Monday, Mar. 1 through Sunday, Mar. 7, 2021
Issue No. 370
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Major award for coach Brent Brennan |
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Earlier this year San Jose State Spartans' coach Brent Brennan was honored by the Lombardi Foundation as the top college football coach in America.
Photo: San Jose State University Athletics
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We are all Spartans!
by Andy Dolich
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There are many signature events in the sports world which haven’t garnered the national attention they deserve, based on the world in which we are living.
On February 17 San Jose State University football coach Brent Brennan was honored by the Lombardi Foundation as the top college football coach in America. 2020 was a dream come true for the Spartans, going undefeated at 7-0 in the regular season that wasn’t regular, winning the Mountain West but falling short of the perfect season, losing to Ball State in the Arizona Bowl on December 31. Still it was the third best season based on win-loss percentage in school history, dating back to 1893.
Brennan, who was born in San Jose, returned to San Jose State University on December 8, 2016 as the Spartans' new head football coach.
The 47-year-old Brennan was an assistant coach with the Spartans from 2005 through 2010 under head coaches Dick Tomey and Mike MacIntyre. From 2011 through 2016, he coached receivers at Oregon State.
One of four finalists, Brennan, a first-time head coach at any level, was named ahead of Indiana University's Tom Allen, Iowa State University's Matt Campbell, and Coastal Carolina’s Jamey Chadwell.
Santa Clara County has some of the toughest COVID-19 guidelines for sports in the entire country. At one time the 49ers were playing home games in Arizona. The San Jose Sharks were skating on the road, also in Arizona, St. Louis, Minnesota, and Colorado while Stanford, Santa Clara and San Jose State were playing games in other geographies. Who would have thought that a Spartan home game would be played in Honolulu on December 5?
Make no mistake, this is a magnificent achievement for coach Brennan, the team and the University in general. The San Jose State community powered through two seasons of losing, going 3-22 from 2017 and 2018. The breakthrough was in 2019 with a 5-7 record and wins at Arkansas, at Army and at home against Fresno State to close the season. In this year’s magnificent 7-1 season the Spartans overcame double-digit halftime deficits to beat San Diego State and Nevada in a home game at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. I looked at Brent’s record as a UCLA receiver and he caught 1 pass for 7 yards and ended up going 7-1 as a national coach of the year.
In 1970 coach John Ralston of Stanford was honored as Coach of the Year by the Sporting News. In 2002 Stanford’s Tyrone Wllingham was named Coach of the Year by Home Depot/ESPN. The American Football Coaches Association named three coaches from Nor Cal decades ago.
1940 -- Clark Shaughnessy, Stanford
1943 -- Amos Alonzo Stagg, Pacific
1951 -- Chuck Taylor, Stanford
The name Vince Lombardi defines excellence and total commitment to the sport. Consider that the following awards are named in his honor:
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The NFL’s Super Bowl Trophy: The Lombardi Trophy
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The Lombardi Award of Excellence is awarded by the Lombardi Foundation annually to the best college player, regardless of position, based on performance, as well as leadership and character.
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The Lombardi Award was first presented to a college football lineman from 1970-2016, emblematic of Lombardi’s college days at Fordham in the 1930s as one of the “Seven Blocks of Granite.”
The Bay Area salutes San Jose State University’s Brent Brennan for representing the best of the legendary Vince Lombardi.
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New Mexico Lobos coach Danny Gonzales (left) and San Jose State Spartans coach Brent Brennan meet briefly after the Spartans 38-21 victory on October 20, 2020. Photo by Darren Yamashita.
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Andy Dolich has over five decades of leadership in the sports industry, including executive positions in the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, pro soccer and lacrosse. Presently Dolich is COO of the Fan Controlled Football (FCF) and teaches sports business at Stanford's School of Continuing Studies.
