It may be hard to believe but there were actually 2 positive developments yesterday.

The student section/mic man actually began, without benefit of the stadium PA, a "Hey Alumni Go/Bears" cheer, for the first time in a loooong time. Plus a few timely "Roll On You Bears".

And (2) there was no sing-along with Freddie Mercury. Addition by subtraction, I suppose.

As with every game this year there were cards in the student section but no attempt to do stunts.

Also as usual, no Band pre-game or post-game field show. There was a halftime show. Oddly, the halftime show was the only time all day the band wore their uniform coats -- at Sproul, march up, in the stands they were coatless. It was too hot-...ish?

It really pains me to say this as I've been their biggest fan for 50 years, but the Band is getting sloppy and lazy.

The piped in music seemed more egregiously obtrusive than usual, or maybe I was just in a bad mood.

JSC 76 said:

---

It may be hard to believe but there were actually 2 positive developments yesterday.

The student section/mic man actually began, without benefit of the stadium PA, a "Hey Alumni Go/Bears" cheer, for the first time in a loooong time. Plus a few timely "Roll On You Bears".

And (2) there was no sing-along with Freddie Mercury. Addition by subtraction, I suppose.

As with every game this year there were cards in the student section but no attempt to do stunts.

Also as usual, no Band pre-game or post-game field show. There was a halftime show. Oddly, the halftime show was the only time all day the band wore their uniform coats -- at Sproul, march up, in the stands they were coatless. It was too hot-...ish?

It really pains me to say this as I've been their biggest fan for 50 years, but the Band is getting sloppy and lazy.

The piped in music seemed more egregiously obtrusive than usual, or maybe I was just in a bad mood.

---

As a former band member this is just a disgrace. A pre game show can be done without exiting the tunnel. What the hell is the difference between being allowed a half time show and not allowing pre or post game? If it was hot, ok no vests. Plus the half time show seemed very short. There is no communication from Cal regarding the styfling of the band. Why don't they just eliminate it and play more commercials.

I am glad I did not renew season tickets in 2019. There is no reason to go. Doubt I attend anymore games this year. On to Basketball. At least we might win some preseason games.

"On to Basketball. At least we might win some preseason games."

and unicorns fart rainbows.

bearister said:

---

"On to Basketball. At least we might win some preseason games."

and unicorns fart rainbows.

---

Looks better than Ca football.

Just a question as I am not familiar with the Cal Band and its relationship with the Cal Athletic Department or Berkeley Administration. I know they're student run but here's the question. We see all bands of the Pac12 - UCLA, USC down to Utah, Colorado and yeah Stanfurd (but they're organized like that). But honestly, I can't think of a band that has not been marginalized or more poorly run than the Cal Band.

Do we know why they aren't "allowed" (not sure that's the word) or given the chance to do a pregame show or a post game show? What is their relationship with UC Admin? Why can't they be given unit credits for participation in the band like seemingly all other universities?

JSC 76 said:

---

It may be hard to believe but there were actually 2 positive developments yesterday.

The student section/mic man actually began, without benefit of the stadium PA, a "Hey Alumni Go/Bears" cheer, for the first time in a loooong time. Plus a few timely "Roll On You Bears".

And (2) there was no sing-along with Freddie Mercury. Addition by subtraction, I suppose.

As with every game this year there were cards in the student section but no attempt to do stunts.

Also as usual, no Band pre-game or post-game field show. There was a halftime show. Oddly, the halftime show was the only time all day the band wore their uniform coats -- at Sproul, march up, in the stands they were coatless. It was too hot-...ish?

It really pains me to say this as I've been their biggest fan for 50 years, but the Band is getting sloppy and lazy.

The piped in music seemed more egregiously obtrusive than usual, or maybe I was just in a bad mood.

---

Our band has been lazy for a long time.

TBH, I think its hard to not be lazy, when you get **** on every time you try to do your job, and you dont get **** on if you dont do anything.

i'm a broken record on this, but I don't care. The stadium experience is a big part of why I've been to 300 Cal games, and it's slipping away.

Somebody on Write for California called it a break in "institutional memory" caused by last season -- we've forgotten how to be fans (primarily, the students). I think it broke twice, with the first break occurring during the remodel year when we played in SF. We've never regained what we had before 2011.

I used to love being at a game and hearing the Band respond to a big play with a few bars of a fight song while they moved the chains. I loved hearing a stadium-rattling alternating Go/Bears, or C-A-L. I loved it when we got a big 3rd down and the student section got to their feet and yelled their lungs out.

