Cal vs. Hippie Stand-Off Ends: 'Now I Can Come Down Here Without Having to Smell Someone'

Berkeley police were probably used to a nice life of writing parking tickets and pulling the occasional drunk student off the lawn before this all happened, but after 600 plus days of dealing with people living in trees on their campus they may claim a new and unique skill: they are officially the world's foremost authorities on dealing with hostage situations involving trees and hippies. (There's a resume point for ya.)

The Daily Californian captured the entire finale in stirring video, including a deathless quote from a student who says he's glad the standoff is over because "now I can come down here without having to smell someone."
For the record, Cal's football players, who indirectly prompted the removal of the trees by needing a new weight room and training facility going up on the site, were relieved but sad to see the free entertainment go.

"I was shocked; I didn't think I would ever see this," senior fullback Will Ta'ufo'ou said. "I know it won't be done until I'm gone, but it's a relief to know there's a conclusion to what's been going on.

"I think it became a form of entertainment for us. We got so used to it that it became our own personal YouTube."

If they were taking requests and doing things like the hippie community theater version of "Dramatic Chipmunk" and "Numa Numa," then that would be pretty entertaining. Barring that, it's a relief to see the Cal football program take one more step towards first-rank status by simultaneously getting their new facility and ditching the hippie monkey that had been on their back for way, way too long. Celebration time! Drum circle everyone! Yes, let's gather in real close here...wait, not that close. Especially you, Sunflower Running Chicken or whatever your name is. You just stay over there. Downwind, if you please.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.