Wifesafurd,
the bottom line of your explanation is that football players cannot be trusted to be timely and responsible and, thus, must be treated like small children. THAT, is big-time football culture. Perpetuation of THAT should be questioned. The issue is effective use of resources for success. The present allocation of resources hasn't worked at Cal. Might a change in culture be in order? You are correct, I haven't been through THAT process. I was never part of a program with such dismal and frustrating results. My programs told the athletes what was expected an the athletes did their part. Why not all athletes at Cal be required to perform their responsibilities without being treated like infants? Maybe performance will improve.

RayofLight said:

---

After reading through this thread I have several thoughts and far too many posts I would like to quote.

First, the interrogation of the biases and background of the author of this piece in The Daily Californian has been excessive, aggressive, and insulting. I concur with others here who think the topic has every right to be discussed, regardless of the familiarity with the student with the campus. Claiming that this student needed to do research in how this is a common practice is gatekeeping which we should be above. Claiming the same for commenters here is dismissive and purposefully attempts to shut down discussion of the topic. I do not see this as an anti-athletics piece, rather as one that raises an important question: what do these stays actually do, and are they necessary to gain the results desired?

I would echo the suggestions that we should be looking at cost saving measures where ever possible in Athletics. The tradition of pre-game hotels is a long one for football and men's basketball when at home, but I agree is a waste of money, and this is a position I held when Tedford's teams were down at the Double Tree. There are hundreds of student-athletes at Cal who appear to be prepared and excel as a team and individuals without these accommodations, and it is silly that we assume that it is absolutely necessary for our two revenue sports to stay competitive, whether sports associated with higher socioeconomic backgrounds or not impact the assumptions of responsibility. Track and Field is a great comparison, as we often have two sport athletes on the Football and Track teams, yet only for one sport are they given this added privilege. Our women's basketball team only gets the privilege of a hotel when going to a conference tournament or the NCAA, and they are one of the more competitive teams year in and year out we have. There are even hundreds of students who wake earlier than the football team to get to Memorial Stadium and practice every Saturday morning and seem to do so on a regular basis, while getting all around praise for their performance later that day. The only cost these students incur for this task is that of doughnuts and some coffee.

As a dorm resident for two years and then holding an apartment across from the dorms my remaining years as an undergraduate, Friday nights before football games were rarely loud. Saturday nights were a different matter. I managed to wake before 5 am each Saturday morning my freshman year for my responsibilities every football gameday and seemed to have no issues with it.

Suggesting that removing this perk would lead to sniping of recruits I find silly. Are we truly trying to impress high school boys who think staying in a hotel is going to be the decision between schools? If so, our recruiting pitch has failed already, and we need to do a better job targeting students who understand what it means to be a Berkeley student and the humble mentality and hard work that comes with it. You're not a super star, and you have personal responsibilities to take care of. Set your alarm. If you don't trust yourself, have a teammate who will call you in the morning or knock on your door.

If the greatest need is that teams position groups still want to have early meetings, then I hesitate to understand what the investment in the Simpson High Performance Center was all about if the players cannot wake early and hold these position and team meetings at Memorial prior to the games (even early in the morning) rather than at a hotel.

---

So... tl;dr version: You're echoing the Communist posters on this?


(Just kidding, you make some good points.)

Boise State for years had no home hotel pre-game stay and I believe at the time they were the only D-1 program to do so. Can't remember if it was (Coach) Petersen that summarized it by saying something along the line of "we expect them to be adults and so we treat them as adults." That said, both Boise (and UW ) now spend the night before all together as a team at a local hotel. I don't know why Boise made the switch back (found money in budget, player discipline problems, lack of game day focus, tired of having it being a negative on the recruiting trail) but they have been hoteling it for several years now.

Lots of great arguments to not stay in a hotel in one's hometown but it's hard to be the singular outlier - unless the outlier is just crushing it results wise.

