Here’s the context. I’m a big Cal (Pac 1o) fan. My friend Rommy is a Penn State (Big 10) fan. Here is our text message conversation about the BCS Championship game between Ohio State and Louisiana State :

Rommy: Big 10 football baby!

Ben: Bitch please! There are 3 teams I would pick over OSU and LSU.

Rommy: OK, we’ll see where Cal is next year, after the “restructuring”.

Ben: What does that have to do with what we were talking about?

Ben: By the way, how was the Rose Bowl this year, last year, the year before that, etc…

Rommy: The Rose Bowl is no Armed Forces bowl or whatever shit bowl you went to.

Ben: Ok Penis State playing in a shitty conference and still having a shitty year.

Rommy: 9-4 isn’t as good as 7-6 with a loss to UCLA. You are a proud fan.

Ben: Indiana, Iowa, Iona, Illinois…am I missing anyone? (Yes, I know Iona isn’t in the big 10)

Rommy: Dude, what other teams should have gone to the National Champ? #3 and #4 lost their bowls. The other ones suck. Maybe USC.

Ben: SC, Georgia, WVU. (Maybe even Kansas)

Rommy: WVU lost, didn’t they?

Ben: Beat Oklahoma big.

Rommy: And Georgia was not bigger than LSU

Ben: They are better. Same record but they didn’t get to play in the SEC championship game. (lost head to head tie breaker to Tenn, who Cal man handle, pre-Longshore injury)

Ben: Big 10 football. Giving up 10 point leads because we have good manners. (LSU 17, OSU 10)

Ben: Big 10 football. Here you have the ball…we don’t want it anymore. (interception by LSU)

Rommy: Cal football. We just suck.

Ben: Oh, this is about Cal now?

Rommy: You don’t have a leg to stand on.

Ben: And the big 10 does? Cal is 4-2 in bowl games in the last 6 years.

Ben: Maybe 5-1. (We are actually 4-1 b/c we were being penalized by the NCAA in Tedford’s 1st year)

Rommy: JoePa. More bowl wins than any other coach. (23-10-1 in 41 years…missed about two bowls a decade)

Ben: Big 10 Football. We’re just happy to be here.

Rommy: Cal football. Hugging trees is so fun.

Rommy: Cal football. We lost to Stanford. (Cal strength of schedule #23, Penn State #65 according to team rankings.com)

Ben: Big 10 Football. Stanford would be a bowl team if they played here.

Rommy: Big 10 football. Ten bowl eligible teams.

Ben: Big 10 football. WE HAVE 11 TEAMS AND ARE CALLED THE BIG 10!

Rommy: Cal Football. We finished in the bottom three of our conference.

Ben: Cal Football. Even out bad year is better than your average.

Rommy: Cal Football. We have no tradition and haven’t been to a Rose Bowl in 50 years.

Ben: Penis State Football. Too old to change our adult diapers, but since our coach sucks, why would we change coaches?

Ben: Penis State Football. At least as goos as your high school team.

Rommy: Penn State. We’ve actually gone undefeated 5 times.

Ben: Haha. Shows how good the Big 10 is. Did you play 5 quarters?

<HALF TIME>

Ben: Even Eddie George said “this is the same game as last year”.

Ben: Wow, just when I was going to give you congrats for forcing a punt… (OSU roughs the punter leading to an LSU score 33-10 now.)

Ben: Big 11 Football. We don’t mind being embarrassed on national television…go ahead…change to subject to Cal.

Rommy: Pac 10 Football. We have one team.

Ben: Big 11 Football. We have no one good.

Rommy: Big 10 Football. We are historically the greatest conference ever.

Ben: Big 11 football. We are the best just ask us…

Ben: But don’t ask the SEC of Pac 10. They always laugh and it hurts our fragile little feelings.

Ben: Congrats. You scored! Now you are only down 2 td’s. (LSU leads by 14 going into the 4th)

Rommy: Pac 10 Football. USC Recruits. Everyone else has drum circles.

Ben: Wow, I can actually see your hopes go up in smoke from my apartment (OSU fumble returned by LSU to the 20).

Ben: Big 10 Football. 3-5 in bowl games this year. 0-2 in the BCS.

Ben: Pac 10 Football. 4-2 in bowl games, with a BCS win.

Ben: But Purdue did beat Central Michigan by 3…congrats.

Rommy: We beat Florida and Texas A&M.

Ben: 4-loss Florida. 6-loss A&M

Rommy: Talk all the shit you want.

Ben: Oh look…another OSU interception.

Rommy: Nate Longshore and Desean Jackson. Most overrated players in college football.

Ben: I couldn’t name anyone on your team and my conference is so clearly better than yours its laughable.

Ben: Not to change the subject, but LSU is killing you conference champion.

Poor Rommy…speaking of not having a leg to stand on. Way to stay loyal to your team and conference no matter how bad they are.

Final score: LSU 38 vs OSU 24.

-b

P.S. This game was really boring as the rest of the BCS was. Let’s have a frickin’ playoff next year.

Anyone who knows me knows I am a diehard University of California supporter. This was one of, if not the most dissapointing seasons in recent memory. For the record, I’ve blocked everything from the hiring of Keith Gilbertson (the West Coast version of Mark Mangino) to the beginning of the JT era. Anyway, here are some of my thoughts:

Nate Longshore: As Nate went, the bears went. Nate, you looked so strong at the begnning of the year. Both the Tennessee and Oregon games were your games to win and you did. Unfortunatly, as you tend to do…you got banged up and choaked a lot at the end of games. You’re a “pocket passer”, meaning you are slow as maple syrup running uphill. I’m sad to say it, but once was an accident and twice is a trend. I think you’re good enough to be a star at this level, but if it were up to me, you’re time would be up.

