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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" > <channel> <title>BearTalk</title> <atom:link href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 22 Apr 2016 18:11:34 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.6</generator> <item> <title>Goodbye: My long run covering Cal sports for the Bay Area News Group comes to an end</title> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/goodbye-my-time-covering-cal-for-the-bay-area-news-group-comes-to-an-end/</link> <comments>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/goodbye-my-time-covering-cal-for-the-bay-area-news-group-comes-to-an-end/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 22 Apr 2016 03:06:41 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Faraudo]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Basketball]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Football]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/?p=50280</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Well, it's time to say goodbye. It has been my great pleasure to bring you Cal sports news and commentary for more than 30 years, but I have taken a voluntary buyout and my time at the Bay Area News… <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/goodbye-my-time-covering-cal-for-the-bay-area-news-group-comes-to-an-end/" class="more-link">Continue Reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/goodbye-my-time-covering-cal-for-the-bay-area-news-group-comes-to-an-end/">Goodbye: My long run covering Cal sports for the Bay Area News Group comes to an end</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Well, it's time to say goodbye. It has been my great pleasure to bring you Cal sports news and commentary for more than 30 years, but I have taken a voluntary buyout and my time at the Bay Area News Group ends on Friday.</p><p>It's been a blast! And rarely a dull moment.</p><p>I covered Kevin Johnson and Jason Kidd, Joe Kapp and Jared Goff.</p><p>I wrote the game story for the Big Game for the first time in 1982, and you all know what happened in that one. I watched grown men cry when the Bears ended their 52-game losing streak to UCLA.</p><p>I saw Cal knock off two-time national champion Duke to reach the Sweet 16 in 1993 and was there when Mike Montgomery's 2010 team won the school's first conference title in 50 years.</p><p>I had the joy of getting to know two late, great Cal men -- Pete Newell and Bruce Snyder.</p><p><span id="more-50280"></span></p><p>Covering Cal has not been my exclusive assignment during my years with the Tri-Valley Herald, Fremont Argus, Hayward Daily Review, Oakland Tribune, Contra Costa Times and San Jose Mercury News.</p><p>I wrote about the supremely talented but self-destructive soccer legend George Best and the San Jose Earthquakes in the 1970s. I photographed Clint Eastwood trying to play tennis and George Foreman training for Ali.</p><p>I covered nine Final Fours, starting with the Chris Webber timeout game.</p><p>I consider the highlight of my career attending four Summer Olympics on four continents, where I saw Kerri Strug stick the landing, Oakland's Andre Ward win a boxing gold and Jamaica's incomparable Usain Bolt threaten the speed of light.</p><p>I phoned my wife from the Acropolis in Athens and walked two hours along the Great Wall of China. I fell in love with Sydney, which melded the best of San Francisco, Seattle and San Diego. I learned to hate Southern humidity in Atlanta.</p><p>And last spring I got the chance to help chronicle the Warriors' electric run to the NBA championship.</p><p>But Cal was my bread and butter for years. I took a hiatus from football after Steve Mariucci's long season until the end of Jeff Tedford's run to avoid the overlap with the Olympics. Basketball has been an uninterrupted staple for more than three decades, and my favorites included Al Grigsby and Jorge Gutierrez.</p><p>Beat reporters spend a lot of time with the coaches of the teams they cover, and I've dealt with a lot of them. Sonny Dykes and Cuonzo Martin are good guys who understand what we do for a living and don't go out of their way to make the job harder than it has to be.</p><p>Above all, I am grateful to readers who followed my coverage of the Bears in print, online and, most recently, in this space. I am proud to have given you a forum to argue and vent. I hope you all get your Rose Bowl someday and find the kind of peace anguished Old Blues seem to rarely experience.</p><p>I'll be around and I encourage you to follow me on Twitter @jeffFaraudo.</p><p>-30-</p><p> </p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/goodbye-my-time-covering-cal-for-the-bay-area-news-group-comes-to-an-end/">Goodbye: My long run covering Cal sports for the Bay Area News Group comes to an end</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/goodbye-my-time-covering-cal-for-the-bay-area-news-group-comes-to-an-end/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>46</slash:comments> <dc:publisher><![CDATA[ BearTalk ]]></dc:publisher> <dc:source><![CDATA[ http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk ]]></dc:source> </item> <item> <title>Cal football: Linebacker Hardy Nickerson to transfer to Illinois to play for his father</title> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-football-linebacker-hardy-nickerson-transfer-illinois-play-father/</link> <comments>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-football-linebacker-hardy-nickerson-transfer-illinois-play-father/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2016 