The Warriors beat Houston 104-78 to win Game 1
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(photos by Thearon W. Henderson, Nhat V. Meyer and Jose Carlos Fajardo)
Double techs called on Patrick Beverley and Steph Curry https://t.co/07SdQLs0eY
— The Cauldron (ICYMI) (@CauldronICYMI) April 16, 2016
“There’s gonna be some physicality, some back and forth. Hopefully the league hasn’t gone too far in the other direction where that’s not a part of Playoff basketball. That’s fun. I like that back and forth. ”
Section925 Podcast Ep. 105 - Garry St. Jean
/Former Warriors general manager and head coach Garry St. Jean comes inside the Section925 Podcenter to talk basketball with Jon Wheeler and host Tripper Ortman. St. Jean shares a wide range of stories from his life in basketball including his time working with Don Nelson, coaching Bobby Hurley, and much more...
Section925 Ep. 104 - Brett Thomas of "The Battery" Discusses 'Greatness'
/For this edition of "The Battery," Brett Thomas comes to us solo on the day the Warriors try to complete an historic 73-9 season. Born and raised in the Bay, Thomas delves into how great the current Warriors truly are. BT also takes the liberty to discuss the great career of Kobe Bryant and breaks down what he sees on the horizon for Jordan Spieth after his second place finish at Augusta.
(Video) Meet CAL Football's Offensive Linemen
/The California Golden Bears' offensive line will be on full display during the 2016 Spring Game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday April 16th. Kickoff is set for 11am. Get out to Memorial and decide for yourself who should quarterback the Bears in the fall.
(From TheRinger.com) Goff v. Wentz: Dawn of Judgment
/(photo by Sean M. Haffey)
(Via TheRinger.com's e-mail newsletter)
Whenever the quarterback debate at the top of a draft comes down to two guys, it’s tempting to paint the players as opposites: Andrew Luck was the perfect prospect, but Robert Griffin III was the phenomenon; Jameis Winston could make the throws, but Marcus Mariota had the legs. When players are branded as disparate ideas, the debate becomes about what a franchise believes instead of who it prefers.
That’s not as easy this year, however, because neither Jared Goff nor Carson Wentz is an archetypal top QB. Goff went 1-11 as a true-freshman starter at Cal, with his only win coming against Portland State two weeks into the season. Meanwhile, before this year’s Senior Bowl, few outside the scouting world had even heard of Wentz, an FCS product who missed half of his final season with a broken wrist. These aren’t Heisman Trophy finalists or the prides of storied programs, and their less conventional paths make it tougher to pit them against each other.
But while the contrast between Goff and Wentz may be harder to spot, it’s still there. And the order in which teams rate the two will say a lot about the traits those franchises prize.
Most of the Wentz love has centered on his mobility, which often helped North Dakota State in crucial moments. The Bison weren’t afraid to use Wentz as a runner on designed plays, and plenty of third downs ended with him stepping up in the pocket, taking off, and slowly driving a defense insane. I get why that’s appealing, but I also thought that we’d already learned how dangerous it is to prop up a QB prospect because he can run.
To be fair, Wentz also has a nice arm, and with a clean pocket and room to work, he can really show it off. But he lags behind Goff when it comes to how, and how often, he finds himself in that setting. NDSU loved using motion and play-action to dictate where defenders would be on a given play, and when either technique created a wide-open throwing lane, Wentz, with that mobility and that 6-foot-5 frame, looked the part of an NFL starter. But he struggled when he had less space: Throws outside the numbers could be an adventure, and Wentz rarely placed the ball in a way that gave his receivers extra separation.
All quarterbacks prefer clean pockets and open windows, but Goff was less reliant on them than Wentz. Save for Cal’s quick-screen game, Goff was usually responsible for the ways the Bears influenced defenses. He’s already adept at controlling safeties with his eyes, in part because his eyes are never on the pass rush. Wentz feels outside pressure and steps up with ease, but Goff navigates the entire pocket. He subtly slides to find or make windows that many quarterbacks can’t. That’s a different type of speed.
If a team wants the QB with the faster feet, it’ll go with Wentz; if it wants the one with the faster mind, it’ll go with Goff. Based on everything that we know about quarterbacks, I’d go with the mind.
