Basketball: made the big dance

Baseball: went to Omaha last year, while a recent bad stretch dropped us out of the rankings, still feel great about this team

Football: winning record last year with a bowl appearance; feel very good about an even better 2012 season; initial practice reports have me very bullish, and I think once we get some of the stud WR's on campus I'll feel even better; plus, our backups are getting some GREAT practice time which can only help in 2012

not really

Cal has triple-threat potential. But so do most BCS schools.

On the other hand, how many other PAC 12 teams made both a bowl game and the NCAA Tourney?

Besides, I think that baseball is not as big as Women's Basketball. It should just be about a double-threat.

likwid1;729088 said:

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Cal has triple-threat potential. But so do most BCS schools.

On the other hand, how many other PAC 12 teams made both a bowl game and the NCAA Tourney?

Besides, I think that baseball is not as big as Women's Basketball. It should just be about a double-threat.

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I don't care about women's sports - sorry, I don't.

Plus, re: baseball: as this season is still underway, the most recent "results" are from last year - we were 1 of 8 nationwide to make it to Omaha - thus, we are probably top triple threat in the Pac12 (at least right now)

Cal's a double threat program
Women's softball
women's basketball

SouthBayPhenom;729080 said:

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Basketball: made the big dance

Baseball: went to Omaha last year, while a recent bad stretch dropped us out of the rankings, still feel great about this team

Football: winning record last year with a bowl appearance; feel very good about an even better 2012 season; initial practice reports have me very bullish, and I think once we get some of the stud WR's on campus I'll feel even better; plus, our backups are getting some GREAT practice time which can only help in 2012

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Excellent points. Too many of today's spoiled Cal fans fail to properly appreciate the juggernaut that Golden Bear athletics has become. Sure, we all religiously follow our powerhouse women's swimming and diving team, but don't short change the sparkling successes of our other teams. This year men's basketball made it all the way to the play-in game before succumbing to fatigue and watching their national title hopes go down the drain. March Madness baby!!

Meanwhile football steamrolled through the competition en route to a 4-5 Pac-12 season. After spirited efforts against their in-state rivals, particularly Fresno State, Cal footballers were rewarded with a much deserved trip to San Diego to visit Sea World.

When you consider these accomplishments in conjunction with our rising power men's gymnastics squad, one can only come to the realization that to call Cal a "triple threat" school is to short change it; Cal is a quadruple threat.

Like the punt, pass and kick competition in Special Olympics

Bear Balls;729102 said:

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Excellent points. Too many of today's spoiled Cal fans fail to properly appreciate the juggernaut that Golden Bear athletics has become. Sure, we all religiously follow our powerhouse women's swimming and diving team, but don't short change the sparkling successes of our other teams. This year men's basketball made it all the way to the play-in game before succumbing to fatigue and watching their national title hopes go down the drain. March Madness baby!!

Meanwhile football steamrolled through the competition en route to a 4-5 Pac-12 season. After spirited efforts against their in-state rivals, particularly Fresno State, Cal footballers were rewarded with a much deserved trip to San Diego to visit Sea World.

When you consider these accomplishments in conjunction with our rising power men's gymnastics squad, one can only come to the realization that to call Cal a "triple threat" school is to short change it; Cal is a quadruple threat.

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OK, smart a$$ - which Pac12 school is stronger across the board than Cal in these 3 sports?

If you want to hang your hat on Cal being less awful than most other Pac-12 basketball programs then enjoy. I'd trade situations with USC, Oregon or Stanford any day to have a football program that actually wins games as opposed to being mediocre across the board but managing to back into the First Four to experience the glory of a Wednesday night beatdown by a 12 seed. Wake me up when Cal makes a Sweet 16. Last year's NIT Sweet 16 was more satisfying than this year's results.

Triple threat -- add women's swimming & diving

SBP does this every year.

And you all keep falling for the troll bait--hook, line, and sinker--EVERY SINGLE TIME. ork:

SouthBayPhenom;729092 said:

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I don't care about women's sports - sorry, I don't.

