Contra Costa Times: Cal suspends Levy for first game

Cal quarterback Steve Levy, who was arrested early Sunday morning for allegedly throwing a pint glass at a bouncer's face at Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub in San Francisco, has been suspended by the school for at least the first game of the season. "At a minimum, Steve will miss the first game of his senior year," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said in a release. "Further action, if warranted, will be decided upon after resolution of this situation."

Levy already had been suspended from participating in team workouts and activities. Cal is scheduled to open its 2006 season at Tennessee on Sept. 2. Released on $40,000 bail, Levy is scheduled to return to court July 18 for a pre-hearing conference. Levy pleaded not guilty on Thursday to felony assault charges and was ordered by a San Francisco Superior Court judge not to go within 150 yards of the bouncer, Bryan Zahn.

 

AP: Cal QB Levy suspended for season opener

BERKELEY, Calif. - California quarterback Steve Levy was suspended for the team's season opener Friday for his involvement in a bar fight last weekend. Levy, a senior who led the Golden Bears to season-ending wins over Stanford and Brigham Young last season, pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony assault charges stemming from the fight, in which he allegedly threw a pint glass at a bouncer's face after getting into an argument with another patron at an Irish pub in San Francisco. "At a minimum, Steve will miss the first game of his senior year," coach Jeff Tedford said. "Further action, if warranted, will be decided upon after resolution of his situation."

The Bears, expected to be a top-10 team in most preseason polls, open their season Sept. 2 at Tennessee. Levy also is suspended from participating in team workouts and activities. He is expected to be a backup to Nate Longshore or Joe Ayoob this season. Levy is scheduled to return to court July 18 for a pre-hearing conference.

 

Piece of Memorial Stadium for Sale - eBay

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AP: Northwestern Coach Randy Walker Dies

(Note: Cal hired Northwestern’s former offensive Coordinator, Mike Dunbar, in February)

 

Northwestern University football coach Randy Walker died of an apparent heart attack Thursday night. He was 52.  Walker died after feeling chest pains around 10 p.m. at his suburban Chicago home, said Mike Wolf, the school's assistant athletic director for media services.  "This is a devastating loss, not only for our athletic program, but for the entire Northwestern community," athletic director Mark Murphy said in a statement early Friday. "Randy truly embraced Northwestern and its mission, and cared deeply for his student-athletes, both on and off the field."

Walker was the first Northwestern coach to lead the school to three bowl games. The Wildcats lost to UCLA 50-38 in the Sun Bowl last December.

In October 2004, Walker checked himself into a hospital after experiencing chest pains. He was diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle; the condition is not a common ailment, and is usually caused by a virus.  Walker was out of the hospital in two days, and said he was taking a new approach to his diet and work schedule.  "I've really taken my doctor's orders to heart, because frankly, I want to see my grandkids someday," he said at the time.  Two months ago, Northwestern gave Walker a four-year extension through the 2011 season. He joined the school in 1999 after nine years at Miami of Ohio.  Walker's Wildcats posted 37 wins, going 7-5 last season. He led the team to three bowl games since 2000.

Northwestern shared the Big Ten title in 2000 and went to the Alamo Bowl. The Wildcats also went to the 2003 Motor City Bowl.  Walker was the first Wildcats coach to guide the team to four seasons with at least six wins since C.M. Hollister in 1899-1902.  One of the most difficult times during Walker's tenure at Northwestern came in August 2001, when defensive back Rashidi Wheeler collapsed after participating in a conditioning drill and died. His parents sued the school, claiming officials did not give their son, an asthmatic, timely or adequate medical treatment.  After years of court wrangling, the player's family was awarded a $16 million settlement. A judge approved the settlement last August.  Walker was an assistant coach at North Carolina from 1978-87 and then coached running backs at Northwestern in 1988 and 1989 before becoming head coach at Miami of Ohio, his alma mater. In nine seasons he compiled a 59-35-5 record, his .621 winning percentage the best in school history when he left.

Walker's 1998 team at Miami went 10-1.  A native of Troy, Ohio, Walker was a fullback at Miami of Ohio and graduated in 1976 with a degree in social studies education. Five years later he got a master's degree in education administration.  During Walker's playing days, Miami compiled records of 11-0, 10-0-1 and 11-1 in the mid-1970s and won three Tangerine Bowls. Walker was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1992.  Walker was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, and after a short stint returned to Miami as a graduate assistant.  He is survived by his wife, Tamara, and two children, Abbey, 28, and Jamie, 25, who is the school's football recruiting assistant.

 

Contra Costa Times: Bears' Levy enters not guilty plea

Cal quarterback Steve Levy pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony assault charges stemming from an incident in which he allegedly threw a pint glass at a bouncer's face. A San Francisco Superior Court judge also ordered Levy not to go within 150 yards of the bar and bouncer, Bryan Zahn, who suffered a cut to his head during the fight early Sunday, according to police. Levy, 22, was arrested outside Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub, where he allegedly threw the glass at Zahn, who had asked him to leave the bar after breaking up an argument between Levy and another patron, said police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens. Levy then reportedly tried to leave the scene but was detained by people on the street until officers arrived. Levy, who was released on $40,000 bail, was scheduled to return to court July 18 for a pre-hearing conference.

Herb Benenson, spokesman for Cal's athletic department, said Thursday that Levy remains suspended indefinitely from all team activities until officials gather more information. Levy's attorney, Mary P. Carey, did not return a call for comment.

Oakland Tribune: Cal quarterback pleads not guilty

SAN FRANCISCO — Cal quarterback Steve Levy pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony assault charges stemming from an incident that took place Sunday night at a North Beach bar.  He was also ordered to stay away from the doorman, at whom he is accused of throwing a pint glass, and to keep away from Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub, located on Jackson Street. Court officials said such an order is common when a person is released on bail.  The 22-year-old Levy, a University of California, Berkeley, senior who lives in Berkeley, was arrested Sunday morning on suspicion of assaulting the doorman, 23-year-old Bryan Zahn.  Court officials said Levy was represented by his own counsel. Although free on $40,000 bail, Levy has been suspended from the Cal football team.  According to reports, Levy got into a verbal altercation with another patron at the pub shortly before 1:30 a.m. Sunday because a woman refused to dance with him. The doorman then asked Levy to leave the establishment. Police said Levy subsequently grabbed a pint glass and heaved it at Zahn, who suffered a laceration to his head. Levy was doused with a beverage, although it's unclear whether that happened before or after he allegedly threw the pint glass at Zahn.  Levy is scheduled to return to court on July 18.