(photo by David Purdy)
Section925 Ep. 103 - "The Battery" Featuring Thomas, Tully & Jensen
/For the eighth edition of “The Battery,” Brett Thomas welcomes back Scott Tulley from the bullpen to join him and Alex Jensen (The voice of the St. Mary's Gaels.) The trio give their takes on the Men's and Women's national title games, the Warriors' quest for 73, and this weekend's Master's in Augusta.
Section925 Podcast Ep. 102 - "Live From Lot A at the Oakland Coliseum"
/For the Second Annual Section925 Opening Day Tailgate, Josh Hunsucker (a.k.a. The Rogue) goes on assignment in Parking Lot A. The Rogue interviews various die-hard A's fans including Chris Cosden, Reno Wright, Greg Dudley and many more...
Section925 Podcast Ep. 101 - Matt Cermak Previews The Masters
/Golf's most important major is upon us and former college golfer Matt Cermak joins Connor to talk about it. After defending his hometown Chicago Bulls, Cermak dives into the 2016 Master's and the storylines surrounding Augusta National. From a physicist from Southern Methodist, to a first timer representing Trump, this field presents an interesting one. Who will be left standing on Sunday? Defending champ Jordan Spieth? Rory McIlroy? Bubba Watson? Find out how @Matt_Cerms sees the field of 89...
"Give me some of that Oakland Magic" - Oakland A's 2016 Opening Day Preview
/The undisputed ace of the 2016 A's: Sonny Gray (Photo by Ronald Martinez)
By Ali Sperling | @Ali_Sperling
I promised that I’d do my best to look to the bright side for this piece. So let’s get the bad news out of the way first, shall we? I’ll try to make it quick.
In February, Baseball Prospectus released their PECOTA projections for the 2016 MLB season. The A’s landed last place in the American League West in those standings, projected to go 75-87 this year. That’s seven games more than they won last season, when they took home 68 wins, the team’s worst record since 1997. Nearly all of the projection standings have the A’s in last place in the division come October – USA Today has them winning just 66 games. No one is talking about the A’s as contenders. No one is really talking about the A’s at all.
And why should they? The A’s were picked by many analysts to win the World Series just two years ago, with a team that boasted one of the meanest starting pitching staffs I’ve ever seen, coupled with rising stars of the game Josh Donaldson and fan-favorite Yoenis Cespedes. But after some highly controversial trades at the height of their dominance, the team went from the best in the Majors to having one of the worst records in August and September, barely making it into the one-game playoff match where they lost their spot in the playoffs in an absolutely gut-wrenching loss to Kansas City after 12 innings.
It’s true, I’m just another fan who can’t let that season go. But many, like myself, also recognize that moment as the final straw, indicative of the A’s ownership’s continued inability to commit to their club, their attachment to a moneyball philosophy that no longer fits the style of the game. Here we are in 2016, “rebuilding” yet again, from what feels like our own self-destructive propensity for losing, for making the wrong move at the wrong time, for not forking out the cash to keep even the most beloved Oakland players in Oakland. The trouble with rebuilding this year is that we simply don’t have the young talent this time around. Our farm system was decimated in the last two years, and while the guys we’ve got now are solid players, it’s unlikely that they will ever be standout stars.
But that’s the thing about Oakland. There’s magic here. Anyone who has followed this team for a long time, anyone who has paid attention at the Oakland Coliseum, we can attest to this. In 2012 the A’s were projected to win 77 games but they won the division in a decisive final game of the season over the Texas Rangers, finishing with 94. That was one of my favorite seasons, when I had virtually no expectations going in. I know we don’t have the likes of that group this time around, but I do know we still have that something special somewhere, if we can conjure it up, exhume it from the remains of the last disastrous year and a half. If nearly everything goes absolutely as well as it possibly could, there are still some things to be excited about. I’m going to fulfill my promise of optimism. I’m going to imagine a different future than the one that’s been projected.
What we’ll need is a really, really Sonny day every five games. We need him to shine in every start, we need his young energy, that infectious excitement that developing superstars bring to the field and to the team. We need our pitching staff to stay healthy, especially Henderson Alvarez, Félix Doubront, and Sean Doolittle. Marcus Semien needs to show that he can play shortstop without committing 35 errors (only 20% of those came in the second half of the season last year, at least). We need Khris Davis to hit 30 home runs, and it would be even better if Billy Butler could improve from his .251/15 HR/65 RBI’s from 2015 (BP writes that the concussion Billy Butler gave to Josh Phegley at the end of last season was “arguably the most damage [he] did with his bat all year”).
