Cal Week

Sup dudes. This is a pretty crazy time to be an Arizona fan, isn't it. Ranked in football, with a chance (albeit an outside shot) at the Rose Bowl? Makes me pretty happy that I 'chose to stick around' for another year. Perhaps most important this season is that we toppled the Washington State Cougars. This win ensured bowl eligibility, but that was NOT why it was critical. What it prevented was. If Arizona lost, I had promised to camp outside sunny Jim Livengood's office until he and Mike Stoops were unemployed. Thankfully, and I never thought I'd say this about that dainty AD of ours, they still have a job.

I am pretty bummed that our football team lost out on Jordon James. Honestly, I am quite bitter. He was a 'silent commit' to UCLA for months. What this means is that Jordon wasted hours of our coaches time, and our athletic departments money, and was essentially abusing the recruiting process. I hope he enjoys the Neuheisel regime in Los Angeles. I don't see that team getting any better, and James, who in my opinion is a cornerstone type talent, will be running for his life every play. Great choice kid. Just ask Aundre Dean. Or Cris Ramirez. Or Derrick Coleman. Or Milton Knox. Look all of them up, and you will get an idea of how life is for running backs in the Rose Bowl in the post Maurice Drew era.

Lets all hope and (if you believe) pray for Jahvid Best's recovery. I absolutely despise the city of Berkley, the university located there, and its athletic program. Not to mention everything that has come out of it, perhaps most notably 'free love', creepy, smelly hippies, and DeSean Jackson. Jahvid is the lone exception. He is a standup human being from nearby Vallejo, otherwise known as the birthplace of Jeff Gordon, and by all accounts doesn't seem to be the weirdo that Cal breeds. And honestly, even if he was, that injury looked horrific. I wouldn't wish that fall on Rudy Carpenter, or the U Dub referees, or any Oregon Duck. Keep your head up #4, your a champion whether you play again or not.

On a slightly related note, anyone with a soft stomach should probably avoid tommorow's broadcast. I have no doubt that we will see the injury about 60 times throughout the course of the game. Jahvid's fall, and his injury, is one of the most revolting images I have ever seen, a rare video that makes my stomach turn when I watch it. Makes me all the more thankful that he can communicate and move his extremeties, but that doesn't mean I need to see it ever again.

Don't get me started on LeGarrette Blount. Typical Mike Bellotti and Oregon garbage up there, and I can't believe that no one is calling Chip Kelly out for going back on his word. Im done talking about this, but I will close with this: My money is on Mr. Blount making things hard on himself again, maybe not now, but somewhere down the road.

This weeks game has massive ramifications for the Arizona program. A win, and the 'Cats remain in first place in the league. A loss, and who knows what happens this season. Arizona is a markedly better team than the Cal Bears, especially with no Best. However, there is one massive thing in favor of USSR state. Going back 30 games, no team not called Oregon State or USC has marched onto Patrice Lumumba field and claimed a victory. Stoops coached Arizona teams have had a ton of trouble there, including several shutouts, and a sloppy, uninspired loss two years ago. If talent wins games, and I hope if does, Arizona wins easily. However, a riled up home crowd will be in store, and you just never know what to expect from a team that has gone through what Cal has the past 7 days emotionally. This game is one that I am marking as a 'toss up'.

Keep reading, bros and bras. Sunday I will be writing a lot of papers, and I plan on writing something for you as well. We will be taking a step away from college football and instead Real Talk will discuss other aspects of our lives, the contents of which haven't been decided. Stay tuned.