 

SF Chronicle: Cal quarterback pleads not guilty

Jaxon Van Derbeken, Chronicle Staff Writer

 (06-29) 11:33 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Cal quarterback Steve Levy pleaded not guilty today to felony assault charges and was ordered to stay away from a North Beach pub where prosecutors say he threw a pint glass and hit a doorman.  Levy, a 22-year-old senior living in Berkeley, was arrested Sunday morning on charges of attacking the 23-year-old doorman, Bryan Zahn.  Levy is free on $40,000 bail and has been suspended from the UC Berkeley football team. A judge at today's hearing told him not to go to the bar where the incident took place, Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub on Jackson Street.

The events that led to the quarterback's arrest began just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday when Levy got into an argument with another patron over a woman's refusal to dance, police Lt. Leroy Lindo said. The doorman asked Levy to leave.  Police said Levy then picked up a pint glass and threw it at Zahn, who suffered a cut to his head and was treated at the scene. Levy was splashed by a drink, but it is unclear whether that happened before or after he allegedly threw the pint glass at Zahn.  Levy fled but was detained by other patrons and held for police. Neither he nor his attorney, Mary Carey of Walnut Creek, would comment as they left court.  Levy came to Cal in 2002. He sat out his first year to preserve his eligibility and didn't play in 2003 after shoulder surgery. After a year at the fullback position, Levy returned to quarterback last season.  He played as a reserve in four games before earning starts against Stanford in the Big Game and Brigham Young in the Las Vegas Bowl, leading the Bears to victories in both games. Levy completed 32 passes in 52 attempts for the season, amassing 439 yards and four touchdowns. He threw two interceptions.

 

AP: Cal QB Levy pleads not guilty to bar fight assault

California quarterback Steve Levy pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony assault charges stemming from a bar fight in which he allegedly threw a pint glass at a bouncer's face. A San Francisco Superior Court judge also ordered Levy not to go within 150 yards of the bar and the bouncer, Bryan Zahn, who suffered a cut to his head during the fight early Sunday morning, according to police. Levy, 22, was arrested outside Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub in San Francisco's North Beach, where he allegedly threw the glass at Zahn, who had asked him to leave the bar after breaking up an argument between Levy and another patron, said police spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens.  Levy then reportedly tried to leave the scene, but was detained by people on the street until officers arrived. He was released on $40,000 bail.

Herb Benenson, spokesman for Cal's athletic department, said Thursday that Levy remains suspended indefinitely from all team activities until officials gather more information. Levy's attorney, Mary P. Carey, did not return a call for comment. Levy, a longtime backup who played fullback for one season earlier in his career, led the Golden Bears' season-ending wins in the Big Game and Las Vegas Bowl last season in his first two career starts.

He was expected to compete for the starting job again when Cal's players report to training camp on Aug. 6, though Nate Longshore and Joe Ayoob moved ahead of him on the depth chart after Cal's spring game in April. Levy was scheduled to return to court July 18 for a pre-hearing conference.

 

 

Today at Memorial Stadium

It's a beautiful day in Berkeley today. This is a photo taken at 5:45 pm at Memorial Stadium. There were approximately 45 players working out (the rest are off to the right). No coaches were present.

New York Times Valley Record: Cornwall's Levy to enter plea in court today

By Sal Interdonato
Times Herald-Record
California quarterback Steve Levy will appear in San Francisco Superior Court at noon today to be arraigned on felony charges of using an instrument to incur bodily injury (assault with a deadly weapon). Levy, of Cornwall, posted $40,000 bail and was released Sunday night after an altercation at Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub on San Francisco's North Beach.  If convicted of the felony charge, Levy could face two to four years in prison, said Debbie Mesloh, a spokesperson for the San Francisco District Attorney's office. Levy, 22, didn't return a phone call seeking comment on Tuesday. His father, Mark, declined comment.

Levy will enter a plea of guilty or not guilty today. His next court appearance will then be scheduled. If Levy pleads not guilty, the case would likely go to trial in San Francisco Superior Court. Sgt. Neville Gittens of the San Francisco Police Department said that Levy was involved in a dispute with a patron at 1:23 a.m. Sunday. The dispute was cleared up by a doorman, who asked Levy to leave. Upon his departure, Levy threw a pint glass at the doorman, who received a laceration near his eye, Gittens said. The doorman was treated by paramedics at the scene. On Monday, Cal coach Jeff Tedford suspended Levy, who will be a senior this fall.

Levy was 2-0 as a starter last season, leading Cal to wins over Stanford in the Big Game and BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl. "Steve's not a violent guy or a big juicehead," said John Allegretta, one of Levy's best friends, who spoke briefly with his former Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) teammate recently. "It's not like him to do something like this. I wouldn't make a judgment on it until it all goes down. It doesn't sound right to me."

Inside Tennessee: Cal QB suspended

By: Randy Moore

Date: Jun 28, 2006

The good news: A Cal quarterback has been suspended by head coach Jeff Tedford and may miss the Golden Bears’ Sept. 2 opener at Tennessee. The bad news: It wasn’t THE Cal quarterback who was suspended.  Some Vol fans are salivating at the news that Steve Levy has been suspended indefinitely after his arrest on felony assault charges in connection with a bar altercation earlier this week. That reaction might be understandable if Levy were Cal’s No. 1 quarterback. But he isn’t. He isn’t even No. 2. He came out of spring practice 

Read the article here:

Contra Costa Times: Levy's woes put Cal in quandary

GARY PETERSON: TIMES COLUMNIST

ASSUMING THERE IS merit to the charge against Cal quarterback Steve Levy -- that he flung a pint glass into the face of a bar employee in San Francisco during the wee smalls of Sunday morning -- we are reminded of two fundamental tenets. One, give the man time to throw, and he'll pick you apart. And two, there is a price for athletic success that Cal has historically been unwilling to pay. That price has been the ritual embarrassment of the university by a member of its athletic community. And nothing says embarrassment quite like the prospect of your bowl game-winning quarterback demonstrating his technique on the skinny post, using a pint glass as a football and a bystander's forehead as a target.

Levy, it goes without saying, is innocent until proven guilty. Football coach Jeff Tedford isn't inclined to wait on the wheels of justice. Tedford took time from his summer vacation Monday to announce that Levy had been suspended from the team pending a thorough review of the pertinent facts, a move seconded (if not firsted) by athletic director Sandy Barbour. You would expect nothing less from Cal, given the school's uneasy relationship with its high-profile, high-revenue sports. Which is to say: football, men's basketball, football and football again. For one thing, Cal is an NCAA Division I anomaly in that it prefers not to be known primarily for its athletic achievement. The school takes pride in its liberal, free-thinking heritage and counter-cultural bent.

