putting instead of chipping from off the greens (only 23 putts), spectacular sand saving pars on the par 4 13th & 18th holes & hitting more fairways than anybody in the field while employing a 3 wood strategy, collin morikawa is in a 4 way tie for 1st place after a surgical 66...yeah gotta like collin's chances heading into the weekend
ben an birdied the iconic par 4 18th hole with the lighthouse standing sentinel to a risky front pin position & moved way up the leader board into a tie for 10th after a sizzling 68 (the only player in the field without a bogey in the first 2 rounds)...mark my words, byeong is gonna win on the pga tour this season
max homa is continuing his really strong fashion game, his golf game not so much after a 70 & is tied for 50th
at the pga tournament in the dominican republic michael kim shot a 68 & is tied for 25th and james hahn also shot a 68 & is tied for 37th
on the korn ferry tour brandon hagy bounced back with a sizzling 66 but still missed the cut...kk limbhaust wuz on fire today with a 10 birdie 64 & is tied for 26th
89, in an era of monster length golf courses on the pga tour, harbour town is refreshing with its relatively short yardage & twisty doglegs that require golfers to work the ball both ways...it places a premium upon driving accuracy & iron play into the smallest greens the pros play all year...the greens are not particularly undulating & relatively flat with the areas off the greens lacking sharp drop offs which allows for putting from further afar off the greens which is always fun
harbour town is arguably pete dye's most innovative design & paved the way for more thoughtful architecture when it opened after the dark days of american golf course architecture (the 50s thru the 80s focused upon "championship" golf with "signature holes")...built upon a small parcel of land, it's a tight walkable routing but at the end of the day it's not one of my favorite courses due to the homes on every hole & the road traffic
in essence, this course favors a player that can think his way strategically from hole to hole, hit the narrow fairways with premium placed tee balls & that can hit short irons close to pins to set up straight putts under 15 feet...in essence, it is the perfect course for collin morikawa to hoist the trophy on late sunday afternoon
the lighthouse gotta really fun ice cream parlor on the 1st level & last time there shocky crashed a wedding (lily pulitzer is apparently the official dress of south carolina belles) behind the 18th green & ended up dancing the night away
fun fact: despite being the worst group of blocking wide receivers in the pac 12 last season, coach toler is now stating (props to jim for asking the question) that if guys don't physically block then they not gonna ride this fall in the acc
yeah the coach bloesch emphasis upon running downhill with physicality is a real thing (not just mindless talk)
dressing up in cali is FUN (but wearing clothes is a dumb decision)#
the university of california, berkeley=#1 ranked public university in the world (real talk: cal, stanford & ivy league degrees facilitate building generational wealth)
major cal's monster's offensive line portal transfer update:
6'5" 350 lbs unlv grad transfer (2 years of remaining eligiblity) left guard alani makihele from anchorage alaska is gonna officially trip to berkeley...he's a nor cal native (born in sacramento) & majored in criminal justice at unlv
coach bloesch wants to run/attack downhill, this is exactly the kinda power that's needed with cal's monster offensive line
https://instagr.am/p/C3GPmA_PaqA alani started last season, this will be a cal vs ucla (will officially trip to westwood this weekend) recruiting battle
Today was kinda a big day. Iβm just digging into the lovely messages and want you to know how much I appreciate them. Go Bears. https://t.co/gf5n4grCO7
tirez knowlton et embauchons andrew mcgraw, ca ne devrait pas prendre plus de 24 secondes#
https://instagr.am/p/C4qxI-4Jnv4 the university of california, berkeley=#1 ranked public university in the world (including chateau mirambeau)
cal's monster class update re: the con artist:
the original official berkeley chancellor search timelines outlined potential candidates being nominated in may to uc chancellor michael drake for his recommendation of a final candidate to the uc board of regents in june for a july 1st transfer of power starting date
but what will go down as arguably outgoing chancellor carol christ's legacy/most benevolent gift (other than forgiving much of the stadium debt) to berkeley is that she's lobbied with drake for an early transition date due to multiple critical imminent issues that need immediate addressing which is why richard lyons wuz announced as the next berkeley chancellor last week in early april
carol knows now that knowlton is running the athletic department into an existential financial tsunami iceberg from which it will never recover from (read my past posts re: the covert tens of millions of dollars loans from the central campus & significantly lower future revenue streams from conference media rights) and that he lied to her about the northwestern athletic director job (which resulted in his contract extension thru 2029 at $1,300,000 despite being an absentee employee working outta colorado springs with a rental home in the east bay) & also the magnitude of the nil financial dollars of the men's football/basketball players (christ actually thought the nil dollars paid to jaydn ott wuz comparable to the goalie on the women's field hockey team and went ballistic when she found out otherwise)
