2 Cal Players Shine -- First Team All PAC-10

It's time to celebrate for Cal.

But wait, let's backtrack and take a look at last year so we can get a sense of how far Cal has come along this season. If you do not know, former Coach Ben Braun was the reason for much of my (venting) blogs last year. He led our Cal bball team to a 6-12 Pac-10 record, and finally (& I give myself a pat on the back b/c my venting was not in vain) he got the boot. Now, we shouldn't be celebrating in another's misery, but come on! I blame Ben Braun for not maximizing on the potential and skills of the Cal bball team. So Ben Braun's kick to the curb was long overdue. He needed out, and Cal needed a miracle.

Braun, "I just don't get it. Why can't I get the Bears to win?"

Here comes Coach Al Montgomery. He was the man at Stanford who left to coach the Golden State Warriors. And well, the recap is: he wasn't so successful in that NBA endeavor. He took to some commentating and with Braun's exit, Big Monty got offered the Cal coaching job. Fingers crossed, many looked to this experienced coach as Cal's possible basketball savior. And to his credit, there was a Cal basketball renaissance.

Patrick Christopher and Jerome Randle have now been named to the All Pac-10 First Team.
To be honest, I really don't understand what this means, except that it's a good thing. And according to my friend, it's a really good thing because only 10 players from the Pac-10 are chosen and honored with this accolade.

Jerome Randle probably hitting a 3. He did this frequently

As an ardent Cal bball fan, I am proud of the accomplishments of these two players. Last year upset me: one player shined. But this year, Monty made things different. With teamwork, the Bears improved and finished in the Pac-10 with an 11-7 record, and 22-9 overall.


As Cal steps into the Staples Center on Thursday, 3/12/09, at 6pm, we will see how they fare against Lil Romeo and his Trojans. As the #3 seed in the Pac-10, hopefully the Bears prove to critics that they can compete all season long, no matter if it's in LA or wherever the NCAA sends them.

Go Patrick!
Let's feel that energy on Thursday!