For another, and to compound matters, what few successful "eras" the school has enjoyed in its two high-profile, high-revenue sports since the Kennedy administration have ended in disgrace. Got a couple seconds? Let's review. For 15 seasons from 1959-73, the football team enjoyed just three winning records. Under coach Mike White, the Bears turned it around. From 1974-77, they won 27, lost 16 and tied 1. In 1975, Cal came within one game (or, if you prefer, a half-dozen UCLA fumbles) of the Rose Bowl. The White regime collapsed amid charges of academic neglect and recruiting violations. The dark joke at the time was that the only part of the campus star running back Chuck Muncie ever saw was the Memorial Stadium grass between the end zones.

This kind of single-minded moxie might have earned White a political appointment in the upper midwest, deep south, or most of Texas. It got him fired in Berkeley. So great was the embarrassment that no one at Cal seemed to mind much that the football team made just one bowl appearance in the first dozen seasons after White's departure. Perhaps it was because the basketball team soon experienced a similar rebirth, beginning in 1985 with the arrival of coach Lou Campanelli. After Campanelli was fired midway through the 1993 season, the team became a national power under replacement Todd Bozeman. The reasons for that ascendancy became clear when it was revealed Bozeman had paid for the services of at least one of the team's better players.

Bozeman was canned without regret. Probation ensued, embarrassment nipping at its heels. The dynamic remains unchanged to this day. Given the choice between success and righteousness, Cal's administration will always choose the latter. Considered in this context, the two-year contract extension given men's basketball coach Ben Braun last week makes absolute sense. Yes, Braun has reached the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 just once in his 10 seasons at Cal, and then with players Bozeman had hired, um, recruited. Yes, it seems that every season is played against the low-level buzz of critical chatter. That said, Braun runs a sanitized-for-your-protection program. If the worst that can be said of a coach is that he might have won an extra game or two along the way, well, that man has a place on the Cal campus.

Similarly, Tedford has overseen the dramatic renaissance of the Cal football program without inspiring undue drama, scrutiny or the urge to run home and take a shower after spending time in the same room with his players. Levy isn't the first of his charges to wind up on the wrong end of a headline, but Tedford is convincing when he says he does not condone stupid indulgent athlete tricks. Before taking his wards on the road for last December's Las Vegas Bowl, for example, he outlined a plan to hold approximately one cautionary team meeting for each of the seven deadly sins.

The past four seasons have been a swell time to be a Cal football fan. But with winning, you can be assured, has come concern that success is arriving through proper channels. You also can be assured that accounts of Levy's last-call drill have been duly noted and that the obligatory question has been considered, if not spoken out loud: At what point does the cost of having a nationally ranked football team exceed Cal's psychic budget?

 

Oakland Tribune: Players' antics put Tedford on spot

Column by Monte Poole

THOSE WHO support the old alma mater don't ask much of their coaches, only that he or she is smart, engaging, innovative, charismatic and, above all, able to recruit model student-athletes who play like the devil.  The latter aspect is more true at some places than others, and we are in the process of finding out if Cal still is one of those places.  Jeff Tedford is easily the most popular of Cal's major program coaches. And for obvious reasons. He took a mutt of a football program and raised it to purebred level. He knows football, is good with people, is stable and reliable, with a positive vibe.  But Tedford, whom some consider the closest God-like figure to coach at Berkeley since Pete Newell, keeps getting stung by the delicate angel/devil balance.

Tedford over the weekend received, for the second straight off-season, news about one or more of his players being arrested.  For the second straight year, the coach has had to follow a regrettable matter by issuing a statement regarding the wee-hours behavior of one or more of his players. For the second straight off-season, Tedford has had to announce that one of his players is being suspended.  The latest to find trouble is quarterback Steve Levy, who became an instant hero after shucking his backup status to lead the Golden Bears to an emphatic 27-3 win over Stanford in the Big Game, then leading them to a 35-28 win over BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl.

In a span of a month, Levy, a senior-to-be who has more desire than talent, became nearly as popular as Tedford.  But then Levy, 22, was arrested and booked around 4 a.m. Sunday, charged with suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm after an incident at Kell's, a bar/restaurant on the southern edge of San Francisco's North Beach.  As to the specifics, well, that depends on who is in charge of the description.

One story has Levy attempting to splash the contents of a pint glass on a bouncer, only to have the glass decide to go along for the ride.  Another story has Levy being ejected from the bar and responding by picking up a glass and, as he exited, flinging it at the bouncer.  What is consistent is that Levy got into a confrontation with another man, was told to leave, threw a glass that hit the bouncer in the forehead, leaving a cut that was treated at the scene. And that Levy left the bar, only to be detained by others until police arrived to make an arrest. The whole giant headache lands squarely on top of Tedford, who was trying to squeeze in some vacation time.  He responded quickly, issuing a statement saying, in essence, that Levy is in trouble and will be on suspension at least until the extent of the trouble has been determined.  Tedford surely hated this, at least the third time in 19 months he has addressed a matter involving his players and police. The February 2005 arrests of defensive back Bernard Hicks and wide receiver Robert Jordan followed by two months the arrest of tight end David Gray.

Then there were the team members who were said to be in a dispute with Meleia Willis-Starbuck shortly before she was shot and killed last year, allegedly by a friend she had summoned for assistance. The charges against Hicks, Jordan and Gray were minor enough to be dropped in some cases, reduced in others. The same very likely will happen with Levy.  Which is not to suggest these incidents are irrelevant to the student-athletes, the victims or, more to the point, the coach who recruited them.  The Levy matter is the latest incident involving a football player that reflects on Cal in a way that brings a measure of shame to alumni who once made shame-avoidance a very high priority.  Indeed, Cal's emphasis on character over talent may have been a factor in the school appearing in one bowl game between 1959 and 1990.  In the real world, though, where big-time schools chase big-time talent, there always are risks. Heck, Levy is proof there is risk with those who have less than big-time talent. Winning sometimes requires a change in culture. Yet a culture tends to change once it gets a taste of winning. Tedford has changed the culture, made it more conducive to winning, but Old Blues are uncomfortable with seeing their school linked with arrest reports.   When athletics director Sandy Barbour last week signed men's basketball coach Ben Braun to a three-year extension, the reaction in the Cal community was a mix of puzzlement, resignation and grudging acceptance.  What must be considered is the influence of the Haas family, lead dogs among major donors and solidly in Braun's corner. What everyone has to concede is that Ben's recruits may transfer at a dizzying rate, but they don't generate the wrong kind of headlines.  That actually gives Old Blues a sense of pride — the kind of pride that comes harder if a coach makes a habit of addressing the behavior of his players.  Unless that coach is even more godlike than we know.