so now rich lyons is the de facto chancellor & has the opportunity to take action on the 2nd legal review documents (commissioned by the chancellor's legal team & assistant vice chancellor dan mogulof) which focused upon jim knowlton & his evil as **** 2nd in charge jennifer simon-o'neil with respects to their criminal negligence in the multiple suicidal women's swimmers teri mckeever criminal scandal...the original 1st legal review by the munger firm wuz a $2,000,000+ cost report which resulted in a 482 page document that did not address the culpability of the athletic department, this 2nd report clearly shows criminal level intent & is grounds for the termination of both knowlton & simon-o'neil
and if knowlton & simon-o'neil are terminated then their worthless bureaucratic team of cfo tom lowry (recruited by knowlton from the air force, his transparent disdain of the cal football program wuz apparent to me within 15 minutes of our 1st conversation back in the day) & the obstinate markeisha everrett who talks about innovation but actually does nothing while hiding in her office reading the internet instead of offering FREE tixs to all students will also be removed from power
and yeah then andrew mcgraw would be the right next athletic director to quickly lead moving forward a fiscally responsible rightsized (cutting sport teams such as baseball within title ix requirements, realigning multiple sports such as rugby to club status and repurposing the evans & edwards fields/stadiums for the university's greater good) department that focuses on a select few national championship calibre teams that support school spirit (alums visiting campus on game days) & a stream of future philanthropic donations for the university
got it?
the time is now (for everything in the next 24 secondes)#
everybody who comes in contact with rich lyons and/or jim knolwton at today's scrimmage should ask them why knowlton notes never include any financial information???
in strong contention to hoist the championship trophy & wear the ugly azz plaid winner's jacket is collin morikawa after a near flawless (shoved drive on the par 4 16th hole resulted in a bogey from a scary azz bunker lie near the lip) 68 & is in 3rd place...consider the metrics, collin is #2 in the field this week in driving accuracy at 86% (36 out of 42 fairways hit) & #1 in putting for greens in regulation, that's a lethal combination for the haas biz ad grad
a kinda inconsistent max homa got an eagle & 6 birdies but offset it with 3 mentally initiated bogeys (two of them by less than committed swings on par 3s) en route to an en fuego 66 & is tied for 33rd...would not be surprised if max goes low manana in the low country, maybe des needs to yell at him or something
ben an drove it 320 yards plus thru the fairway into the marsh for a penalty drop which wuz symbiotic of his day, a 72 & tied for 25th
the pga tournament (an alternate field event) in the dominican republic got putting wizard michael kim tied for 19th after a 69 while james hahn played like a shoe salesman with a 75
on the korn ferry tour in florida kk limbhaust with a topsy turvy 8 birdie 70 & is tied for 48th
my take is that this is by far the deepest team during the wilcox era of relative mediocrity, really think this roster could win big this fall in the acc & there's honestly no tomorrow if that don't happen, the time is now which is why shocky is gonna attend all 12 games in person this fall with FREE pregame tailgate parties at buc-ee's
the linebackers wuz my biggest concern heading into spring camp, the addition of grad transfers teddye buchanan &liam johnson considerably strengthens the inside backer room (cade uluave got 1st team all acc upside & nobody works harder than hunter barth)...the outside linebacking room behind david reese & xavier carlton is now the #1 targeted area for improvement via the transfer portal, running with the 2s is athletic ryan mcculloch & a walk on...the staff desperately needs to close on another alpha edge defender asap
and yeah the defensive line is kinda a mix of multiple guys but the reality is that there aren't any elite defensive linemen in the transfer portal that don't wanna sec money...ricky correia got intriguing upside if he can get his conditioning to a non stop motor point of violence
watching the teams during warm ups in shreveport it wuz shocking how much slower the bears wuz compared to the raiders at the skill positions but those concerns have been addressed with the significant portal additions of SPEED based players at wide receiver & defensive backs that are replacing the much slower players on the roster at that time...there will be much faster bears with footspeed against uc davis on august 31 with tobias merriweather & mikey matthews now the starting wideouts alongside trond grizzell...and marcus harris (the fastest guy in the program) starting & ja'ir smith & isaiah crosby potentially also running with the 1s are key additions to the defensive backs room that couldn't close on balls in the air during 2023
fernando mendoza & chandler rogers are not stinson beach high school's jared goff but fully expect much improved qb production with much better playcalling & development by coach bloesch (the best coach on the staff) & qb coach sterlin gilbert