22:21:45 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Faraudo]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Football]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/?p=50278</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Cal’s football team lost a key defensive player Thursday when senior linebacker Hardy Nickerson announced he will graduate this summer and transfer to Illinois to play for his father, the Illini’s new defensive coordinator. Nickerson, who led the team in… <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-football-linebacker-hardy-nickerson-transfer-illinois-play-father/" class="more-link">Continue Reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-football-linebacker-hardy-nickerson-transfer-illinois-play-father/">Cal football: Linebacker Hardy Nickerson to transfer to Illinois to play for his father</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Cal’s football team lost a key defensive player Thursday when senior linebacker Hardy Nickerson announced he will graduate this summer and transfer to Illinois to play for his father, the Illini’s new defensive coordinator.</p><p>Nickerson, who led the team in tackles last season, said the decision to leave was tough but he could not pass up the chance to play for his father, Hardy Nickerson Sr., a former star at Cal who later played in the NFL.</p><p>“After much thought and numerous discussions with my parents, I have decided to graduate from Cal and pursue a post-graduate degree at the University of Illinois in the fall,” Nickerson said. “A most unique opportunity presented itself when my father joined the Illinois football staff as their new defensive coordinator just last month.</p><p>“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to play my final year of college football for my father and head coach Lovie Smith, and it is an opportunity that I simply cannot pass up.”</p><p>Cal coach Sonny Dykes called Nickerson’s situation “a unique opportunity” and was understanding of his decision.</p><p>“The Nickerson family is extremely tight-knit and this is something that is only happening because of their tremendous family relationship,” he said. “We hate to lose Hardy for next season but wish him, his father and their entire family the best.”</p><p>Nickerson played in 35 games with 27 starts during his final three seasons at Cal from 2013-15 after redshirting as a true freshman in 2012. He finished with 246 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks and one interception.</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-football-linebacker-hardy-nickerson-transfer-illinois-play-father/">Cal football: Linebacker Hardy Nickerson to transfer to Illinois to play for his father</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-football-linebacker-hardy-nickerson-transfer-illinois-play-father/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>17</slash:comments> <dc:publisher><![CDATA[ BearTalk ]]></dc:publisher> <dc:source><![CDATA[ http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk ]]></dc:source> </item> <item> <title>Cal basketball: Jaylen Brown confident and comfortable with decision to enter NBA draft</title> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-confident-comfortable-decision-enter-nba-draft/</link> <comments>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-confident-comfortable-decision-enter-nba-draft/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2016 20:23:55 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Faraudo]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Basketball]]></category> <category><![CDATA[NBA Draft]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/?p=50275</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Jaylen Brown made the expected announcement Thursday that he is entering the NBA, but the Cal freshman said his ambitions are broad. “People come here to change the world,” he said of his experience at Cal, “and I’m one of… <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-confident-comfortable-decision-enter-nba-draft/" class="more-link">Continue Reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-confident-comfortable-decision-enter-nba-draft/">Cal basketball: Jaylen Brown confident and comfortable with decision to enter NBA draft</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Jaylen Brown made the expected announcement Thursday that he is entering the NBA, but the Cal freshman said his ambitions are broad.</p><p>“People come here to change the world,” he said of his experience at Cal, “and I’m one of those people.”</p><p>Cal coach Cuonzo Martin said Brown, a 6-foot-7 small forward, has the talent to become the No. 1 pick in the June 23 draft. Brown is a consensus top-10 pick in mock drafts.</p><p>“His biggest strength is willingness to learn and grow,” Martin said. “I think he has the potential to be one of the 10 best players when it’s all said and done.”</p><p>Brown, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, said he did not make his final decision until Thursday morning, just prior to a news conference that was scheduled the day before.</p><p>“I really hadn’t decided,” he said. “I new I was going to make an announcement. I had to – the deadline’s coming.”