Now the Band hardly plays. The mic men only work the stadium PA now and then and barely address the students. When 3rd down happens, the stadium PA starts blaring noise before the students even notice what down it is.

Nobody like this nonsense. They're shoving it down our throats and no one seems to know why, or how to stop it.

oskidunker said:

---

JSC 76 said:

---

It may be hard to believe but there were actually 2 positive developments yesterday.

The student section/mic man actually began, without benefit of the stadium PA, a "Hey Alumni Go/Bears" cheer, for the first time in a loooong time. Plus a few timely "Roll On You Bears".

And (2) there was no sing-along with Freddie Mercury. Addition by subtraction, I suppose.

As with every game this year there were cards in the student section but no attempt to do stunts.

Also as usual, no Band pre-game or post-game field show. There was a halftime show. Oddly, the halftime show was the only time all day the band wore their uniform coats -- at Sproul, march up, in the stands they were coatless. It was too hot-...ish?

It really pains me to say this as I've been their biggest fan for 50 years, but the Band is getting sloppy and lazy.

The piped in music seemed more egregiously obtrusive than usual, or maybe I was just in a bad mood.

---

As a former band member this is just a disgrace. A pre game show can be done without exiting the tunnel. What the hell is the difference between being allowed a half time show and not allowing pre or post game? If it was hot, ok no vests. Plus the half time show seemed very short. There is no communication from Cal regarding the styfling of the band. Why don't they just eliminate it and play more commercials.

I am glad I did not renew season tickets in 2019. There is no reason to go. Doubt I attend anymore games this year. On to Basketball. At least we might win some preseason games.

---

Agree. It was hot yesterday, but there have been plenty of hot gamedays before. The standards are lowering.

Cal Band has definitely gotten lazier. I don't think the student section even does the "Cal Band Great" cheer anymore because, frankly, they're not as "great" as they used to be. If someone wants to start a separate topic on that subject I'll be happy to contribute in more detail.

But the poor game day experience isn't their fault. It has something to do with the Athletic Department that no longer has any respect for, nor wants to have any respect for what was once a perfectly good college football experience. They now want the game day experience to be "jv-nfl", generic, oriented to adolescents, and nothing more than a revenue producing tool.

Each year, I come to fewer and fewer games. I came to Sac State only because it was Alumni Band Day (my Dad helped make that annual event happen), and the remaining family members come to Alumni Band Day because of the tradition. But I missed Nevada (thankfully) and yesterday's fiasco. In years past, when Cal played poorly, I had the student yells, Cal Band, pregame and postgame performances and card stunts (basically the color and pageantry of Cal game day) to draw me back from SoCal weekend after weekend. I don't have those anymore.

There is no fire in this football team. There is decreased excellence in Cal Band. And there is very little of the traditions that helped me overcome pitiful football.

Thank God for Cal Rugby.

TomBear said:

---

Cal Band has definitely gotten lazier. I don't think the student section even does the "Cal Band Great" cheer anymore because, frankly, they're not as "great" as they used to be. If someone wants to start a separate topic on that subject I'll be happy to contribute in more detail.

But the poor game day experience isn't their fault. It has something to do with the Athletic Department that no longer has any respect for, nor wants to have any respect for what was once a perfectly good college football experience. They now want the game day experience to be "jv-nfl", generic, oriented to adolescents, and nothing more than a revenue producing tool.

Each year, I come to fewer and fewer games. I came to Sac State only because it was Alumni Band Day (my Dad helped make that annual event happen), and the remaining family members come to Alumni Band Day because of the tradition. But I missed Nevada (thankfully) and yesterday's fiasco. In years past, when Cal played poorly, I had the student yells, Cal Band, pregame and postgame performances and card stunts (basically the color and pageantry of Cal game day) to draw me back from SoCal weekend after weekend. I don't have those anymore.

There is no fire in this football team. There is decreased excellence in Cal Band. And there is very little of the traditions that helped me overcome pitiful football.

Thank God for Cal Rugby.

---

There is an interesting tension in this post that i think is somewhat common in the fan base. We want all traditions respected, regardless of revenue implications, but we also want the team to be good. Which takes… money.

maxer said:

---

TomBear said:

---

Cal Band has definitely gotten lazier. I don't think the student section even does the "Cal Band Great" cheer anymore because, frankly, they're not as "great" as they used to be. If someone wants to start a separate topic on that subject I'll be happy to contribute in more detail.