Dolich is also co-author of the book:
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BUS 180 — Technology and Innovation
in the Year of Empty Arenas
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Quarter: Spring
Course Format: Live Online
(About Formats)
Date(s): Apr 13 - Jun 1
Drop Deadline: Apr 15
Tuition: $545
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Day(s): Tuesdays
Duration: 8 weeks
Time: 7:00 - 8:50 pm (PT)
Unit: 1
Instructor: Andy Dolich
Status: Registration opens Feb. 22, 8:30 a.m. (PT)
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Many of the 140 million fans who would have attended live sporting events in the last year have taken a seat in front of the television and other digital devices as the pandemic has kept arenas and stadiums empty or with greatly reduced in-person spectators. The same is true for cultural and arts entertainment venues. Despite the physical divide, fans and audiences are getting involved because innovators are exploring new strategies of engagement. Focusing on spectator sports, this course will explore the creative realities of fan-immersive experiences based on new sports platforms such as FCF (Fan Controlled Football) along with fantasy sports, avatars, video streaming, virtual ticketing, and more. We also will look at the future long-term interplay of business economics and fan engagement, and how—if and when live spectators can physically re-enter venues, even at reduced capacity—industry innovators will be exploring new technologies to enhance the experiences for the virtual and live spectators of the world of sports and entertainment. Scheduled as guest speakers for this course are Jamie Pardi, co-founder and CEO, FanCompass; David Yorke, co-founder, Umpires Media; Sohrob Farudi, co-founder and CEO, Fan Controlled Football; Mindi Bach, senior director of sports PR, Oracle; and Ted Griggs, former executive
at NBC Sports Group.
Andy Dolich, President, Dolich Consulting; Chief Operating Officer, Fan Controlled Football League
Andy Dolich has held executive positions in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. He is a co-author of 20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro, a co-host of the podcast Life in the Front Office, and a columnist
for the Ultimate Sports Guide.
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Stanford Cardinal (No. 4) 72
Cal Bears 33
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Stanford senior guard Kiana Williams scored 12 points with two steals on Senior Day to help the Cardinal to a 72-33 victory over the California Golden Bears at Maples Pavilion on Sunday, February 28.
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Stanford players and staff pose for a photo as seniors Anna Wilson, Kiana Williams, and Alyssa Jerome were honored after their final home game of their careers. To view a game photo album, visit our Facebook Page and be sure to LIKE us or visit ww.ultimatesportsguide.net.
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Warriors, Kings & Sharks Schedules |
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Spring Training has arrived, which means we’re stretching and loosening up for the 2021 Giant Race Series Presented by Alaska Airlines! Join us as we virtually run through Scottsdale, Sacramento, San Jose and San Francisco.
Registration is now open in all cities!
By signing up for each race, you will receive a finisher’s medal, commemorative race bib and (new this year) limited edition hat! Headwear styles will be unique to each series stop and revealed as we get closer to race day. Plus - register for San Francisco and you’ll reserve your 2021 Giants Player Bobblehead (we’re excited about this one). Take advantage of our early bird pricing on ALL races!
As Arizona is our first stop next month, enjoy a sneak peek at the
Scottsdale Race Kit.
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City of Oakland's releases Draft EIR for
A's waterfront ballpark
The City of Oakland's Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR), which the city released, offers an incredibly thorough analysis showing the path forward for the Oakland A's privately financed project at Howard Terminal that will be important to the environmental, transportation, and housing future of Oakland. The Draft EIR illustrates how current and future Port activity and a new neighborhood can not only coexist but also thrive.
"The release of the Draft EIR is another important step forward in the process of building a new privately financed ballpark at Oakland's Howard Terminal," said Oakland A's President Dave Kaval.
The analysis shows, along with the plans the A's have unveiled, how a once-in-a-generation project like this can contribute to the health and vitality of Oakland, including improved infrastructure and transportation solutions, measures to improve air quality, and supplying additional housing.
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Cal Bears 57
Oregon State Beavers 59
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Getting the better jump, 6-8’ forward Andre Kelly (#22) directs the tip-off away from the 7-1’ Roman Silva of the Beavers. The Golden Bears (8-18, 3-16 Pac-12) played host to Oregon State (12-11, 8-9 Pac-12) in Pac-12 conference play on Thursday, Feb. 25 at Haas Pavilion. After taking a first half lead, Cal cooled off in the second half and dropped a close decision, 59-57. Kelly finished with 15 points. Caption and photo by Ron Sellers.