</p><p>The only projected lottery pick still facing the Sunday deadline for underclassmen to announce entry into the draft is Brown’s fellow Cal freshman Ivan Rabb, the Oakland native.</p><p>One source close to Rabb believes it’s more than 50-50 that he remains at Cal, but Rabb said, “I’m still thinking about it. It’s a big decision – my life. It’s been hard to figure out what I want to do. I’m just being patient with myself.”</p><p><span id="more-50275"></span></p><p>Among the throng of people on hand for Brown’s announcement were several of his professors, whom he asked to stand. He also introduced Shareef Abdur-Rahim, the former Cal star who is one of his mentors from Marietta, Georgia.</p><p>Abdur-Rahim was the No. 3 overall pick in the 1996 draft after his freshman season, but not before he waffled back and forth on his decision, breaking into tears at one point during a news conference two decades ago.</p><p>Abdur-Rahim said Brown’s talent speaks for itself. “If his heart is in it, he’s going to do well,” Abdur-Rahim said.</p><p>A first-team all-Pac-12 selection after averaging 14.6 points, Brown said he’s all in. “I feel extremely confident and comfortable in my decision,” he said.</p><p>Still 19, Brown understands he will face a learning curve playing against grown men. He is a physical and explosive player, but critics point to his poor 3-point shooting (29.4 percent) and free throw percentage (65.4).</p><p>And while his focus will be on becoming the best player he can be, Brown said he intends to finish his college education and make a difference beyond basketball.</p><p>Mis mother, Mechalle Brown, has no qualms about that.</p><p>“I’m very proud of my son. I think he made the right decision for him,” she said. “He’ll continue his education so he’s not done. He’s very adamant about doing that.”</p><p>Brown’s interests extend well beyond the basketball court into business and social issues. One of his professors in the audience asked how he would use his platform as an influential professional athlete to help communities of color and poor people.</p><p>Brown embraced the question, and promised, “You have my word that I make sure I give back to the community.”</p><p>But a grade-school boy in the crowd pressed Brown with perhaps the toughest question of the day.</p><p>“My question is what are you going to do exactly for the people?” he asked Brown.</p><p>“That chess piece hasn’t been moved yet,” Brown said. “You have my word I’ll be here for you, man.”</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-confident-comfortable-decision-enter-nba-draft/">Cal basketball: Jaylen Brown confident and comfortable with decision to enter NBA draft</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/21/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-confident-comfortable-decision-enter-nba-draft/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>3</slash:comments> <dc:publisher><![CDATA[ BearTalk ]]></dc:publisher> <dc:source><![CDATA[ http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk ]]></dc:source> </item> <item> <title>Cal football: Sonny Dykes discusses NFL draft prospects of Golden Bears</title> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-football-sonny-dykes-discusses-nfl-draft-prospects-golden-bears/</link> <comments>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-football-sonny-dykes-discusses-nfl-draft-prospects-golden-bears/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 21 Apr 2016 06:55:49 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Faraudo]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Football]]></category> <category><![CDATA[NFL Draft]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/?p=50271</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Cal coach Sonny Dykes met with beat reporters Wednesday to talk about the program's impressive APR scores and took the time to provide analyses on Bears with an opportunity to be taken in the April 28-30 NFL draft. Dykes is… <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-football-sonny-dykes-discusses-nfl-draft-prospects-golden-bears/" class="more-link">Continue Reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-football-sonny-dykes-discusses-nfl-draft-prospects-golden-bears/">Cal football: Sonny Dykes discusses NFL draft prospects of Golden Bears</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Cal coach Sonny Dykes met with beat reporters Wednesday to talk about the program's impressive APR scores and took the time to provide analyses on Bears with an opportunity to be taken in the April 28-30 NFL draft.</p><p>Dykes is looking forward to attending his first draft, joining Jared Goff in Chicago where the quarterback seems likely to be selected first or second overall.</p><p>Here's what Dykes had to say (with the mock draft projection of CBS Sports in parenthesis):</p><p><strong>On QB Jared Goff (1st overall to the L.A. Rams):</strong> “Obviously, Jared’s been talked about and pulled apart and examined in a million different ways. I’ve always believed that at the end of the day the most important thing on your resume is your work experience. How you performed with your previous employer . . . not necessarily a lot of the other stuff that seems to come up in the NFL draft.</p><p>“The good thing about Jared is he’s been steady through the whole (pre-draft process). That’s why if I was a general manager in the NFL he would appeal to me because he’s done that for three years. His resume is impressive and I’m not talking about the numbers. I’m talking about his approach and his work ethic. You know exactly what you’re getting with him.