December 9 -- December 15, 2024
Issue No. 567
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San Francisco 49ers Overpower Chicago Bears, 38-13
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The 49ers' first half performance was a near-miraculous reversal of their play this season. Brock Purdy finished the half with 16/18, 258 yards, two TDs and no interceptions. Under heavy pressure, Bears QB Caleb Williams was 5/8, 25 yards and 0-0. Brock started with a TD to "Mr. Clutch," Jajuan Jennings, on the Niners' first possession, with KITTLEMANIA in the house!
A new star, Isaac Guerendo, in for McCaffery and Mason, powered in for a second TD and it was 14-0 to end the first quarter. Passes to George Kittle went for big yards-after-catch, and Purdy snuck it in on fourth down and 1 and it was 21-0. After Guerendo runs and more KITTLEMANIA, a field goal gave SF a 24-0 halftime lead. 49er sacks from Yetur Gross-Matos, Leonard FLoyd and Maliek Collins and solid line play held Chicago in check.
The Bears started the second half with gusto, and a 10-minute drive, capped with a TD pass to Rome Odunze, made it 24-6, as the 2-point conversion attempt failed. The 49ers stalled and punted, but as the Bears continued their revival, A SUCCESSFUL 49er CHALLENGE may have been the biggest play of the second half, as it changed an "incomplete pass" call into a fumble, which gave the 49ers the ball, but more importantly, deflated the Bears' momentum. Five plays and 62 yards later, Guerendo would run in for a touchdown to make the score 31-6. Another TD pass to Odunze made it 31-13. After Purdy rebounded from a scary potential injury, a Deebo run on a reverse and a 13-play 70-yard drive was capped by a touchdown run by Patrick Taylor, to make the final score 38-13, San Francisco. Gross-Matos notched his third sack of the day to put a FULL STOP to this game.
With the NFL West congested with near-identical records, this was an important victory. The emergence of Isaac Guerendo, plus KITTLEMANIA, Mr. Clutch, an excellent performance by Brock Purdy and big-time sacks indicate that San Francisco is a legitimate playoff contender. BE AFRAID, NFL WEST!
YouTube Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcgmuu7VkfA (9:10)
Robert A. Moselle, Esq.
https://www.cce-mcle.com
Marketing Director, Sports Today
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College Football
Playoffs Carousel
(Part II)
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Shades of NCAA BB's "Sweet 16" -- three of my 'Final Four' selections have been placed in the same bracket (Tennessee, Ohio State and
Oregon). I will stay with The Ducks to win it all, with Ohio State over Tennessee before their inevitable loss to Oregon. Boise State, my other previous Final Four pick, will beat SMU in the next round in the battle of Horses as the Broncos move toward the Finals. In "replacement brackets," with none of my initial selection, Clemson should stop Texas and ASU to advance, and Notre Dame will crush Indiana (clearly selected to attract the 'Pat McAfee and the Profanity-Posse's television audience) before they lose to Georgia, which will advance to the Final Four.
So, it's Oregon, the new kid in the Big-10, Boise State, with the best runner in the country, Clemson, with their 56-yard FG kicker (can the 49ers borrow him?), and Georgia, with their clutch new QB.
The "Teacher's Pet," Alabama, did not receive a bid, and Nick Saban is now in the principal's office, mad as a hornet.
LUDI INCIPE: (Let the Games Begin)
Robert A. Moselle, Esq.
https://www.cce-mcle.com
Marketing Director, Sports Today
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Praise for
Pete Elman's
Insights and Outtakes
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Just to let you know I read Insights and Outtakes. I enjoyed it very much. It was like hearing Pete's voice while I read the words... as if he was talking directly to me. Fantastic! The book was really great.
I especially enjoyed the baseball part as I share his deep love for the game.
I enjoyed his basketball recollections, too. I didn't know he coined the Run TMC nickname. I have fond recollections of the Warriors from that era. Sending Mitch Richmond to Sacramento for Billy Owens was one of the worst trades the team ever made. I liked what Pete said about football and all the injuries and other problems. Very Cosellian, Bob Costas-like. And I mean that in a good way! Very good stuff! We could have used more of these types of pieces at the newspapers. Please let me know when his next book comes out!
Editor's Note: Pete Elman's book may be ordered here.
Mike McGreehan
San Leandro, CA
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Contents
Games
Cal Bears (MBkB) 81, Stanford Cardinal 89
San Francisco 49ers 38, Chicago Bears 13
Santa Clara Broncos (MBkB) 81, Fresno State Bulldogs 66
Santa Clara Broncos (WBkB) 86, Cal Maritime Keelhaulers 27
Features & Commentary
Jim "Catfish" Hunter Led the Way, by Amaury Pi-Gonzalez
Jim Parker, from the Autograph Collection of Rich Yee
Montana Remains Joe Cool, by Dave Newhouse
Newsletter, Image, Likeness, by Darren Heitner, Esq.
Something About Opinions, by Howard Pearlstein
Organizations
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A's
Bay Area Falcons
Bay Area Panthers
Bay FC
Cal Bears
Cal State University East Bay
Golden State Warriors
Oakland Ballers
Oakland Roots SC
Oakland Soul SC
Oakland Spiders
Saint Mary's College Gaels
San Francisco 49ers
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San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Nighthawks
San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose State Spartans
Santa Clara Broncos
SF City
Sonoma Raceway
St. Francis Yacht Club
Stanford Cardinal
UC Davis Aggies
University of Pacific Tigers
USF Dons
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna
Seca
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Cal Bears 81
Stanford Cardinal 89
Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, CA
Saturday, December 7, 2024
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Facing off for the first time as ACC Conference members, the Golden Bears hosted their Bay Area rival, the Stanford Cardinal, at a full house at Haas Pavilion on Saturday, December 7, 2024. The game got off to a quick start for the Cardinal, who extended their lead in the first half to 14 points before the Golden Bears would tie the score with 4:53 remaining in the first half. But it would be the Cardinals who prevailed, as they rebuilt the lead to 20 points. Again the Golden Bears would rally back to cut the lead to six points but would not get closer. Above, leading all scorers in the game was sophomore transfer student from Stanford, Andrej Stojakovic (#2), who would finish with 25 points.