 

 

KPIX: UPDATE: QUARTERBACK CHARGED WITH FELONY ASSAULT

06/27/06 7:20 PDT

SAN FRANCISCO

The San Francisco district attorney's office today filed a felony assault charge against University of California at Berkeley's football quarterback Steve Levy for his alleged assault at a North Beach bar early Sunday.  He will be in court either Thursday or Friday, according to spokeswoman Bilen Mesfin.

Levy, 22, was arrested after he allegedly threw a pint glass at a bouncer at Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub around 1:23 a.m., following the bouncer's request for him to leave the bar, according to Sgt. Neville Gittens.  Citizens followed Levy on foot after he left the bar, located at 530 Jackson St., and directed police to Levy, who arrested him and took him to jail.  Jeff Tedford, the football team's coach, said Levy will sit out the team's practices until the story becomes clearer. The starting team for the upcoming season has not been announced yet.

Fort Worth Star Telegram: Future in doubt for Cal QB

California quarterback Steve Levy, who was expected to challenge for a starting job next season, was arrested after an altercation at a bar on Sunday. Levy was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, according to San Francisco police Sgt. Neville Gittens. Gittens said Levy, 22, got into a dispute with a patron at around 1:20 a.m. A bar employee broke up the dispute and asked Levy to leave. Police allege that as Levy was leaving, he threw a pint glass at the employee, striking him in the forehead and eye area.  Levy was later arrested, and the employee received medical attention at the scene, Gittens said. Cal coach Jeff Tedford said Monday that Levy would be suspended indefinitely, pending investigation.

SF Chronicle: Keep your seats? A donation, please

Policy riles Cal, Stanford fans

Jake Curtis, Chronicle Staff Writer

Gordon Briggs has been going to Cal home football games for 30 years, and plans to go to Tennessee for the Bears' opener against the Vols. "But," he said, "I will not go to another game at (Cal's) Memorial Stadium."   He considers himself a victim of Cal's decision to enforce an existing policy that requires a donation to the Cal athletic department to renew season-ticket purchases in priority locations.  All the Pac-10 schools except Stanford had similar policies requiring donations for the prime seats, and Stanford made it unanimous this year by initiating a priority season-ticket plan for donors with the opening of its new, smaller 50,000-seat stadium. The Cardinal have had a few negative responses, too, but quelled most of them when Stanford modified its parking plan to accommodate some of the longtime season-ticket holders who are not eligible for priority seating.  At Stanford, the donors' priority section makes up only about 5 percent of the total seating, which is based on studies of what the market would bear, according to interim Stanford athletic director Bill Walsh.

At Cal, nearly all the seats between the 10-yard lines are either priority seating or student seating.   When demand for season tickets at Cal waned a few years ago, existing season-ticket holders were allowed to retain the same seats upon renewal without additional donations, even though the policy stated otherwise. Now Cal is winning, the demand has risen and Cal has two major projects to fund: construction of an education- and athletic-facilities center, and the renovation of Memorial Stadium.  Cal athletic director Sandy Barbour seems to have a greater concern about the reaction when the stadium renovation is completed, because about 10,000 seats will be lost and reconfiguring seating to the satisfaction of season-ticket holders will be a challenge.  Barbour says reaction to Cal's decision to enforce priority-seating rules has been minimal, although she realizes some dissatisfaction is inevitable, especially from longtime season-ticket holders.  "It's unfortunate, but this is one of the realities," she said.

Season-ticket prices rose from $235 last year to $317 this season, with another $50 added to each season-ticket price this year as a stadium-renovation fee.  Cal director of marketing and sales Matt Terwilliger says Cal expects to break the school record of 40,134 season tickets sold last year (up from 16,000 in Jeff Tedford's first season in 2002). Terwilliger said only about 150 people have decided not to renew their season tickets and only a handful of them cited increased cost as the reason. The demand for the priority seating, with seat location based on contribution levels of $6,800 to $400, has remained constant, Terwilliger said.

Briggs, who lives in Glendale, Ariz., was given a reduced donation requirement to retain his seats based on his years as a season-ticket holder, but he does not like the idea of requiring donations, something he believes should be voluntary. He decided not to renew rather than accept seats in a less desirable section.  "People say this is the way it is now," Briggs said. "Maybe it is, but we're losing sight of some of the loyalty issues and maybe they're more important than dollars."  Season-ticket holder Irene Miura, a former president of the Cal Alumni Association and former member of the UC Board of Regents, appreciates that sentiment, but agrees that most supporters have been understanding.  "The bottom line is, they need the money," she said. "The state can't provide it, and it should come from the people who use (the football stadium)."  Alan Burns renewed his season tickets at Stanford, but said this might be the last time. He compared the priority seating based on donations to the seat licensing instituted for Raiders games.  "It's highway robbery," he said.  About three-quarters of Stanford's priority season tickets, based on contributions at the $1,000, $2,000 and $5,000 levels, have been sold, including all 22 of the skyboxes for the elite contributors. Overall, Stanford has sold about 19,000 season tickets, an increase of more than 50 percent over this time last year. Modest season-ticket price increases have been countered by the decision to offer students free tickets and faculty and staff reduced-price tickets.

Some of the complaints of longtime Stanford season-ticket holder Adrian Springer were relieved when Stanford reconfigured the parking allotment in response to complaints. Still, he does not like the commercial aspect of the priority-ticketing approach.  "It's like not having Santa Claus one year," he said. "Whenever you change tradition, that raises everyone's ire, especially if it's for commercial reasons."

 

Oakland Tribune: Cal quarterback Levy arrested after bar fight

Star player suspended from team indefinitely while school investigates

By Susan McDonough, STAFF WRITER

SAN FRANCISCO — Cal quarterback Steve Levy — a rising star who last season led the Bears to a Big Game win over Stanford — has been suspended from the team because of an arrest early Sunday morning after a bar fight in San Francisco, police and university officials said.

San Francisco police Sgt. Neville Gittens said Levy, 22, was at Kells Irish Restaurant and Bar at 530 Jackson St. about 1:30 a.m. Sunday when he and another man got into an argument.  When a doorman intervened, Gittens said Levy threw a pint glass at the doormans face, leaving a gash on his forehead.  Levy left the bar but was detained by a group of people until his arrest nearby at Pacific Avenue and Montgomery Street.  He was booked Sunday morning into San Francisco County Jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, and was reportedly free Monday on

$40,000 bail.