Would have been nice to have the article author provide some of that background as I think it is very relevant to the rationale - and hence the story. However, I have read worse by people who get paid to write (and in my opinion should know better) so she and the paper should get some slack.

bearchamp said:

---

Wifesafurd,
the bottom line of your explanation is that football players cannot be trusted to be timely and responsible and, thus, must be treated like small children. THAT, is big-time football culture. Perpetuation of THAT should be questioned. The issue is effective use of resources for success. The present allocation of resources hasn't worked at Cal. Might a change in culture be in order? You are correct, I haven't been through THAT process. I was never part of a program with such dismal and frustrating results. My programs told the athletes what was expected an the athletes did their part. Why not all athletes at Cal be required to perform their responsibilities without being treated like infants? Maybe performance will improve.

---

Thanks for putting words in my mouth, but my explanation had nothing to do with what you said. What I ACTUALLY SAID was this comes down to simple logistics and keeping track of 110 players, coaches, and other ancillary people and the fact that unlike say a swimming meet where there are a few hundred people involved at best, there are ten of thousands of people and cars in the way, not to mention street closures, moron Berkeley cops, etc. and a whole bunch of things that must be done to an exact schedule on a team basis. Football coachers really don't have the time right before a game to deal with some properly credentialed football player not being let in the area because the Berkeley police are on a power trip (like a fan with a proper parking pass in the Bowles Lot not being let in to make it an example that I can relate to personally). It has absolutely nothing to do with your rather offensive suggestion that football players are treated as children.

This is a complete apples to oranges comparison which you would understand if you witnessed the process. Instead you are speaking from a position of ignorance, and insinuating football players are dumb.

Lomiton said:

---

Boise State for years had no home hotel pre-game stay and I believe at the time they were the only D-1 program to do so. Can't remember if it was (Coach) Petersen that summarized it by saying something along the line of "we expect them to be adults and so we treat them as adults." That said, both Boise (and UW ) now spend the night before all together as a team at a local hotel. I don't know why Boise made the switch back (found money in budget, player discipline problems, lack of game day focus, tired of having it being a negative on the recruiting trail) but they have been hoteling it for several years now.

Lots of great arguments to not stay in a hotel in one's hometown but it's hard to be the singular outlier - unless the outlier is just crushing it results wise.

Would have been nice to have the article author provide some of that background as I think it is very relevant to the rationale - and hence the story. However, I have read worse by people who get paid to write (and in my opinion should know better) so she and the paper should get some slack.

---

Well I can see why he wouldn't do that at Udub given that they have all the parking, traffic and crowd challenges that Berkeley provides.

wifeisafurd said:

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bearchamp said:

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jackieridgle.
Why? Meetings can't be held in meeting rooms on campus?

---

Said by someone who clearly has not been through the process. For example, it is a noon game. You want to control what they eat (different units eat different things) and have meetings. Okay, you send them around the SAHPC and then move them to the eating area where specific units are fed differently, they have to get back to their dorms or living situations (often apartments in Oakland hills) really late, then they have to get up early to beat the traffic and street closures, find a place to park (which by the way doesn't exist since it is all donor parking) near there stadium and be in the locker at approximately 9:30. And there coaches get to run around trying to finds out where every player is, who car pooled with who, all for a 100 plus players arriving at different times, rather than focus on football. So you get a tired players coming into a logistics nightmare.

The hotel visit is regimented. After meetings and food, in the same place, they walk five minutes to a movie for 90 minutes (or some players choose to walk 5 minutes to rooms to study), lights out at 10:30 (as opposed to probably after midnight under your approach), they get up at 6:30, in suits, eat at 7:00, buses at 8:30, where everyone is accounted for, with the police escort at 9:30 to the lockers, and the well rested players get dressed and prepare. Tell me how this happens under your approach? What you missing is how much of a controlled environment is necessary to make this all happen.

---

All this time I thought you knew your way around Berkeley, LOL!!

What "home team hotel" are you imagining that is a "five minute walk to a movie.?
Sorry but you just lost some cred regarding your scenario.

Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

Bears2thDoc said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

bearchamp said:

---

jackieridgle.
Why? Meetings can't be held in meeting rooms on campus?