jaydn ott is the best running back in the acc & a legit heisman candidate if the bears win big on a national level, kadarius calloway (who could be the next sam jackson to flunk out if he don't got any academic ambition, he's not quite the nfl talent he's banking on right now) is an elite talent of speed and size & my boy javian "the jet" thomas is the FUTURE (just like haas biz ad grad mike saffell is the future head coach in waiting) of the cal football program...when the jet touches the ******* football, u got action & that's the magic of cal football
jack endries has put on 10 lbs of muscle after sometimes getting pushed around last season & got all acc tight end upside...the back ups are working hard but nobody has stepped up yet among the 2s
right now there are 6 trusted trench workers among cal's monster offensive line with tj sessions, sioape vatikani, nick morrow, matthew wykoff, bastian swinney & rush reimers...another or two portal transfer is being targeted during next week's dialing for dollars
ryan longwell is the worst coach on the staff (vic so'oto is a figurehead special teams coach, anybody who put the unshifty jeremiah hunter as the punt returner for 2 unproductive seasons is not knowledgeable in this area) but ryan coe got a nfl level leg, the punting will be fine & david bird is the gene simmons of long snapping
with a majority of the impact starters held out this team is significantly more talented than it showed today but here's the good, bad & the ugly azz
the good:
kadarius calloway is an elite running back & my guy javian "the jet" thomas is healthy (both physically & mentally) & a third string running back that can take it the house at any point in the game...the running back room is the deepest room in the program
RB Jaivian Thomas gets the offense on the board with this rushing score βοΈβοΈβοΈ pic.twitter.com/j3SodYaNoN
the wide receivers finally got guys with SPEED, the wideout who created the most separation on multiple passing routes wuz speedster marquez dortch...production from a healthy mavin anderson is important
chandler rogers got wheels & is a legit threat for qb running plays with better escapability than nando but both guys gotta tighten up their downfield passing accuracy which looked to be a function of playing too quickly (panic at the disco)
a mid year walk on from alaska inside linebacker aaron hampton (a team high 7 tackles) will get snaps this fall & most likely be a starting backer with a full scholly in 2025, he is a bad azz with a non stop motor...also luv the physical intensity of his fellow mid year inside backer running mate eze osundu, both eze & aaron gotta get bigger/stronger but the skillsets & intangibles are all there for these multiple year future starters
great to see stanley mackenzie moving with physical intensity to the ball, the bears desperately need stan & ricky correia to stuff opponents running games up the middle this fall in the acc
the additions to the team bring more team SPEED than the 2023 roster particularly at the wide receiver & defensive back positions
the bad:
honestly could not tell u the difference between today's playcalling & the playcalling during the beau, billy m & spav years of anemic & non innovative offensive production during wilcox's time as head coach
the majority of the passing game continues to be sideline routes with the middle 3rd of the field not exploited and the rushing playcalling didn't include a single PITCH OUT (the wide receiver jet sweep rushes are too slow developing & easily extinguished) which could be the most dangerous play in coach bloesch's arsenal
if the bears playcalling is gonna continue to be 100% turnover adverse/candy azz soft & not intended to win ******* football games, then why don't justin just call for the punt team on every 1st down with the ball kicked out of bounds to prevent any touchdown returns???
the ugly:
cal's monster offensive line didn't move the improved bears d-front at all, they did not impose their will at the point of attack...room leader tj did not play like a nfl 2025 draft selection prospect and sioape continues to play with lethargy & not play to his virtually unlimited potential (got nfl veteran upside)...# 52 nick morrow is a competitor, his ceiling is unlimited but still gotta continue to make strides in the s&c program (305 lbs with his 6'8" frame is still lean & not his optimal body construction)
Former Cal left tackle Barrett Miller watching his old teammates going through OL drills here early in the spring showcase pic.twitter.com/s98i0Qig3R
today's abysmal performance by the trench workers underscores the absolute critical recruitment of alaskan unlv portal transfer 6'3" 350 lbs alani makihele who would be an impact starter at left guard this fall if he selects cal over ucla
https://instagr.am/p/Ch3B58-vArd no alani, no ******* knocking opponents backwards on their azzs this fall, not securing his commitment would be a dumb decision for everybody
Did Spav leave after one season because he was homesick, or was he low key "shown the door" because Bloesch impressed JW more behind the scenes, as a leader maybe? I never really saw or heard any clear explanation behind his leaving so soon.
Did Spav leave after one season because he was homesick, or was he low key "shown the door" because Bloesch impressed JW more behind the scenes, as a leader maybe? I never really saw or heard any clear explanation behind his leaving so soon.
