Berkeley Sports

Men’s Soccer Report

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

For fans of the Cal Golden Bears Men’s soccer team, if you are looking to keep up with the team, their players, records, and overall standings, there are several places where you can turn to for the most coverage on the team. However, making sure that you find a sporting source which offers you the information you are looking for and the most in depth and up to date coverage, is something you really want to look for, when finding the right source to get information about your Cal Golden Bears.Didn’t catch that? This explains it. Although a general internet search might give you some results, you should not use all these sources, as some don’t provide up to date scores, stats, and player reports.

For the best coverage on the men’s soccer team, fans will want to turn to the Cal Golden Bears homepage, in order to get up to the minute updates, on everything about their favorite soccer team. The site is comprehenisve, offers in depth analysis, is up to date and constantly being updated, and real fans can trust the source as a place for great information. So, log onto the team’s page today, and get the latest news you are looking for.

Cal’s Illustrious Rugby Union

admin — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Rugby in northern California has always been a huge success with rugby teams in the area winning major national championships and finding great success. The Cal’s Rugby has won well over twenty national championships at the division one level. This is a huge success for one team to accomplish. Maintaining that success sin their program over so many years is a major business and one the team does not take lightly. Recruiting the best players in the world has been one of the best ways the team continues to capitalize on their past success. The Cal’s rugby program is a dynasty and individual are honored to even make it on the team.

There are a variety of rugby teams both male and female. The female team for Cal’s rugby has continued to do just as well as the mens team. The women are a force to be reckoned with. They continue to build their programs and find the best players to fill the spots left open by exiting seniors. With the success they have had and all of the interest in their program it appears it will be a whole before any school will be able to top what this team has put together.Want to know more? Go ahead: Rugby Challenge Xbox 360

Men’ Basketball Update

admin — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The California Golden Bears, coming off an 18-15 season which ended with a loss in the NIT to Colorado, are optimistic about the upcoming 2011-12 season. Head coach Mike Montgomery, entering his 4th season at Berkeley, welcomes back three starters, F Harper Kamp, PG Jorge Gutierrez, and SG Allen Crabbe. In addition, part-time starter PG Brandon Smith and reserve PF Richard Solomon return.

Montgomery welcomes four freshmen along with redshirt freshman wing Alex Rossi, out last season due to an abdominal injury. The four new Bears are Christian Behrens, 6’8 190 lb. from Kent, WA., Raffi Chalian, 5’11 165 lb. from Sonora, CA., 6’4 195 Rob Filley from Santa Ana, CA., and 6’9 205 lb. David Kravish, from Lee’s Summit, MO.

Rossi is expected to contribute, having completely recovered from injury. Highly touted out of high school, his outside shooting will serve the Bears well. Behrens may be the most ready of the freshman, capable of playing both inside and out, with plenty of athleticism . Kravish could also contribute early. The lanky Missourian developed a reputation as a hard-nosed, hard-working shotblocker as a prep, something Cal desperately could use.

Cal is also awaiting the decision of McKenzie Moore, a 6’5 PG from Pleasant Hills, CA. Moore would be an excellent addition to the Bears backcourt.

Tips for Getting Bears Season Basketball Tickets

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

You may be able to get most of the Bears games on your DirectStarTV sports channels but shouldn’t this be the year you make it to most of the games in person? Here are a few of our best tips for scoring Cal season tickets this year…
Get in Early: If you haven’t already put in a request, do so ASAP. Season tickets start selling out around September and even if you’ve had them in the past you’re not guaranteed any this year.
Talk to Contacts: If you’ve got any contacts at Cal State including coaching staff or even professors, now’s the time to use them. They often can put you in touch with someone at the ticket office who can speed your request along and avoid all the red tape.
Make a Donation: If you want to be guaranteed decent seats, consider making a donation to the coliseum in your name. Be obvious about it and make the donation as much as you can afford – you’ll get tickets this year and maybe for life!
Good luck and GO BEARS!

A Year to Forget

www.berkeleysportsblog.com — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 21:26:40 +0000

