Football: Tuesday night update
By Jonathan Okanes
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 at 10:18 pm in Mid-week.
The Bears began practicing for the Big Game tonight at foggy Memorial Stadium. It seemed to be a spirited practice – well, what I could see of it. The second half of practice, it felt like I was watching practice on a snowy television because of the fog that had settled into the bowl of the stadium.
At Monday’s press luncheon, coach Jeff Tedford said you never know how much more amped up the players are going to be for the Big Game until practice begins. Obviously, this is the first time in years the Bears are practicing with a chip on their shoulders to get the axe back. Tedford was very pleased with Tuesday’s practice.
“We had a great day of practice,” he said. “There was a lot of bounce in everybdoy’s step, a lot of intensity. I thought it was a great day.”
Of course, it’s not just the axe that has the Bears’ attention. They’ve lost two in a row and want to make sure they finish the season strong. Two more games to go, and if they falter, their final record will start looking a lot like last year’s disaster.
“There are a lot of things to it,” Tedford said. “Big Game week, eager to bounce back, get on track; eager to prepare for a good team. I just think there’s a lot of motivation, a lot of eagerness to make sure we’re prepared for this game.”
Cal safety Brett Johnson sat out practice after injuring his shoulder near the end of the Oregon State game. I had noticed that Bernard Hicks played the last few defensive snaps of the game, but I also saw Johnson walk out of the locker room afterward and he seemed to be fine. But Tedford said he injured near the end of the game and his shoulder is sore. Tedford said day-to-day.
The Pac-10 announced today that Cal’s finale against Washington on Dec. 6 was picked up as the national broadcast by Fox Net Sports and will begin at noon. That means it will air on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area in the Bay Area.
For the second straight year, every Cal game will be on live television. That’s the second year in a row that’s happened after it never occurring before last season.
“I think it’s definitely something that when you talk to recruits that they know they’re going to be on TV, and their family will be able to see it,” Tedford said. “It’s a very good thing to know that there’s going to be exposure there.”
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November 18th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Any word on how they are going to handle Gerhart?
November 19th, 2008 at 12:25 am
The Bears handled Jovan Ringer, they’ll handle Gerhart.
November 19th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Did the Bears handle Quizz and Antolin? Gerhardt is much better than Ringer and Antolin. He and Quizz should be 1st team all Pac 10.
November 19th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Exposure, exposure, exposure. Gotta love the Tedford era! Go BEARS! Cut down the trees!
November 19th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Gerhardt is big and runs north-south, like Ringer. Rodgers and Antolin are small scat backs. Big difference
November 19th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Jan K Oski Says:
November 19th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Gotta love the Tedford era! >>>> Do you love the minor bowl games at a cost of for your head coach at $2.5 million a year?
November 19th, 2008 at 10:38 am
>>>>>>>Did the Bears handle Quizz and Antolin? Gerhardt is much better than Ringer and Antolin. He and Quizz should be 1st team all Pac 10.>>>>>>>>>>>>
Do you actually do any research before you blab, or didn’t you learn how do that in whatever schools you went to? Javon Ringer leads the NCAA in scoring and has the 2nd most yards in the NCAA and is a Heisman candidate, so no, Gerhardt is in no way close.
Arizona beat us with a lot more than Antolin - Grigsby and Tuitamma are their big playmakers, so yeah, we can stop Gerhardt if the Bears want it bad enough. Oregon has two good backs, one of which was shut down; plus we’re undefeated at home, and you predicted we’d lose badly to UCLA, so you’re predictions and knowledge aren’t worth any more than the $2.00 turdpile you use for a brain.
November 19th, 2008 at 11:14 am
Hey moron, it could be argued that every bowl game other than the national championship game is ‘minor’. How many NC titles have been awarded to a team other than the winner of the NC game? Good luck to the U. of Sports Corruption in THEIR minor bowl game this season!
November 19th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Just ignore that guy. He is bore. He grew up being pretty screw maybe, so, he just want some attention, some mama pep love, and say good boy, good boy.
I am proud of our bears. They have never been to as where they are now, and going. TV on every game for consecutive two years, still atleast 60,000 attendee supporters in every game. never heard of. At win column, and in bowl game for consecutive 6 years. It had not happened prior to Tedford’s erra.
And, I am predicting that in two years, after the HPAC is built, will be even more better than now. I am very happy to see things are changing at Cal in sport. They are not just the #1 Public University year in year out, They are transforming to be the power house in sport nationally. I don’t even mine that if they are going to the Emerald Bowl or what ever bowl they end up with this year, We will be there. To the spoil NC kid they are minor bowl, But, for us they are Super Bowl.
Go Bears! Just cut down the Red tree like Cal did two months ago in front of the stadium, and dig down deep. 42-24.