You might think the NFL is a well-oiled machine. You might buy into all of the hype about how the NFL is the best run, most valuable, most efficient league in the world. If that's the case, why was I stuck out here an hour after the doors were supposed to have opened? And yes, that's some tool in a Matt Leinart USC jersey. And you thought I was kidding when I titled this post A Study in Elegant Death.

My buddy and I managed to get in just after 6:30 with round 2 scheduled to start at 7, so that didn't give us much time to check the environs this year. For what it was worth, it wasn't measurably different than what was there for Day 3 two years ago.

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Had to get the Wrestlemania reference in there.

And Going Bak Bak to Cali Cali pulls it out, just as we can only hope the Nets pull out the number one pick in the draft this year. Unfortunately for our man Berkelium97, he managed to pick the largest number of correct games, just not the ones that mattered the most. Care to post in the comments, Bak Bak?

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Maxing out at the Final Four will happen when you've picked Cal to go over Colorado in the finals. And how about that irony of the Worst. Bracket. Ever. leading the league?

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Well, uh, I didn't do so hot.

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With March Madness right around the corner and our Bears looking highly likely to be a part of it, what better time than the present to sign up for some CGB Tourney Pick'em? I know, you've been looking forward to this moment for months, so here's how you go about doing it. As always, Yahoo! ID required:

1. Go here
2. Use the group #9293
3. Password is gobears

Just make sure you're not surprised when you see that Twist has chosen the Top Seed setting for the sixth year in a row in lieu of doing any actual prognostication.
Fantasy baseball is about to rear its ugly head as well, so if you want in on that, try this on for size:

1. Go here
2. Use group #98585
3. Password is gobears

I believe spots are currently locked and being held for those who were in the league last year, so kindly drop a comment in here saying you're not going to join if you're not interested, or you're going to get booted when someone who was not in the league years says they want in.

Turns out my getting the first eight picks right didn't exactly amount to much. Still, congrats to Avenging 2004 for taking it home.

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Also subtitled WHY DID I PUT IN CONFIDENCE POINTS

You may notice I have a 100% pick rate. You might also correctly surmise that I didn't adjust any confidence pick settings. Should have gone to Vegas and bet the moneyline on these things.

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Garlic Prime Rib

Ingredients

• 1 (10 pound) prime rib roast
• 10 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme

Directions

1. Place the roast in a roasting pan with the fatty side up. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Spread the mixture over the fatty layer of the roast, and let the roast sit out until it is at room temperature, no longer than 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
3. Bake the roast for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and continue roasting for an additional 60 to 75 minutes. The internal temperature of the roast should be at 145 degrees F (53 degrees C) for medium rare.
4. Allow the roast to rest for 10 or 15 minutes before carving so the meat can retain its juices.

Set up a league a few weeks ago, and anyone who participated last year should have already received an automated invite. For those of you that didn't participate last year that want in this year, here's the signup info:

1. Go here
2. Use Group #1465
3. Use password "gobears"

As usual, we're using confidence points if only because that's the default and it makes things slightly more interesting for those games for which you allotted a higher amount of confidence points. I'm willing to be talked out of it, though.

Bit of a foregone conclusion at this point.

Also, bonus fantasy championship match!

You know, I'm not even sure who owns RAAAAMPAAAGGEEE. Now would be a good time to identify yourself.

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One of the few times you might want to go visit Anaheim. From the OC Register:

via images.onset.freedom.com

My first encounter with the Sun Devil came more than a year ago when the 12-ounce burger took me by surprise during a food contest.

Back then, I liked it. But it wasn't love at first bite.

Today, I can't stop thinking about it.

...

After the first luscious, messy bite, I knew this was it. I suddenly recalled why we singled out this burger. The tempura-style toppings and crispy bacon give the burger a hint of savory heat with every bite. The only thing different about the burger: The Catch tweaked the original recipe slightly, using cheddar cheese instead of Swiss. Looking back at my judging notes, I recall suggesting cheddar over Swiss, so I was pleased.

...

I think about the Sun Devil often, and can't wait to indulge in it again and again.

Here's to vaguely sexual innuendos! Go Bears, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

I've set up a Bowl Pick'em league. Usual rules apply (need a Yahoo! ID, etc.)

 

1. Go here
2. League number 1465
3. Password gobears

 

And here I thought I was going to make my way back up the rankings. Then again, going 9/21 will stop that from happening.

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Rather than endorsing the prospect of eating your favorite neighborhood hangout, let's go to the experts and see what they have to say about the matter.

So uh, maybe we'll go with this.

Who wants to pass around the collection plate?  It's not too late! Go Bears! And uh, Cowboys? Because we don't want the Ducks to have a rematch. Right?