But the poor game day experience isn't their fault. It has something to do with the Athletic Department that no longer has any respect for, nor wants to have any respect for what was once a perfectly good college football experience. They now want the game day experience to be "jv-nfl", generic, oriented to adolescents, and nothing more than a revenue producing tool.

Each year, I come to fewer and fewer games. I came to Sac State only because it was Alumni Band Day (my Dad helped make that annual event happen), and the remaining family members come to Alumni Band Day because of the tradition. But I missed Nevada (thankfully) and yesterday's fiasco. In years past, when Cal played poorly, I had the student yells, Cal Band, pregame and postgame performances and card stunts (basically the color and pageantry of Cal game day) to draw me back from SoCal weekend after weekend. I don't have those anymore.

There is no fire in this football team. There is decreased excellence in Cal Band. And there is very little of the traditions that helped me overcome pitiful football.

Thank God for Cal Rugby.

---

There is an interesting tension in this post that i think is somewhat common in the fan base. We want all traditions respected, regardless of revenue implications, but we also want the team to be good. Which takes… money.

---

If it is either/or - and I don't think it is - then I prefer it when Cal sucked but had tradition.

That is partially why I think it might make sense for Cal to go the Ivy route and take a step down in competition - we could win more games while actually having fun!

Why do we keep trying to squeeze blood out of this turnip?

dimitrig said:

---

maxer said:

---

TomBear said:

---

Cal Band has definitely gotten lazier. I don't think the student section even does the "Cal Band Great" cheer anymore because, frankly, they're not as "great" as they used to be. If someone wants to start a separate topic on that subject I'll be happy to contribute in more detail.

But the poor game day experience isn't their fault. It has something to do with the Athletic Department that no longer has any respect for, nor wants to have any respect for what was once a perfectly good college football experience. They now want the game day experience to be "jv-nfl", generic, oriented to adolescents, and nothing more than a revenue producing tool.

Each year, I come to fewer and fewer games. I came to Sac State only because it was Alumni Band Day (my Dad helped make that annual event happen), and the remaining family members come to Alumni Band Day because of the tradition. But I missed Nevada (thankfully) and yesterday's fiasco. In years past, when Cal played poorly, I had the student yells, Cal Band, pregame and postgame performances and card stunts (basically the color and pageantry of Cal game day) to draw me back from SoCal weekend after weekend. I don't have those anymore.

There is no fire in this football team. There is decreased excellence in Cal Band. And there is very little of the traditions that helped me overcome pitiful football.

Thank God for Cal Rugby.

---

There is an interesting tension in this post that i think is somewhat common in the fan base. We want all traditions respected, regardless of revenue implications, but we also want the team to be good. Which takes… money.

---

If it is either/or - and I don't think it is - then I prefer it when Cal sucked but had tradition.

That is partially why I think it might make sense for Cal to go the Ivy route and take a step down in competition - we could win more games while actually having fun!

Why do we keep trying to squeeze blood out of this turnip?

---

Yeah I think it's less Cal changing (which it has) but more all of college football changing -- from a fun diversion to a business, which is assuredly is now. The Ivy model has a lot to recommend it.

JSC 76 said:

---

It may be hard to believe but there were actually 2 positive developments yesterday.

The student section/mic man actually began, without benefit of the stadium PA, a "Hey Alumni Go/Bears" cheer, for the first time in a loooong time. Plus a few timely "Roll On You Bears".

And (2) there was no sing-along with Freddie Mercury. Addition by subtraction, I suppose.

As with every game this year there were cards in the student section but no attempt to do stunts.

Also as usual, no Band pre-game or post-game field show. There was a halftime show. Oddly, the halftime show was the only time all day the band wore their uniform coats -- at Sproul, march up, in the stands they were coatless. It was too hot-...ish?

It really pains me to say this as I've been their biggest fan for 50 years, but the Band is getting sloppy and lazy.

The piped in music seemed more egregiously obtrusive than usual, or maybe I was just in a bad mood.

---

As someone who sits on that side of the stadium, there technically was an attempt at the card stunts. Rally Comm tried to call it out but these students just don't know any better. I don't think things are helped by the fact that they don't show the card stunt on the jumbotron so that students get a sense of what they're trying to achieve.

And I've seriously been wondering why the band doesn't go onto the field in the pre-game. What's the reasoning there? It's probably the thing that bothers me the most to not see the script Cal.