Photo and caption by Ron Sellers.
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Montana
Remains
Joe Cool
by Dave Newhouse
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There is a stunning consistency about Joe Montana the football idol and Joe Montana the senior citizen: Commanding presence. It thrilled us once, and it hasn't gone away.
We see little of Montana these days outside of TV commercials. But the Bay Area was treated last week to a three-night revisit with Montana as part of the MPSF Speakers Series, now in its 35th year of bringing national celebrities to theater stages, this time in San Rafael, Oakland and San Mateo.
Montana is 68, but he remains Joe Cool, handling a microphone with the same ease as creating miracles on the gridiron. At the National Football League's 100th anniversary in 2020, a fans poll was taken to determine its greatest players. Montana was chosen as quarterback over Sammy Baugh, Otto Graham, John Elway, Dan Marino and Tom Brady.
Why Montana? That singular commanding presence, no doubt.
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Joe Montana...three time Super Bowl MVP (XVI, XIX, XXIV) | |
One cogent point was made clear about his local theater talks: Montana went over the questions he would be asked by moderator Caroline Stavjanik before giving his approval. I watched the video of his Peninsula performance at the home of good friends Dick and Carlene Anderson. Montana was dressed casually in a blue cardigan sweater and black T-shirt, slacks and shoes. No suit and tie. Joe Cool.
Concussions, Joe?
“In a contact sport, there really is no way around it,” he said. “You can’t stop it. When you get hit, the head stops, but the brain doesn’t. It’s sad that we’re seeing more of it.”
College, Joe?
“Notre Dame was a dream for me. I wanted a school with a campus,” he said. “I visited Penn State, but their football uniforms looked like their PJs.”
Montana, who grew up in Monongahela, PA, showed humor, sometimes raw, during the 90-minute interview. Asked about gabby football players, he said, “The people that talked about themselves couldn’t be successful. Don’t let your mouth overload your ass.”
Joe Cool, Joe?
“I always tried to be myself,” he replied. "I’m a prankster. But I loved the pressure part of it. I wanted the ball. I didn’t mind being behind. I tried to be lighthearted all the time.”
Bill Walsh?
“Bill was ahead of his time,” he noted. “The back shoulder throw; he started to do that before he retired. His offense was built to take care of (not having great players}. We always wanted to keep pressure on the defense. Bill wanted a pass thrown 12 inches in front of the receivers. It’s the littlest things that make the biggest difference; Bill believed in that.”
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Again...and again...and again Montana raised his arms in triumph | |
Walsh’s death?
“Ronnie Lott and I were the last (49ers) to see him. I said goodbye, but as I walked away, Bill stopped me. He said, ‘You owe me some money.’ (crowd laughter)“
The most interesting phase of the interview involved Montana’s business dealings, mostly unknown to the public, but most illuminating.
“I’m a venture capitalist, hands in many things. Bill taught me how to put a team together. We pick winners from winners. We invest in people. We built our own ecosystem”
Montana named some of his investment partners, but focused on the specifics of his successful investments.
“We have 900 portfolio companies. I deal with them. We don’t have to choose; they come to us. It’s a lot of fun. We don’t invest in communities; we invest in the world.”
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Joe Montana capped off the drive with a game-winning touchdown pass to John Taylor (83) to win Super Bowl XXIII | |
Favorite 49er memory?
“Throwing the touchdown pass to John Taylor,” he answered about a Super Bowl winning play. But, whoa, Joe, not The Catch?
Analytics?
“Too many of them. The numbers they throw out — seriously? Stats, sometimes, get blown out of proportion.”
Advice for Brock Purdy?
“You don’t press, because fundamentals do fall apart. But don’t try to press.”
Multi-year contracts?
“They must be talking about college (crowd laughter). But the NFL is as cheap as they come, like in offering workers compensation. I’ve had 26 surgeries. NFL players have the worst benefits of all major sports, and we bring in the biggest revenue."
Your typical day?
“I get up at 6:30, have coffee, work out, and go to the office. I take my wife Jennifer to lunch every day. We’ll be married 40 years in February. Then I’ll pick up the (three) grandkids.”
Joe Cool, grandfather. Nice presence.
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Dave Newhouse's journalism career spans more than half a century, including 45 years at the Oakland Tribune before his retirement in November 2011. Newhouse is the author of 19 books. His most recent book, Goodbye, Oakland, is available in bookstores and from Triumph Books. Dave grew up in Menlo Park, graduated from San Jose State, and has radio and television experience, in addition to his work as an award-winning sportswriter and columnist. For earlier articles by Dave published in Sports Today, click HERE.