A brighter future for the A’s might include an over .400 OBP from Billy Burns and an improvement with pitch counts at the plate. Danny Valencia would prove that last season’s debut as an Athletic was no aberration, maintaining a slugging percentage over .500 and possibly becoming one of our most productive offensive threats. Mark Canha would bounce back from a rough spring, and return to his form from the second half of last season. This season would give Stephen Vogt a rest a little more often if Phegley could become a more consistently good hitter. This future that I’m imagining relies on Josh Reddick’s acrobatics in right field and his continued development as a .275/20 HR hitter behind the plate. And of course, in my mind the team would be nothing without continued late inning intensity, celebrated with every A’s fan’s favorite dessert -- walk-off pie.
There are plenty of sports analysts out there far more qualified than I am who can tell you the full account of the projected numbers for the A’s players. I’ve read them, none especially promising. And mostly, I believe them -- it’s unlikely we’ll be above a .500 team. The real future looks a bit bleak, I have to admit, but the one I can imagine looks kind of exciting.
I know it’s probably just those opening day jitters again, the ones you feel in your belly, the ones that make you smile when you’re all alone and thinking about the start of the season. They are thrilling for any baseball fan who has waited four long months for the season to commence. Sure, they can also make you delusional. Baseball is right around the corner, and you can’t help but think, “But what is if everything just goes right?” Isn’t it wonderful, opening day? When you allow yourself to entertain every possibility for this 25-man roster, when you play out every what-if scenario that could land your boys back in the playoffs? Opening day draws this out of you, the need to think about every player’s absolute potential, and to imagine for yourself all of that magic that statistics and projections can never really capture. There’s been a lot of that magic in Oakland. I’ve felt it.
This season I’m deciding to focus on this, the beauty of another opening day. Most likely, the rest of the A’s season won’t be so beautiful. But with the first day of the season upon us, the possibilities, at least for a little while longer, are still infinite.
Ali Sperling, a Bay Area native, is a PhD student in English and Cultural Theory at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. You can reach her at Alison.sperling@gmail.com, or on Twitter at @ali_sperling.
"Arriving on Warriors Ground" - The Raw Emotions of a Live Warriors Game
/Steph Curry misses a game-tying three pointer in the final seconds of the Warriors' loss to Boston. (photo by Ezra Shaw)
Tyler Blint-Welsh | @tbdubez
As a sports fan born and raised in New York, rooting for my local teams has always proved difficult. The Knicks haven’t been much better than mediocre for the last two decades, the Rangers always seem to leave Gotham City feeling disappointed, and the Jets are -- well they’re the Jets. So living in San Francisco while the Golden State Warriors put together one of, if not the best season in NBA history is certainly a sight to behold.
New York fan bases are definitely loyal (or delusional, depending on how you look at it), but I've discovered nothing comes close to the love that the Bay Area shows Golden State. MUNI flashes “Go Warriors!” on the tickers of the busses, storefronts decorate their display windows with Warriors gear and colors, and restaurants hang “Authentic Fan” posters on their doors like badges of honor. After walking past all this Warriors pride on a daily basis for a few months, I did what any self-respecting sports fan would do: I bought a jersey so I could officially hop on the Dubs bandwagon.
On Friday afternoon as I’m leaving my apartment for the Montgomery St. station at 4:30 P.M. to head to Oracle, I can’t help but get a little giddy as I slip on my 1980’s throwback Stephen Curry jersey. Walking down the street with Warriors gear on in the Bay Area is about the same as having a bullet proof vest -- you just feel like the man. All of the subtle hat tipping and nods of approval fans give you on the street, combined with the jealous stares from the other fans who wish they were on their way to the game like you are, stroke your ego just enough to make you feel like you could hit LeBron James with a double crossover then pull up from the logo in front of a sold out crowd just like Steph.
As I’m waiting to cross the street and head to the train, a waving flag from atop the BART station catches my eye. Typically, buildings fly the American flag, or maybe a state flag if they want be a little different. But BART isn’t typical. No patriotism or no homage to the California Grizzly Bear.
Instead?
A 10-foot wide bright yellow Golden State Warriors flag gleaming in the sunlight, as just another blatant reminder of where you’re at in case you forgot. Finally inside the station, I put my Stephen Curry-themed BART ticket into the machine and head down to the platform to wait for my train under the bay to Oakland.