The last time the Bears sat at home come bowl season, the year was 2002, with coach Tedford in his first season at the helm. Still that 2002 season was far more successful than the 2010 endured by Bears fans, as Tedford’s inaugural squad at least compiled a winning 7-5 record, simply overlooked at bowl selection time, an injustice at the time according to many analysts. In fact, 2010 marks the first time in coach Tedford’s career at Cal in which the team has lost more than they’ve won, finishing at a disappointing 5-7, good for an abysmal 8^th in the Pac-10. So where did it all go wrong?On November 6^th, the Bears sat at 5-4, fresh off a win against Washington State, with three games left to play. Needing only one win to lock up an even record, thus qualify as bowl eligible, the task at hand was much larger than expected upon closer review. Consecutive contests with top 10 teams (1 Oregon and 5 Stanford), the Bears hardest two games on the schedule, quickly turned a promising 5-4 into an alarming 5-6, needing a win in the season finale against Washington to break even.When time expired in the 4^th quarter of the Huskies vs. Bears contest, so did the Bears’ season expire quite literally. As Washington running back Chris Polk broke the goal line plane from just a yard out with no time remaining, the Huskies declared their own rite of bowl passage, moving to 7-6 on the season, winning their 3^rd straight game. Washington continued its late season run, upsetting the heavily favored 13 Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Holiday Bowl. Of course, this offers little solace to Bears fans, who will lose Junior running back Shane Vereen to the NFL draft, choosing to forego his final season, and quarterback Kevin Riley, a senior.The year 2010 is a stain on the collective Cal football conscience, with the outlook for 2011 not offering much inspiration in terms of returning talent. As we brace for a bleak stretch we haven’t seen in nearly a decade, here’s to hoping the Bears come back strong and surprise naysayers next year.

4th Quarter Season Report

www.berkeleysportsblog.com — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 18:26:25 +0000

If the football season were a game in itself, the Golden Bears would be well into the 4^th quarter, though not capable of a resounding victory at this point, still within arm’s reach of a win. After missing out on a major upset against 1 ranked Oregon over the weekend, Cal still has a chance to salvage their season, needing only 1 win to become bowl eligible, a benchmark to separate a wasted season from solid effort. At 5-5, the season has seen highs and lows, never more optimistic than the early September thumping of Colorado, a Buffaloes group that looked potentially potent until their 4^th game meeting with Missouri to boot. Unfortunately for the Bears, back to back losses to Nevada and Arizona quickly tempered expectations.Perhaps the biggest issue facing the Bears this season has been maintaining a level of consistency. Taking a two point defeat to Oregon shows the talent is there to hang with the top teams in the country, though a brutal loss to Oregon State just before Halloween suggests otherwise. Looking for trends from start to finish, the Bears have played a lot better at home, running a 4-1 record in friendly confines, the one loss coming to Oregon. This is indicative of a lack of poise or maturity, though with senior quarterback Kevin Riley at the helm up until his season ending injury, it doesn’t add up. There’s no reason to expect a team with plenty of veteran leadership to be subject to so such a home vs. away discrepancy.Looking ahead, without Riley, finding that final win to extend the season is a concerning subject. Though the team has played fairly well with backup Brock Mansion under center, Mansion himself has not fared so well. Securing their first road win of the season in Mansion’s first week with any preparation, then pushing Oregon to its limits a week later, all hope is certainly not off the table. This weekend against Stanford should be a struggle, but the Bears catch an equally inconsistent Washington team at home to close the season, a game in which, assuming Mansion continues to improve and grow more comfortable in the starting role, a win seams very possible.

From Golden Bears to NFL Golden Boys

www.berkeleysportsblog.com — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:08:47 +0000

The University of California-Berkeley has the privilege of serving as a stepping stone for many talented individuals who go on to succeed across a variety of careers, only one of which is professional athletics. Fortunately, for those who are quick with their minds and feet alike, the Golden Bears storied football program has a proud history of placing successful football players in the NFL. Taking a look across today’s football landscape, former Bears players are impacting the league at an unprecedented level, with these key contributors perhaps the best of their generation to don Yale Blue and California Gold.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers After laying in waiting behind Brett Favre during his first three years in Green Bay, Rodgers has become the new face of the franchise while establishing himself as one of the best young quarterbacks in the game of football. Rodgers posted an impressive 103.2 quarterback rating in 2009, throwing 30 touchdown passes for the first time in his career compared to only 7 interceptions, earning his first Pro Bowl selection in the process. Rodgers has managed to top the 4,000 yard plateau in both his seasons as the Packers’ starter.
Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland Raiders While his name may be a mouthful for announcers, Asomugha’s coverage skills prove to be quite the handful for opposing receivers. Often forgotten in the Oakland shuffle, the Raiders’ cornerback is among the elite defensive players in the game, one of only a handful of true shut-down corners in the NFL, not to mention the highest paid DB in the league.
Tony Gonzalez Though perhaps on the downside of his prolific career, what an illustrious career it has been for the current Falcon (and longtime Chief) tight end. Tony G. owns practically every major receiving record for his position, including career touchdowns (82), receptions (1,001) and receiving yards (11,842), already considered by most football experts to be the greatest tight end of all time.