---

Said by someone who clearly has not been through the process. For example, it is a noon game. You want to control what they eat (different units eat different things) and have meetings. Okay, you send them around the SAHPC and then move them to the eating area where specific units are fed differently, they have to get back to their dorms or living situations (often apartments in Oakland hills) really late, then they have to get up early to beat the traffic and street closures, find a place to park (which by the way doesn't exist since it is all donor parking) near there stadium and be in the locker at approximately 9:30. And there coaches get to run around trying to finds out where every player is, who car pooled with who, all for a 100 plus players arriving at different times, rather than focus on football. So you get a tired players coming into a logistics nightmare.

The hotel visit is regimented. After meetings and food, in the same place, they walk five minutes to a movie for 90 minutes (or some players choose to walk 5 minutes to rooms to study), lights out at 10:30 (as opposed to probably after midnight under your approach), they get up at 6:30, in suits, eat at 7:00, buses at 8:30, where everyone is accounted for, with the police escort at 9:30 to the lockers, and the well rested players get dressed and prepare. Tell me how this happens under your approach? What you missing is how much of a controlled environment is necessary to make this all happen.

---

All this time I thought you knew your way around Berkeley, LOL!!

What "home team hotel" are you imagining that is a "five minute walk to a movie.?
Sorry but you just lost some cred regarding your scenario.

Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

---

He ain't crazy. Rialto in Elmwood. Google says you can walk it in 14. I'm pretty sure you can be down there in 10. Sure it's not "5 minutes", but then again his point is the same.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Claremont+Club+%26+Spa,+A+Fairmont+Hotel,+41+Tunnel+Rd,+Berkeley,+CA+94705/Rialto+Cinemas+Elmwood,+2966+College+Ave,+Berkeley,+CA+94705/@37.8573612,-122.2496363,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x80857db617779651:0x9a05b7489b6618d!2m2!1d-122.241995!2d37.8590032!1m5!1m1!1s0x80857dcde3577dc1:0xc6f0baf3210c80e6!2m2!1d-122.2531368!2d37.8566908!3e2

Sebastabear said:

---

Bears2thDoc said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

bearchamp said:

---

jackieridgle.
Why? Meetings can't be held in meeting rooms on campus?

---

Said by someone who clearly has not been through the process. For example, it is a noon game. You want to control what they eat (different units eat different things) and have meetings. Okay, you send them around the SAHPC and then move them to the eating area where specific units are fed differently, they have to get back to their dorms or living situations (often apartments in Oakland hills) really late, then they have to get up early to beat the traffic and street closures, find a place to park (which by the way doesn't exist since it is all donor parking) near there stadium and be in the locker at approximately 9:30. And there coaches get to run around trying to finds out where every player is, who car pooled with who, all for a 100 plus players arriving at different times, rather than focus on football. So you get a tired players coming into a logistics nightmare.

The hotel visit is regimented. After meetings and food, in the same place, they walk five minutes to a movie for 90 minutes (or some players choose to walk 5 minutes to rooms to study), lights out at 10:30 (as opposed to probably after midnight under your approach), they get up at 6:30, in suits, eat at 7:00, buses at 8:30, where everyone is accounted for, with the police escort at 9:30 to the lockers, and the well rested players get dressed and prepare. Tell me how this happens under your approach? What you missing is how much of a controlled environment is necessary to make this all happen.

---

All this time I thought you knew your way around Berkeley, LOL!!

What "home team hotel" are you imagining that is a "five minute walk to a movie.?
Sorry but you just lost some cred regarding your scenario.

Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

---

He ain't crazy. Rialto in Elmwood. Google says you can walk it in 14. I'm pretty sure you can be down there in 10. Sure it's not "5 minutes", but then again his point is the same.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Claremont+Club+%26+Spa,+A+Fairmont+Hotel,+41+Tunnel+Rd,+Berkeley,+CA+94705/Rialto+Cinemas+Elmwood,+2966+College+Ave,+Berkeley,+CA+94705/@37.8573612,-122.2496363,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x80857db617779651:0x9a05b7489b6618d!2m2!1d-122.241995!2d37.8590032!1m5!1m1!1s0x80857dcde3577dc1:0xc6f0baf3210c80e6!2m2!1d-122.2531368!2d37.8566908!3e2

---

Dang, once upon a time, this was jogging route. I used to jog up to the end of Tunnel Road, jog back down, then turn south on College.