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"Oakland at the Bat"
by Andy Dolich
The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Oakland A’s this day
Their time in The Town had run out, 2024 was the last season they would play
The score stood one for Vegas, nothing for Oaktown, with a
once committed fan base exhibiting nothing more than a frown
And then John Fisher voiced his doubts on staying, and Rob
Manfred did the same
A pall-like silence fell upon A’s fans at the game
A straggling few got up to grab a beer
to change their mindset mired in fear
They thought, If only a new A’s owner could get a whack at that
We’d put up even money with Teamwork, Leadership and Trust
coming up to bat
But Fisher said, “No!” as did the Commish
The former rarely spoke, and everything said by the baseball commissioner was a joke
Upon the stricken A’ s multitude, a grim melancholy grew
more difficult to handle than an egg’s yolk
There seemed to be little chance for the baseball heart and
soul of Oakland getting up to bat against the greed and avarice
that in the owner’s mind sat
But a reverse boycott tore the cover off the MLB humidor-altered
ball
And when “Sell!” chants had quieted, and fans saw what had
occurred
There was Boycott safe at second, and Sell hugging third
Then a yell from thousands of A’s fans, pumped up by the
drummers
They didn’t want their team taken from them in future summers
And they saw the A’s mighty elephant advancing to the box
There was ease in his manner as he pulled up his Green and
Gold sox
There was pride in his bearing and a smile on his pachydermal face
And responding to the cheers, he regally bowed with tuskered grace
No stranger in the crowd could doubt the A’s mighty elephant was up to keeping the team right here
And now a Las Vegas covered sphere came hurtling through
the air
And Jumbo stood watching it with his massive big-eared stare
“That ain’t my style,” said Stomper
“Strike one,” John Fisher said (through a spokesperson)
“Sell, sell, sell the team!” shouted thousands of Green and
Gold loyalists from the Coliseum stands
Stomper stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on
He signaled to Fisher and once more the Vegas sphere flew
Stomper still ignored it, and Commissioner Manfred
signaled, “Strike two!”
They saw Stomper’s trunk grow straight and bold, they
watched his giant muscles strain
And they knew that the A’s elephant wouldn’t let this
baseball relocation BS slip by again
And now the A’s owner holds the ball, and then he lets it go
And now the Coliseum air is shattered by the force of an
elephantine blow
Followed by a lusty yell that rumbled through Pleasant Hill
It rattled into a Piedmont town fair, it pounded on the
Oakland hills, and it bounced down to Jack London Square
Oh, somewhere in this A’s favored market, the sun is shining
bright
Somewhere baseball’s ballclub billionaires are sitting tight
And somewhere Oakland A’s fans are lamenting, as their kids take practice hacks
But somewhere are those duly elected Oakland leaders, who
were supposed to have those fans’ backs
And somewhere Green and Gold masses are bereaving,
And somewhere children shout
There is no joy in Oakland
John Fisher and Major League Baseball owners have done
their dirty work in getting the Oakland A’s out (of town)
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Andy Dolich operates Dolich & Associates, a sports consultancy, in Los Altos. A local resident, Dolich has more than 50 years of experience as an executive in professional sports, working with the Oakland A's, San Francisco 49ers, Golden State Warriors, and hockey and soccer teams. Dolich is also the co-author of Goodbye, Oakland, is available in bookstores and from Triumph Books. For earlier articles by Andy Dolich published in Sports Today! click HERE.
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Santa Clara Broncos 81
Fresno State Bulldogs 66
Leavey Center, Santa Clara, CA
Saturday, December 7, 2024
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Santa Clara Broncos guard Carlos Stewart Jr. had 18 points and four assists as the Broncos defeated the Fresno State Bulldogs,
81-66, at Leavey Center on Saturday, December 7th.
Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita.
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Santa Clara Broncos 86
Cal Maritime Keelhaulers 27
Leavey Center, Santa Clara, CA
Saturday, December 7, 2024
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Santa Clara Broncos guard Malia Latu scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Broncos defeated the Cal Maritime Keelhaulers, 86-27, at Leavey Center on Saturday, December 7th. Caption and photo by Darren Yamashita. | |
Warriors Announce Season of Giving Efforts for 2024 Holiday Season
Events Throughout The Bay Area Planned To Spread Holiday Cheer To Underserved Communities
SAN FRANCISCO – As part of the NBA Cares Season of Giving league-wide campaign, Golden State Warriors players, coaches, and front office staff will host a variety of events this holiday season to brighten the lives of local families and youth.
Upcoming Warriors Season of Giving events are listed below. This schedule is for planning purposes only and is not to be pre-promoted.
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Swishes for Dishes, presented by Kaiser Permanente: In partnership with Kaiser Permanente and The Athletes’ Corner, Warriors staff members will help pack groceries for community members at the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank on December 19.
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Warriors Community Foundation Holiday Auction, presented by Cache Creek Casino Resort: The Warriors Community Foundation will host a Holiday Auction, presented by Cache Creek Casino Resort, from Thursday, December 19 to Monday, December 30, with an array of items including one-of-a-kind experiences, autographed memorabilia, and more, with all proceeds benefitting the Foundation’s annual grants program.
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Holiday Market, presented by Kaiser Permanente: As part of Swishes for Dishes, presented by Kaiser Permanente, and in collaboration with The Athletes’ Corner and Feeding America, the Warriors will host a pop-up Holiday Market at Thrive City on Sunday, December 22, to provide community members with free grocery items that can be used to prepare a holiday meal.
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Warriors Christmas Day Game: Prior to tipoff of the Warriors matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, December 25, both teams will surprise Bay Area youth with holiday gifts.
Last month the Warriors hosted a Chop ‘N Chat at Generation Thrive Oakland where Bay Area educators and nonprofit practitioners learned how to make a healthy, holiday themed meal from former Warrior Festus Ezeli and celebrity chef Nikki Shaw. For video, CLICK HERE.
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Advertise in Sports Today!
Special Rates Available!
Ann Cooke, Sales Director
Or call (510) 414-5394
anncooke510@gmail.com
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What’s on tap for Giants at
Winter Meetings?
by Maria Guardado @mi_guardado
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This story was excerpted from Maria Guardado's Giants Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe
to get it regularly in your inbox.
The Giants underwent a significant leadership change at the beginning of the offseason, with franchise icon Buster Posey stepping in to replace Farhan Zaidi as the club’s president of baseball operations.