University of California, Berkeley football coach Jeff Tedford said Levy has been suspended indefinitely while Cal athletic officials investigate the circumstances around his arrest.  Levys family, reached by phone in New Jersey, declined to comment Monday.  A team spokesman said the fight apparently started over a girl, who had dated both Levy and the other man.  The spokesman said the doorman threw a glass of water at Levy, and when Levy went to throw the contents of his glass back, the glass slipped out of his hand and hit the bouncer in the face. Levy was ranked as one of the top five quarterbacks in New Jersey when he came to Cal in 2002.  He spent the first fours years of his college football career far down on the depth chart and played fullback one season.  Then because of injuries and poor performance by Cals starting quarterback Joe Ayoob, Levy was vaulted into the limelight last season when, in his first career start, he led the team to victory over Stanford and a month later over Brigham Young University in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Despite Levys storybook performance, Tedford has said the quarterback would not necessarily start when the season begins in September. Nate Longshore, who was out last season with a broken ankle, returned as Cals No. 1 quarterback in spring practice.  

 

Contra Costa Times: Cal quarterback Levy arrested after bar fight

By Jay Heater

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

The fairy tale career of Cal quarterback Steve Levy took an unexpected turn early Sunday morning in San Francisco. Levy, who will be a senior next season, was arrested after a fight at a bar on the corner of Montgomery and Jackson streets. According to San Francisco Police Department spokesman Dewayne Tully, Levy was booked for felony assault. Tully said SFPD won't release more information on the arrest until today.

Considered an overachiever with tremendous heart and limited physical skills, Levy led Cal to a 27-3 victory over Stanford in the 2005 Big Game followed by a 35-28 victory over BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl. A career backup who had been converted from quarterback to fullback and then back again, Levy had not attempted a pass in his career going into the 2005 season. However, when starter Joe Ayoob struggled toward the end of the 2005 season, Levy was inserted into the lineup and became an instant hit with the fans as he led Cal to two huge victories.

Cal football coach Jeff Tedford, who is on vacation, suspended Levy on Monday. The Cal sports information department issued the following statement from Tedford, "We are aware of the situation with Steve. He will not participate in any team functions until we feel we have all of the information." Cal athletic director Sandy Barbour also issued a statement. "We've taken initial action. We are now gathering information and will take appropriate action when we believe we have the complete facts." Depending on the outcome of the case, Levy might have compromised his shot at starting for the Bears in 2006. He battled on even terms in the spring against Nathan Longshore and Joe Ayoob so any missed practice time once summer camp begins the first week of August could put him far behind those two. Levy was 32-of-52 for 439 yards and four touchdowns in 2005. He was intercepted twice.

Tedford recruited Levy, out of his hometown of Cornwall, N.Y., and Don Bosco High School of New Jersey. He arrived at Cal in 2002 and redshirted his first season. He did not play in any games in 2003 and spent the 2004 season working as a fullback. His perseverance paid off in 2005 when Longshore, the starter in the season opener, broke his leg in Cal's first game, followed by Ayoob's struggles.

 

SF Chronicle:Cal QB Levy jailed on assault charge, suspended from team

Demian Bulwa, Chronicle Staff Writer

Monday, June 26, 2006

(06-26) 18:14 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- The Cal quarterback who came off the bench last season to lead victories in the Big Game and the Las Vegas Bowl was jailed this weekend in San Francisco on suspicion of felony assault for allegedly throwing a pint glass at a doorman who had asked him to leave a North Beach pub, police said today.  Steve Levy, a 22-year-old senior who lives in Berkeley, has been suspended from football team activities while the university looks into the Sunday morning incident at Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub on Jackson Street. Cal Athletic Director Sandy Barbour said the university had spoken to Levy and to police, but she declined to discuss those talks.

"We've taken initial action, we're gathering information, and when we have all the facts we'll determine what's appropriate," Barbour said.  The 23-year-old doorman was struck on the forehead by the glass and was examined by paramedics at the scene, said Sgt. Neville Gittens, a San Francisco police spokesman. Vince Ebarb, 36, of San Francisco, a friend of the doorman, said the man had been treated at a hospital for a cut.  Gittens said the incident began just before 1:23 a.m., when Levy got into an argument with another person at the bar. The doorman moved between them "trying to defuse the situation," then asked Levy to leave, Gittens said.  "As (Levy) was walking out, he picked up a pint glass and threw it at the employee," Gittens said. "It hit the employee on the forehead."  Levy left the bar but was "detained by citizens" less than two blocks away, Gittens said.

Levy was booked into San Francisco County Jail at 4:20 a.m. Sunday on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, an offense that carries punishment ranging from a fine to four years in prison. He posted $40,000 bail and was released at 9 p.m., according to jail records.

"We're aware of the situation regarding Steve and he will not participate in any team functions until we have all of the information," Cal coach Jeff Tedford said through a university spokesman.  Levy could not be immediately reached for comment.  Levy, a social welfare major from Cornwall, N.Y., is expected to be a backup on a Cal team that begins practicing in August and has gained national recognition in recent years under Tedford.

Levy came to Cal in 2002 as a quarterback from Don Bosco Preparatory High School, an all-boys school in New Jersey. He sat out his first year to preserve his eligibility and didn't play in 2003 after shoulder surgery. Following a year at the fullback position, Levy returned to quarterback last season.  He played as a reserve in four games before earning starts against Stanford in the Big Game and Brigham Young in the Las Vegas Bowl. Levy completed 32 passes in 52 attempts for the season, amassing 439 yards and four touchdowns. He threw two interceptions.

 

AP: Cal QB Levy arrested on felony assault charges after bar fight

SAN FRANCISCO - California suspended senior quarterback Steve Levy indefinitely on Monday after his arrest on felony assault charges stemming from an alleged bar fight. Levy, who came off the bench to lead the Golden Bears' season-ending victories over Stanford and Brigham Young last season, spent most of Sunday in San Francisco County Jail after his arrest on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm.   According to police, the weapon was a pint glass from Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood. After a bar employee broke up a dispute between Levy and another patron early Sunday morning, the quarterback picked up the glass and hit the employee in the face, San Francisco police Sgt. Neville Gittens said.

The 22-year-old Levy apparently tried to leave the bar after the incident, but was detained by people on the street until police arrived, Gittens said.

"We're aware of the situation with Steve, and he will be suspended from all team activities until we have more information," coach Jeff Tedford said.

Levy, a longtime backup who played fullback for one season earlier in his career, led the Golden Bears to season-ending wins in the Big Game and the Las Vegas Bowl in his first two career starts. He was expected to compete for the starting job again when Cal's players report to training camp on Aug. 6, though Nate Longshore and Joe Ayoob moved ahead of him on the depth chart after Cal's spring game in April. "We have taken our initial action," athletic director Sandy Barbour said. "Now we're gathering information, and any further action will take place after we feel like we have the complete facts."  Levy, a New York native, attended an elite New Jersey prep school before joining the Bears in 2002.