(But I'm sure there's a big room in the Claremont where the team can watch movies projected on the screen.)

Bears2thDoc said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

bearchamp said:

---

jackieridgle.
Why? Meetings can't be held in meeting rooms on campus?

---

Said by someone who clearly has not been through the process. For example, it is a noon game. You want to control what they eat (different units eat different things) and have meetings. Okay, you send them around the SAHPC and then move them to the eating area where specific units are fed differently, they have to get back to their dorms or living situations (often apartments in Oakland hills) really late, then they have to get up early to beat the traffic and street closures, find a place to park (which by the way doesn't exist since it is all donor parking) near there stadium and be in the locker at approximately 9:30. And there coaches get to run around trying to finds out where every player is, who car pooled with who, all for a 100 plus players arriving at different times, rather than focus on football. So you get a tired players coming into a logistics nightmare.

The hotel visit is regimented. After meetings and food, in the same place, they walk five minutes to a movie for 90 minutes (or some players choose to walk 5 minutes to rooms to study), lights out at 10:30 (as opposed to probably after midnight under your approach), they get up at 6:30, in suits, eat at 7:00, buses at 8:30, where everyone is accounted for, with the police escort at 9:30 to the lockers, and the well rested players get dressed and prepare. Tell me how this happens under your approach? What you missing is how much of a controlled environment is necessary to make this all happen.

---

All this time I thought you knew your way around Berkeley, LOL!!

What "home team hotel" are you imagining that is a "five minute walk to a movie.?
Sorry but you just lost some cred regarding your scenario.

Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

---

The one I was in the team with, Doubletree.

Bears2thDoc said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

bearchamp said:

---

jackieridgle.
Why? Meetings can't be held in meeting rooms on campus?

---

Said by someone who clearly has not been through the process. For example, it is a noon game. You want to control what they eat (different units eat different things) and have meetings. Okay, you send them around the SAHPC and then move them to the eating area where specific units are fed differently, they have to get back to their dorms or living situations (often apartments in Oakland hills) really late, then they have to get up early to beat the traffic and street closures, find a place to park (which by the way doesn't exist since it is all donor parking) near there stadium and be in the locker at approximately 9:30. And there coaches get to run around trying to finds out where every player is, who car pooled with who, all for a 100 plus players arriving at different times, rather than focus on football. So you get a tired players coming into a logistics nightmare.

The hotel visit is regimented. After meetings and food, in the same place, they walk five minutes to a movie for 90 minutes (or some players choose to walk 5 minutes to rooms to study), lights out at 10:30 (as opposed to probably after midnight under your approach), they get up at 6:30, in suits, eat at 7:00, buses at 8:30, where everyone is accounted for, with the police escort at 9:30 to the lockers, and the well rested players get dressed and prepare. Tell me how this happens under your approach? What you missing is how much of a controlled environment is necessary to make this all happen.

---

All this time I thought you knew your way around Berkeley, LOL!!

What "home team hotel" are you imagining that is a "five minute walk to a movie.?
Sorry but you just lost some cred regarding your scenario.

Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

---

Whatever the team event is, is done in the hotel dudes. You know hotels have large conference rooms where the players eat, meet and do stuff. They have longer walks to the bathroom.

wifeisafurd said:

---

Bears2thDoc said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

bearchamp said:

---

jackieridgle.
Why? Meetings can't be held in meeting rooms on campus?

---

Said by someone who clearly has not been through the process. For example, it is a noon game. You want to control what they eat (different units eat different things) and have meetings. Okay, you send them around the SAHPC and then move them to the eating area where specific units are fed differently, they have to get back to their dorms or living situations (often apartments in Oakland hills) really late, then they have to get up early to beat the traffic and street closures, find a place to park (which by the way doesn't exist since it is all donor parking) near there stadium and be in the locker at approximately 9:30. And there coaches get to run around trying to finds out where every player is, who car pooled with who, all for a 100 plus players arriving at different times, rather than focus on football. So you get a tired players coming into a logistics nightmare.