Posey has spent the first couple of months of his tenure building out his front office, but the focus is expected to turn to roster construction once the Winter Meetings get underway in Dallas.
Unlike past winters, the Giants aren’t viewed as frontrunners for the top free agent on the market -- star outfielder Juan Soto -- but they could still make a run at other impact players who could help them improve from their disappointing 80-82 finish in 2024.
Here’s a look at what’s in store for Posey and new general manager Zack Minasian at the Hilton Anatole next week.
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"Join us for Great Food, Great Beer and a Great Time."
We are located one block from the Moscone Convention Center, only a short walk from many of downtown San Francisco's familiar hotels, attractions, and diverse businesses. Open Monday through Thursday 4pm. Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12pm. Come by and raise a glass with us. Sláinte!
www.thechieftain.com
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Amaury Pi-Gonzalez and New York Yankees pitcher Jim "Catfish" Hunter in 1975 at the Oakland Coliseum | |
Jim "Catfish” Hunter
Led the Way
By Amaury Pi Gonzalez
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Today rumors that New York Yankee superstar Juan Soto is getting offers of a $600 million contract continue to swirl around the baseball world. Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, recently said in Los Angeles that they are in the process of selecting which team Soto will sign with. The favorite teams for Juan Soto are the Dodgers, Mets, Blue Jays, and Red Sox.
The first multi-million dollar contract in baseball was signed by pitcher Jim “Catfish” Hunter with the New York Yankees. It was for $3.25 million over five years, plus he received a $1 million bonus,
a $150,000 per year salary, and deferred compensation.
This control specialist was one of the players responsible for opening the door to other free agents to follow and one of the first who helped usher the Free Agency as we know it today. Hunter began his career with the Kansas City Athletics in 1968 and pitched until 1979 with the New York Yankees.
He won five World Series championships, three with the Oakland A’s during their 70s dynasty and two with the New York Yankees. He made Oakland history by hurling the first perfect game in A’s history in 1968, and the first then since 1922.
He won the American League Cy Young Award with the A’s in 1974. Selected eight times to the All-Star Game. From 1971 to 1975, no pitcher in baseball had his type of control (almost a la Greg Maddux). A’s catcher Ray Fosse told me there was nobody even close to Catfish of all the pitchers he worked with.
His signature season was 1974, when he helped the Oakland A’s win the World Series in five games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That season he ended with a record of 25-12 with a league-leading 2.49 ERA, started 41 games, and completed 23.
If Juan Soto has already signed that monstrous contract, which would be only second to Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million with the Dodgers, by the time you are reading this, the baseball world could look to Jim “Catfish” Hunter as one of the key players who paved the way for Free Agency. Back then, it was a scandalous $3.25 million contract; today, it is an obscene $600 to $700 million.
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Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
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On Tuesday night, December 3rd, the Oakland Ballers hosted a
Fan Investor Town Hall in preparation of voting for the team’s first Fan Investor Board Member. Stockholders for the one-year-old baseball team gathered to hear Jade Le and Jorge Leon state their respective cases for becoming a Fan board member.
Full video of the event linked here.
Moderator Casey Pratt (center) conducted the Q&A for the candidates, asking stockholders to vote on which candidate they believed was best suited for the position. The two finalists pictured above, of the initial 75 applicants, acquitted themselves with grace and poise, showing undeniable enthusiasm for the privilege at hand.
Tune in to www.oaklandballers.com to find out who won! And be sure to visit the Ballers’ website for tickets and details for the upcoming season! Photo and caption by Ann Cooke
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Oakland Roots at the Coliseum:
It's Time to Secure Your Seats
for 2025!
Oakland Roots Sports Club is gearing up for its 2025 USL Championship season in the historic Oakland Coliseum. In October, the Roots released a first look at the 2025 seating map, which includes premium Club Oak seats, family-friendly sections, affordable tickets, and Iconic views seating designed to bring fans closer to the field.
Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan, who represents the vibrant and diverse community of Oakland and is also the chair of the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Authority (OACCA), welcomes and supports the Root's dedication to bringing fans and economic opportunity with the world’s largest and fastest growing sport -- soccer -- to the Oakland Coliseum.
Kaplan helped champion bringing more activity to the coliseum and arena in Oakland, providing for more concerts and events and the Root’s return to Oakland. In March, the OACCA, the Oakland and Alameda County joint powers board that oversee the Coliseum, approved the Oakland Roots Sports Club to play their 2025 Soccer Season home matches in the Coliseum Stadium.
“The Roots Soccer Team, a beacon of unity and passion, has captured the hearts of Oakland residents and soccer enthusiasts nationwide. Their commitment to community engagement, diversity, and excellence on the field aligns perfectly with the values that make Oakland a remarkable city,” said Councilmember Kaplan. "As we look ahead to 2025, I invite all Oakland residents to celebrate this milestone. The Roots presence at the Oakland Coliseum will foster unity, pride, and economic empowerment.”
"We are honored to be able to play our 2025 season in such an iconic venue,” said Oakland Roots SC President, Lindsay Barenz. “We’re proud to ensure pro sports stay at the Coliseum next year.”
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Jim Parker -- from the Autograph Collection of Rich Yee | |
Jim Parker was an offensive tackle and guard for the Baltimore Colts from 1957-1967. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973. I met him at a sports collector show and he signed this photo for me after we chatted and he told stories
of his playing days.
Rich Yee, Sports Today Photographer
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Hardly Trivial by T. Buff | |
Football as a life saver/life changer...
What well known Motown singer tried out
for the Detroit Lions in 1970?
answer below...
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Something About Opinions
by Howard Pearlstein
I am pretty open about my dislike of opinions being passed along as facts, the same dislike when people call journalism a search for truth. It is a search for facts, also admirable, but definitely not the same thing.
