Scattershot Thoughts

CMJ · September 15, 2019

Since I was afraid we'd be blown out and then when we got down 20-0 after the first quarter and I was SURE we'd be blown out, I came away feeling pretty good about yesterday. Sure, the loss hurt, but I also came away feeling positive about the rest of the season. After NT worked our way back in the game and when we got the ball back with about 3 minutes to go, down six - I believed we were gonna have a magical comeback for the ages. Unfortunately, it was not to be. And sure, that sucked -- but given about 2.5 hours earlier we were getting annihilated and I was apologizing to my girl for dragging her to the game, I still felt good about it all.

I loved California's campus, very beautiful with all of the trees and older buildings. A lot of cool campus history to read about too. We went to the top of their clock tower which has tremendous views of San Francisco, Alcatraz, and everything across the Bay (probably even better if it hadn't been so foggy over there). We had the pleasure of talking to several alumni/fans of the Bears and I have to say, they are probably the nicest opposing fans I've ever come across. All that interacted with us were first rate, both before and after. Helpful for where we needed to go, thanking us for visiting their school, etc. I loved their stadium, very simple, but very stately. An appropriate war memorial (they also have several other cool war memorials spread through campus). https://news.berkeley.edu/2017/05/26/campus-memorials-honor-veterans/

I wish we came to this part of the country more often to play.

DeepGreen · September 15, 2019

CMJ, I appreciate the "War Memorials" slide show you posted above. Thanks!

UNT86 · September 15, 2019

I agree. I've often said the most welcoming opposing fans were Arkansas State and Southern Miss. I would add Cal to that list.

SilverEagle · September 15, 2019

LaLa fans almost physicallhy grabbed FFR and INSISTED that we come into their big tent and eat some genuine gumbo. One of them then gave us a tour of their new (at that time) baseball facility. Great fans!

Calfan · September 15, 2019

4 hours ago, CMJ said:

Since I was afraid we'd be blown out and then when we got down 20-0 after the first quarter and I was SURE we'd be blown out, I came away feeling pretty good about yesterday. Sure, the loss hurt, but I also came away feeling positive about the rest of the season. After NT worked our way back in the game and when we got the ball back with about 3 minutes to go, down six - I believed we were gonna have a magical comeback for the ages. Unfortunately, it was not to be. And sure, that sucked -- but given about 2.5 hours earlier we were getting annihilated and I was apologizing to my girl for dragging her to the game, I still felt good about it all.

I loved California's campus, very beautiful with all of the trees and older buildings. A lot of cool campus history to read about too. We went to the top of their clock tower which has tremendous views of San Francisco, Alcatraz, and everything across the Bay (probably even better if it hadn't been so foggy over there). We had the pleasure of talking to several alumni/fans of the Bears and I have to say, they are probably the nicest opposing fans I've ever come across. All that interacted with us were first rate, both before and after. Helpful for where we needed to go, thanking us for visiting their school, etc. I loved their stadium, very simple, but very stately. An appropriate war memorial (they also have several other cool war memorials spread through campus). https://news.berkeley.edu/2017/05/26/campus-memorials-honor-veterans/

I wish we came to this part of the country more often to play.

Thanks for the kind words. As a cal fan, we get this a lot.

We get first time visitors and before coming, they aren’t quite sure what to expect. And then they realize that Californians are just like everyone else. We aren’t some crazy liberals

my favorite trip I’ve ever taken was actually to go watch cal play Tennessee. Wow those guys are hospitable. And I’m sure if I come out to the UNT game, I’ll get the same type of treatment.

Its funny. While our politicians are trying to tear us apart, it’s football that can help bring us back together.

FremontBear · September 15, 2019

5 hours ago, CMJ said:

Since I was afraid we'd be blown out and then when we got down 20-0 after the first quarter and I was SURE we'd be blown out, I came away feeling pretty good about yesterday. Sure, the loss hurt, but I also came away feeling positive about the rest of the season. After NT worked our way back in the game and when we got the ball back with about 3 minutes to go, down six - I believed we were gonna have a magical comeback for the ages. Unfortunately, it was not to be. And sure, that sucked -- but given about 2.5 hours earlier we were getting annihilated and I was apologizing to my girl for dragging her to the game, I still felt good about it all.

I loved California's campus, very beautiful with all of the trees and older buildings. A lot of cool campus history to read about too. We went to the top of their clock tower which has tremendous views of San Francisco, Alcatraz, and everything across the Bay (probably even better if it hadn't been so foggy over there). We had the pleasure of talking to several alumni/fans of the Bears and I have to say, they are probably the nicest opposing fans I've ever come across. All that interacted with us were first rate, both before and after. Helpful for where we needed to go, thanking us for visiting their school, etc. I loved their stadium, very simple, but very stately. An appropriate war memorial (they also have several other cool war memorials spread through campus). https://news.berkeley.edu/2017/05/26/campus-memorials-honor-veterans/

I wish we came to this part of the country more often to play.

Thanks for post, CMJ. My wife and I plan to attend Cal's return trip to Denton. See you in a couple of years, meanwhile GO MEAN GREEN!

elbearo2 · September 15, 2019

Cal fans tend to be very mellow as we are used to having up and down swings in the football program and the only steady presence is the Cal Marching Band who work hard whether the team is awful or great. We saw several of your fans at the Courtyard in Emeryville and wished them well as they were leaving for home early this morning.

My wife and I may well come down when Cal plays you at home in a couple of years as we have good friends who lived in Dallas and are now in Harrison, Arkansas and may plan out some kind of vacation that includes the game and a visit to their town. Any tips on Harrison, Ark. and the area?