It’s 5:18 P.M. when I get off the crowded train, and as the doors open at the Coliseum station a stream of blue and yellow flow out onto the platform. As we all cross the pedestrian bridge connecting BART with Oracle Arena, you see can kids in No. 30 jersey’s running ahead with excitement, and hear grown men gleefully discussing Steph’s latest heroics, (a 31-point effort in an OT win versus Utah.) As the Warriors inch closer and closer to the best regular season record in NBA history, you get the sense that the fans are also aware of the magnitude of the accomplishment. They’re not just at the game to watch their team play. They’re here to make sure the Dubs come out with a win, and you can feel it.
A creature of habit: Steph Curry (photo by Ezra Shaw)
As the doors to Oracle open up at 5:56 P.M., I make a beeline for the tunnel that leads to the Warriors locker room, hoping to get an autograph from the best player in the world. At the railing, there’s a team of a half-dozen security guards trying to keep the dozens of raucous fans in check, reminding us repeatedly that last week a railing at another NBA stadium collapsed because of fans jockeying for position to get a Steph autograph. With about 90 minutes left before tip-off, Curry comes out onto the court for his pregame routine and the crowd is immediately mesmerized by his presence.
As he moves effortlessly around the arc draining trey after trey, you hear comments from fans on his quick release or the flawless arc on his jumpshot, and it starts to make sense why he’s become the darling of the league over the last two seasons. His greatness isn’t linked to his size or strength like Shaq, or to his unmatched athletic ability like LeBron or Jordan. He’s not the best at being strong or athletic; he’s the best at being most skilled. And after he hits his third straight pull-up three from the logo near half court, you realize what exactly that means.
When he finishes his warm-up, he jogs over to the tunnel entrance and begins his autograph rounds, setting off a feeding frenzy amongst all the fans in the area. Despite the ushers barking reminders of the rules, and throwing stone cold stares at fans who refuse to follow them, every fan leaned over the glass divider hoping to get their memorabilia in range for the "Baby Faced Assassin" to sign.
Steph taking time to show love to Dub Nation. (Ezra Shaw)
Having watched games at other stadiums, I’ve noticed that most NBA players usually jog back into the tunnel and give fans some high-fives or sign just a few autographs after warm-ups. But Steph took the time to sign every single shirt, jersey, hat, or shoe in his sight, even making multiple rounds down the aisle. The humility and character shown in that moment helped shed some more light on why the Bay Area fans are so passionate about their team. There’s a mutual sense of respect and appreciation between the players and the fans that I don’t think exists in any other city. After all, no other city’s home team was heading into Friday night with a year-and-a-half long home winning streak.
Warriors fans unconditionally love their team and as a result, the team unconditionally loves their fans. As me and about thirty other fans try to contain our excitement as we walk away from the aisle with Curry’s autograph in our hands, my friend and I get some drinks, and settle into our seats.
With less than an hour left before tip-off, Oracle slowly gets more and more packed, the vibe getting set by Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo blasting through the arena speakers. My friend and I managed to sneak into the lower bowl despite our tickets being in the nosebleeds of the stadium, and being that close to the court makes you appreciate what it means to be in the NBA. The purpose the players put behind every movement, the level of focus and dedication they have to live with, and the sheer skill necessary to be amongst the best 450 players in the world isn’t something you ever really think about until you’re sitting about 200 feet away from some of them.
Since we were in a section we didn’t have tickets for, we got bumped to almost ten different spots before settling in behind a group of Warriors and Celtics fans dressed as leprechauns and pots of gold. As the lights dim and the starting lineup gets announced, you feel the stadium start to rumble, culminating with a roar from the sellout crowd as the PA announcer introduced everyone’s favorite "6’3’’ guard out of Davidson." The game begins with two straight Draymond Green treys, and both were followed by deafening screams from the thousands of fans jumping up and down with joy.
After the second three, one of the pots of gold in front of us puts his hands back for a high-five and introduces himself. For the rest of the game, we slapped five after every single Warrior basket. Five minutes and about a dozen high-fives into the game, I’m convinced that no other environment in the league can compare to Oracle. The fans don’t just clap or cheer when their team scores; they jump up and and make it a point to get as loud as possible every single time. The cheers are louder than any other stadium, and the boo’s and insulting chants hurled at the refs are intense enough to almost make you feel bad for them.
The leprechaun sitting in front of us was the lone Celtics fan in the section, and after every crowd roar in response to a Warriors big play, he slinked deeper and deeper into his chair, almost as if he was embarrassed to show off the Kevin Garnett jersey hung around his neck like a cape.