My dislike of opinions as facts was pretty much hammered into me during my youthful period of involuntary servitude, the situation gifted to American males in olden days via a procedure called The Draft.
It put you into a system in which anyone with stripes on his sleeve or shiny pins on his shoulder could make you accept his opinion as truth. Differing opinions could land you in Federal Prison.
The striped man said opinions are like the slang term for the body’s anal sphincter we use to describe people like John A. Fisher. Also: “Everyone’s got one and they all stink.”
Sports writing is traditionally considered the best fact-writing in journalism since your readers already know the pass was 32 yards and the winning 3-pointer was made by Draymond, not Steph. There are still some writers who aspire to that level of excellence (facts, not BS) and treat athletes with the respect due to the people who do the stuff that gives them a job.
Unfortunately, too much of it has become the worst writing as if it improves when filled with insults, attacks and supernatural predictions of what will happen.
Nostradumbasses.
Constitutionally-protected First Amendment freedoms have no requirements for intelligence or even simple decency. People are legally allowed to say and write what they want without much regard for the effect of their words. It’s considered unprofessional idiocy to care about the damage those words cause. The First Amendment does not provide physical protection against the anger caused by the human vandalism.
Professional sports organizations threaten sanctions against players who feel justified in taking a writer aside and explaining the meaning of “take my name outa your mouth.” The Coaches? They’ve got more restrictions on what they say about this sleaziness than a Boot Camp private.
With the Dubs, the Nostradumbasses act as if they know more about what’s going on than Steve Kerr, meaning they’re not just nasty but stupid. To them, stuff that happened before they showed up is history and not worth caring about.
A week ago, one writer continued insisting the only intelligent thing for the Dubs to do is trade for a star, one who is already half-past his career, well into his 30s and missing a lot of games. Ok, but to get him?
Trade the bench: Kuminga, Wiggins, Looney and Moody, calling them duds as he has for years, absolutely certain they could never do anything like last Thursday’s win against the Rockets , both Steph and Draymond on the sidelines.
My opinion?
Steve Kerr knows more about basketball than any of us except maybe Gregg Popovich. And understands more about the Warriors than anyone since the late Nate Thurmond.
As for the Niners, Shanahan didn’t cause the ruinous key injuries but it’s obvious to me the endless greed of the NFL and the networks did, feeding their greed every way possible. More ads. More money. Promote betting on games as if the target demographic is Degenerate Gamblers.
Thursday Night football is a cold-hearted F-you to the players. More ads, more money for everyone except the players. They get more injuries, less time to recover. Same thing with the Emirates In-Season NBA Cup Competition, as if the game itself isn’t interesting enough. More ads. More money.
Screw the fans and players. Screw the game.
Da Le Gas the Ads.
* * *
Howard Pearlstein has been a few places and done a few things.
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Newsletter, Image, Likeness Vol. 109: Fed Up With Coaches Complaining About Players Prioritizing Money | |
by Darren Heitner, Esq.
Founder of Heitnerlegal -- Sports, Entertainment, Trademarks, Copyrights, Business, Litigation, Arbitration
The Weekly Longer NIL Thought
Brian Kelly opened up his Early Signing Period press conference on December 4, 2024 with the following: "It's not just about finding the right fit ... it's about the most money I can get. That's unfortunate, but it's the world we live in."
It's the world we live in, but is it unfortunate?
Should we consider the source of the disgust?
In 2021, Brian Kelly signed a contract to be the head coach of the LSU football team. His contract has a term of 10 years and pays him $95 million with added incentives based on the performance of his team. This season, his base salary was $9.2 million. Not bad.
One could argue Kelly signed his contract with LSU not necessarily because it was the "right fit," but because it was the most money he could get. Would he characterize the situation as unfortunate for those responsible for paying his salary? Probably not. And it's the world we live in.
Oh, by the way, Kelly gets another $500,000 every July following his completion of a season and another $500,000 whenever the LSU football team is bowl-eligible. So, that's $10.2 million for 2024. Unfortunate.
Did you know that Brian Kelly also gets to use a private jet for 50 hours as well as an interest-free loan in the amount of $1.2 million?
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WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Unveils New Website Ahead of Action-Packed 2025 Season; Tickets on Sale December 4 | |
Photo by Allan Rosenberg
MONTEREY, Calif., Dec. 3, 2024—Friends of Laguna Seca today launched a revitalized and reimagined website for WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca designed to engage and entertain fans.
The redesigned site, launched to coincide with the “On Sale” date of 2025 season tickets Wednesday, December 4, enhances the fan experience with ease of use, intuitive navigation, an interactive event calendar, and exciting new features such as interactive videos and responsive design for seamless use across mobile devices and tablets.
“With the new management of Laguna Seca under Friends control, we wanted to signal to the world that there is a new era of opportunity and success at Laguna Seca,” said Friends of Laguna Seca CEO Lauri Eberhart. “Our front door to the world needed to signal that positive change as well. The website is simple, engaging, and merchandise and ticket sales are seamlessly accessible.” The website retains its URL of www.WeatherTechRaceway.com and launched this morning just in time for ticket sales to begin December 4.
The 2025 season promises to be one of excitement and new improvements, running from late April through September. Formula 1 and IROC features lead the anticipation for Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, as well as the Corkscrew Hillclimb. IMSA and INDYCAR also return to the internationally applauded raceway. The full schedule:
- April 10-13 Life Time Sea Otter Classic
- May 2-4 Laguna Seca SpeedTour (Trans Am)
- May 9-11 IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship of Monterey
- July 11-13 MotoAmerica Superbike SpeedFest at Monterey
- July 25-27 INDYCAR Grand Prix of Monterey
- August 9-10 Monterey Pre-Reunion & Corkscrew Hillclimb
- August 13-16 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
- September 12-14 Ferrari Challenge
- September 26-28 GRIDLIFE Laguna Festival
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Hardly Trivial Answer by T. Buff | |
Marvin Pentz Gaye, Jr.