Plus, re: baseball: as this season is still underway, the most recent "results" are from last year - we were 1 of 8 nationwide to make it to Omaha - thus, we are probably top triple threat in the Pac12 (at least right now)

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baseball. Women's basketball (despite some amateur management issues such using home courts in post-season play to boost attendance) is starting outdraw college baseball significantly on a per game basis in the major conferences, and clearly gets much more media attention than college baseball. And this from someone who actually goes to college baseball games. Most Pac 12 ADs will tell you WBB has moved ahead of baseball (an exception may be OSU which has done very well is baseball lately), and certainly the approach of the Pac 12 and its allocation of resources has moved towards WBB

BTW, If there were a women's triple threat, Cal would be looking pretty awesome. WBB is going top 10 next year, WVB is an elite program, and women swimming is the top program in the nation.

SouthBayPhenom;729106 said:

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OK, smart a$$ - which Pac12 school is stronger across the board than Cal in these 3 sports?

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Better in football - two BCS games in a row
Baseball- having a good year, typically stronger than Cal
Basketball - could win the NIT with a lot of young talent, and gave us tough games to their credit. They have deeper talent IMHO, and if Monty was on the other sideline, and Dawkins was the Cal coach, they probably win two out three from us.

Udub is debateable. Oregon would have a debate if the baseball team wasn't so new. Clearly, their basketball program is improving.

Its a valid point that Cal is decent to pretty good in these 3 sports. I even consider MBB to be in the conference top tier with 1,4,2 finish the last 3 years. But football is not in the top tier (hopefully a nice 8 or 9 win season can fix the overall mediocre program direction), and Cal baseball is good, not yet elite, and took a hit in terms of timing to achieve that status due to the team cut. We are not dominating the conference, just doing relatively well in these 3 sports. Just my two cents.

Men's Swimming and Diving National Champs last year. Will be too hard to repeat this year (NCAA Championship this weekend). But could be in Top 5, if not better.

Double threat: rugby and tree-sitting.

We are about as threatening as Gandhi.

Nasal Mucus Goldenbear;729117 said:

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SBP does this every year.

And you all keep falling for the troll bait--hook, line, and sinker--EVERY SINGLE TIME. ork:

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the memory is strong with NMG

wifeisafurd;729122 said:

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Better in football - two BCS games in a row
Baseball- having a good year, typically stronger than Cal
Basketball - could win the NIT with a lot of young talent, and gave us tough games to their credit. They have deeper talent IMHO, and if Monty was on the other sideline, and Dawkins was the Cal coach, they probably win two out three from us.

Udub is debateable. Oregon would have a debate if the baseball team wasn't so new. Clearly, their basketball program is improving.

Its a valid point that Cal is decent to pretty good in these 3 sports. I even consider MBB to be in the conference top tier with 1,4,2 finish the last 3 years. But football is not in the top tier (hopefully a nice 8 or 9 win season can fix the overall mediocre program direction), and Cal baseball is good, not yet elite, and took a hit in terms of timing to achieve that status due to the team cut. We are not dominating the conference, just doing relatively well in these 3 sports. Just my two cents.

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furd: they didn't make the tourney, and didn't get to Omaha last year
UW: no tourney this year, no Omaha last year
Oregon: no tourney, no Omaha

heartofthebear;729101 said:

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Cal's a double threat program
Women's softball
women's basketball

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Hell, we are a double threat in softball alone. Check out those pics on that other thread!!

SouthBayPhenom;729106 said:

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OK, smart a$$ - which Pac12 school is [U]stronger across the board [/U]than Cal in these 3 sports?

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Baseball - Cal has been mediocre at baseball for over a decade now. Before our miracle run last season, do you know how many postseason games Cal had won in the past 10 years? Take one guess. Do you know how many pac 12 teams had/have won more postseason baseball games than Cal -- A lot.