 

AP: Vols football: Manning pleased that Ainge is starter

By ELIZABETH A. DAVIS

The Associated Press

KNOXVILLE - Former Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning was pleased to hear Erik Ainge would start this season after having to compete with other players the last two years.  Coach Phillip Fulmer and offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe said Ainge, a junior, was the No. 1 quarterback coming out of spring practice.  Manning, now a two-time MVP for the Indianapolis Colts, was back at his alma mater on Thursday to award a scholarship bearing his name, participate in a fundraising golf tournament for a hospital and meet with some of the players.

Ainge and Rick Clausen were rotating starters a year ago, which became one of the problems Tennessee could not overcome in finishing a dismal 5-6. As a freshman, Ainge competed with Brent Schaeffer before both were injured and Clausen started.  Jonathan Crompton, a highly rated prospect from North Carolina, had to sit out last year to recover from shoulder surgery. He is the top backup.  "For the first time he's been named the starting quarterback. If you think about it, he really hasn't had that opportunity afforded to him yet. He's been competing whether with (Brent) Schaeffer or (Rick) Clausen," Manning said.

"Now he is the guy. It is a great opportunity and certainly there comes a lot of responsibility with that. It sounds like he's really working hard. He really threw the ball well (Wednesday). I'm looking forward to watching him play this year."    Manning, the most decorated athlete in school history and the Southeastern Conference's all-time leading passer, began the Peyton Manning Scholarship in 1998, a year after he graduated. It is funded by $165,000 in academic awards he won as a student combined with corporate matching gifts and other private donations.

The Manning Scholarship covers tuition, room and board. This year's recipient is Nora Sue Hutchison, a graduate of Anderson County High School.

"It's hard to believe it's been nine years and there's been nine award winners," Manning said after presenting a plaque to Hutchison and posing for pictures with her family.     "It's been a special relationship with me and the university to award this Peyton Manning scholarship every year. I've kept up with all the winners. They've written me letters and kept me updated on what we're doing in school and out in the business world."

Manning said he worked out with some of the Volunteers Wednesday and was planning for more on Thursday. He usually works out with the players at least once every summer before he has to report to training camp.   "It makes me feel young again. I turned 30, and I can still throw it around with these 18, 19-year-old receivers, the Robert Meachems, the (Jayson) Swains and (Lucas) Taylors. I enjoy being around the guys," he said.

And he even got in a game of golf with Fulmer.   "We tied," Manning said. "I gave him a few strokes to keep it even."

 

ESPN: Maisel's 3-Point Stance

(Note: Thanks to Seth for forwarding this link)

 <snip>

“Cal coach Jeff Tedford hired Mike Dunbar from Northwestern to bring the spread offense to Berkeley. Tedford also visited spread guru Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia. But Tedford isn't shelving the I, not with tailbacks Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett. Tedford is just adding to it. The spread got most of the snaps in the spring, but the fall will be more balanced.”

NFLDRAFTBLITZ.com: Andrew Cameron Interview

(Note from Editor: This is a really interesting article from a website that I have never heard of.  Read the entire interview here.)

 

Excerpts:

 

What can we expect from Cal in 2006?

What you can expect from Cal for 2006 is a team that is prepared to take the season one day at a time, with the willingness to prepare to win. I know we have the basis for a solid team this year and we expect to have a good year.

 

Who's your closest friend on the team?

My closest friend on the team, well it was the o-line men that I played with in 2004 when we

produced the number 1 rusher in the country, that was a special group. Now that they are gone I would say that Joe Ayoob is a good friend of mine and Steve Levy. They and I get along well and have many similar interests off the field.

 

What's going on with the team's quarterback situation right now? Who's running with the first team?

As far as I know the quarterback situation is one of competition. We have plenty of talent at

that position, don't write Joe Ayoob off, he had a good spring ball and seems more focused than ever. I think he has a solid chance to start this year, Similarily Nate Longshore looks good and has good command of the offense. I think this is a question that will answer itself as we get through fall camp, the competition will bring out the best in all of them.

Fox Sports: Recruiting buzz: Top recruits commit

Excerpt:

The Cal Golden Bears are on the board — the recruiting board. Alex Lagemann, a 6-2, 206-pound receiver from Saratoga, Calif., verbally committed to Jeff Tedford and Cal this past weekend after Lagemann received a phone call in May from Tedford himself extending the offer.  "Coach Tedford gave me the offer the day after the Nike camp," Lagemann told BearInsider.com this week. "When it was Coach Tedford calling personally, I knew it must be an important call. He told me he really liked me as a player and they'd like to see me at Cal, and I was just speechless. I wasn't expecting that at all.

 

Here is the link.

Oakland Tribune: Top 10 spotlight hits Cal football

Bears' preseason 'bling' includes lofty rankings, three All-Americans
By Dave Newhouse, STAFF WRITER
BERKELEY — Preseason projections and expectations are descending on Jeff Tedford's Cal football program like a meteor shower.

Cal's fall camp opens Aug.6, four weeks before the Sept.2 opener at Tennessee, and the Golden Bears will have to live up to considerable hype.

Cal has received four top-10 rankings: No.7 (ESPN.com), No.8 (SI.com and Athlon Sports) and No.9 (Lindy's).  "I don't take it any differently," Tedford said of those lofty projections. "The expectations have kind of grown on us. We've kind of been in those spots the last few years."

Well, Cal was rated No.4 in the country late in the 2004 season. But the latest preseason evaluations are much greater in number.  Individually, three Bears have been named as preseason All-Americans: defensive tackle Brandon Mebane by Athlon, Lindy's and The Sporting News; running back Marshawn Lynch by Lindy's and The Sporting News; and cornerback Daymeion Hughes by Blue Ribbon Defense and Playboy magazine.

Hughes also is projected as a second-team All-America by Lindy's and The Sporting News, as is Lynch by Athlon.  There's also the preseason watch list for postseason awards. The Maxwell Award honors the country's best collegiate player, the Bednarik Award and Nagurski Award the best defensive player, the Hendricks Trophy the best defensive end, the Outland Trophy the best offensive or defensive lineman, while the Lott Award recognizes athletic performance and personal character.  Lynch is up for the Maxwell, Nu'u Tafisi for the Hendricks, Hughes and Mebane for the Bednarik, Lott and Nagurski, and Mebane for the Outland. Wait, there's more. Various groups rate players. Lynch is the No.2 running back in the country, Mebane the No.2 defensive lineman, Desmond Bishop the No.9 linebacker, and DeSean Jackson the No.10 wide receiver.

Wait, there's still more. Cal's defensive line is rated the nation's best, while Cal's running backs are No.2. And the Sporting News has picked Mebane as its Pac-10 defensive player of the year. Whew! Tedford is digesting it all while trying to lend some perspective.