Marvin Gaye bulked up nearly 30 pounds and trained with future Hall of Famer tight end
Charlie Sanders of the Detroit Lions (right). Gaye didn't make the team but several Lions ended up being background vocals on Gaye's 1971 monster hit,
What's Going On?
How Marvin Gaye's NFL tryout changed his career
is the headline for an ESPN take on the story. (The photo above is captured from the same link.)
It's an incredible story!
Join 5.5 million who have listened to
What's Going On? at this link:
https://bit.ly/37kACgW!
May your holidaze go well...
Go Celtics!
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Cal earned its highest ranked win since 2020 with the win
Cal Upsets #19 Alabama
Third Quarter Rally Powers Bears Past Crimson Tide
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) Kayla Williams scored 21 points and California handed No. 19 Alabama its first loss 69-65 in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Thursday night.
Ionna Krimili, who had 19 points, made three free throws in the last half minute to seal the win for the Bears (8-1), who never led by more than six, that coming when Krimili made two free throws with 26.6 seconds to play.
Christabel Ezumah then made 1 of 2 from the line for Alabama, making it 68-63 with 19.1 seconds left but Krimili, who came in 25 of 28 from the line for the season, missed two free throws. Zaay Green scored inside for the Tide before Krimili missed her third straight free throw before icing the game with six seconds remaining.
Marta Suarez added 16 points and six assists for Cal, which picked up its fourth win against a 2024 NCAA Tournament team and the highest-ranked win since beating No. 13 Arizona on March 1, 2020. The win is also the first against a ranked opponent since the Bears defeated then-No. 25 USC on Feb. 15, 2023 and gives Cal its best start to a season under head coach Charmin Smith.
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Photo -- Rob Edwards / KLC fotos
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Four Place at CKLV
LAS VEGAS - Four Cardinal placed in the top 6 at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.
Stanford finished eighth as a team with 72.5 points.
Redshirt freshman Lorenzo Norman, ranked No. 9 at 174 pounds, was the highest Cardinal placer with a runner-up finish to Oklahoma State's No. 5 Dean Hamiti.
Sixth-year Jaden Abas ended his tournament with a first-period fall over No. 7 Anthony Echemendia of Iowa State, avenging a loss from earlier this season, to place third at 149 pounds.
Also placing for the Cardinal were redshirt freshman 133-pounder Tyler Knox (5th) and redshirt sophomore 165-pounder Hunter Garvin (6th).
Stanford will be back in action on Dec. 29-30 at the Midlands Championships in Evanston, Illinois.
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Spartans Get Gritty Win
Over Saint Mary's
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Djessira Diawara had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Sydni Summers contributed 12 points of her own to lead San José State women’s basketball (6-3, 0-0 MW) in a gritty 51-46 win over Saint Mary’s (4-4, 0-0 WCC) on Wednesday night from Provident Credit Union Event Center.
- Diawara finished with 14 points to go with 10 rebounds while shooting 7-for-14 from field goal range.
- Diawara’s seven made field goals set a new season high for the senior transfer.
- This is Diawara’s second double-double performance of the season.
- Summers finished with 12 points, six rebounds, and two assists on 2-for-5 shooting from behind the arc and 6-for-7 from the free throw line.
- Summers’ six rebounds set a new career high for the sophomore.
- Summers’ six made free throws on seven attempts set new career highs in free throws made and attempts.
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Hennie Van Schaik scored eight points with six rebounds, two assists, and one steal while going 4-for-7 from field goal range.
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Amira Brown would finish with seven points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal while going 3-for-10 from the field and 1-for-4 from behind the arc.
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Sofia Kelemeni scored six points to go with her 11 rebounds and one steal.
- Kelemeni’s 11 rebounds set a new single-game career high.
- The Spartans had 51 rebounds as a team, setting a new season high.
- SJSU’s 51 team rebounds led to 15 second-chance points in this game.
- The Spartans embraced the game's physicality, scoring 26 points in the paint.
- The Spartans' longest run of the game was 12-0.
UP NEXT: The Spartans will continue their homestand with a matchup against LMU from Provident Credit Union Event Center on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 1:00 p.m. (PT). You can watch the game on the Mountain West Network and get tickets here.
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Saint Mary's College Gaels | |
Paulius Murauskas: 29 points (career-high), 6-10 from three, 7 rebounds
MBB | Gaels Notch Third Power-Four Victory of the Season at Utah
MORAGA, Calif. — The Saint Mary's Gaels (9-1) had never won in the Huntsman Center coming into this one, with their last win at Utah coming in 1958. That changed tonight, as the Gaels downed the Utes (6-2) in front of a raucous home crowd 72-63, avenging last season's home loss to Utah. While this was just the Gaels first true road win of the season, they remain unbeaten on the road for all of last and this season, with their last road loss coming in February of 2023 against Gonzaga in Spokane.
The Gaels were equal parts brilliant on offense and defense in half one. Saint Mary's jumped out to a double digit lead less than seven minutes in, and kept it that way for the remainder of the half, extending their lead to 17 points at 39-22 at the half. Utah entered this one averaging 34 points per game in first halves, but the Gaels stymied them to just 22 points on 24% shooting and 20% three point shooting. Paulius Murauskas led the offense with 11 points and four rebounds, while Luke Barrett did not miss from the field or stripe with seven while not leaving the floor. Harry Wessels led the rebounding front with five to go along with four points, all at the line, while Augustas Marciulionis had four assists to go along with five points. Both teams turned the ball over seven times, but the Gaels turned Utah's seven giveaways into eight points, while Utah was limited to just two points off of turnovers due to some stellar transition defense by the Gaels.
