Sep 5th, 2010 
1 Comment Any self-respecting sports writer knows it’s an act of idiocy to proclaim anyone a star after one game, exspecially when the opponent is a Division I-AA schoool.
Well, we have have no self-respect and we are proud of our idiocy, so we are going to dub Cal Golden Bears freshman wide receiver Keenan Allen a star. Granted, he played just a little over a half, and it was against UC Davis in a 52-3 rout at Berkeley. But we’ve seen enough. Stop the presses, a star is born . . . are whatever hyperbole you choose for this grand occasion.
(Check examiner.com for more Cal football stories and Allen news.)
Allen set an impossibly high standard for himself in his first college game on Saturday, demonstrating he can do virtually everything except pass. And apparently he can do that too.
One play provided a capsule report of his football skills. Early in the second quarter, Allen, a wide receiver, took a handoff on an end-around designed for him to pass the ball. When he saw no one open, he simply reversed his field, weaved his way through the defense, and scored on a dramtic touchdown run that offcially covered 18 yards, but actually covered about 50 yards
Those few seconds told us a lot about Allen:
– Cal coaches will do anything to get him the ball, which means handing him the ball on end-arounds. He ran the ball three times Saturday.
– Allen can throw the ball. Although he did not get an opportunity to do so, the mere fact that the play called for a pass suggested he’s a proficient thrower.
– He showed good judgment. When he saw the intended receiver covered, Allen did not force the ball, never panicked or hesitated and looked for somewhere to run instead.
– Allen can make something out of nothing while carrying the ball, showing a willingness to be creative while following blockers...
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Aug 15th, 2010
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Nothing can stir the discussion pot better than a Stanford vs. Cal debate, regardless of the topic. Since our website is not equipped to document the relative merits of Nobel Prize winners from the two esteemed Bay Area colleges, we will resort to a subject that has a greater impact on the condition of our planet — ...
Aug 22nd, 2010
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Anybody can pick the best players in a conference after the season, but it takes some courage (or stupidity) to select the top players before the season. So we present our top 20 Pac-10 players for the 2010 season. Note that we did not say most important players or best pro prospects. Rather, this is ...
May 19th, 2010
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It does not take long for things to become obsolete in sports, which is why revising lists and records is a never-ending process. (Check out digital camera repair.) May (and June for that matter) offers some time for reflection regarding the Stanford men’s and women’s basketball seasons, and it’s obvious some revisions need to be ...
Jul 20th, 2010
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Landry Fields was the most impressive. Jeremy Lin benefited the most. Omar Samhan turned some heads. Jerome Randle should look for work in Europe. Those interested in a concise report on how local players did in the NBA summer league may digest those sentences and get on with their day. Of course, anyone interested in how ...
Aug 29th, 2010
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Movie-goers love deals on movie tickets and the Fandango Bucks Movie Ticket Gift Certificate offers a way to send gift cards easily, cheaply and quickly online. If you forgot to get a friend a present, Fandango Bucks provide a great way to send a welcomed gift in an instant. You can design the gift certificate yourself, but it is certain to ...