Will Basketball Bears Rebuild or Repeat?

www.berkeleysportsblog.com — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:26:00 +0000

It may seem too early to take a gander over to the hardwood, what with the Golden Bear football squad only 2 weeks into their regular season, but as the dog days of August are now securely in the rear view mirror, the tip-off of the college basketball season will be upon the Cal campus sooner the later. Entering his 3^rd year as the Golden Bears basketball coach, Mike Montgomery will face his most daunting coaching challenge thus far in his short stay in Berkeley. After taking the team to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first 2 seasons, Montgomery will try to make a gourmet meal out of mostly leftovers, with all four of 2009-10′s top scorers no longer on the roster. The team does boast the luxury of top billed incoming talent, via the high school recruiting ranks. Guards Allen Crabbe and Gary Franklin, both rising freshmen, will have to make an immediate impression and play key roles for the Bears to rival the success of seasons past.Not to say that an improbably run is out of the cards for the Naismith College Coach of the Year in 2000, 4-time Pac-10 Coach of the year and John R. Wooden “Legends of Coaching” Lifetime achievement award. After all, legends are formed out of bouts with adversity. While Montgomery filled out his resume and expanded his trophy case during his 18-year coaching stop at Stanford, his first year at Cal saw a small scale miracle in its own right. Just a year after stumbling to a 6-12 division mark, running the basketball Bears to 17-16 on the season, the Montgomery led Bears clawed their way to a 22-10 record and a Big Dance berth. A year later, the Bears once again improved under their new coach’s direction, winning 24 games before capturing the school’s first Pac-10 conference title in basketball since 1960.

Football Bears to Watch This Year

www.berkeleysportsblog.com — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 20:17:53 +0000

Shane Vereen Named as a preseason Maxwell Award contender, given annually to the top collegiate player in the nation, Vereen enters the year with a big target on his back. This should be a change of pace for Vereen, who was used more as a change of pace back himself cemented behind the more heralded Jahvid Best on the Bears depth chart. Vereen obviously made enough of an impression after Best went down with injury to warrant nationwide acclaim as he enters his junior season. The year 2009 saw Vereen rush for 12 touchdown, falling just short of 1,000 yards (952), on 183 carries. With a full workload, the sky is the limit for the Bears uncontested starter, as he should receive well over 200 carries throughout the 2010 season.Marvin Jones Jones opens play as a candidate for one of the nation’s top honors, named to the preseason Biletnikoff Award watch list. As a sophomore, Jones tallied 43 receptions for 651 yards and 6 touchdowns, coming on strong late in the season after a relatively modest start. Entering the 6^th game of the season with only 1 score in 5 contests, Jones proceeded to haul in 5 TD catches over the course of the final 7 regular season games, topping 100 yards for the first time in his career in the regular season finale against Washington.Mike Mohamed Perhaps the most accomplished defensive starter returning from a solid unit a year ago, Mohamed is up for the Bednarik award, recognizing the preeminent defensive player in the country. In his junior year, the Bears inside linebacker was tops in the Pac 10, recording 112 tackles while earning first team all-conference honors. Mohamed has improved his production in each of his 3 years with team, and has established himself as an equally dangerous threat in both run coverage and pass defense, picking off 3 balls a peace each of the past 2 campaigns.

Jahvid Best Bears Workload for Lions

www.berkeleysportsblog.com — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 20:17:17 +0000

After 3 scintillating years scooting across the California Memorial Stadium hash-marks like a greased pig hell bent on finding pay-dirt, Jahvid Best could soon burst onto the national scene with a big play ability and natural NFL aptitude rivaling that of fellow former Bear DeSean Jackson. Both players have similar upside actually. While undersized for their respective positions, Jackson at wide out and Best in the backfield, they make up for small stature with top end speed and uncanny elusiveness. Best can only hope he continues to follow Jackson’s professional trajectory, already the number 1 receiving option for the pass happy Eagles, and a Pro-Bowl selection in his second year in the league. Based on early returns, similar success seems forthcoming for Best, who quickly ascended the Lions’ depth chart this preseason, aided by incumbent starter Kevin Smith’s extended absence resulting from ACL surgery.Still, Best has been downright impressive in exhibition play, showing flashes of the talent that made him a human highlight reel during his collegiate career. In his final preseason tune up, Best had only one carry, which he used effectively, breaking of a 51 yard scamper up the left side. In his only other play of the game, Best caught a checkdown pass, dodging right before ducking left, picking up 10 yards and another first down. Clearly the starter, the Lions held Best out of their final meaningless contest, ensuring his health come week 1. In the Lions regular season debut, Best found the end zone for the Lions first 2 touchdowns of 2010, both carries from inside the 10, helping the Lions nearly pull off what would’ve been an improbable upset on the road against the Chicago Bears. In week 2, Best scored 3 times, twice on the ground and once through the air, totaling 78 yards and 154 receiving. With Matt Stafford still on the shelf due to a opening game shoulder injury, the Lion’s should continue to use the run game to carry the team (combined with check down passes out of the backfield), meaning Best should see plenty of opportunity to assert himself as a household name in areas outside of Southern California and Northern Michigan, sooner rather than later.