Basketball - Of all the sports that constitute our 'triple threat' basketball has consistently been our best product, especially since MM arrived. However, our pinnacle of success under MM was losing to Duke in the round of 32. There have been several pac 12 teams that have enjoyed more success in this arena as well.

Football - Well, we used to be a major threat in football. Two ten win seasons in 3 years put Cal on the map as a team to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. 2007 marked our downfall and the program has been wallowing in mediocrity ever sense. Teams like Washington, Oregon, Stanford, and USC have had consistently superior teams during that time period.

We aren't dominant in any of the 3 sports, in fact, we are fairly average across the board when compared to other BCS programs. It's funny how the #1 public school in the nation can produce alums that associate success with mediocrity.

Yet, when comparing 'other sports' such as softball, swimming, golf, rugby, etc Cal excels.

SouthBayPhenom;729080 said:

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Basketball: made the big dance

Baseball: went to Omaha last year, while a recent bad stretch dropped us out of the rankings, still feel great about this team

Football: winning record last year with a bowl appearance; feel very good about an even better 2012 season; initial practice reports have me very bullish, and I think once we get some of the stud WR's on campus I'll feel even better; plus, our backups are getting some GREAT practice time which can only help in 2012

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Bwahahaha.
Dude you're funny! I could not contain my laugh!!! :rollinglaugh:

SouthBayPhenom;729150 said:

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furd: they didn't make the tourney, and didn't get to Omaha last year
UW: no tourney this year, no Omaha last year
Oregon: no tourney, no Omaha

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How about this.
'furd is 1 for 3.
We're oh-for-three.

1x BCS bowl = 10x Final Fours
1x Final Four = 100x whatever they have in baseball.

SouthBayPhenom;729150 said:

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furd: they didn't make the tourney, and didn't get to Omaha last year
UW: no tourney this year, no Omaha last year
Oregon: no tourney, no Omaha

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We really don't want to get into a comparison of Furd vs Cal football or baseball do we by going out more than one year. Furd has been recovering at MBB, but should be a top tier team next year as their finish in the NIT suggests. Udub MBB finishes ahead of us in regular season, and again, if you go out a few years, there really is no comparison that Udub has had a better program. Heck. I would just like to beat them at football once. Baseball, I think Cal has been better recently, so my qualification about debatable stands.

"Someone has been snorting along with Blueblood!"

I love this thread....yeah....Cal is a triple...triple threat....AHAHAHHAAAAAA!!!!

man, hatters gonna hat

Look, I phrased it as a question (not a statement), and then proceeded to provide at least some evidence for an affirmative answer. But some on here just want to be ridiculously negative (or, smarmy in blueblood's case - was wondering how long before the laughing gas kid would show up)

"I'm....what?....swampy...semarn...smarmy....I like it...AHAHAHHAHAHAAAAA!
C'mon...turn the valve more...yes...more....aaaAAHHHHhhhhaaa...yes..better! We all
know there's not much to do in the southbay....so more....AHAHAHAHAHHAAAA!
Oh, let's be friends....here...pull my leg some more....AHAHHAHAHHAAAAAAA!"

SouthBayPhenom;729231 said:

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man, hatters gonna hat

Look, I phrased it as a question (not a statement), and then proceeded to provide at least some evidence for an affirmative answer. But some on here just want to be ridiculously negative (or, smarmy in blueblood's case - was wondering how long before the laughing gas kid would show up)

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Not all questions deserve a serious answer.
Asking "are we a triple threat" when we are struggling in all three major sports, is expected to bring ridicule.

SouthBayPhenom;729080 said:

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Basketball: made the big dance

Baseball: went to Omaha last year, while a recent bad stretch dropped us out of the rankings, still feel great about this team

Football: winning record last year with a bowl appearance; feel very good about an even better 2012 season; initial practice reports have me very bullish, and I think once we get some of the stud WR's on campus I'll feel even better; plus, our backups are getting some GREAT practice time which can only help in 2012

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I thought it was an interesting question. I decided to look at the average winning percentages of the Big Three sports during the most recent completed basketball (11-12), football (11) and baseball (10-11) seasons.

