac-10 Conference

Those of us at the OSG HQ stay up late at night to catch Pac-10 basketball and it’s always worth it. This year the Pac-10 will initially suffer from a lack of star power as the league saw some of its stars move on. New stars will emerge. Let’s see how the influx of young talent plays out. I willing to bet the Pac-10 will stay near the top of the major conferences.

BEST TEAM IN THE PAC-10 – WASHINGTON

Yeah I know, California is the chic pick and the Bears will be right on the Huskies hind legs but Washington seems to have it going in Seattle. The Huskies backcourt looks great with Isiah Thomas filling the hoop and big time newcomer Abdul Gaddy in the mix. Washington’s backcourt was pretty good last season and even with the loss of Justin Dentmon the Huskies just might be better. Forward Quincy Pondexter is taking on the go-to guy role for the Huskies this season. Pondexter was brilliant during the Huskies post-season run.

Yes their will be some growing pains but that is what November and December are for. Come January the Huskies will be ready to defend their Pac-10 championship.

BEST PLAYER IN THE PAC-10 – Jerome Randle – California

Let’s make one thing clear, Randle can flat out shoot the ball. His numbers last season were off the charts. 50 percent from the field, 46 percent from the land of the 3’s, 86 percent for the foul line, unreal. Randle is quicker than quick and almost impossible to defend. Randle is the real deal. Enjoy him this year Cal Bear fans.

OSG Pac-10 Predictions

Washington
California
UCLA
Arizona
Oregon State
Oregon
Arizona State
Washington State
USC
Stanford

Photo Courtesy: goldenbearsports.com

TWTW: A Busy Day In Oregon, Jahvid Not Feeling His Best

((HT: FS Arizona/KVAL))

Sean Canfield threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score Saturday night in Oregon State's 31-14 victory over No. 23 Cal, which lost Jahvid Best to a concussion in the second quarter.

Actually, we think it's "who lost Jahvid Best," but who are we...?
Or is it "which are we...?"

Best landed on his head in the end zone following a leaping touchdown over a defender.
And he was out immediately after he landed...

It took 16 minutes to get everything squared away so he was safe to move off the field and in to an ambluance.

Oregon State (6-3, 4-2) became bowl eligible.

"It's a great win to beat Cal down here again," OSU QB Sean Canfield said. "I've never lost down here and it's nice to go out that way."

Tedford said results of an initial exam came out normal. "It's very sobering when that happens," Tedford said. "When it happened, it was unbelievably scary. He was out of it pretty good."

Here's the injury, thanks to FSArizona

TWTW: Duck, Duck... Cal Gets Goosed 42-3

((HT: KVAL-TV/Eugene))

The Ducks, wearing their "throw-back" jerseys from the mid 1990's, got a huge boost on offense with the re-emergence of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. Masoli broke out of an early season slump to complete 21 of 25 passes for 253 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Masoli's favorite target was tight end Ed Dickson. Dickson had a career day, finishing with 11 catches for 148 yards and receiving all three of Masoli's touchdown throws. The Ducks also had a solid day on the ground led by LaMichael James. James, coming off his breakout performance against Utah the week before, had another 100 yard rushing performance, ending up with 118 yards and one touchdown.

Oregon's defense also stepped up to the challenge, especially against Cal's Heisman candidate running back Jahvid Best. Best was held to only 55 yards on 16 carries, as the Ducks seemed to easily break through the Bears' offensive line throughout the day.

Here's KVAL's coverage of the Pac-10 Pantsing...
Nick Krupke sat inside for his anchoring segment

College Basketball: Pac 10 Predictions

UCLA rules the west coast and Ben Howland has another great team returning to Westwood. Arizona State could make life hell for the Bruins though.

Best Team In The Pac-10: UCLA Bruins
UCLA has the brand name, gets all the top 5 star talent out west and has a brilliant head coach in Ben Howland. Darren Collison returned for his senior season and is a playmaker and a shut down defender. The Bruins may have lost Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Richard Mbah a Moute to the NBA but don't worry, UCLA has the goods to go back to the Final Four.

Best Player In The Pac-10: James Harden - Arizona State
It would be easy to pick Collison but Harden is the real deal. He can shoot, defend, drive the hoop and finish plus draw fouls. Enjoy him Sun Devil fans, Harden won't be around much longer. NBA millions beckon.

Team That Could Surprise: Washington State Cougars
Wazzou lost 3 key starters but this team still has some veteran leaders. Most importantly, Tony Bennett is an outstanding coach and will find ways to get 20 wins and a upper division finish in the Pac-10

Who Goes Dancing: UCLA, Arizona State, Southern California, Washington State

Who Plays For Number 66: Washington, California, Arizona

Pac-10 Notes: Former Stanford head coach Mike Montgomery has moved to the other side of the tracks taking over at California. Bears fans have embraced their former enemy. Stanford has a new head coach to, former Duke assistant Johnny Dawkins, he doesn't have the Lopez twins around. It might be a long year on the farm.

Pac-10 Predictions

1. UCLA
2. Arizona State
3. Southern California
4. Washington State
5. Washington
6. California
7. Arizona
8. Oregon
9. Stanford
10. Oregon State

Photo Courtesy: AP

Fear The Pre-Game Meal...

Maryland, the week after losing in Murfreesboro, Tennessee to Middle Tennessee State ((???)) comes to temporary life against Cal in a home game for the Terrapins.

Cal had to throw the ball 60 times to try a big fourth-quarter comeback...
This pass was, however, very incomplete...
Jahvid Best is still trying to figure out what he ate that morning...
As are we...
Early "Hit of the Year" Candidate comes from Kevin Barnes...
((thanks, the youtube and ESPN))