 

 

Yeah, aussie_picks pretty much has this thing in the bag.

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Because it's impossible to find a recipe for beaver without sounding really dirty, we might as well find something especially naughty. From ushotstuff:

Fur Trapper's Beaver

 

Recipe By: Jacqueline E. Knight       

 

Ingredients

• 1 Beaver  cut serving pieces
• 1 tablespoon Celery seeds     
• 1 tablespoon Garlic juice         
• 1 Bay leaf               
• 1 tablespoon Onion salt           
• 1 cup Seasoned flour
• 1/2 cup Melted lard       
• 1 cup Red wine            
• 2 cups Medium cream sauce   

Parboil beaver in water seasoned with celery seeds, garlic juice, bay leaf, and onion salt.  When nearly tender, remove and pat dry.  Dust with seasoned flour and brown in melted lard.  Add red wine, bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 1 hour or until completely tender.  Pour on cream sauce and broil briefly until golden-brown.

 

Of course, some might say the toughest part of eating beaver is finding a suitable beaver to begin with. Ba dum ching! Now, go get yourself some beaver, slap it in the oven, and get ready for some red hot South Florida at Syracuse Big East football! Go...Bulls?

 

aussie_picks just might run away with this thing.

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Just because I like food that sounds like dirty double entendres, from Food.com:

Cougar Cheese Steak

 

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

 

• 2 lbs top round steaks
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced          (I used more)
• 1/2 cup beef bouillon
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

 

Directions:

 

• With a knife, score the steak lightly on both sides. Mix together the flour, salt, paprika, coffee and garlic powder. Rub into both sides of the steak.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet. Brown the meat on both sides, then add the onions, bouillon and wine.
• Cover the pan and simmer ingredients about 90 minutes or more until tender, adding more bouillon if needed.
• When meat is tender, sprinkle with cheese and serve.

 

 

Sounds like a winner to me. Which is not what Colorado is going to be tonight! Man, Larry Scott, you have got to do a better job of picking out showcase games to show on national television during the week. The Pac-12 is starting to look like the Big East out here! Nevertheless, because we hate U$C always, go Buffaloes!

Poll

Duck, Duck...Cougar?

11%

Duck!

7 votes

31%

Duck?

19 votes

56%

Cougar!!

34 votes

60 votes | Poll has closed

 

 

Back up to sixth, although it looks like aussie_picks is starting to run away with things here.

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Ok, maybe I'm not making it back up to first anytime soon.

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Let's give them a warm welcome for our first Pac-12 meeting with them.

From Indian Food Rocks:

Ute Tortilla

Most breads are fry breads and are an integral part of their cuisine. They are everyday food and they are also served at festive occasions like powwows. Fry bread is often served with some kind of sweetener, like berries, powdered sugar or honey. There are savory versions of fry bread with chopped onions and chillies mixed into the dough. The recipe varies from tribe to tribe but the ingredients remain essentially the same.

• 3 cups unbleached flour
• 2 tsp baking powder (3 tsp at high altitudes)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 and 1/2 cup warm water or milk
• 1 tbsp oil or shortening
• Combine all ingredients except for the oil and knead until smooth.
• Rub oil all over the dough and cover. Let this dough rest for about half an hour
• Divide the dough into 10-12 equal parts and either pat or roll out into a circular shape that is about 1/8 inch thick and about 6 inches in diameter.
• Cook these on charcoal grill or over open fire. I cooked these on a cast iron tava and then did the final roasting over the gas flame, where they puffed up almost like rotis.

 

Use this as your open thread for all of tonight's thrilling Big East action! Go Scarlet Knights! WOO WOO WOO YOU KNOW IT

Apologies for missing last week's Ask CGB, I was snowed under at work. Not that it's much better this week, but I might as well do something while waiting for my dinner to show up.

Last edition's trivia question:

A two-time Pro Bowler, I was itinerant enough to play for three teams during my nine year NFL career. Unfortunately, I was inconsistent enough at my day job (from the line of scrimmage) that my first coach briefly tried converting me to the other side of the ball. It didn't take. I did manage to (co-) lead the league in a prominent statistical category during my first year with my second team before doing, well, what everyone else on that team does. Someone who used to inspire Golden Bear fans the world over to throw up the Roc-a-fella sign (or the Diamond Cutter sign, depending on your preferences), who am I?

Pretty easy one, I thought.

The bright spot of the Holmoe years.

by katster on Oct 4, 2011 7:42 PM EDT reply actions   2 recs

 

It's occurred to me that we've had quite an accomplished list of DBs come out of Cal recently...though you wouldn't know it by how Nnamdi Asomugha has played this year. So let's get to this week's question.

