Just got back from tonight's Cal-Arizona basketball game. I feel like I floated home. At the risk of sounding like I'm channelling Shocky, my condolences to any Old Blues who were not there for THAT one. That was in my all Top 5 all time Cal sporting experiences, for sure. Like a gift that keeps on giving. Yeessss!
Sometimes the planets align in a way you never could have anticipated. That happened tonight. To wit:
1. A packed (and I mean packed) Haas.
2. Tee shirts for everyone. "Gold Out Haas." A great Cal-centric riff on "Sold Out House.". Plus, the sports marketing department didn't cheap out and hand out tee shirts just to the first five thousand to arrive, but to everyone. A gold out indeed. Well done.
3. The whole football team attended, and they were introduced and recognized at center court. Awesome.
4. Cameo shots of Jared Goff in the Haas. Crowd goes nuts.
5. Cal sports marketing rolls out the inimitable Missy Franklin so that Mike Williams could give her the Honda Cup (whatever that is), and so that (much more importantly) the Cal faithful could give her a valedictory standing ovation. Again, awesome.
6. Jaylen Brown shows everyone, including a national television audience, why he is almost certain to be a lottery pick. That blocked shot was incredible. So was the left handed jump hook (he elevated over everybody, including Ristic and Tarczewksi). The spin move, the many loose balls he grabbed., and the defense he played, were just special. Cuonzo should just turn this kid loose, and play him as much as possible.
7. Jordan Matthews just plain went off. Wonder what they gave him at halftime. The Arizona fan sitting behind me with his children kept lamenting "Not Matthews again! Will someone frickin' guard that guy?!" (He actually used a word other than "frickin." Earmuffs, kids, Dad is pissed.).
8. A slew of big time football recruits, and a few prized basketball recruits, were there to take it all in. I don't know how you could have given them a better show, at least not a legal one.
My buddy told me he checked Stub Hub prior to the game and saw tickets in our section going for $170 each. I would not have traded tonight's experience for three times that amount. You just don't get many experiences like that game. Roll on, you Mighty Golden Bears, and multi props to the Cal sports marketing folks. They brought it tonight.
Sometimes the planets align in a way you never could have anticipated. That happened tonight. To wit:
1. A packed (and I mean packed) Haas.
2. Tee shirts for everyone. "Gold Out Haas." A great Cal-centric riff on "Sold Out House.". Plus, the sports marketing department didn't cheap out and hand out tee shirts just to the first five thousand to arrive, but to everyone. A gold out indeed. Well done.
3. The whole football team attended, and they were introduced and recognized at center court. Awesome.
4. Cameo shots of Jared Goff in the Haas. Crowd goes nuts.
5. Cal sports marketing rolls out the inimitable Missy Franklin so that Mike Williams could give her the Honda Cup (whatever that is), and so that (much more importantly) the Cal faithful could give her a valedictory standing ovation. Again, awesome.
6. Jaylen Brown shows everyone, including a national television audience, why he is almost certain to be a lottery pick. That blocked shot was incredible. So was the left handed jump hook (he elevated over everybody, including Ristic and Tarczewksi). The spin move, the many loose balls he grabbed., and the defense he played, were just special. Cuonzo should just turn this kid loose, and play him as much as possible.
7. Jordan Matthews just plain went off. Wonder what they gave him at halftime. The Arizona fan sitting behind me with his children kept lamenting "Not Matthews again! Will someone frickin' guard that guy?!" (He actually used a word other than "frickin." Earmuffs, kids, Dad is pissed.).
8. A slew of big time football recruits, and a few prized basketball recruits, were there to take it all in. I don't know how you could have given them a better show, at least not a legal one.
My buddy told me he checked Stub Hub prior to the game and saw tickets in our section going for $170 each. I would not have traded tonight's experience for three times that amount. You just don't get many experiences like that game. Roll on, you Mighty Golden Bears, and multi props to the Cal sports marketing folks. They brought it tonight.
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