The Mic Man are sort of getting better. They auditioned a few additional ones today. Prior to this game it was just one guy who seemed like he was still learning when to say "1st and 10, do it again" vs. "Roll on you, Bears" and only just recently discovered that "Hey Alumni, Go!" was a thing. They are generally not good at rallying the students to try to make noise on defense.

jumbo tron...ha

maxer said:

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dimitrig said:

---

maxer said:

---

TomBear said:

---

Cal Band has definitely gotten lazier. I don't think the student section even does the "Cal Band Great" cheer anymore because, frankly, they're not as "great" as they used to be. If someone wants to start a separate topic on that subject I'll be happy to contribute in more detail.

But the poor game day experience isn't their fault. It has something to do with the Athletic Department that no longer has any respect for, nor wants to have any respect for what was once a perfectly good college football experience. They now want the game day experience to be "jv-nfl", generic, oriented to adolescents, and nothing more than a revenue producing tool.

Each year, I come to fewer and fewer games. I came to Sac State only because it was Alumni Band Day (my Dad helped make that annual event happen), and the remaining family members come to Alumni Band Day because of the tradition. But I missed Nevada (thankfully) and yesterday's fiasco. In years past, when Cal played poorly, I had the student yells, Cal Band, pregame and postgame performances and card stunts (basically the color and pageantry of Cal game day) to draw me back from SoCal weekend after weekend. I don't have those anymore.

There is no fire in this football team. There is decreased excellence in Cal Band. And there is very little of the traditions that helped me overcome pitiful football.

Thank God for Cal Rugby.

---

There is an interesting tension in this post that i think is somewhat common in the fan base. We want all traditions respected, regardless of revenue implications, but we also want the team to be good. Which takes… money.

---

If it is either/or - and I don't think it is - then I prefer it when Cal sucked but had tradition.

That is partially why I think it might make sense for Cal to go the Ivy route and take a step down in competition - we could win more games while actually having fun!

Why do we keep trying to squeeze blood out of this turnip?

---

Yeah I think it's less Cal changing (which it has) but more all of college football changing -- from a fun diversion to a business, which is assuredly is now. The Ivy model has a lot to recommend it.

---

I understand the need to generate revenue. I don't get bothered by the Pepsi T-Shirt toss or the Avoderm Dress Your Pet competition because I know the university is making some $ by subjecting us to these commercials which have been designed to at least have some entertainment value (not the t-shirts for me, but the pets at least are cute).

The most objectionable change -- the barrage of piped-in music -- has no direct relationship to revenue generation. No one is paying them to play 25 minutes of this crap per game while depriving us of the opportunity to hear the band play 10-20 more times per game. This and the 3rd down electronic noise needs to end.

kal kommie said:

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maxer said:

---

dimitrig said:

---

maxer said:

---

TomBear said:

---

Cal Band has definitely gotten lazier. I don't think the student section even does the "Cal Band Great" cheer anymore because, frankly, they're not as "great" as they used to be. If someone wants to start a separate topic on that subject I'll be happy to contribute in more detail.

But the poor game day experience isn't their fault. It has something to do with the Athletic Department that no longer has any respect for, nor wants to have any respect for what was once a perfectly good college football experience. They now want the game day experience to be "jv-nfl", generic, oriented to adolescents, and nothing more than a revenue producing tool.

Each year, I come to fewer and fewer games. I came to Sac State only because it was Alumni Band Day (my Dad helped make that annual event happen), and the remaining family members come to Alumni Band Day because of the tradition. But I missed Nevada (thankfully) and yesterday's fiasco. In years past, when Cal played poorly, I had the student yells, Cal Band, pregame and postgame performances and card stunts (basically the color and pageantry of Cal game day) to draw me back from SoCal weekend after weekend. I don't have those anymore.

There is no fire in this football team. There is decreased excellence in Cal Band. And there is very little of the traditions that helped me overcome pitiful football.

Thank God for Cal Rugby.

---

There is an interesting tension in this post that i think is somewhat common in the fan base. We want all traditions respected, regardless of revenue implications, but we also want the team to be good. Which takes… money.

---

If it is either/or - and I don't think it is - then I prefer it when Cal sucked but had tradition.

That is partially why I think it might make sense for Cal to go the Ivy route and take a step down in competition - we could win more games while actually having fun!

Why do we keep trying to squeeze blood out of this turnip?

---

Yeah I think it's less Cal changing (which it has) but more all of college football changing -- from a fun diversion to a business, which is assuredly is now. The Ivy model has a lot to recommend it.

---

I understand the need to generate revenue. I don't get bothered by the Pepsi T-Shirt toss or the Avoderm Dress Your Pet competition because I know the university is making some $ by subjecting us to these commercials which have been designed to at least have some entertainment value (not the t-shirts for me, but the pets at least are cute).