You've probably seen me on TV during a whole lot of sporting events before, although you wouldn't have any reason to know that I graduated from Cal, really. But it's true, I earned a major in mass communications during my time at Cal before apparently suffering a brain injury (just kidding!) and deciding to get a MBA at U$C. A true pioneer in my field (of which only one person is really truly famous on a mainstream level...mostly because of a peeping tom), who am I?

A bit more obscure this time, but hey, that should just make it more fun. Logo time!

So about that headline. Perspective. aceman doesn't have it.

Is the current Tedford regime really any better than Holmoe?

I'm looking at Cal under Holmoe's record in 1998, 5-6 overall and 3-5 conference. Last year we were 5-7. This year we might not win 3 conference games.

Yes, I know that I am comparing the best Holmoe year to the worst couple of Tedford's years.....BUT STILL!!!!

We used to beat USC under Holmoe, now we never beat them. I remember a game against SC in the late 90's when we were down 30 pts, then came back and WON. A Tedford team will never be able to do that.

I don't know if it's selective memory or what...but despite a lot of losing back then, I seem to remember fewer blowout loses under Holmoe vs. Tedford.

Yes, under Tedford in the beginning we beat Stanfurd and Washington for a few years, but now that capability is gone too. Oregon, Stan, Washington, and USC are guaranteed loses now.

OB's got this one.

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Ok, maybe I didn't make it into first.

And before I forget, CALumbus Bear won this year's fantasy baseball league after my team sucked it in the playoffs. A routine occurrence. Mayhap you can take your victory lap in the comments.

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I'm taking over first next week. You heard me.

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Just in time for Thanksgiving, it's time for...

Turducken

via images.media-allrecipes.com

 

 

 

Ingredients

•  1 (3 pound) whole chicken, boned
• salt and pepper to taste
• Creole seasoning to taste
• 1 (4 pound) duck, boned
• 1 (16 pound) turkey, boned
• 3 cups prepared sausage and oyster dressing

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lay the boned chicken skin-side down on a platter and season liberally with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Lay the boned duck skin-side down on top of the chicken and season liberally with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.
• Lay the boned turkey skin-side down on a flat surface. Cover with a layer of cold Sausage and Oyster Dressing and push the dressing into the leg and wing cavities so they will look as if they still have bones in them.
• Lay the duck on top of the turkey skin-side down and cover it with a layer of cold dressing. Lay the chicken on top of the duck skin-side down and cover it with a layer of cold dressing.
• With the help of an assistant, bring the edges of the turkey skin up and fasten them together with toothpicks. Use the kitchen string to lace around the toothpicks to help hold the stuffed turkey together. Carefully place the turducken, breast up in a large roasting pan.
• Roast covered for 4 hours or until the turducken is golden brown. Continue to roast uncovered for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted through the thigh registers 180 degrees F. and a thermometer inserted through the stuffing registers 165 degrees F. Check the turducken every few hours to baste and remove excess liquid. There will be enough pan juices for a gallon of gravy. Carve and serve.

Poll

Turducken?

25%

Disgusting.

41 votes

29%

Awesome.

46 votes

44%

NOT AWESOME ENOUGH. I throw a whole roast pig in there too.

71 votes

158 votes | Poll has closed

Threw out a bone there last week for our literary buffs in the house.

A rather prolific writer of short stories, I didn't actually finish my degree at Cal. But I did manage to finish a whole bunch of other stories that were made into big budget Hollywood movies starring the likes of Harrison Ford, the Governator, Tom Cruise, Ben Affleck, Peter Weller (who?) and Keanu Reeves. WHOA. Who am I?

Roll on You Matt gave us the first right answer in the comments section last week:

Phillip K. USC Fan

or, err, Dick

by Roll on you Matt on Sep 30, 2011 2:09 PM EDT reply actions   1 recs

Probably should have been rec'd more than once, really. Let's move on to this week's question:

A two-time Pro Bowler, I was itinerant enough to play for three teams during my nine year NFL career. Unfortunately, I was inconsistent enough at my day job (from the line of scrimmage) that my first coach briefly tried converting me to the other side of the ball. It didn't take. I did manage to (co-) lead the league in a prominent statistical category during my first year with my second team before doing, well, what everyone else on that team does. Someone who used to inspire Golden Bear fans the world over to throw up the Roc-a-fella sign (or the Diamond Cutter sign, depending on your preferences), who am I?

Pretty sure I haven't used him before...so let's move on.

TheScientist poses a query.

Who's the next first-round draft pick?

Disclaimer: Obviously, this topic will be loaded with speculation and is just for fun.

We've had four players drafted in the first round for the past three years. Which of this year's players is going to be the next to accomplish this? Trevor Guyton helping establish a new Tosh tradition? Marvin Jones to help a pro passing game and special teams? A Sade-fueled Mychal Kendricks? Or will we have to wait for Keenan Allen in the 2013 Draft?