The same way Wilcox was "impressed" with Sirmon as much to then show DeRuyter the door?
Did Spav leave after one season because he was homesick, or was he low key "shown the door" because Bloesch impressed JW more behind the scenes, as a leader maybe? I never really saw or heard any clear explanation behind his leaving so soon.
Who is this guy? Sorta looks like the next Larry Allen.
someone who likes alaskan king salmon, knows how to throw a bad azz snowball & would be a 2 year starter at left guard for them california golden bears in the atlantic athletic conference
major cal's monster offensive line recruiting update:
coach bloesch had dinner tonite with 6'7" 314 lbs offensive tackle braden miller a portal transfer from michigan state on his official visit to cal this weekend...miller got 3 years of remaining eligibility & is very interested in the world renowned elite haas business school plus he got good lateral movement & quick twitch reflexes
the aurora colorado native is accompanied by his old bro barrett (at practice today) who started for the bears on the o-line during 2023 after graduating from stanford with an engineering degree
yeah braden is not a dumb azz, he got a 4.0 gpa at eaglecrest high school & wuz an all big 10 academic selection
after today's abysmal performance at the 2024 spring game, cal's monster offensive line gotta get significantly bigger & more physical this offseason and braden miller is a big part of those plans
braden knows from barrett that cali is sweater weather & that there's a lotta palm trees at the claremont0
the university of california, berkeley=#1 ranked public university in the world (including colorado which my daughter shay at denver law sent me a video of it snowing yesterday) https://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/
major cal's monster offensive line recruiting update:
coach bloesch had dinner tonite with 6'7" 314 lbs offensive tackle braden miller a portal transfer from michigan state on his official visit to cal this weekend...miller got 3 years of remaining eligibility & is very interested in the world renowned elite haas business school plus he got good lateral movement & quick twitch reflexes
the aurora colorado native is accompanied by his old bro barrett (at practice today) who started for the bears on the o-line during 2023 after graduating from stanford with an engineering degree
yeah braden is not a dumb azz, he got a 4.0 gpa at eaglecrest high school & wuz an all big 10 academic selection
after today's abysmal performance at the 2024 spring game, cal's monster offensive line gotta get significantly bigger & more physical this offseason and braden miller is a big part of those plans
braden knows from barrett that cali is sweater weather & that there's a lotta palm trees at the claremont0
the university of california, berkeley=#1 ranked public university in the world (including colorado which my daughter shay at denver law sent me a video of it snowing yesterday) https://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/
"after today's abysmal performance at the 2024 spring game, cal's monster offensive line gotta get significantly bigger & more physical this offseason and braden miller is a big part of those plans"
Glad I'm not the only one. They sure are a passive bunch. I know football has changed, at least here in the west, but the entire vibe is passive. Not sure there will ever be ground and pound. Doesn't mean Ott won't gain a lot of yardage but it seems like it will be via run/pass strategies with the oline just walling off defenders.
https://calegends.com/donation/ Do it now. Text every Cal fan you know, give them the link, tell them how much you gave, and ask them to text every Cal fan they know and do the same.
despite putting as well as when he won his 2 major championships collin morikawa came out of the rain delay (temps dropped 10+ degrees which means the ball didn't carry as far) by misjudging his carry distances/wind velocity and under clubbed his way into 2 bogeys on the 13th & 14th holes & out of a tie for 2nd place into now into a tie for 9th place...collin will resume play early tomorrow to finish his round after a tee ball shoved far right of the fairway on the dogleg left par 4 16th hole
after 3 weeks on the road max homa played like he couldn't wait to fly home to scottsdale & shot a 75...and ben an shot a 80 but gets points for signing an accurate scorecard
at the dominic arcienga republic pga tournament in punta cana putting magician michael kim rolled in 7 birdies en route to a final round 68 & tie for 14th...james hahn shot a 71 & finished in a tie for 63rd
on the korn ferry tour kk limbhaust played like he got food poisoning at disneyworld or something & shot a 75
collin's resumption of play finish included a 2 putt par on the par 4 16th hole, a 15 foot drained birdie on the par 3 17th hole & a ground first clunky chip shot bogey on the brutal par 4 18th hole playing into a 25 mile wind to shoot a 72 & finish 9th
morikawa's final round scoring average this season has not been productive, it's kinda like closing out football games in the 4th quarter...mental adjustments need to be made, maybe just breathing/relaxing a little bit more could be the key
collin as a brand ambassador for zurich insurance company (his annual endorsement fee is $3,000,000+) will be the only bear playing in the team competition in new orleans this week, his teammate is his gaming buddy (ay caramba, wut's up with headsets?) kurt kitayama