</p><p><span id="more-50271"></span></p><p>“There haven’t been any issues – there’s hasn’t been one thing that’s ever come up in his career that would ever give anybody any reason to think he’s going to be (anything) but mature and a person you can build an organization around.”</p><p><strong>On WR Kenny Lawler (4th round to the New Orleans Saints):</strong> “A guy like Kenny redshirted (as a freshman) and just became much more consistent in his work ethic and his approach and his life. I’m so proud of Kenny. His work ethic and investment in the team was so much better. He really grew up and I think he’s going to continue to grow up in the NFL. He’s got tremendous ability, a really unique skillset, so I’m really excited to see how he does. He’s got a chance to be a really good player.”</p><p><strong>On RB Daniel Lasco (4th round to the Carolina Panthers):</strong> “Probably in 25 years of coaching, Lasco probably handled having a disappointing season better than anybody else, probably better than anybody could have. He’s just one of those guys who puts the work in, he expects good things to happen and if something good doesn’t happen he just puts his head down and grinds through it. I know he was disappointed this year with that injury and bouncing back and getting re-injured. All the ups and downs he went through, the kid never wavered.</p><p>"Who else in college football runs for a 60-yard touchdown and runs down on the next kickoff? That’s the kind of guy he is. Whoever drafts him is getting a steal. He catches the ball well. He’s tough. Again, you’re not going to find a better guy in the world.”</p><p><strong>On WR/KOR Trevor Davis (5th round to the Denver Broncos):</strong> “Trevor ran well at the combine. He gets in and out of his breaks probably as well as anybody. At the individual and private workouts he’s had with NFL teams, he’s really improved his stock. It seems whenever he works out for somebody, they always like what they see. He got an ankle (injury last fall) and was never the same. But he kept hanging in there and making plays for us.”</p><p><strong>On TE/TE Stephen Anderson (5th round to the Tennessee Titans):</strong> “Stephen Anderson’s just a guy who kept getting better and better and better. The NFL people love him just because of his frame. He’s a unique talent because he does have kind of wide receiver skillset, but he is big enough and tough enough to put his hand down and be able to hold his own as maybe a tight end or flexed out. He can give a team a different look. He did that for us.”</p><p><strong>On WR Bryce Treggs:</strong> “Bryce worked hard and had success early in his career. He has been very steady. He can run. He’s going to be intriguing to people because he does have that speed and he has good ball skills.”</p><p><strong>On WR Darius Powe:</strong> "I think Darius Powe got himself in the conversation the way he ran the 40. He’s a pretty unique guy, too. He’s got that good size they’re looking for. Got some toughness, got some ball skills and can be a good special teams player.”</p><p><strong>On DB Stephen McClure:</strong> “Someone like Steph McClure is going to have an opportunity. The one thing I’ve learned about Steph is, boy, you better never count him out. He’s going to get on somebody’s team and somebody’s going to spend some time around him and say, `I want this guy in the organization.’ Just because he’s such a great kid and has such a great work ethic.”</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-football-sonny-dykes-discusses-nfl-draft-prospects-golden-bears/">Cal football: Sonny Dykes discusses NFL draft prospects of Golden Bears</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-football-sonny-dykes-discusses-nfl-draft-prospects-golden-bears/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> <dc:publisher><![CDATA[ BearTalk ]]></dc:publisher> <dc:source><![CDATA[ http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk ]]></dc:source> </item> <item> <title>Cal basketball: Jaylen Brown to make Thursday announcement -- expected to head to NBA</title> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-to-make-thursday-announcement-expected-to-head-to-nba/</link> <comments>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-to-make-thursday-announcement-expected-to-head-to-nba/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 20 Apr 2016 23:57:33 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Faraudo]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Basketball]]></category> <category><![CDATA[NBA Draft]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/?p=50269</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Cal’s small forward Jaylen Brown will make an announcement Thursday morning about whether he intends to enter the NBA draft, and all signs point to the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year turning pro. Brown, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound native of suburban… <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-to-make-thursday-announcement-expected-to-head-to-nba/" class="more-link">Continue Reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-to-make-thursday-announcement-expected-to-head-to-nba/">Cal basketball: Jaylen Brown to make Thursday announcement -- expected to head to NBA</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Cal’s small forward Jaylen Brown will make an announcement Thursday morning about whether he intends to enter the NBA draft, and all signs point to the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year turning pro.