At halftime the Warriors found themselves in an unfamiliar position: losing? Steph had just six points and turned the ball over seven times, and the Celtics were absolutely suffocating the Dubs on the perimeter. Regardless, you got the sense that every single fan assumed the Warriors were going to come out on top in the end. In the third quarter, Curry erupted for a 21 point period, opening up his entire repertoire to try and put away the gritty Celtics all on his own. He hit pull-ups, stepbacks, a shot from about a foot in front of the logo, and after each you could feel his confidence building more and more off the unrestrained energy of the Oracle faithful, punctuated by a deep three over Isaiah Thomas while his mouth guard hung from the side of his mouth. Despite his efforts, Golden State still found themselves down three points heading into the fourth, leading a woman behind me to comment, “They’re losing, this is so unusual.”
And for a team that’s won 90% of their games by an average of over ten points, it certainly was. When the starters got reinserted to the game after the bench let the team fall behind by as many as nine, the crowd started to feel the sense of urgency, and responded accordingly. The relatively civil high-fives from the man in front of me turned into us jumping in the air and slapping hands as hard as possible before waving our hands in the air to pump up the crowd. The anticipation the Oakland faithful showed as every shot rotated to the basket felt even more anxiety filled than before. The cheers of the first half turned into voice straining roars that made Oracle feel like it was trembling.
Yet somehow, none of it was enough. The Celtics were poised and confident, unfazed by the craziest fans in the NBA. When Steph’s final shot of the game clanked off the rim, and Harrison Barnes’ last gasp attempt to tie the game bounced off the backboard, the collective disbelief of the fans was more powerful than any of their collective excitement. The arena, whose bright yellow floor almost invites happiness and excitement, felt like all its occupants just witnessed a murder. Fans held their hands over their heads, children began to tear up, and the Warriors started slowly making their way back through the tunnel, looking more dejected than I’d ever seen them before.
As the stadium emptied out, one fan pointed out that fact that they still have 68 wins on the year. And after that, the loss seemed to sting just a little bit less.
I realized then, I was just lucky to be there.
Steph contemplates defeat for the first time in 54 tries at home. (photo by Ezra Shaw)
Introduce Yourself to the Rising Stars in East Bay High School Hoop
/Now that the dust has settled on the 2015-'16 high school basketball season, it's time to take a look ahead. Who will emerge as the one to watch among East Bay hoopers in 2017? There's a good chance he will come from the list of players below.
This season did not quite produce the type of local blue chip recruit we saw in Ivan Rabb last year. It looked like Oscar Frayer of Moreau Catholic was well on his way to following Rabb to play for the Bears in Berkeley. However, the ultra-athletic wing de-committed from CAL and chose to take his talents to Grand Canyon University and play for Thunder Dan Majerle in the WAC.
One can only hope the young guns on this list will continue to develop over the summer and when local colleges come calling, they choose to stay in The Bay.
Damari Milstead - Moreau Catholic, class of '17
Elijah Hardy - Bishop O'Dowd, class of '18
Souley Boum - Oakland Tech, class of '17
Jade Smith - St. Joseph's, class of '17
Emeka Udenyi - De La Salle, class of '17
Austin Fadal - Monte Vista, class of '17
Naseem Gaskin - Bishop O'Dowd, class of '18
(Bonus) Jordan Brown - Woodcreek (Roseville, CA), class of '18
The End of the Warriors' Record Breaking Home Winning Streak
/Boston's Isaiah Thoms led his team with 22 points to end Golden State's historic streak. (Photo by Ezra Shaw)
(HBO Video) - Mavericks Half Moon Bay Surfing
/“You can get pinned down there. I think that’s how most people drown at Mavericks. I’ve been there. I’ve had conversations with God in that same spot. No one even talks about the sharks. You couldn’t make a scarier big wave. Falling feels like hitting cement. Then the thrashing comes and you feel like King Kong’s got a hold of your feet, swinging you around like a rubber chicken.”
No. 20 CAL Baseball Sweeps the No. 3 Oregon State Beavers
/Campolindo HS grad Matt Ladrech threw 7.2 innings of no-hit relief to beat OSU. (photo via calbeaers.com)
D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings: @Aggie_Baseball takes over as No. 1. @UCSB_Baseball and @GTBaseball join rankings: https://t.co/FTZyAKbaez
— Aaron Fitt (@aaronfitt) March 28, 2016