From a winning percentage ranking, here is the order of the Pac-12:

1. Oregon .706
2. Stanfurd .704
3. Cal .622
4. Arizona .609
5. UCLA .535
6. Washington .508
7. Oregon St. .505
8. ASU .492
9. USC .488
10. Utah .463
11. Colorado .453 *does not play baseball
12. Wash St. .432

I would say Cal has held their own overall. Not as doom and gloom as a number of posters would have you believe.

Watch out there, Holm! Some on this board criticize you for stating anything that doesn't smack of PollyAnna. But you are right, of course! I also feel we should expect much more of Cal on the athletic field.
I am a Cal alum and live about 100 miles from Berkeley in the valley. As for football,
non-Cal fans in this area barely know we exist now. You are correct, we made a statement 5-8 years ago, but that is a distant memory to most. We need to get back
on track quickly. I am always hopeful before each season, but I'm losing patience. We all get excited when we hear how good things look potentially, but frankly, Tedford says
the SAME EXACT things before every season. We need some results on the field.
Go Bears!!!

GummyGrizzly;729393 said:

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You can use statistics to show almost anything you want. The bottom line is when people across the country make a list of who is a "threat" in any of the three sports mentioned in the OP, Cal doesn't make any of the lists.

In fact, if we WERE considered a threat, no one would bother compiling statistics to prove it. A real threat is a team whose name gets dropped to add weight to a sentence.

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Great story bro. Yeah, I hate using facts too. Get's in the way of your opinion.

UCBerkGrad;729265 said:

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I thought it was an interesting question. I decided to look at the average winning percentages of the Big Three sports during the most recent completed basketball (11-12), football (11) and baseball (10-11) seasons.

From a winning percentage ranking, here is the order of the Pac-12:

1. Oregon .706
2. Stanfurd .704
3. Cal .622
4. Arizona .609
5. UCLA .535
6. Washington .508
7. Oregon St. .505
8. ASU .492
9. USC .488
10. Utah .463
11. Colorado .453 *does not play baseball
12. Wash St. .432

I would say Cal has held their own overall. Not as doom and gloom as a number of posters would have you believe.

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Meaningless stat.

1) A threat in any program is a top-notch program. What results this .622 winning fraction is that Cal is mediocre across the board.
2) The big gap between Cal and Oregon/'furd.
3) Pac-12 has no triple threat program, because this conference has no threatening basketball program.

GummyGrizzly;729393 said:

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You can use statistics to show almost anything you want. The bottom line is when people across the country make a list of who is a "threat" in any of the three sports mentioned in the OP, Cal doesn't make any of the lists.

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This unfortunately is the truth

one thing that hasn't even come up is the large number of highly successful Cal players in the pro leagues - we have got to be one of the top programs at putting players into the pros, and those pros having great careers:

football: too many to mention - but AR, ML, etc
basketball: Jason Kidd, Ryan Anderson, etc...
baseball: etc...

GummyGrizzly;729512 said:

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That means we have individual talent on our roster. It doesn't mean we are a threat as a team.

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understood - but I was just using that as additional info/evidence

UCBerkGrad;729265 said:

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I thought it was an interesting question. I decided to look at the average winning percentages of the Big Three sports during the most recent completed basketball (11-12), football (11) and baseball (10-11) seasons.

From a winning percentage ranking, here is the order of the Pac-12:

1. Oregon .706
2. Stanfurd .704
3. Cal .622
4. Arizona .609
5. UCLA .535
6. Washington .508
7. Oregon St. .505
8. ASU .492
9. USC .488
10. Utah .463
11. Colorado .453 *does not play baseball
12. Wash St. .432

I would say Cal has held their own overall. Not as doom and gloom as a number of posters would have you believe.

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Really interesting, particularly considering the level of financial support for the athletic departments of the two schools ahead of us is light years ahead of what Cal has access to.