</p><p>Brown, a 6-foot-7, 225-pound native of suburban Atlanta, is universally projected as a lottery pick, likely a top-10 selection. The website Draftexpress.com has him going No. 4 overall and NBADraft.net envisions him at No. 9.</p><p>Sources say Brown has spent recent weeks training in the Los Angeles area.</p><p>Sunday <del> Monday</del> is the deadline for underclassmen to enter the NBA draft. Players who do not sign with an agent have until May 25 to change their minds and return to college.</p><p>Fellow Cal freshman Ivan Rabb of Oakland has not made an announcement, but sources indicate the 6-10 power forward may opt to return to school.</p><p>The NBA draft will be held June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.</p><p>A first-team all-Pac-12 selection, Brown is an explosive, physically mature player who attacks the basket and is terrific in the open court.</p><p>He averaged 14.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, and had 27 double-digit scoring games in 33 outings, including six of 20 points or more.</p><p>He earned Freshman All-America honors by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association of America.</p><p>But Brown was an erratic shooting, converting just 29.4 percent from the 3-point arc and 54.6 percent from the free throw lines. And he slumped late in the season, averaging just 7.8 points and shooting just 10 for 48 over the Bears’ final five games, including a season-low four points in Cal’s NCAA tournament opening-round loss to Hawaii.</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-to-make-thursday-announcement-expected-to-head-to-nba/">Cal basketball: Jaylen Brown to make Thursday announcement -- expected to head to NBA</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/cal-basketball-jaylen-brown-to-make-thursday-announcement-expected-to-head-to-nba/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>9</slash:comments> <dc:publisher><![CDATA[ BearTalk ]]></dc:publisher> <dc:source><![CDATA[ http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk ]]></dc:source> </item> <item> <title>Cal football: Bears make huge leap in latest Academic Progress Rate scores</title> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/50265/</link> <comments>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/50265/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 20 Apr 2016 17:00:26 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Faraudo]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Academics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Basketball]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Football]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/?p=50265</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Three years after he inherited a Cal football program with its academic reputation in shambles, coach Sonny Dykes’ team has earned its best Academic Progress Rate four-year average score since 2008-09. The Bears scored 997 of a maximum 1,000 points… <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/50265/" class="more-link">Continue Reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/50265/">Cal football: Bears make huge leap in latest Academic Progress Rate scores</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Three years after he inherited a Cal football program with its academic reputation in shambles, coach Sonny Dykes’ team has earned its best Academic Progress Rate four-year average score since 2008-09.</p><p>The Bears scored 997 of a maximum 1,000 points on the APR scale for the 2014-15 academic year, raising their four-year average to 960, according to figures released by the NCAA on Wednesday.</p><p>Cal ranked last in the Pac-12 the past three years, but its four-year average now is tied for eighth in the conference. The 19-point jump from 941 last year was the best in the conference.</p><p>The Bears’ 997 score for 2014-15 ties for the highest in the Pac-12, and is the second-best in program history. Cal football had sub-930 scores in consecutive seasons before Dykes’ hiring.</p><p>“The issue we were dealing with early was we had some (academic) numbers that weren’t very good,” Dykes said. “A lot of these kids came to Cal with a leap of faith. They’re the guys that did it.</p><p>“To go from one of the worst to one of the best just shows what kind of hard work and effort and character these guys have.”</p><p>The NCAA uses APR to track eligibility, retention and graduation, providing a gauge for each team's academic performance.</p><p>The Cal men’s basketball team was among a school-record 13 sports that posted scores of 1,000. The perfect score came in coach Cuonzo Martin’s first season of 2014-15 and boosted the program’s four-year average to 960, matching the football team’s score over the same span.</p><p>Cal athletic director Mike Williams was pleased by the progress of the Bears’ two most high-profile programs.</p><p>“Under Sonny Dykes, our football program’s trajectory remains on an upward path, and the first-year results for our men’s basketball team under Cuonzo Martin couldn’t be any better,” he said in a statement.