Things Everyone Should Know About Berkeley, California

Kim Hastings FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

barewalls.com

This weekend the second-ranked Ducks of Oregon take on the rank California Golden Bears.  As is our custom at fishduck.com/youshouldn’tbeabletoreadthisforfree, we like to go behind the scenes to give you a glimpse of the environment of the next opponent.  The University of California at Berkeley is famous for being the birthplace of both the free speech movement in the 60’s, as well as the place where the radioactive substance “Berkeleum” was discovered.  The campus has been radioactive to talented football players ever since.

Artists conception of the first logo proposed for Cal helmets

Artists conception of the first logo proposed for Cal helmets.

Cal has a 750-pound cannon that it fires off whenever they win a football game.  The cannon collapsed in embarrassment during the much-lamented Tom Holmoe regime.

Expired Cannon

Expired Cannon

While the San Francisco Bay Area is full of exciting things to see and do, Berkeley . . . not so many.  One prominent travel site, when asked to list the most interesting things to do in the city of the Golden Bear returned, as it’s second choice Berkeley Bowl . . . a grocery store.

Actual picture of the inside of the thrilling Berkeley Bowl

Actual picture of the inside of the thrilling Berkeley Bowl.

Listed among notable Cal alumni is the name John Scharffenberger.  He graduated in 1973 and is apparently renowned as a chocolatier.   My wife made caramels for our friends last Christmas and is now waiting for induction into the College of the Redwoods Hall of Fame.

Likely not John Scharrfenberger but how I imagine him in his chocolate kitchen

Likely not John Scharrfenberger — but how I imagine him in his chocolate kitchen.

Of course, no analysis of Cal sports can be complete without remembering the famous “The Band is on the Field!” game-ender against Stanford in 1982.  While their band will probably not be on the field against the Ducks on Saturday night, there are those who say they would put up a better fight.  That trombone player could lay a lick!

If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear a flower in your hair.  If you’re going to Berkeley . . . turn around and go back to San Francisco.  Ducks to the House!

—————————————-

Announcements

*Watch for a joint OREGON/EAGLE Video Analysis next Tuesday! For the bye week we have three analysts who are helping me look at the similarities and differences of the Oregon offense and the Philadelphia Offense. This will be fun!

*Want some College Football humor? Check out FishDuck.com’s GIF Collection! (Click here) Pass it along!

*If you would like to join the other 80+ volunteers at FishDuck.com, and have five hours a week to donate . . . we have slots open for volunteer Editors, Writers, Analysts, Photo Archivists and Social Media Associates. Can you help us manage people? Consider our volunteer Sales Manager and HR Manager positions and give some time each week to help young associates learn! E-mail us at charles@fishduck.com.

 

New 2024 FishDuck Publishing Schedule….

During the off-season the FishDuck.com publishing schedule will consist of articles on Mondays and Tuesdays. Do keep checking as new articles could be published during the week when a writer has something to say.

In mid-August of 2024, we will go back to the seven-days-a-week of articles during the football season as we did in the football season of 2023.

The Our Beloved Ducks Forum (OBD) is where we we discuss the article above and many more topics, as it is so much easier in a message board format over there.  At the free OBD forum we will be posting Oregon Sports article links, the daily Press Releases from the Athletic Department and the news coming out every day.

Our 33 rules at the free OBD Forum can be summarized to this: 1) be polite and respectful, 2) do not tell anyone what to think, feel or write, and 3) no reference of any kind to politics. Easy-peasy!

OBD Forum members….we got your back.  No Trolls Allowed!