The hotel visit is regimented. After meetings and food, in the same place, they walk five minutes to a movie for 90 minutes (or some players choose to walk 5 minutes to rooms to study), lights out at 10:30 (as opposed to probably after midnight under your approach), they get up at 6:30, in suits, eat at 7:00, buses at 8:30, where everyone is accounted for, with the police escort at 9:30 to the lockers, and the well rested players get dressed and prepare. Tell me how this happens under your approach? What you missing is how much of a controlled environment is necessary to make this all happen.

---

All this time I thought you knew your way around Berkeley, LOL!!

What "home team hotel" are you imagining that is a "five minute walk to a movie.?
Sorry but you just lost some cred regarding your scenario.

Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

---

The one I was in the team with, Doubletree.

---

LOL!

Did they win that game?

So Mr Trump, you go from walking 5 minutes to a theater, to 15 minutes, to now in the hotel.
FYI... it takes at least half of the 5 minutes to walk from the physical Claremont Hotel to either Tunnel Road or Domingo....from there one might be able to walk to the Elmwood Theater in 12-15 minutes. ....Sure one could jog or run....but *** is gonna do that? Not to mention......I don't see Cal football players watching artsy movies like Stan and Ollie and Horn From The Heart Paul Butterfield Story.....however, if the game was tomorrow, they could see B. Rhapsody at 8:45... but its 135 minutes

Bears2thDoc said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

Bears2thDoc said:

---

wifeisafurd said:

---

bearchamp said:

---

jackieridgle.
Why? Meetings can't be held in meeting rooms on campus?

---

Said by someone who clearly has not been through the process. For example, it is a noon game. You want to control what they eat (different units eat different things) and have meetings. Okay, you send them around the SAHPC and then move them to the eating area where specific units are fed differently, they have to get back to their dorms or living situations (often apartments in Oakland hills) really late, then they have to get up early to beat the traffic and street closures, find a place to park (which by the way doesn't exist since it is all donor parking) near there stadium and be in the locker at approximately 9:30. And there coaches get to run around trying to finds out where every player is, who car pooled with who, all for a 100 plus players arriving at different times, rather than focus on football. So you get a tired players coming into a logistics nightmare.

The hotel visit is regimented. After meetings and food, in the same place, they walk five minutes to a movie for 90 minutes (or some players choose to walk 5 minutes to rooms to study), lights out at 10:30 (as opposed to probably after midnight under your approach), they get up at 6:30, in suits, eat at 7:00, buses at 8:30, where everyone is accounted for, with the police escort at 9:30 to the lockers, and the well rested players get dressed and prepare. Tell me how this happens under your approach? What you missing is how much of a controlled environment is necessary to make this all happen.

---

All this time I thought you knew your way around Berkeley, LOL!!

What "home team hotel" are you imagining that is a "five minute walk to a movie.?
Sorry but you just lost some cred regarding your scenario.

Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

---

The one I was in the team with, Doubletree.

---

LOL!

Did they win that game?

So Mr Trump, you go from walking 5 minutes to a theater, to 15 minutes, to now in the hotel.
FYI... it takes at least half of the 5 minutes to walk from the physical Claremont Hotel to either Tunnel Road or Domingo....from there one might be able to walk to the Elmwood Theater in 12-15 minutes. ....Sure one could jog or run....but *** is gonna do that? Not to mention......I don't see Cal football players watching artsy movies like Stan and Ollie and Horn From The Heart Paul Butterfield Story.....however, if the game was tomorrow, they could see B. Rhapsody at 8:45... but its 135 minutes

---

Then did win, but then again, that was a different era. The movie was in a meeting room at the Doubletree so a short walk from the meeting room the team ate in. Bathroom was a longer walk for those that wanted relief before the movie. I can assure you that neither Emma Thompson or Helena Bottomfull Carter were in the movie.

Helena "Bottomfull" Carter. Damn, you two must go WAY back.

KenBurnski said:

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Helena "Bottomfull" Carter. Damn, you two must go WAY back.

---

Went on a date with this hot girl. Went to see some film with those two in it and we both fell asleep. No action, no second date. Held a grudge ever since.