</p><p>The Cal women’s basketball program scored 949 for 2014-15 and its four-year average of 973 represents a 13-point improvement from last year and ranks ninth in the Pac-12.</p><p>The Cal men’s tennis program scored 1,000 for the seventh straight season and the women’s tennis team has posted a perfect mark six years in a row.</p><p>Other Cal programs that scored 1,000 were women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s golf, men’s gymnastics, women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, men’s swimming & diving, and men’s and women’s water polo.</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/50265/">Cal football: Bears make huge leap in latest Academic Progress Rate scores</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/20/50265/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>10</slash:comments> <dc:publisher><![CDATA[ BearTalk ]]></dc:publisher> <dc:source><![CDATA[ http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk ]]></dc:source> </item> <item> <title>Cal football notebook: Freshman receiver Melquise Stovall sparkles in spring scrimmage</title> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-football-notebook-freshman-melquise-stovall-sparkles-spring-scrimmage/</link> <comments>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-football-notebook-freshman-melquise-stovall-sparkles-spring-scrimmage/#comments</comments> <pubDate>Sat, 16 Apr 2016 22:35:05 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Faraudo]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Football]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Spring practice]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/?p=50262</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Offense ruled the day at Cal’s spring football scrimmage, but no one sparkled more than freshman receiver Melquise Stovall. “Just get the ball in his hands and you see some special stuff,” said quarterback Ross Bowers, who delivered one of… <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-football-notebook-freshman-melquise-stovall-sparkles-spring-scrimmage/" class="more-link">Continue Reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-football-notebook-freshman-melquise-stovall-sparkles-spring-scrimmage/">Cal football notebook: Freshman receiver Melquise Stovall sparkles in spring scrimmage</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Offense ruled the day at Cal’s spring football scrimmage, but no one sparkled more than freshman receiver Melquise Stovall.</p><p>“Just get the ball in his hands and you see some special stuff,” said quarterback Ross Bowers, who delivered one of the two touchdown passes Stovall caught under sunny skies Saturday with a crowd of perhaps 1,800 watching at Memorial Stadium.</p><p>Quarterback Zach Kline, who also threw a TD to Stovall, was equally enthusiastic.</p><p>“That guy is going to be special,” Kline said. “And he’s going to get better, too. That’s scary.”</p><p>Cal’s top-rated recruit, Stovall graduated at midyear from Paraclete High in Lancaster and was on campus in time for spring ball. And he made the most of it.</p><p>He caught seven passes for 128 yards and two TDs in the 110-play scrimmage, helping the Blue team to a 38-37 victory. A 5-foot-9, 190-pound inside receiver, Stovall showed strength and elusiveness.</p><p>“My mentality is no one can stop me,” Stovall.</p><p>“He’s a very electric, explosive guy. Very hard to tackle,” Cal coach Sonny Dykes said. “He gives us a different dimension. We’ve had a lot of good receivers around here, but Melquise gives us something a little different.</p><p>“You can throw a slant and it turns into a 70-yard touchdown. You throw a screen and you have a 40- or 50-yard gain.”</p><p><span id="more-50262"></span></p><p>Sophomore quarterback Chase Forrest said it’s been like this throughout spring practice.</p><p>“He’s been killing it,” Forrest said. “I’m more than excited to see what he does in the games.”</p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>*****</strong></p><p>No one emerged from spring ball as the clear-cut No. 1 at quarterback, but Dykes was pleased with the performance of all four candidates Saturday.</p><p>“I was impressed with all the quarterbacks,” said Dykes, acknowledging they didn’t face much of a pass rush. But he liked their ability to get the ball out quickly and find receivers in rhythm.</p><p>Forrest, the presumed frontrunner, was 16 for 23 for 176 yards and a touchdown. Bowers was 11 for 21 for 152 yards with two TDs and the day’s only interception. Freshman Max Gilliam was 7 of 10 for 80 yards with two TDs and ran three times for 36 yards.</p><p>And Kline, who returned to Cal this spring two years after transferring out, was a near-perfect 15 for 16 for 202 yards and two TDs.</p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>*****</strong></p><p>Dykes and new offensive coordinator Jake Spavital were pleased with all aspects of the offense, which generated a total of 947 yards. Dykes said the Bears used 15 different offensive linemen and praised the new receiving corps, which accounted for seven TD catches.</p><p>Junior running back Vic Enwere ran six times for 127 yards, including an 80-yard TD, and safety-turned-running back Billy McCrary continued to turn heads by gaining 100 yards on just four rushes. Walk-on Patrick Laird scored a pair of touchdowns.</p><p>Dykes said it was time for the offense to shine after the defense often had the upperhand during spring practice.