DeSean Jackson: You and Russell White are the most explosive players I’ve ever seen at Cal. You were 1/1 on turning punts to you into touchdown (Thanks Coach Fullmer). Above average hands. Great speed. Stop on a dime and turn on a nickel. You will be a player on the next level. With that said, I’m not heartbroken you are inevatably going to leave school. Rumors of you spitting in Kevin Reiley’s face post the Oregon State game and saying ”you cost me the heisman” didn’t surprise me. You were hurt for the Stanford game which was one of my lowest points of the year. Sure, it must have been frustrating as hell watching our QB’s struggle to get you the ball but try to show a little more heart. If you can get that right…you’re a star on any level.  

 Justin Forsett: You are one of the biggest over achievers in the Tedford era. Undersized. Not the fastest back ever but man, are you a hustler. I wish I could take you’re attitude and put it in Desean Jackson. If we could pull that off, I could play quarteback and we’d still never pass the ball. You lead the Pac10 in rushing yards…Congrats. Thanks for keeping this team moving in the right direction.

 Kevin Riley: It looks like you earned the starting QB job next year. Baring Brock Mansion being the next comming of Joe Kapp, you should be the guy. You’re mobile and you’ve got a cannon. You’ve redemed yourself from the Oregon State blunder with a great bowl game performance.  Limit the turnovers next year and we should be A-Ok on offense next year.

Coach Tedford and Co: Guys, what happened here. Yes, you are the backbone behind the rejuvination of this program. Northern California loves you for the job you’ve done here. With that said, you mishandeled this team badly. Our defensive scheemes only work when we are up by 20 points. You need a pass rush and you can’t leave the middle of the field open all year long. Who uses a 3 man rush? Chances are Bob Gregory is gone. On offense, the quarterback controversy is a huge black mark on your reputation. This is the second time you stayed with an ineffective QB at the cost of the team. I do love the loyalty. I would have gone back to Nate after Oregon State…but…I would have gone back to Riley by USC. Let’s be more flexible on offense and more dynamic on defense. This was a uber-talented team that underperformed.  

Next Year: New wide reciever core. Inexperienced but talented running backs. One year more experience on the defensive line. Weaker schedule. QB controversy all over again. At first glance, it looks like this is a 8-4 team, however looking at the talent level and tendency for recent Cal teams to over achieve in off years, I’m going 9-3 with another trip the Holiday or Sun Bowl.

 Long live Tedford’s Contract. Cut those damn trees down already and Go Bears!

 -b 

Looks like we all survived 2007. At the beginning of the year (see “tree branch” story), I wasn’t sure if I would make it through. As it turns out it was quite a year. While I stuck it out at eBay, had a sore back for about 6 months, watched Cal fall short, and lived through a MLB wide steroid scandal, they year wasn’t all bad. While I’m sure there are many others I should mention, my first trip over the Atlantic was easily the highlight of the year. I can’t wait to go back. With that said, here’s my initial plans for 2008:

• New Years: Throwing a New Years Day party this year. Hoping by having to be up in the morning, I won’t be as hung over as I was last year. This also might mean I am just as hung over and have to entertain anyone who is reading this…damn you!
• Host the Shannon Corey Concert Tour: Ok, well maybe it’s not a tour but Miss Corey will be crashing at my place and playing at Grant & Green.
• Eurotrip Round Duex: After working for a week in London, my plan is to spend the better part of a week in Paris. Lot’s of great plans for the trip, such as wearing a beret and fake mustache under the Eiffel Tower (Hi Jen) and touring around the museum circuit with my nifty two day pass (thanks Jrod).
• Bethie’s Wedding: Yes, one of the Shapiro’s is actually getting married. Cabo in April. I couldn’t be happier for my sister. I am pro-Dave.
• GMat-a-Thon: Yep, if all goes well, I’m going to take a nice hard look at getting my MBA in 2009. Unfortunately, that means it’s time to hit the book
• SF Street Festival Season: Sure, this might be a giant gathering of the “Marina People” but it’s an awful lot of fun. Let’s just hope it’s sunny for the Union St Fair this year.
• Cal Football Season: Sept to Jan 1. This is gonna be our year…I can feel it! (Yes, I say this every year). I swear I will be way less fanatic once we win the big one.
• Tahoe-HO!: This is a little bit of an extension of the end of this year, but I plan on making a couple of trips to the slopes in the hopes of…well, the hopes of having a good time. Who’s comin’ with me???

Ok, so I really don’t have a whole mess of events planned for next year yet, but there is a lot of stuff I’d like to check off my list. Here goes:

• Launch a website: This is kind of already in the works, so keep your eyes peeled for the launch.
• Apply to B-School: I’d really like to say I actually went to Cal if someone asks.
• Learn to Golf: Last time I went to the range, I figured out you don’t have to swing as hard as you can to make the ball go far. Now to actually figure out where it is going.
• Wine Tasting: Yeah, little snobby, but seeing that I live near the wine country, I’d like to have an idea what I’m talking about.
• Turn 28: Holy shit…old!
• Finish my Demo: Life in Blue by Benjamin Cobalt is long overdue. Chris and Kenny and I will get this project done and it will be effing awesome!
• Play in public: Yes, once the demo is done, I intend to showcase my total lack of musical talent. Please don’t boo!
• Update Blog Regularly: Thanks Nii.

Well, that’s it for now. Happy New Years to all and see you next year!

-b