In any event, no team bonding with Merchant and Ivory movies (we did the trip with the team a while back). In our house, whenever there is a hint what we are watching is too much of a chick flick, Carter's name in that format comes out. In fairness, she recently broadened her acting chops and now plays crazy ***** really well.

Edit: censored word was a female dogs

Oh man...Helena Bonham Carter...like who doesn't like hot, crazy boho chicks? Okay, sure...yeah...20 years ago. Whatever, the 90s were excellent. Best decade I lived in. It was like Disneyland on champagne and acid..it was all good. In any case, I remember seeing HBC in "Wings of the Dove", a Henry James adaption with a hot lit chick. When we got back to her place she replicated a little, oh so cool, sex move from the movie. At the time I remember thinking, oh really...okay...this is good. Still remember it.

Bears2thDoc said:

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I could be wrong, and I'm not taking sides,but.......
I'm pretty sure Cal had a winning record while staying at the Double Tree at Berkeley Marina.

---

I worked for the Athletic Department for several years, The only team I remember staying at the Claremont was USC. I wonder if they still do. One year I took their equipment managers to the hotel on my way so I could lock up the stadium Friday night. Back then the coaches didn't want the players spending the night near the campus. When I was growing up and going to Cal games we always parked by the Claremont and walked to the games. After the game we walked thru the traffic gridlock to the car and then drove home without delay. I guess I always considered the Resort as next to campus.

Way back then (over 40 years now) the team would have a scripted schedule, most likely to reduce idle time. The morning before an afternoon game would be eating, meeting and pre-game taping. Only a couple of trainers would be at the team hotel, the rest of the staff, other trainers, equipment managers, student managers, etc.. would be at the stadium at 8am setting up the locker room for the game. The team arrived around 11am and their would be a frantic final rush before the game. Every visiting except one followed a similar schedule.

That exception was the Minnesota Vikings coached by Bud Grant. They arrived at 1230 dressed and went out to play at 1PM. They marched to a different drummer, but it worked for them. Since the game was at CMS, the NFL staff in the stadium was freaking out over the venue, the distance from the team hotel, the police escort, sun spots, etc.. In the end they arrived on time, dressed, played the game, no problem.

Perhaps a better question would have been, "Is this pre-game ritual by football teams so sacrosanct, that it can never be questioned, or changed?"

It might be more mundane than all of this. I played from 1980-1982 during which time we spent every night before home games at the Berkeley Marriott (met Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey in an elevator there once in 1982 I think). I was told this was a change from 1979 and years before and that the cause was certain players who would otherwise be out all night before the game and that this was the only way to be sure that they got a decent night's sleep. I could name names but I won't.

sp4149 said:

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Bears2thDoc said:

---

I could be wrong, and I'm not taking sides,but.......
I'm pretty sure Cal had a winning record while staying at the Double Tree at Berkeley Marina.

---

I worked for the Athletic Department for several years, The only team I remember staying at the Claremont was USC. I wonder if they still do. One year I took their equipment managers to the hotel on my way so I could lock up the stadium Friday night. Back then the coaches didn't want the players spending the night near the campus. When I was growing up and going to Cal games we always parked by the Claremont and walked to the games. After the game we walked thru the traffic gridlock to the car and then drove home without delay. I guess I always considered the Resort as next to campus.

Way back then (over 40 years now) the team would have a scripted schedule, most likely to reduce idle time. The morning before an afternoon game would be eating, meeting and pre-game taping. Only a couple of trainers would be at the team hotel, the rest of the staff, other trainers, equipment managers, student managers, etc.. would be at the stadium at 8am setting up the locker room for the game. The team arrived around 11am and their would be a frantic final rush before the game. Every visiting except one followed a similar schedule.

That exception was the Minnesota Vikings coached by Bud Grant. They arrived at 1230 dressed and went out to play at 1PM. They marched to a different drummer, but it worked for them. Since the game was at CMS, the NFL staff in the stadium was freaking out over the venue, the distance from the team hotel, the police escort, sun spots, etc.. In the end they arrived on time, dressed, played the game, no problem.

