Bee Sports Editor/Opinion
There is a little football game today in Berkeley called the Big Game. It's a bigger game to Stanford, though, than to Cal.
Cal is 6-4 and bowl-bound. Stanford is 5-6 and needs a victory to qualify for its first bowl game since 2001. Just as important as the revenue gained from a bowl game, the Cardinal gets an extra month of practice.
In a football environment that is heavily regulated by the NCAA, that bonus practice time is enough to push a program to another level and impress recruits as well.
Even if the Cardinal loses, it is a testament to the job Jim Harbaugh has done in two years at the Farm (9-14 overall). There are few moral victories in college sports, but when you get as little support in all aspects as Stanford football does, 5-7 would be good. But 6-6 would be great.
What to watch
Stanford at Cal, 12:30 p.m., Ch. 10: Yes, Texas Tech-Oklahoma is on at 5 p.m., but this is the Big Game.
What to do
Community college football: PremierWest Bank Bowl – Santa Rosa at Sierra, Rocklin, 1 p.m.: Sierra goes for 10 wins in its home bowl game.
What to surf
www.sierra.cc.ca.us/Programs/divisions/HealthPERA/football/index.html Learn more about the Sierra football team at this link.
Friday's results
Area college football • Fresno St. 24, S.J. St. 10
NBA • Blazers 117, KINGS 96 • Bulls 115, Warriors 110 • Magic 100, Pacers 98 (OT) • Nets 129, Raptors 127 (OT) • Rockets 103, Wizards 91 • 76ers 89, Clippers 88 • Hawks 88, Bobcats 83 • Celtics 95, T-wolves 78 • Spurs 119, Jazz 94 • Bucks 104, Knicks 87 • Mavs 91, Grizzlies 76 • Hornets 105, Thunder 80 • Lakers 104, Nuggets 90
Area men's basketball • Wash. St. 76, Sac St. 55
Area women's basketball • Denver 64, UC Davis 50 • UNLV 66, Nevada 53 • Fullerton 88, St. Mary's 74 • Cal 66, Rutgers 52
Weekend poll
Who will Blazers center Greg Oden be more like? • Bill Russell. • Bill Walton. • Sam Bowie. To vote, go to www.sacbee.com/sports.
Friday's poll results
Should the Giants sign free-agent pitcher CC Sabathia? • Yes. 53% • No. 21% • Depends on offer. 26% Total votes: 165.
Talk amongst yourselves
What you're discussing on www.sacbee.com/forums: • Kings: "Should coach Theus be on the hot seat?"
The last word
What you're saying on the sacbee.com comments: • "All of a sudden a former agent's going to switch roles? He's going to be a natural? I don't buy it."
– BlindedByScience on "Kings to hire agent as assistant GM"
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