Saint Mary's extended their lead out to 21 points at 46-25 two minutes into the second half before Utah mounted a furious comeback effort. Over the next five minutes, the Utes would go on an 18-3 run to cut the deficit to just six points. The Gaels would do a good job keeping the Utes at arms length, keeping the game at two possessions until the four minute left, the Utes got within two and had a chance to make it one with a free throw. The bonus shot was missed, and Paulius Murauskas would go on to hit three triples in the next six positions, putting the proverbial nail in the coffin, as the Gaels closed things out with a 72-63 victory. Muruaskas scored 18 second half points, going 4-5 from three . Andrew McKeever playing big minutes following Mitchell Saxen fouling out, led the way with four rebounds, while going 2-2 from the field in the second half. Augustus Marciulionis added four more assists, as he, Murauskas and Barrett did not leave the court in the second half.
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Photo: Joe Oliver
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Five Dons Obtain WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention Selections
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The West Coast Conference officially announced its Women's Cross Country All-Academic team for the 2024 season Friday afternoon.
For San Francisco, five student-athletes earned Honorable Mention selections as Natálie Hluší, Mathilde Valadier, Marlee Kwasnica, Kaylee Noda, and Kamilla Vanadzina received the conference's honor.
The following criteria was used to select the 2024 honorees:
- A minimum 3.20 cumulative grade point average (GPA) based on the most recently completed term at the time of the nomination.
- Be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials.
- Have at least sophomore athletic and academic standing with at least one year in residence completed at the nominating institution. (True freshmen, redshirt freshmen and ineligible athletic transfers may not be nominated).
- Participate in at least 50 percent of the institution's completed contests.
The maximum number of individuals selected to the specific sport's All-Academic team is similar to the number of student-athletes selected to the specific sport's all-conference team.
The full 2024 West Coast Conference Women's Cross Country All-Academic First Team can be viewed below:
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Photo: Eduardo Garcia
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Volleyball Has Seven Players Claim WCC All-Academic Awards
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif- The Santa Clara women's volleyball team had seven players named to the 2024 West Coast Conference All-Academic Honors as announced by the conference on Friday. The trio of senior Oren Abutbul, and redshirt juniors Lauren Grover and Elena Radeff were named to the 16-player WCC All-Academic Team while junior Layla Truitt and sophomores Grace Flanagan, Alyssa Eimer and Lexi Trapani each received Honorable Mention recognition.
Abutbul, an opposite hitter from Zichron Yaakov, Israel, was named to the WCC's All-Academic Team for the second year in a row while her six teammates were honored for the first time. This is the second year in a row that the Broncos have had at least two honorees on the All-Academic Team, and the third consecutive year Santa Clara has had at least seven players receive All-Academic honors.
At the conclusion of each athletic season, the WCC selects an all-academic squad for each WCC-sponsored sport. To be considered, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative Grade Point Average, while also being a significant contributor to their team and in at least their second year at their school.
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University of Pacific Tigers | |
Volleyball Advances in NIVC with Five-Set Win over Weber State
TUCSON, Ariz. – Pacific volleyball powered past Weber State 3-2 (25-23, 22-25, 25-19, 12-25, 15-11) inside the McKale Center Friday morning in the opening round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship on the backs of clutch offensive performances.
Pacific (19-12) improved to 10-2 in five-set matches on the year. It's the most five-set wins in a season under head coach Greg Gibbons, who is in his 15th season.
Graduate Alexa Edwards tallied 21 kills to lead all players. With 15 digs, she was one of two from Pacific to record a double-double along with senior Jenna Heller with 47 assists and 15 digs.
A key contributor was junior Emily Van Groningen who matched her career-high with 16 kills and posted her eighth double-figure kill performance of the year (Pacific is 7-1 in those matches). Coming into the season, the she had gone for 10-plus kills just seven times combined in the previous two campaigns.
As a team, Pacific dug 86 balls on the afternoon, which is the third most of the season and the most against a non-conference team. Leading the defensive charge was senior libero Megan Nishimura, who dug her season-high 20 balls and reached the 20-dig milestone for the first time since Sept. 16, 2023, against Sacramento State.
Sophomore Dylan Gilkey posted 11 digs, marking the first time she has dug 10-plus balls in consecutive games for the first time in her career.
Up next for the Tigers are a match-up with site host Arizona (20-9) and Pacific leads the all-time series history 7-5. First ball from the McKale center on Saturday is set for 5 p.m. on ESPN+.
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No. 5 UC Davis Runs No. 12 Illinois State Out Of Shredville, 42-10; Advances To NCAA FCS Playoff Quarterfinals
NCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP SECOND ROUND
Score: No. 5 UC Davis 42, No. 12 Illinois State 10
Location: Davis, Calif. (UC Davis Health Stadium)
Records: UC Davis 11-2 (7-1), Illinois State to 10-4
The short story: Walter Payton Award finalist senior quarterback Miles Hastings became the first Aggie to collect over 4,000 passing yards in a single season, finishing today's game with 403 passing yards, while a defensive performance that kept Illinois State out of the endzone after the opening drive led No. 5 UC Davis football to a commanding 42-10 victory in its NCAA Division I Championship Second Round match up.