Perhaps a better question would have been, "Is this pre-game ritual by football teams so sacrosanct, that it can never be questioned, or changed?"

---

Before it became the Fairmont, almost every school was staying at the Claremont, including the guys across the Bay. Maybe a Pac 12 deal with the hotel when it was an independent? In any event, we were wondering though the hotel the night before the Big Game and we ran into a certain woman whose last name in on several buildings at Furd. She invites us to a Shakespearean play that she has funded on the night before all away game for the players. Not exactly Emma Thompson or Helena B-C. I just kept wondering if Harbaugh had his players attend to "toughen" them-up. Sit though one of those plays how bad could it be facing some big old lineman?

BTW, may wife who, was wearing the red and white, graciously declined the offer. Just one of the many reasons I married that woman.

You are absolutely right, the football staff and HC worry about everything including sun spots. In fact, we actually heard one head coach from a visiting school I(not a Pac school) tell the players to watch for traffic both ways when getting out of the buses.

Bear19 said:

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KenBurnski said:

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So basically a 5 second e-mail from the reporter to Knowlton would have rendered the article pointless. Lazy reporting. No brownie points just for "asking the questions" when the answers are already known lol.

---

For sure she should have looked beyond the surface, at least asked Knowlton for his reaction to the sorry. I give her a mulligan since this is her Freshman year at Cal. Maybe I'm being more lenient since I found Ms. Stassinopoulos to be a likeable person in researching her background. She doesn't strike me as someone who's automatically biased against all things football related. She may have been given some biased guidance by the older DC staffers(?). Also the article is harmless, much ado about nothing. No secret misspent funds etc.

I know that her lack of research isn't "defendable" since it comes at the expense of an easily avoided mistake. And when you write publicly about something as a reporter, you have an obligation to do better.

Still, not something that harms Cal football imho. Can't believe I'm actually "defending" a DC writer - I guess there's a first time for everything.

---

This thread gets curiouser and curiouser.

Some posters saying that one cannot criticize a reporter for not doing proper preparation for an article since such criticism amounts to "Gate keeping"

And another poster saying that he is defending the reporter just after saying that the the reporter's lack of preparation can't be defended.

Did I somehow find myself transpoted into a White House press briefing where down is up and up is down.

To the whole "she should have asked Knowlton" thing, I don't see how doing that versus getting the official word from the spokesperson of the department makes any difference. They told her what they wanted to communicate. The AD probably should have added that these were funds that come directly from football donors.

wifeisafurd said:

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Bears2thDoc said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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Bears2thDoc said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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bearchamp said:

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jackieridgle.
Why? Meetings can't be held in meeting rooms on campus?

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Said by someone who clearly has not been through the process. For example, it is a noon game. You want to control what they eat (different units eat different things) and have meetings. Okay, you send them around the SAHPC and then move them to the eating area where specific units are fed differently, they have to get back to their dorms or living situations (often apartments in Oakland hills) really late, then they have to get up early to beat the traffic and street closures, find a place to park (which by the way doesn't exist since it is all donor parking) near there stadium and be in the locker at approximately 9:30. And there coaches get to run around trying to finds out where every player is, who car pooled with who, all for a 100 plus players arriving at different times, rather than focus on football. So you get a tired players coming into a logistics nightmare.

The hotel visit is regimented. After meetings and food, in the same place, they walk five minutes to a movie for 90 minutes (or some players choose to walk 5 minutes to rooms to study), lights out at 10:30 (as opposed to probably after midnight under your approach), they get up at 6:30, in suits, eat at 7:00, buses at 8:30, where everyone is accounted for, with the police escort at 9:30 to the lockers, and the well rested players get dressed and prepare. Tell me how this happens under your approach? What you missing is how much of a controlled environment is necessary to make this all happen.

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All this time I thought you knew your way around Berkeley, LOL!!

What "home team hotel" are you imagining that is a "five minute walk to a movie.?
Sorry but you just lost some cred regarding your scenario.

Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

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The one I was in the team with, Doubletree.

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LOL!

Did they win that game?

