I will just chime in here I as await dinner. I am no football guru, but I have followed Aggies football for probably 40 years. Went to all of Sochors home games. Met him a few times and he was always very humble and cordial. He was probably one of the best college football coaches in all time and a lot of that was due to his connection with his players. I have never heard a negative comment about Sochor as a coach. But I do remember a comment he made at a golf course in napa the year Gould was hired. I asked “how do you think he will do” he answered “he will do great if he’s lucky”. I then asked if He was lucky. He said “you bet I was”. And how I asked and he said do you remember a guy named O’Brian? I did. He was a transfer from of all places sacramento state! I know all of you older guys know this. But Sochor was a lucky man and he knew it. Didn’t napoleon ask of his new officers “is he lucky”?
Never forget luck. Taylor is a very good coach. I very much hesitant to gripe about him getting transfers over what we did. But he was also lucky. He got Skattabo. How did we miss this guy in our own backyard? Answer: bad luck. We already had a full contingent of gifted RBs and the best one in the conference in UG. So Taylor got him. I think he was the catalyst for their success this year. And yes, I think he will take the OC at cal if offered. It will be a 1M offer with incentives. This is kitchen table time with the wife! She will decide. . . Luck can run out as we all know

If the Regents cancel the Big 10 deal with UCLA, which, I think is fairly accurate, cal will be in much better financial condition than now.

I agree with AF2. Hay, we lost a game to the number 2 school in the FCS by 6 points! We were in every game that we lost with the possible exception of MS we had a very tough schedule. So I see no need for panic or even heavy hand wringing. The program is in good shape IMHO.

I would guess that sac would try and exploit the Aggies emotions going into this game with a lot of plays to take advantage of this. Draw plays. Bubble screen plays. Whatever attack they can put on that situation. Taylor was a very talented OC. The Aggie players will be ready. Will our very young and less experienced coaches be able to deal with this game? I think it will come down to a coaches game. IMHO

Sac will put everyone on the line to stop UG so Hastings has to be able to complete his passes. Also Larison and Tompkins really have to step up to take the pressure off of UG.

Very sad indeed. And the UVA shooting today. If anyone wants this type of violence to stop there has to be some sort of gun control. Idaho and Virginia have nothing of the sort. So stay safe and strong if you are able.

Be interesting to know who provides the $112,000 “other pay” and the same for Hawkins $5000. Too bad we have to ask this of publicly funded universities?

As much as I am an Aggie fan, I have to give sac credit for hiring him and doing well. They have been the object of much ridicule (nonstick spray) and many years of not having much of a program and not many wins. So good for sac! But I view this article by Davidson who is not a bad writer as a “i hope he reads this and agrees) sort of article. The problem is Taylor is young and ambitious so he will be gone sooner than later. He will be getting offers after this season. Will he risk the dropping of is creds next season? His agent is telling him right now NO in very emphatic terms.

Very good point movie.

Do the regents have the authority to stop UCLA from moving? I thought that the Chancellors had absolute power to do what they wanted with respect to all things NOT academically related. But then the whole travel and classes mess this would create might give them a way to step in. I wonder if the Governor/legislature might step in as well.

If Norris can consistently go east and west, she could be our next MB. The BIG spin move is impossible to stop
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Did someone say that the steam engine was fired up last game? But had a very weak whistle. Get that weak thing changed out. Our old whistle was extremely loud. That was the purpose of the whole thing. Who is in charge of the steam engine? Talk about a weak whistle, there you go.

Next Monday the US Supreme Court will hear arguments in two related cases against Harvard and the University of North Carolina. While the central issues addressed will be affirmative action using race as a basis for college admissions (which many legal scholars believe the court will rule unconstitutional), these same scholars believe that the court may well take on the larger issue of the fairness of college admissions in general. This would of course include the issue of whether preferential treatment of athletes in the admissions process should be banned. Interesting story in the NYTS today focuses on the so-called niche sports like fencing, but also lays out some interesting stuff like the fact that Harvard admits only 16% of top scoring applicants versus 83% of recruited athletes. This is likely the case at most D1 universities, including those in the UC System. If the court takes this issue on the effects it could have on college sports will be very significant to say the least. Stay turned. . . .

Anyway to see the game on replay? Didn’t see it on ESPN+

Seems a bit extreme. How and why?

When it comes to news about woman's gymnastics and coaches, one has to take a deep breath before you read to the next line. It’s never a good read. I just hope it’s not as bad as some of the other big time programs. This is not to say lavalee was in any a bad coach. We will see. . . I hold out good thoughts.

Did I get this message right they fired up the steam engine at the game on Saturday? Well, guess what we won. Who would have thought that.

Anyway to see the replay?

I find Hawkins quite interesting when he speaks: “Football as a metaphor for life” comes to mind. Stay clam. Stay settled. Stay in the middle. Very zen like. Impressive.

I noticed that too on my last trip. University mall just sits and after all that fussing and fighting with the city for permits. G street still closed off. Pedestrian only. Permanent? Downtown Davis’s still a very vibrant little town at night. Last Tuesday night was some sort of sorority thing and I was at the Aggie Inn when scores of young women were walking towards downtown after 12:00 am. Place has a very safe vibe to it. Gotta say I still miss the place!