FIRST DOWN
- Hastings finished 25-for-33, tossing three touchdowns and it's the second time this season he has thrown for at least 400 yards
- The 4,148 passing yards Miles has on the season broke a single season program record (when including the postseason). A record of 3,931 held by Jake Maier (2018) fell with Hastings' performance tonight
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Senior running back and Walter Payton Award finalist Lan Larison again filled the stat sheet, rushing for 104 yards and three touchdowns on 22 touches while catching three balls for 87 yards along with taking one kick back for 19 yards to collect 210 all-purpose yards
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Senior wide receiver C.J. Hutton caught seven balls for 104 yards and one touchdown, his second 100-yard receiving game of the season
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Redshirt-junior linebacker David Meyer, who set a program record for solo sacks passing 64 on the season, racked up nine total tackles and seven solo stops
- The Connors brothers each had big days, with Porter finishing with nine total tackles (eight solo) and Rex racking up eight (all solo) tackles
- As a team the Aggies collected a season-high 558 total yards of offense
- Illinois State scored a touchdown on its opening drive, and would not reach the endzone again for the remainder of the game
- Because of the stout Aggie defense, Illinois State would only go 2-for-5 in red zone chances
UC Davis scored 21 points in the second quarter and held the Redbirds scoreless in the second half to pull away.
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Cal State University East Bay Pioneers | |
Pioneer Men's Basketball Drops Road Game at Chico State on Thursday
CHICO, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's basketball team suffered a tough 76-48 loss to Chico State on Thursday evening at Art Acker Gymnasium in CCAA action. The Pioneers struggled to find their rhythm throughout the game, falling behind early and unable to mount a comeback against a strong Wildcats performance.
Chico State took control from the outset, building a 36-18 halftime lead. The Wildcats' dominance continued in the second half, outscoring the Pioneers 40-30 to secure the convincing victory.
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Beril Kabamba led Cal State East Bay with a solid all-around performance, scoring 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, grabbing a team-high six rebounds, and recording three steals.
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The Pioneers' bench showed some promise, outscoring Chico State's reserves 23-18, led by Chase Page, who scored six points off the bench.
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Chico State's balanced attack proved too much for East Bay to handle. The Wildcats had four players score in double figures, led by Trae Taylor's 16 points on a perfect 8-for-8 shooting from the field.
- The Pioneers faced challenges on both ends of the court, shooting just 31.1 percent from the floor compared to Chico State's 51.9 percent.
- The Wildcats also held a significant advantage on the boards, outrebounding East Bay 40-27.
Cal State East Bay: 1-5, 0-2 CCAA
Chico State: 5-2, 2-0 CCAA
The Pioneers will look to regroup quickly as they continue their road trip, facing Cal Poly Humboldt in another CCAA matchup on Saturday, December 7. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Lumberjack Arena in Arcata, California.
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Photo by: Kendall Spencer / KLC Fotos
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Watch any program on CCE's YouTube channel, or, for attorneys, earn MCLE credits online, economically, with "The Best in Topics and Talent."
Center for Continuing Education, Monterey, CA is a State Bar of California MCLE approved Provider, #8450
https://www.cce-mcle.com/
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Weekly Bay Area
Sports Calendar
Monday, December 9, through
Sunday, December 15, 2024
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Monday, December 9
Tuesday, December 10
San Jose Sharks @ Carolina Hurricanes, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, December 11
Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 12
San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Rams, 5:15 p.m.
San Jose Sharks @ St. Louis Blues, 5 p.m.
Friday, December 13
Saturday,December 14
San Jose Sharks vs. Utah Hockey Club, 7 p.m.
Sunday, December 15
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Publisher: Christopher Weills
Marketing Director: Robert Moselle
Director of Sales: Ann Cooke; Representative: Ayiko Konopaski
Contributors: Steve Chain, Harvey Cohen, Andy Dolich, Pete Elman, Rob Flammia, Bruce Macgowan, Robert Moselle, Dave Newhouse, Howard Pearlstein, Amaury Pi-Gonzalez, T. Buff, Shelia Young
Staff Photographers: Jeff Bayer, Alex Ho, Ed Jay, James Molgaard,
Ron Sellers, Darren Yamashita, Rich Yee, Kenny Karst (retired).
Social Media & Production: Jenny Kim, Ammar Bhaiji
Website: www.UltimateSportsGuide.net
Contact us at: theultimatesportsguide@gmail.com
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FIELD OF PLAY
For the past 60 years, Michael Zagaris has taken his camera behind the scenes of the NFL, capturing the moments that define America’s game.
To order: https://www.zagarisbook.com/
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LOL, Loss of Logo: What’s Your Next Move? was written for sports professionals by Andy Dolich and Jack Hirschman and offers valuable takeaways for everyone chasing the fancy logo and corner office. | |
The Emerald Mile: The epic and award-winning story of the fastest ride in history through the heart of the Grand Canyon, by Kevin Fedarko. A thrilling true tale during the legendary flood of 1983. | |
More than a cookbook, this culinary delight was written to preserve a great chef's traditional family recipes and stories of her childhood for her far-flung grandchildren. Author Leonie Samuel-Hool recounts stories of a vanished society and legends of the gods and goddesses that protect and sometimes make mischief in Indonesian homes, fields and foods. The recipes are explicitly presented. | |
The absolute greatest Yankees were the 1949-1953 pinstripers, winners of an unprecedented five consecutive World Series. "The Yankee Way," Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa writes in the book's foreword, is "full of Yankee winning keys, star-studded competition, and insights about one of baseball's historically fascinating periods." By Charlie Silvera with Dave Newhouse (Author). | |
To Order: $15 hardcover, $10 paperback, plus $4.95 shipping. Send check/M.O. to Christopher Weills, P.O. Box 4515, Berkeley, CA 94704 | | |
The Ultimate Sports Guide is very appreciative to the ongoing contributions made by former staff photographer Kenny Karst and Robert Moselle. Mr. Karst, now retired, continues to contribute helpful ideas and his archives.
Mr. Moselle, Esq., is now lending his extensive editorial experience and marketing savvy to the publication.
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