That chill you feel is hell freezing over
(Written by kencraw)
I can’t believe it. The Pac-12 office actually did it. They threatened and we didn’t believe them. But they did it.
Go here and scroll down to October 20th:
Stanford at California
Yes, the Big Game will officially lose it’s cherished spot the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
We tolerated Stanford playing a game after the Big Game. Then we grudgingly tolerated Cal playing a game after the Big Game. (And losing them all too frequently.) We were almost thankful the one year they pushed back to the 1st week of December so that it was at the end of the season while still being wary of it no longer being on the traditional weekend. Then we bemoaned it being at 7 PM on the traditional day. We feared someday they would make us play it Thanksgiving weekend. Yet we took it all sitting down.
But now they’ve gone TOO FAR.
This is ridiculous. There’s no excuse for this. There’s no reason. One could have easily made a schedule that allowed us to keep our traditions.
I say we start working on our plans to protest this. The only effective way to do it will be at the game itself October 20th. Suggestions? Wearing black? (Too cheesy?) Signs? Refuse to enter the stadium until 15 minutes after the game has started?
There has to be some way to show this is unacceptable. If we do, they’ll change it back for 2013 and beyond.
UPDATE at 4:15 PM: Go to this announcement from Cal and scroll to the bottom for the FAQ from Sandy Barbour to see their weak excuses for being shafted.
January 4th, 2012 at 5:07 pm
Sandy Barbour released a statement about it. They were able to come up with a schedule that had a later Big Game date. It was one of several choices for the schools to vote on. Cal and Stanfurd both lobbied for that scheduled and were voted down. I don’t know what we could do that would make the other SCHOOLS care.
January 4th, 2012 at 5:17 pm
It would be interesting to see what the other options are and why the other schools liked them better. Were their precious rivalry games affected? (Notice how everyone else got their rivalry games on their traditional weekends).
January 4th, 2012 at 6:16 pm
The FAQ and Sandy’s statement make some pointed comments about how, if rivalry dates can’t be maintained, it will be necessary for the rest of the conference to “share the pain” and move their rivalry dates too.
It’s as passive-aggressive a statement I’ve seen from a major institution in some time. Basically it’s giving the finger to the Pac-12.
January 7th, 2012 at 10:22 am
This is the worst thing to happen to Cal since Justin Forsett.
January 9th, 2012 at 8:44 pm
From what I read they will alternate between rivals. so every six years we will play Stanford early. I am not sure why they didn’t put the Colorado/Utah game in that spot. I am more upset that CAL doesn’t have a bye week. We play 12 straight games, and end a week earlier than everyone else..
January 10th, 2012 at 6:29 pm
Frankly, I’m more concerned about the lack of a true bye week in the middle of the season. That’s a huge competitive disadvantage.
January 11th, 2012 at 12:34 pm
@ bar20, I’ve been playing NCAA 12 since August. Cal always plays 12 weeks in a row and wins the national championship. Doesn’t seem to hurt. Then again, i’m a pretty good video game player.
January 20th, 2012 at 7:18 pm
If my memory is correct…. The to move to a tweleve team Conference was to benefit ALL teams in the league.
The University of California at Berekeley must have some juice in Walnut Creek…. Not only did we lose two of our three biggest rivals to the PAC -12 North….. We also lost our BIGGEST rival as the final game of the season.
Sandy Barbour must be a very strong AD.
January 30th, 2012 at 10:35 pm
Where is the outrage over an October 20 Big Game?
March 12th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
you do know it’s been over 2 months since you posted anything right?
April 22nd, 2012 at 8:47 pm
Ken,
I enjoy the blog. With all the Cal football news I am surprised theres no updates. I hope everything is ok. I am looking forward to the next post.
Best,
Alex in Sacramento
May 19th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Yeah! What Ken’s Brother and Alex said.