I am sure there are no ANTIFA down there as I am sure you also saw none in Berkeley. We may be liberal for the most part, but we usually don’t force it upon anyone in Northern California. Last year the Ole Miss folks started leaving the game in the 3rd quarter and someone said that it was because they were afraid of being accosted in the streets if they had stayed until the end of the game. The only people who would accost them would be the hot dog vendors (great dogs by the way) who work the street right outside of the stadium.

Good luck to you guys the rest of the season!

Hope to see you all in 2022 or whatever year we are scheduled to play again!

UNTLifer · September 15, 2019

3 hours ago, UNT86 said:

I agree. I've often said the most welcoming opposing fans were Arkansas State and Southern Miss. I would add Cal to that list.

Image result for the californians gif

NorthTexasSportsNetwork · September 15, 2019

4 hours ago, UNT86 said:

I agree. I've often said the most welcoming opposing fans were Arkansas State and Southern Miss. I would add Cal to that list.

Ark State fans hate coming to Denton because of Fouts

Christopher Walker · September 15, 2019

4 hours ago, SilverEagle said:

LaLa fans almost physicallhy grabbed FFR and INSISTED that we come into their big tent and eat some genuine gumbo. One of them then gave us a tour of their new (at that time) baseball facility. Great fans!

A seemingly well-connected Cal Booster grabbed @FirefightnRick, myself, and others pregame, asked if we traveled from Texas, then promptly got us sideline passes.

That was pretty awesome.

Edited September 15, 2019 by Christopher Walker

CMJ · September 16, 2019

On 9/15/2019 at 11:00 AM, Calfan said:

Thanks for the kind words. As a cal fan, we get this a lot.

We get first time visitors and before coming, they aren’t quite sure what to expect. And then they realize that Californians are just like everyone else. We aren’t some crazy liberals

my favorite trip I’ve ever taken was actually to go watch cal play Tennessee. Wow those guys are hospitable. And I’m sure if I come out to the UNT game, I’ll get the same type of treatment.

Its funny. While our politicians are trying to tear us apart, it’s football that can help bring us back together.

I actually live in Los Angeles. I grew up in Denton but moved to chase being a screenwriter after graduation in 2001. It's very rare we play away to games I can travel to. Our basketball team has played in California a few times since I moved here, but this was the closest our football team has come since Arizona in 2002.

I tend to make it back to Denton to see us play about once every year or two while I'm seeing family and the like.

Edited September 16, 2019 by CMJ

Mean Green 93-98 · September 16, 2019

8 hours ago, elbearo2 said:

Any tips on Harrison, Ark. and the area?

I used to live about 2 hours east of there, which in that part of the world is pretty close. Not sure what you're looking for, but Harrison is close to Branson, and Eureka Springs isn't far. White River is renowned for its trout fishing, Buffalo River for its canoeing. Bull Shoals is a good fishing lake.

untjim1995 · September 16, 2019

9 hours ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Ark State fans hate coming to Denton because of Fouts

Lots of people hated going to Fouts...especially our own fans

FirefightnRick · September 16, 2019

17 hours ago, Calfan said:

We aren’t some crazy liberals.

my favorite trip I’ve ever taken was actually to go watch cal play Tennessee. Wow those guys are hospitable. And I’m sure if I come out to the UNT game, I’ll get the same type of treatment.

Agree. It was quite the opposite per my experience while there. Truly shocking.

And as for road trips,..you won’t have a better opportunity to experience the greatest of college football than this week in Oxford MS.

Football in the south is king.

Rick

SilverEagle · September 16, 2019

16 hours ago, Christopher Walker said:

A seemingly well-connected Cal Booster grabbed @FirefightnRick, myself, and others pregame, asked if we traveled from Texas, then promptly got us sideline passes.

That was pretty awesome.

Nice. Did you slip'em a CD of Lab Band music?

Christopher Walker · September 16, 2019

1 hour ago, SilverEagle said:

Nice. Did you slip'em a CD of Lab Band music?

cd GIF

untcampbell · September 17, 2019

I'll scattershoot a bit also:

Cal fans were appreciative of our fans coming out to Cali. Many expressed dismay we would come all the way from Flyover to see this game. It was a nice opportunity to talk to them about what we do at NT, and about Texas. I was surprised, as was referenced above, that a number of fans were fully aware of the sad demise of the great city of San Francisco. And they aren't happy about it, no matter the political side they are on. I met more conservatives than I expected. One nice lab rat guy gave Dr. Houdek, Judge Holland, my family and others a quick tour of the things he liked about his campus: a fountain dedicated to a homeless dog that used to come around campus at certain times of day knowing he would be well fed; the free speech monument he showed us. Apparently, it and the space above it are considered sovereign. A circle of refuge. He told my wife that he is a conservative and it was great to chat with others without concern of pissing off anyone for no good reason. He told us if he ever gets chased by cops, he is going to stand in the circle. But he is a Conservative, so there really won't be much reason to be chased by cops.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/free-speech-monument

I took my wife to Sonoma and Napa, and my wife and son to Yosemite during the week. I then hated the first quarter, loved most of the rest of the game, informed Mason Fine's sister (?), girlfriend (?), aunt (?) of the TD that broke the NT record for touchdown passes, toasted my Laphroaig to the team to start and end the game (and a bit in between), sat with Mean Green Matt by happenstance, with whom I sat by happenstance at the NM Bowl, kissed my bride and hugged my son on a couple of sweet 2H touchdowns and enjoyed a beautiful day for football.

I enjoyed some decent BBQ near the SJC airport hotel for dinner and then flew home Sunday morning. Oh yeah....when I went to get my car from the hotel parking garage at 5:45 am Sunday morning, I found my rental car (and others) had been broken in to, rear window and front passenger window smashed, my son's dirty laundry scattered about but nothing else the bastard could steal. And he left the Be Calm and Go Mean Green shirt. Ah, the true California experience.

GMG