</p><p>Spavital, replacing Tony Franklin as offensive coordinator, said he's quickly become comfortable with the Bears' personnel.</p><p>“I told them I think they’re a very talented group of kids and they’re going to have to (do) that work over the summer and see where they’re going to take this. That’s where more games are won or lost,” Spavital said.</p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>*****</strong></p><p>Guard Semisi Uluava suffered a sprained knee early in the scrimmage , which Dykes did not think is serious. Running backs Tre Watson and Khalfani Muhammad were held out of the scrimmage, as was offensive guard Chris Borrayo, who has a minor shoulder injury.</p><p>Safety Damariay Drew, who injured his left knee in practice two weeks ago, still is a couple weeks away from surgery. Dykes declined to say whether the injury is a torn ACL, and said there is a chance Drew could play in the fall. “I don’t know yet,” he said.</p><p style="text-align: center"><strong>*****</strong></p><p>Jared Goff worked out for the Dallas Cowboys on Cal’s practice field Saturday morning, then watched the scrimmage. Forrest is convinced Goff will be taken No. 1 by the Los Angeles Rams, who swung a trade this week for the top spot.</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-football-notebook-freshman-melquise-stovall-sparkles-spring-scrimmage/">Cal football notebook: Freshman receiver Melquise Stovall sparkles in spring scrimmage</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-football-notebook-freshman-melquise-stovall-sparkles-spring-scrimmage/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> <dc:publisher><![CDATA[ BearTalk ]]></dc:publisher> <dc:source><![CDATA[ http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk ]]></dc:source> </item> <item> <title>Cal women's golf: Bears host Pac-12 tourney</title> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-womens-golf-bears-host-pac-12-tourney/</link> <comments>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-womens-golf-bears-host-pac-12-tourney/#respond</comments> <pubDate>Sat, 16 Apr 2016 17:27:03 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Faraudo]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Pac-12 news]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/?p=50260</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Eight of the nation's 20 top-rated women's collegiate golf teams will compete in the three-day Pac-12 championships at Ruby Hill Golf Club in Pleasanton beginning Monday. Tournament host Cal, rated No. 15 nationally and seeded No. 7, has finished among… <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-womens-golf-bears-host-pac-12-tourney/" class="more-link">Continue Reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-womens-golf-bears-host-pac-12-tourney/">Cal women's golf: Bears host Pac-12 tourney</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Eight of the nation's 20 top-rated women's collegiate golf teams will compete in the three-day Pac-12 championships at Ruby Hill Golf Club in Pleasanton beginning Monday.</p><p>Tournament host Cal, rated No. 15 nationally and seeded No. 7, has finished among the top 10 in every event it's competed this season.</p><p>But the field is ferocious, topped by No.2 USC, No. 4 UCLA and No. 10 Arizona State.</p><p>Twenty-nine of the nation's top 100 players will compete for honors, including Cal's top player, 41st-ranked Hannah Suh.</p><p>The 54-hole, par 72 event begins Monday at 9 a.m., and is open to the public.</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-womens-golf-bears-host-pac-12-tourney/">Cal women's golf: Bears host Pac-12 tourney</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/16/cal-womens-golf-bears-host-pac-12-tourney/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <dc:publisher><![CDATA[ BearTalk ]]></dc:publisher> <dc:source><![CDATA[ http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk ]]></dc:source> </item> <item> <title>Cal football: Saturday spring game will actually be a game</title> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/15/cal-football-saturday-spring-game-will-actually-game/</link> <comments>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/15/cal-football-saturday-spring-game-will-actually-game/#respond</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 15 Apr 2016 07:23:40 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Faraudo]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Football]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Spring practice]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/?p=50257</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>For the first time since 2012, Cal football’s spring game will be a game. The Bears will wrap up spring practice Saturday at 11 a.m. at Memorial Stadium with a game featuring teams drafted by the players this week. A year ago,… <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/15/cal-football-saturday-spring-game-will-actually-game/" class="more-link">Continue Reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/15/cal-football-saturday-spring-game-will-actually-game/">Cal football: Saturday spring game will actually be a game</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For the first time since 2012, Cal football’s spring game will be a game.</p><p>The Bears will wrap up spring practice Saturday at 11 a.m. at Memorial Stadium with a game featuring teams drafted by the players this week.