"Going into two years ago," he said, "there were high expectations for that team, but it had a lot of experience with Aaron (Rodgers), J.J. (Arrington), Chase (Lyman), Geoff McArthur and that whole group.  "Last year, there was high expectations going in, but we were the youngest team in the conference. This year, there's still high expectations, but we have a little more experience."  Along with expectations comes reality. Cal hasn't yet named a starting quarterback, it will present a new hybrid offense of the T-formation and shotgun, the offensive line must be rebuilt, and new safeties will be starting for the third straight year.  "We'll be fine at the quarterback spot; there's good competition," said Tedford. "The offensive line is very capable, and we have talent at the safety positions.  "The only thing I don't know about completely is our punting situation because I haven't seen (Andrew Larson) yet (at Cal)."  Then Tedford noted the defense could be his fastest at Cal, and the linebacker group definitely is his fastest.  "Regardless of expectations," he cautioned, "our preparation will determine how well we do this season."  One more projection: Cal's season-ticket sales, which were 16,000 when Tedford took over in 2002, are ahead of last year's record number of 40,134. Single-game tickets, except for Stanford, go on sale July 11.

 

RealFootball365.com: Golden Bears dodge a bullet (or three)

By D.Laurant on June 22, 2006

If the California Golden Bears football team has the kind of season that's being expected of it, coach Jeff Tedford can thank the inaccuracy of an as-yet-unknown gangbanger on the streets of Oakland. Star Golden Bear tailback Marshawn Lynch was leaving the graduation of his sister from Oakland Tech earlier this month when the lone gunman opened fire on the car in which he was riding, hitting it with from three to five rounds. No one inside the car was hurt. Later, according to one local TV station, "A representative of the shooter went to the home of Lynch's mother to tell her that Marshawn was not the intended target and to apologize."

Read the rest of the article here.

 

 

 

Bear Insider: Lone Star QB picks Cal

By: Jim McGill

Recruiting Writer

Date: Jun 21, 2006

Cal Head Coach Jeff Tedford and the Golden Bears received a dose of good news as Dallas Episcopal quarterback Brock Mansion made a verbal committment to attend the University of California during his visit to Berkeley today. The 6-5/221 Mansion, a four-star recruit according to the Scout database, has been high on Cal’s wish list since they offered the big quarterback last month.

Read the article here.

Stockton Record: Lincoln's Cearley class of Cal camp

Michael Sudhalter

Record Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, Jun 20, 2006

Read the article here.

Lincoln senior-to-be Johnny Cearley earned the MVP Running Back honor at the Jeff Tedford Cal Bears Football Camp last week. Cearley, who played strong safety and running back for the San Joaquin Athletic Association tri-champion Trojans, rushed for 135 yards on just 10 carries last season. As a strong safety, he had 31 tackles, three interceptions and three sacks. Cearley's older brother, J.C., won the MVP Defensive Lineman award at the same camp six years ago and went on to wrestle for Fresno State.

CSTV: Cal's Mebane Selected for Watch Lists for Outland and Lott Trophies

Senior Defensive Tackle Adds Two More Preseason Honors  

June 19, 2006

BERKELEY - University of California senior defensive tackle Brandon Mebane has been selected to the preseason Watch Lists for the Outland Trophy and The Lott Trophy, it was announced on Monday. Three California players - Mebane, Daymeion Hughes and Marshawn Lynch - have been placed on preseason watch lists for five different awards.  The Outland Trophy has been awarded to the best offensive or defensive lineman in college football since 1946. The winner is selected by the FWAA's All-America Committee, which selects the association's 25-man team and picks three Outland Trophy finalists. Mebane is one of fifty-four standout linemen from around the country who have been nominated for consideration in the preseason.

Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy is awarded to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Now in its third year, The Lott Trophy is the first college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation and Master Coaches, a distinguished group of former head college coaches.  Mebane joins teammate Daymeion Hughes on The Lott Trophy list. Hughes was tabbed earlier in the year.  Hughes was a first-team all-league pick after recording 17 passes defended, including five interceptions. Lynch, meanwhile, rushed for 1,246 yards in less than 10 full games (due to injury) for the Bears, helping the team to its third straight bowl game.

Mebane battled double teams throughout 2005 to earn first-team All-Pac-10 honors. He has also been named a preseason All-American by three publications with The Sporting News, Athlon and Lindy's Football Annual placing the Los Angeles senior on their first-team All-America lists.

 

Cal Preseason Watch List Selections

Brandon Mebane - Outland Trophy, Lott Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronco Nagurski Trophy

Marshawn Lynch - Maxwell Award

Daymeion Hughes - Lott Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronco Nagurski Trophy

 

Cal Preseason All-Americans (first team unless noted)

Brandon Mebane - The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Lindy's Football Annual Marshawn Lynch - The Sporting News, Lindy's Football Annual, Athlon Sports (second team) Daymeion Hughes - Playboy Magazine, Blue Ribbon Defense, Lindy's Football Annual (second team), The Sporting News (second team)

 

Cal Preseason Top 10 Rankings

No. 7 ESPN.com (post-spring)

No. 8 SI.com (post-spring)

No. 8 Athlon Sports (preseason)

No. 9 Lindy's (preseason)

 

California is coming off an 8-4 season that included a win in the Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl. The Bears ended the 2005 season ranked No. 25 in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls. Cal opens the 2006 season on the road, playing at Tennessee on Sept. 2. The home opener for the Golden Bears is Sept. 9 against Minnesota.

 

Bear Insider: Bears Get On the Board

By: Jim McGill

Recruiting Writer

Date: Jun 19, 2006

Cal football fans’ anxious wait is over with their first commitment of the 2007 season in Saratoga HS wide receiver Alex Lagemann. The 6-2/206 Lagemann was the first receiver offered this recruiting season by the Bears and fills their need for height at the receiver position.

Here is the Link

Kingsport Times-News: Vols Coach says 'Last year seemed like an eternity, from start to finish'

Published 06/19/2006

By JOHN MOOREHOUSE -Kingsport Times-News

On June 15, Times-News sports writer John Moorehouse sat down with Tennessee football coach Phillip Fulmer for a one-on-one interview. Now preparing for his 14th full season as the Vols' head coach, Fulmer and UT seek to recover from the first losing season of his tenure. Here is part one of a full transcript of that interview.

Read the article here.

