2007 Tennessee - I can watch that game over and over. That was simply an homage to Cal by Brent, Herbie and the entire ABC crew. And with the A-game production crew, with the overhead wired cameras, Memorial never looked better. It was magical to rewatch after getting home. I think i stayed up til 3 rewatching it. Of the many great aspects of that telecast production was Lisa Stalter up on Tightwad Hill talking about the fans partying "Berkeley style" and i remember thinking "YES!!! we should own who we are, the rest of the counrty loves it." The mocking PAC-10-FOOTBALL chant as the Tennessee fans were all filing out with about 5 minutes left in the game was glorious. As someone else stated, it felt like Cal football had arrived. The whole country was watching that game and we (the team, the fans, the band, the community, the campus, the view, the sunsets) gave them quite a show. Any kid watching that game anywhere in America had to think "Man, that would be a cool place to play football."
1993 Oregon. That 4th quarter was insane and when we went for 2 to win, instead of the extra point for the tie... when Barr connected on that pass to Caldwell... when you could see the officialls nodding at each other before signalling touchdown but BEFORE that you could see Chancellor Tien signal for the TD, Barr running down the sideline with such joy he could barely contain himself... That was magical.
1990 UCLA game. Ending the streak. The players coming down through the student section to take the field like gladiators entering an arena electrified the stadium. The "Bear Territory" chants at the end. There was one point on the telecast (I think it was Raycom). They were using the UCLA guys - and old guy and former UCLA qb Tom Ramsey. Ramsey was just a litte but hurt, but the old play by play guy was awesome. He was actully really appreciating the excitement. There was a point in the 3rd quarter where the broadcast came back from commerical after a Cal TD, and all through the commercial break the Memorial Stadium crowd had stood and roared and the old guy said "LOOK AT THIS PLACE! THIS IS BERKELEY!!! I haven't seen this kind of excitement in Berkeley in 20, 30 years of coming here."
1991 Washington. Just magical. Memorial was absolutely packed. The student section was full from an hour before kickoff. And the crowd was insanely loud. When Pawlawski connected with Dawkins down the west sideline for a TD you knew we were going to be in it. To this day, Champan breaking through on the last play of the 3rd quarter for that 65 yard touchdown. Musburger explaiming "CHAPMAN IS GONE!!!" Loudest I have ever heard Memorial Stadium. Again, through the entire TV time out the place roared and the roar got louder and louder and louder as it went on. I remember being on the boards, and just sort of slow motion looking around the stadium taking it all end.Just such joy.
Oregon 2006. At the time, a rare night game. Memorial packed and we just totally clown stomped Oregon and put them in their place. First play of the game when the Oregon QB through that INT, they didn't have a chance.
The Texas game in Austin. Particularly the part where we put up (I think) 28 straight points on them capped by Kalfani's 70 yard run up the middle for the TD. The replay of it from behind the line when you can see as soon as he breaks through the first line of coverage and is gone Goff thowing up his arms to signal TOUCHDOWN. You can heard the crowd, the band.
I also like watching all the sort of second-tier marque games. LIke Michigan State, Minnesota, Maryland... etc... It was amazing to walk into Memorial and know there were going to be 65,000+ (or so) people at those games. It was rocking. It felt so much like we had arrived. That Cal football had hit the big time. I remember listening to a post game show as we were driving home and Starkey interviewing one of the players and asking him what it felt to play like in front of another huge crowd.
Edit: and of course the 2009 BIg Game. As proud of a Cal team as I can remember. We could have tototally folded it in after Toby rand that first 70 yard TD, 3 plays into the game. Or the second one. But the way we TOTALLY OWNED that game from the 2nd quarter through the 3rd quarter. Shane was amazing. Miller with insane catches. Reilly was a total stud. ANd of course that INT. I could not get the smile off my face that night.
Anyway, my fear is that was just a brief, shooting star, in an otherwise long dark night.