</p><p>A year ago, still battling depth and injury issues, the Bears held what they called the Cal Spring Football Experience. No one was quite sure what they were watching, but it sure wasn't a football game.</p><p>Said quarterback Jared Goff at the time, “It wasn’t practice, it wasn’t a game, it was a little weird.”</p><p>This year, coach Sonny Dykes said, “We’re going to play a football game.”</p><p>Each team will feature an offense and a defense. Teams will get a predetermined number of offensive possessions; there will be no game clock. Field goals will be live action; otherwise, there will be little in the way of special teams play.</p><p>Dykes said the time is right to make the spring game something fans will recognize.</p><p>“It just means we’ve got more depth. It means we’ve got more quality players through the roster,” he said. “We’ve been trying to cover holes in the past, and now we’ve got enough guys to roll the ball out, go play and compete, and see what happens.”</p><p>The Blue team was drafted by and will be captained by three seniors, offensive tackle Steven Moore, linebacker Hardy Nickerson and defensive back Cameron Walker. Key players include quarterbacks Ross Bowers and Zach Kline, running backs Khalfani Muhammad and Billy McCrary III, and receivers Jordan Duncan, Raymond Hudson, Melquise Stovall and Patrick Worstell.</p><p>The Gold team was selected by three juniors, running back Vic Enwere, wide receiver Chad Hansen and defensive tackle James Looney.Their squad features quarterbacks Chase Forrest and Max Gilliam, running back Tre Watson, and receivers Greyson Bankhead, Carlos Strickland, Jordan Veasy and Vic Wharton III.</p><p>The first 2,000 fans will receive Cal football commemorative posters and the first 500 will be given mini-footballs. The Pac-12 Networks will telecast the event.</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/15/cal-football-saturday-spring-game-will-actually-game/">Cal football: Saturday spring game will actually be a game</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/15/cal-football-saturday-spring-game-will-actually-game/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <dc:publisher><![CDATA[ BearTalk ]]></dc:publisher> <dc:source><![CDATA[ http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk ]]></dc:source> </item> <item> <title>Cal football: Family of the late Ted Agu to receive $4.75 million settlement</title> <link>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/14/cal-football-family-late-ted-agu-receive-4-75-million-settlement/</link> <comments>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/14/cal-football-family-late-ted-agu-receive-4-75-million-settlement/#respond</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 14 Apr 2016 21:40:54 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Faraudo]]></dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Football]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ted Agu lawsuit]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/?p=50255</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Higher education writer Katy Murphy's story on Cal agreeing to pay out $4.75 million to the family of Ted Agu: UC Berkeley will pay a $4.75 million settlement to the family of Ted Agu, a football player with a blood… <a href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/14/cal-football-family-late-ted-agu-receive-4-75-million-settlement/" class="more-link">Continue Reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a></p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/14/cal-football-family-late-ted-agu-receive-4-75-million-settlement/">Cal football: Family of the late Ted Agu to receive $4.75 million settlement</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>Higher education writer Katy Murphy's story on Cal agreeing to pay out $4.75 million to the family of Ted Agu:</em></p><p>UC Berkeley will pay a $4.75 million settlement to the family of Ted Agu, a football player with a blood disorder who died during a grueling drill in early 2014, the university said Thursday.</p><p>As part of the settlement, reached April 8, the university will "continue implementing changes to further protect its student-athletes, including those who have sickle cell trait," the campus administration said in a statement.</p><p>"The university is glad to have reached a resolution with the Agu family, as it has been a difficult process for everyone involved," said Dan Mogulof, a UC Berkeley spokesman. "Now UC Berkeley can continue to focus its energies on enhancing the safety and well-being of student-athletes."</p><p><a href="http://www.eastbaytimes.com/sports-headlines/ci_29766996/cal-pays-agu-family-4-75-million-wrongful">Click here</a> to read the full story.</p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/14/cal-football-family-late-ted-agu-receive-4-75-million-settlement/">Cal football: Family of the late Ted Agu to receive $4.75 million settlement</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk">BearTalk</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk/2016/04/14/cal-football-family-late-ted-agu-receive-4-75-million-settlement/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <dc:publisher><![CDATA[ BearTalk ]]></dc:publisher> <dc:source><![CDATA[ http://www.ibabuzz.com/beartalk ]]></dc:source> </item> </channel></rss> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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