Keenan Allen is the obvious answer, though I'm not sure he's a lock to be a first-round pick at this point either. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's one of our young defensive guys - productive wide receivers seem to be a dime a dozen these days, and I'm not sure that he has prototypical size/speed physical characteristics that guys like A.J. Green and Julio Jones had this past year. And that's what it takes to be a first round wide receiver these days.

No one other than KA21 really has the productivity so far to merit consideration in the first, but well, our last two classes have highly touted particularly on the defensive side, so I'm going to say it's someone in that bunch. Probably a lineman. It's not like anyone saw Tyson Alualu or Cameron Jordan as first-round locks a few years ago either. 

Poll

Cal's next first round pick is...

58%

Keenan Allen!

155 votes

1%

Zach Maynard!

4 votes

22%

Mychal Kendricks!

59 votes

11%

One of our recent recruits!

31 votes

6%

Not on the current roster!

17 votes

266 votes | Poll has closed

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Hey, look at who's there in fourth!

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You know I just wanted to get that Rutgers highlight in there. From last week:

I inspired the nickname of the kicker who won this game.

The right answer?

Indeed it was! Now for this week's:

A rather prolific writer of short stories, I didn't actually finish my degree at Cal. But I did manage to finish a whole bunch of other stories that were made into big budget Hollywood movies starring the likes of Harrison Ford, the Governator, Tom Cruise, Ben Affleck, Peter Weller (who?) and Keanu Reeves. WHOA. Who am I?

Probably shouldn't be very difficult for any of you literary buffs out there. Let's get right into it.

FrankBear21 starts us off with a hypothetical:

If we beat Oregon is all forgotten?

Lets be honest.... stranger things have happened.

As for me, I would say yes. I'm a rather forgiving sort, and it's not like I was holding out hope that we were going to win the conference this year anyway. Though it would have been nice. Guys?

Kodiak: Yes.  Until we lose a game due to:

CBKWit: Yes.  And I would change the question to "If we beat Oregon OR $C, is all forgotten?"

Poll

How do you get over tough losses?

32%

I don't.

63 votes

6%

I kick my dog.

13 votes

5%

I rant on (WEBSITE REDACTED)

11 votes

7%

I second-guess Tedford on (WEBSITE REDACTED)

15 votes

47%

I come to CGB for level-headed analysis and instantly feel better.

94 votes

196 votes | Poll has closed

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Moving Screen finally creates some separation between himself and the rest of the pack.

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Because last week's Blue Hose PI recipe was such a big hit.

From wowhead.com:

Recipe: Tender Wolf Steak

Requires Cooking (225)

Item Level 45

Use: Teaches you how to cook a Tender Wolf Steak.

Sell Price: 30

Tender Wolf Steak

Requires Level 40

Item Level 45

Use: Restores 1392 health over 30 sec.  Must remain seated while eating.  

If you spend at least 10 seconds eating you will become well fed and gain 12 Stamina and Spirit for 15min.

Sell Price: 3

Requires Tender Wolf Meat

I wonder what happens if you get up during that meal. Wait, don't answer that, I don't care.  Use this as your open thread for tonight's BYU/UCF game. Go Stormin' Mormons!

Apparently I missed this bit of Cal history from CalBear81's post previously. Last week's question was:

A tennis superstar, I was hailed as the first female American-born superstar athlete. I was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, I won 19 of the 24 Grand Slam tournaments that I entered, although I'm going to guess most of you (well, maybe CalBear81) weren't around to see any of them take place. Once given the nickname "Little Miss Poker Face", who am I?

Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!

I think I know the answer to that trivia question.

by CalBear81 on Sep 16, 2011 1:36 PM EDT reply actions  

Yeah, that's my bad. In my defense, that went up during my annual sabbatical from all things CGB, as I was studying for level 2 of the CFA exam last year around that time. And I passed, thank God, so there's that. More roundabout question this week:

I inspired the nickname of the kicker who won this game.

It's a good thing Rutgers got over that short-lived burst of competence. 

To the first question, from oskidunker:

With 100 numbers, why do guys need to wear the same number?

I noticed Jones wore his #1 returning kicks so they must have changed the other guys number.

Because some guys really want to wear a specific number? College football is fairly flexible when it comes to numerology (I don't believe there are restrictions on what positions are relegated to which numbers, in contrast with the NFL - except for maybe linemen), but the only rule that I'm 100% sure of is that there can't be more than one player wearing the same number on the field at the same time. That's why Desmond Bishop and Marshawn Lynch got away with both wearing 10 - you weren't about to see them both on defense or both on offense at the same time.

Though that might have been pretty interesting...

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