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Senior Grant Anticevich (#15) made several early buckets, helping Cal establish a lead they would maintain through halftime. Caption and photo
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Leading all scorers, Cal's Matt Bradley (#20) finished the game with 20 points, giving him his Pac-12-leading 11th 20-point game of the season.
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Second year coach Mark Fox directs the team during the timeout. In prior seasons, Fox has guided teams at Nevada and Georgia to multiple postseason berths during the course of his career. To view a game
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Hardly Trivial by T. Buff |
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Currently, there are 30 NBA teams.
Only two teams are in the same city with the same name they started with when the original league, the Basketball Association of America (BAA),
an 11-team league was formed in 1946. Who are they?
(See answer below...)
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Run TMC was Tim Hardaway (left), Mitch Richmond (center), and Chris Mullin.
All three players have had their jerseys retired.
(Photo: Sports Illustrated)
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Warriors:
The Run TMC Years
by Amaury Pi-González
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Even when they were not making the playoffs, the Run TMC years for the Golden State Warriors were very entertaining and always enjoyed great support from Bay Area fans at the Oakland Arena.
They usually sold out for every game. With point guard Tim Hardaway, guard Mitch Richmond and Hall of Famer Chris Mullin as forward, a dynamic trio, adopted that name from the rap group DMC for their “run and gun” style. They had great chemistry with an up-tempo offense that fans loved. It was fun. Those were loyal fans that never saw a title but supported the team 100X100.
It was the San Francisco Examiner which sponsored a “Name the Warriors Trio” contest, after the talented players showed so much agility and coordination and was what most Warriors fans were talking about at that time. The newspaper took the best suggestions to the players, who then selected “Run TMC” from the hip hop group, Run DMC. (Editor's note: We were able to reach out to Pete Elman, who submitted the winning name to the Examiner, for his recollections. See below.)
The high scoring trio was first broken up in 1991 when Richmond was traded to Sacramento, a trade which coach Don Nelson said that he would never make again. After their success with the Warriors all three had their jerseys retired; Chris Mullin with the Warriors, Tim Hardaway with Miami and Mitch Richmond with Sacramento, as he would be the only of the three to win an NBA championship, with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002.
Tim Hardaway, with over a decade's career -- his first six years with the Warriors -- is arguably deserving of the Hall of Fame. His son, Tim Hardaway Jr., is also a point guard and now a veteran playing with the Dallas Mavericks
Mitch Richmond won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award with the Golden State Warriors in 1989, one of four Warriors to take home the award. The others were Rick Barry (1966), Jamal Wilkes (1975) and Chris Webber (1994).
Chris Mullin, with a 16-year NBA Hall of Fame career, has coached at his alma mater, St John’s University, worked as executive and general manager for the Warriors, been an executive adviser for the Sacramento Kings, is a basketball analyst at ESPN and a Bay Area resident.
Since the Run TMC years, especially since 2015, the Warriors have become one of the elite and most successful franchises in the NBA, but those memories of the lean years and the excitement that this trio of players brought to the Oakland Area and to Warriors fans will always be engraved in their memory.
Stay well and stay tuned.
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Editor's note: Oakland resident Pete Elman submitted the winning entry to name the talented trio of Golden State Warriors players and here is Mr. Elman's account:
"In December 1990, the San Francisco Examiner sponsored a "Name the Warriors Trio" contest. I thought a nickname based on their initials might work and flashed on Chris Mullin's Brooklyn roots and the early rappers Run DMC, who hailed from Queens. Hence "Run TMC" was born. I had a gut feeling the players would go for it. Sure enough, I got the call and the Examiner sent a photographer to my house and wrote a piece in the paper. Needless to say I was thrilled.
I had no idea that 30 years down the road the name would be still alive and kicking. I think its lasted because of the wonderful memories fans have of those three iconic players and the sheer joy with which they played. I am still a huge Warriors fan and occasionally wonder if there could be a new moniker for my favorite players, Draymond Green and Steph Curry.
How about "D-C comix?" (yeah, with an "x"!) After all, they are both funny, likable guys, super heroes ---and beloved Warriors."