So Mr Trump, you go from walking 5 minutes to a theater, to 15 minutes, to now in the hotel.
FYI... it takes at least half of the 5 minutes to walk from the physical Claremont Hotel to either Tunnel Road or Domingo....from there one might be able to walk to the Elmwood Theater in 12-15 minutes. ....Sure one could jog or run....but *** is gonna do that? Not to mention......I don't see Cal football players watching artsy movies like Stan and Ollie and Horn From The Heart Paul Butterfield Story.....however, if the game was tomorrow, they could see B. Rhapsody at 8:45... but its 135 minutes

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Then did win, but then again, that was a different era. The movie was in a meeting room at the Doubletree so a short walk from the meeting room the team ate in. Bathroom was a longer walk for those that wanted relief before the movie. I can assure you that neither Emma Thompson or Helena Bottomfull Carter were in the movie.

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Just want to point out..."a different era" usually is kind speak for, "when Cal use to win."
Your Honor.... I rest my case.
Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

Bears2thDoc said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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Bears2thDoc said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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Bears2thDoc said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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bearchamp said:

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jackieridgle.
Why? Meetings can't be held in meeting rooms on campus?

---

Said by someone who clearly has not been through the process. For example, it is a noon game. You want to control what they eat (different units eat different things) and have meetings. Okay, you send them around the SAHPC and then move them to the eating area where specific units are fed differently, they have to get back to their dorms or living situations (often apartments in Oakland hills) really late, then they have to get up early to beat the traffic and street closures, find a place to park (which by the way doesn't exist since it is all donor parking) near there stadium and be in the locker at approximately 9:30. And there coaches get to run around trying to finds out where every player is, who car pooled with who, all for a 100 plus players arriving at different times, rather than focus on football. So you get a tired players coming into a logistics nightmare.

The hotel visit is regimented. After meetings and food, in the same place, they walk five minutes to a movie for 90 minutes (or some players choose to walk 5 minutes to rooms to study), lights out at 10:30 (as opposed to probably after midnight under your approach), they get up at 6:30, in suits, eat at 7:00, buses at 8:30, where everyone is accounted for, with the police escort at 9:30 to the lockers, and the well rested players get dressed and prepare. Tell me how this happens under your approach? What you missing is how much of a controlled environment is necessary to make this all happen.

---

All this time I thought you knew your way around Berkeley, LOL!!

What "home team hotel" are you imagining that is a "five minute walk to a movie.?
Sorry but you just lost some cred regarding your scenario.

Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

---

The one I was in the team with, Doubletree.

---

LOL!

Did they win that game?

So Mr Trump, you go from walking 5 minutes to a theater, to 15 minutes, to now in the hotel.
FYI... it takes at least half of the 5 minutes to walk from the physical Claremont Hotel to either Tunnel Road or Domingo....from there one might be able to walk to the Elmwood Theater in 12-15 minutes. ....Sure one could jog or run....but *** is gonna do that? Not to mention......I don't see Cal football players watching artsy movies like Stan and Ollie and Horn From The Heart Paul Butterfield Story.....however, if the game was tomorrow, they could see B. Rhapsody at 8:45... but its 135 minutes

---

Then did win, but then again, that was a different era. The movie was in a meeting room at the Doubletree so a short walk from the meeting room the team ate in. Bathroom was a longer walk for those that wanted relief before the movie. I can assure you that neither Emma Thompson or Helena Bottomfull Carter were in the movie.

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Just want to point out..."a different era" usually is kind speak for, "when Cal use to win."
Your Honor.... I rest my case.
Cheers!!
Go Bears!!

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Well your honor, while opposing counsel saying "Cal used to win:" and "that was another era" may be redundant, or obvious is in fact accurate, ah, well, .... uh, never mind.

Note the "quotation marks" for the word "defending." A subtlety to be sure. An unusual position for me to take regarding the DC.

Bear19 said:

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Note the "quotation marks" for the word "defending." A subtlety to be sure. An unusual position for me to take regarding the DC.

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Well....OK. I did not appreciate the significance of the quotation marks ...I guess.

I was more bothered by the "gate keeping" comments of another poster. To me that is irritating. Criticizing a person who correctly points out the errors in a Daily Cal article for pointing out those errors.