The most objectionable change -- the barrage of piped-in music -- has no direct relationship to revenue generation. No one is paying them to play 25 minutes of this crap per game while depriving us of the opportunity to hear the band play 10-20 more times per game. This and the 3rd down electronic noise needs to end.

---

Its all I remember about Saturday. Overall a horrible experience. I won't go anymore this year.

dimitrig said:

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maxer said:

---

TomBear said:

---

Cal Band has definitely gotten lazier. I don't think the student section even does the "Cal Band Great" cheer anymore because, frankly, they're not as "great" as they used to be. If someone wants to start a separate topic on that subject I'll be happy to contribute in more detail.

But the poor game day experience isn't their fault. It has something to do with the Athletic Department that no longer has any respect for, nor wants to have any respect for what was once a perfectly good college football experience. They now want the game day experience to be "jv-nfl", generic, oriented to adolescents, and nothing more than a revenue producing tool.

Each year, I come to fewer and fewer games. I came to Sac State only because it was Alumni Band Day (my Dad helped make that annual event happen), and the remaining family members come to Alumni Band Day because of the tradition. But I missed Nevada (thankfully) and yesterday's fiasco. In years past, when Cal played poorly, I had the student yells, Cal Band, pregame and postgame performances and card stunts (basically the color and pageantry of Cal game day) to draw me back from SoCal weekend after weekend. I don't have those anymore.

There is no fire in this football team. There is decreased excellence in Cal Band. And there is very little of the traditions that helped me overcome pitiful football.

Thank God for Cal Rugby.

---

There is an interesting tension in this post that i think is somewhat common in the fan base. We want all traditions respected, regardless of revenue implications, but we also want the team to be good. Which takes… money.

---

If it is either/or - and I don't think it is - then I prefer it when Cal sucked but had tradition.

That is partially why I think it might make sense for Cal to go the Ivy route and take a step down in competition - we could win more games while actually having fun!

Why do we keep trying to squeeze blood out of this turnip?

---

Ivy league might make sense, although the travel costs would be significant. I'd suggest the Mountain West, but Cal isn't good enough to compete in that conference. Maybe the Sun Belt.

Agreed. Let the band play. Why play piped in garbage when there is already a fantastic group of individuals who have their musical instruments in hand and on site? Love the band. Was part of my experience at CMS growing up. Live music is much better than that piped in crap.

The people who handle the stadium experience do the same thing all over the country.

If you don't like the typical College football sperience, you hate Murkuh.

Bobodeluxe said:

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The people who handle the stadium experience do the same thing all over the country.

If you don't like the typical College football sperience, you hate Murkuh.

---

Learfield?

Yup.

maxer said:

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TomBear said:

---

Cal Band has definitely gotten lazier. I don't think the student section even does the "Cal Band Great" cheer anymore because, frankly, they're not as "great" as they used to be. If someone wants to start a separate topic on that subject I'll be happy to contribute in more detail.

But the poor game day experience isn't their fault. It has something to do with the Athletic Department that no longer has any respect for, nor wants to have any respect for what was once a perfectly good college football experience. They now want the game day experience to be "jv-nfl", generic, oriented to adolescents, and nothing more than a revenue producing tool.

Each year, I come to fewer and fewer games. I came to Sac State only because it was Alumni Band Day (my Dad helped make that annual event happen), and the remaining family members come to Alumni Band Day because of the tradition. But I missed Nevada (thankfully) and yesterday's fiasco. In years past, when Cal played poorly, I had the student yells, Cal Band, pregame and postgame performances and card stunts (basically the color and pageantry of Cal game day) to draw me back from SoCal weekend after weekend. I don't have those anymore.

There is no fire in this football team. There is decreased excellence in Cal Band. And there is very little of the traditions that helped me overcome pitiful football.

Thank God for Cal Rugby.

---

There is an interesting tension in this post that i think is somewhat common in the fan base. We want all traditions respected, regardless of revenue implications, but we also want the team to be good. Which takes… money.

---

As I have said, Cal has picked neither.

some thoughts...

The Dance team are back! They add a lot to the game day experience.

In the earlier games they had the Rally Committee run out with the flags, etc, and then afterwards the team ran out. They improved last game and had the rally committee and the players run out at the same time

I always made sure I was in my seats for the when the band came out on the field. Now it doesn't matter so I wasn't in my seats when the band played from the stands.