Pete Elman, Oakland
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Amaury Pi-Gonzalez was the Spanish radio play-by-play announcer for all the games of the Golden State Warriors in the 1990s. He was inducted to the Bay Area
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In the Shadow of Obscurity |
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Author Arif Khatib (above left)
As a person who has traveled the world and chronicled his journey, and recently completed his memoirs for his family, Arif Khatib set out to create a book that would combine three of his passions: sports, history and social justice, while shining a much-needed light on the contributions of forgotten and unheard-of athletes of color. The Shadow of Obscurity: Toiling in a Reluctant Society realizes his vision.
Author Pete Elman (above right)
Pete Elman is a musician, journalist, author and teacher. Originally from Washington, D.C., he grew up loving rock and roll, sports and history. His father, a Justice Department lawyer who argued cases in the Supreme Court—most notably Brown vs. Board of Education—imbued in young Peter a strong sense of social justice.
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Where The Bay Comes To Play! |
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The BEST Bay Area sports photos from
Michael Zagaris, Ed Jay, Rich Yee, Darren Yamashita,
Ron Sellers, Alex Ho, Rob Edwards, Kenneth Wong,
Timothy Reynolds and Larry Rosa
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San Jose Earthquakes Update |
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Earthquakes sign goalkeeper Matt Bersano to new contract
Bersano enters fifth season with San Jose
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Earthquakes announced that the club has signed goalkeeper Matt Bersano to a one-year contract.
Bersano, 28, enters his fifth season with the Quakes in 2021. Over the past four years Bersano made 60 appearances on loan with the Quakes' former USL Championship affiliate Reno 1868 FC, where he was a two-time USL Team of the Week honoree and named the team's Goalkeeper of the Year in 2017 and 2018. Bersano has not featured in an MLS match.
Prior to the Earthquakes, Bersano made two appearances for USL side Seattle Sounders FC 2 in 2016. A former youth player at Real Salt Lake AZ, Bersano competed collegiately at Oregon State (2011-14) and Penn State (2015).
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The Anti-Racist Project (ARP), an action-based approach to tackling systemic racism in soccer and society, launched, led by a diverse coalition of leaders from the U.S. soccer industry that are tired of the continual lack of action that follows the repeated condemnation of racism.
This ground-breaking coalition, forged by a shared determination to act, aims to fund and implement a toolkit designed by Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) experts across the U.S. soccer landscape that will provide anti-racist training for players, coaches, fans, club staff and executives from
grassroots to elite level.
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Hardly Trivial Answer by T. Buff |
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Of course the Celtics had to be one of the teams.
The movement of the teams with name and locale changes and expansion is well documented at this link: http://on.nba.com/3b0tPfx. The National Basketball Association (NBA) was created in 1949 with 17 teams and grew out of a consolidation of the BAA and the competing
National Basketball League (NBL).
Baseball next week, maybe... May your week go well.
Suggestions? Caught me off-base for misinformation?
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Sports Prep Star -- Aiyanna Co
Heritage-Brentwood -- Golf -- Senior
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Golfing in a competition with her Patriots teammates for the first time since November 2019, Aiyanna Co, the Heritage captain and top seeded golfer earned medalist honors in a Bay Valley Athletic League-opening win over Pittsburg. Co earned top honors by shooting a 1-over par 37 on the front nine at Lone Tree Golf Course in Antioch. Her round included a chip-in birdie on the par-4 fifth hole. Heritage golf went 2-0 in its opening week of play.
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For the best real estate listings homes and property on
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The 2019 Fall/Winter edition of the Ultimate Sports Guide, a San Francisco Bay Area sports reference publication published twice a year for avid Bay Area and Northern California sports fans, is in the house. The Ultimate Sports Guide is distributed free of charge or may be ordered via subscription. Each seasonal edition provides professional and collegiate team coverage through commentary, photo essays and player profiles. To order, visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net or send $5 to: Ultimate Sports Guide,
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Back Issues
not to be missed!
Offering superb photography and
entertaining chronicles
* Click here for 2019 editions.
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Weekly Bay Area
Sports Calendar
Monday, Mar. 1 through
Sunday, Mar. 7, 2021
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Monday, March 1
San Francisco Giants vs. Texas Rangers, 1:05 p.m.