Sporting News: Cal's Coaching Staff Rated #1 in Pac-10

(Note from Editor: This article from the Press-Enterprise, an L.A. paper, primarily discusses yet another USC cheating scandal, but it also mentions Cal)

 

Three Possible Outcomes for Jarrett

By DAN WEBER

The Press-Enterprise

The decision didn't surprise the USC football program that wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett had received extra benefits as Matt Leinart's luxury apartment roommate and would have to apply for reinstatement before next season. But the timing of it did. "We're aware that the NCAA has deemed this to be a violation of the extra benefit rule," USC sports information director Tim Tessalone said Friday, after admitting that USC had no idea the NCAA would go public with its Thursday statement. The NCAA ruled that the living arrangement for Jarrett, a junior All-America wide receiver, that had both Jarrett and Leinart contributing their NCAA scholarship allowance of $650 a month toward the apartment's $3,866 rental fee with the rest made up by Leinart's father, Bob, was not permissible. "The information submitted by the University of Southern California regarding the living arrangements of the two football student-athletes represents a violation of NCAA extra benefit rules," the NCAA statement said.

<snip>

From the Newsstands

The Sporting News lists Carroll as the Pac-10's top coach but drops the Trojans staff to No. 2 in the league behind Jeff Tedford's Cal coaches.

Contra Costa Times: Lynch not injured in shooting

By Jay Heater

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

A day after Cal tailback Marshawn Lynch was nearly shot at Oakland Tech High School, the university planned no precautions to keep Lynch from being the target of further violence. Cal associate athletics director Kevin Klintworth said that football coach Jeff Tedford had requested on Thursday that Lynch, who was at Oakland Tech to attend graduation ceremonies later in the day, not speak to the media about the incident. Klintworth, however, did get a statement from Lynch saying that he was riding in the back seat of a Dodge Intrepid that was fired upon by an unknown gunman. Lynch told Klintworth that the car was being driven by another Cal student who is not a football player. A man walking toward the car put his hand inside his jacket, a move that caused the driver to speed away. Lynch told Klintworth that the car was struck by three to five bullets, although no one inside the car was injured. Eventually, police stopped the car, questioned the three passengers and released them. No arrests were made. According to Lynch, his family was informed later that the gunman was seeking a similar style car and that it was a case of mistaken identity. Tedford was unavailable for comment Thursday. However, Klintworth said the coach is taking the shooting as a "wrong place at the wrong time" situation and therefore didn't consider any further action to be necessary. Oakland police said Thursday evening that there was no further information in the case.

SF Chronicle: Cal's Lynch at site of gunfire

Cal running back Marshawn Lynch was visiting his former school, Oakland Tech, on Wednesday when gunshots were fired near the campus, according to KTVU (Channel 2). The station said nobody was injured and that there was no indication who, if anybody, the shooter was targeting. KTVU reported that Lynch was visiting a younger sister, who is graduating, when the shots were fired toward a car near campus. There were five or six shots, witnesses said, and the school immediately was locked down.  Wednesday evening's graduation ceremony, scheduled to take place at the school, was moved to the Paramount Theater.

 

CSTV: KICKOFF FOR VOLS' SEASON-OPENER VS. CALIFORNIA SET FOR 5:30 P.M. ET - ESPN To Televise Nationally

Tennessee and Cal have split their two meetings 

Tennessee's 2006 football season-opener against California Saturday, Sept. 2, is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on ESPN, the network announced Monday. This marks the ninth time in the last 10 years that the Vols have had their season-opener televised nationally on the ESPN family of networks. Last season's lidlifter against UAB is the lone exception. Since 1989, Tennessee has made at least two appearances on ESPN or ESPN2. The Vols own a 26-13-2 (.659) all-time record on ESPN.

Tennessee and Cal have split their only two meetings which were played in Knoxville. The Bears took the inaugural meeting, 27-17, in the 1977 season-opener during Johnny Majors' first season as head coach. The 10th-ranked Vols got their revenge in 1987 when they thumped Cal 38-12.

Tennessee has played against five Pac 10 teams, going 7-4-2 vs. UCLA, 4-1 vs. Washington State, 1-0-1 vs. Oregon State, 1-1 vs. Cal and 0-4 vs. USC. The Vols last played a Pac 10 team in 1997 when they defeated UCLA 30-24 in Pasadena. Since 1989, UT is 5-1 against the Pac 10 conference.

 

KTVU.com: Drive-By Changes Graduation Plans At Oakland School

OAKLAND -- A top athlete at UC Berkeley returned to his high school alma mater in Oakland Wednesday afternoon, only to be caught in the middle of a wild shooting. The incident left no one injured, but forced the school to alter graduation plans out of safety concerns. Cal's starting running back Marshawn Lynch is a graduate of Oakland Tech and a potential candidate for college football's Heisman Trophy. Lynch was visiting his younger sister on her last day at Oakland Tech on Broadway at 42nd Street when suddenly bullets started flying. The shooting happened around noon. Witnesses say about five or six shots were fired toward a car near the campus. No one was hurt, but school officials still scrambled to lock down the campus. "They started locking the doors and the teachers started running down the hallways and started putting everyone in their classes," said Oakland Tech student Peter George.

"The car apparently had shots fired at it. It appears to be a case of mistaken identity, as no one in the car knew the shooter," said Kent Klintworth of the Cal athletic department. When asked if he felt Lynch was targeted, Klintworth confirmed the incident appeared to be completely random. The incident led Oakland Tech officials to move the graduation ceremony scheduled to take place at the school Wednesday evening to the Paramount Theater. About two hundred graduates of the school celebrated their commencement at the historic Art Deco theater. The shooting earlier in the day cast a pall over an otherwise festive occasion. Oakland police were on hand, virtually surrounding the location during the ceremony. Their presence was meant to help deter any possible violence after the incident. Some graduating students were disappointed that the threat of violence marred this momentous day in their young lives; others took the disruption in stride. "It happens around graduation time. It's one of those things you live with. That doesn't sound very good, …but it's just part of life as of now," said graduating senior Nora Larson. Outside the theater, Marshawn Lynch's mother said that her son was at the campus visiting friends and just wanted to wish his sister well on her last day of school. She also said a representative of the shooter went to her home to tell her that Marshawn was not the intended target of the shooting and to apologize. Exactly who the shooter was intending to go after isn't clear. Oakland police are continuing their investigation into the matter.

1982 Big Game: The Play

(Note from editor: the count down to the Cal-Tennessee game has begun, so here is something to get you fired up for the season)

 

Final Minutes of the 1982 Big Game - Video footage combined with Joe Starkey’s play by play:

 

http://www.sportsbusinesssims.com/cal-stanford-big-game-history.htm

 

 

Quotes from horse-toothed Elway:

“This was an insult to college football'' “It was just a farce. They (the officials) didn't have control of the whole game. They ruined my last game as a college football player.''

“I don't believe they can take something away like that. I don't believe they can take something like that away from this program.'' “Something has to be done about the referees, there's no doubt in my mind. Its all right to make a mistake, but somebody should be man enough to stand up and admit it.''  “It was a very bittersweet ending. I did not want it to end this way. It's something I'll have to live with the rest of my life.”