Only one mic man, and he's doing a decent job considering this is his first year. He has improved each game, but still sometimes doesn't end the cheer early enough (sometimes the cheer is still going with Garbers under center)

The Rally Committee has tried to do the card stunt, but there just wasn't enough students in the section to make it work, and many of the students there didn't participate or know how to participate. The Rally Committee can't fill in the seats, but they can give better instructions up front

At least the field goal kick contest is a good event. Hopefully they bring back the frisbee catching dogs sometime

Like others, you would think that many of these things are basics, and they would be carried forward year to year, but as others speculated, I think the missed covid season meant we lost some of that hand off

Maybe the Rally Committee should have a few alumni advisors!

Bobodeluxe said:

---

The people who handle the stadium experience do the same thing all over the country.

If you don't like the typical College football sperience, you hate Murkuh.

---

Coincidentally, there's a discussion going on on Reddit/CFB about changes in CFB, and piped-in music came up. It turns out that it's happening everywhere -- even to the blue bloods, including schools with great band tradition like Michigan, Ohio State, and (gag) USC. And everybody hates it. How can something that is universally despised, and generates no revenue, not be squashed like some loathsome bug?

They don't care to respond to fans. Unless fans stay away nothing will change.

I have complained about the very loud rap music played at Cal,women's basketball games. Was told that the players like it. Yeah, that's great, but the average age of the paying customers is about 70, and we are there because we have liked and supported all of the great Cal traditions.

In your minds eye, ear, imagine the Straw Hat Band playing rap music.

annarborbear said:

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I have complained about the very loud rap music played at Cal,women's basketball games. Was told that the players like it. Yeah, that's great, but the average age of the paying customers is about 70, and we are there because we have liked and supported all of the great Cal traditions.

---

I agree with your taste in music, but I make an exception for pre-game warmups. Most of the fans aren't there, the Band is not an option (they're gathering in the tunnel, normally). It's the players time -- let them choose the music.

Stewardship and curation of game day traditions and experiences should be in the hands of dedicated fans, alumni, students, players, coaches, faculty, and administration (did I leave any stakeholders out?). But instead, the athletic department has outsourced it to Learfield.

Thank goodness for all that stadium debt. Otherwise Cal football may as well just turn out the lights.

bluehenbear said:

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Stewardship and curation of game day traditions and experiences should be in the hands of dedicated fans, alumni, students, players, coaches, faculty, and administration (did I leave any stakeholders out?). But instead, the athletic department has outsourced it to Learfield.

---

Why?

oskidunker said:

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bluehenbear said:

---

Stewardship and curation of game day traditions and experiences should be in the hands of dedicated fans, alumni, students, players, coaches, faculty, and administration (did I leave any stakeholders out?). But instead, the athletic department has outsourced it to Learfield.

---

Why?

---

Check has been cashed, contract signed.

Move along.

Bobodeluxe said:

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oskidunker said:

---

bluehenbear said:

---

Stewardship and curation of game day traditions and experiences should be in the hands of dedicated fans, alumni, students, players, coaches, faculty, and administration (did I leave any stakeholders out?). But instead, the athletic department has outsourced it to Learfield.

---

Why?

---

Check has been cashed, contract signed.

Move along.

---

They paid Learfield or Learfield paid Cal? Why would they pay us to allow them to blare crap?

They pay Cal, and many others, to relieve all the AD's of the time consuming and expensive task of planning "your game day experience", tailored to the mind-numbingly dull, pre-packaged schlock your typical American consumer would find inoffensive and ripe for marketing.

The question you should be asking yourself is, "Why do I hate America?

I was unable to attend the game on Saturday as I was traveling, so I watched on TV. I distinctly recall at the 11:30 mark of the first quarter, I had already noticed that they chose to blast AC/DC at the beginning of a third down play, and then hearing Guns and Roses at the 11:30 mark is what focused my attention. At that point, I had not heard the band play one single time.

The entire situation is absurd. I love hard rock more than most people on this board, trust me, yet NOBODY in the crowd or watching on TV wants to hear AC/DC or Guns and Roses at that moment. If no one cares about this stuff in the athletic department, why should we care about the program as fans? This makes me so effing angry. I've already stopped donating -- what more can I do? Learfield can go to hell -- trust me, they are problem #1.

If the owners of this site wanted to write an interesting piece, instead of telling us how good our OL will be this year, they should do an investigative piece on Learfield, when they were hired and why, and the finances around the transaction. That would be very interesting. I would like to know what Learfield can do that the Cal athletic department can't do far better (and hadn't already been doing for 100+ years).