BearTalk

Former Cal wide receiver Keenan Allen is scheduled to run Tuesday in his native Greensboro, N.C., with representatives from all 32 NFL teams in attendance 16 days before he’s expected to be drafted in the first round.

Allen said he probably was 85 percent recovered from his left knee injury, which he “tweaked” before the February scouting combine, but that he’d be back at full strength in a few weeks.

Allen suffered a strained posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee Oct. 27 against Utah. He missed the final three games of the season, his predraft workouts at the combine and Cal’s pro day.

He’s not the player he once was, but 40-year-old Jason Kidd contributed 14 points Sunday as the NY Knicks beat the Oklahoma Thunder 125-120 on the road for their 12th straight victory.

Kidd, who was a freshman at Cal 20 years ago, shot 4 for 6 from the 3-point arc, had six rebounds, two assists and two steals as the Knicks reached 50 wins for the first time in 13 seasons. 

It equaled Kidd’s highest-scoring game since Jan. 5.

Check out columnist Monte Poole’s interview with Jason Kidd, looking back 20 years to Cal’s 1993 upset of two-time defending national champion Duke and the Bears’ run into the NCAA’s Sweet 16.

Without any doubt, the biggest moment in Cal basketball since the Pete Newell era.

Here’s a report courtesy of BANG’s Jon Wilner:

Receiver Keenan Allen hoped to show off his route-running skills in front of NFL scouts Thursday at Cal’s Pro Day.

His cranky left knee had other ideas.

“In warm-ups, it didn’t feel too good,” said Allen, a potential first-round pick in April’s NFL draft.

His Pro Day participation was limited to a hand-eye coordination drill — it came at the request of a scout from the Minnesota Vikings — in which Allen knelt down and caught a ball tossed from a few yards away.

Allen spent the rest of Pro Day supporting his draft-eligible teammates, including offensive lineman Brian Schwenke, cornerback Steve Williams and running back C.J. Anderson.

They spent several hours lifting weights and performing a series of on-field drills for scouts from approximately two dozen teams.

Asked if any performances stood out, Cal coach Sonny Dykes said: “I don’t ever ask (the scouts), because they don’t want to tell you.”

Allen missed the final three games of the ’12 season with a strained knee ligament, then suffered a setback last month and did not participate in drills in the NFL Scouting Combine.

He never planned to run the all-important 40-yard dash on Wednesday but hoped to be healthy enough to run pass patterns.

“I was frustrated,” he said. “(The knee) hasn’t been feeling normal since I tweaked it.”

Allen is expected to run the 40 at a workout for scouts next month in Greensboro, N.C., his hometown.

– Anderson was pleased with his 40-yard dash time of 4.49 seconds (unofficial). It was better than the combine; I’m happy about that,” he said.

 – Tailback Isi Sofele wasn’t invited to the combine, which increased the pressure to perform well at Berkeley. “I had to prove myself, let the scouts know what they were missing,” said Sofele, who reported a 4.49-second 40 time. “This was a huge day for me.”

Former Cal two-sport great has informed the Atlanta Falcons he will return to play his 17th NFL season.

The future Hall of Fame tight end said at the end of last season he was almost certain to retire.

Now he’s back.

“After discussing it with my family and really, truly struggling with this decision, I informed the Falcons I would like to return for one more shot,” Gonzalez told Fox Sports.

Gonzalez later posted a message on Twitter confirming his plans.

“I’m happy to say that after speaking with my family, I’m coming back,” he wrote. “The lure of being on such a great team and organization, along with unbelievable fan support was too good to pass up. We have a great shot to get to the Super Bowl, RISE UP ATLANTA!”

Gonzalez is the most productive tight end in NFL history. His 1,242 career receptions leave him No. 2 all-time — among all receivers — behind only Jerry Rice. He has caught passes for 14,268 yards and 103 touchdowns — easily most ever by a tight end.

Heather Petri/Photo courtesy Cal athletics

We don’t devote much attention to water polo in this space, but here’s a special event that may hold interest for Cal fans — especially those coming to Haas Pavilion for Saturday’s 2 p.m. game against Colorado.

Just before 1 p.m., next door at Spieker Aquatics Complex, Cal women’s water polo will retire the cap of former Bears star and four-time Olympian Heather Petri. Fifth-ranked Cal will take on top-ranked USC after ceremonies honoring Petri.

A 34-year-old graduate of Miramonte HS in Orinda, Petri was a two-time All-America player at Cal and earned four Olympic medals as a member of U.S. teams, including a gold in London last summer.

She recently returned from a trip to Afghanistan, where she and other Olympians (including former Cal rower Erin Cafaro) visited U.S. troops.

Offensive lineman Brian Schwenke and running back C.J. Anderson participated Saturday at the NFL combine at Indianapolis. Click here to see how they fared.

Former Cal star wide receiver Keenan Allen will skip the workouts portions of the NFL combine after aggravating the knee he sprained late last season, ESPN reported.

Allen is expected to undergo a medical exam at the combine, but will not participate in any drills. He reportedly will hold a workout for NFL scouts at Cal in April.

The combine begins Saturday at Indianapolis.

Click here for the full story.

Former Cal star and 2012 Olympian Alysia Montano broke the American record while winning the seldom-run 600-meter run at 106th Millrose Games indoor track meet at the Armory in New York City.

Montano ran 1 minute, 23.59 seconds to crush the record of 1:26.56 set by Delisa Walton-Floyd in 1981. She won the race by nearly three seconds.

Wide receiver Keenan Allen heads a potentially long list of recent former Cal football players expected to participate March 14 when the Bears stage their annual pro timing day at Memorial Stadium.

The event will draw NFL scouts and portions will be open to the public.

Beginning at 10 a.m., fans can enter the stadium at the north end through Gate 1.  Spectators will be directed to seating in the lower area of sections EE, F, FF and G. Fans will not be allowed on the field.

Prospects will be timed in the 40-yard dash, 20- and 60-yard shuttles, and the 3-cone drill before going through positional work. Other measurable drills held earlier in the day will include the bench press, broad jump and vertical jump. The prospects will also have their height, weight, hand width and arm length measured by personnel from NFL teams.

The  list of participants has not been finalized, but five players expected to be on hand are Allen, running back C.J. Anderson, cornerback Marc Anthony, offensive lineman Brian Schwenke and cornerback Steve Williams, also have been invited to the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine, Feb. 20-26 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Other former Cal players eligible to participate in the pro day include   WR Ross Bostock, DB Tyré Ellison, OL Dominic Galas, DB Josh Hill, LB J.P. Hurrell, FB Kameron Krebs, WR Kaulin Krebs, TB Mike Manuel, QB Zach Maynard, LB Robert Mullins, DL Kendrick Payne, OL Tyler Rigsbee, TB Isi Sofele, FB Eric Stevens, OL Matt Summers-Gavin and DL Aaron Tipoti.