Oakland A's vs. Cincinnati Reds, 1:05 p.m.
San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 2
San Francisco Giants @ Los Angeles Dodgers, 7:05 p.m.
Oakland A's @ Milwaukee Brewers, 1:10 p.m.
Wednesday, March 3
Golden State Warriors @ Portland Trailblazers, 7 p.m.
Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 7 p.m.
Oakland A's @ Colorado Rockies, 1:10 p.m.
San Jose Sharks vs. Colorado Avalanche, 7:30 p.m.
Stanford Cardinal (MBB) @ USC, 7:30 p.m.
San Jose State Spartans (MBB) vs. Nevada, TBA
Cal Bears (WBB - #12) vs. Oregon State (#5), 11 a.m. - Pac 12
Thursday, March 4
Golden State Warriors @ Phoenix Suns, 7 p.m.
Sacramento Kings @ Portland Trailblazers, 7 p.m.
San Francisco Giants @ Chicago White Sox, 1:05 p.m.
USF (MBB - #8) vs. San Diego (#9), 6 p.m. -- WCC
Santa Clara Broncos (MBB - #7) vs. Portland (#10), 9 p.m. - WCC
Stanford Cardinal (WBB - #1) vs. TBD, 4 p.m. -- Pac-12
Friday, March 5
San Francisco Giants vs. San Diego Padres, 6:40 p.m.
Oakland A's vs. Los Angeles Angels, 1:05 p.m.
San Jose Sharks vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 7:30 p.m.
Saint Mary's (WBB - #7) vs. Pacific (#6), 2 p.m. - WCC
Saturday, March 6
San Francisco Giants @ Kansas City Royals, 1:05 p.m.
Oakland A's @ Seattle Mainers, 1:10 p.m.
San Jose Sharks vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 7:30 p.m.
Saint Mary's (MBB - #4) vs. Game 3 winner, 6 p.m. - WCC
Santa Clara (WBB - #4) vs. Game 3 winner, 11 a.m. - WCC
USF (WBB - #3) vs. Game 4 winner, 2 p.m. - WCC
Sunday, March 7
San Francisco Giants vs. Cincinnati Reds, 1:05 p.m.
Oakland A's vs. Cleveland Indians, 1:05 p.m.
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Enjoy the
Under the ultra-skilled leadership of Cal graduate Ricky Liu, a team of talented Cal students assembled the elegant Ultimate Sports Guide website for your readers. Ricky's team included Natalie Leung, Yafei Liang and Kasey Woo. Visit www.ultimatesportsguide.net
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We can help!
Write: sportstoday@ultimatesportsguide.net
or call (510) 845-2035
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Join Us As A Sponsor!
Economical and rewarding.
Write: sportstoday@ultimatesportsguide.net
or call (510) 845-2035
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The vast majority of student-athletes dreaming of athletic stardom won't make it to the pros. Yet, the discipline and skills they've developed while balancing a sport and academics make them ideally suited for satisfying careers elsewhere. In 20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes Who Won't Go Pro, the authors draw on personal experience, interviews, expert opinion, and industry data to provide a game plan for student-athletes through key transitions at each stage of their careers, from high school through college and beyond. Modeled on Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, this book provides a much-needed strategy for achieving career success. Readable and concise, it will be a valuable tool for students, parents, and sports administrators. To order, click here.
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5980 Stoneridge Drive, Ste. 122
Pleasanton, CA 94588-2723
CalBRE License #:01770629
Agent 510.512.2145
Office 925.847.8900
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Many people -- maybe even you -- have been getting out on their bikes more during Shelter-in-Place. "Check for Bikes" clings and bumper stickers are great ways to keep bicyclists safer out there on the road by promoting awareness by drivers to share the road. Keep safe out there and keep your neighbors safe by using or passing along vinyl clings for inside a car window or windshield and
4" circular bumper stickers. We have Youth and Spanish versions, too!
with questions or to order.
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Ultimate Sports Guide
P.O. Box 4515
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-845-2035
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The Ultimate Sports Guide is very appreciative to the ongoing contributions made by former staff photographer Kenny Karst, now retired. Mr. Karst continues to contribute through helpful ideas and his archives.
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