The Bruins certainly have their work cut out for them as they
head to Cal to face off against the conference leaders.
They’ll see the conference leader in rushing in Marshawn
Lynch. They’ll see the conference leader in interceptions in
Daymeion Hughes. And they’ll see the conference leader in
passing efficiency in Nate Longshore. It’s no surprise that
five games into the Pac-10 season, the Bears find themselves in
first place. It also isn’t too big of a surprise that with an
unstable quarterback situation and a flailing running game, the
Bruins find themselves hanging onto their lower-middle-class status
in the Pac-10. Even still, Berkeley is going to be filled with
Bruins. Walking around campus and talking to people, I’ve
been amazed by how many people are hopping in their cars and
heading north to watch their team compete as big-time underdogs.
Westwood is going to be a ghost town, and it’s inspiring. All
that I’ve heard all week is talk of carpools, housing
arrangements and plans of where people are going to sit. I have to
say I’m a little surprised. I was at UCLA’s game
against Washington State and it was one of the saddest experiences
I have ever had at a sporting event. All the air had been sucked
out of the Rose Bowl (a pretty big place) and it seemed like
everyone had given up on the team. They haven’t. I am
impressed by the mass of Bruin fans who are sticking by their team
and school through thick and thin. This is a thin time, and
students are holding up their end of the bargain. It’s one
thing to keep going to the home games because you have a little
Captain in you. It’s another thing entirely to take the
six-hour drive north (granted, to the best place on earth, the Bay
Area) and sit in the stands when most of the cards in the deck are
stacked against your team. Well done, guys. I hope the trip (which
sadly I can’t make) is a good one. Since I’m from
Berkeley, there are a few things I know which can make your trip go
from good to incredible.
1. Gordo’s Burritos One location on College (just east of
Cal) and another on Solano Avenue. Go there. Super pollo asado with
guacamole and sour cream. Trust me. It’s kind of a big
deal.
2. Cheeseboard Pizza On Shattuck Avenue, it is a gourmet pizza
place where I grew up. They make one kind of pizza a day, and
it’s never pepperoni. Be ready to try a different kind of
pizza and get ready to see why we Bay Area people always talk about
missing the food.
3. Men’s water polo That’s right, ladies and
gentlemen, Adam Krikorian himself will be in Berkeley this weekend
along with the UCLA men’s water polo team to take on Cal
(I’m not sure whether he’ll be signing autographs).
Seriously, though, this is a battle between the No. 3 Bruins and
the No. 2 Bears. If you’re in Berkeley already, and
especially if you’ve never seen a water polo game before,
this is a great opportunity. The game is at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
This game will be a hard-fought and close battle, something that
might not be able to be said about the football game you’ll
be going to afterward.
The odds are stacked against the Bruins in the football game,
but I have to give the props to the Bruins who will be in the
stands. I do have one hope for the football team this weekend,
though. With so many people making their way up to the game, I hope
that the team gives them something to cheer about. I would love
Justin Medlock to get frustrated because he only gets to kick PATs.
I would love to see Pat Cowan throw a 70-yard pass to Junior Taylor
for a touchdown. If they can do that, I’ll call ahead to
Gordo’s and have their orders ready.
E-mail Gordon at bgordon@media.ucla.edu if you’re
bummed you can’t join the crowd going to Berkeley this
weekend.